Andrew Bailey, Mike Napoli Share AL Player Of The Week Honors
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Red Sox have surprised most people in the baseball world with their first-place start, and the duo of Andrew Bailey and Mike Napoli have been a major part of it.
The two were honored by MLB on Monday, as the two were named American League Co-Players of the Week for the seven-day stretch ending Sunday.
In the seven games last week, Bailey recorded three saves while striking out eight batters and walking just one in five innings of work.
Napoli, meanwhile, hit .345 with five doubles, a triple, a home run and 10 RBIs in his seven games. He also hit a walk-off double on Monday afternoon at Fenway Park, scoring Dustin Pedroia from first base to give the Red Sox a 3-2 win.
Bailey has filled in seamlessly for Joel Hanrahan, who was brought to Boston over the winter to be the team's closer. Due to injury last year, Bailey never really was able to fulfill that role the way the team expected, but this year, he's allowed just eight total base runners and two earned runs in his 9 1/3 innings pitched.
It is the third time two Red Sox teammates have been named co-players of the week. Mike Lowell and David Ortiz were given the honors in August 2007, while Pedro Martinez and Trot Nixon shared the honors in July 2002.
