| 21 May 2010
David Ortiz is hitting .358 with 7 ding dongs, 17 RBI and a 1.170 OPS in May.
But he'll be riding the pine tonight in Philadelphia.
With no DH spot on the National League score card, Francona could opt to try the red hot Ortiz at 1B, but Kevin Youkilis has been even hotter this month: .411, 5 homers, 14 RBI, 22 walks and a 1.371 OPS.
But Youk can play third right?
Sure... but Adrian Beltre is hitting .316 overall (2nd on Sox), had a big game last night (2-3, HR) and has had a pretty nice May himself (.292, 3 HR, 13 RBI, .829 OPS).
Oh, and the left-handed Cole Hamels will be pitching.
So I expect You and Beltre at the corners and Papi on the bench... next to Mike Lowell.
But keep your eyes peeled for pinch hitters! With the pitchers hitting, Tito will the option to get both of those guys into the game tonight and all weekend. These are the types of series where versatility shines, and with Youkilis, Martinez, Lowell, Hall and Hermida all on the bench the Sox are locked and loaded for interleague play.
Lackey will start for the Sox and there will be some pressure on him to keep the good vibes flowing here in Red Sox Nation. He's allowed 11 runs on 17 hits and 7 walks in his last two starts... so that means he's due for a quality start, right?
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
