Bleacher Report - Articles by Darryl Johnston

Clay Buchholz Called Up To Start Friday Night

Darryl Johnston — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 17:32:05 -0400

This season with Pawtucket (AAA) Clay Buchholz has:

15 Starts
7-1 Record
2.11 ERA
29 Walks
86 Strikeouts
1 Complete Game

See more here.

Darryl Johnston is the Red Sox correspondent for Fanball.com. He has many years of sports writing under his championship belts. Email him - redsoxdj@gmail.com

Red Sox Trade Rumors: Is Adrian Gonzalez Or Adam Dunn Headed For Boston?

Darryl Johnston — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:17:34 -0400

Can you hit better than .185 or mash more than one home run as the designated hitter for the Boston Red Sox?

If so, you may have to submit your resume to Theo Epstein soon.

According to Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated, the Boston Red Sox are looking to acquire a bat, now. Heyman is speculating that the Red Sox are "aggressively seeking hitting help."

According to other teams in the league, the Red Sox are actively looking to swing a deal before the All-Star Break. And with the talent Boston has buried throughout the minors, a deal is all but imminent.

Jon Heyman is speculating that the Red Sox are looking to acquire any one of the following:

Victor Martinez (Catcher, Cleveland Indians)
Adam Dunn (1B/OF, Washington Nationals)
Adrian Gonzalez (1B, San Diego Padres)
Hanley Ramirez (SS, Florida Marlins)

Anyone of these four would provide an immediate injection of offense.

Hanley Ramirez is probably a pipe dream as his contract is quite favorable for the Marlins. Besides, Florida only blows their team up when they win a World Series, right?

Adrian Gonzalez is also a long shot, but man, would he provide some punch.

The idea would be to move Kevin Youkilis across the diamond to third, allow Gonzalez to play first, and move Mike Lowell to DH. Papi is really on the short end here.

The other two players, Victor Martinez and Adam Dunn, seem to be more realistic trade options. Washington would love to pick up some young arms in the mold of Justin Masterson or Michael Bowden. The Nationals certainly aren't competing for a division title in 2009.

Cleveland should be a division contender in the AL Central, but the team is a mess right now and Eric Wedge is probably headed towards unemployment.

Acquiring a future catcher in the mold of Victor Martinez would require quite the bounty, but with no obvious successor to Jason Varitek, it might be worth the price.

Also rumored by Heyman are Josh Willingham (no thanks), Nick Johnson (meh, injury-prone), and Aubrey Huff (could be a good stop-gap).

The next few weeks will continue to bring a whirlwind of trade rumors.

SoxTeaParty.com will keep you well-informed.

Darryl Johnston is the Red Sox correspondent for Fanball.com. He has many years of sports writing under his championship belts. Email him - redsoxdj@gmail.com

The Idea Of Trading Brad Penny

Darryl Johnston — Fri, 29 May 2009 11:07:31 -0400

Can you ever have enough starting pitching?

For some Red Sox fans, yes.

In Brad Penny's last start against the Twins, he pitched 5.1 innings, giving up three runs and striking out seven for the win. Immediately following that outing, speculation began to fly that Penny was expendable as the Red Sox had a "surplus" of starting pitching.

Penny has certainly pitched better as of late. And with the dominant Triple-A performances of Clay Buchholz and the imminent return to the majors by John Smoltz, the Red Sox do appear to be well-stocked with starters.

Yet trading away legitimate starting pitchers under the pretense of speculation seems a bit of a risk, does it not?

There are assumptions that if John Smoltz comes back in June, the Red Sox are going to have too many problems with starters.

I just don't subscribe to these assumptions. I believe you can never have too much starting pitching. Pitching and defense are the keys to championships.

If you are to trade Brad Penny, there are certain trade partners one has to expect. Teams looking to acquire a rental. Penny has a one-year deal in place with the Red Sox for 5 million dollars.

There is a 3 million dollar incentive if he exceeds 180 innings pitched. Obviously, Penny will be inspired to reach that incentive.

Who are the possible trade partners?

Buster Olney of ESPN started the trade winds earlier this week by floating out catch-all statements like "several teams are interested" and listed off multiple National League teams including Chicago, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and St. Louis.

I have no issue with trading any player on the Red Sox (Pedroia, Bay, and Youkilis excluded) but it seems to me as though Penny is not going to fetch anything worth dealing him for. What exactly do you think you get in return for him?

There has not been a single trade offer rumored but many Red Sox fans are ready to deal him. Again on presumption. All while talking out both sides of their mouths.

People say deal him. "Lots of teams need starting pitching." Yet if I say, "Keep him, " I am met with arguments that include "too much pitching", "unhappy clubhouse", and Penny's "incentive-laden contract."

Additionally, friends and local radio callers point out that Penny is 31 years old, has had arm troubles previously, and has notoriously tailed off performance-wise after the All-Star Break.

So if you are an opposing general manager, looking to acquire an arm, are you not going to be aware of these things? Brad Penny is a solid 3rd or 4th starter. I don't think there is any questioning that.

My issue is that the Red Sox are not going to receive the compensation that makes it worthwhile to deal him.

The next question is, what are the Red Sox needs?

We know the farm system is well-stocked. Theo Epstein and crew have done a remarkable job of building up arms through out the system.

The hitters are also starting to come into form as well. This will feed the team over the next 20 years and provide prospects to be traded for current MLB stars.

The Red Sox have an obvious need at shortstop. Nick Green and Julio Lugo (yuck) are not solutions.

Jed Lowrie is on the Disabled List until around the All-Star Break. If the Sox feel Lowrie projects to be an above average MLB shortstop, then Lugo and Green are going to fill in until mid-July. No deal to be done.

If Jed Lowrie is not their answer then you need to start looking at teams who have an expendable shortstop, have a need for pitching and are in contention. That narrows the list down considerably.

Milwaukee - Has JJ Hardy with SS prospect Alcides Escobar waiting in the wings. The Brewers currently have great starting pitching.

St. Louis - Could use Brad Penny but really only has Khalil Greene. Greene has anxiety problems and is sub-par defensively.

Neither of these two sound like a match. I would certainly deal Penny for JJ Hardy, but I can't imagine the Brewers would do that deal.

The Chicago White Sox has a few shortstops but if they are not in contention in the AL Central, why would they trade for a rental?

Here is what the Red Sox trade Brad Penny for:

- An upgrade at shortstop

- A major league ready catcher

- An A-level prospect

That's it. Anything else is selling yourself short.

I just don't see anything happening in terms of a trade. I think it's all convenient speculation.

At the end of the day, having six starters with additional minor league depth is going to set the Red Sox up for a long postseason run in to October.

Brady Penny will be around for that.

Darryl Johnston is the Red Sox correspondent for Fanball.com. He has many years of sports writing under his championship belts. Email him - redsoxdj@gmail.com

Analyzing the Struggles of Josh Beckett: It's Not the Curveball

Darryl Johnston — Tue, 05 May 2009 13:34:19 -0400

Josh Beckett is not "overusing his curve ball."

This article is a response, in part, to a Boston Globe sports rumor asserting that Josh Beckett has become " Curveball Happy" and has changed his release point.

Neither of these are true.

Josh Beckett is not suddenly "afraid to throw his four-seam fastball" in on left-handed hitters. Critics and expert media personalities want to take casual game observations and summarize a player's problems.

Beckett has allowed too many men on base, by way of the walk and by hit.

Beckett and the Curve

The assertion that Josh Beckett is " curve ball happy" is foolish. Beckett will throw anywhere from 25-35 curve balls in a typical start where he makes around 100 pitches. The data does not lie.

2009 is no different than 2008. Although according to the Boston Globe, a "scout" believes as much.

Beckett's count of a specific pitch varies depending on the opponent. It depends a mountain of variables including the count of left-handed hitters. In some matchups, Beckett throws only four-seam fastballs and curve balls. No changeups, no cutters, and no two-seamers.

Against certain teams Beckett will feed a steady diet of 94-95 MPH fastballs. But against other teams like the Devil Rays, Beckett might work in more curve balls and a hand full more of his two-seam fastball or changeup.

To make generalizing statements from half-hearted analysis only spawns over-reaction and more "sky is falling" mentalties.

Yet another assertion made from a "scout" surrounding Beckett's early season struggles is that he is releasing his curve ball from a lower point in 2009.

Looking at the data provided by Brooks Baseball's PitchFX tool, Beckett's release point is consistent with 2008 as well. In most starts, his release point on both fastballs and curve balls is about 5 feet 7 inches.

Obviously over the course of the season Beckett's release point might vary by an inch or so but this is not the culprit.

Here is a comparison of two starts:

April 25th, 2009 vs NYY

July 30, 2008 vs LAA

So what is the issue?

Well for starters, as discussed in a previous article on SoxTeaParty.com, Beckett has been plagued by balls in play falling for hits.

Most of the time, you'll get some breaks when a batter makes contact and the ball will find it's way to a fielder. Right now that is not happening as evidenced by Beckett's .398 BABIP. That is just ridiculous. His career BABIP is .301.

What is happening with Beckett is he is simply missing the strike zone and paying for it in spades. He has a little bit of a control problem right now that is being MAGNIFIED by a bloated BABIP.

So he is putting guys on via the walk and then getting bitten for it. Becket has a career strand rate (opposing hitters left on base) of 72%.

In 2009, he currently stranding just 58% of hitters.

Walks + Bloated BABIP = High ERA and Media Overreaction.

This is not the case of a guy with mental or mechanical problems. While it is possible that the incident of "head-hunting" involving Bobby Abreu is affecting him, it appears more that this is really just an elite pitcher who is missing his spots and paying for it with subsequent hitters.

This will change in a hurry. Bank on it.

Red Sox (16-10)

Darryl Johnston is the Red Sox correspondent for Fanball.com. He has many years of sports writing under his championship belts. Email him - redsoxdj@gmail.com

Red Sox Welcome Back Dave Roberts

Darryl Johnston — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:59:40 -0400

In 2004, Dave Roberts was made famous in Boston for the "stolen base heard 'round the world." He helped begin the surge that was the best comeback in professional sports history. On Monday, Red Sox fans will welcome Roberts' return to Boston.

When Roberts stole second base against the New Work Yankees in 2004, he forever cemented his place in Boston history. On June 15, 2007, Roberts, as a San Francisco Giant, returned to Fenway Park for the first time as a player since 2004. He received a standing ovation every time he came up to bat.

But in 2009, Roberts will not be patrolling center field in relief of Ellsbury or trading tips on swiping second. The New England Sports Network (NESN) announced late last week that Roberts will join the network to serve as a studio analyst.

Roberts is not expected to fill in for the recently absent Jerry Remy for games with Don Orsillo, but will be in studio for pre- and post-game shows. Dennis Eckersley is expected to join Don Orsillo for broadcasts until Remy returns from his current health issues.

Fans of Bill Simmons may have heard Roberts providing colorful analysis, as he has appeared on Simmons' podcasts following his retirement from Major League Baseball.

"Maury Wills once told me that there will come a point in my career when everyone in the ballpark will know that I have to steal a base, and I will steal that base. When I got out there, I knew that was what Maury Wills was talking about." -Dave Roberts

Red Sox (15-9)

Darryl Johnston is the Red Sox correspondent for Fanball.com. He has many years of sports writing under his championship belts. Email him - redsoxdj@gmail.com

The Unlucky Red Sox Pitchers

Darryl Johnston — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:05:06 -0400

Batting Average of Balls in Play is a common stat used in sabermetrics to determine a relative "luck" factor.

It is basically showing you for ever time a batter makes contact against a pitcher, the batting average of when that happens when it's not a home run.

Confusing? Okay, so let's give two examples:

Example 1

Wakefield is on the mound. He is facing Toronto's Vernon Wells.

Wakefield throws a knuckleball. Wells grounds out to second base.

Wells is 0-1. Wakefield's BABIP is .000

Example 2

In the alternate realty, same two players.

This time Wells lines the ball in to right field for a base hit.

Wells is 1-1. Wakefield's BABIP is 1.000.

This is an overly simplified explanation, but let's say in the course of the game Wakefield has 21 hitters make contact against him. Assume that none of these are home runs. Let's suppose that out of the 21 hitters to make contact, six of them get hits. six divided by 21=.286.

Tim Wakefield's BABIP is .286 for the game. Again this is over-simplified so that if you are not familiar with the concept, it will make sense. The actual equation is as follows:

(Hits-HRs)/(AB-Ks-HRs+SF) = BABIP

League BABIP

The BABIP league average for pitchers is around .300 so if you are are at .286, as Wakefield was in the example, you are experiencing a bit of lady luck.

Pitchers really have little control over their BABIP. Once a ball is out of their hands, there is not a lot they can do.

Take a close look at the Red Sox pitchers and you can see that a few of them have been snake-bitten on balls in play so far in April.

Josh Beckett—.349 BABIP (Career—.302)

Jon Lester—.375 BABIP (Career—.310)

Justin Masterson—.340 BABIP (Career—.259)

So what does this mean?

If you are in a league where the Beckett or Lester owner is panicking, try to acquire them. Riding out the rough April will pay dividends come mid-summer. These BABIPs will normalize and you will get yourself some nice production shortly.

The Red Sox are 14-7 even with a bit of crappy luck for their top two starters. Pretty good, eh?

Meanwhile, in New York, Joba Chamberlain, AJ Burnett, CC Sabathia, and Andy Pettite have a combined average BABIP of .275 and only six wins among them. This means a long year is in store for the Yankees' pitching staff.

As for Brad Penny, don't expect anything to get better. His BABIP is right at league average, and he still stinks. Where is John Smoltz?

Red Sox (14-7)

Darryl Johnston is the Red Sox correspondent for Fanball.com. He has many years of sports writing under his championship belts. Email him at redsoxdj@gmail.com

Unobstructed View: A Clear Look at Boston Red Sox' Justin Masterson

Darryl Johnston — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:16:49 -0400

The emergence of a new Jedi.

From the small stage in Indiana, to the spotlight in Boston, Justin Masterson proves the force is strong within him.

Justin Masterson is a "righty killer" from the island of Jamaica. Growing up a devout Christan and the son of a youth minister, Masterson developed in to one of the best young arms in America.

He is a big 6'6", 250-pound pitcher with a three-fifths arm slot and slinging delivery. His weaponry includes a slider and changeup but the sinker Masterson throws—it's deadly. His teammates call him, "Jedi."

Masterson is quietly becoming a favorite of Red Sox fans. His unorthodox delivery and immediate success both contributed to his rising star at Fenway. Red Sox fans love a winner, and the fact that Masterson is home-grown helps breed a sense of pride for Sox fans.

There is something special about a player being "one of your own." Masterson has turned himself in to a coveted prospect since joining the Red Sox organization as a second-round draft pick in 2006. This past summer he was rumored to be the centerpiece of trade talks with the Texas Rangers for one of their catching prospects.

He is in demand now, but six years ago, Masterson couldn't get a second look from a Division-I baseball school.

In 2003, Notre Dame showed interest in the big right-hander, but Masterson ended up getting sick the day he was supposed to meet the Fighting Irish recruiter. Notre Dame never re-scheduled, and Masterson found his way to little Bethel College in Indiana.

Masterson spent two years at Bethel College and racked up 20 wins and 185 strikeouts in 185 innings. After his sophomore year, he knew he needed more tutelage to become a major leaguer. Masterson enjoyed Bethel College, as it was closely tied to his father's missionary church, but it lacked some of the basics of baseball, like a pitching coach.

"We didn’t really have a pitching coach at Bethel my sophomore year—we had a guy who tried hard and put his heart into it, but it just wasn’t what I was looking for. I had thought of transferring somewhere, though I had never voiced it, and I was looking for an opportunity," Masterson said in an interview with SOX1FAN.

A friend Masterson met while pitching in the Cape Cod Baseball League encouraged him to go West and join the San Diego State Aztec baseball team coached by Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, Tony Gwynn.

Under Gwynn, he learned how to think like a hitter and used it to refine his approach on the mound. In 2006, Justin Masterson was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the second round (71st overall) of the amateur draft. He was referred to by a few sources as the "most overrated player taken in Round Two."

Currently, 58 of the 70 picks drafted before Masterson have yet to make the Majors.

As an integral part of the 2009 Boston Red Sox, Masterson has close ties and affection for Massachusetts. But his connection to New England started well before he ever donned a Red Sox uniform.

In the summer of 2005, Masterson spent his summer on the coast of Massachusetts soaking in the warm sun of Cape Cod. Many people travel to Cape Cod every summer for a relaxing vacation. Masterson came for baseball.

The Cape Cod Baseball League is the most prestigious summer league in the United States. It rosters some of the best collegiate players in the country and boasts big-named MLB players such as Craig Biggio, Todd Helton, Jason Varitek, Nomar Garciaparra, Barry Zito, and Mark Teixiera.

Masterson had his way with the Cape Cod Baseball League, serving as the closer for the Wareham Gatemen. He posted 10 saves with an ERA just a shade over 1.00 that summer. This performance raised his stock into the second round of the MLB draft.

The Cape Cod Baseball League is highly regarded, as collegiate players are required to use wooden bats as opposed to the aluminum in college games. The Red Sox later said they felt lucky that Masterson was still at the board at No. 71.

Today, Masterson is often compared to a young Derek Lowe for his propensity to induce ground balls. He is a sinker/slider right-handed pitcher who can pull the string on his sinker, eliciting baffling swings from opposing hitters.

He possesses an ideal pitcher's frame and looks the part of a dominant right-handed Major League pitcher. He exudes confidence and size. An intimidating demeanor coupled with an intensity and a devastating sinker that will punish an opposing team at any part of a game.

The Red Sox have said repeatedly in the past that they preferred to stock their minor league system with young pitching. This has manifested itself at the Major League-level through the likes of Jonathan Papelbon, Clay Buchholz, Manny Delcarmen, and Jon Lester.

Now, it's Justin Masterson's turn as he looks to take his sinker to new heights.

Red Sox (12-6)

Darryl Johnston is the Red Sox correspondent for Fanball.com. He has many years of sports writing under his championship belts. Email him - redsoxdj@gmail.com

Boston Red Sox' Kevin Youkilis Is the Greek God of Lumber

Darryl Johnston — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:40:43 -0400

Slighted by David Ortiz?

In 2009, Youkilis comes out of the gates with guns a blazing.

Kevin Youkilis is white-hot. All the baseball cliches are in full effect here; he is locked in, on fire, seeing the ball, feeling it, what have you. Whatever it is, Youkilis is crushing the ball.

Maybe it's Ortiz' recent comments about his own "lineup protection" that have fueled the quick start?

As I write this article, the Red Sox are in the seventh inning against the Orioles on Patriot's Day. The Red Sox have nine runs on the board. Youkilis is 0-1 with zero RBI. Why? Because the Orioles have walked him three times! No one wants to pitch to this guy right now.

Through 12 games, Youkilis is hitting .468. He has three HR, nine RBI, and 12 runs scored. The best part of all of this is, none of it is fluky. Will he slow down? Yes, because if anyone were to continue at this pace, it would shatter MLB records and turn the game on it's head.

Last year, Lance Berkman went on an extended tear in early May where he had 18 hits in 23 ABs. It was one of the greatest stretches in baseball history. If Youkilis continues to hit at this clip much longer, he will see the base on balls increase. Look at some of the peripherals:

2009 Walk Rate - 11.3% Career - 12.6%

2009 Strikeout Rate - 14.9% Career - 20.5%

2009 Isolated Power - .319 Career - .186

2009 BABIP - .514 Career - .340

What this is telling us is that Youkilis is generating power, extra base hits, and producing more value offensively without sacrificing anything in terms of strikeouts or contact.

His walk rate is slightly below his career numbers and you will certainly see that figure increase as teams become more reluctant to pitch to him. Youkilis has always been regarded as a player who understands the strike zone, but with his cleanup spot in the Red Sox lineup, and his recently-found power stroke, the opposing pitcher's approach to Youkilis is about to change.

Youkilis has also benefited from an unsustainable batting average of balls in play (BABIP) at .514. BABIP is the rate at which batted balls (that are not HRs) become actual hits. Chris Dutton and Peter Bendix at The Hardball Times explain BABIP as the following:

If Jacoby Ellsbury hits a ground ball in the hole between short and third, he has a higher chance of getting a hit than if Bengie Molina hits the exact same ball in the exact same place. Anecdotally, this is how Ichiro manages to get so many hits every year. And fans of the Red Sox, Yankees and Rays can tell you that David Ortiz, Jason Giambi and Carlos Pena have been robbed of many a base hit because of the extreme defensive shifts used against them, whereas Dustin Pedroia, Derek Jeter and BJ Upton have gotten more hits because of their batting eye and their ability to use the whole field. Surely, these factors contribute to whether or not a batted ball becomes a hit.

Youkilis' career BABIP is .340 which is well above league average. This lends itself to Youkilis' ability to hit to all fields, the fact that he plays at a great park for batting average, and his keen batting eye. Youkilis will surely hit over .315 if he can at least maintain his career BABIP of .340.

Before 2008, Youkilis was never thought to be a player who would have much more than 15-HR power. In 2008, a slight swing adjustment quickly changed that, and Youkilis went from being a first baseman with an isolated power around .160 or so, to a bona fide slugger with an ISO of .257. Note: (ISO = SLG% - BA). Power hitters are considered to have an ISO of about .200, so Youkilis exceeded that mark quite impressively in 2008.

Currently, Youkilis has an ISO mark of .319, which is also unsustainable. For if it were, would place Youkilis at the level of Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Albert Pujols. Youkilis is not quite in that group.

However, I do think an ISO of .240 is reasonable for him in 2009. Combine that with an excellent BABIP, strong K and BB rates, great counting stats, and Kevin Youkilis is in store for a career year.

STP 2009 Kevin Youkilis projection:

.318

32 HRs

119 RBI

101 Runs

40 Doubles

3 Triples

2 SBs

Red Sox (7-6)

Darryl Johnston is the Red Sox correspondent for Fanball.com. He has many years of sports writing under his championship belts. Email him - redsoxdj@gmail.com

Unobstructed View: A Clear Look at Red Sox' Chris Carter

Darryl Johnston — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:51:39 -0400

April 18, 2009 - 4:10pm ET

Chris Carter is a big, strong nerd.

Or better said: an intelligent and powerful first-base prospect.

In this new SoxTeaParty.com-exclusive series 'Unobstructed View', we will take closer look at a range of different Red Sox players and organizational staff—bringing you a new perspective on what the Red Sox has to offer.

So what is the deal with Chris Carter? Why is he not starting somewhere in the big leagues? Well, mostly it is his lack of defense, but also partly, it's about opportunity. Finally a Red Sox, his real shot might be just a season away.

When the 2004 MLB draft approached, many professional teams were weary of Chris Carter. He was coming out of Stanford University with the reputation as a legit power prospect with unmatched intelligence and work ethic. He intends to eventually achieve his doctorate and make a post-baseball career as a pediatric surgeon. As smart and talented as he was, he carried a major flaw.

At Stanford, Carter showed excellent plate discipline, bat speed, and power, but he could not field a position. He spent a lot of time DH-ing for the Cardinals. It was the reason he slipped all the way to the 17th round when Arizona decided to take a chance on him.

Even then, the Diamondbacks knew that Carter projected out as a career designated hitter. A good one, but probably better suited for the AL none the less. Although Carter made defensive strides in the minors with his work around the first base bag, he was still a liability and looked like a possible bench option at best in Arizona. The Diamondbacks saw him as a guy who could come in the late innings as a pinch-hitter and provide some power.

In 2007, Carter spent the season at AAA-Tucson, where he mashed the ball to the tune of a .324/.383/.521 slash line, posting 18 HR with 87 RBI and 39 doubles in just 126 games. But Carter was just toiling away in the Diamondbacks system without much of a chance of seeing any big league action.

It was his second full season in the D'backs system and at that point, young Connor Jackson was firmly entrenched as the first baseman in Arizona. Without the option of DH-ing Carter, the Diamondbacks had no room for him. He asked to be traded and in August of 2007, the team obliged, shipping him to the Washington Nationals in exchange for pitcher Emiliano Fruto.

The Nats then promptly flipped Chris Carter to Boston to complete the deal that had originally sent OF Wily Mo Pena to the nation's capitol earlier in the season. Wily Mo Pena was a bust and Carter became the "player to be named later."

Now that Carter is in the Red Sox system, he wants to make a name for himself. He jumped right in to the thick of things at AAA-Pawtucket, where he blasted 24 HR in 121 games and carved out a .300 batting average to boot.

There is no question he can hit, but the question is, could he possibly be the future designated hitter of the Boston Red Sox? If David Ortiz truly is tailing off in to the twilight of his historic Red Sox career, then Carter might have glimmer of hope.

Most Red Sox fans know very little about Carter. No one is quite sure what to make of him. I have even heard folks say they thought he was a veteran journeyman first baseman.

Truth is, he's still young. At 26, Carter is just rounding in to who he will be as a major league hitter. Most likely though, Carter will remain an organizational soldier. That is to say, a guy who falls in line and does whatever the team needs of him. Up to the majors and back to the minors. Up to the majors again and back to the minors again. Rinse and repeat. Just filling a role.

Did you know that after his first major league at-bat, Fenway gave him a standing ovation?

"That was incredible," Carter said after the game in June of 2008. "I didn't expect it, either. I'm very appreciative. I hope there are many more to come. I was very happy."

In his first big league at-bat, Carter admitted to trying to hit a home run.

He was able to get good wood on the ball and blasted a single up the middle anyway. The umpire recognized the significance for Carter and gave him the ball. As he stood on first base, Fenway rose to its feet.

After the game Carter, was returned to AAA-Pawtucket as the Red Sox had other immediate needs, but Carter always knew some day he would be back in Boston. He is currently a bench option on the Red Sox major league roster, but will most likely return to AAA-Pawtucket once Mark Kotsay comes off the 60-day DL some time in May or June.

Last year, Carter was referred to by some scouts as "the best power hitting prospect no one knows about." Right now, he remains as such. But some time soon, Chris Carter may have his chance to pound the Green Monster nightly and receive some more of those standing ovations from the Fenway Faithful.

Red Sox (4-6)

Darryl Johnston is the Red Sox correspondent for Fanball.com. He has many years of sports writing under his championship belts. Email him - redsoxdj@gmail.com