Can someone please blow up Tropicana Field? Over the past two seasons, the Boston Red Sox are 2-13 (1-4 this season) when taking on the Tampa Bay Rays at their home park. Gone are the days where we would could count the Rays as an automatic win no matter where the two teams were playing.
Brad Penny once again struggled out on the bump as he was victimized last night for 3 home runs. He also failed to get to the 7th inning yet again as he threw 117 pitches in 6 innings. The Red Sox were also unable to knock around Rays starter David Price. They did hit two home runs against him for 2 of their 6 hits off of him.
A lot had been made of the starting pitching depth the Red Sox had before the season. But with Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield on the disabled list plus the struggles of John Smoltz, Penny and Clay Buchholz, the Red Sox had to go out and get some pitching depth from a guy who hasn’t thrown a pitch all season long in Paul Byrd.
Byrd will need some time to get ready in the minors and could help give the Red Sox a push in September. I still expect Theo Epstein to be scouring the waiver wire in search of help in the meantime. Even though Byrd was 4-2 with a 4.78 ERA in 8 starts last season for the Red Sox, you just don’t know what you’re going to get from him.
And to make matters worse, the Red Sox will be without Yankee killer Jason Bay for at least the first two games of the four-game set. Bay reinjured his hamstring running to first base last night and was replaced by Nick Green. In games this season against the Yankees, Bay is hitting .448 with 3 home runs and 12 RBIs. And in 22 career games against them, he is hitting .325 with 4 home runs and 22 RBIs.
With Bay out for at least two games and Rocco Baldelli not being able to play every day, could we see a “phantom DL” move for the Red Sox to bring back up Josh Reddick. If this were to happen,the likely candidate in my opinion would Billy Traber.
It should be a fun four-game set. Let’s hope the Red Sox continue their mastery of the Yankees and get back into first place as they know trail the Yanks by 2.5 games and hold a 3 game lead over the Rays and Rangers in the wild card standings.
Links coming up after a 10 second pause on the Red Sox Blogging Network.
Razed [Boston Globe]
Yankees should be zeroed in [Boston Globe]
Pitching depth hits bottom [Boston Globe]
Matsuzaka applies some English [Boston Globe]
Ortiz still not ready to elaborate on test [Boston Globe]
Bay reinjures hamstring; status up in air [Boston Globe]
Byrd: ‘Maybe I can get that World Series ring’ [Full Count]
Bay doesn’t look good for tomorrow [Full Count]
Tampa Bay completes two-game sweep [Providence Journal]
Bopped in The Trop: Do the Sox lose consistently here because of the venue, or the opponent? [Providence Journal]
Bay expects to miss at least two games in Yankee series because of hamstring problem [Providence Journal]
Sox bring back Paul Byrd [Providence Journal]
Red Sox journal: Ortiz says he’s trying to find out information from his failed 2003 drug test [Providence Journal]
Matsuzaka’s explanation in English may signal a new commitment to the Red Sox [Providence Journal]
Can Joba Be the Wake-Up Call the Red Sox Need? [Rob Bradford – WEEI.com]
Red Sox’ Trop woes grow as Rays finish sweep [Boston Herald]
David Ortiz in for a rude awakening in Bronx tonight [Boston Herald]
Jason Bay hamstrung for Yankees [Boston Herald]
Looking for panic sign? [Boston Herald]
Daisuke Matsuzaka now talking a different tune [Boston Herald]
David Ortiz still seeking answers [Boston Herald]
Sox Own Season Series As Yankees Try Again [Hartford Courant]
V-Mart to get first taste of Yanks-Sox [RedSox.com]
Smoltz to kick off crucial set with Yanks [RedSox.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.
