Nine to Know: Red Sox Stats Pack – Rivalry Edition

The Bill Chuck Files overflow each day with stats, factoids, and observations that are sometimes relevant, sometimes irrelevant, and sometimes simply intriguing. At the start of each Sox series, I will share some of these in my “Nine to Know,” and I hope you will do the same.

I know it’s the greatest rivalry in all of sports since Athens versus Sparta, but it is a little difficult to get excited about the Sox and Yankees this weekend. Right now the Yankees have the seventh best record in the AL and the Red Sox have the 11th best in the league. Even in a league where parity abounds, these two teams are battling to see who can be the most mediocre.

With all due respect, to these two fine gentlemen, but tonight’s match-up features Brandon Workman against Vidal Nuno. I bet I could find a guy hawking ice cream on a truck who would be a more compelling starter. However, tomorrow Jon Lester goes up against Masahiro Tanaka and that should be a rivalry-worthy.

For these two teams, their seasons come down to the next month on the field and, perhaps even more importantly, in the front offices. After the July 31 trade deadline we will have a better sense as to whether the final series of the season, on the final weekend at Fenway September 26-28, will have the renewal of the great rivalry on the field or just a magnificent celebration for Derek Jeter (and perhaps a goodbye to Jon Lester).

Nine to Know: Red Sox (36-43/16-24 on the road) @ New York Yankees (40-37/17-18 at home)
1. In their World Championship season of 1912, the Sox had their best 83-game stretch going 62-19-2. With 83 games remaining, 62 wins would enable the 2014 Sox to finish 98-64.
2. The Red Sox had 76 10+ hit games last season, second only to the Tigers who had 83. This season they have 29, tied for 12th in the majors.
3. In June, Xander Bogaerts is hitting .149. Only Shin-Soo Choo (.139), Everth Cabrera (.146), and Dayan Viciedo (.148) have lower averages throughout the majors.4. Boston has scored 74 runs this month, the fewest in the AL with only the pitiful Padres having scored less with 55.
5. David Ortiz is now tied with Jeff Bagwell and Vladimir Guerrero for 37th place on the all time HR list, with 449.
6. In the Red Sox first 78 games this season, they scored 296 runs, 24th in the majors. In the Red Sox first 78 games last season, they scored 394 runs, the most in the majors.
7. A.J. Pierzynski has had oh-fers in 23 Sox losses this season, the most on the club. Jackie Bradley Jr. has gone hitless in 20 losses.
8. After starting an at bat 0-2, Mike Napoli has hit .267, Dustin Pedroia .221, Xander Bogaerts .219, David Ortiz .200, A.J. Pierzynski.136, and Jackie Bradley Jr.has hit .116.
9. The last postseason without the Red Sox or the Yankees was in 1993.
See you Monday, when we welcome the Cubs to Fenway as they see what a really old ballpark looks like.