Sox Beat: Sox' outfield is masterful at taking runs away

BOSTON – UNTIL THEIR reinvention at the 2004 trading deadline, the Red Sox featured historically bad defense. Obviously, times have changed.

In particular, the group that has patrolled the outfield this month has been nothing short of exceptional. With David Ortiz out, the Sox have employed Manny Ramirez as a designated hitter.

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As a result, in 14 of 22 games this month, the team has featured Jacoby Ellsbury in left, Coco Crisp in center and J.D. Drew in right. The trio is considered elite in terms of the amount of ground it can cover.

"I think we're probably the best defensive outfield in the game," said Crisp. "There are some good ones out there, but we give them a run for their money."

Though none of the three has won a Gold Glove, the claim is not outlandish. Crisp was widely considered one of the best two center fielders in baseball last year. Ellsbury is rated nearly his equal, and shows coverage unlike anything seen from Ramirez in left field. Drew uses superb breaks and route running to cover ample ground in right.

The result has been a pitcher's delight. Mistakes are often forgiven by a group that covers immense expanses of the outfield lawn.

"It's a little different style than we're accustomed to ... Watching three-run homers is great. But when that's not available, watching guys catch the ball is good, too," manager Terry Francona observed. "It's fun to watch. I'm sure the pitchers feel good about it, too. They're all over the place."

There has been plenty of recent evidence of the notion. Last night, Drew saved a pair of potential gopher balls -- one on a fly ball that seemed headed for the Arizona bullpen, and another on a ball near the Pesky Pole.

In Sunday's 5-3 win over St. Louis, for instance, Ellsbury ranged far to his left to make a diving catch on a sinking liner. Later that game, Crisp raced back to the Green Monster and bounced off the scoreboard in left-center to snare a ball.

"When the bats weren't going as well," Kevin Youkilis noted at the time, "we did a lot of great things on defense."

Dustin Pedroia reaches for congratulations as he rounds third after hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning last night at Fenway Park. (AP)

The development has not been uncommon. When the Sox have featured the outfield of Ellsbury, Crisp and Drew, opposing offenses have found it hard to come by runs. Prior to last night, that group had made 20 starts this year, with intriguing results.

On the season, the team has allowed 3.75 runs per game with that trio, and 4.36 runs per game with any other group. The pattern has been even more extreme this month.

Through Monday, the Sox had given up 3.46 runs a night in the 13 games started by its top defensive outfield, and more than a full additional run (4.5 per game) on nights with other alignments.

That helps to explain why the Sox enjoy a robust 13-7 record (.650 winning percentage) on nights when Ellsbury, Drew and Crisp are all in the lineup. Even though it requires an off day for either Ortiz or Ramirez -- and sometimes both -- the Sox are able to compensate for the absence of an offensive threat by doing a better job of shutting down opposing lineups.

Still, the outfield is not alone in meriting credit for the team's run prevention. Sox pitchers have cut their walks by more than 20 percent this month, from 3.88 per nine innings to 3.06. The staff has also struck out roughly 7 percent more batters this month than it had in the season's first two months.

Even so, the outfield almost certainly plays a part in the improved results. The Sox are happy to share the credit.

"I think our outfield, the ones we've been playing, they cover a lot of ground," said Francona. "When you have Coco, Ellsbury and J.D. out there, that's a pretty good defensive outfield. There's not a lot of balls hitting the grass."

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Alex Speier covers the Red Sox for the New Hampshire Union Leader and New Hampshire Sunday News.