I realize we're only a dozen games into the season...
...but I'm really not impressed right now with the 2010 edition of the Boston Red Sox. Give me all the statistical arguments for this team you want, but at the end of the day (or 12 games) this "pitching and defensive powerhouse" has a run differential of -13, finds itself in 4th place in the AL East, losers of 4 in a row, and owners of a 2-6 record against "good" teams.
I was hoping to be proven wrong (and there's obviously a good chance that I still will), but I'm not a huge fan of Boston's off season moves. John Lackey may have been the best of the free agent pitchers, but the fact is his record against "elite" teams such as the Yankees isn't as stellar. He's been good so far, but we'll see how he stands up to facing the Yankees and Rays more in the AL East. Moreso to the point, the Red Sox are a mess offensively. I find their off season acquisitions puzzling. Rather than sign a true left fielder in Jason Bay, they opted to move a center fielder (Ellsbury) to play left so they could sign another center fielder (Cameron). And just in case they hadn't riled Mike Lowell enough by trying to trade him two seasons in a row, they signed a third baseman (to his credit, Lowell hasn't appeared to have caused any trouble. Yet.). Meanwhile, in the DH position, David Ortiz continues to struggle, once again hitting below the Mendoza line. I happened to catch "the end" of Friday/Saturday's rain suspended game the other day. While I watched, Ortiz struck out to open the 9th and grounded into a fielder's choice in the 10th with the bases loaded and no out. The Red Sox went on to lose, off of a home run by the Rays (no matter how good your defense is, they're not gonna be able to do much on a home run...and between A-Rod, Jeter, and Texiera, you can bet the Yankees are going to be able to hit a few). There was once a time when that would have never have happened. No more.
I really don't get some of the management's moves. They've paid millions of dollars to get rid of a disgruntled slugger who, despite the bad attitude, could still hit. Yet they leave a slugger who obviously can't anymore, and refuse to put in a player who would have a justifiable case in being disgruntled.
Being an engineer, I'm all for statistics, so it'd be awesome if I were proven wrong. But for now? Perhaps its time to see how those underdog Celtics do....
I was hoping to be proven wrong (and there's obviously a good chance that I still will), but I'm not a huge fan of Boston's off season moves. John Lackey may have been the best of the free agent pitchers, but the fact is his record against "elite" teams such as the Yankees isn't as stellar. He's been good so far, but we'll see how he stands up to facing the Yankees and Rays more in the AL East. Moreso to the point, the Red Sox are a mess offensively. I find their off season acquisitions puzzling. Rather than sign a true left fielder in Jason Bay, they opted to move a center fielder (Ellsbury) to play left so they could sign another center fielder (Cameron). And just in case they hadn't riled Mike Lowell enough by trying to trade him two seasons in a row, they signed a third baseman (to his credit, Lowell hasn't appeared to have caused any trouble. Yet.). Meanwhile, in the DH position, David Ortiz continues to struggle, once again hitting below the Mendoza line. I happened to catch "the end" of Friday/Saturday's rain suspended game the other day. While I watched, Ortiz struck out to open the 9th and grounded into a fielder's choice in the 10th with the bases loaded and no out. The Red Sox went on to lose, off of a home run by the Rays (no matter how good your defense is, they're not gonna be able to do much on a home run...and between A-Rod, Jeter, and Texiera, you can bet the Yankees are going to be able to hit a few). There was once a time when that would have never have happened. No more.
I really don't get some of the management's moves. They've paid millions of dollars to get rid of a disgruntled slugger who, despite the bad attitude, could still hit. Yet they leave a slugger who obviously can't anymore, and refuse to put in a player who would have a justifiable case in being disgruntled.
Being an engineer, I'm all for statistics, so it'd be awesome if I were proven wrong. But for now? Perhaps its time to see how those underdog Celtics do....