Red Sox look O-ful against O's

Baseball is back! And the Red Sox dropped 2 of 3 to a team that lost 67% of the time in 2019. What do you expect when your game 2 starter had an ERA over 5 last year, your game 3 starter has struggled to get out of AAA, your leadoff hitter might not be a leadoff hitter, and you let your best player go with hardly any effort to keep him?

I'm bringing back a Boston Blood Sox tradition: The Man of the Game award, along with Honorable Mentions, and Shame Shares. Quick definitions:

Man of the Game: The best performing player on either team. The player who changed the game the most (in a good way).

Honorable Mention: Noteworthy performances for either team.

Shame Shares: For Red Sox losses, the distribution of responsibility for the loss. So let's say Martin Perez was 50% responsible for Saturday's loss, he gets 0.5 of a shame share (0.5 of the loss).

I'll keep track throughout the season so you can so who are the heroes, and who is dragging the team down.

Game 1: Red Sox 13, Orioles 2
This was almost a flawless victory. The Sox amassed 17 hits, including 8 doubles, and added 7 walks. Every starter reached base at least once. Nathan Eovaldi didn't need many of the 13 runs in his 6 solid innings of work.

Man of the Game: Kevin Pillar
In his Red Sox debut Pillar was 3 for 5 with a double and 3 RBI. He also robbed the O's of an extra-base hit in the 1st.

Honorable Mentions:
JD Martinez: 3 for 5, 3 RBI
Nathan Eovaldi: 6 IP, 1 ER
Jackie Bradley Jr.: 3 for 4, 2 RBI
Jose Peraza: 4 for 5, 2 RBI

Game 2: Orioles 7, Red Sox 2
The Sox lost, but more importantly Xander Bogaerts got half a day off, which is perhaps worth a loss. Sarcasm. Martin Perez nearly got out of a 1st inning jam with no damage at all, but allowed a 2-out double on a juicy sinker to Renato Nunez. After another rough inning, Perez settled down and the Sox scored a pair in the 6th to give themselves some hope, but then Dylan Covey gave up a pair of runs right back and murdered that hope.

Man of the Game: Hanser Alberto
I wanted to award this to someone else, someone who didn't forget how many outs there were. But Alberto played a key part in all three of the Orioles' rallies, ending up 3 for 5 (with all three hits impacting the game), with a double, an RBI, and two runs.

Honorable Mentions:
Miguel Castro: 0.1 IP, 3 pitches, 3 strikes, K in a potentially game-changing situation
Alex Verdugo: 3 for 4
Jackie Bradley Jr.: 2 for 4, 2 nice catches in center
Alex Cobb: 5.1 innings, 1 earned run, 6 K

Shame Shares:
Martin Perez: 0.5 shares - 5 ER in 5 IP
Dylan Covey: 0.2 shares - 2 ER in 2 IP
Andrew Benintendi: 0.1 share - 0 for 5, 2 Ks
Rafael Devers: 0.1 share - 0 for 5, 4 Ks
Jose Peraza: 0.1 share - 0 for 4

Game 3: Orioles 7, Red Sox 4
More bad pitching, this time Ryan Weber got grilled. Nothing is more discouraging than starting the game in a hole. Except maybe having a bullpen so bad that no lead ever feels safe. Both teams hit 2 homeruns each, but the difference was both Orioles homeruns came with a runner on, the Sox homers were solo shots.

Man of the Game: Anthony Santander
He hit a homerun and robbed a homerun in the same inning, both in right field. He also scored a run in the 3rd after working a leadoff walk. And he took a single away from JD Martinez in the 6th which might have kept the Sox from having a much bigger inning.

Honorable Mentions:
Christian Vazquez: 2 for 4, HR, CS
Jose Iglesias: 4 for 5, 2 doubles

Shame Shares:
Ryan Weber: 0.7 shares - 3.2 IP, 6 ER, 3 BB, 2 HR
Austin Brice: 0.1 shares - 1 IP, 1 ER
Jose Peraza: 0.1 share - 0 for 4, GIDP
Alex Verdugo: 0.1 share - 0 for 4, 2 Ks

With the condenses schedule, each game is worth almost 3 times as much, so this is like losing 6 games to the Orioles. But with expanded playoffs it's like the regular season is only half as important. So the Sox essentially have a record of 1.5 wins and 3 losses.

Mike Napoli Drives Red Sox to First Victory

The Red Sox notched their first win of the season thanks to Mike Napoli's bat and John Lackey's arm. Napoli hit a 2 run homer in the 5th that broke a 2-2 tie, then in the 7th he knocked in 2 with a single. John Lackey had a solid season debut going 6 innings and allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. He retired the last 7 batters he faced. Lackey's only big mistake was allowing a Nelson Cruz homerun. I hope Cruz does not become a Sox killer and he's just having a hot start to his season.

David Ortiz also homered. Edward Mujica, Junichi Tazawa, and Koji Uehara each pitched 1 inning, allowed 1 hit, and struck out 1 in remarkable symmetry. Just look at how neat they made the box score look:

Mike Napoli's offense powered the Red Sox to this win. But maybe Jonny "Phonebooth" Gomes will find a way to take some credit for the win. Although Gomes was 0 for 4, he probably thinks that his hitting behind Napoli was why the Orioles gave Napoli pitches to hit.

I'm just kidding, I'm sure Gomes would never try to take credit for something that others did.

Despite whatever contributions Gomes might have made, I'm going to declare Mike Napoli the Man of the Game.

Rubber game tonight. Felix Doubront faces Wei-Yin Chen. The Red Sox magic number is 161.

Photo Credit:
Nick Wass/Associated Press

Bobby Valentine Hearts Jon Lester

The Red Sox lost yet another series, dropping 2 of 3 to the Orioles. What irks me is Friday night' 4-2 loss. Not for the loss itself. I mean, who cares at this point? It's because Bobby Valentine seems devastated that poor Jon Lester wouldn't get win #10.

When being interviewed/psychoanalyzed by WEEI, Bobby V defended his pinch hitting of Julio Iglesias mid-at-bat because he was dead-set on helping Jon Lester get a win, and hopefully finish .500, and therefore have more confidence for 2013.

I'm sorry, but if Lester's confidence depends on him having a .500+ record, then he's not worth a jersey.

The problem isn't Lester, though, it's Valentine. Bobby V will run this team in twisted, perverted ways until he is dismissed. He'll try his damnedest to get Jon Lester a few wins, but if Jon Lester wants to, he can be a man, admit he's had a shitty year, and try to make 2013 better. To me, that builds more confidence then ending the year 12-12 with an ERA hovering near 5.00.

Bobby Valentine doesn't understand this. Because Bobby V has never experienced actual confidence before, only a facade of ego and an array of apparent self-satisfaction that made him seem confident.

The season is almost over though, and hopefully the reign of Bobby Valentine is just as close to ending.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Red Sox Play a Part in Playoff Races

There's a seriously exciting three-way race in the AL East this year. And it's painful to not be part of it. The Red Sox are completely irrelevant, except that they might beat relevant teams and knock them out of the playoff hunt.

That's just about the only reason to watch this team these days. That and to watch players now and imagine who might be on this team in 2013, and how they might do. Last night we got to see Jon Lester, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Junichi Tazawa do well. And that can provide some hope for 2013.

Jon Lester had a decent start last night. He's been such an impossible to figure puzzle this year. He walked 7 Yankees. He also struck out 5 in his 5.1 innings. He allowed 5 hits, but only 3 of those 12 baserunners he allowed managed to score.

A fresh start in 2013 would do Lester good. He's not a guy I'd want to build a rotation around, but I don't mind him being a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher.

Jacoby Ellsbury was 4 for 5 on his birthday, with a double, 2 RBI, and the game-winning single. I'm not sold on Ellsbury, to be honest. I'll give him a pass for this season because of injuries and the sorry state of the team. But he's only had one good year in his career. He's always been about potential and only occasionally been results. And stolen bases. Scott Boras will tout him as a 30/30 man, but he's only managed to hit 10+ homeruns in one season. His career OBP is below .350.

2013 will be a make or break year for Ellsbury. Can he stay healthy? If so, can he demonstrate that he's still as good as he was in 2011? The Sox have the available funds to sign him, but will they want to?

I want Junichi Tazawa to be the #1 middle-reliever on the 2013 Red Sox. And maybe even consider him for the closer's role. He throws strikes. He almost never walks anyone. He comes in any inning any situation and does his job. He struck out 3 in 1.2 innings last night. And in 35 innings this year he's struck out 35 and walked only 5.

I don't much enjoy the Red Sox embracing their role as spoilers. There is a great race for playoff spots going on and Boston is miles away from the action. September baseball without a playoff race, without scoreboard watching, is simply a weekday distraction between football games.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Clay Saves the Day

I don't know whether to be grateful to Clay Buchholz, or resent him. He's by far the best pitcher on this team right now. He's only allowed 8 earned runs in his last 6 starts. He's 3-1 in that stretch and the Sox are 5-1. He's helping to keep the Sox from falling out of the Wild Card race. And that's why part of me resents him. He's giving us hope. A hope that I know other members of this team (especially in the rotation, from Texas, named Josh), will not reward.

In this six game stretch, Buchholz has pitched 7 or more innings in all six starts. He's thrown 47 innings total, and has a 1.53 ERA. He had a rough start to the season, but he's currently pulling his weight (and then some). Maybe there's long-term hope for Buchholz on this team.

Last night the offense did what they used to do. They wore out the starter, got a few walks, and eventually broke through. Chris Tillman needed 110 pitches and he didn't even get out of the 5th inning.

The Sox are 7 games into a 10 game road-trip. They're 3-4, and that's not good enough. Splitting a 4 game series with a bad Indians team is inexcusable. And this stop in Baltimore was a chance to gain ground on the Orioles, not lose it. And now the Sox are in New York for 3 games.

This is going to be a tough series, so the Red Sox are going to have to be tough. This trip can still be positive. I'm not expecting it, but a 3 game sweep in New York could be a serious momentum builder. Even a 2-1 series win and the road-trip was a 5-5 excursion. Which isn't good enough.

The Sox need to win series. They've played 10 series since the All-Star Break and are 4-5-1 in those series. It's time to stop treading water and make some progress.

Franklin Morales is on the mound tonight. He faces Phil Hughes, who is 11-10 with a 4.44 ERA. I don't foresee a pitcher's duel.

Photo Credit:
Mitchell Layton/Getty Images

Sox Have More Woes with O's

I'll never forget that it was in Baltimore that the 2011 Red Sox ended their season. And even though it's mid-August, the Sox seem to be trying to end their 2012 campaign in Charm City as well. This season the Sox are now 3-8 against the O's, who seem to have hired the right ESPN analyst to manage their team.

Aaron Cook had a weird start. He cruised at the outset, retiring the first 9 Orioles he faced, not allowing a hit until the 6th. But it was in the 6th that it all unraveled. He was inducing groundballs in the first 5 innings, then the Orioles figured out how to get under the ball and lift it into the air.

The Red Sox lineup threatened, but never struck a knockout blow. Even the 2 runs in the 5th could have been more with the heart of the order up and runners on.

Then Adrian "text message" Gonzalez got ejected in the 8th. He seemed to be upset that Oriole reliever Pedro Strop pitched to him very quickly after Gonzalez had just stepped into the box. Gonzalez appeared to say "I wasn't ready," and home-plat umpire Mike Everitt effectively said "That's not my problem."

Moments later, Gonzalez continued to argue from the dugout and Everitt tossed him. Bobby Valentine then came out to argue, and was soon ejected.

I wonder how many texts John Henry and Larry Lucchino got from Gonzalez, begging them to hold a meeting with the umpiring crew.

It's a team of whiners. They're spoiled children that throw temper tantrums.

And now they're 7 behind the Rays and 8 behind the Orioles in the loss column. They're in danger of being ejected from the Wild Card race.

Clay Buchholz pitches tonight against Chris Tillman. The tall 24 year old righty has been solid most of the season, with a few ugly starts mixed in. However, the Sox have a good history against him. Carl Crawford is 7 for 14 off Tillman, with a double and 2 triples. Hopefully Buchholz pitches well, the Sox get 4+ runs off Tillman, and they can salvage a win.

Photo Credit:
Patrick McDermott/Getty Images

Beckett Makes Me Want to Drink Like My Name Were Josh Beckett

In my opinion, I think it's a better investment for the Red Sox to pay Josh Beckett to not pitch for them than it is for them to pay him to pitch. He just sucks. There's nothing redeemable about him as a pitcher or as a person. This off-season, the Red Sox should try to trade him for nothing, even pay most of his salary. And if there are no takers, just release him and eat the contract.

What is his positive contribution to this team? I can't see any.

With this team, it's gotten to the sad state that you just have to admit "Baltimore is better."

The Red Sox were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Beckett allowed a pair of homeruns. Mike Aviles struck out 3 times and has become a useless part of the lineup. Alex "text message" Gonzalez was 0 for 3 with RISP.

This was a big series. I know Wei-Yin Chen vs. Josh Beckett is a bit of a mismatch in favor of Baltimore, but I'm disappointed the Sox couldn't pull it out last night.

They're now 7 games behind the Orioles in the loss column. And 7 games behind the A's. And 5 behind the Tigers, and 4 behind the Angels.

The good news is that the Red Sox' worst pitcher has already pitched in this series, so it can only get better from here. Aaron Cook faces Miguel Gonzalez. Gonzalez is coming off back-to-back starts that were very good, and the Red Sox don't have much history against him. That's usually bad for the Sox.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Buchholz Shuts Out Orioles

The Sox, having lost 3 straight, needed a good start from Buchholz and some production from their offense. They got both. Buchholz went the distance, allowing 4 hits, only walking 1, striking out 6, and shutting out the Orioles.

Over his last three starts, Buchholz has pitched 24 innings and allowed 4 runs (1.50 ERA). He's striking batters out, he's getting them to ground out (he induced 3 double play balls last night), he's finally pitching as well as his 6-2 record suggests he can pitch. He's no longer a worry in the rotation.

Brian Matusz struggled to throw strikes, and the Sox took advantage. They drew 5 walks off him. And were up 4-0 by the time he was pulled in the 3rd. If anything, they could have scored more runs off him. But I'll take the 7 runs and the win.

Nava and Gonzalez each knocked in 2 runs. Pedroia and Youkilis each had an RBI.

This was the first time the Sox beat the Orioles in Fenway Park since September 19, 2011. Brian Matusz got the loss that night as well. I'm glad that shameful streak is over.

The good news is that the Sox didn't fall below .500. And the great news is that Buchholz is pitching extremely well. Right now, I'd say that Buchholz is the best pitcher in the rotation, with Beckett a close second. Doubront would be a solid third. If Lester could get going, then the Sox could start to scare opponents. Beckett, Buchholz, and Lester all at their best are quite formidable. Add Doubront's solidity, then Daisuke's potential to be a quality 4/5 guy, and the sky is the limit.

The Sox bats will be challenged this weekend as the 1st place Washington Nationals come to Fenway. Doubront faces 6-1 Stephen Strasburg tonight.. Strasburg has a 2.35 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP. Although he has had a shaky May.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Sox Put Up More Zeroes Against O's

You can't ask for much more from Josh Beckett. The starting pitching as a whole has been good lately. But the inconsistent Sox offense has once again cooled off. The Orioles have won their 7th straight game in Fenway Park, and that's simply shameful.

The reason the Sox are so streaky as a team is because they're streaky as units and as individuals. Incisive analysis, I know. When one aspect of this team struggles, though, it struggles big time. When the starters stink, they barely make the 5th inning. When the offense isn't hitting, they struggle to get 2 runs across the plate.

Look at a guy like Beckett. Brilliant one week, mediocre the next, crappy the next. And this lineup has been carried by role-player types, like Aviles, Ross, and Saltalamacchia. They can't go 2 for 4 every night. Not having Ellsbury hurts. Gonzalez just hurts.

The Sox offense is very good at piling on runs when a pitcher is struggling, and getting big innings. But when a pitcher is having a good night, the Sox will struggle just to get on base. And bunting isn't the answer. Neither are stolen bases. The Sox can't afford to use outs to get runners in scoring position. Then they have fewer outs/chances to knock those runners in. And they have a much smaller chance at scoring multiple runs in an inning.

On the bright side, Beckett pitched well. He went 8 and only allowed 2 runs off 5 hits. He didn't walk anyone. He struck out 5. Since being shelled on May 10th, he's gone 7+ in five straight starts. His record is 2-2 in those starts, but his ERA is 2.21. You can't ask for more from him, only that he keeps up the good work. Which has been an issue for him over the course of his career.

Darnell McDonald returned to the lineup, and was 1 for 2 with a double and a sacrifice bunt. I don't like small ball tactics. Runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs and the Sox give the O's an out. Byrd struck out after that, and Aviles popped out.

It was such a Bobby Valentine thing to do. And I won't say it cost the Sox the game, because it didn't. Their inability to get any hits cost them the game. But Valentine can't help but do something to influence the game. He's compelled to attempt to exert control over it. He can't just sit back and let it happen. Giving free outs to an opponent isn't how to break out of a slump (which is when you're already giving opponents too many easy outs). It only makes scoring harder.

The Sox are back at .500, and back in 5th place. It was nice to be over .500 for 9 days.

They need another good start from Buchholz tonight. He faces Brian Matusz. Matusz struggled in April. But in his last five starts he's 4-1 with a 2.87 ERA. One of those wins came against the Sox.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Bullpen Blows Game Against O's

Lester was good, not great, but good enough. The Sox scored a few runs. But the bullpen blew it. Twice. Atchison laid an egg in the 7th. Then Aceves lost it in the 10th.

The bullpen is one part of this team that I have almost no confidence in. There are some good hitters on this team, and the role players have exceeded expectations. And the starting pitching has potential to improve. But the pen is worrisome. They're just not reliable, not trustworthy.

Alfredo Aceves has been put into a role that he didn't expect to be in. And he hasn't done well. He was a life-saver for the Sox last year. But relievers are notoriously inconsistent from year to year. Maybe this role is too uncomfortable for Aceves. Maybe he won't be very good in any role. All I know is he has a 5.02 ERA, 3 losses, and 3 blown saves.

The bullpen isn't a complete mess. But they are going to blow games like this, more than just occasionally.

Maybe Daniel Bard will wind up in the bullpen. I think that's the best place for him, and it's the best for the Sox. He can close, Aceves can set-up, and everyone else's workload gets lighter.

On the bright side, Jarrod Saltalamacchia has been a more than adequate player. It's nice to once again get offensive production from a catcher. It's sort of a bonus. He's hitting .279 (better than Adrian Gonzalez), he's slugging .593 (.186 more than Gonzalez), he hit his 11th homerun (7 more than Gonzalez), and knocked in his 27th RBI (2 less than Gonzalez). And unlike Gonzalez, he's getting big hits in important situations.

The Sox have lost two straight now, and 3 out of 5, so they can't let this snowball. Beckett is pitching tonight and it's his chance to stop a losing streak before it happens. The offense also has to remember how to get hits with runners in scoring position.

Beckett faces Wei-Yin Chen who is 4-2 with a decent 3.75 ERA. He's been very good this year at giving the Orioles a chance to win in his starts. If Beckett brings his A game, he can outclass Chen, even if Chen does well. If Beckett has his C game, it's all up to the Sox offense. And that bullpen.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Unlikely Sluggers Blast Sox Past Orioles

The Sox are 22-22 and just took 2 of 3 from the Orioles. Why am I so happy at this? Because I like the way the Sox won these games. And I prefer consistently winning 2 of 3 as opposed to stretches of 5 straight wins then 5 straight losses.

I'm not as optimistic about Daniel Bard. He's looking more and more like Daisuke Matsuzaka. He's not throwing enough strikes (49 strikes, 41 balls today), he's walking batters (4 more today, he's now walked more batters than he's struck out), his pitch count is getting high early, and he never seems to have the same pitches working for him from start to start.

It's not been a major problem. So far. He's not getting crushed. He's not wild. He got two very timely double-plays today that helped him avoid disaster. And with runners in scoring position, he held the O's at bay.

It doesn't seem like a long-term successful way to pitch, though. This is his fourth start that he's failed to go 6 innings. He's tied with Justin Masterson for the 6th most walks in all of baseball.

Bard only allowed 2 earned runs. The homerun he surrendered today was only the 3rd he's given up all season. That's why the walks haven't been deadly for him. And there's no alternative starting pitcher to take his spot. So for now, Bard is will remain the rotation. He hasn't been a significant problem. Yet.

The offense was provided by some surprise sluggers. Nava, Shoppach, and Podsednik each hit homeruns. Adrian Gonzalez better watch his back because Nava and Shoppach are only 1 homerun behind him. They each have 2. Nava has 2 homers in his last 26 at-bats, and this is after going 171 ABs without a homerun. Podsednik hadn't hit a homerun since September 2010.

All season long, the Sox have been getting contributions from unexpected sources. Doubront has been the most reliable starter in the rotation. Cody Ross, Ryan Sweeney, Will Middlebrooks, Daniel Nava, Mike Aviles. Hell, Kelly Shoppach is hitting .281. These are the Bill Mueller, Mark Bellhorn kind of guys that added to the star power of the 2004 Red Sox. The glue that held the big pieces together.

Now we just need the star pitchers to consistently pitch like stars, the high-priced free agent slugger to earn his pay, and the bullpen to figure itself out.

Sox have an off-day, then host the Rays for 3 over the weekend. It's a great opportunity to claw back into the AL East race. The Sox have done well against Tampa Bay this season. Lester faces Alex Cobb, a 24 year old who was born in Boston and has made 10 Major League starts, 7 of which were Quality Starts. That makes me feel uneasy.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Sox Silenced

The Sox managed only 2 hits and apart from a Youkilis homerun, Brian Matusz utterly silenced the Sox' lineup. Aviles, Pedroia, and Ortiz went 0 for 12. It's unfair to single them out, though, because apart from Youkilis' homer and an Adrian Gonzalez single, the entire lineup was quieted.

Youkilis started at first. Gonzalez was in the outfield. Cody Ross' injury was convenient for Youkilis and/or Middlebrooks as it allowed them both to stay in the lineup. Gonzalez is not a long-term solution in the outfield, but the Sox don't have much of a choice.

Doubront had another good start. It went to waste last night, but it was still very encouraging. He struck out 9, which is just as many as Matusz. 6 innings, only 2 runs. Without him, the Sox would be completely screwed. Especially with how Bard and Buchholz have struggled. Not to mention Matsuzaka's health concerns. Doubront has anchored the bottom of the rotation.

The Sox got shut down by a good lefty. It happens. The problem with the Sox is they allow it to happen too often.

So today is a good chance to rebound. Daniel Bard faces Jake Arrieta. This is a great opportunity for Bard to step up and win a game when the Sox could really use a win to keep their momentum going. Arrieta's overall numbers aren't dazzling, but he's had the occasional brilliant start. His last one was 7 innings and 1 run. And on May 2nd he pitched 8 shutout innings against the Yankees. There were 10 innings and 13 runs between those starts, though. He's been inconsistent.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

The Red Sox Are .500!!!

Joy to the world, the Sox are .500. It was thanks to a struggling Tommy Hunter, a red hot Mike Aviles, and some contributions from Pedroia, Ortiz, and Middlebrooks.

Clay Buchholz sucks. He has no confidence out there. Once one or two things go wrong, and he disintegrates. He falls into quicksand and can't free himself. If not for a double-play ball in the 3rd, he might have been tagged for 6 or 7 runs. Nevertheless, he still allowed 5 in 5.1 innings. Far from impressive.

Ideally, I'd put Bard in the bullpen and Buchholz in Pawtucket until he sorted himself out. Unfortunately, the Sox don't have replacements for these struggling SPs. We'll just have to endure both of them until Daisuke returns. Then decide which one to exile.

I don't see much progress with Buchholz. He's still laboring through innings. He got some fortunate bounces last night, and that helped. But without those bounces, he gives up 7 and doesn't go 5 innings.

But this was a good win, nonetheless. Hunter seemed like a guy the Sox should hit. And they did that. And not only are the Sox .500, they are tied with the Yankees for 4th place. Cue the duckboats.

Doubront faces Brian Matusz tonight. Matusz has had mostly bad starts with a few good starts mixed in. He's a lefty, so he has a shot against the Sox. But they should get a few across the plate against him.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Another Lost Weekend for the Sox

Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis went 2 innings, allowing 0 runs, 2 hits, and stuck out 2. Adrian Gonzalez and Jarrod Saltalamacchia were struck out by a first baseman. A first baseman got a pitching win against the Sox. That's how bad things are.

The Red Sox lost all three of their games to the Orioles, but it felt like four due to the length of Sunday's loss. In fact, the Fenway Park grounds crew is still cleaning up all the runners the Sox left in scoring position during the series.

I gave Clay Buchholz a pass for April. He's started slow in the past, so he gets a Mulligan for that month. It's May now. No more free passes. It's time to send him down I-95 to Pawtucket and let him work out his problems there. He's making too many mistakes. I wouldn't mind giving him one more start in Boston, but it has to be a good start. Not just decent, not just solid, I'm talking 7 innings, 2 runs, 5 hits good. Otherwise, it's Triple-A for Clay.

In extra inning losses, the tendency is to look at all the scoring opportunities that weren't capitalized on. The Sox went 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position. One more hit in those situations and the game ends in 9 innings or 12 innings or 15 innings. But it was the starting pitching that cost the Sox the game. It was Clay's 3.2 innings. That's why Darnell McDonald was on the mound in the 17th, because the bullpen had pitched 12.1 innings of relief at that point. And had only allowed an unearned run.

If Clay pitches better, the Sox don't even get into an extra inning situation. They can win in 9 innings. Even if they do go extras, McDonald doesn't have to pitch for another 3 innings.

Will Middlebrooks hit a Grand Slam, and has done well since his call up. But what the hell is he doing not running down the line on a ball that's 50/50 fair or foul? Who does this 23 year old, #64 wearing kid think he is?

It's the type of attitude that a large number of the Sox seem to have. Middlebrooks will fit right in with that crap.

Then the other half of the team is pushing too hard. Aviles was caught-stealing twice. Pedroia was caught also. The Sox are 8 for 13 when trying to steal based, which simply isn't good enough. These caught-stealing outs are free outs given to opponents. It's better to stay at first than to steal second base 60% of the time and get thrown out 40% of the time. The out is much more valuable than the base.

Speaking of pushing too hard, why the hell was Aaron Cook allowed to go back into the game on Saturday? He got his legs sliced up, then comes back out for his next shift like it was Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

Don't get me wrong, it was extremely refreshing to see a pitcher with guts (as opposed to Josh "the Blister" Beckett, who Cook was replacing that day), but we also saw other parts of Cook's internal anatomy that day. And I think the Sox risked too much by letting him resume the game.

The Sox need pitching, but they need it for 5 more months, not 5 more innings in a game in May. They shouldn't have let him go back out there.

I know the Sox are plagued with injury right now. But every team endures injuries. The problem with the Sox is that their healthy players aren't doing their jobs. Buchholz, Lester, Beckett, Aceves. Adrian Gonzalez never seems to get a hit when the Sox really need him to get one. Darnell McDonald's ERA is lower than Mark Melancon's. More than 22 runs lower. Not a single starting pitcher has an ERA below 4.45. Sox starters have a combined ERA of 5.72.

You don't win without starting pitching. Poor starting also exposes an overworked and undertalented bullpen.

Maybe a trip to Kansas City will give the Sox a chance to collect some wins. Doubront faces Jonathan Sanchez tonight. Who isn't very good.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Game Over, Season Over

Anyone that dares blame the Yankees for the Red Sox not making the playoffs deserves a swift slap to the face. The Red Sox surrendered a playoff berth that was theirs for the taking. It all happened so quickly last night, but this was a month long stretch of crappy baseball played by overrated, overpaid players. The Red Sox do not deserve to be in the 2011 MLB Playoffs.

Lester pitched well, all things considered. 6 innings, 2 earned on 3 days rest. I'll take that. He was a bit fortunate that Scutaro made that unbelievable glove-toss to Pedroia to start a double-play. Then Aceves did well, then Bard pitched a scoreless 8th, then Papelbon...

Papelbon had a tremendous season. But this is not the first time that he's been on the mound when a Red Sox season has ended with disappointment. I'm not saying we shouldn't re-sign him (unless we can acquire a similar talent for less money), but the facts are the facts. He has blown some pretty big saves.

It's a game of inches. Scutaro was inches from scoring on Crawford's double. But you shouldn't need a few inches here and there to beat the Orioles. The Sox had 7 games against Baltimore at the back of this schedule, and they went 2-5 in those games. The Orioles' payroll is $75 million less than the Sox.

And while the Red Sox lose the burden of JD Drew, but we're still saddled with Carl Crawford and John Lackey. This is not a complete team. All the preseason hype from all the suckers and fools in this town was over fantasy baseball stats. This team needs more starting pitching. They need another reliable arm in the pen. They need a full-time catcher, outfielders who play 150+ games, they need a bench.

There are good players on this team, good players with heart. Pedroia, Ellsbury, Youkilis. There's talented guys like Gonzalez, Beckett, Lester. Buchholz will hopefully be healthy. Daisuke isn't a bad #4 or #5. Lackey needs to be quietly killed and his body left in a snowbank. But there is a foundation here. There's something to build on.

But there needs to be a significant amount of building.

One thing I am seeing from most of the team in their post-game media sessions is emotion. Frustration. Anger. Disappointment. That's been missing, at least in the public's eye, all throughout this stretch. Maybe this team can play with some fire next year. Then again, you have excuse conjurers like Lackey who think the entire universe (except for Jim Beam) is against them. I don't know how much this team's attitude will change. I think you have different kinds of personalities in that clubhouse, and when things go well on the field, there's chemistry. When they don't, things break down.

Bruins season starts in 8 days.

Sox Win a Tense One

That was tense. The Sox' bats kept pulling away, but the Orioles kept coming. Nothing was easy. Just ask Papelbon after he needed 28 pitches for one inning (he needed 29 on Sunday).

The bats needed to come alive, as Bedard just wasn't good enough. Again. Thankfully, the Sox have Alfredo Aceves, who is the biggest unsung hero of the team. 3.2 innings from him (getting 1 more out than Bedard could), as he deservedly got win #10. He's pitched 113 innings this year in 54 appearances (only 4 of those were starts). Without him, the Sox are eliminated from contention over a week ago.

Daniel Bard sucks. I couldn't believe Francona didn't have Papelbon ready to come in to get the last out of the 8th. There's no way in hell that this guy is ready to be a closer.

Before last night, some people probably didn't know who Ryan Lavarnway was. After last night, I don't think anyone doesn't know who he is. He started off with a pickoff, then hits a 3 run homer, then a solo shot as an encore. He's 24, he hit .467 his junior year at Yale. He was hitting .295 in Pawtucket this year. Maybe he's a spark that this team desperately needs.

Ellsbury furthered his MVP bid with a 2 run homer in the 2nd. But another guy who has been contributing down the stretch is Scutaro. His 2 out double extended the inning that Ellsbury hit his homer in. Later, Scutaro hit a 2 run shot of his own. He's hitting .368 in September.

Now we wait for Game #162. The Rays beat the Yankees, thanks in part to a bases loaded triple play. So we wait. Jon Lester will take the mound for the Sox. He's 14-0 in his career against Baltimore. Though it's only his second career start on 3 days rest. That other start didn't go well (4 runs in 5 innings back in April of '08), but he only threw 55 pitches on Saturday so maybe he'll be better rested.

The O's will counter with Alfredo Simon who is 4-9 with a 4.85 ERA. He's a righty journeyman and not very good. There's no reason for the Sox to not score runs off him. He allowed 3 in 4.2 innings against the Sox earlier this year.

And if necessary, the AL Wild Card playoff game would be Thursday at 4:07, and would be in St. Petersburg.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

A 2 Game Season

The Sox had Josh Beckett on the mound. They needed a great start from him. They did not get one. And once again, a poor pitching performance resulted in a loss. Although it's not like the offense did their job either. They got on base (11 hits, 4 walks), but couldn't get the hits when it mattered most.

I want this team to make the playoffs, simply to avoid the shame of such an historic collapse. But this team simply does not deserve it. People have criticized the GM, the manager, this team's "heart" or lack thereof. They've blamed injuries, and there's some validity to that. I, however, do not think this team has good pitching.

And while the offense scores runs in big bunches, it's not structured to be consistent. The lineup is too vulnerable if one or two key players slump at the same time.

The whole season is on the line. The Sox arrived in Baltimore with some momentum, with an alleged Ace on the mound, and with their destiny completely in hand. If they'd swept the O's, they'd win the Wild Card. Now the Sox have to win 2 games and they still might need a one game playoff against the Rays in order to make the postseason.

Erik Bedard faces Zach Britton tonight.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

The Yankees Are Doing More for the Sox than the Sox Are

I'm going to make a Curt Schilling type of statement. I don't want the Red Sox to make the playoffs if it's just because of the Yankees winning. If this team backs in and clinches because the Yankees beat the Rays, I'm not going to be celebrating.

It's hard to attack Papelbon. This was only his 2nd blown save of the season. It's awful timing as the rest of the team is struggling. But the guy is 30 for 32 in save opportunities.

We can attack Bard. This was his 4th loss of September. He's become a liability.

It's also easy to attack the starting pitching. We're all criticizing the Sox for an apparent lack of effort. The pitching, though, has been horrendous. You can't expect to win when your starters go 2.2 innings. When you need 10+ runs to feel comfortable, there's a pitching problem.

Beckett can perhaps right the ship tonight. He faces 4-4 Tommy Hunter.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

Splitting a Doubleheader With Baltimore Has Become Good News

This is the state of things. A split doubleheader with the O's is the best news Sox fans have been able to enjoy in weeks. It also seems like the Sox offense needs to score 18 runs in order for this team to win. The pitching has become that bad.

John Lackey is the worst regular starting pitcher in baseball. His ERA is up to 6.49. He's actually saved his worst performances for the end of the season. His July was mediocre, his August was bad, his September has been godawful.

The 18 run onslaught was nice, but does this offense simply annihilate bad pitching, then struggle against the good? Do they "run up the score" when Brian Matusz is on the mound, then can't get more than 4 or 5 runs against decent pitchers like Guthrie?

Perhaps the Game 1 loss yesterday was a wake-up call, and the team answered in Game 2. However, I think that the Sox simply pounded an atrocious pitcher. I'll definitely take the win, though.

Erik Bedard faces Rick VandenHurk (he's Dutch) tonight. VandenHurk has only made one start this year and he didn't get out of the 3rd, so the Sox should put up some runs.

Photo Credit:
AP Photo

BABY ORTIZ

On Friday night, David Ortiz found himself in the middle of a beanball battle, and I'm sorry, but he was the baby of the group. All laundry aside, he charged the mound because someone told him to run to first base instead of jog casually to his dugout. Really? That reminds me of Gerald Williams in 2000, charging the mound because Pedro spat in his general direction. Is that all it takes for these overly sensitive prima donna hitters to make a move toward the pitcher?

Know what, Ortiz got thrown at. Belt high. And he threw a hissy fit. As so many hitters have thrown so many times the last decade and a half. It's become an insult if a pitcher dares try to reclaim the inside of the plate, especially against a hulking lefty.

Sorry folks, but Gregg went about things the right way. He aimed for Ortiz's fleshy middle section, missed, and then got the stare down. Then it happened again. Ortiz's temper tantrum over inside pitching is just the latest example of hitters acting like spoiled babies who think the entire plate belongs to them.

And as far as the Red Sox go, I want Ortiz leaning over the plate. He's a better hitter when he takes control over that territory. But I'm not going to defend him when he acts like a baby because someone pitched inside to him. Especially not when it's all well below the skull. And I'm not going to praise his pugilistic prowess because he threw a mighty hook/uppercut that completely missed (because he was off-balance. Mick from Rocky would have tied a rope between his ankles).

Ortiz fights about as well as he fields. The Orioles actually pitched him inside. Something the Yankees have never had the stones to do. And I'm not going to criticize another team for following the basic fundamental principles of pitching. I also think Ortiz charging the mound for something as trivial as Gregg's gestures is beyond childish. Ortiz threw a temper tantrum, we here in Boston are praising him for it, but I think he acted like a spoiled baby.