Red Sox Struggle, Pitching Suffers, Team Slumps

Red Sox Hit Rock Bottom, Playoff Prospects Dim

 

In sports, not much gets worse than rooting for your team during a slump. Slumps just aren't losing stretches in baseball. They are periods of time where you can't get the big hit. Errors come at the worst time. Normally reliable players disappear. And it's not just your team - you typically have to watch the other team get the call they need to extend the inning, or watch their number 9 hitter get hot.

 

Red Sox have been Streaky

The Pitching has been Woeful Is there Hope with So Many Injuries?

Much to my surprise, the 2011 edition of the Red Sox has been quite streaky. When they've been bad, they've been horrible. Early on, it was hard to watch their start, as they couldn't pitch or hit for beans. And they've had two other bad streaks during the season, where they've dropped games badly to teams that have much less talent. Well, they're in another slump, but this one is different than the others. It's different, because they don't look anything like the team they were even a month ago.

 

Red Sox Out of Starters

Earlier I posted that the Sox, for all purposes had lost 60% of their rotation. (Lackey, worst season of his career bar none, Buckholz out, Dice-K gone). And now Beckett is down. Expected back, but what we've been watching is what happens when 80% of your rotation is gone or being useless. And it's not pretty. The Sox, in September, have quickly posted the WORST ERA in the AL, giving up over 6.3 runs a game. Post all star break they are a frightening 8th. And that includes the bullpen, which has been stellar until this week. It's not a co-incidence. The starters can't get through their innings, so the bullpen gets tired, and then they get sloppy, and that small margin is the difference between getting whacked around and successfully competing. As good as their line up is - and it will recover before the month is out - it won't matter if they can't pitch. Few teams survive the playoffs without sharp pitching, and as we the post season draws near, we would do well to remember that. Getting Beckett back helps, but it's no quick fix - the Sox need a someone to get hot in the bullpen for the 7th inning, Bard needs to regain form for the 8th, and Eric Bedard - yes, Bedard - has become an important lynchpin for the Sox. Neither Lackey nor Wakefield have inspired any confidence for two months, and while I believe Wake has a chance, a small chance, to get hot and help the local 9, it's about time to close the book on Lackey. How Francona will make peace with himself and start Lackey in a playoff game I have no idea, but you can't expect to win that game.  Lots of IF's there, enough for me to take a deep breath, and start to think this may not be our year.

 

Red Sox not the only Club with Pitching Issues

If there is a silver lining, it's that the other playoff teams seem to have their own issues as well. Nolan Ryan expressed concern his Texas rotation looks "tired," (club has been 6th in ERA post all-star) and they are losing ground steadily to the Angles in the West. Yankees are dropping games almost as quickly as the Red Sox, which instead of vaulting the Sox in first has instead resulted in similar standings to where we were at the end of August. Verlander is still having his Cy Young season, but as noted earlier, not sure they can count on anyone outside of him, but they have the #2 team ERA in the American League, and should be considered contenders on that basis alone to represent the AL in the World Series. Pitching is so important, we'll be taking a detailed look at each rotation as we get closer to the end. Hopefully, the Sox will get a chance to improve on that 6.3 ERA this month.

 

 

Do Good Things Today!

Matt Heisler