Disappointments
Early Season Blunders. This is the John Farrell area – the manager that was fired numerous times in the first 15 or so games. Some head scratching moves within the game that even the novice fan found “interesting.” For the more knowledgeable fans, it was searching Amazon for tar and feathers.
Injuries. Predicting injuries is similar to attempting to time the stock market – it just doesn’t work. The bizarre started in spring training when the anointed number two starter – Eduardo Rodriguez – sprained his knee. Day to day is now month to month. Is Dr. Oz on the Sox medical staff with some exotic herbal treatment?
Carson Smith was supposed to be a prized bullpen addition and so far the results are 2.2 innings and another potential visit to the disabled list. Yes – I have a bad (very bad) feeling about this.
Joe Kelly was the ace of Fort Myers, but as the season started it was another call to the medics. Last season a stint on the DL turned his season around. A repeat is needed.
Is Pablo Sandoval going on a rehab for 2016 really a loss? Sandoval came into camp as the stand-in for Jabba the Hutt and quickly lost playing time and his position.
The man of mystery. My wife – the Lovely Cynthia – claims I am the most frustrating person she knows. Too bad she doesn’t follow baseball as Clay Buchholz would drop me to second place.
The ace got lost. David Price was the savior of the rotation and the latest pitching gazillionaire in baseball. The positive was his K totals, the team did win and his FIP was actually more reflective of a true ace, but the negatives were well publicized and visions of Matt Clement danced in my head. Apparently that first half dozen starts was an illusion.
Call-ups. Farm living is the life for me and that is exactly where Henry Owens, Sean O’Sullivan, Pat Light, Noe Ramirez and what seems like half the PawSox roster will remain. You dip into that gene pool and the season is officially shot.
Rusney Castillo and Blake Swihart. Both are in Pawtucket. Castillo is a solid defender, but you don’t pay 72.5 Million for good field and no hit. Swihart simply was not up to defensive snuff and without the versatility of multiple positions it was back to Pawtucket.
Next: On the bright side