Pap Avoids Arbitration, Gets a One Year Deal

Theo has somehow managed to avoid player arbitration yet again. According to Sean McAdam, Papelbon has agreed to a one year deal worth $6.25 million. The Red Sox also reached an agreement with reliever Jaiver Lopez for $1.35 million.

I've got to give it to Theo on this one, I personally thought Papelbon could be the one player who got past Red Sox management and went on to salary arbitration. In recent weeks Cinco Ocho has articulated his intent to help "set the bar" for fellow closers in the game. Other media sources were reporting as recently as this morning that arbitration could be the only way through a potential agreement, but things obviously changed quickly this afternoon.

Pap's deal is undoubtedly a large increase over last year's salary of $775,000, but falls short of making him one of the highest closers in the game. The agreement places Pap as the 11th highest paid closer in baseball, based on average annual pay.

Javier Lopez also saw a significant pay increase, he was paid $840,000 in 2008 (yes, more than Pap).

Without doing much research I believe this locks down all salary arbitration-eligible players on the Red Sox.....now if we could only address that situation behind the plate.

Lester Outpitches Halladay, Sox Within One of the Rays

Mr. Lester, thank you. Thank you for being the most consistent starter in our rotation this year. Thanks for exceeding every one's expectations this year by being 15-5 with a 3.15 era and 144 k's. Thanks for battling with Roy Halladay toe to toe and winning....and oh yeah, thanks for beating cancer too.

The Red Sox closed to within one game of the Rays (who lost to the Yanks) in the AL East after their 4-3 win at Fenway this afternoon. Boston closed out a 4 game series against the hottest team in baseball by taking 3 of 4, I'm pretty happy about that. How they will once again enter into a big series with the Rays with the chance to come out of it in the AL East lead.

Coco Crisp continued his hot streak by driving in two runs, and David Ortiz showcased his speed with a triple in the 8th, which resulted in an insurance run that was very much needed. Cinco Ocho worked the 9th and was far from sharp, almost giving up the lead, but nailed it down in time to preserve the victory. It was his 38th save of the season, but probably his 38th best of the year. But hey, at this point, a win is a win, and they'll take everyone they can get as the Sox continue to scoreboard watch.

ITM Notes:

-Jacoby stole his 48th base of the season today.

-It appears that JD Drew will not be back until after the Rays series...but that is more my gut feeling than anything else.

-I think it's safe to say Toronto is no longer "in" the wild card race.

-I can't wait to start the magic number watch...can't do it yet, just a little too early, but it's like being 6 years old and having the "Christmas countdown".

Oh What Could've Been...

I was close to starting my post for tonight's game early....I had plans of using "The Red Sox Steal One and Take Control of the AL East"....glad I didn't get that far. Tonight's game had all the makings of a demoralizing loss for the Rays, one that would send the young team to second place for good. Jason Bay pulverized a pitch over the left field wall in the bottom of the 8th to put the Sox up 4-3. There was a curtain call, there were multiple calls by me yelling to brothers, friends, fiances etc. This was going to be one of those nights where I was so excited it took an extra hour or two to get to sleep. I assumed a morally defeated Rays team to go down 1,2,3 in the 9th against the best closer in the game. Well the Rays made an ass out of all of us.

Dice-K was far from effective tonight, going only 5 innings, walking 4 and giving up 8 hits. This was one of those frustrating outings by Dice-K that keeps him outside of the serious Cy-Young candidates. Oddly enough, our middle relief held up (Lopez, Delcarmen, Oki), but our all-world closer gives up three hits and two runs, including a home run by Dan Johnson (who??...exactly). Perhaps there really is karma surrounding all of New England after I relayed NESN's great Papelpon stat on last night's post (I'm kidding of course....kinda). His 5th blown save of the season came on a night when he was throwing a majority of fastballs and was not able to control his splitter.

The Rays continue to look like they're ready to crumble, but somehow stave it off and find someone it their lineup to provide a spark. Tomorrow's game now becomes much more important....not from an overall playoff standpoint, we're almost a lock, but for the division, home field advantage, and the possibility to play the Whitesox instead of the Angels standpoint.

It could have been a great one, one of the handful of games during the season that you point to as defining and memorable. It could have been the Red Sox going for the sweep tomorrow with their ace on the mound. It could have been Boston in first....the Rays in second...and the Yankees in fourth. It could have and should have, but that doesn't mean that ultimately, it won't.

Lester Dominates Rays, Sox Now Only a Half Game Back

On a night that the Red Sox broke the record for consecutive sellouts, Jon Lester threw 119 pitches and dominated a struggling Rays team as the Red Sox won 3-0 to gain yet another game on the Rays in the AL East. Between the surging Sox and the struggling Rays, Boston has gained 5 games in the last 7 days to close their deficit to only one half game....the closest they've been to first place in two months.

While I'm a little concerned about Lester's pitch count, the game was still very much in question and lets face it, the guy is a horse. The big lefthander appears to be getting stronger as the season goes on. He is now 9-1 at home with a 2.37 era at Fenway. He's been the Sox anchor and has set the tone for the series. Boston now sends Dice-K and Josh Beckett to the mound in their effort to regain the AL East lead.

The Sox got to Edwin Jackson early, scoring three runs in the first via a David Ortiz rbi double, Youk's rbi single and a crushed solo tater to center field from Jason Bay (he now has 28 for the year).....and it's a good thing they did as Jackson settled in and rendered them scoreless for the rest of his outing. Coco Crisp continued his surprisingly productive play, going 3 for 3 and extending his hitting streak to 10 games. Covelli hit .305 in August and is hitting .529 in the month of September...pushing his average up to .291 for the year....a number I never thought I'd see from Crisp. Good for him.

We all know you don't have to win the division to have success in the playoffs, but it sure looks like the Sox are poised to take home the AL East crown. They are winning and playing well at the right time of the season and have a favorable schedule down the stretch.

ITM Notes:
-Can we finally stick a fork in the Yanks, it has bothered me how much press they continued to get over the past few weeks while sitting 11 games out of the division and 7 out of the wild card. It's safe to say let's not talk about them again this year.

-NESN just showcased a great stat....Jonathon Papelpon has the lowest ERA in major league history for pitchers with a minimum of 200 innings pitched. The closest pitcher was from the early 1900's. In fact, the most recent pitcher in the top 5 was from 1917...safe to say this guy is special.

Go Sox.

Lowrie provides some insurance in the 9th

Jed Lowrie continues to impress and has given the Red Sox a three run lead (4-1) in the 9th. His two run double gave Boston a little breathing room. Jacoby's single to drive in Lowrie pushes it to 5-1 and should lead to a less stressful bottom of the 9th for cinco ocho.....should.