The Sox are cruising through the early portion of their schedule after an initial rough patch over the first two weeks of the season. They are only one game behind the Blue Jays in the A.L. East standings.
Second baseman Dustin Pedroia is expected to be out of the lineup on Tuesday when the schedule resumes in Anaheim, and first baseman Kevin Youkilis, the cleanup hitter, is hoping to get back into the lineup after missing six games with tightness in his left side. Starting shortstop Jed Lowrie is gone after wrist surgery, and their 18-game winner from a season ago, Daisuke Matsuzaka, is in the minors working his way back from a right shoulder strain. The two biggest health question marks for the Sox to start the season were third baseman Mike Lowell (hip surgery) and designated hitter David Ortiz (knee and wrist woes), but both players have been veritable iron men thus far. It's amazing to think that the Sox really haven't missed much of a beat despite having already missed 190 man games this season because of injuries with the season less than two months old.
Organizational depth players such as shortstop Nick Green, first baseman Jeff Bailey and versatile members of the pitching staff like Justin Masterson have allowed the Sox to fill the holes. The Sox are 6-4 in their last 10 games against playoff-caliber competition and are continuing on while their banged-up star players work toward a return.
"We're a little beat up, that's for sure," manager Terry Francona said. "I think we'd rather win and be beat up than lose and be beat up."
