Excuses for Late Season Losing Streak
With apologies to David Letterman
10. Paying tribute to the late Michael Jackson, the Red Sox are moonwalking into the post-season
9. Sweeping the Blue Jays is so last month
8. The Wild Card might have gotten a little too wild for our taste.
7. The Texas Rangers are doing it and what's good enough for Nolan Ryan is good enough for us.
6. Trying out a golf-inspired twist to the game where the lowest score wins
5. .600 winning percentages are overrated
4. Cito and Tito got together and agreed that the Jays could really use the extra batting practice
3. We're conserving our players' energy in an effort to stop global warming
2. Wednesday was Starter Skip Day. Nothing like a little manager-sanctioned hooky
1. Yankees, schmankees--We're number 2!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! GOOD LUCK IN THE POST-SEASON!!!!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Too Little Too Late
So, the Sox decided they cared about winning with only an inning to go tonight? It might have helped if they had made that decision, oh, 7 innings before. Before all the gopher balls dispensed like Halloween candy (speaking of Halloween, two guys sitting behind the plate were getting their tricks and treats early by dressing as umps) and before all the GIDPs that made them look like they didn't belong on the field at Fenway Park.
The team was doing so well earlier this month. As the Rays and Rangers were dropping by the wayside, the Sox looked to finally be firing on all cylinders. I don't know whether it was the rainy debacle in KC, the smackdown in the Bronx, or just the distance between them and their closest Wild Card competitors depriving them of a sense of urgency that got them all discombobulated, but right now they're a hot mess who will most likely get into the playoffs by default. A killer losing streak is no way to get psyched up for the playoffs. Perhaps it's not such a good thing that the Rays and Rangers fell off a cliff and couldn't keep things close and, therefore, keep the Sox motivated to WIN. It seems to me they do better when there's that sense of urgency.
The MLB schedulers didn't do the Sox any favors having them play out the last three weeks worth of games with no off-days. Last-minute pitcher snafus (Lester's quad, Beckett's back, and Buchholz's 2008 Throwback Night), "to hell with it" at-bats, and abandonment of the small-ball strategies that helped keep the Sox going earlier in the month have also contributed to the craptastic play that has halted their win count at 91 games. Ya think a couple of bunts could have been attempted to stay out of some of those infernal double plays? They were sac bunting all over the place two weeks ago. What happened?
When all is said and done, it won't matter as much how they got into the playoffs, but I think it would be more beneficial to them to get those competitive fires brewing going into the dance because the Angels are super-hungry and playing with the spirit of their fallen teammate in their hearts. The Sox may have a long history of clipping the Angels' wings in the first round, but my gut feeling is that they are due in a big way. I wouldn't be surprised if Scioscia lobbies MLB to have the umpires for that series vetted.
The Sox are a talented team that has the potential to go far in the playoffs. They are the team I love and I will always root for and I would love nothing more for them to squash the smug Yankees and the national TV announcers that couldn't conceal their passion for the pinstripes if they tried. As much as I hate them, however, the Yanks are formidable and if the Sox are to beat them, it may play out very much like 2004, with the Sox digging themselves a 0-3 hole before clawing their way to a win. Hey, if they go on and sweep their NL opponents (I'm thinking Phils or Cards here), I'm all for it.
As I write this, I have learned that the Red Sox have clinched the Wild Card by Texas losing to LA. That's not the way I wanted it to play out and, I'm sure I'm not alone in this sentiment, but they're in and they can look ahead and do what needs to be done. It would be nice to win some games on this homestand while they're at it. They may be "meaningless" but it's time to get fired up for October baseball.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
The team was doing so well earlier this month. As the Rays and Rangers were dropping by the wayside, the Sox looked to finally be firing on all cylinders. I don't know whether it was the rainy debacle in KC, the smackdown in the Bronx, or just the distance between them and their closest Wild Card competitors depriving them of a sense of urgency that got them all discombobulated, but right now they're a hot mess who will most likely get into the playoffs by default. A killer losing streak is no way to get psyched up for the playoffs. Perhaps it's not such a good thing that the Rays and Rangers fell off a cliff and couldn't keep things close and, therefore, keep the Sox motivated to WIN. It seems to me they do better when there's that sense of urgency.
The MLB schedulers didn't do the Sox any favors having them play out the last three weeks worth of games with no off-days. Last-minute pitcher snafus (Lester's quad, Beckett's back, and Buchholz's 2008 Throwback Night), "to hell with it" at-bats, and abandonment of the small-ball strategies that helped keep the Sox going earlier in the month have also contributed to the craptastic play that has halted their win count at 91 games. Ya think a couple of bunts could have been attempted to stay out of some of those infernal double plays? They were sac bunting all over the place two weeks ago. What happened?
When all is said and done, it won't matter as much how they got into the playoffs, but I think it would be more beneficial to them to get those competitive fires brewing going into the dance because the Angels are super-hungry and playing with the spirit of their fallen teammate in their hearts. The Sox may have a long history of clipping the Angels' wings in the first round, but my gut feeling is that they are due in a big way. I wouldn't be surprised if Scioscia lobbies MLB to have the umpires for that series vetted.
The Sox are a talented team that has the potential to go far in the playoffs. They are the team I love and I will always root for and I would love nothing more for them to squash the smug Yankees and the national TV announcers that couldn't conceal their passion for the pinstripes if they tried. As much as I hate them, however, the Yanks are formidable and if the Sox are to beat them, it may play out very much like 2004, with the Sox digging themselves a 0-3 hole before clawing their way to a win. Hey, if they go on and sweep their NL opponents (I'm thinking Phils or Cards here), I'm all for it.
As I write this, I have learned that the Red Sox have clinched the Wild Card by Texas losing to LA. That's not the way I wanted it to play out and, I'm sure I'm not alone in this sentiment, but they're in and they can look ahead and do what needs to be done. It would be nice to win some games on this homestand while they're at it. They may be "meaningless" but it's time to get fired up for October baseball.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Wild Thoughts on the Wild Card
Ok, they're not that "wild" per se;-) There are definite positives to having a Wild Card spot in the postseason playoff structure, the most salient being the disparate level of competition among the divisions. The AL Central is much weaker than the AL West and the AL East. Consequently, the winner of the Central has a considerably lower winning percentage than the winners of the other two divisions and often even the second-place teams of those divisions. Case in point: The AL East second place Red Sox have a .591 wpct. The AL West second place Texas Rangers have a .552 wpct. The AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers have a .539 wpct. If the Red Sox, Rangers, Yankees, and Angels were in the AL Central, they would all be ahead of the Tigers. The Wild Card mitigates the inequity to some extent by allowing the second place team with the best record among the second place teams in all three divisions a spot in the playoffs--that second place team with a superior record to one of the first-place teams. Incidentally, the Red Sox also have a better record than the AL-West-leading Angels.
Now for the fly in the Wild Card ointment: Teams like, say, the Red Sox, decide they want to back into a post-season spot, taking the Wild Card for granted, instead of playing their best team at least until a playoff spot is clinched. It's as if the Red Sox management didn't learn a lesson from the June 30th game this year where they were 8 runs up on the O's, but ended up losing the game, at one point walking off the field with only two outs in the inning. Right now, by not playing their best team against the Yankees while the Wild Card spot remains unclinched, they are doing the equivalent of walking off the field with two outs in the inning. The baseball gods frown on this type of thing, you know. The humiliating 11-10 O's victory is enough evidence of that. Red Sox, please don't choose to clinch the Wild Card by default (by having the Rangers lose three games). Have some pride and put your best team out there against the Yankees today and don't let them celebrate a division win on your watch. Play some REAL baseball today.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Now for the fly in the Wild Card ointment: Teams like, say, the Red Sox, decide they want to back into a post-season spot, taking the Wild Card for granted, instead of playing their best team at least until a playoff spot is clinched. It's as if the Red Sox management didn't learn a lesson from the June 30th game this year where they were 8 runs up on the O's, but ended up losing the game, at one point walking off the field with only two outs in the inning. Right now, by not playing their best team against the Yankees while the Wild Card spot remains unclinched, they are doing the equivalent of walking off the field with two outs in the inning. The baseball gods frown on this type of thing, you know. The humiliating 11-10 O's victory is enough evidence of that. Red Sox, please don't choose to clinch the Wild Card by default (by having the Rangers lose three games). Have some pride and put your best team out there against the Yankees today and don't let them celebrate a division win on your watch. Play some REAL baseball today.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Clinch First, Rest Later
Did I miss something? Did the Sox clinch a playoff berth while I was sleeping last night? If not, why was the bottom third of the lineup of this afternoon's game comprised of Baldelli, Lowrie, and Brian Anderson, with no Bay or Drew in sight? The Yankees have already wrapped up a spot in the post-season, yet they were putting their full-strength lineup on the field. There's a week left in the season, Red Sox management. Are you trying to clinch by default, by having Texas lose three? Not cool! Not cool at all! Suppose the Rangers go on an improbable hot streak, a la Colorado in '07? The Tortoise and the Hare ring a bell? Don't let the Sox be the hare that takes a nap while the tortoise catches up and wins the race. Isn't it better to clinch the Wild Card now so you can rest the players next week? Dice-K pitched a helluva game, going 7 innings and giving up only 1 run. He deserved more run support than what he got (zero, zilch, nada!).
The bullpen is really worrying me lately. I can't remember the last time they didn't give up a run. Wagner gives up 2 today, allowing the Yanks to win 3-0. Ramirez, Delcarmen, and Bard are human run dispensers. Oki's hurt. Saito's been okay for the most part and Pap has been getting it done when he has the chance, but five out of seven questionable relievers going into the playoffs (should they make them) puts a lot of pressure on those starters and on the offense to keep scoring runs later in the game to offset the runs being given up by the 'pen.
Also, if the Sox are to make the playoffs, they have to have a better plan in place for managing the running game. The Yankees are not usually a running team, but they know that the Sox run a loose ship when it comes to defending against stolen bases. The Angels are all about the running game. We know neither Tek nor V-Mart can throw quickly and accurately to second (or third) base, so the pitchers need to find a way to either get the ball to the plate quicker or cut out the middle man (the catcher) and pick slippery baserunners off themselves. Whenever I see that statistic about the Red Sox and stolen bases shown on TV broadcasts like the one of today's game, I cringe. It's like, if a Sox pitcher isn't perfect, he has to manage a track meet on the basepaths.
Well, that's enough ranting for today. Come on, Sox, win a few more games, if only for pride's sake. Isn't the goal to win at least 95 a year? Don't take the upcoming homestand for granted. They may be weaker teams, but those types of teams love to play spoiler. Remember Kansas City?
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! THE SEASON ISN'T OVER YET!!!!
The bullpen is really worrying me lately. I can't remember the last time they didn't give up a run. Wagner gives up 2 today, allowing the Yanks to win 3-0. Ramirez, Delcarmen, and Bard are human run dispensers. Oki's hurt. Saito's been okay for the most part and Pap has been getting it done when he has the chance, but five out of seven questionable relievers going into the playoffs (should they make them) puts a lot of pressure on those starters and on the offense to keep scoring runs later in the game to offset the runs being given up by the 'pen.
Also, if the Sox are to make the playoffs, they have to have a better plan in place for managing the running game. The Yankees are not usually a running team, but they know that the Sox run a loose ship when it comes to defending against stolen bases. The Angels are all about the running game. We know neither Tek nor V-Mart can throw quickly and accurately to second (or third) base, so the pitchers need to find a way to either get the ball to the plate quicker or cut out the middle man (the catcher) and pick slippery baserunners off themselves. Whenever I see that statistic about the Red Sox and stolen bases shown on TV broadcasts like the one of today's game, I cringe. It's like, if a Sox pitcher isn't perfect, he has to manage a track meet on the basepaths.
Well, that's enough ranting for today. Come on, Sox, win a few more games, if only for pride's sake. Isn't the goal to win at least 95 a year? Don't take the upcoming homestand for granted. They may be weaker teams, but those types of teams love to play spoiler. Remember Kansas City?
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!! THE SEASON ISN'T OVER YET!!!!
That didn't go well...
"That" meaning last night's disaster in Yankee Stadium. The Sox lost the game 9-5 and got a helluva scare to boot! Lester, who uncharacteristically labored through 2 1/3 innings and couldn't seem to do any right against the Yanks, took a Melky Cabrera line drive off the right leg near the knee in the 3rd inning and collapsed on the mound in pain as the fifth Yankee run scored. Could the timing be worse??? He limped off the field and came out of the game as Red Sox Nation reeled from the punch in the gut and held its collective breath for the results of the X-rays. Thankfully, they were negative; no bones were broken, but Lester has a nasty bruise on his leg. According to Terry Francona, he's expected to recover in time to make his next start. How he will fare in that start and how the leg injury will affect his delivery remains to be seen, but it could have been much, much worse.
Meanwhile, as Murphy's Law of the Red Sox dictated, Joba found his pitching mojo last night and kept the Sox to 3 runs. They scored 2 more off the bullpen, but it wasn't enough to offset the damage done by the Yanks against the Sox pitching. Manny Delcarmen proved once again that he's good for only one out. Michael Bowden impressed in one inning, striking out the side, but faltered in the next. As a result, the Yanks look all the mightier and their confidence has to be through the roof right now. Being able to snatch 7 bases off of Tek just added to the fun the Pinstripes had at the Sox' expense.
Today, Dice-K takes the mound and V-Mart catches him for the first time. It's a good thing to try this out before the playoffs, but too bad it has to be against the Yankees, who will exploit every miscue to the fullest. It's gonna be interesting, to say the least. If that's not enough, the Sox bats have to face C.C. Come on, Rays, beat those Rangers!!!!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Meanwhile, as Murphy's Law of the Red Sox dictated, Joba found his pitching mojo last night and kept the Sox to 3 runs. They scored 2 more off the bullpen, but it wasn't enough to offset the damage done by the Yanks against the Sox pitching. Manny Delcarmen proved once again that he's good for only one out. Michael Bowden impressed in one inning, striking out the side, but faltered in the next. As a result, the Yanks look all the mightier and their confidence has to be through the roof right now. Being able to snatch 7 bases off of Tek just added to the fun the Pinstripes had at the Sox' expense.
Today, Dice-K takes the mound and V-Mart catches him for the first time. It's a good thing to try this out before the playoffs, but too bad it has to be against the Yankees, who will exploit every miscue to the fullest. It's gonna be interesting, to say the least. If that's not enough, the Sox bats have to face C.C. Come on, Rays, beat those Rangers!!!!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Bring On The Yanks!
After ending the Royals series on a high note, taking the second two games of four for a split, the Sox march into Yankee Stadium 2.0 in a position to possibly put the Rangers away for the season (if the Rays do their part) and clinch a playoff spot for the sixth time in seven seasons since Theo Epstein took over as GM. The Magic Number is at 3 with 10 games to go. If the Sox win tonight and the Rangers lose, the number goes down to 1. This means that tomorrow, EITHER a Red Sox win or a Rangers loss will seal the deal.
Matchup-wise, tonight's game is the one that most favors the Red Sox, with a well-rested Jon Lester facing beleaguered Yankee starter Joba (the Hutt) Chamberlain. Tomorrow, Dice-K has the unenviable task of pitching against Big C.C. If Dice-K performs like he did in the Angels' series, the Sox have a chance, provided they can get to C.C. even just a little. If we're in for a 5-inning deal, having to rely on a recently yippy bullpen, that could be trouble. Sunday's matchup heavily favors the Yanks, with Paul Byrd facing Andy Pettitte. I'm hoping the Sox take at the very least one of the three games, preferably two. A Sox sweep of the Yanks would be fantastic, but I'm not counting on it. The Yanks are still playing great ball, as they have been all of the second half, but now the Sox are playing great ball too. These aren't the same Red Sox who came staggering into The Stadium in early August.
Props to Buch for another outstanding pitching performance last night in KC. He may have been under the weather, but that did not show at all on the mound. 6.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R 0 BB 8 K!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Matchup-wise, tonight's game is the one that most favors the Red Sox, with a well-rested Jon Lester facing beleaguered Yankee starter Joba (the Hutt) Chamberlain. Tomorrow, Dice-K has the unenviable task of pitching against Big C.C. If Dice-K performs like he did in the Angels' series, the Sox have a chance, provided they can get to C.C. even just a little. If we're in for a 5-inning deal, having to rely on a recently yippy bullpen, that could be trouble. Sunday's matchup heavily favors the Yanks, with Paul Byrd facing Andy Pettitte. I'm hoping the Sox take at the very least one of the three games, preferably two. A Sox sweep of the Yanks would be fantastic, but I'm not counting on it. The Yanks are still playing great ball, as they have been all of the second half, but now the Sox are playing great ball too. These aren't the same Red Sox who came staggering into The Stadium in early August.
Props to Buch for another outstanding pitching performance last night in KC. He may have been under the weather, but that did not show at all on the mound. 6.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R 0 BB 8 K!
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!!
Monday, September 21, 2009
A Wet, Muddy, Soggy Mess
It's time for me to eat some crow for speaking too soon. My excuse for putting the cart before the horse: I went to yesterday's game, got stuck in traffic on the way home and by the time I got around to writing the blog, my brain cells were fried for the day. Unfortunately, I had to wash down my serving of crow with tonight's gooey mess of a game. Blech! Ugh! Napkin, please!
Now that the theatrics are out of the way...
The game started out pretty well for the Sox; they put up a six-spot in the third and Wake was getting it done despite being held together by duct tape and determination. Then the rains came. Apparently, a wet knuckleball is easier to hit than a dry one because, as the monsoon picked up, the Royals were smashing the ball all over the place. When they weren't whacking the ball, they were watching knucklers dart and dash all over the place and taking their free bases. Wake gutted his way through 5 giving up 5 runs and walking 7. Still, he left with a lead after Bay made a fantastic catch against the left field wall to rob an extra base hit from Yuniesky Betancort.
Enter Manny "the firestarter" Delcarmen with a can of kerosene and a lighted match. Boom! Three runs! Enter Daniel Bard with more of the flammable stuff. Three more runs! Whoosh! A toilet flushes and down it goes the Red Sox lead. An inning later, Billy Wagner stokes the fire by walking two and allowing another Royals run. The bats, tired of trying to keep up with the nuclear bullpen, mailed in the last three frames and a game that should have been won ends up in the loss column, along with a chance to trim the Magic Number and possibly gain on the Yanks. This game gets the ol' Mr. Yuk Seal of Disapproval. Do they still make those green Mr. Yuk stickers or are they a relic from my childhood? Note to self: Wikipedia "Mr. Yuk"
Tomorrow's matchup is no picnic for the Sox, with Paul Byrd facing Cy hopeful Zack Greinke. On paper this looks like another loss, but once the teams take the field, anything can happen. Let's hope it turns out to be a pleasant surprise. Taking three out of four in KC would be nice. I'd take a split, but a series loss to the men in blue could let the Rangers back into the race.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
Now that the theatrics are out of the way...
The game started out pretty well for the Sox; they put up a six-spot in the third and Wake was getting it done despite being held together by duct tape and determination. Then the rains came. Apparently, a wet knuckleball is easier to hit than a dry one because, as the monsoon picked up, the Royals were smashing the ball all over the place. When they weren't whacking the ball, they were watching knucklers dart and dash all over the place and taking their free bases. Wake gutted his way through 5 giving up 5 runs and walking 7. Still, he left with a lead after Bay made a fantastic catch against the left field wall to rob an extra base hit from Yuniesky Betancort.
Enter Manny "the firestarter" Delcarmen with a can of kerosene and a lighted match. Boom! Three runs! Enter Daniel Bard with more of the flammable stuff. Three more runs! Whoosh! A toilet flushes and down it goes the Red Sox lead. An inning later, Billy Wagner stokes the fire by walking two and allowing another Royals run. The bats, tired of trying to keep up with the nuclear bullpen, mailed in the last three frames and a game that should have been won ends up in the loss column, along with a chance to trim the Magic Number and possibly gain on the Yanks. This game gets the ol' Mr. Yuk Seal of Disapproval. Do they still make those green Mr. Yuk stickers or are they a relic from my childhood? Note to self: Wikipedia "Mr. Yuk"
Tomorrow's matchup is no picnic for the Sox, with Paul Byrd facing Cy hopeful Zack Greinke. On paper this looks like another loss, but once the teams take the field, anything can happen. Let's hope it turns out to be a pleasant surprise. Taking three out of four in KC would be nice. I'd take a split, but a series loss to the men in blue could let the Rangers back into the race.
LET'S GO RED SOX!!!!
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