Ace in the (Buch)Holz

On Memorial Day 2010, I attended my first ever Red Sox game.  A Rochester, NY native, and coupled with being a 14 year old, I never had many opportunities to travel to Boston. But that year my mom finally gave in to my requests, and purchased tickets to the Memorial Day game against the Kansas City Royals. When we arrived at the stadium, the sun shined over Yawkey Way and I was in absolute awe.  I had never seen anything like it, including that many Red Sox fans in one place.  

I was ecstatic to find our seats along the first base line, with a beautiful view of the green monster. That day, Jon Lester was pitching, and during warm ups, new star pitcher Clay Buchholz was signing autographs.  Apprehensive and intimidated by the fans who seemed to know what they were doing, my mom urged me to get as close as I could, and eventually Clay spotted me and I threw my program down towards him.  He signed a picture of Dustin Pedroia and gave me a little smirk (Clay's picture was on the inside cover of the program, but I was happy nonetheless). That was it, I was hooked.  I framed the picture when I got home and admired it as any fourteen year old boy could.

Clay Buchholz during the Memorial
Day game in his breakout 2010 season.

It doesn't seem too long ago that Clay Buchholz was dominating opposing batters and was selected to his second All-Star game in 2013.  Buchholz looked like the best pitcher in baseball up until June, when he was sidelined with a neck injury, but seemed poised to return to form after the All-Star break.  Unfortunately, Buchholz hasn't regained his early 2013 form, and has become a major question mark for the ace-less Red Sox.

All Betts on Mookie

The youth movement in Boston appears to be over.  Well, sort of.  Jackie Bradley Jr., Rubby De La Rosa, Allen Webster, and Will Middlebrooks all played their way out of jobs for the Red Sox.  With a year of experience under his belt and a lot of potential yet to fill, Xander Bogaerts appears to be the only survivor of the 2014 youth movement in Bean Town.

Once promising prospects, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Will Middlebrooks did not live up to expectations.

One question mark is second basemen turned outfielder, Mookie Betts.  Betts caught the attention of Red Sox coaches and fans after a blazing hot start to the 2014 season in the minor leagues.  Betts quickly rose his way to the major leagues in late June and struggled in his first taste of major league action, batting .235 through his first ten games after batting .342 in Double-A and Triple-A.  The Tennessee native was sent down to get more seasoning in the minors, and was later called back up to the Red Sox, where he finished the season hitting .291 while playing in the outfield, and some second base while Dustin Pedroia dealt with a left hand injury.

Stuck in the Middle-brooks

On a warm, spring May day in Rochester, NY, I donned my Red Sox hat and began watching ESPN highlights from the night before.  Among them were the 2012 Red Sox, already in dismay after hiring Bobby Valentine.  The Red Sox were struggling to find an identity as a team, and star third baseman Kevin Youkilis was battling injuries.  In come third base prospect from Texas, Will Middlebrooks.  Through his first 38 games, Middlebrooks had 31 RBI and looked like a star in the making.  I immediately ran to my computer and searched "Will Middlebrooks Jersey", as I wanted to brag to my Yankee fan friends that the Sox had the superstar in the making.  The results were slim, but I managed to find a navy blue t-shirt with "Middlebrooks" and his rookie #64 printed across the back.

The rookie sensation went on to hit .288 with 15 homers before his season was ended due to a broken wrist, but while playing, he looked like the anchor of the lineup for years to come. Then 2013 came.  Middlebrooks was poised to have a breakout year and establish himself as a force in the middle of the Red Sox lineup.  But after a lower back strain, Middlebrooks lost his job and was sent to Triple-A.  The third basemen came back and, while losing playing time to Xander Bogaerts, finished the year with 17 homers while batting .227.  2014 was more of the same.  After a hot spring, Middlebrooks battled injuries and was ultimately sent to Triple-A, and finished the year hitting .192 with only two homers in 63 games.