Let’s put it this way: The Devil Rays can’t pass the Red Sox in the AL East standings this week, but they can certainly make it interesting.
In many ways, this final week of June will be the defining days of these 2004 Boston Red Sox, a team with an identity about as difficult to peg as where its star shortstop’s bat speed went, gone since Sept. 1, 2003.
For the third series meeting of the year, it’s New York-Boston. And wow how things have changed since last they met in April, when some way too optimistic members of Red Sox Nation were already making plans for October.
But since the Red Sox escaped New York with a 2-0 win on April 25, completing a three-game sweep, Terry Francona’s band of enigmatic performers have gone 30-26, just four games over .500. Meanwhile, those reeling Yankees, 8-11 on that April Sunday, have gone 39-15 since, and have built a 5 1/2 game cushion in the East over the Red Sox.
A New York sweep would extend that to an 8 1/2 game lead over the Red Sox. And if Tampa Bay can sweep four games from the Toronto Blue Jays (a thought that seems nowhere near as absurd as it would have a month ago), they will sit just 1 1/2 games behind the Red Sox.
Take a moment for that to sink in if need be.
Apparently this is what $130 million will get you, a .500 team. Boston is just a game over .500 since May 1, and is 8-8 since the return of Nomar Garciaparra, an addition that was supposed to spark this team. They are just 5-5 since the return of Trot Nixon, an addition that was supposed to transform them back into last year’s offensive powerhouse.
It hasn’t happened. Nixon is hitting .258 since his return, albeit with three homers in 28 at bats. But Garciaparra’s presence at the plate has simply disappeared, and it’s a mystery what has happened. An MVP possibility late last summer, Garciaparra has hit .195 since the start of last September. Yikes.
If the Sox don’t get it together this week, you can spend a lot more time looking at the wild card standings in lieu of the AL East. The Yankees know what’s at stake this week, and they can put some distance between themselves and a team that is just a game over .500 (there it is again) on the road. Apparently nobody told them they would have to catch the ball along the way this season. The Sox have committed 61 errors, second-worst in the American League.
Theo Epstein basically said yesterday it’s put up or shut up time. Thankfully someone said it. If you listened to the players and the Alfred E. Neumann-evoking manager, you might have thought the Red Sox were going to be simply awarded October this year.
And just to remind you, the Devil Rays are just as many games behind the Red Sox as Boston is the Yankees.
Right said Fred
The Red Sox can breathe a little easy in that the Yankees didn’t land Seattle pitcher Freddy Garcia, who went to the White Sox instead. Now the Yankees turn their attention to Jamie Moyer or Atlanta’s Russ Ortiz.
But here is the question for the Red Sox. With all the recent talk about Epstein wanting to go after another bat instead of a starter, we just have to ask, who is smoking what thinking Boston is better off with a stick over an arm? Yes, the Sox could use someone to replace Kevin Millar in the lineup, but they have still scored the second-most runs in the AL (second to Chicago), and they are hitting .013 better than the Yankees’ much ballyhooed powerhouse lineup.
But their No. 4 starter has not won since May 23. Their No. 5 has not seen a win since May 15.
If that’s not a flashing beacon, I don’t know what is.
To that end, Epstein could pursue Moyer as well, knowing that he would give Boston a lefty starter, and keep him away from New York. He could try and pry Baby Pedro, Ramon Ortiz, away from Anaheim. Ortiz has requested a trade, but it is unclear how willing Anaheim would be to deal him to a wild card contender.
With rumored talks between the Red Sox and Blue Jays, who have no chance at getting back into contention, centering around Frank Catalanotto or even Carlos Delgado, perhaps Epstein could discuss grabbing Ted Lilly off their hands as well. Two birds. One stone. Likely a few expensive stones, but it would be a deal that fills all of Boston’s needs.
Just please, let’s stop the talk about how Boston’s biggest need is offense. When you haven’t seen a win from two of your starters in more than a month, I think it’s pretty obvious where your needs lie.
What’s in a name?
A Pampa, Texas couple became one of three American families to name their child ESPN. Reason No. 678 to stay the hell away from Texas.
The network will be doing a feature next month on the children named after them. It’ll play well as a cross-promotion with the ABC broadcast of “Deliverance.”
By Eric Wilbur & the Boston.Com Staff.
From Boston.com on June 28, 2004.