Before we get going today, just a quick shout out to my Uncle Peter on his birthday. Happy Birthday!!!
Things didn’t go quite as planned for Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox last night at the Trop against the Tampa Bay Rays.
I think everyone, including Beckett, expected his troubles from the last three starts to be behind him and that he would return to his dominating self. He struck out the first batter he faced the his homer-itis returned as Carl Crawford hit a home run. Another breakout of homer-itis in the second put the Red Sox in a hole.
As the Red Sox always do, they battled back as Beckett settled in and looked dominating over his final three innings. Whatever adjustments he made with pitching coach John Farrell worked. Let’s just hope they can carry over into his next start.
After the Red Sox tied it up at 5 all in the top half of the 8th, the bullpen imploded as Ramon Ramirez was tagged for a run. Then Manny Delcarmen came into the game and was rudely greeted by Evan Longoria who hit a no-doubt 2-run home run to ice the game for the Rays.
My question is this. Should Ram-Ram have been back out there for his second inning of work in the 8th?
My answer is no. Yes, Daniel Bard, Billy Wagner and Jonathan Papelbon weren’t available. But why not use Takashi Saito or Delcarmen to start the 8th.
Yes I know the Red Sox aren’t going to win every ballgame the rest of the season although I’m sure we’d all like that. But last night, I think Terry Francona made a mistake, which happens from time to time.
Last night’s loss makes tonight’s game very crucial for the Red Sox. We can probably rule out an AL East division crown as the Red Sox sit 7.5 games out of first behind the New York Yankees.
The Texas Rangers are off tonight so the Red Sox could increase their lead over them to three games in the wild card. A loss makes it two games. The Red Sox could also put the proverbial nail in the coffin of the Rays with a win as the Rays are five games back in the wild card. A win makes it six and a loss makes it four.
There will be a lot riding on the young shoulders of Clay Buchholz tonight. But as of late, he’s shown he can shoulder the load and I think that continues on at the Trop tonight.
In Tampa, roof caves in on Sox relievers [Boston Globe]
Still, Rays of hope [Boston Globe]
Wagner seems in right setting [Boston Globe]
Pitching out of this stretch [Boston Globe]
A politically incorrect subject? [Boston Globe]
Rays’ 8th deals Red Sox setback [Boston Herald]
Red Sox show power surge not thing of past [Boston Herald]
True Flutie fan [Boston Herald]
Tim Wakefield might throw off a mound Thursday [Boston Herald]
Wagner getting used to pitching schedule [RedSox.com]
Life at the top of the Red Sox’ rotation [Full Count]
Francona explains the 8th [Full Count]
The Discovery and Development of Josh Reddick [Full Count]
A bleak beginning, and a bleak ending, for Sox [Providence Journal]
Beckett improves, but not by enough [Providence Journal]
Red Sox journal: Wakefield may pitch Saturday . . . or he may have surgery [Providence Journal]
Buchholz has learned his lesson [Providence Journal]
Five Things We Learned: Red Sox Starting Pitching Edition [Rob Bradford – WEEI.com]
For more slices of Boston Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, and Providence Journal websites.
And if you must see what the enemy papers are saying you can check out the Tampa Tribune and St. Petersburg Times websites.
