I know it’s only spring training but whenever the Red Sox and Yankees get together with only 12 days to go before these two teams take the field at Yankee Stadium on Opening Day my heart starts to beat a little faster. My enmity for the Yankees starts to rage anew and I know I’m headed for another death struggle. My anxiety and excitement over what can be becomes more palpable. That’s why today’s 4-0 loss – a flat, lifeless affair against the Bombers – was a depressing reminder of how far this now one game over .500 club has to go.
March 20, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Felix Doubront (22) reacts with catcher David Ross (3) and pitching coach Juan Nieves (47) on the mound during the second inning against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Felix Doubront, one of Boston’s question mark starters this spring, simply didn’t have it and got rocked for seven hits and four runs over 4.1 innings pitched. The good news is that a quartet of Andrew Bailey, Joel Hanrahan, Clayton Mortensen and Andrew Miller blanked the Yanks the rest of the way.
Obviously, when you get blanked there’s enough offensive blame to go around as well. Boston managed just four hits, two by Jackie Bradley, and never seriously threatened. Adding to the distress was another David Ross 0-fer. No one expected world beating numbers from Ross when he came to Boston from San Francisco. He’s there to back up Jarrod Saltalamacchia and to leverage his years behind the dish to manage a staff and a game. Still, an .050 BA this spring raises a serious eyebrow. Jose Igleisas went 0-3, dropping his spring training average to .217.
It was an uninspired team effort; flat as an open next day beer. I hope the team remembers this game on April 1 and it make them angry. It certainly had that affect on me.
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