Treading Water and Wishful Thinking
June ended with the Sox fifteen games above .500, right on pace for the post-season, but July showed no improvement. Not only were they failing to make any progress, not gaining ground toward that elusive .600 mark that seems to define post season play, they were losing ground, to the Rays, to the Angels, to all the other teams fighting for the wild card. Things really seemed to fall apart after the all star break, with the Sox going 4-8, while Manny was throwing a fit of some kind. The nadir was reached in a six game home stand with the Yankees and Angels, the Sox winning only one of those games. Of course, I picked exactly that time to make our family pilgrimage to Fenway. We had fun visiting John, and eating and drinking fabulous stuff for two days, but still we had to see them lose to the Angels of Anaheim 7-5, in a game where they stranded runners in scoring position in almost every late inning. Wasted opportunities.
But after the trade for Jason Bay, and Manny’s departure for the west coast, the Sox played pretty well on a ten game road trip. For the first time all year, they had pitching and hitting on the road, not just for a single game, but for three series in a row. Although they played the White Sox even, I took heart from the last game of that series, when after failing to get a hit for the first six plus innings, they broke through late, and salvaged a split, thanks in large part to a great outing by Beckett. It reminded me in ways of Game Five of the ALCS. We need those dominant performances from Beckett – as well as Lester and Dice – games where the pitchers keep things close until the bats can come alive. And we need to keep winning on the road. The team is still seven games under .500 on the road, and it’s hard to picture them having any success in September, or in the post-season, if there is to be post-season, without being able to win on the road. I know last year the Sox had the home field advantage throughout, but remember in 2004 that they were the wild card, and had to beat the Angels and the Yankees by winning away.
Another source of insecurity is the woeful performance of the bullpen. Huge leads have been vaporized the last couple nights, even though the Sox managed to take two from Texas. And yes, we know that Texas has a tough lineup -- but squandering a ten-run lead, and allowing an eight-run deficit to be cut in half in the blink of an eye – that hardly leaves one with any kind of comfort level. Pap can still get the job done, and most nights Okajima is still able to hold onto leads. But if the starters don’t get to the eighth, or if Pap and Oki need a night off, it’s totally hold-your-breath time.
Mike was at the park tonight, watching Lester close down the Rangers through seven. Not only that, but he sat in the owners’ box. Mike’s had a hell of a summer, hitting his own home run at H&K, and now getting VIP treatment courtesy of his friend Kyle. I need a seat in the owners’ box. And a tour of the monster seats. And a chance to watch Youk up close, while he’s taking batting practice. Is Youk on fire or what? So we’re putting these items on the wish list – a decent road record, a more consistent showing from the bullpen, and a seat in the owners’ box, perhaps for the opening game of the World Series. Is that too much to ask for?
But after the trade for Jason Bay, and Manny’s departure for the west coast, the Sox played pretty well on a ten game road trip. For the first time all year, they had pitching and hitting on the road, not just for a single game, but for three series in a row. Although they played the White Sox even, I took heart from the last game of that series, when after failing to get a hit for the first six plus innings, they broke through late, and salvaged a split, thanks in large part to a great outing by Beckett. It reminded me in ways of Game Five of the ALCS. We need those dominant performances from Beckett – as well as Lester and Dice – games where the pitchers keep things close until the bats can come alive. And we need to keep winning on the road. The team is still seven games under .500 on the road, and it’s hard to picture them having any success in September, or in the post-season, if there is to be post-season, without being able to win on the road. I know last year the Sox had the home field advantage throughout, but remember in 2004 that they were the wild card, and had to beat the Angels and the Yankees by winning away.
Another source of insecurity is the woeful performance of the bullpen. Huge leads have been vaporized the last couple nights, even though the Sox managed to take two from Texas. And yes, we know that Texas has a tough lineup -- but squandering a ten-run lead, and allowing an eight-run deficit to be cut in half in the blink of an eye – that hardly leaves one with any kind of comfort level. Pap can still get the job done, and most nights Okajima is still able to hold onto leads. But if the starters don’t get to the eighth, or if Pap and Oki need a night off, it’s totally hold-your-breath time.
Mike was at the park tonight, watching Lester close down the Rangers through seven. Not only that, but he sat in the owners’ box. Mike’s had a hell of a summer, hitting his own home run at H&K, and now getting VIP treatment courtesy of his friend Kyle. I need a seat in the owners’ box. And a tour of the monster seats. And a chance to watch Youk up close, while he’s taking batting practice. Is Youk on fire or what? So we’re putting these items on the wish list – a decent road record, a more consistent showing from the bullpen, and a seat in the owners’ box, perhaps for the opening game of the World Series. Is that too much to ask for?
posted by pops | 11:09 PM
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