OMG~We Might Be In Trouble News Begins!
By Matt DeLucia
After enjoying their first day off in two weeks, the Boston Red Sox are back in action. As this evening the Red Sox open up a three game series with the Toronto Blue Jays, in Canada. Good news for Boston, their ace Josh Beckett (14-4) will be on the mound. Beckett who leads the AL in victories will be opposed by Ricky Romero (10-5). After Beckett, we’ll see Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester gets his crack at the Jays, in the series finale.
Which at first glance is a great thing. Who wouldn’t love seeing those three as a Sox fan? Until you remember that after the Jays series, the Sox will head back home to the friendly confines of Fenway Park. Unfortunately for Red Sox Nation, that’s where the good news stops. And the OMG, we might be in trouble news begins! When they open up a very long 10 game home-stand, that begins with AL East leading New York Yankees, in town for three games.
Until you see the pitching the Sox have slated to start those games. Which leaves you with a less than desirable feeling in the pit of your stomach. As they have Brad Penny (7-7) slated to start the series for them on Friday night. Then it’s the rookie from Japan, Junichi Tazawa (1-2) on the mound Saturday. Before finally it’s back to Beckett for a ESPN Sunday Night Baseball, showdown with C.C. Sabathia, to close out the Yankees series.
Hey, don’t get me wrong now, Penny was great the first two months of the season. In fact he was pitching great and having all RSN gloating, “We got him for only 5 million” in the beginning. Which we loved until things started quickly going south. As he hasn’t exactly been lights out since recently, especially since the All-Star break. Not with a Since 1-4 record, with 2 no decisions since the break.
Then you have the youngster from Japan, who the Yankees have all ready beaten once this year. Now granted that loss came in relief, and not as a starter like this time around, but it’s still a loss. Hey, I know he’s only been up in the majors with the Sox for two weeks now. But the Yankees have seen him firsthand, and they know what he throws. Plus if you ask me, it seemed like the Yankees liked the results the first time around.
Don’t you remember the long drawn out 14 inning affair in New York. Come on now, it was only a week and a half ago, YES THAT’S RIGHT! It was the same series, that saw the Sox getting swept, while having their asses handed to them. While the desert (if your a NY fan) saw them reeling backwards, as they went from 2 1/2 out to 6 1/2 back in the East.
The piss poor way the Sox have been playing baseball over the last weeks, they currently find themselves 7 games back in the East. If they don’t turn things around quickly they could find themselves 10 back. By the time the series with New York happens. If that’s the case, seeing Penny and Tazawa pitching, won’t be inspiring much hope.
Or confidence with me, at the moment. Especially as the Sox could find their season close to being over. As they could legitimately be 13 games back, by the time Monday comes rolling around, next week.