Red Sox Lay a Medium Sized Egg for Month of July Grade

A dozen up and a dozen down sounds eggs-actly like the prize winning recipe at a short order cook convention. It is more accurately the medium sized egg that the Red Sox laid during the month of July.

The Sox scrambled their way to 12 victories and sat patiently on 12 defeats, during a month that started firm but was over easy. They had a shell of a run as they entered the break, but cracked under pressure after the midsummer classic.

As we grade them for the month of July, they know that the yolk will be on them if they continue to beat themselves.

Dustin Pedroia: A (Last month: C-)

Well, instead of screaming the sky is going to fall, Pedroia threw the team on his back and flew during the month of July. The reigning MVP hit .333 with three home runs and 10 RBI and looked far more reminiscent of last season's hero.

Pedroia ended July with a .300 average, five home runs, and 44 RBI compared to .313 with nine HR and 48 RBI last year.

Pedroia tore it up during August and September last season ending with a .326 average, 17 home runs, and 83 RBI in winning the AL MVP.

Jacoby Ellsbury: A- (Last month: A-)

Ellsbury is quickly proving that it doesn't matter where he hits in the lineup, he is going to perform. At the beginning of the month, Manager Terry Francona moved Ellsbury to the seven hole to give JD Drew a shot at the leadoff spot. Ellsbury hit at or around .300. When Drew shared with Francona that he'd rather not hit leadoff, Ellsbury was moved back to the top and proceeded to hit at or around .300.

With Ellsbury's speed (14 for 16 in SB/ATT for July) he has proven that he can run and hit major league pitching. A more selective eye would result in more walks and make him the ideal table setter for the 3-4-5 hitters behind him.

If you take into account, Ellsbury's consistency year to date, he would not be too much of a long shot to be named the team MVP.

Mike Lowell: A- (Last month: C-)

After an injury plagued June and a stint on the DL with a sore hip, Lowell came back and didn't miss a beat as he hit .389 for the month in 10 games since returning. His power numbers are down (one HR and 11 RBI for the month) and he looks a bit sluggish in the field, but he continues to hit the ball for average.

Last season with his hip bothering him, Lowell hit .215 in July and .195 in August with two home runs combined for the two months. Lowell's time on the DL and the ability to move Youkilis to third, may allow Lowell to be healthy as the season continues.

Kevin Youkilis: B+ (Last month: C)

Youk struggled a bit in June and now July, as well after a very productive first two months of the campaign, but seems to have caught fire heading into August. His July  totals show an average of only .263 with five home runs and 16 RBI.

He finished July going five for eight in his last two games and a sneak peak into the first two games of August include seven hits in eight at bats (12 for 16 over his last four games). Overall, Youk is hitting .390 with three home runs and 11 RBI after the break. This is very much the way the streak Youk, started the season as well.

Jason Varitek: B (Last month: B-)

As I said last month, we may have come to the realization that Varitek will hover around the .230 mark for the entire season and after another .231 month it looks like I may be right.

While some players get low grades for hitting .230, it is what it is with the Captain. Hopefully, the addition of Martinez will keep Varitek fresh behind the plate and he can finish stronger than he has in past campaigns.

He has already matched his power numbers for 2008 (13 HR and 44 RBI in 09, 13 and 43 in '08) in over 150 fewer at bats.

David Ortiz: B- (Last month: A-)

If I was going to continue with the egg-scrutiating humor, there would have to be something about HGH and the size of Papi's egg, but in the interest of good taste I'll refrain.

Ortiz saw his average climb for the month despite only hitting one in every four. He entered the month at a paltry .227 with eight HR and 36 RBI. His month of July was not nearly as strong as June, but his average climbed 10 points as a result of his .247 average.

His power numbers continued to climb as he slugged seven home runs for the second month in a row and surprisingly sits at 15 round trippers despite his horrendous start.

In the wake of finding his name on the list of 104 who tested positive for performance enhancing drugs, it will be interesting to see how Ortiz performs for the rest of the season.

With the addition of Victor Martinez at the trade deadline, Ortiz will more than likely sit against tough lefties here on out.

J.D. Drew: C- (Last month: B)

Drew, along with several of the other Sox key contributors slumped badly in July. Drew hit only .217 with two home runs and five RBI during another lackluster month. In a sense he was equally consistent as Ellsbury was bouncing between the leadoff spot and his position further down the lineup. Drew was putrid from the leadoff position and equally putrid in the five hole.

Drew entered August with a mild hamstring pull and has temporarily been replaced by rookie call-up Josh Reddick. Maybe that's the Red Sox only hope of getting production from Drew's position in the batting order. Drew is currently hitting .243 with 12 HR and 43 RBI for the season after hitting .280 with 19 and 64 last year.

Jason Bay: D (Last month: C+)

Well, Bay may have counted his chickens before they hatched (sorry for picking up the pun again) when he refused to negotiate a new contract earlier in the season. After posting All-Star numbers and earning a trip to the midseason classic, Bay may find himself out of (c)luck.

Bay hit .192 for the month with one home run and five RBI, and actually went 12 games in a row without driving one in at one point during the month. It is unsure whether Bay is fatigued or simply cracking under the pressure of a contract run, but he looks all out of sorts heading into August.

Bench: B (Last month: B+)

Change is the best way to describe the Red Sox bench after it was completely overhauled during the month of July.

On July 1, the bench was made up of Rocco Baldelli, Mark Kotsay, Julio Lugo, and George Kottaras. One month later, Kotsay and Lugo can be found playing for the White Sox and Cardinals, respectively, while Kottaras is currently on the 15-day DL with a lower back strain.

Nick Green has been replaced in the starting lineup and finds himself in a backup role. Enter and exit, Adam Laroche and you have a recipe for scrambled bench.

Green finally came back to earth after a bang up first three months filling in for the injured Jed Lowrie. Perhaps he could see Lowrie in his rearview mirror, slumping to a .240 season average, while hitting only .143 for the month of July.

With Lowrie back in the starting lineup, and Lugo off to greener pastures, Green can return to the utility roll that the Red Sox had in mind when they signed him during the offseason. Green is currently mired in a 2-for-25 slump since Lowrie's return.

Rocco Baldelli struggled in his bit role during July, hitting only .192 with zero home runs and four RBI in 12 games. Baldelli cannot play in back to back games due to illness and struggled during July in his twice a week role.

George Kottarashit .222 with a home run before going onto the DL. Primarily used as Tim Wakefield's personal catcher and to give Varitek a breather it will be interesting to see if Kottaras comes off of the DL after the two week trip. With Wakefield also currently on the shelf and the acquisition of Martinez to catch, Kottaras may find himself disabled until the September 1 call-ups.

Overall: C +

Well, as previously stated 12 wins and 12 losses looks like the chicken in the middle of the road hoping to reach the sidewalk safely. With the heat of the pennant race upon us, and a few new roosters in the hen house hopefully the team cackles into August with their sunny side up.

Tomorrow: Pitchers

Todd Civin is a freelance writer for the Bleacher Report and Seamheads. He can be reached at [e-mail] for hire or comments. He is a supporter of A Glove of Their Own, the award winning children's story that teaches sharing through baseball.