There’s no doubt right now that John Lackey has lost the backing of the Fenway faithful. After walking off the mound in the eventual 9-7 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, they let the Boston Red Sox starting pitcher know exactly how they felt by booing him straight to the dugout.
Now whether or not you should boo your own players is a discussion for another day but can you blame them after Lackey had given up seven runs in 2.1 innings on nine hits. His fastball had good velocity but obviously his location was terrible. It made you think, did batting practice end for the Blue Jays as he was serving up huge fat softballs for the hitters.
I started thinking last night as to whom Lackey reminded me of on the Red Sox staff. And I came up with Daisuke Matsuzaka.
With Dice-K, you never knew what you were going to get. Were you going to get a pitcher who could be in complete control or were you going to get a pitcher who had nothing and looked lost on the bump? Before his season ended due to Tommy John surgery, we had seen both.
And that’s exactly what we’re seeing with Lackey right now.
Even though he took the loss against the Philadelphia Phillies, he pitched a great game. Heck, he even helped his own cause by driving in the only run of the game for the Red Sox. He had a great stuff that day and had excellent command. The start before that one, he sucked. And in his previous outings after returning from the disabled list, he gave the Red Sox a chance to win.
He didn’t do that on Monday afternoon. Instead, the Red Sox found themselves chasing seven runs after two innings. Yes with the offense the Red Sox have, any lead is not insurmountable. But this time the hole Lackey had dug for the Red Sox was just too deep for the offense to try and help out their teammate.
The Eric Gagne trade will probably go down as the worst trade Theo Epstein has made as the Red Sox GM. Right now unless Lackey turns things around, the signing of Lackey will go down as the worst free agent signing he’s ever made.
Jacoby Ellsbury showed everyone why he was selected by his peers to the 2011 MLB All-Star Game as he was 4-for-5 with two RBIs. It was his triple in the 4th inning that got the Red Sox started on climbing out of the hole. He’d come into score on passed ball from Jose Molina on a walk to Dustin Pedroia. Adrian Gonzalez would bring in Pedey with a double and the Red Sox were right back into the game.
For the most part the bullpen was great in keeping the Red Sox in the game. Dan Wheeler was outstanding and Alfredo Aceves did give up two runs (only one earned) while Franklin Morales and Matt Albers were effective. Unfortunately those two runs turned out to be the difference because of the big hole Lackey dug for the Red Sox.
The last time these two teams played, the Red Sox swept the Jays and outscored them by a margin of 35-6. That’s not going to happen this time although the next two pitchers the Red Sox face in Brett Cecil and Ricky Romero, they’ve done pretty well. Hopefully that continues.
Thanks to the Cleveland Indians beating the New York Yankees last night, the Red Sox remain 1.5 games behind the Yanks for first in the AL East. And with the Tampa Bay Rays being shutout by the Minnesota Twins, the Red Sox are still 2.5 games ahead of them.
We’ll be back later today with tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and any links from the day. But for now, enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below.
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The dangers of the deep end: Lackey, the Sox and the high cost of free agency [Alex Speier – WEEI.com]
Sox fall in hole [Boston Globe]
Numbers becoming numbing [Boston Globe]
Wheeler and bullpen kept it close [Boston Globe]
Buchholz will see specialist [Boston Globe]
Unwelcome return [Boston Herald]
Sox hurtin’ for certain [Boston Herald]
McDonald won’t Lack in motivation [Boston Herald]
Perfect relief in offering [Boston Herald]
Powerless to impeach [Boston Herald]
Navy sailor gets Fenway ovation [Boston Herald]
Ellsbury displays All-Star form [Boston Herald]
Crawford (hamstring) pleased with latest workout [CSNNE.com]
Sox fall to Blue Jays, 9-7 [CSNNE.com]
Lackey misses mark against Blue Jays [CSNNE.com]
Notes: Youkilis knocked out after HBP [CSNNE.com]
Iglesias placed on DL after beaning [CSNNE.com]
Rapid Reaction: Jays 9, Sox 7 [ESPN Boston]
Youk has headache after hit by pitch [ESPN Boston]
Lackey ‘just didn’t locate well enough’ [ESPN Boston]
Ellsbury (4-for-5) shows his All-Star stuff [ESPN Boston]
Papi likes team’s chances in Derby [ESPN Boston]
Boston Red Sox stand behind struggling teammate John Lackey [ESPN Boston]
Closing Time: Lackey gets lit up as Blue Jays beat Red Sox [Full Count]
Lackey on health: ‘No excuse there’ [Full Count]
Buchholz ‘a little miserable’ as he prepares to see back specialist [Full Count]
Clay Buchholz to See Back Specialist, Timetable for Right-Hander’s Return Still Uncertain [NESN.com]
John Lackey Back to Square One After Rocky Start Against Blue Jays [NESN.com]
Red Sox Are Streakiest Team in Baseball, According to Study [NESN.com]
Video: Peter Gammons Says Getting John Lackey Turned Around Is Vital for Red Sox in Second Half [NESN.com]
Lackey digs hole too deep [Providence Journal]
Lackey seems to be wearing out his welcome [Providence Journal]
Red Sox Journal: Wheeler gave Sox a fighting chance [Providence Journal]
Bard OK with not making All-Star team [RedSox.com]
Time For Lackey To Go [Surviving Grady]
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE, ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.
And if you must check out the enemy papers, head over to the Toronto Star, Toronto Sun and the Globe and Mail websites.
Photo credit: Getty Images
