This may make me a bad fan (I abhor the sexist label "pink hat") but I just can't bear to watch the Red Sox anymore this season. After battling all summer to stay in contention in spite of an obscene amount of injuries, they have hit a wall and they have hit it hard. There's only so much the valiant replacement players can do.
So how much of this crash-and-burn is the responsibility of Red Sox management and how much can be chalked up to the cruel hand of fate? The injuries most definitely fall under the latter, but the way they were handled by the medical staff is an issue with the former. While the Sox docs didn't cause the injuries, the missed diagnoses (Ellsbury's ribs and the thumb injury that killed the trade of Lowell to Texas for two) didn't help much. The trainwreck that is the Red Sox bullpen (apart from Bard) is squarely on Theo Epstein. The signs of trouble were there last year: Manny Delcarmen had never been known for consistency. Ramon Ramirez tailed off significantly in the second half of last season. Okajima has been a steady decline since 2008. And what of Papelbon, with his seven blown saves this season? The Rays went out and got guys like Joaquin Benoit and Rafael Soriano. The Sox dipped into the Penny/Smoltz pile and got Schoenweis, Nelson, and Atchison. Atchison has helped them in some spots, but he's not someone who can take some of the burden off of Bard. Bullpen overhaul absolutely must be a priority in the offseason if they are to have any chance in 2011.
Another thing that has gone embarrassingly wrong for the Red Sox this season has been defense, especially by the pitchers. They have the most pitcher errors in all of baseball. What happened to PFP in spring training? Maybe they should practice fielding more often during the regular season too, because they need all the practice they can get not making fools of themselves once they step off the mound. Infield and outfield defense has taken a hit because of injuries (Youk and Pedey are SORELY missed at 1B and 2B). Scoots has been playing hurt, so he gets some slack here, but the defense has made the pitcher's job a lot tougher and not all of the fielding mistakes can be called errors.
The offense, obviously, dropped off because they are relying on too many AAA types and Papi and Drew are miserable against lefties this year. Losing three guys who hit around .300 is devastating, no matter how you slice it. Not to mention the speed the Sox lose without Ells.
The Sox play the Rays this week and I don't forsee it going well for them at all. They struggle against the Rays even under good circumstances. Sorry, Red Sox, but I'm tapped out in dealing with heartbreak this season. I'll be back next season, hoping for a bounceback year.
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