3 down, 159 to go…
As the first series of the season wrapped up last night, there are many questions surrounding the Boston Red Sox, both good and bad. In 3 games, a Red Sox starter has yet to record a decision and Jonathan Papelbon has already allowed 2 ERs in just 2.1 innings. Then there was the matter of the media harassing David Ortiz on Tuesday and the poor offensive output for the team in the series finale.
Before diving into the negative headlines, let’s review the positives. All three games of the opening series were close and the Red Sox scored 9 runs on opening day. The Sox were able to get a plethora of men on base throughout the series and, despite the one crucial error by Marco Scutaro, were strong defensively. After Ortiz’s hit yesterday, every member of the Red Sox starting 9 has at least one hit this season and Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, and Adrian Beltre have 4 hits each thus far. Unfortunately, the positives end there.
The key to this season’s team is pitching and defense, but Marco Scutaro committed a game changing error in game 2 and the first start of the year for Josh Beckett and Jon Lester were anything but solid. Beckett allowed 5 ER on 8 hits in 4.2 innings on opening day and Jon Lester allowed 4 ERs on 5 hits in 5 innings in game 2. If the Red Sox are going to be a contender in 2010, they need their starters to pitch more like John Lackey last night.
Lackey allowed 0 runs and just 3 hits in 6 innings of work against the patient Yankees lineup last night, but his offense could only muster 1 run in support for the Texan. The offense looked poor with runners on base against Andy Pettitte, who looked as if he was trying to give the Sox a run or 2 on a few occasions. In 6 innings, Pettitte allowed 6 hits and 3 BBs and the Sox could only must 1 run on David Ortiz’s first hit of 2010, an RBI single. With slightly diminished pop in the Sox lineup, they need to take advantage of every opportunity a pitcher gives them, especially BBs.
In an effort to not be hypocritical, we are only through 1 series of the 2010 season. If anything, opening day proved this team can hit, they just need to develop consistency. With a day off Thursday, the Red Sox take a road trip to Kansas City on Friday and will see the Royals ace in game 2. The pitching match-ups for the series will be Tim Wakefield vs. Kyle Davies, Josh Beckett vs. Zach Greinke and Clay Buchholz vs. Gil Meche. The Royals are 1-1 and will finish up their series with the Detroit Tigers Thursday.