Homegoods
Before things get out of hand and this delves into full-fledged panic mode, let's simply remember that the phrase, "Talk to me in September" is a perfectly acceptable response to the increasingly boisterous fan base down there in Florida.
That being said, you might want to start hoping there is indeed something to talk about.
The Red Sox left for this just-completed road trip in first place. Today they're five games out after a disastrous 3-7 mark that included a sweep at the hands of the first-place Rays.
It should serve as a reminder of how quickly things can change in baseball, which is precisely why you're not hearing many hackneyed references to the Tobin Bridge in reference to Sox fans, who are back in familiar territory -- panicking before the Midsummer Classic.
Boston returns home tonight for the first of six Fenway contests leading up to the All-Star Game at (had you heard?) Yankee Stadium. Odds are Terry Francona will play Jason Varitek for far too long in that game, too.
Regardless, home cookin' is in the forecast for this week, and none too soon considering the great disparity in this team's home-road splits. The Red Sox have torn it up in the Fens, playing .756 ball (31-10) in their backyard, while morphing into something entirely different on the road, a .420 club (21-29) that can't buy a hit with runners in scoring position.
Odds are you'll be feeling a whole lot different about this team come Sunday and beyond. Of the Sox' remaining 72 games, just 31 are on the road. If they play at the same level they have to this point both home and away, Boston will finish the season with a 95-67 mark, one win fewer than last year's total.
So, there. Happy. Joy. And such.
But ...
That's the somewhat good news regarding the forecast. The bad is that the Red Sox team we've watched for the past month without David Ortiz is far inferior to one that has championship aspirations. That 31-10 mark at Fenway? Five of those losses came last month without their DH, which isn't overly worrisome considering they had 10 wins to go along with those, but this is: They're just 18-15 since Ortiz went down, a record of concern in any division, and especially one being dominated by the high-flying Rays.
In that time they've lost seven one-run decisions. Seven.
It's easy to just blame the bullpen, but it's a no-brainer that Ortiz's bat would have looked mighty fine in those close defeats, including last night's heartbreaker and Saturday's bottom-of-the-lineup clincher affair. Let's be real. Here's ESPN's headline on the gamer: "Yanks edge Red Sox as Rivera finds groove right on time." Sure. If you saw Coco Crisp, Varitek, and Julio Lugo heading to the plate in that situation it's safe to say you're gonna find your groove pretty easily.
This 3-7 road trip raised so many questions that you wonder if there's enough time by the trading deadline to properly address any of them. Here in no specific order are the names for one reason or another plaguing Red Sox fans today:
Varitek: In Gedmanesque fashion, seems to have hit the wall in a contract year. [Insert obligatory, "but he calls a good game…"]
Ortiz: Will he be back? And if so, will he be effective?
Lugo: Does anyone in baseball look like they care less?
Crisp: How's that trade value working out?
Craig Hansen: In the doghouse, hasn't pitched since his July 2 stinker.
Manny Delcarmen: Dependable, yes. Lights-out eighth-inning setup guy? Uh, no.
Hideki Okajima: Inherited runners: 15. Inherited runners scored: 12.
Manny Ramirez: We could spend a day here.
Jacoby Ellsbury: Boy Wonder had about as many hits over the last month as Boy George has had the past decade.
Mix in the unsure status of guys like Clay Buchholz and Bartolo Colon, and, well, where do you start?
How do you begin to fix a team that has major concerns at catcher, shortstop, bullpen, and designated hitter? As much as you feel the team needs to address the long-term catching solution, the reality is Francona isn't going to give up on Varitek that easily, and with young talent at a premium at that position, the Sox aren't just going to find themselves with the next, great backstop by the end of the month. (Kenji Johjima? Was this a serious suggestion?) Likely status quo. Ditto Lugo. Yay.
That leaves us with the annual tinkering of the bullpen. But Brian Fuentes? The opposition hit .318 off him last month and he could be headed to Tampa. Doug Brocail is a nice arm, but something makes me a little queasy about securing bullpen help from the state of Texas around the trading deadline. Not sure why that is.
But the big question remains Ortiz. If he can't return, then this is a Red Sox team that needs to seek offense first and worry about the rest simply falling into place. If Ortiz returns effective, go find a setup man (ahem, again) and watch the charge begin. If Ortiz isn't nearly the player he was before the injury, Mark Teixeira, Matt Holliday, and Jason Bay could all become part of the imminent discussion.
But it's OK. The Red Sox return to Fenway Park tonight where all their problems and issues get masked beneath the glow of the Citgo sign. For one week it's all good.
But the longer these issues stick around, the less chance they have of being merely a slump and more likely to become the trend.
If the Sox can get Teixeira, Holliday or Bay and keep them long term, then they should just do it, no matter what Ortiz's status is. Obviously Varitek is our catcher for the rest of the year. That's not going to change and I suspect he'll hit better than .218 in the second half. Take a look around, it's not like catchers are lighting it up. If he hits .250, that's fine and dandy. And I seriously don't see how you can compare Brocail to Gagne. Absolutely nothing about their situations are similar.
Just finding something else at shortstop would be wonderful. This is a hard-luck spot for the Sox. Oh, if only we'd have kept Orlando Cabrera.
This year reminds me a bit of 2005. Good enough to compete and make the playoffs but no chance of winning due to holes in the line up, fading regulars and guys too young/not quite ready for the big leagues. Theo will not trade his blue chippers for another Gagne but without real help then there's nothing to talk about re: repeating.
A bold statement would be to cut Lugo, announce that Cash will be catching 2-3 times per week and benching Manny until he's ready to show the team (or the rest of MLB) that he's worth his options of an extension. The team won't do it but it would be nice to show the fans that the front office cares about effort and guys earning their paychecks.....
If David can't come back, there is only one man who can save the Nation
Bonds, Barry Bonds....
It's all on the pen right now... I can't count on my fingers how many games in just last month have been blown by the likes of Oki, Delcarmen, Lopez and Hanson. And even Pap is looking pretty touchable this yr. The starting pitching has been OUTSTANDING all year. The pen needs to shore itself up or this season will be over sooner rather than later.
All you have to do is look at last night's game... it's a microcosm of the season. 4-2 lead in the 7th. Lose 5-4 in extras. Thanks for keeping me up all night guys. You breezed through the first 5 innings in an hour, took over 2 hours to get to the 9th. And then made me sit around to watch you blow it a couple innings later.
The "Mariners Blog" guy who wrote about a Johjima trade is just making stuff up. In the same breath, he suggests the Sox might trade for Ichiro to play right field. Unless MLB is going to adopt little league softball rules and allow a second right fielder, I'm pretty sure that trade isn't going to happen.
There's one person on the Sox who looks to care less than Lugo...Manny Ramirez. If we could jettison Manny and Lugo, I'd love to see the Sox get Bay, Teixeira, or Holliday. They could just bring Lowrie up at short. Maybe add Okajima in a trade deal. I'd like to see them give Bowden a spot start and see if he can handle it (why not? Masterson proved he could handle the jump from double-A to the big team) and move Masterson to the 'pen.
I hate Julio Lugo so much it hurts. I cant think of any other player in Red Sox history that I have hated more. He is so useless and an absolute waste of money. I would be happy if they cut him and eat the money than to see this POS play another game in a red sox uniform. I also think its time to trade Manny. His skills have declined and his attitude and behavior this season is unacceptable. Can anyone figure out why Tito took Wakefield out when Posada came to bat? The guy was 0-2 with 2 strikeouts against Wakefield. I love Tito but he has managed poorly lately. This team needs some new blood fast. Bring up lowerie, dump Lugo, trade Manny for a reliever and prospects and trade for Matt Holiday to play right.
Why is the mention of Barry Bonds so taboo around here. Is it really the case that fans in boston hate him as much as the media says we do? Even if he was on steroids, or a jerk in the locker room, it wasn't like he was playing against us all this time, so really who cares? There isn't even room in the Red Sox locker rooms for a lounger and 3 lockers, so it doesn't seem like he can demand too much. Why not give it a (inexpensive) shot?
How about picking up a pinch hitter. We have no one to help out at the bottom of the order where Varitek and Lugo look awful. And Manny. Does he look like he was protesting being asked to pinch hit last night by staring at 3 straight strikes? Why was he resting anyway? You do not rest Manny against the Yankees or any inter-division rival. Rest him against Minnesota. What was Francona thinking? And where is Manny's competitive drive to insist that he wants to play against the Yankees? Saturday and Sunday's games were frustrating.
If there is any chance, and I mean ANY CHANCE, of getting Matt Holliday in a deal, then it behooves Theo to take it. He's the best all around hitter in the NL and would be awesome in Fenway----in left field--you know, the position that that guy who used to be Manny Ramirez used to play. Goodbye, Manny. Your Holliday's a-coming! Take your bosom buddy Lugo with you on your way out the door. Aren't they the worst $28,000,000 any team ever wasted!
Andre, Bonds has already said that he will not play for the league minimum,and right now, that's all he's worth.
People don't like MANNY'S attitude, but want BONDS? HA!
Manny and Lugo aren't going anywhere. Papi will be back and that'll fix the line up, then they just need a bullpen arm, hopefully one thta doesn't cost us too much in return.....
Tito managed Sat and Sun like a neophyte, bases jammed no outs and......Sunday was a loss waiting tohappen, why remove Wakefield? I agree with all of the above if players are giving up or not caring make the needed move, why wait? I have been a 50 year fan and expect now better things to happen but if they don't so be it, but apathy NEVER
---the sox two additional draft picks for losing orlando cabrera to free agency were ellsbury and lowrie. pretty silly to whine about his departure.
Manny has been a waste of 20 million? Really? Was last night the only time you have watched him play in the last 8 years? Honestly, they lost 2 games to a 3rd place team, do we really need to trade Manny Ramirez because he struck out looking once?
Goodbye Manny? I think were jumping the gun on that one aren't we? Although I wouldn't mind seeing Holiday coming here I don't see the Sox being able to make a trade with someone for Manny with the dollars left on the option without picking up part of the cost. I think the Sox are stuck with the Manny dollars.
Relax! Tampa doesn't have the experience to hold on until September. They will eventually collapse somewhere between now and the World Series. And in the end, the Sox will win it against an inferior NL opponent. How? The team is in desperate need of a collective kick in the rear. Theo needs to make a clear and distinct statement like he did in 2004 by trading away Nomar for Cabrera and Doug the Thief. Clearly, Manny is a) unmotivated to give his very best in every game, b) not the player he once was and c) is unreliable when it comes to biggest situations. We can't trust Manny to perform when he's called upon because he simply has too many mental and physical issues that get in the way. Trade him for a bag of up-and-comers. If we press him hard enough, he will waive his No Trade Clause. Secondly, bring up Jed Lowrie and place Lugo on Waivers. No brainer. Lugo is simply killing the team right now. Next, the team should consider moving either Buchholz or Masterson to the Pen. Colon will return to the rotation shortly after the Break to give it more depth. Sign a Lefty (not named Obama or Chomsky) for the Pen. Give Cash more opportunities to develop his strengths.
Eric, can we get to the real outrage of the first half of this season...the loss of HAZEL MAE!!!!!! She is a Red Sox tradition like the Monster Seats and singing Sweet Caroline. I dont want these bleach blondes taking over NESN, if these women keep coming to Boston I might not be able to flirt my way to the front of the line at Game On. I dont want to be forced to go to Boston Beer Works, they dont even have Stoli Vanilla and Diet Coke there!! Eric can you please start a "MAE MUST STAY" rally for us real members of Red Sox Nation, I will gladly pay another 15 dollars a year on my Red Sox Nation Card if it keeps Hazel around. I am outie.
It's made my teeth hurt to watch some of these last games. Especially Sunday night when it seemed like the Red Sox Of Old--waiting to figure out a way to lose it. Varitek, God Willing, will be fine. But PLEASE, do something about Mr. Lugo. PLEASE. Trade him, designate him for assignment, whatever. in 2004, Epstein dumped Nomar and it was the right decision then. History should repeat itself!!
It's amazing how spoiled we have become. These guys go into a slump and it's the end of the world. I have lived with the Sox since 1959 and as bad as they are playing right now they are still better than they were in most of those years save 67,75,86,04,07. It seems that everything has gone haywire all of the sudden. I agree that Wakefield should never have been pulled against the Yanks. Lugo is absolutely worthless, they should have never got rid of Cabrera. Manny is a different hitter without Ortiz, Veritek can still call a good game but his hitting is unreliable. I guess the bullpen is the biggest dissappointment of all, it has been nothing short of horrible. I can't see what the holdup is in signing Bonds, he would be a nice temporary replacement at DH. It's a long season with plenty of time left to get hot, but they need to get healthy and hungry and start playing ball.
Any talk on here about Barry Bonds is a joke. No way in hell is Barry Bonds coming here, and if he did the fans wouldn't let him on the field. WE NEED A SHORSTOP. We never should have got rid of Orlando Cabrera. We should be trying to get Hanley Ramirez, so he can play for the team that he deserves to play for, the team that got him where he is. Trade Buchholz, Okajima, Lugo, Cora, and a prospect for Hanley. Bring Jed Lowrie up as the new backup SS/infield man. Bring up another prospect to take Okajima's spot.
I can understand the Lugo thing. I can see the frustration with Veritek, but I think you are all dreaming if you think there is some better option out there. But I am sick to death of the Manny bashing. Everybody loved him when he hit his 500th. At the mid part of the season he has 16 homeruns, 53 rbi's, etc. Most people would find this more than acceptible. As far as the other instances of "bad" bahavior we don't know the whole story. I don't think we are in a position to judge.
No need to panic here and do something stupid like trade Manny....not gonna get much for an aging outfielder who can't get around on a Mussina fastball anyway. Dump Lugo. Send him to AA, Siberia or Mars. I don't care where just get him outta here. We need a reliever but the price will be very steep, might have to go with what we got. Lester and Beckett look poised to have huge second half's. They might be able to carry us come playoff time.........
Put Lugo on waivers and give Cora the job with Lowerie as back up. Cora has it in him to be an every day player - he plays hard and gives every game his all. We need a little more of that around here. I feel like the Sox are waiting for some sort of turn around and Lugo will emerge as the player he was always meant to be meant to be (think Lowell or Drew) ...it's not going to happen.
I am as frustrated as anyone over the past few games, but enough already with the trading Manny talk. Everyone is so quick to jump on/off the Manny wagon its ridiculous. How can it go from "Haha, Manny being Manny" to "Manny's slow and washed up and can't hit a fast ball" in a matter of weeks? This isn't the first time everyone has jumped all over him just to be kissing his a$$ the following month.
Does no one have any confidence in this team? Starting pitching is still the key to winning baseball, and the Sox have good starting pitching. If you look at any team over the course of a whole season, there is always a stretch or two where even the best teams look pretty average. The Sox definitely have some question marks (the pen being the biggest one of all, in my opinion), but I wouldn't write this team off just yet. They have proven over the past few years a confidence and maturity that Sox teams of years past lacked, That was the real "curse", a lack of confidence when things started to get tight. It is cracy to talk about winning the series at this point in time, but getting into the playoffs is still a very legitimate possibility and as the Cardinals of 2006 proved, if you can get there, anything can happen.
I would hold my nose and take Bonds. I think I'm addicted to World Series Championships. I think my standards were much higher when when we were eliminated my Labor Day. I'm starting to feel dirty, like a Yankees fan, OMG!
I say we all just calm down and let see what the team does at the trade deadline. I don't think there is anything to worry about right now
Julio Lugo is Jose Offerman. I'm shocked it took this long to realize. Manny or Papi will be gone in 2009; maybe sooner. "The greatest 1-2 punch in baseball" is officially over. Personally I think Manny will be gone, in a Nomar-sized shocker. The Sox will be fine eventually.
Ok. There is no replacement out there for Lugo (hey, guess what, he is hitting better than OC, btw). His only replacement is Jed Lowrie. It is NOT Alex Cora. Alex Cora has the range of Derek Jeter in concrete shoes and can't hit a lick. There is a reason he is so old and has not consistently started anywhere. Alex Cora seems like the backup QB that everyone thinks is awesome, but is, um, Scott Zolak.
Varitek, I think, needs more rest than he is getting. There isn't a real replacement for him either. Cash is not the replacement. He is a good defensive catcher, but will be hitting no better than Tek if he got full playing time. More Zolak Disease.
We have what we have. Catcher issues for the future. But, for the rest of this year it is Tek. Period. Regardless of his age showing.
Manny and Papi won't be here next year? Why not? Papi looked good in the cages and will hopefully be back soon. Defintiely by next year. A month ago it was a "no-brainer" to bring Manny back. Now he won't be here? Unless he stays in this "funk" for the rest of the year (don't bet on it), why wouldn't he be back?
Obviously, Lugo is not our SS for the future. But will be for the rest of the year unless we find a blind team that would be willing to take him. Look out next year with Lowrie, but I can't see the Sox just sitting Lugo (and all of his money), to put in a rookie SS fro the stretch run.
The pen has been the biggest dissappointment after having the best pen in the majors last year. Maybe Masterson can help fill a huge void later in the season. Help is needed, but isn't it needed with most teams pen? Either way, if it is addressed, it wouldn't involve major player movement.
The only way there will be "major" player movement is if Papi doesn't come back at all this year. Then yes, we will need another hitter for the stretch run. Other than that, this is basically the team we are counting on.
It's best not to think after two stupid losses in the Bronx. It's impossible at any time, and much worse sinking below the Rays... RAYS?!!?... with six one-run losses on one road trip. This is not the Sox, this is a slump that should be expected when you've had FIVE starters (Beckett, Dice-K, Colon, Bucholz and Schilling) and the greatest clutch hitter in your team's history on the DL.. Don't forget Lowell lost a month as well. Lots of injuries.So where we are now, is pretty damn good. Second half should be great. That said, tinkering needs to be done and it's simple really. Masterson to the pen is great. Bucholz back, commanding his fastball makes the rotation five-deep. Papi back makes Manny better and Drew a good six hitter instead of a streaky three hitter. That leaves only two changes:
1) Lowrie up, cut Cora (or make him a manager ala Kapler). Tell Lugo to find himself again as a supersub as he did in Tampa or be gone.
2) Three catchers in AAA and AA are getting good reviews. The AAA guys are even catching a knuckleballer. Cash has been a worker, but his hitting is right where its always been... the Menodoza line. We can't have it with Tek's struggles and Tek can't go anywhere (remember his absence in '06?). Bring up a different catcher to spell Tek and provide some pop.
That will be good enough to overtake the Rays and hold off the Yanks. If they get a lefty reliever fine, but why ship out another three prospects? Last time looked so great didn't it when Gagne single-handidly let the Yanks back in the race.
One final note about the Rays. Think Brewers in '07. Think Tigers in '06 (who just about choked a much bigger lead away and had to settle for the Wild Card). Think Royals under Tony Pena. They could be the next Marlins, or even As... I suspect they will be by next year because god knows all those high no. 1s are going to pay off sometime, but this year they haven't had a down time yet (everyone except the 119 win Yanks, and '27 Yanks do, including the 116 win Ms who had the back luck of hitting their slump in the playoffs) and one thing is proven, young players wear down the first couple of times through a 162 game season. They may hang on for the wild card, but they won't win the division. I'm surprised none of the ESPN talking heads haven't at least put down their Ray pom poms once to mention this rock-solid trend in MLB'spast.
Not so much '05 as Aug '07...a team that looked professional but disinterested, lacking the desire to close out the competition. The biggest concern is that this year, the Sox aren't holding the top spot. Just remember how it all turned out in the end :).
I say that Manny or Papi won't be back because this feels so much like those "just as soon as Nomar gets healthy..." seasons. There is play left in both of them, but maybe not as much as we would like. If they are breaking down like Nomar and Pedro, the Sox may part ways with one while they are still great players, to get young value in return (trade or draft). Remember that the Nomar trade was unthinkable at the time.
No way am I rooting for a team with Barry Bonds on it. We might as well add pinstripes to the uniforms.
And ditto on the mistake of getting rid of Cabrera. That made NO sense at all and we continue to feel the effects of it today.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
by eric wilbur
browse this blog
by categoryINside Boston.com