The Red Sox took two out of three games over the weekend against the Royals in K.C. to improve to 3-3 on the season. The Red Sox are tied with the Rays for third place in the A.L. East, 2 games behind the division leading Toronto Blue Jays. It doesn’t get any easier this week as the Red Sox tangle with the Twins in Minnesota early in the week then they come home for the weekend against the Rays.

The Red Sox only won 1 of 3 at Fenway against the Yankees to open the season. They were outscored 16-14 by the Yankees but that doesn’t tell the whole tale. Jonathan Papelbon, Josh Beckett, John Lester and Ramon Ramirez all looked like they were pitching batting practice against the Yankees. Hopefully they will all get back on track this weekend at Kansas City. The offense has to also pick things up as they have not done much the last two games. The Royals will probably be the tonic the Red Sox need to get back on track.

Daisuke Matsuzaka has been pretty awful in the 2nd half of the season after looking like an All-Star in the first half.  Matsuzaka has started 12 games in the 2nd half of the season and he is 4-6 with a 5.37 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.  In 70.1 innings he has allowed 69 hits, walked 37 batters and whiffed 63.  Matsuzaka’s overall numbers have been so-so as a rookie.  In 30 starts this season, Dice-K is 14-12 with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.  He has worked 190 innings and he has allowed 179 hits, walked 75 batters and whiffed 186.  The Red Sox are now 90-62 on the season which has them in first place in the American League East, but they are only 2.5 games ahead of the Yankees.

The Boston Red Sox are hanging on right now.  They are 88-58 which still has them in first place in the American League East but they are only 5 games ahead of the Yankees.  The Yankees are surging as they have won 6 games in a row.  The Red Sox have also been playing without Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz has needed some days off because he’s been banged up all season long.  The Red Sox need to hold onto the best record in the American League so that the World Series will go thru Fenway Park.

The Red Sox are holding off the New York Yankees so far despite getting swept by them early in the week.  The Red Sox stand at 82-55 which has them in first place 6 games ahead of the hated Yankees.  The Red Sox have scored the 3rd most runs in the American League (725, 5.3 per game) despite only getting huge seasons from Mike Lowell (.329, 17 HRs, 97 RBIs) and David Ortiz (.318 avg, 26 homers, 93 RBIs).  The Red Sox are going to need someone to step up on offense if Manny Ramirez continues to be gimpy.  The Red Sox also have some interesting pitching decisions to make.  As long as Tim Wakefield (16-10, 4.16 ERA) is hurting the Sox will go with youngsters Clay Buchholz (2-0, 1.80 ERA) and lefty John Lester (3-0, 5.26 ERA).  It will be interesting to see who gets bumped when Wakefield is ready to return.  The smart money will be on Buchholz being shut down despite throwing a no-hitter last Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles.