Scott Cordischi On Sports: Sox’ Season On The Line
Wednesday, July 04, 2012
Bill Parcells used to like to say, “you are what you are.” And in the case of the 2012 Boston Red Sox, that is a very mediocre baseball team.
The Red Sox are still very much in the playoff race because this is the way that baseball wants it. With the addition of the extra Wild Card team in each league, Major League baseball has pretty much admitted that it is in favor of allowing mediocre teams to participate in the postseason.
But after Tuesday night’s loss to the woeful A’s in Oakland, Boston is now (2-4) on their 7-game road trip against the dreadful Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics. Not exactly what you expect from a playoff-caliber team. Yet, at (42-39) Boston is a mere 1 ½ games out of the newly added second American League Wild spot. Yipee!
To be fair, this Red Sox team has had to deal with its share of adversity this season, mainly in the form of injuries. Jacoby Ellsbury, Carl Crawford, John Lackey and Andrew Bailey have all pretty much spent the entire season on the disabled list with other key players also having spent time on the DL.
Still, even given their current state of health, this team should be able to take care of business against what amount to be glorified minor league line-up’s in Seattle and Oakland.
Manager Bobby Valentine was a lightning rod for criticism early in the season until Red Sox Nation realized that what’s going on really isn’t his fault. In fact, many of his moves may actually be helping the team hang around in the playoff race.
However, as much as Valentine has tried to bite his tongue when it comes to his team, he could not hold back his frustration Tuesday night.
With Boston holding a 2-1 lead in the top of the 9th, they managed to get runners on first and second with nobody out in an effort to add to their 1-run lead. Nick Punto was asked to bunt, and bunt he did – into a double play!
Punto popped his bunt attempt up in the air which was caught by first baseman Chris Carter. Carter then threw to Jemile Weeks who was covering first for the double play. “We had first and second, no outs in the top of the ninth. That’s where the game was lost,” Valentine said. “You can’t bunt into a double play there. That’s simple. We’ve got our best bunter on the team up. He’s got to be able to bunt the ball and get the guys over.”
While the Red Sox are floundering on the west coast, outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford are beginning rehab stints with the Portland Sea Dogs. Will their arrivals be just in time to save this team from continuing down the path that they are on? Who knows?
But with 4 games at Fenway against the first place New York Yankees before the All-Star break coming up this weekend and then road trips to Tampa, Texas and New York immediately following the break, their season could be coming to an end sooner than anyone expected if they don’t figure things out soon.
-Danny Ainge can say that he is still interested in keeping Ray Allen, but the signing of former Mavericks’ sharp-shooter Jason Terry says otherwise.
-Speaking of the Celtics, it appears that most of that gritty veteran team that was so easy to root for this past season will be back in tact for Celtics’ fans to root for again this winter.
-I guess Ainge doesn’t practice what he preaches because he said of the former “Big Three” of Bird, Parrish and McHale that they should have been broken up before they were because it hurt the franchise.
-Why can’t the Red Sox get players like Coco Crisp?
-Not that you could blame Ray Allen for signing with Miami, but it would be hard for this Celtics’ fan to see him wearing a Heat uniform.
-In 8 games as a member of the Chicago White Sox, Kevin Youkilis is batting .281 with 1 homerun and 8 RBI. Once again, why can’t Boston get players like that?
-“Matsuzaka” must be the Japanese word for “bust.”
-I love the 4th of July!
-Isn’t it ironic that PC’s Kiwi Gardner went from a super-athletic, undersized guard that could help the Friars to a player there appeared to be no room for at PC and now an important part of their backcourt rotation this season?
-Speaking of college basketball, you’ll need an updated list of conference standings this fall as 20 different schools will be playing in new conferences this year. The biggest moves feature West Virginia and TCU to the Big Twelve, Missouri and Texas A&M to the SEC and Butler and VCU to the Atlantic Ten.
-Am I the only one who doesn’t care whether the Nets are in New Jersey or Brooklyn?
-There’s no truth to the rumor that the Celtics will be changing their primary color from green to orange after drafting Syracuse stars Fab Melo and Kris Joseph.
-Is Alfredo Aceves in any way related to Heathcliff Slocumb?
-That David Ortiz is the Red Sox only member of the American league All-Star team is all you need to know about this year’s squad. However, you could also argue that Jarrod Saltalamacchia deserved to be an All-Star.
-If Tiger wins the British Open then he will definitely be back.
-Bruins fans had better be ready for “Tuukka Time!”
-On behalf of all of Red Sox Nation I would like to thank Bobby Jenks for doing absolutely nothing for the team in his 2 years here.
-Justin Germano. Now there’s the answer to all of the Red Sox’ problems.
Comments:
Harold Stassen
9:52am on Thursday, July 05, 2012
Quite simply, Nick Punto is horrible. How he is in the Major Leagues escapes me. If he's your best bunter, then your team is in big trouble. Just goes to show you how watered down the talent level has become.
The Red Sox have had a plethora of mediocre players hitting in the low 200's the past few years. Considering their numerous injuries, the Sox are lucky to be where they are. However, on the whole, this team is uninspiring with a whole bunch of underachievers (Gonzalez, Beckett, Bard, etc.).
pearl fanch
10:05am on Thursday, July 05, 2012
Of course Punto should be able to get the bunt down. But what about putting some blame on the idiot baserunners who took off when they saw the ball go UP, instead of down.
Come on guys, we teach you this stuff in LITTLE LEAGUE!!!!!!
Look back at postings from the beginning of the season. I picked the Sox for 4th place in the division, and they'll be lucky to finish that high.
Scott Cordischi
10:16pm on Thursday, July 05, 2012
Harold; I agree with your take on the Sox. They are an uninspiring bunch.
Pearl: I thought you were just being a contrarian at the beginning of the season, but the longer this goes on, you appear to have been right on about this team. I'll be the first to admit that I thought last September was the abberation for this team and not the norm. Now I am beginning to think that you were right on!
Howard Miller
4:26pm on Friday, July 06, 2012
Scott/Harold i agree with both of you, however there is a little more to be counted. It is not only Carl, DP, Jacoby and several other injured but they are some of the best at there craft. Some of us still believe the season does not start till after the all star break. Imagine if the Sox sweep the Yanks this weekend. Lets take a hypothetical lets say me Scott Harold and me went out for a few libations and i got some thing done that nobody ever has before. I got Scott to by. And i asked you how do you think the Sox will do this year if Jacoby, and Dp have 50 home runs betwen them and 200 RBIs whta would your answer have been
Scott Cordischi
6:57pm on Friday, July 06, 2012
Howard: You're a funny man! I have no problem buying a round of water for everyone....lol!
Howard Miller
7:24pm on Friday, July 06, 2012
Scott---that proves my point---if we went into a fancy restaurant on Federal Hill and someone who saw us said who is that big sparkone---they would not be talking about you---or me either for that matter Harold it looks like this tab is on you