How long can we stay in first?
I'm worried. It's June and the Red Sox pitching staff is looking less than stellar.
Take a look at Matt Clement. For just the fifth time in 11 starts, Clement allowed three runs or fewer yesterday. We're supposed to be happy about that? It was more of a relief, especially after the Jays game last week in which he gave up six runs. Ugh.
Things were a little different about this time last season. The Sox got their act together toward the end of April and in the next 16 days, the pitching staff brought the team ERA down to 3.38 and went 10-3. Tim Wakefield, Bronson Arroyo, Clement, Jeremi Gonzalez, Wade Miller (!!!), and John Halama were averaging 6 1/3 innings per start and David Wells was looking to return.
As of May 13 last year, Clement was 4-0 with a 3.06 ERA. As of May 13 this year, he was 3-3 with a 5.58 ERA. And while he has added two wins to that record since then, his ERA is at 6.68.
It seems Schilling and Beckett are the only starters we can count on, but even Beckett isn't a sure thing after giving up a career-high four homers in his last outing. Wakefield's not exactly having a career year, Wells and Dinardo are on the DL, and the Sox had to call up 22-year-old David Pauley to join the rotation. Names like Jon Lester and Craig Hansen are now being tossed around.
I'm worried. I have to hope that things will improve, pitchers will take a cue from Clement and maybe examine video of their better games, Theo will make a deal to secure the team another starter, etc. It kills me every time I read about Arroyo and his success on the Reds. (That's right folks. He's 7-2 with a 2.40 ERA... and we have Wily Mo Pena... on the DL... awesome.) This is not a team that could make it very far in the playoffs. I am completely bewildered as to how we're atop the AL East right now, but apparently, the competition isn't much better. Everyone keeps talking up the Jays but they haven't been a huge threat thus far.
Speaking of competition, how bout them Yanks? Injury ridden and supposedly barely holding on yet they continue to win. Jeter is a sure candidate for MVP and Torre is up there for Manager of the Year. With such key hitters as Sheff and Matsui on the DL, the Yanks are STILL topping the Red Sox in run production, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, batting average, stolen bases and total bases. Oh, and their ERA is better, too.
WTF.
This next Sox-Yanks series should be interesting. With Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Jason Giambi questionable for this week and Johnny Damon and Jorge Posada playing hurt, the Sox definitely have a chance to take the series. Of course, everyone thought the last matchup would be a runaway for Boston and... not so much. I don't know what to expect this time around.
And here's my rant of the day: Sports writers trying to spice up their writing with ridiculous language. MLB.com is usually the worst (according to Ian Browne, Clement put "both himself and his team in the win column in this 8-3 conquest of the Tigers in the rubber match of a three-game series"), but even Gordon Edes was guilty of it in this morning's Boston Globe: "The Red Sox left their calling card here with the Tigers and headed back to the Bronx tonight, Motown giving way to a TV miniseries." And Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald: "Even if she could, the fat lady hasn’t gotten up off the couch yet. So as the Red Sox enter the Bronx beast’s belly tonight for the start of a four-game series, here’s one fun morsel to chew on: The Yankees are better." (The Herald also ran an article with the headline, "Sox gobble up appetizer: Pound Detroit before main course in Bronx.")
Calling cards, beast's belly, appetizer, taters (MLB.com's word for homers, to which I say, "Um, what??") and that's just from a day's worth of mediocre articles. Come on, guys. Seriously.
Aaaanyway...
I keep looking at these Red Sox night after night and thinking, "This team does not look like a playoff contender. At all." And as things stand, it's not.
I suppose it's only June, though. I'll just keep reminding myself of that.
Take a look at Matt Clement. For just the fifth time in 11 starts, Clement allowed three runs or fewer yesterday. We're supposed to be happy about that? It was more of a relief, especially after the Jays game last week in which he gave up six runs. Ugh.
Things were a little different about this time last season. The Sox got their act together toward the end of April and in the next 16 days, the pitching staff brought the team ERA down to 3.38 and went 10-3. Tim Wakefield, Bronson Arroyo, Clement, Jeremi Gonzalez, Wade Miller (!!!), and John Halama were averaging 6 1/3 innings per start and David Wells was looking to return.
As of May 13 last year, Clement was 4-0 with a 3.06 ERA. As of May 13 this year, he was 3-3 with a 5.58 ERA. And while he has added two wins to that record since then, his ERA is at 6.68.
It seems Schilling and Beckett are the only starters we can count on, but even Beckett isn't a sure thing after giving up a career-high four homers in his last outing. Wakefield's not exactly having a career year, Wells and Dinardo are on the DL, and the Sox had to call up 22-year-old David Pauley to join the rotation. Names like Jon Lester and Craig Hansen are now being tossed around.
I'm worried. I have to hope that things will improve, pitchers will take a cue from Clement and maybe examine video of their better games, Theo will make a deal to secure the team another starter, etc. It kills me every time I read about Arroyo and his success on the Reds. (That's right folks. He's 7-2 with a 2.40 ERA... and we have Wily Mo Pena... on the DL... awesome.) This is not a team that could make it very far in the playoffs. I am completely bewildered as to how we're atop the AL East right now, but apparently, the competition isn't much better. Everyone keeps talking up the Jays but they haven't been a huge threat thus far.
Speaking of competition, how bout them Yanks? Injury ridden and supposedly barely holding on yet they continue to win. Jeter is a sure candidate for MVP and Torre is up there for Manager of the Year. With such key hitters as Sheff and Matsui on the DL, the Yanks are STILL topping the Red Sox in run production, slugging percentage, on-base percentage, batting average, stolen bases and total bases. Oh, and their ERA is better, too.
WTF.
This next Sox-Yanks series should be interesting. With Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Jason Giambi questionable for this week and Johnny Damon and Jorge Posada playing hurt, the Sox definitely have a chance to take the series. Of course, everyone thought the last matchup would be a runaway for Boston and... not so much. I don't know what to expect this time around.
And here's my rant of the day: Sports writers trying to spice up their writing with ridiculous language. MLB.com is usually the worst (according to Ian Browne, Clement put "both himself and his team in the win column in this 8-3 conquest of the Tigers in the rubber match of a three-game series"), but even Gordon Edes was guilty of it in this morning's Boston Globe: "The Red Sox left their calling card here with the Tigers and headed back to the Bronx tonight, Motown giving way to a TV miniseries." And Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald: "Even if she could, the fat lady hasn’t gotten up off the couch yet. So as the Red Sox enter the Bronx beast’s belly tonight for the start of a four-game series, here’s one fun morsel to chew on: The Yankees are better." (The Herald also ran an article with the headline, "Sox gobble up appetizer: Pound Detroit before main course in Bronx.")
Calling cards, beast's belly, appetizer, taters (MLB.com's word for homers, to which I say, "Um, what??") and that's just from a day's worth of mediocre articles. Come on, guys. Seriously.
Aaaanyway...
I keep looking at these Red Sox night after night and thinking, "This team does not look like a playoff contender. At all." And as things stand, it's not.
I suppose it's only June, though. I'll just keep reminding myself of that.
posted by Pam at 10:48 AM
2 Comments:
I think you read my mind
i think tonight's performance only enhanced the worry-ment. yikes.
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