As I watched the 11 inning, five hour and 27 minute, back-and-forth affair between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox in Game Two of the ALCS, I learned quite a bit about both squads.
Here's what I've come to conclude.
Josh Beckett = Huh?
What has happened to Beckett? He was given an early lead from the Sox offense and he managed to give up that lead...wait for it...three separate times (see Francona's Follies below). Beckett was the 2003 World Series MVP for the Florida Marlins. Just last season, he was the easy choice for MVP for the Red Sox in the ALCS over the Indians.
2008 has obviously not been Beckett's year, and he showed his mortality throughout the season, as he followed up last year's 20-7 record with a disappointing 12-10 record this season in 27 starts.
This season also marked only the second time in his career that he has finished a season with an ERA over four. However, one thing that has been as consistent as facial hair on Kevin Youkilis is Beckett's ability to shut opponents down in the playoffs. In his playoff career, he has only had a series ERA over three once (3.26 in 2003 against the Cubs), but this season, in his two playoff starts, he is holding down an ERA over 11. Good thing there is a guy named John Lester in that rotation.
Francona's Follies
Look, Terry Francona is a great guy and often times a great manager. But is anyone else curious as to why he left Beckett in for so long the other night? Why did Beckett even get the chance to surrender the lead a third time?
J.D. Drew has no arm
Has anyone ever done testing to see if, in fact, J.D. Drew has a right arm? With the way he came up throwing on that shallow flyball off of Upton's bat had to leave Sox fans wanting proof that there is an actual arm coming out of that jersey.
Drew almost had to waive off the first and second basemen to make the play and yet he still couldn’t' get that ball to home in the air...what?! I know several men in the geriatric unit at Boston's South Cove Manor nursing home who would have been able to put enough air under that throw (much less keep it on line).
If I'm Tampa Bay and I have a guy on third base with less than two outs...forget swinging for the fences...I'm swinging for Drew.
Tampa has weaknesses
It is so much fun to think about the Rays winning the World Series (unless you are a Boston, L.A., or Phillies fan). But one thing we have seen in these first two games against the Sox that we didn't see in the series against Chicago is that Tampa has some things to be worried about.
Scott Kazmir did his best impression of Charlie Sheen in Major League, as he became a little wild again. He threw a whopping 38 pitches in the first inning, and if I'm Tampa Bay, I am a little concerned. An inconsistent offense (zero runs in Game One and nine runs in Game Two) seems to be the story for the first two games of this ALCS, and with the Rays having to face Lester at Fenway today, they better hope their Game Two offense shows up.
David who?
18 comments Last one added 8 months ago — Leave a Comment
Rory Davis 8 months ago
Ortiz has really gone lifeless...He's no longer imposing, esp. w/o Manny around him. The winner of this game today wins the series I think.
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Kyle Flanagan 8 months ago
I think you are right. This is a pivotal game for both squads... with Lester on the bump, upper hand has to go to the Sox.
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Tyson Camp 8 months ago
Maybe Kazmir needs those dorky glasses like Sheen wore in ML~ I'm with you about Tito's decision to keep a struggling Beckett in... I watched the game with my bro-in-law, who is an avid Sox fan, and we were both puzzled as to why Francona kept Beckett in as he was getting rocked left and right. I know you typically let a big-time pitcher work himself out of a jam, but Beckett just kept getting into trouble. Can't wait for the game tonight! Go Rays!
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Rocky Miskelly 8 months ago
J. D. Drew has an arm, a very, very, weak one, like I have seen little leaguers with stronger arms. Good article, I enjoyed it.
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Ethan Gooderum 8 months ago
First of all, nice article... very observant, and not too loud, great read.
Second of all, I couldn't agree with you more when it comes to Francona. What I think happens with him is that he is too much of a players manager, meaning that he gets emotionally invested in them. This could be why he wanted to leave Beckett in... if Beckett wants to stay, he doesn't want to tell Beckett that he doesn't want him in there for the eighth, he has a large level of trust and caring for his players, and that can sometimes get in the way.
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Travis Rand 8 months ago
I have to agree with Rory. Is anyone even scared of "Big Papi" anymore?
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Kyle Flanagan 8 months ago
I can't see how anyone could possibly be afraid of Big Papi... not with the way he is swinging the lumber and the amount and quality of other weapons in that line up.
Ethan, I think you hit it right on the head... Francona's relationship with his players is too friendly and not enough manger-ish. While it is a good quality at times, it can (like you said) get in the way of progress.
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Michael Lemaire 8 months ago
While it's true that Big Papi hasn't been hitting the ball very well, but that's because pitchers are still VERY afraid of him.
He has walked 7 times in just 23 at-bats, pitchers don't want to give him anything to hit because he feasts off of bad pitching.
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Abner Lope 8 months ago
A good article about a very interesting ALCS; I have thoroughly enjoyed every game. Beckett is definitely better than what he is showing; however, we must understand that he may be dealing with an issue we know nothing about. Pitchers often times gut it out in pressure situations rather than miss an important start.
Atlanta was one of many stops on JD Drew's MLB tour; he was brought here for his stick and not his arm.
Big Papi is getting pitched to brilliantly; the guy has a stick, but the Rays are wisely not giving anything he can extend on- a luxury they can afford without Manny protecting him.
Francona is still a great manager; he may be a players' manager to a fault, but all he can do is insert the best qualified player based on his data. It is still up to the players to execute.
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Kyle Flanagan 8 months ago
I agree that Drew is there for his bat, and that was painfully obvious to any Sox fan who saw him throw on Saturday night.
You are right about Francona and the players. While he may have not made the best decisions, the burden still falls on those inside the white lines ultimately.
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RedSox Maniac 8 months ago
I'm sorry; this analysis totally overlooked Jon Lester and his bad game. After the Angels games where he was hitting 97, he comes to this game throwing 92 and getting behind in the counts.
He has given up more than one run once in eight starts before facing TB. That is a nasty stat for any pitcher. So I would believe his letdown is a lot more important than Beckett, who has been held back on starts and placed on the DL multiple times this season.
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Kyle Flanagan 8 months ago
I wrote this before Lester had taken the mound in Game Two. He proceeded to get rocked shortly after I was done with this article. Had it happened before, I would have not overlooked it, I would have included it.
If I were a Sox fan, I would be a little concerned that my ace got roughed up last night.
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Michael Brown 8 months ago
The big thing I learned from Game 2 is that either Mike Timlin is blackmailing Francona into letting him pitch, or Francona just has a major man-crush on Timlin.
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Kyle Flanagan 8 months ago
haha. Great theory Michael... you may be absolutely correct.
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Kris Pollina 8 months ago
Could TB just be a better team?
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Kyle Flanagan 8 months ago
Kris,
It is quickly becoming apparent that Tampa Bay could be the better team in this series (Red Sox fans would argue that their losing is due to their own miscues and not due to the talent of the Rays), and I think that the country is beginning to think that the powers of the A.L. East have shifted (if only for this year is left to be seen).
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Guy Lake 8 months ago
It's not just for this year. The Rays have a talented young staff and their best hitters are young and also under contract. They will be a factor for the next few seasons. The only thing that can keep them from remaining a contender is their fans. If they fail to show up next season as they did this year, ownership will not see why they should continue to invest in the team. They finished 12th of 14 AL teams (and 26th of 30 overall), which is actually an improvement as they have finished last in attendance in the AL every season from 2001 through 2007 (They have been no better than 28th of 30 in MLB in that span--thank you Florida and Montreal for pitching in.)
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Kyle Flanagan 8 months ago
You're right Guy. I think the fans are pivotal in the long term success of the Rays. I also think that a World Series will bring those fans to the Trop in the future. I also think that the lack of fan support is one of the reason that the PLAYERS on the team deserve the championship this season.
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