More Sad Than Mad

I know there's no crying in baseball, but if the Sox lose Pedey for any significant amount of time, such news would push me in that direction. Pedey is so key to both the team's offense and defense that he's one player they absolutely cannot afford to lose. He fouled a ball off the instep of his left foot in his second at-bat of the night and started hobbling to first base, but only made it a few feet before he had to be escorted off the field. The x-rays are "inconclusive" (bear in mind that this is the Red Sox' somewhat questionable medical staff interpreting them. Just ask Jacoby Ellsbury what he thinks of their diagnostic skills), suggesting that the news is not good. There are no suitable replacements for Pedey who can provide his offensive, defensive, and clubhouse presence. I shudder at the thought of Bill Hall being the starting second baseman for the rest of the season. No great middle infielders in AAA either and there's really no one they could trade for.

Pedey's injury is just the latest in a bizarre and unfortunate series of injuries plaguing the Sox this year. All three starting outfielders and one reserve have been hurt. Both Dice-K and Beckett have been on the DL. The Sox have managed to fight their way back into the division race with a revolving-door outfield and Wake as their fifth starter, but losing someone like Pedey could be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Think 2006 and Tek's injury. It makes me so sad to think of a large chunk of the season without him and the huge door it would open for the Rays and Jays, not to mention the Yankees.

The Sox stranded a ridiculous 13 baserunners and left the bases loaded three times. After the Giants tied the score in the second inning after Youk went yard with two men on in the first, the bats shut down until a too-little-too-late rally in the ninth. Wake allowed a fourth run on a Juan Uribe dinger, but managed to give the team 7 innings on a night the bullpen was taxed. The defense was sloppy and the offense was stuck in neutral. I guess this was to be expected, to some degree, after the draining 5-hour marathon of a game last night and the 4 a.m. arrival in San Fran. The loss was frustrating, but the thought of losing Pedey makes me more sad than mad.

LET'S GO RED SOX!!!! WIN TOMORROW!!! DO IT FOR PEDEY!!!!