Pulling up my Sox
When I arrived this morning, I got a nice little email. This is all that was included:
If I was feeling poorly before, now I'm totally depressed.
The events of the last four days have been, well, humiliating.
After what the Chicago Tribune called an old-school beating, The Boston Herald's Steve Buckley boldly declares that these Sox are not worthy of October.
The Yankees out-pitched, out-hit and out-scored the Sox.
Most importantly they out-coached them.
Sure the pitchers didn't execute as well as they should have. Bill Madden of the New York Daily News writes how the Sox bullpen failed.
But the blame should fall on the shoulders of Terry Francona.
First of all the lineup was weak. Yes, they scored runs, but they should have scored more.
There was virtually no protection for Manny Ramirez, all weekend. Kevin Youkilis as been playing well, but hitting in the five hole? Give me a break.
Wily Mo Pena should be a fixture at that position!
Ed's lineup | Tito's lineup
Youkilis | Crisp
Loretta | Loretta
Ortiz | Ortiz
Ramirez | Ramirez
Pena | Youkilis
Lowell/Hinske | Lowell/Hinske
Crisp | Pena
Lopez | Lopez
Cora | Cora
The 3-4-5 position are where you place your power hitters. I don't know of any lineup in baseball that doesn't believe in this philosophy, 'cept the Sox.
My lineup is not too different but the three major moves are huge.
Wily Mo Pena provided some pop while batting in the seventh spot, but we could not take advantage of his power in that part of the order. His extra-base hits came with no one on. He didn't bat particularly well over the course of the series, however in the five hole with runners on, he would have seen different pitchs.
Youkilis actually should have been moved up to the front of the line, taking advantage of his great OBP. Youkilis in the leadoff spot has proven to work. Just look at the record before the All-Star break and after. Besides, he has no power.
Coco Crisp meanwhile did nothing to benefit the club. He had one hit the whole series. One hit! (I like him and he will be an asset, but man, your leadoff guy is to set the table. He was more like a bus boy).
Moving Coco to the seventh spot actually could benefit him. The pressure would be off and he could finally relax. He knows the type of player he's replaced. And if he didn't, he got to see Damon up close this weekend. That weight and his injury have slowed him down, but Coco will eventually be fine. At seventh, he may even be able to get his leadoff at-bats. He would hit ahead of Lopez, who has some power (though we haven't seen much of that lately) and could be the spark in the lower part of the order.
In the first game, I saw a huge problem from the time Hinske joined the club. Instead of placing Hinske in the infield, they placed him in right taking a hot bat out of the lineup. Francona should have sat Lowell who bats .222 vs. Wang and didn't fare too well vs. Ponson either. Yes, he made a great catch, but that catch did not save a run.
Finally, I don't think we can emphasize enough what Jason Varitek means to this pitching staff, this team. The captain has been out since August 1 and while he has been out the pitching staff's collective ERA is almost a run and a half higher. Coincidence? I do not think so.
Tek knows the staff, he challenges pitchers as much as he does opposing hitters. There is a comfort level and face it he calls a great game. He'll be back Sept. 1, a month too late.
The Boston Globe writes At Fenway, despair sweeps in.
It's not all bad. The Sox actually should have one three of these games. Schilling pitched well; David Wells has been pitching great; and the Sox hit Randy Johnson like they have in the past.
The results will be different when they meet again for another four-game set in September.
Yankee fans have your day, or week for that matter. There's still plenty of baseball left. I'm not ready to quit.
E-mail this entry to a friend
Subscribe
Questions/Comments
