Christopher Trotman Nixon is having a pretty good year wherever he bats in the lineup. His projected numbers look like this:
Average: .319
On Base %: .433
Slugging: .564
Homers: 27
RBI: 108
Runs: 95
I think moving him to the #5 spot in the order is the right thing to do. He can give Manny some protection, keep the lineup switching from left to right, and provide some solid power at a power spot in the lineup. However, I still don't think Renteria is the right man for the #2 spot in the order. I'd rather see Bellhorn or even Varitek up there. Varitek is the only other guy that has hit well all season and Bellhorn flourished in the #2 spot last season.
Wade Miller is looking pretty good until he gets over 90 pitches or so. This is good news. Hopefully within a few more starts he will be able to go over 100 and still be effective. The short releif out of the bullpen has been very reliable as of late. I think pitchers might be adjusting to their roles with the team.
Manny climbed one HR closer to 400. His 400th will break him out of a 3 way tie with Andres Galarraga and Al Kaline for 39th all-time. I beleive the last player to hit his 400th HR in a Red Sox uniform was Andre Dawson in 1993. Other players who spent time in Fenway and have 400+ HRs are: Carl Yastrzemski, Jose Conseco, Ted Williams, Jimmie Foxx, and Babe Ruth.
The Man of the Game is Trot Nixon who went 2 for 4 with a single and a 2 out Grand Slam that gave the Sox a lead.
The rubber game is this afternoon as Wakefield faces Meche. Then its down the coast to Oakland to play the Pathetics who have been getting crushed by the Yankees lately.
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