April 2010
Sox Starters Must Eat More Innings
There are a myriad of things that have gone wrong for the Red Sox in their first 22 games. But the one that has the potential of festering all year long is the inability of starters to go deep into games. This has resulted in a grossly overworked bullpen. In fact, as has been pointed out by ESPN’s Gordon Edes, only the Tigers have more relief innings (78) than the Red Sox (73) so far. While both Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester have been recent exceptions to this trend, the established “studs” in the rotation (Beckett, Lackey, Wakefield) have not been able to go through opposing rotations the requisite three or four times to help preserve the relief corps. The bullpen has historically been one of Theo Epstein’s weak spots (with the possible exception of last year), so the mad scramble to add arms (Embree, Atchison, et al.) belies a panic mentality on Yawkey Way. They know it’s an issue–and it shows. If we plan to prevent the Rays and the Empire from running away and hiding in the AL East, the starters on this team need to step up and go on a steady diet of innings.
Marco “Lugaro” Hands Game To Empire
How ironic. One of the guys brought here to screw down the left side of the infield screwed up. After Marco Scutaro botched a routine inning-ending ground ball, Hideki Okajima walked in the eventual winning run in amaddening 6-4 loss to the Empire. Not only did the “ironclad” defense break down, but the other leg on the Colossus of Run Prevention–that would be pitching–also left a lot to be desired. So, this is what 2010 could look like, Nation. Lots of one and two-run losses (not that four runs ahouldn’t win a game) and way too much pressure on Victor Martinez to be “The Guy” in the offense. In the meantime, the Rays (who are again poised to outlast both giants of the AL East) went home with a walk-off 9th inning win. Don’t forget to stop by “Twins” on your way out!
Red Sox Bench Is Speed-Free For 2010
Quick, what was the critical turning point of the 2004 championship season? That’s right,Dave Roberts coming off the bench to steal the biggest base in team history. What a luxury Terry Francona had to pull a guy out of the late October cold and set him loose on the base-paths with the utmost confidence that he would succeed. After the steal, Derek Jeter famously asked Roberts, “How do you sit in this cold for nine innings and come out here and do that?”. Roberts just smiled. Fast forward to 2010. As the Globe’s Peter Abraham points out, Tito will not exactly have a ‘Roberts Option’ this year on the pine. Mike Lowell,Jason Varitek, Bill Hall and Jeremy Hermida are the speedsters he can choose from in key base-stealing situations. Does the phrase “piano on his back” ring a bell? All together, this group has stolen 113 career bases. In his stellar career, Roberts swiped 243–including 49 at age 34 for the Padres. So, come October, if we find ourselves behind three games to none; down a run in the ninth; and in need of an alacrity injection, who comes into the game? Thank God for expanded rosters in September! Until then, close your eyes and hope Varitek doesn’t pull something on the way to second.
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