Playoffs?

In the beginning of the year, I probably picked the Red Sox to win the World Series. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've predicted that every year since I learned the World Series existed in '91. However, now it's not even certain they'll be in the playoffs this year. They're 4.5 games behind the Artists Formally Known as the Devil Rays* and are clinging to a slim half game wild card lead.

The problems with the team are so numerous it's tough to tell where to begin. First, I guess we'll start with the trading deadline, and more specifically, the Manny deal. Apparently, everyone was sick of him and my friend Jose is convinced he was throwing at bats and purposely making errors in his last days in Boston. According to rumors, a group of veterans including Varitek and Lowell went to Theo to tell him Manny had to go. I don't care how much of this is true, you don't trade away Manny Rameriz. You find a way to make him happy, and then he produces. That's the bottom line. Since he left Boston, he has 6 homers, 21 RBI, a .500 OBP and he's hitting a mere .413.

Former Yankee and Red Sox manager Joe McCarthy had a tie policy. Everyone had to wear ties unless they were in their uniform. Ted Williams didn't wear ties, and the media started asking McCarthy what he was gonna do about it. McCarthy said he wasn't gonna do anything about it cause "If you can't get along with a .400 hitter, you have no business being in the game." Whatever it took to make Manny happy, the team should have done it. He is the greatest Red Sox outfielder of my life time, and the fact they gave up two prospects, admittedly not great prospects, but two prospects none the less, plus they're paying all of Manny's salary and all they got was Jason Bay is silly. I'm not blaming Jason Bay for this. I really don't have a strong opinion on him one way or the other yet. He seems to be a right handed J.D. Drew. The good one from this year, not the bad one from last year.

Problem number 2 is the bullpen. In tonight's game, I watched Aardsma, Lopez, and Timlin all suck. One guy comes out after the other and the only question I have is how many runs will they give up? It's a given that every inherited runner will score, regardless of who comes through the bullpen door (even if it's Papelbon...). For Aardsma, Lopez, Timlin, and DelCarmen, at least 1 run and usually 2 are guarented. It got to the point tonight where the Red Sox warmed up middle infielder Alex Cora and considered bringing him in. I was rooting for him to come in and pitch a 1-2-3 inning. If he had, it would easily propel him to the top half of the bullpen depth chart.

The third problem is the rotation. Lester has been great, Diasuke has been good. Wakefield has been Wakefield. He's a .500 pitcher, which isn't bad for a number 5. Everyone else has been disapointing, none worse then Josh Beckett. I honestly thought Beckett was the reincarnation of Derek Lowe in 2006. He pitched well when things were going well, then he blew up and pitched like crap if one thing went wrong. I didn't trust him in 2007 even though he had a Cy Young calaber year until the playoffs. Then he pitched his rear end off in October and put forth the best performance in post season history leading me to declare him the best pitcher to ever wear a Red Sox uniform. This year he's 11-9 with a 4.34 ERA. That mediocrity is something I expect from Tim Wakefield, not the ace. Add on top of that Beckett now has numbness in his hand and might miss his next start, and this isn't what I expected from the heir to Pedro Martinez.

Buchholz was in my mind gonna be what Lester currently is. Well, maybe not that good, at least not yet. But he hasn't won a game since May! He's 2-9 with an ERA in the 6's, plus he got hammered tonight after the offense spotted him a 4 run lead against an Oriole team he no hit a year ago. He was optioned to AA Portland after tonight's shalacking. Interesting tidbit from the official press release, the Sox are 3-12 when Buchholz starts, 70-42 when anyone else does. I have no idea whose gonna replace him. Maybe they'll activate Wakefield from the DL.

I was originally gonna blame Epstein for problems 2 and 3, but I decided not to at the last minute. It's hard to considering the injuries (Schilling, Colon, Wakefield) and people underpreforming (Buchholz and Okajima) he's had to deal with. I was also gonna blame Schilling for being injured,but I decided not to. He's done way to much for the Boston Red Sox and I don't blame anyone for signing a deal that gives them millions to play a game...even if they're too hurt to play.

*-note as of tonight, the Artists Formally Known as the Devil Rays have 77 wins. That means my earlier prediction still has a mathematical chance of being true.