Six Sox Make The Grade

Well, we now have the rosters choices for the All-Star Game. And while no Sox made the starting nine for the AL, six players were named to the reserves. Buchholz, Lester, Beltre, Martinez, Ortiz and Pedroia all made the grade, and all six deserve to be on the team.


While it is disappointing no Boston players are starting, the truth is that their slow start made that likelihood all but impossible. The only players who could have made a case are Pedroia, Martinez and Beltre. Pedroia is injured, V-Mart is hurt as well and can't play defense like Joe Mauer. And while Beltre is the best-hitting third baseman in the AL, his defense has been somewhat lacking.

What is heartening is to see Boston's two youngest starters both make the team. And they deserve it. Buchholz and Lester are 3rd and 4th in the AL in ERA and are both tied for 2nd in wins. Lester could even make a claim towards starting the game; he is 2nd in strikeouts (118), third in win percentage (.769) and fifth in WHIP (1.10). David Price will likely get the start, but Lester will feature prominently.

It's six games to the All-Star break and the Sox play them all on the road. Three games with Tampa and three with Toronto. Boston is just 1.5 games back of the Yankees and it is not beyond belief to think the Sox could end up in first place at the break with a good run to end the half.