It’s so refreshing to see a Red Sox starting pitcher take the mound, throw strikes, not make faces at the home plate umpire, not buy into his own hype, and just quietly and calmly gut out a win for a team that really needs them.  Thank you, Franklin Morales, for being the most admirable starting pitcher in the bunch.  Morales, who took over the injured Josh Beckett’s slot for a spot start last night, pitched five innings.  His 80 pitches were the most he’s thrown since he was a starter for the Colorado Rockies in 2009.  He gave up two runs, four hits, and struck out nine without walking a single batter.

On Morales’s effort, the Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs 7-4, taking two of three in the interleague series.  The Sox are (gasp!) BACK AT .500.  They’ve won two straight, and they’ll take a day off today (one of Josh Beckett’s 18 days off, I presume?) before returning to Fenway to host the Miami Marlins.

The game started off strong for the Sox.  Scott Podsednik led off with a single, and then scored on Dustin Pedroia’s double to left center field.  A Kevin Youkilis sac fly and a David Ortiz single scored Pedroia to give the Sox an early 2-0 lead.

The Cubs scored one run in the bottom of the first.  Things settled down until the bottom of the third inning, when Chicago scored its second run on a Starlin Castro “double” to shallow right field that Pedroia and right fielder Darnell MacDonald couldn’t sort out before it bounced off Pedroia’s glove.  Two things: first, very very hometown scoring there – if that’s a legitimate double, then I’m Bryce Harper; and second, Terry Francona, who was calling the game for ESPN, instantly jumped to Pedroia’s defense and heaped all the blame on MacDonald.  Personally, I saw Pedroia call for the ball and then let it bounce off his glove.  We all know how much Tito loves Pedroia, his cribbage buddy.  But, if Tito wants to be a neutral ESPN analyst, he should start by being neutral.

Anyway.  Ortiz made things right the next inning, when he hit a monster home run to center field to put the Red Sox ahead again, but his efforts were thwarted by yet another defensive miscue involving Pedroia.  Pedroia and Mike Aviles Aviles met at second base to handle a force out from a tap-back to pitcher Matt Albers.  Aviles cut in front of Pedroia, dropped the ball and picked up the error, and the Cubs evened the score again.  This one was clearly Aviles’s fault, but it’s kind of weird that Pedroia was involved in both defensive communication issues this game.  Is he not calling for the ball or something?  I find it hard to believe that both Aviles and MacDonald would just ignore Pedroia calling for the ball.

It seems like all was forgiven though, as the Red Sox put up three runs in the top of the seventh inning to grab the lead for good.  MacDonald doubled, pinch-hitter Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled, Ryan Kalish – who made his return from the minor leagues yesterday – singled, Will Middlebrooks hit a sac fly to center field, and Daniel Nava dropped a bunt.

Good win for the Red Sox all around.  Except for the Curse of Dustin Pedroia, it looks like things were rolling, at least for one night.  Here’s a link to the box score, courtesy of the Red Sox.  Boston returns to Fenway from its 4-2 road trip on Tuesday, when it welcomes the Miami Marlins.  Clay Buchholz (7-2, 5.38 ERA) will try to repeat his last great start against Miami.  He’s up against Mark Buehrle (5-7, 3.41 ERA), who picked up his first loss in ten interleague games against the Red Sox last week.

Dear Red Sox: stop whining.  It’s embarassing, it’s not helping you win games, and it’s outing you all as coddled superstars who can’t imagine any other reason (mediocre pitching?  lackluster hitting?) why they might be playing horrible baseball right now.

The Red Sox lost again, falling to the Miami Marlins 4-1 on Monday night.  Josh Beckett had a rocky first inning, but recovered well.  The offense (once again) couldn’t pick up the pitching staff, and the Red Sox bats went quietly.  The Sox have lost four in a row, and they’re three games under .500.  The worst part, though, the part that leaves the nasty impression, is Kevin Youkilis arguing balls and strikes with the home plate umpire after striking out on a foul tip, one day after manager Bobby Valentine blew a gasket before getting ejected in the series finale against the Nationals.

Valentine spent a lot of time this week insinuating that the umpires aren’t that great.  He framed it more diplomatically than that, telling ESPN:

“I think they’re very well trained, and I think they’re very good at what they do. I think it’s almost impossible to do what they do, so why do we ask them to do the impossible? If in fact you can’t see the ball the last five feet, and now pitchers are throwing pitches that are moving in that zone, cutting and splitting and moving in the zone, your eye can’t see what’s happening.

“They’re humans. We’re asking humans to do a feat a human can’t do.”

But, his point was made – Valentine doesn’t think the current stable of MLB umpires – or human beings in general – can properly call a ball a ball and a strike a strike.  The only exceptions to this fundamental failing of the human condition appear to be Valentine himself, and his players – they can tell a ball from a strike to the point where they’re comfortable telling professional, trained umpires that they’re wrong.

Bobby’s solution?  Looking at his ESPN quotes, it appears to be robots.  Or, the internet.  Or maybe some kind of underground lair in Europe?:

“I don’t know how the Internet works. How about a fax? How about putting a thing in a machine and it showing up in Europe? If they can do that, they can figure out how to call a strike and a ball. Are you kidding me? That isn’t tough. It’s whether or not they want to do it.”

In all seriousness,Valentine advocates for some kind of computerized strike zone.  This isn’t unrealistic: MLB Gameday and pretty much every television broadcast can and do superimpose the strike zone’s rectangle over the plate, allowing fans to judge the calls mercilessly.  It’s not like MLB can’t computerize or automate or transmogrify or do something techie to judge the strike zone more consistently.

But should they?  Valentine isn’t much of a fan of the human factor, but truth is, that’s baseball.  That’s part of the game.  Rookie pitchers don’t get the same calls that established Cy Young winners get.  Derek Jeter probably gets more favorable calls than Bryce Harper.  Is that fair?  Maybe, maybe not.  Is that the way the game is?  Yes.  Does that add to the never-ending analysis, second-guessing, drama that draws fans?  Definitely.

Not only that, but if the Red Sox start blaming the umpires for their losses, then the umpires – who are, after all, just human – will start to hold that against the Red Sox, if they don’t already.  I was a catcher in college.  Every catcher knows that your first job is to manage the pitching staff and call a smart game.  Every catcher also knows that your second job is to develop a rapport with the home plate umpire, and get him or her to trust your eye for the strike zone almost as much as they trust their own.  I bet Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Kelly Shoppach know this, and I bet they wince every time Valentine pops his head out of the dugout or Youk starts whining after being called out ON A FOUL TIP (not even a strike looking).  The Red Sox are not helping their own cause.

Anyway.  Here’s a link to last night’s unf-air box score, courtesy of the Red Sox.  The Sox take on the Marlins (and the umpires) again tonight.  Clay Buchholz (6-2, 5.77 ERA) will try to replicate his last few strong showings against Mark Buehrle (5-6, 3.49 ERA).

The Red Sox lost to the Washington Nationals last night 7-4 behind two young whippersnappers who frankly, I’m glad we won’t see again this season. Hopefully. That game was just…not fun.

I don’t usually pay much attention to the National League. It’s not because I don’t want to, it’s for lack of time. Keeping track of one team is hard enough, especially when they’re  battling injuries and making (what seems to be) constant roster moves. But I knew the Nationals had something special in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. You can’t be a baseball fan and not know that! I just didn’t know how special until last night.

The Red Sox got on the board first in the 2nd inning when David Ortiz walked, Ryan Sweeney singled and Mike Aviles doubled, scoring both baserunners. Sox up 2-0. This lead would last all of about 8.7 seconds.

Felix Doubront had probably his worst outing of the season so far. He didn’t look sharp and when he gave up a deep double to the first batter of the game, I immediately got a not-so-good feeling in my gut. I was right. Doubront lasted only four innings, giving up eight hits and six runs for his third loss of the season.

After scoring two runs in the second, the Sox were held scoreless by a locked in Strasburg. He was impressive. The 23-year-old righty threw 119 pitches in his six innings, allowing just two runs on four hits. He struck out 13 Sox batters, fanning Daniel Nava and Kevin Youkilis both three times.

The Nationals came back with three runs in the third and another three in the fourth against Doubront. Teen sensation, Bryce Harper, hit a two-run homerun becoming only the fourth teenager to ever hit a home run at Fenway Park, and the second youngest. Only Robin Yount was younger. Harper finished the night just a triple shy of the cycle.

And as if to add insult to injury, Strasburg struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth. The Sox mounted a comeback in the sixth as Strasburg was nearing the end of his outing. They managed to load the baases when Dustin Pedroia singled, Adrian Gonzalez doubled and David Ortiz walked. Jarrod Saltalamacchia struck out and Youkilis came up with two outs. He worked the count full only to be called out on a questionable third strike. It looked low to me and evidently to Youk too. He immediately blew a gasket and was quickly bounced from the game. That stupid Amica pitch zone said it was a strike, I don’t buy it.

The Red Sox managed only two more runs after Strasburg was lifted. Adrian Gonzalez hit a home run in the eigth after being robbed by Xavier Nady of one in the third inning. And Daniel Nava, happy to see the starter gone, hit an RBI double in the bottom of the ninth. Just a too little, too late…

With that loss, the Red Sox say hello again to .500 and spend yet another day in the AL East basement. Click on over to here for the box score, courtesy of the Red Sox. Daisuke Matsuzaka makes his first start in over a year today against these tough Nats. He’ll face off against Gio Gonzalez (7-2, 2.31 ERA), game time is 4:05pm.

Fans, I invite you to meet Kevin Heller, the newest Boston Red Sox draft pick.  Heller, an outfielder, dominated the program at Amherst College, an NCAA Division III school in Western Massachusetts:

Last month Heller graduated from Amherst as the baseball program’s all-time leader in hits (172), runs scored (136), RBIs (126) and total bases (275), also sharing the career home run record (18). He was 41-for-45 on stolen base attempts during his four years as an outfielder and designated hitter, and he is one of only two players in program history to record four consecutive 40-hit seasons.

This is the coolest thing, and not just because the 40th-round pick looks like he swings a great bat.  I went to Amherst, and let’s just say that, although we take athletics very seriously and we like to win (and usually do), I don’t think any of our student-athletes really seriously expect to play professional sports.

Kevin Heller, Boston's newest draft pick and likely savior (courtesy: Amherst College)

But here, we have a winner! Heller’s expected to head to Florida next week to compete for a spot in the rookie leagues, and we wish him the best.  He’ll join a long list of Amherst alumni working in the Red Sox organization, including current general manager Ben Cherington ’96.

Meanwhile, the big-league Red Sox continue to muddle along.  Currently at 29-28, it seems like this team’s been at .500 or a game over .500 forever.  They lost to Baltimore and pitcher Wei-Yin Chen 1-2 on Wednesday night (I know this is true because I was there).  Josh Beckett pitched a great, efficient game (eight innings, two runs on five hits, five strikeouts), but it was wasted by the absolutely anemic offense.  And frankly, sitting in the stands, the only Red Sox hitter that got the crowd even kind of into it, was Will Middlebrooks.  Middlebrooks went two for four, and Mike Aviles knocked in Boston’s only run.

Last night, the Red Sox finally, but still just once again, showed us what this team is capable of.  Clay Buchholz pitched a four-hit complete-game shutout, and the offense showed up for seven runs.  Bobby Valentine told the Globe that Buchholz’s performance was “spectacular.”  And, it was – Buchholz was literally the worst pitcher in baseball early this year, and it’s nice to see some flashes of what the organizations’ always thought he could be.  More good news: Adrian Gonzalez is starting to heat up.  He went three for four last night, with one double and two RBIs.  The Sox need him to produce from the middle of their lineup, so it’s good to see him waking up a little.

But still – what is this team’s problem?  It’s basically mid-June by now, and the season’s a third over.  The growing pains should be done, the rust should be shaken off, and the team should be able to put together a streak that shows what it’s made of.  I love the big wins here and there, and the headline performances – but I’d much rather see a team that can pull out a win two out of every three days.  We’re not seeing that yet, and that’s cause for concern at this point.  Maybe the Sox will prove me wrong in the coming days and weeks, but I’m still not sold on this team.

Here’s a link to the box from the wasted Josh Beckett start.  And, here’ a link to the box from the Buchholz win.  Both are courtesy of the Red Sox.

Tonight, the Nationals come to town for an interleague set.  Felix Doubront (6-2, 3.75 ERA) takes on Stephen Strasburg (6-1, 2.35 ERA).  This should be a great game – two young pitchers having great seasons, plus Bryce Harper.