Diamond Notes

Tonight's Sox-Phillies match-up marks another good test for the Red Sox. They've played much better baseball since the beginning of May, and it's no surprise their starting pitching is responsible for the turn-around. A few numbers for you readers:

• Jon Lester is 7-2 with a 3.18 ERA
• Clay Buchholz is 8-4 with a 2.52 ERA
• John Lackey, Tim Wakefield, and Daisuke Matsuzaka have a combined 13 wins, which isn't bad considering Wake spent a month in the bullpen and Lackey/Dice-K have been up and down.

You have to wonder what position the Red Sox would be in had their starters been good early on and if Josh Beckett even contributed the least bit. More on him later. It's no secret the line up left doubts within the minds of fans everywhere, but it's hard to deny the following surprising facts. The Red Sox are:

• 2nd in MLB in runs scored
• 1st in hits
• 1st in doubles
• 2nd in home runs
• 1st in total bases
• 1st in RBI
• 5th in batting average
• 3rd in OBP
• 2nd in Slugging %
• 2nd in OPS

In the middle of June, the Red Sox are arguably the best offense in the major league baseball. A lot can change, but it's impressive considering that David Ortiz has struggled badly for the majority of the year, Victor Martinez had 5 RBI in April, Dustin Pedroia hasn't been himself, and the team hasn't had Jacoby Ellsbury or Mike Cameron play at all.

Going forward, you have to wonder how long the Red Sox can go with Bill Hall, Darnell McDonald, and Jeremy Hermida in the outfield regularly. They're going to get Jacoby Ellsbury back in two weeks, but it may be bold to count on him being himself the rest of the year. Mike Cameron needs surgery after the season, therefore he's not 100% either. It's time for Theo Epstein to get on the phone and look for a corner outfielder. Life would be easier if Tampa was in 3rd or 4th place and Carl Crawford were available, but who said life was easy? Some possibilities:

• Luke Scott (Baltimore)
• Andruw Jones (Chicago)
• Juan Pierre (Chicago)
• Austin Kearns (Cleveland)
• Milton Bradley (Seattle; proceed with caution)

Doesn't impress? What would make sense for the Red Sox is a hitter like Carlos Lee or Lance Berkman in Houston. Both are legitimate 3-4 hitters which the Red Sox lack. They haven't had great seasons deep in the heart of Texas, but a change to a contender may prove worthy. Either would fit nicely for Boston, bat 3rd or 4th in the order, play left field, and allow for Cameron and Ellsbury to take care of each other's injuries.

The Red Sox could always use another power arm in the bullpen, particularly from the left side. Billy Wagner was terrific in that role down the stretch last season, and you wonder if they'll look to make the same type of acquisition again. Matt Thornton in Chicago would be someone appealing should the White Sox continue to slip. Kenny Williams is quickly losing patience as his team sits 8.5 back in a winnable division.

Some quick thoughts:

• Adrian Beltre has been everything the Red Sox could have hoped for and more. Though the error column isn't pretty, he makes great plays on a nightly basis and his bat has carried them. He's in the top 5 in RBI in the AL, and his home run stroke has been consistent for two weeks now.
• Josh Beckett is still a good two or three weeks away from returning, but this team needs him if they're going to continue to climb the standings. Tampa and New York have better rotations as it stands, and it's going to take a healthy AND effective Josh Beckett to propel this team forward. Beckett has to give the Red Sox consistency and leadership behind Lester.
• If the playoffs started today and the Red Sox somehow made it in, you'd think Lester would start game 1 for the 3rd consecutive year, followed by Buchholz and Lackey. Interesting.
• Speaking of Lackey, watching him pitch Sunday at Baltimore, you see what a competitor he is. He works hard and battles, and give me a guy like that on the mound every time.
• Whispers about Pedroia getting a free pass during his current slump are uncalled for. He hasn't slumped since he started the 2007 season (rookie of the year anyone?) . He was due to struggle a bit at some point, as all good hitters do. He'll come out of it -- he's too good and is a little banged up. Expect a hot July for Peedy.
• When Ellsbury returns, he's got a lot to prove. Though reports about a new injured rib have surfaced, one might wonder whether it's spin to get the media off his back. It wouldn't be the first time the team has done that, but Ellsbury needs to prove to be tougher when he returns. The way to do that? Production, production, production. If he can come back, get on base, and continue to get better as a hitter, this line up can only improve.
• Looking ahead to the trade dealine may be premature right now, but Prince Fielder, Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman (see above) all make sense. If Josh Beckett is hurt and/or ineffective, Cliff Lee wouldn't exactly be a bad idea. He is a free agent after this year and wouldn't be the worst rental, considering the Yankees will probably get him in July or December when he's free. Sometimes it's smart to prevent your enemies from gathering more ammo, and in this case, everyone would win. Doubt it will happen, but something to look for. The Sox have asked about Lee in the past, as recently as last year.
• Darnell McDonald isn't getting the playing time he was in May, but it's clear that this kid (age 31) can play. He's got decent speed and can play all three outfield positions, and handles fast balls very well. At the very least, he's proven he deserves to permanently be on someone's 25-man roster next year.

That's it for diamond notes today, but thanks for reading and please give some feedback below.

JMO