The season is about 27% or so complete, so now is a great time to make some random, and  some very short sited assessments…..

Jason Werth is going to be getting a boat load of money this offseason. On pace for 34HR, 124RBI, 1.048OPS. Not to mention, he hit a ball off of John Lackey that still hasn’t landed (check it out, if not for the stadium, the ball would have traveled 3 miles). Sure he is 31, but he also plays a quality RF. Utely-Howard-Werth is a fearsome trio, it will be interesting to see how much Philly values him at.

John Lackey is really lacking. Just shows you how little spring training means, because he was un-hittable this spring. Now, not so much. Sporting a 5.07 ERA he has been his own worst enemy. Lackey has 26BB, on pace for 94 for the season, shattering his career high of 72. Walks kill, and for whatever reason, Lackey has been walking a lot of guys this season. Sox fans are really starting to worry about his contract, sure its a small sample size, but you always like to see the guy get off to a good start.

Casey Mc-Who? McGehee… guy is on pace for 34/149/.922. Never heard for him before this year. Perhaps it’s because I do AL only roto.

Tampa Bay, everything is going their way. Seems like they get a quality start every single night. I think their bullpen is suspect, but with the way the starters are going, it hasn’t be truly tested.

Bruce Bochy is not a good manager. Now that I live in SF, I watch the Giants. They have some of the best starting pitching in baseball. However, Bochy must really hate Tim Lincecum  because he is trying to pull a slow-Dusty on him. It only took 1+ years for Dusty Baker to blow out Mark Prior’s arm, Bochy is trying to ruin Tim in about 4 years. Bochy rides closer Brian Wilson way too hard as well.  After scoring only 1 run in the three game sweep against the A’s (obviously they were swept, as you can only win 1 game with 1 run), the Giants are in dire need of a line-up reshuffle. Actually, they need a legit clean-up hitter. Aubrey Huff is not one, he is more like a sixth batter. It doesn’t help that their best prospect, Buster Posey, plays the same position as one of their more effective bats, Benji Molina. Big problem, not sure what the solution is. Posey needs to start helping this team, unless the Giants are going to get offense in a trade.

Funny to see Joel Sherman question the Yankees at the first sign of trouble. This is Sherman’s M.O., last season when the Sox were killing the Yanks early, Sherman was all over the Yanks inferiority. When they won the World Series, he was S’ing their D’s. No one loves to flip-flop like Sherman. Now, the Yanks are playing with some jabroni named Russo, so you know that there must be something wrong. History dictates that the Yankees always crush in the second half of the season. They still scare the crap out of me.

Jason Heyward, as good as advertised. Brave fans have their next icon to replace Larry Wayne Jones.  The J-Hey Kid looks like the next superstar of baseball, on pace for 36/130/.989. Just shows you how unpredictable the MLB draft is. Heyward went #14 in 2007. Aside from David Price (#1) and Matt Weiters (#5) some teams have some serious explaining to do. Sure it’s way to early to judge the ’07 draft, but Heyward sure looks like the best player, doesn’t he?

Ty FREEKING Wigginton has 13 HR! ……..

Ubaldo Jimenez is Pedro incarnate. How scary good has he been? He has been better than Grienke was last season, and that was scary good. At the same time Colorado, a very trendy pick to win the west is stuck in mediocrity. Imagine how bad they would be if not for Pedro, I mean Ubaldo.

Johnathan Papelbon, hate to harp on the negatives, but is there any Red Sox fan out there who feels confident when he comes in? Just not the same pitcher he was in 2007, and each season he has regressed a bit.

Jason Bay finally got off last night with 2HR against CC, bringing his season total to 3. Mets fans may be upset that Bay has provided little power up to this point, but they should just chill the F out. Bay is one of the streakier players in baseball. He gets in a groove, he gets out of a groove (see May ’09 and July ’09). He is batting .309 with a .395OBP, plus the guy comes to play every day. Mets fans want someone to get on (not named Ollie), how about Jose Reyes.

Ichiro is well on his way to his 10th straight 200 hit season. The only negative that you can say is that about 81% of his hits are singles. The guy is amazing.

Two more things..

Darnell McDonald has been one of the most pleasant surprises in Boston. Sure his numbers are nothing to get a woody over, but where would they be without him? Mike Cameron is almost ready to come back, and the Sox are going to have a decision to make. McDonald is out of options, so if they choose to send him down, someone is going to claim him. Might it be time to part ways with Mike Lowell?? He is clearly making a play to get out, I think it’s time for the Red Sox to do show him the door. More and more this year, we have heard that Lowell isn’t quite the club house leader everyone perceived him to be. He doesn’t want to be there. Papi seems to have discovered how to hit the ball again. He isn’t going anywhere. Bill Hall is the back MIF and OF, he isn’t going anywhere. It comes down to Lowell and McDonald, and I really hope the Sox keep McDonald, not because he is better, but because he is more useful. I would think that there are plenty of suitors for Lowell, especially when the Red Sox eat some of his contract.

Someone named Doug Fister has a 1.96ERA, he has been a real pain in the ass to all those who oppose him.