Prematurely called one of the best offenses in the game (does this smack of another failed declaration from just a year ago, like maybe, "run prevention"?) the 2011 Red Sox bats are instead one of the worst. Breaking it down player by player here are some of the reasons why:
1. Jacoby Ellsbury (.264/.323/.462): He's been hot lately, but he's one of those hitters who is either on fire or ice cold. For a guy who needs to get on base as often as possible, there needs to be more consistency here. He's shown some power, but with his speed you want to see him on the basepaths, making a menace of himself to the opposing pitchers.
2. Dustin Pedroia (.266/.381/.372): Another "fire and ice" hitter who happens to be in "ice" mode right now. He's striking out more than usual this season, with 17 Ks in 94 ABs (18% of his ABs have resulted in strikeouts) Over his career, only 9% of his ABs have resulted in strikeouts.
3. Adrian Gonzalez (.314/.375/.461): The average is great, as is the OBP, but the power is sorely missing. Ironically, he is doing the job Ells is supposed to be doing while Ells is doing what Gonzo's supposed to be doing. Without the power that made him so sought-after by the front office, he's essentially Sean Casey with a better glove.
4. Kevin Youkilis (.213/.388/.480): Oh, Youk! That .213 is so not you! Youkilis is leading the team in strikeouts and home runs and, so it seems like he's either striking out or going yard. Boston's answer to Mark Reynolds? Say it ain't so!
5. David Ortiz (.280/.388/.415): After homering in back-to-back games to start the season, Big Papi has become a singles hitter, much like his teammate Adrian Gonzalez. The good news is that he's hitting lefties so well (.379). The bad news: He's hitting righties at only .226.
6. Jed Lowrie: (.375/.397/.578): The gaudy numbers are still there, owing to that stretch when he was absolutely raking, but he's cooled off considerably since. Another fire and ice hitter? I sure hope not. He's looking awfully anxious at the plate lately, swinging very early in the count and making easy outs. Sitting him two days in a row (last Sunday, with the off-day on Monday) seems to have done him more harm than good. The best way to cool off a hot hitter is to have him ride pine.
7. J.D. Drew (.270/.387/.381): His average is around what it has usually been during his tenure in Boston, but those strikeouts looking have to come down. Some more power from him would also be nice.
8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (.191/.255/.234): With numbers like that, you would hope the guy's at least good defensively. So far, that hasn't been the case for Salty. He's had some timely hits, but the rest of the stats speak for themselves.
9. Carl Crawford: (.160/.202/.234) Here's a guy who's wondering what happened to his career .294 average and .335 OBP and why he has turned into a pumpkin upon putting on the Red Sox uniform. His career numbers got him the mega-contract, and, barring some severe injury or illness, don't just disappear over the course of one off-season. As far as we know, Crawford is healthy, so his dismal offensive production so far this season is downright baffling.
10. Jason Varitek: (.111/.200/.139) Ouch! Those numbers are ugly to look at! With Salty struggling so much defensively and with some of the pitchers more comfortable throwing to Tek, the Captain has been making a lot more appearances behind (and, unfortunately, at) the plate recently. Neither catcher can throw out baserunners and neither can hit. V-Mart was no great shakes defensively, but at least he had a bat.
11. Marco Scutaro: (.189/.283/.226) This is one of the reasons why Lowrie has become the regular shortstop. Another member of the under .200 club, Scoots seems to have lost his plate discipline. often swinging at the first pitch for an easy out. He doesn't have as many at-bats, but he doesn't appear to be making the most of the ones he's getting either.
12. Mike Cameron (.185/.241/.407) That .407 slugging percentage is due to the 2 dingers he hit last night. Other than that, not much production from Cam (at-bats have been harder to come by with Papi and Drew hitting lefties better).
13. Darnell McDonald (.118/.211/.294) Again, not many at-bats, but not much production in the at-bats he does get. The defense is a considerable downgrade from Carl Crawford as well (witness last night's run-scoring error). Another factor that could be coming into play: Last year, he was a hungry career minor-leaguer, eager to make the most of every opportunity given to him. This year, he makes the team from the get-go. Not to say he doesn't try hard, but maybe the edge he had last year is not there.
There are 6 hitters on this team batting under .200. 4 of them are on the bench, but that does the team no favors when it comes to pinch-hitting. If the 1986 incarnation of Roger Clemens were facing today's team, 20 strikeouts in a game would be a walk in the park. If things don't improve with this offense, the Sox will become irrelevant well before school lets out for the summer.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
Inexcusable
This Red Sox team is absolutely exasperating! They were like this last year too, but at least then they could blame all the injuries. A healthy team performing this badly has nobody to blame but themselves. Stupidity, the second coming of Eric Gagne and an offense that is going to lead to a spike in antacid and antidepressant sales all over Red Sox Nation led to this embarrassing loss.
Good teams take advantage of opportunities and build momentum. Good teams are focused and disciplined at the plate and in the field. Good teams show up for all nine innings. The Red Sox obviously are not playing like a good team. If the game were called squanderball, where points were awarded for men left on base and called third strikes, they'd win the World Series. For a team with a payroll as large as that of the Red Sox, this kind of play is unacceptable. What's even more disheartening is that they show no signs of turning it around. There's no fire or sense of urgency with this team and the thought of a late-inning comeback or walkoff win seems just about inconceivable.
I honestly don't know what it will take to get this bunch, many of whom make obscene amounts of money, to perform up to their potential, whether they need a more take-charge kind of manager, a new hitting coach, or what. This is not just one game I'm talking about. This is how the entire first month of the season (less tomorrow's game) has gone. They teased us out west, making us think they had righted the ship, but they're still clearly lost at sea.
Good teams take advantage of opportunities and build momentum. Good teams are focused and disciplined at the plate and in the field. Good teams show up for all nine innings. The Red Sox obviously are not playing like a good team. If the game were called squanderball, where points were awarded for men left on base and called third strikes, they'd win the World Series. For a team with a payroll as large as that of the Red Sox, this kind of play is unacceptable. What's even more disheartening is that they show no signs of turning it around. There's no fire or sense of urgency with this team and the thought of a late-inning comeback or walkoff win seems just about inconceivable.
I honestly don't know what it will take to get this bunch, many of whom make obscene amounts of money, to perform up to their potential, whether they need a more take-charge kind of manager, a new hitting coach, or what. This is not just one game I'm talking about. This is how the entire first month of the season (less tomorrow's game) has gone. They teased us out west, making us think they had righted the ship, but they're still clearly lost at sea.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
A Happy Ending
All things considered, the Red Sox' road trip was a successful one. They come home having gone 6-3 in Oakland, LA, and Baltimore. While the 2-game hiccup against the O's kept them from reaching .500 on the season, they avoided the sweep by winning tonight's game 6-2. Lester kept the O's to 2 runs over 8 innings and Pap was dominant even in a non-save situation. The bats finally arrived from LA--the Sox put up 2 runs early, added another in the 7th, and 3 more in the 8th.
Two guys in particular were responsible for firing up the run-scoring machine: Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez. The first 2 runs were generated by Gonzo driving in Ells. Ells then added two RBI of his own in the 8th with a bases-loaded single. The numbers 1 and 3 hitters each notched 3 hits tonight and it's great to see them get hot Salty also singled with the sacks full and Pedey's slow roller eluded O's third baseman Mark Reynolds for a RBI infield hit. Let's give Salty his due--he's come up with some pretty big hits for the Sox this season.
Back in Boston tomorrow, Dice-K looks to bring his Dr. Jekyll game to the hill against the M's. For the sake of the Red Sox getting a game closer to .500, Dice-K ought to put Mr. Hyde on a rocket and send him to Neptune (The Moon is just not far enough away!) A memo to the hitters: Jet lag doesn't apply when you're flying home from Baltimore. I want to see a laser show from you, you hear?
Two guys in particular were responsible for firing up the run-scoring machine: Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez. The first 2 runs were generated by Gonzo driving in Ells. Ells then added two RBI of his own in the 8th with a bases-loaded single. The numbers 1 and 3 hitters each notched 3 hits tonight and it's great to see them get hot Salty also singled with the sacks full and Pedey's slow roller eluded O's third baseman Mark Reynolds for a RBI infield hit. Let's give Salty his due--he's come up with some pretty big hits for the Sox this season.
Back in Boston tomorrow, Dice-K looks to bring his Dr. Jekyll game to the hill against the M's. For the sake of the Red Sox getting a game closer to .500, Dice-K ought to put Mr. Hyde on a rocket and send him to Neptune (The Moon is just not far enough away!) A memo to the hitters: Jet lag doesn't apply when you're flying home from Baltimore. I want to see a laser show from you, you hear?
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Oops! We Forgot The Bats!
The streak is over. Which streak, you ask? The 5-game winning streak? The 20-inning scoreless pitching streak? Jed Lowrie's hit streak? All 3, unfortunately. Buchholz gave me disturbing 2008 flashbacks in his 4-run, 12-hit outing, but at least he went 6 2/3 and kept the ball in the ballpark. The offense missed the flight, and spent the last two days at Disneyland. Clutch hitting was absent. Riding Space Mountain, perhaps? Jed Lowrie looked more like Jet Lag. The Carl Crawford we saw in the last two games out west was nowhere to be found. When the sacks were full in the 5th, Adrian Gonzalez was out to lunch (or, at that hour, maybe it was dinner). Perhaps the Red Sox batters need to be hypnotized when there are men on base to believe that the bases are empty. Pinch-hitter Marco Swing-at-the-first-pitch-aro gave the O's about as easy a last out as they could hope for. Maybe that day off killed their momentum. When you're going good, you don't want days off. Of course, it was a scheduled off-day, so nothing they could have done about that. Just bad luck.
Perhaps I was spoiled by all the shutdown pitching of late, but Buchholz looking like his 2008 self is very unsettling. He had such a stellar, breakout season last year and following that up is no easy task, but I didn't expect this much regression. It's still early in the season and he could be having one of those Aprils that Lester, before this year, had been known to have. Does he really miss throwing to V-Mart that much? Is he having a tough time adjusting to a new pitching coach? I guess we'll have to wait and see how it plays out. If the other four starters continue to toss quality starts (not necessarily shutouts, although those are nice), Buch's scuffling on the mound won't be too big of an issue, but if one or two of the others falters, things can go downhill in a hurry.
Tomorrow, Beckett is back on the bump, searching for win #3. The run support came too late last time against the Angels, when he allowed a 2-run dinger to Torii Hunter in the 7th, went out to pitch the 8th, but his teammates couldn't muster enough runs to win until the 11th, after he had left the game. The O's have Guthrie going and let's hope the Sox offense arrives at Camden Yards by game time.
Perhaps I was spoiled by all the shutdown pitching of late, but Buchholz looking like his 2008 self is very unsettling. He had such a stellar, breakout season last year and following that up is no easy task, but I didn't expect this much regression. It's still early in the season and he could be having one of those Aprils that Lester, before this year, had been known to have. Does he really miss throwing to V-Mart that much? Is he having a tough time adjusting to a new pitching coach? I guess we'll have to wait and see how it plays out. If the other four starters continue to toss quality starts (not necessarily shutouts, although those are nice), Buch's scuffling on the mound won't be too big of an issue, but if one or two of the others falters, things can go downhill in a hurry.
Tomorrow, Beckett is back on the bump, searching for win #3. The run support came too late last time against the Angels, when he allowed a 2-run dinger to Torii Hunter in the 7th, went out to pitch the 8th, but his teammates couldn't muster enough runs to win until the 11th, after he had left the game. The O's have Guthrie going and let's hope the Sox offense arrives at Camden Yards by game time.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Sweep City
They've had it done to them a few times already this season, especially in that brutal first week or so, but today, they were the ones doing it to another team. No longer roadkill, the Red Sox have found the West Coast to their liking. They've won 5 out of their 6 games in the Pacific time zone and pulled off a 4-game brooming of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. While the first two games of the series were close, in the last two, the Sox flat-out dominated the Halos; the last 18 innings did not see the Angels crack the scoreboard while the Sox knocked out 12 runs. In fact, the Angels in this series reminded me a little of how the Red Sox looked from April 1-7.
The thrower of scoreless frames today was John Lackey, who went 8 and struck out 6. He followed Dice-K's gem up with one of his own, giving more credence to the idea that good pitching is contagious. Unlike his last outing, when he kept the A's to a single run over 6 innings, his teammates backed him up with 7 runs. New Sox Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez chipped in two apiece: Crawford with his first long ball for his new team and Gonzalez with 2 RBI singles. This is the second consecutive 2-hit game for Crawford, who looks to be returning to the form that netted him the big bucks in the offseason. What a weight that is being lifted from his shoulders!
After an off-day tomorrow, the Sox try to carry their momentum back East as they go to Baltimore for 3 games and then back home to The Fens. One more win will put them at .500 for the first time this season. Until then, they'll have to settle for double digits in the win column.
By the way, the C's also pulled off a sweep today. They broomed the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. Double-doubles for Rondo and KG!
The thrower of scoreless frames today was John Lackey, who went 8 and struck out 6. He followed Dice-K's gem up with one of his own, giving more credence to the idea that good pitching is contagious. Unlike his last outing, when he kept the A's to a single run over 6 innings, his teammates backed him up with 7 runs. New Sox Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez chipped in two apiece: Crawford with his first long ball for his new team and Gonzalez with 2 RBI singles. This is the second consecutive 2-hit game for Crawford, who looks to be returning to the form that netted him the big bucks in the offseason. What a weight that is being lifted from his shoulders!
After an off-day tomorrow, the Sox try to carry their momentum back East as they go to Baltimore for 3 games and then back home to The Fens. One more win will put them at .500 for the first time this season. Until then, they'll have to settle for double digits in the win column.
By the way, the C's also pulled off a sweep today. They broomed the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. Double-doubles for Rondo and KG!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Twice as Nice For Dice
As the Red Sox climb their way out of the dungeon, the starting pitchers are leading the way. They've gone from looking absolutely abysmal to lights-out spectacular as the Sox win 7 of their last 8 games with a 1.01 ERA. This 180 degree turnaround has been key to the Sox fighting their way back to respectability and continuing their climb to .500. They still have two more wins to go without a loss before they get there, but they are heading in the right direction.
Dice-K has pitched back-to-back gems and a total of 15 scoreless innings, allowing only 3 hits and striking out 13. Watching him pitch like this, we know his potential and we wish he could pitch more like he did tonight and on Monday at Fenway against the Jays. It's unrealistic to expect him to continue to pitch scoreless one-hitters, but attacking the strike zone and keeping walks to a minimum is not too much to ask. I tip my Red Sox cap to Dice-K for stepping up and giving the team the kind of pitching they need to put their atrocious start behind them.
A few other good things came out of tonight's game:
1. Improved hitting with RISP.
2. Ells and Crawford with 2-hit games
3. Tek remembers how to hit and almost hits one out, but settles for a double.
4. Youk made it back into the lineup and went yard, tying him with Ells for the team home run lead. That kinda makes up for him whiffing 3 times.
Tomorrow they go for a sweep of the Halos. Lackey is on the mound for the Sox in a bid to make back-to-back quality starts, pitching to his former team. Fortunately, it's an afternoon game. I've had enough of the late-nighters.
Dice-K has pitched back-to-back gems and a total of 15 scoreless innings, allowing only 3 hits and striking out 13. Watching him pitch like this, we know his potential and we wish he could pitch more like he did tonight and on Monday at Fenway against the Jays. It's unrealistic to expect him to continue to pitch scoreless one-hitters, but attacking the strike zone and keeping walks to a minimum is not too much to ask. I tip my Red Sox cap to Dice-K for stepping up and giving the team the kind of pitching they need to put their atrocious start behind them.
A few other good things came out of tonight's game:
1. Improved hitting with RISP.
2. Ells and Crawford with 2-hit games
3. Tek remembers how to hit and almost hits one out, but settles for a double.
4. Youk made it back into the lineup and went yard, tying him with Ells for the team home run lead. That kinda makes up for him whiffing 3 times.
Tomorrow they go for a sweep of the Halos. Lackey is on the mound for the Sox in a bid to make back-to-back quality starts, pitching to his former team. Fortunately, it's an afternoon game. I've had enough of the late-nighters.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Here We Go Again
Yesterday (with apologies to The Beatles)
Yesterday, Red Sox' troubles seemed so far away
Now it seems as though they're here to stay
Oh how I long for yesterday
On the road, they're not half the team they are at home
5 and 11 makes us moan and groan
They need to win some on the road
Why they cannot hit worth a lick no one can say
There is something wrong when they're not at old Fenway
Yesterday, Lowrie hit all balls that came his way
But he couldn't buy a hit today
In Oakland they don't like to play.
Lackey pitched a great game, but had to take a loss
Boston lost their chance to show Oakland who is boss
Yesterday, Red Sox' troubles seemed so far away
Now it seems as though they're here to stay
Oh how I long for yesterday.
Yesterday, Red Sox' troubles seemed so far away
Now it seems as though they're here to stay
Oh how I long for yesterday
On the road, they're not half the team they are at home
5 and 11 makes us moan and groan
They need to win some on the road
Why they cannot hit worth a lick no one can say
There is something wrong when they're not at old Fenway
Yesterday, Lowrie hit all balls that came his way
But he couldn't buy a hit today
In Oakland they don't like to play.
Lackey pitched a great game, but had to take a loss
Boston lost their chance to show Oakland who is boss
Yesterday, Red Sox' troubles seemed so far away
Now it seems as though they're here to stay
Oh how I long for yesterday.
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