Rattled On The West Coast

Brandon Moor

July 21, 2010

Riddled with both catastrophic and bizarre injuries, the Boston Red Sox stumbled into the All-Star Break bruised and battered losing six of their final ten games.  Boston’s bench provided the illusion of worn down soldiers fighting to survive as they took on enemy fire in the trenches. Crutches, casts and all. 

Somehow the Red Sox weathered the storm staying well within striking distance of the AL East leading New York Yankees followed by the red hot Tampa Bay Rays. 

Back from the All-Star Break, Boston’s first 13 games launched an all access tour facing the entire AL West division.  Boston opened up a four game set hosting the Texas Rangers who arguably have the best offensive lineup in baseball right now.  Texas dismantled the home-standing Red Sox all too easily during the series taking 3 out of 4.  Not the start they were hoping for.

Today the Red Sox dropped the rubber game in Oakland 6-4 as Clay Buchholtz returned to the Boston pitching rotation.  Four innings, six hits and five runs (all of which were earned runs) later, Buchholtz exited the game taking his lack of control with him while falling to 10-5 on the season.  So far, the post All-Star Break record has run straight into the ground at full speed.

Out of the gates, the Red Sox are off to a not so spectacular 2-5 start.  Still with trips to Seattle and Anaheim for three games each, Boston cannot afford to hand over anymore games from here on.  The New York Yankees still own baseball’s best record at 59-34 while slowly separating themselves from the rest of the AL East.  Tampa Bay trails the Yankees by 2.5 games as they distance themselves from the Red Sox, leading them by 4.5 games. 

On the bright side, Jed Lowrie, fresh off the 60 day DL due to mononucleosis, lent a helping hand going 1-2 with an RBI single, two walks with a run scored.  His presence allowed shortstop Marco Scutaro to rest for a day in an attempt to preserve what is left of a healthy Boston lineup. 

However, that same 4.5 game gap is the distance between the Red Sox reclaiming the AL Wild Card spot from Tampa Bay and watching postseason baseball from the comfort of their own homes in October.  For the moment, the Rangers lead the AL West leaving AL Central rivals Detroit and Minnesota to tussle with Boston for the same Wild Card slot.

Clearly, the injuries to the core of the Boston lineup are wearing them down, but tomorrow, Jeremy Hermida has been cleared to play after a period on the DL due to broken ribs.  Friday, ace starter Josh Beckett takes the hill against the Mariners after his time on the DL because of spasms in his lower back.

Not far behind, outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury (broken ribs), catcher Victor Martinez (broken thumb), team captain and catcher Jason Varitek (broken foot) and All-Star second baseman Dustin Pedroia (broken foot), will be back adding the much needed firepower in the offense needed to give the pitching staff a better chance to push for the playoffs.