Yes, the Red Sox lead has been trimmed from 14 1/2 games to 8 1/2 in just a three week stretch. Yes, the Yankees have won 14 of 17, while pitching better and hitting more consistently.
Yes, the Red Sox are going through another horror show trying to find a dependable SS. But if this past weekend's sweep of the San Francisco Giants showed Boston fans anything, it's that this team needs it's usual production out of those big 3-4 hitters in the middle of the lineup.
While much has already been said about the lack of production at the very top (now very bottom) of the Red Sox batting order, I'm going to take a look at those 3-4 hitters for a minute. David Ortiz broke the Red Sox single season record with 54 home runs last season. But while he is already just two doubles away of matching last year's doubles total, Big Papi is only on pace for 27 homers in 2007 (Half of 2006 for those counting at home). Of course it would be ridiculous to expect another 50 home run season, but it might be nice if the power numbers do climb into that 35-40 pace range. His 43 RBI's to this point also put him on a pace which would equal his lowest production in a Sox uniform since becoming a member in 2003. However, he is batting what would be a career high .333, and did go through some hamstring problems for a couple weeks around the end of May. Perhaps he isn't trying to hit as many home runs which would suggest his higher average, but clearing the bases a few more times definitely wouldn't hurt.
Bob Ryan in the Globe today beat me to the punch, but we have all been waiting for Manny to start heating up. Before this past weekend, Manny Ramirez was on pace to hit around 20 home runs. Yes, 20. Manny has always been a slow starter, and almost always heats up when the weather starts getting warmer. However, his 8 home runs through May was his lowest output since 1997. That year he went on to hit only 26, the lowest total for a full season in his career (Yes, I know the Indians went onto the World Series that year). It took him until June 16th, to hit his first long ball of this month (winning the game 1-0), which he did follow up nicely by hitting another the very next day. But add his 10 home runs to the 11 of Ortiz, and the feared duo have only 21 home runs between them so far, while the Evil Empire's clean up hitter already has 27 by himself. Neither are on pace to even hit 30, which they have both atleast reached since becoming teammates four seasons ago.
Now I know, the Red Sox lineup is alot more balanced this season than it was last year. Mike Lowell leads the team in home runs and RBI which would be the first time a Red Sox player not named Manny or Ortiz has done either, since a guy named Nomar led them with 105 RBI's in 2003. Hopefully the ejection on Friday night for David Ortiz isn't a sign of frustration, because as Eric Wilbur points out, the road ahead shouldn't make it difficult for Boston to make it into the playoffs.
Today, the Red Sox are sitting nicely at 44-24, (and still haven't played the Devil Rays yet). The Yankees won't play .700 baseball for the rest of the season, but at that miracle chance they do, making it to the playoffs as a Wild Card team did work out nicely for the Angels in '02, the Marlins in '03, and oh yeah the Red Sox in '04. Even the Cardinals in '06 managed to win a World Series after winning just 83 games during the regular season which shows that anything is possible once you get into the playoffs. This year's Red Sox are far much better than a .500 team, but even if they played just at that clip the rest of the way, they would still end up with 91 wins (but probably just short of the post-season). Now I would love to see them win the division as much as anybody, and still would be very shocked if they don't. But it's missing the playoffs that would be a total disaster, not losing the division.
Despite those borderline three automatic outs in the everyday lineup right now, this team can still go all the way if everyone produces what they are capable of. And while Lugo, Drew have had a tough time adjusting this season, it's on Ramirez and Ortiz to start heating it up. If the power numbers come up for those big 3-4 hitters in the Red Sox lineup, it will put everyone's fears at ease, and definitely erase the doubt that the Yankees could catch them in the 2007 AL East race.
1 comment:
Sox are 17-1 in games Ortiz or Ramirez hit a home run this season.
Post a Comment