All I have been hearing about the last few days has been the Sox chances at making the playoffs. Yes, it is possible for the Red Sox to be in the 2010 post-season, despite all of their injuries and missteps along the way. The Sox would need to win most, if not all, of their remaining games and as my buddy pointed out yesterday, the Sox are in control of their own destiny, because if they go 16-0 to finish the season, they are at least in a tie-breaker for the AL Wild Card. Seems odd and hard to believe that this club is in the position to have a chance to make the playoffs, albeit near 3% according to a few odds-making companies. Instead of looking at what went wrong this season, let’s look at what went right for the Sox, who are sitting with a solid record of 82-64.
Before jumping into the impressive parts of this season so far, it is crucial I touch on expectations. In a large media market like Boston, the expectation of a beloved, historic team is to win often and win big. Excuses are not accepted and when a team is struggling, blame flies faster than a fighter jet into battle. Factor in 2004 and 2007, and the Boston fan base has grown to expect not just winning 90+ games or playoff berths, but World Series Championships on a yearly basis. The further removed from a championship the team gets, the more restless and frustrated everyone gets, regardless of the circumstances. This year is the prime example of that theory in action, because despite having more barriers to jump over than an Olympic hurdler and currently having the 4th best record in the AL, media outlets and fans are disappointed and upset with the Red Sox squad.
"Managing is like holding a dove in your hand. Squeeze too hard and you kill it, not hard enough and it flies away. -Tommy Lasorda"
I’m not saying I haven’t been disappointed and upset at many point this season, but it is about time we praise Tito for guiding his team to 80+ and potentially 90+ wins in a season that has to be the most stressful for him since donning the hanging socks uniform nearly 7 years ago. In 146 games, the Red Sox have had 130 different lineups, including 23 different players in the 9 spot and 14 different players in the 8 spot. The stress of reconfiguring the batting order on a daily basis due to injuries is one of the biggest stresses as a manager, maybe next to managing an up-and-down starting rotation and bullpen. Personally, despite questioning a call here and there, I think Tito has done an incredible job with the players and situations he has been faced with and think this could be his best job of managing a team in his career.
As we progress up the food chain, there has been a lot of criticism pushed Theo Epstein’s way for not bringing in a big gun at the trade deadline and focusing on small role players, rather than a player that could help the club contend. As a GM, there is a fine line between sacrificing the farm for the current year’s chances and looking at the long-term growth and development of the team and franchise. Over the years, Theo has both brought in the flash and big gun when needed (Orlando Cabrera and Victor Martinez) and laid back on moving his young talent (Clay Buchholz, et al.) because of their future impact at the big league level. If it wasn’t for Theo’s protection of his young pitchers (Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Daniel Bard to name a few), the Sox would likely be 65-70 game winners this season, instead of 80+. No matter which direction Theo chooses to go on a yearly basis, he is going to take heat and be questioned because of the loyal and passionate Red Sox fan base media coverage.
Looking back at Theo’s decision to not bring in a big bat this season in July makes me appreciate the GM even more. At the trade deadline, the Sox were just a handful of games behind the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees and could have easily dropped some future talent for immediate gratification. They now sit in virtually the same spot as in July, but just a game or so further back in the AL East and AL Wild Card. If Theo decided to trade away a prospect or 2 and bring in a bigger bat or a stronger pitcher, do you think the Sox would have won 6 more games over this past month and be tied atop the AL East? I highly doubt it. Yes, the Sox may be 3 or 4 games back instead of 6, but still likely on the outside looking in. Without Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia (to name a few), the Sox were going to be in trouble regardless of who they brought in to bolster the team. When looking at it from that perspective, Theo was focusing on the long-term impact and the Red Sox will likely be in much better shape over the next few years to contend thanks to that approach.
For anyone who has read my blog since I began writing or know my philosophy on baseball knows that this year was a likely loss season for the Sox a while ago. Chemistry is absolutely crucial for success in baseball and every championship team of the last several decades has had an intangible quality that allowed them to overcome adversity and succeed. In 2004, when the Sox were down 3-0 to the New York Yankees and it was the team bond that lifted them up and made each player believe that 1 game at a time would lead them to the World Series. The chemistry that club had was incredible, led by Kevin Millar and Johnny Damon, the self-proclaimed ‘Idiots’ developed an identity that the club rallied around. ‘Cowboy up’ became a tag-line and the team fought hard for each other, even when times got tough. It was a special team and a special moment that would not have been possible without an incredibly strong team chemistry.
This season was a perfect example of not being able to establish a bond due to the revolving door of injuries and other bizarre rehab stories. I’m not saying the 2010 team had no chemistry, because without chemistry all together, an 80+ win season is impossible, but there was no stretch of time when the same group of players were on the field together and were able to fully bond and grow as a unit. Each time a player is injured and has to leave the team for a period of time, it disrupts the team and removes all consistency and routine that players need during a loooong 162 game season. What this team accomplished in 2010 has been truly incredible given the circumstances, but getting to that next level was never really an option.
Being an eternal optimist, there is a tiny piece of me that thinks the Sox still have a chance this season (maybe about 3%). Even if the Sox make the post-season by some miracle, I don’t think many people believe they have a team to make noise and win a series or 2. Anything is possible, but regardless of the final verdict, many people involved with the team deserve credit for holding this group together and making a conversation about the odds of making the post-season a reality.
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