The 2014 Red Sox consist of one guy giving his all and getting results. Trouble is, Brock Holt's One-Man MLB Team has to compete with 25-man MLB teams to win baseball games. Seeing as there is only one Brock Holt, drawing walks, getting hits and making highlight-reel catches, things are looking pretty bleak for the Sox right now. The season is a lost cause so now it's time to...
Send in the Kids (sung to the tune of Send in the Clowns)
This year's a bust
Going nowhere
Just last year they were on top, now such despair
So send in the kids
This team can't hit
Can't drive runs in
Even when pitchers toss gems
They cannot win.
Where are the kids?
Send in the kids!
Things won't improve just as they are
The status quo won't help them much in 2015
Mookie, Rubby, Cecchini, and Vazquez need to be up.
See what they can do
Before next year.
'14's a farce
Nothing's gone right
For all that '13 gave them
'14 took away.
But where are the kids
Quick, send in the kids
Why aren't they yet here?
Goodbye, AJ
Goodbye Peavy
Victorino we miss you so much
But you can't stay healthy.
And where are the kids?
There ought to be kids.
Don't wait 'till next year!
Friday, June 27, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Rebuilding The Bridge
Let's face it: The 2014 Red Sox cannot realistically be considered contenders at this point. This season has been maddening, frustrating, and disappointing in every way that it was surprising, exciting, and uplifting last year. Everything that went thrillingly right in 2013 has gone horribly wrong in 2014. There is no Savior of the Season waiting to suit up for the Olde Towne Team. The time has come to call 2014 the dreaded "Rebuilding" or "bridge" year.
Ben Cherington and the front office made some mistakes in the offseason. They brought a reputed clubhouse pariah aboard in AJ Pierzynski. They rolled too many dice (Sizemore, Jackie Bradley, Jr and to some extent, Victorino, with his injury history) in the outfield without a reliable backup plan. John Farrell has made some mistakes as well, such as over-relying on Jonny Gomes, even against righties, to the detriment of Daniel Nava. Nava struggled to start the year, but he's shown signs of regaining his stroke. That's not enough to ignite a moribund offense, but he shouldn't be disregarded against right-handed pitchers in favor of Gomes, who is miserable against northpaws.
As wrong as the offense has gone this season, save for one Brock Holt, some things have gone right with the pitching. Heading into last night's game, the Red Sox were ranked third in the league in ERA. Save for a few blowouts that happen to all teams, starting pitching has been a strength for the Red Sox, especially when Brandon Workman and Rubby De La Rosa were in the rotation instead of Felix Doubront and Clay Buchholz. Burke Badenhop has proved a valuable reliever and Koji, except for his recent struggles with the long ball, has been his usual dominant self. Lester and Lackey have been very solid at the top of the rotation (save for Lackey getting shelled last night). Peavy is clearly on the downside, but while Workman and De La Rosa were pitching every five days, he was the only weak link in the rotation. The young pitching is something to build on for 2015.
Jon Lester has his shortcomings (his hot temper with the umpires being one of them), but unless the Red Sox pony up for the likes of Max Scherzer, they are well-advised to re-sign Lester to hold down the top spot in the rotation. Peavy will be off the books and Doubront is running out of chances with this team. Who knows how Buchholz will perform, giving the wild variations he is prone to? Lackey is on the books for the league minimum next year, which could make him trade bait if the Red Sox aren't planning on extending him. Therefore, several rotation spots could be up for grabs for 2015. De La Rosa and Workman are at the head of the line for those spots, followed by Allen Webster, Anthony Ranaudo, and Matt Barnes.
What can the Red Sox do to improve the offense for 2015? The outfield is the place to start. If Bradley cannot make the necessary adjustments for hitting consistently at the major league level, then the best candidate for center field is Mookie Betts (provided he can make those adjustments when he comes up). Victorino has been unable to stay healthy, so right field may be an area of need as well. The Sox sorely need a power hitter who can hit, at the very least .260 and 25 HR on the season. The farm doesn't have much in the way of a power-hitting outfielder, so it's up to Cherington to find that kind of bat through a trade or free agency.
The left side of the infield also needs to be worked out. Holt, as great as he's been this year, is best used as a super utility player in the Ben Zobrist mold. Middlebrooks has power, but can't hit for a decent average. Cecchini, at least at AAA, can hit for average, but is not known for power. They need to decide of Bogaerts is their third baseman or shortsop. If he's ticketed for third, then Cecchini is a trade chip. Middlebrooks, if he can get it together at the plate, could be moved to the outfield.
Now for behind the plate. The sooner the Red Sox get rid of Pierzynski, the better. He could be having a Bobby V-like effect on the team. Christian Vazquez looks to be an excellent defender with a highly questionable bat (Hello, Jackie Bradley Jr!). Blake Swihart has a more well-rounded skill set, but may not be ready by the beginning of the 2015 season.
Once the front office rids itself of the delusion that the Red Sox can contend this year, they can think about being sellers at the deadline and seeing what the likes of Betts, Cecchini, and Vazquez
can do for the team going forward. There are too many holes to fix by being buyers at the deadline. The rest of the season is going to be more of the same depressing, frustrating grind, but if they can win (or at least contend for) a World Series in 2015 like they did last year after a miserable 2012, it will be worth it.
Ben Cherington and the front office made some mistakes in the offseason. They brought a reputed clubhouse pariah aboard in AJ Pierzynski. They rolled too many dice (Sizemore, Jackie Bradley, Jr and to some extent, Victorino, with his injury history) in the outfield without a reliable backup plan. John Farrell has made some mistakes as well, such as over-relying on Jonny Gomes, even against righties, to the detriment of Daniel Nava. Nava struggled to start the year, but he's shown signs of regaining his stroke. That's not enough to ignite a moribund offense, but he shouldn't be disregarded against right-handed pitchers in favor of Gomes, who is miserable against northpaws.
As wrong as the offense has gone this season, save for one Brock Holt, some things have gone right with the pitching. Heading into last night's game, the Red Sox were ranked third in the league in ERA. Save for a few blowouts that happen to all teams, starting pitching has been a strength for the Red Sox, especially when Brandon Workman and Rubby De La Rosa were in the rotation instead of Felix Doubront and Clay Buchholz. Burke Badenhop has proved a valuable reliever and Koji, except for his recent struggles with the long ball, has been his usual dominant self. Lester and Lackey have been very solid at the top of the rotation (save for Lackey getting shelled last night). Peavy is clearly on the downside, but while Workman and De La Rosa were pitching every five days, he was the only weak link in the rotation. The young pitching is something to build on for 2015.
Jon Lester has his shortcomings (his hot temper with the umpires being one of them), but unless the Red Sox pony up for the likes of Max Scherzer, they are well-advised to re-sign Lester to hold down the top spot in the rotation. Peavy will be off the books and Doubront is running out of chances with this team. Who knows how Buchholz will perform, giving the wild variations he is prone to? Lackey is on the books for the league minimum next year, which could make him trade bait if the Red Sox aren't planning on extending him. Therefore, several rotation spots could be up for grabs for 2015. De La Rosa and Workman are at the head of the line for those spots, followed by Allen Webster, Anthony Ranaudo, and Matt Barnes.
What can the Red Sox do to improve the offense for 2015? The outfield is the place to start. If Bradley cannot make the necessary adjustments for hitting consistently at the major league level, then the best candidate for center field is Mookie Betts (provided he can make those adjustments when he comes up). Victorino has been unable to stay healthy, so right field may be an area of need as well. The Sox sorely need a power hitter who can hit, at the very least .260 and 25 HR on the season. The farm doesn't have much in the way of a power-hitting outfielder, so it's up to Cherington to find that kind of bat through a trade or free agency.
The left side of the infield also needs to be worked out. Holt, as great as he's been this year, is best used as a super utility player in the Ben Zobrist mold. Middlebrooks has power, but can't hit for a decent average. Cecchini, at least at AAA, can hit for average, but is not known for power. They need to decide of Bogaerts is their third baseman or shortsop. If he's ticketed for third, then Cecchini is a trade chip. Middlebrooks, if he can get it together at the plate, could be moved to the outfield.
Now for behind the plate. The sooner the Red Sox get rid of Pierzynski, the better. He could be having a Bobby V-like effect on the team. Christian Vazquez looks to be an excellent defender with a highly questionable bat (Hello, Jackie Bradley Jr!). Blake Swihart has a more well-rounded skill set, but may not be ready by the beginning of the 2015 season.
Once the front office rids itself of the delusion that the Red Sox can contend this year, they can think about being sellers at the deadline and seeing what the likes of Betts, Cecchini, and Vazquez
can do for the team going forward. There are too many holes to fix by being buyers at the deadline. The rest of the season is going to be more of the same depressing, frustrating grind, but if they can win (or at least contend for) a World Series in 2015 like they did last year after a miserable 2012, it will be worth it.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
The Fault(s) in Our Sox
There's no denying that the 2014 Red Sox are faulty! The faults can be listed as anyone but Brock Holt, Brandon Workman, John Lackey, Rubby De La Rosa, Koji Uehara (recent struggles notwithstanding), Burke Badenhop, and, when he's not engaging in umpire-directed histrionics, Jon Lester. That's basically 4/5 of the starting rotation (as it should be, sans Doubront and Buchholz), two bullpen guys, and all of one member of the starting lineup. Seven players out of 25. The rest of the team, fuggedaboudit!
The Red Sox stand at 34-41. Even in Bobby V-tainted 2012 they were in better shape than this in late June. They are showing no signs of digging out of their hole, not with their bats so inept they would struggle to hit minor-league pitching. Their own pitching is the only thing keeping them from having the worst record in baseball. Workman and De La Rosa are proving themselves worthy of staying in the rotation. Only Jake Peavy's performance opens a door for Buchholz or Doubront, the poster boys of inconsistency. One could argue that Allen Webster or Anthony Ranaudo deserves a shot instead.
The pitching logjam is the least of the Red Sox' worries in their woeful attempt to defend their title. They need bats, like, last month! Aside from Holt, the rest of the lineup is nauseatingly bad. Bogaerts and Bradley are wilting under the pressure of being the "Next Big Thing" at their respective positions. Drew is covered in lack-of-Spring-Training rust. Pierzynski is a GIDP machine. Papi and Pedey are underperforming drastically. Nava keeps getting benched for Farrell's binky Jonny Gomes so it's hard for him to get traction at the plate. Napoli is still recovering from about 15 different injuries. They are wretched with RISP and ground into double-plays like it's going out of style. As a result, the pitchers are constantly pitching high-stress innings, which will make continued success going forward an iffy proposition.
Unless they get help in short order, the losing will continue. By the time the trade deadline rolls around, it will be far too late to make improvements. Sadly, they may have too many holes in their lineup to fix. How far does one have to go back to find a Red Sox team as offensively inept as this one?
The Red Sox stand at 34-41. Even in Bobby V-tainted 2012 they were in better shape than this in late June. They are showing no signs of digging out of their hole, not with their bats so inept they would struggle to hit minor-league pitching. Their own pitching is the only thing keeping them from having the worst record in baseball. Workman and De La Rosa are proving themselves worthy of staying in the rotation. Only Jake Peavy's performance opens a door for Buchholz or Doubront, the poster boys of inconsistency. One could argue that Allen Webster or Anthony Ranaudo deserves a shot instead.
The pitching logjam is the least of the Red Sox' worries in their woeful attempt to defend their title. They need bats, like, last month! Aside from Holt, the rest of the lineup is nauseatingly bad. Bogaerts and Bradley are wilting under the pressure of being the "Next Big Thing" at their respective positions. Drew is covered in lack-of-Spring-Training rust. Pierzynski is a GIDP machine. Papi and Pedey are underperforming drastically. Nava keeps getting benched for Farrell's binky Jonny Gomes so it's hard for him to get traction at the plate. Napoli is still recovering from about 15 different injuries. They are wretched with RISP and ground into double-plays like it's going out of style. As a result, the pitchers are constantly pitching high-stress innings, which will make continued success going forward an iffy proposition.
Unless they get help in short order, the losing will continue. By the time the trade deadline rolls around, it will be far too late to make improvements. Sadly, they may have too many holes in their lineup to fix. How far does one have to go back to find a Red Sox team as offensively inept as this one?
Friday, June 6, 2014
Play Better, I'm Giving Up On You
With apologies to A Great Big World...
Play Better: A
Plea to the 2014 Red Sox (to the tune of
“Say Something”)
Play better I’m giving up on you
I am getting so depressed by you
As you keep losing ball ga-a-ames
Play better I’m giving up on you.
And you are the reigning world champs
Has it gone to your heads?
‘Cuz you’re playing like chumps.
And you rose up from worst to first
Now you’re bumbling around
And you keep getting hurt.
Play better I’m giving up on you
I’m sorry but I cannot stomach you
With such a thin starting lineup
Play better I’m giving up on you.
And you, you swing and you miss
Bases loaded with one out
Ground into a double play
Play better I’m giving up on you
And I’m sorry but I cannot stomach you
The outfield is the worst of a-all.
Play better I’m giving up on you.
Play better I’m giving up on you.
Play better…
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Birth of A Win Streak
Something beautiful happened on Memorial Day Monday. The Red Sox woke up from their coma and remembered that they are the defending World Series champions and that they were capable of winning baseball games! They put their catastrophic 10-game losing streak behind them and started a much more pleasant streak at the expense of the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves. The beginnings of their emergence from the darkness were like anyone awakening after a long slumber, disoriented and confused (courtesy of a patented 2014 Clay Buchholz performance) but they came back from the 5-run hole to defeat the Braves 8-6.
Riding some momentum for what looked like the first time this season, they rode a solid, if unspectacular Lester start and a 4-run 7th inning to a second victory. Coming home to Fenway after two games that were encouragingly reminiscent of the 2013 team, they gave John Lackey 3 runs more than he needed after shutting out the Braves over 6.1 innings with 9 Ks. It was their first shutout of the season. Their winning streak now stands at 3 games, their longest so far in 2014.
They have a chance to sweep the Braves tomorrow night and extend their winning streak to 4. However, with Jake Peavy on the mound, that might be a tall order. Still, if the Red Sox are going anywhere this season, they will need to dig out of the hole created by the 10-game losing streak sooner rather than later. These past three games have been a ray of hope, but there is much work to be done to get back into the division race. For that to happen, the back of the rotation needs to start pulling its weight and the offense needs to avoid any more prolonged slumps.
For the record, I am not expecting the Sox to repeat as World Series champions. At this point in the season given what has happened, my expectations for them are simply to contend for a playoff spot and play relevant games in September. If they turn things around in June, I would like to see them make a trade or two at the deadline to upgrade their starting rotation and/or the outfield.
Riding some momentum for what looked like the first time this season, they rode a solid, if unspectacular Lester start and a 4-run 7th inning to a second victory. Coming home to Fenway after two games that were encouragingly reminiscent of the 2013 team, they gave John Lackey 3 runs more than he needed after shutting out the Braves over 6.1 innings with 9 Ks. It was their first shutout of the season. Their winning streak now stands at 3 games, their longest so far in 2014.
They have a chance to sweep the Braves tomorrow night and extend their winning streak to 4. However, with Jake Peavy on the mound, that might be a tall order. Still, if the Red Sox are going anywhere this season, they will need to dig out of the hole created by the 10-game losing streak sooner rather than later. These past three games have been a ray of hope, but there is much work to be done to get back into the division race. For that to happen, the back of the rotation needs to start pulling its weight and the offense needs to avoid any more prolonged slumps.
For the record, I am not expecting the Sox to repeat as World Series champions. At this point in the season given what has happened, my expectations for them are simply to contend for a playoff spot and play relevant games in September. If they turn things around in June, I would like to see them make a trade or two at the deadline to upgrade their starting rotation and/or the outfield.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Blind Squirrel Theory and other Red Sox ramblings
The 2014 Red Sox, determined as ever to erase the memory of the magical 2013 season, are into the double digits in their losing streak, making even the Bobby V disaster of 2012 look less atrocious by comparison. Right now it looks like they will never win another game, having seemingly plumb forgot how to win baseball games. But will they really end up with a 20-142 record? Even the worst teams haven't "accomplished" that over a 162 game series. The infamous 1962 Mets won 40 games.
This begs the question, when will the 2014 Boston Blind Squirrels find their first acorn since May 14? How many more acorns will they find before the season is out? 20? 30? Will they win more games than the Houston Astros? What does the 2015 draft class look like?
The last time the Red Sox dropped 10 in a row was in 1994. 20 years ago. The season that began in the spring of my senior year in high school. That season was put out of its misery by a player's strike in August of that year. I don't see the Sox getting any sort of reprieve this season. Stephen Drew alone is not going to fix all that ails this team.
What does ail this team? Let's make a list:
1. Complacency. I won't go as far as to say that winning it all last year was a bad thing for the Red Sox. Obviously, winning a World Series is never, ever a bad thing. However, the drive and hunger that seemed to galvanize the team last year is nowhere to be found this year. Not all of this is on the players. The front office shares a considerable part of the blame, relying on magical/wishful thinking when putting together the 2014 team instead of shoring up areas of need (the outfield being the area of greatest need).
2. Injuries. Shane Victorino being a walking DL doesn't help, given the lack of defensive prowess of the rest of the outfield not named Jackie Bradley Jr. Fellow walking DL Mike Napoli is aching pretty much everywhere. Middlebrooks is no paragon of health either. However, you can't give the Red Sox a complete pass on injuries, as there are several teams in the league far more decimated such as the Texas Rangers and the team that just swept them, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays got helped out of the basement by simply showing up to play the Red Sox. The Rangers have their head above water despite losing Prince Fielder, Jurickson Profar, a bunch of pitchers, and I'm probably leaving out a few of the Texas walking wounded.
3. Flattened Offense. The 2013 Red Sox were the most prolific run-producers in all of baseball last year. Even the 2012 Red Sox were more capable of the bat (well, until the post-Big Trade lineup in late August through September). The 2014 Red Sox have given up on the running game after failing so miserably at it so far this season. Jacoby Ellsbury's absence is hurting them tremendously. Should they have signed them to a megadeal like the Yankees did? The answer is less clear now than it was before the season. He is a home-grown talent, but he missed two of the past three seasons due to injury. Still, his presence as a base-stealing leadoff hitter made the entire lineup better. The 2014 Red Sox are finding out just how hard it is to replace his skill set at the top of the lineup. Without the running game, the pitcher can focus all of his attention on the hitter, making it all the easier to get him out.
4. Volatile Starting Pitching. Wouldn't Masahiro Tanaka look much nicer in a Red Sox uniform than those stupid pinstripes? With Jake Peavy, Felix Doubront and Clay Buchholz actually making me miss Ryan Dempster, the Red Sox starting rotation, aside from Jon Lester and John Lackey are a nuclear meltdown waiting to happen 3 out of 5 games. Even Lester and Lackey haven't been able to stop the bleeding during this 10 game nosedive.
5. Swiss Cheese Defense. This metaphor is actually a rather unfair one. Unfair to Swiss cheese, that is; I really like the stuff. The left side of the infield is fair game for line drives, grounders, tractor-trailers and possibly even mobile homes. In the absence of Victorino, anything out of Bradley's reach is fair game as well. Not to mention behind the plate. Bad defense makes good pitching even more difficult.
6. An F in Chemistry. With Ellsbury, Jarrod Saltalamachhia and Drew apparently went the team's inspiring chemistry that helped fuel their championship run. Drew's on his way back, but the other two aren't appearing in the home dugout at Fenway anymore. Salty's successor in particular was a head-scratching move by the front office. Two aging catchers behind the plate is just asking for trouble. Particularly when one of them comes with the reputation preceding A.J. Pierzynski. Besides making Lester look like his 2012 self, leading to David Ross starting most of the games he pitches, he just doesn't seem to fit well with this clubhouse. That and he tends to end many a rally by grounding into a double play.
7. No R.O.Y. Candidates Here. While Middlebrooks has too much service time to be called a rookie, Xander Bogaerts and Bradley are most definitely rooks. Middlebrooks is proving that his 2012 success (as one of the few bright spots from that season) was a case of sample size. Bradley is still lost at the plate against major league pitching. Only his glove keeps him from being sent back to AAA. Bogaerts is the most promising, but he has struggled too. His struggles are primarily on the defensive end and, combined with the struggles of Middlebrooks at the plate, prompted the Sox to resign Drew. Bogaerts hasn't been the dynamic force with the bat yet, but he's putting up a passable average for a rookie, despite his struggles with RISP.
8. Lineup Instability. This plagued the Sox in 2012 under Bobby V as well. Injuries have forced some changes, but John Farrell's tendency to sit two healthy starters at once is frustrating and it puts undue pressure on the rest of the lineup.
9. Cut Down to Size(more). Spring Training performances are almost always a mirage. In Spring 2013 it was Jackie Bradley, Jr. In Spring 2014 it was Grady Sizemore. Shortly after real baseball started, the clock struck midnight on Sizemore. His time away from major league competition has really started to show and he's performing below replacement level.
10. The Red Sox' Performance is Bipolar. From September 2011 through this current 10-game losing streak, the Red Sox have been an extremely all-or-nothing team. From the last month of 2011 through the entire 2012 season, their performance resembled depression. At the start of the 2013 season, the depression had shifted to mania and remained there for the entire championship run. The thrill was gone once the 2014 season began. General malaise has turned into a downward spiral that could doom their season if it continues any longer.
There you have it. One issue for every loss in this streak. Please don't make me think of a #11, Red Sox. Dig deep and find ways to win for a change.
This begs the question, when will the 2014 Boston Blind Squirrels find their first acorn since May 14? How many more acorns will they find before the season is out? 20? 30? Will they win more games than the Houston Astros? What does the 2015 draft class look like?
The last time the Red Sox dropped 10 in a row was in 1994. 20 years ago. The season that began in the spring of my senior year in high school. That season was put out of its misery by a player's strike in August of that year. I don't see the Sox getting any sort of reprieve this season. Stephen Drew alone is not going to fix all that ails this team.
What does ail this team? Let's make a list:
1. Complacency. I won't go as far as to say that winning it all last year was a bad thing for the Red Sox. Obviously, winning a World Series is never, ever a bad thing. However, the drive and hunger that seemed to galvanize the team last year is nowhere to be found this year. Not all of this is on the players. The front office shares a considerable part of the blame, relying on magical/wishful thinking when putting together the 2014 team instead of shoring up areas of need (the outfield being the area of greatest need).
2. Injuries. Shane Victorino being a walking DL doesn't help, given the lack of defensive prowess of the rest of the outfield not named Jackie Bradley Jr. Fellow walking DL Mike Napoli is aching pretty much everywhere. Middlebrooks is no paragon of health either. However, you can't give the Red Sox a complete pass on injuries, as there are several teams in the league far more decimated such as the Texas Rangers and the team that just swept them, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays got helped out of the basement by simply showing up to play the Red Sox. The Rangers have their head above water despite losing Prince Fielder, Jurickson Profar, a bunch of pitchers, and I'm probably leaving out a few of the Texas walking wounded.
3. Flattened Offense. The 2013 Red Sox were the most prolific run-producers in all of baseball last year. Even the 2012 Red Sox were more capable of the bat (well, until the post-Big Trade lineup in late August through September). The 2014 Red Sox have given up on the running game after failing so miserably at it so far this season. Jacoby Ellsbury's absence is hurting them tremendously. Should they have signed them to a megadeal like the Yankees did? The answer is less clear now than it was before the season. He is a home-grown talent, but he missed two of the past three seasons due to injury. Still, his presence as a base-stealing leadoff hitter made the entire lineup better. The 2014 Red Sox are finding out just how hard it is to replace his skill set at the top of the lineup. Without the running game, the pitcher can focus all of his attention on the hitter, making it all the easier to get him out.
4. Volatile Starting Pitching. Wouldn't Masahiro Tanaka look much nicer in a Red Sox uniform than those stupid pinstripes? With Jake Peavy, Felix Doubront and Clay Buchholz actually making me miss Ryan Dempster, the Red Sox starting rotation, aside from Jon Lester and John Lackey are a nuclear meltdown waiting to happen 3 out of 5 games. Even Lester and Lackey haven't been able to stop the bleeding during this 10 game nosedive.
5. Swiss Cheese Defense. This metaphor is actually a rather unfair one. Unfair to Swiss cheese, that is; I really like the stuff. The left side of the infield is fair game for line drives, grounders, tractor-trailers and possibly even mobile homes. In the absence of Victorino, anything out of Bradley's reach is fair game as well. Not to mention behind the plate. Bad defense makes good pitching even more difficult.
6. An F in Chemistry. With Ellsbury, Jarrod Saltalamachhia and Drew apparently went the team's inspiring chemistry that helped fuel their championship run. Drew's on his way back, but the other two aren't appearing in the home dugout at Fenway anymore. Salty's successor in particular was a head-scratching move by the front office. Two aging catchers behind the plate is just asking for trouble. Particularly when one of them comes with the reputation preceding A.J. Pierzynski. Besides making Lester look like his 2012 self, leading to David Ross starting most of the games he pitches, he just doesn't seem to fit well with this clubhouse. That and he tends to end many a rally by grounding into a double play.
7. No R.O.Y. Candidates Here. While Middlebrooks has too much service time to be called a rookie, Xander Bogaerts and Bradley are most definitely rooks. Middlebrooks is proving that his 2012 success (as one of the few bright spots from that season) was a case of sample size. Bradley is still lost at the plate against major league pitching. Only his glove keeps him from being sent back to AAA. Bogaerts is the most promising, but he has struggled too. His struggles are primarily on the defensive end and, combined with the struggles of Middlebrooks at the plate, prompted the Sox to resign Drew. Bogaerts hasn't been the dynamic force with the bat yet, but he's putting up a passable average for a rookie, despite his struggles with RISP.
8. Lineup Instability. This plagued the Sox in 2012 under Bobby V as well. Injuries have forced some changes, but John Farrell's tendency to sit two healthy starters at once is frustrating and it puts undue pressure on the rest of the lineup.
9. Cut Down to Size(more). Spring Training performances are almost always a mirage. In Spring 2013 it was Jackie Bradley, Jr. In Spring 2014 it was Grady Sizemore. Shortly after real baseball started, the clock struck midnight on Sizemore. His time away from major league competition has really started to show and he's performing below replacement level.
10. The Red Sox' Performance is Bipolar. From September 2011 through this current 10-game losing streak, the Red Sox have been an extremely all-or-nothing team. From the last month of 2011 through the entire 2012 season, their performance resembled depression. At the start of the 2013 season, the depression had shifted to mania and remained there for the entire championship run. The thrill was gone once the 2014 season began. General malaise has turned into a downward spiral that could doom their season if it continues any longer.
There you have it. One issue for every loss in this streak. Please don't make me think of a #11, Red Sox. Dig deep and find ways to win for a change.
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Free Fallin'
What a difference a year makes! We could say that last season with a smile on our face, but this season we say the same thing, minus the cheerful disposition. The 2014 Red Sox have lost 7 straight, have been swept in back-to-back series, and gone winless on the homestand. Deja 2012, anyone? The clock has struck midnight and Cinderella's golden coach has pumpkined. Stephen Drew rejoining the team is a step in the right direction, but is it enough to pull them out of the quicksand?
Right now, the Red Sox are dredging up September 2011 and much of 2012 on a nightly basis. No pitching. No hitting. No fielding. The Grady Train has derailed, JBJ is looking like a highly-touted prospect gone the way of Lars Anderson and Ryan Lavarnway. Xander is none too happy about moving from shortstop to third base. Middlebrooks is Middlebroken. Buchholz is buckling under. Felix is a victim of a car door. Peavy's peripheral chickens have come to roost. Lackey's up and down like a yo-yo. Even Lester got lit up like a Christmas tree. Where's a Bobby V. Blame Pie when you need it? Oh, I forgot, the expiration date on that pie was in early October of 2012.
If they're looking to out-Astro the Astros or collect another protected draft pick, they're doing a bang-up job. However, do they really want to sandwich the World Championship season with two historically atrocious ones? Are the Red Sox that bipolar? Or do they only plan on showing up in odd-numbered years? Who knows, but if they don't right the ship soon, it's going to be a long, miserable summer for Red Sox Nation.
Right now, the Red Sox are dredging up September 2011 and much of 2012 on a nightly basis. No pitching. No hitting. No fielding. The Grady Train has derailed, JBJ is looking like a highly-touted prospect gone the way of Lars Anderson and Ryan Lavarnway. Xander is none too happy about moving from shortstop to third base. Middlebrooks is Middlebroken. Buchholz is buckling under. Felix is a victim of a car door. Peavy's peripheral chickens have come to roost. Lackey's up and down like a yo-yo. Even Lester got lit up like a Christmas tree. Where's a Bobby V. Blame Pie when you need it? Oh, I forgot, the expiration date on that pie was in early October of 2012.
If they're looking to out-Astro the Astros or collect another protected draft pick, they're doing a bang-up job. However, do they really want to sandwich the World Championship season with two historically atrocious ones? Are the Red Sox that bipolar? Or do they only plan on showing up in odd-numbered years? Who knows, but if they don't right the ship soon, it's going to be a long, miserable summer for Red Sox Nation.
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