LyfLines: Monday Pythagorean Report

4-2, 3-3, 2-4, 3-3 - the beat goes on as the season winds down...

As an old football coach used to say, "you are what your record says you are." This is what the Red Sox are right now - a .500 team without enough offense.
Clay Buchholz wasn't really a Cy Young candidate, because he's so short on innings pitched compared to some other top starters, including Felix Hernandez, who has been better at basically everything you want a pitcher to do. But he was in the conversation. That conversation ended in an 11-batter span on Friday night.
All feats are colored by context. In a different context, there might be praise and accolades for the Boston bullpen which threw seven scoreless, 3-hit innings on Friday night. As they were down 5-0 when they started, and the offense never came close to plating a run, it was just another blah mop-up job.
In a different context, we might look at taking 2-of-3 from the Rays as a pivotal series win. As it is, not so much...
Red Sox Player of the Week - Adrian Beltre, who hit .381/.500/.762/1.262 on the week. Honorable mention to Josh Reddick, who hit .500/.500/.700/1.200 and created more runs per out, albeit in half the at-bats. (Runs Created takes note of the fact that 4 of Beltre's 5 walks were intentional.)
Red Sox Pitcher of the Week - In the absence of any great starts or dominant relief appearances, this goes to Scott Atchison, who threw 5 2/3 innings of scoreless relief in 3 outings, allowing 1 hit and striking out 4.