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Francona: 'We're looking for a spark'

Email|Link|Comments (4) Posted by Adam Kilgore, Globe Staff October 14, 2008 06:43 PM

Terry Francona made the changes throughout the Red Sox lineup tonight out of urgency. Typically loyal, he nonetheless decided it no longer made sense to bat Jacoby Ellsbury, stuck in an 0-for-20 funk, at the top of the order.

“We’re not looking for consistency,” Francona said. “We’re looking to win tonight. We’ve got a day off tomorrow. We’re hopefully going to get to the destination we want. We may have to go through a couple different cities.”

Francona aligned the order as he did for myriad reasons. First, he batted Coco Crisp seventh, not first, because he feels Crisp is best when he can be a free-swinger, which the Sox wouldn’t want him to be as a leadoff hitter.

Second, he batted J.D. Drew leadoff because his .408 on-base percentage is best on the team. “We don’t want him to change his approach,” Francona said. Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine has allowed only one stolen base this season, so Francona reasoned speed is not a necessity. “This guy’s so good that probably doesn’t come into play,” he said.

Third, and most obviously, Francona sat Ellsbury because of his slump.
“Scuffling,” is the word Francona used. Ellsbury has negated his speed – which he can typically use for getting cheap hits – by hitting fly balls and popups.

“It seems like the ball is getting deep on him. Because of his legs, there are times when he can get hits when he’s just using the whole field or mis-hitting some balls. The ball is getting in the air a lot. I think he is getting closer. It’s been tough for him. We have parts of our lineup where they’ve really held us down.”

A few other items:

Sonnanstine made two starts against the Red Sox, both in September. He did not allow an earned run in 13 innings and struck out 12. “Boy, he’s pitched good against us,” Francona said. “He’s saved up some of his best games for us. The games that we’ve seen him, he has located.”

While Sonnanstine hurt the Sox in September, it has largely been B.J. Upton in October. He has a home run in each of the past two games, bringing his playoff total to five, best in the majors. Upton hit only nine in the regular season, and his playoff surge may portend a slugging career.

“As he progresses in his career, you’re not going to see nine,” Francona said. “You may see nine in a week.”

Jon Lester pitched 210 1/3 innings this year, seventh in the American League and nearly 100 more than any year of his career, majors and minors combined. Is it possible all that work caught up to Lester yesterday?

“Worried, no," Francona said. "I think we always are concerned about everything. He’s had a big jump this year. I think the concern is how do we tackle this going into next year, offseason. But I don’t think a guy has to be tired to give up runs. Sometimes you give up runs.”

Francona did not hear the booing Jason Varitek received after his fourth-inning pop to first yesterday, explaining that sound does not penetrate the Red Sox dugout. But he had heard about the booing, and he did not seem concerned.

"I didn’t pay for the ticket," Francona said. "When you pay for a ticket, you have the right, basically, to voice your opinion, as long as you don’t go over the line. That wouldn’t be my personal style. But people buy their ticket, they can do whatever they want."

Francona isn't concerned about Varitek's mindset, either, as the Red Sox captain struggles through a slump and derision from the Fenway Park crowd.

“He’s pretty strong," Francona said. "You have to fight through it. And he’s a fighter.”

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4 comments so far...

I really like Tito's even-keeled approach. No panic. I like our Sox chances with Wakefield on the mound tonight. We tie the series up, and then have Dice-K in game 5 to go up 3-2.

Keep the faith people!

Posted by Mainer-In-Exile -- TX October 14, 08 05:57 PM

Looking for a spark???
Try this one...8 FOR 9 WITH RUNNERS IN SCORING POSITION DURING PLAYOFFS...the only one MANNY just being MANNY.

Posted by KY October 14, 08 07:55 PM

Spark, Tito?? The only spark these guys are getting is in Jamaica in a couple days. You had it after game one and blew it in game two.. All done. Ppl. Celtics and Bruins time...

Posted by cornboy72 October 14, 08 10:06 PM

A spark:

Bay bats 3rd and Papi bats cleanup

Posted by Joe P. October 15, 08 10:11 PM