Red Sox Pitching Grades are Solid Despite Month End Meltdown

Had Tuesday night's 11-10 implosion against the last place Baltimore Orioles happened in July instead of in June, the Boston Red Sox pitching staff would have earned Magna Cum Laude for the month.

After weathering a 71-minute rain delay and building the lead to 10-1, and before being replaced on the field by their Triple A affiliates, the pitching staff closes the month with a big check-minus next to their names.

Aside from last night, however, the Red Sox staff has clearly established itself as the premier staff in the American League. The starting rotation, minus Daisuke Matsuzaka, has been solid and the bullpen, minus last night's aberration, has been lights out. 

Should the pitching staff continue to be as solid as it was during the month of June, the rest of the American League East will be looking up at Boston as the summer progresses.

Here are the pitching grades for the month of June:

Josh Beckett: A (Last Month: B)

Beckett has once again established himself as the ace he was in 2007. For the month of June, Beckett was 4-1 with 1.51 ERA. He struck out 35 in 35 innings and averaged seven innings per start. He held batters to a .195 batting average and surrendered only .81 WHIP.

For the season, he is 9-3, while he was 7-5 after June last season. In the Sox championship year of 2007, Beckett was 11-2 after June on his way to a 20-7 campaign.

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