Maybe it's my New England genetic makeup, but every day I seem to feel worse and worse about the 2008 Red Sox campaign. Last night was the worst I've felt about the team all year. After the 4th inning, I felt as though there was no chance the Red Sox would get a hit, and I was very nearly right.
But Pedroia and Youkilis showed us all a little glimpse of hope with their 9th inning hits.
Nevertheless, this is still a frustrating team. 2nd in the AL in runs scored, yet on any given night can drop an offensive egg. 5th in the AL in ERA, but with one of the most inconsistent pitching staffs in the game.
The best hitter on the team has to be threatened in order to play. The rookie phenom can't get a hit. The Captain will be thrilled if he were to hit his own weight (230). The Ace has a .500 record. The Japanese Ace can't go past 6 innings. One of the young pitching prospects is 2-6 with a 5.94 ERA. The other is the team's best middle reliever. The All-Star set-up man is a massive liability. The veteran with the fat mouth isn't coming back. The veteran with the fat ass can only start three times in a row before needing a rest.
Quite frankly, this team is a mess. Yet a quick glance at the standings sees them in 2nd place, only 2 games out. It also sees them leading the Wild Card. It also sees them outscoring opponents by 89 runs, the 2nd best run differential in all of baseball.
So if this team can pull its proverbial head out of its metaphorical ass, they will do some serious damage.
Photo Credit:
Jim Rogash/Getty Images
