Red Sox Skidding, Wakefield 15 day DL-ing, Buchholz Returning...Texas 4 Boston 2

First things first. Tuesday night in Arlington, the slumbering Rip Van Winkle-like Boston lumber mustered only five base hits and two runs. This a a teamwide batting slump that seems to come around at some point every single season. Josh Beckett was the starter and the loser, going the full eight innings and allowing four runs on seven hits, walking one and striking out seven. That wasn't good enough, however, as the Red Sox offense continued its unscheduled vacation. The team is now in second place, one game behind the pinstripers. Big Papi, who had one of the Boston hits but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, had this to say after the game...

“I ain’t got a lot to talk about tonight, guys,’’ J.D. Drew said. He walked away. David Ortiz had slightly more. “I ain’t got anything to say,’’ Ortiz said. “What am I going to say? We’ve got to hit,’’ said Ortiz, stating the obvious. “It happens. It’s not always going to be roses and flowers. We go through this every year. We’re going to be to the point that we’re going to get out of it.’’

Papi hit the nail on the head. Case closed, page turned. Now on to the sobering news about the soon to be 43 year old pitcher, Timmy Wakefield. He has been put on the 15 day DL and will be eligible to return to the rotation on August 2nd. It turns out his back unexpectedly tightened up on him on the team's flight to Toronto and after a simulated game up there, it simply didn't go away. Wakes said this to the assembled media who were anxious to hear him...

“I don’t know how it came on,’’ Wakefield said. “I felt the little twinge on Friday on my way to Toronto and then I had a lot of work to do that day, threw a simulated game, and I felt fine. Afterwards, it just tightened up on me. Trying to make it get better, I’m getting treatment every day. It just doesn’t seem to be going away right now. So the smart thing to do team-wise is DL me, make sure I’m healthy. Because if I go out there and try to pitch and only go two or three innings, I’m affecting everybody else in this clubhouse, and I don’t want to do that.’’

He's hurting, so this is a good move. Boston has an ace up their sleeve when they can have a guy like Clay Buchholz ready to step in and shine. He'll start tonight in Texas and try his mighty best to end this losing skid. Seriously, I don't know if he EVER will return to Pawtucket. It's just one of those feelings of mine with the trade deadline fast approaching (hint...Penny). Time will tell. The Sox desperately need a win tonight. Let's hope that happens.

Thanks for stopping in yet again and just click on this post's title for SI's summary of the latest Boston Red Sox news from all sources. As always, BE WELL. See ya.