This applies to everyone, from the pitching staff, to the hitters, to the manager, to the front office. If you thought you were good to enter the break one game ahead in the American League East, then you have to be that much better to finish the season at least one game ahead.
So, say the attaboys now, and hope you can say them in October when it really counts.
Nice first half, Ortiz, Jacoby Ellsbury, AL first-half MVP Adrian Gonzalez, Daniel Bard, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, and Jonathan Papelbon. Now let’s see what you can do when it really counts. For those who haven’t fully participated yet - J.D. Drew, John Lackey, Carl Crawford, Bobby Jenks, Darnell McDonald - and those who have come up a little short because of injuries - Jed Lowrie and Clay Buchholz - it’s about that time.
For those who have overachieved, such as Matt Albers and Alfredo Aceves, you’ve got to do it all season.
For emerging players Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Andrew Miller, show us the complete package during the tough moments.
Tim Wakefield and Jason Varitek, you must be goodies, not oldies.
Here’s a closer look at what the rest of the season may bring:
Theo Epstein and his staff will always think big at the trading deadline, and then do something big, scale back, or do nothing. When you can accept doing nothing, that’s when you know you have something special. It’s hard to evaluate that until you know that Lester, Buchholz, and Beckett are OK physically, and that Lackey can continue to build on the 6 ⅔ shutout innings of his last start. Epstein was excited to see what Kyle Weiland would do, but his first outing didn’t turn out as planned.
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