Everything is all wonky and turned-around. Up is down. Right is left. Black is white. Day is night. The baseball world for Sox fans feels just plain out-of-sorts.
The Sox were embarrassed in Tampa, but turned it around 180 degrees and win the first two against the Yankees in New York... only to then do an about face and drop the second two. The team held on to a sizable lead in the AL East throughout most of the season, despite a rough schedule, starting overseas, and numerous injuries.... only to fall apart in June, and fall to second place, 5 games back. To the RAYS. The freakin' DEVIL RAYS. I know, I know- they're the story of baseball so far, and have a ton of young talent, and phenomenal bats and pitching, etc. But they're still a team that didn't even exist over ten years ago, that can't even make up their mind what their mascot and name is, that hand out cowbells to "fans", and that have an honest-to-god aquarium in the outfield. That is just all kinds of wrong.
Just when we think we've sorted Julio "E6" Lugo out, and written him off entirely... he makes a spectacular catch or two, and a couple of hits. Not to mention, Lugo's OBP isn't the worst on the team, either- it's better than Cora, Ellsbury, Crisp. Cash... and Varitek. Don't get me wrong: Lugo's still laying up goose eggs instead of hits with regularity, and he's a long ways from an OPS and defense that warrants his salary-- but he's not even close to being the biggest liability in the lineup. And on the flip side, the bullpen went from the Lights-Out Heroes of '07... to the Nightmare Fuel of '08. Remember back when games would reach the 7th or 8th inning, and everyone would sort of kick back and relax and wait for Auto-Awesome to kick in? Those days are gone. (I feel like I should start singing "Dust In The Wind" or something.) Now it seems like everyone just covers their eyes and braces for impact when the door to the 'pen opens.
The All-Star break could not come at a more opportune time.
on July 7, 2008 1:19 PM
During the game last night on ESPN, those commentators whose names leave a bad taste in my mouth, said something along the lines "Tim Wakefield has pitched 7+ innings in his last 7 starts and has allowed 3 runs or less in each of them. Yet has 903732067293 losses."
The other one said "I hear he's not getting much run support. Or that the bullpen can't keep the leads. "
so true, terrible commentators, so true.
I dont like living in a world where Beckett and Wakefield pitch lights-out baseball, yet get the loss because of lack of run support.
Or at last! They finally have the lead!! Wait, wait? Why are they leaving the game? 100+ pitches. So what? Noooo don't let it go to the bullpen nooooo
I don't like living in a world in which no matter who the relief pitcher is, I fear the loss of a lead.
But the Red Sox are too good of a team to let this continue.