It's hard to be upset after winning any series. It's hard to be upset when the Sox have won 4 of 6, and 6 of 8, especially considering how awful they were to start the season. But more needs to be done. This is a good Red Sox team, just not good enough. And while Tampa Bay has fallen to earth, the Sox need to soar if they want to make the playoffs.
They need to do better than splitting 4 at home against the Royals. And they need to properly finish a potential sweep in Fenway South, a.k.a. Camdem Yards.
The Orioles are awful. Normally taking 2 of 3 on the road is satisfactory, even against a below average team. But the Orioles are below below average. They're 6 games out of 29th in MLB. They're what Baylor is to the Big XII in football. It's unfortunate to even go into extra innings with them.
Okajima and Ramirez were supposed to be the chewy center of the Sox bullpen. Papelbon was to close, Bard as the #1 set-up guy. Then Okajima and Ramirez filling in the gaps. They've been dreadful this year. 2 blown saves already, 2 losses, a 5.30 ERA, and a 1.77 WHIP. Manny Delcarmen's been decent this year, but he also participated in Sunday afternoon's loss.
It's not a cakewalk to win when you only score 3 runs, but it should happen. Especially when your team is allegedly constructed for "run prevention."
The Red Sox are still tied for 3rd with Toronto, and it's partially because of leaked games like this one, and the two against KC. Consider this: the Sox would be 1.5 out of 1st if they'd swept the Royals and the O's OR A's. That would also give them the second best record in all of baseball.
The Sox are good, but there are plenty of good teams this year. 4.5 games separate the best and 10th best records in MLB. The Sox need to gorge on wretched teams like Baltimore, though, in order to lift themselves above the fray.
The Sox have another feasting opportunity as they start a series in Cleveland tonight. The Indians are 21-34. Matsuzaka faces Carmona.
Photo Credit:
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