Report: Red Sox Fire Pitching Coach Bob McClure

Jon Heyman is tweeting that the Red Sox, fresh off the news about Carl Crawford reported by the Associated Press, have fired pitching coach Bob McClure. McClure coached a Boston staff with a 4.30 earned run average to this point in the season.

Featured on that staff are two top pitchers with an ERA over five this season. Josh Beckett and Jon Lester were supposed to anchor the rotation, but neither have found a consistent groove yet. The staff leader in ERA is Clay Buchholz, sporting a 4.19 mark. There is no question that the pitching has been the biggest disappointment about the Red Sox this year.

Bob McClure is the first one to pay for that. He came in with Bobby Valentine, who many believe is on the hot seat, and served previously as the pitching coach in Kansas City from 2006-2011. He was fired from that post after last year.

The bullpen has also been an issue at times this season. Alfredo Aceves does have 25 saves, but don't let that mark fool you. He has an ERA over four to go along with seven losses.

The Sox are a sad story this season for many reasons and this only adds to it. You have to feel bad for Bobby Valentine because he was every bit as excited as the fans were about the potential for a deep playoff run with this team. It seems that since the season started, it's been all downhill.