Add Insult to Injury

It was one of those frustrating nights for Ryan Sweeney. Nothing went right at the plate. In his last at-bat a 3rd strike got by Aviles at the plate & Sweeney was called out at 1st on a close play. Frustrated by his strike out & frustrated by being called out at first, he punch a door & probably broke his hand. Lesson learned for Sweeney who will earn a return trip to the DL. I think Ryan Sweeney has brought a lot to this team as the 4th outfielder, platooning with Cody Ross. Earlier in the year he got a concussion from a great catch that sent his head into the right center wall. He plays hards. He's a gap hitter. The Sox will miss him. And he will learn a valuable lesson for the future. Anger management.

Sox 7, Tigers 3

Clay Buchholz pitched 8 quality innings after giving up a leadoff HR to start the game. Dustin Pedroia & Will Middlebrooks both hit big homers for the home team. Sox beat the Tigers 7-3 in the opener. You have to look at Buchholz as the ace of the staff at this point of the season. With Doubront also pitching well these 2 guys should be key parts of the rotation in 2013. Now if we can just nail down the other 3 spots with someone other than Beckett, Lester & Lackey. This management, however, will stand pat at the trade deadline. Don't expect to see a Ryan Dempster or a Josh Johnson at Fenway Park anytime this week.

Pedro Ciriaco - Yankee Killer

Pedro Ciriaco is batting .500 against the Yankees this year. He is to the Yankees what Russell Martin is to the Red Sox - a pain in the team's side. Ciriaco's bloop hit in the 10th turned into the game winner as the Sox win 3-2 in the Bronx & take the series. Don't get excited! We're back to .500 for the umteenth time this year. But it was a nice pitching performance by Felix Doubront who deserved a win. The Sox did enough this weekend to keep this team intact at the trade deadline. In a way, too bad. But it's always fun to beat the Yankees.

Nothing Will Change on Tuesday

Don't we already know the ending of this year's book on the trade deadline. Nothing is going to change. Average performances by Josh Beckett & Jon Lester in their last outings were enough to keep management convinced that this pitching staff can take the Red Sox into the playoffs. Fools! Off the market are Zack Greinke & Francisco Liriano this week. Sooner or later, Josh Johnson & Ryan Dempster will be gone too. And we will be sitting with our #1 & #2 guys who are way under .500 when they start a game for the Red Sox this year. Whatever the Red Sox management is seeing, I'm not. Best game of the weekend was not turned in by Jon Lester. It was Felix Doubront & he only had 2 runs to work with. The glass - for me - is half empty as we turn the page into August & September.

Trades That Make Sense

If I'm Ben Cherington & the Red Sox, here's my best solution for fixing the team this year & next year. 1) Trade Lester & Ellsbury to Seattle for Felix Hernandez, Brandon League & 2 minor league arms. Lester & Ellsbury are both from the Northwest. We are losing Ells after next year anyways & I'd take Hernandez over Lester anyday. 2) Trade Josh Beckett to the Dodgers or any NL team for cash considerations & a few pitching prospects. Someone will take on half or more of Beckett's $16 million salary & we get $8 million or more back to use on signing other guys. My starting rotation for the remainder of 2012 would then look like this: Hernandez, Buchholz, Doubront, Aceves & Morales. Andrew Bailey & Brandon League can close in Aceves spot. Morales goes back into the starting rotation. In 2013 you trade John Lackey in the off season or you slot him in the #4 or #5 spot until you can move him, putting Morales or Aceves back in the pen. I think we would have more success & a better clubhouse.

Red Sox 8, Yankees 6

Even though it's a little late, who doesn't enjoy a Red Sox win over the Yankees? Jon Lester gave up 4 runs over 6 innings - an OK outing, but light years better than his 11 runs in 2 innings. Gonzo, Ciriaco & the offense supported his effort on the offensive side of the ball. Curtis Granderson looked like a Little Leaguer circling the wagons on Ciriaco's misplayed flyball that put the Sox ahead in the 8th. It was a much-needed win to say the least. I'm not reading more into it than 1 win, even though certain faithful members of Red Sox Nation say this is the turnaround. Hard to get excited about a team under .500 that has gone 2-6 in the last 3 series.

Laugher in New York

Sox lose their 6th in 7 tries 10-3 last night in New York. Aaron Cook didn't have it. Mark Melancon didn't have it. Even 3 homers - all solo shots - by Pedroia, Crawford & Salty didn't make a dent in the 10 runs posted by the A-Rod less lineup of the Yankees. Ben Cherington & management can't see the forest for the trees. They are still in love with the "potential" of the current roster. It's like saying you have the best team on paper. Well, paper never won any games & there is something missing with this 25-man roster. Zach Greinke is now gone to the LA Angels. Wait another day & Josh Johnson, Matt Garza & Felix Hernandez may be gone too. The Red Sox are not consistent & have not been consistent the entire season. Management can address the problem now or stick their heads in the sand. As Eck said to Tom Caron last night went Caron tried to spin a positive on a 10-3 loss, if if if doesn't cut it. Unfortunately, if Jon Lester pitches well against CC Sabathia, it will prolong the debate about whether to keep him, send him down or trade him. A bad performance may make the decision easier. A straight up trade of Lester for Hernandez sprinkled in with 3 or 4 prospects sounds good to me. Lester would be back home in the Northwest & the Sox will have a 1-2 of Hernandez & Buchholz for a few years to build around. Let's hope Ben & Co. show some guts & pull a trade that can help this team win now & in the future. Don't be brainwashed into thinking this pitching staff is going to miraculously turn it around.

Another Day & No Moves

5 days to the trade deadline & Ben Cherrington has yet to pull the trigger on any trade. A "bold" trade - which Cherrington said is unlikely - would include a Beckett, a Lester, an Ellsbury or a Crawford. I'm amazed that management feels they can win this year with Beckett & Lackey at the front of the rotation. It's just not happening. The addition of a Josh Johnson, Ryan Dempster or Matt Garza can only help their playoff chances. But no deals to date. This weekend in New York will be more of the same average play. Taking 2 out of 3 will only bring the Sox back to .500 once again. Nothing changes. And the train wreck that is Jon Lester pitches on Saturday.

Anemic Offense Leads to 5-3 Defeat

Jerry Remy hit it on the head. The offense for Red Sox is a home run or an out right now. Had it not been for Clay Buchholz & a fortuitous bloop hit by Mike Aviles in game 2, the Boston 9 could have been swept in Texas. As it is, the Red Sox go into this off day losing 2 out of 3, last night by a score of 5-3. My hope is that Ben & his staff pull the trigger on some trades Thursday before starting a series with New York on Friday. Beckett is trade-able now after an OK performance last night. An untimely wild pitch gave Texas the lead in the 7th & Matt Albers is starting his 2nd half slump again, giving up an insurance HR to Nelson Cruz in the 8th. The trade market has been active & the Sox need to jump in before their best options are gone. Give the Mariners a 5-for-1 deal for Felix Hernandez. Give the Cubs a 5-for-1 deal for Matt Garza. The Marlins would sell Josh Johnson for peanuts. There is no one on the Red Sox roster that is untouchable - including Ellsbury, Beckett, Lester & Crawford. Any of these other pitchers would be an upgrade for the remainder of this year & next year.

Sox Win 2-1

I turned the game on just after 10 PM. It was 1-1 in the 7th. It was almost 11 PM when Vicente Padilla had just struck out Josh Hamilton in the 8th with the game still tied 1-1. With Andrus on first Padilla threw over to keep him close. Padilla then threw again as soon as he got the ball back from Gonzo, surprising everyone. As the ball rolled into right field & Andrus went from first to third on the errant throw, I turned off the TV. I just couldn't watch the Sox blow another game. I was pleasantly surprised to see on the sports news that they won 2-1, thanks to a great effort by Clay Buchholz & a timely bloop hit by Mike Aviles in the 9th. Don't get excited that the Sox are now 6-6 since the break & back to .500. There are 6 other teams ahead of the Red Sox for the 2nd wild card. A team of this caliber playing .500 for 4 months is going nowhere. Buchholz is the #1 guy for the future. Build a new starting rotation around him.

Embarassment Continues in Texas

The Red Sox follow-up a humiliating 15-7 loss on Sunday with a 9-1 loss in Texas. Felix Doubront didn't have it. The offense got stymied on a good pitching performance by emergency starter Scott Feldman & Carl Crawford made a Little League error in left field allowing runs to score. Even Pedroia threw one into the stands. Poor baseball. Poor fundamentals. Another day where Bobby V goes longer with his starters to no avail. Don't blame Felix Doubront who has more than earned his $200,000 salary this year. Same can be said for Aaron Cook. $20 million Gonzalez couldn't deliver with runners in scoring position. $20 million Crawford looks likes he's back to being caught in the headlights like a deer. And new NESN homer Tim Wakefield's solution is to stick with Beckett & Lester while Eck looks at Wake like he's got 2 heads. Red Sox are embarassing right now. NESN is embarassing with the way they continue to plod along like everything is great. Cut back on the medication, NESN, & join the real world of Red Sox chaos. This team is imploding more & more everyday.

Snooze, You Lose

Other teams started pulling off trades for the stretch run yesterday while the Red Sox continued their train wreck in Texas with no activity as the trade deadline approaches. The Yankees got Ichiro Suzuki from the Mariners. Ryan Dempster is supposedly headed to the Braves. The Tigers got Annibel Sanchez & Omar Infante from the Marlins. Worthwhile to note that the Sox had been interested in Sanchez from the Marlins. The Sox are also supposedly interested in Josh Johnson from the Marlins. They better settle on a couple of guys like Johnson & Garza soon before they have nothing to pick from. Other teams are pulling the trigger.

Sell, Sell, Sell for Whatever You Can Get

After this dismal weekend when the Sox were swept at home by the Toronto Blue Jays the Sunday night talk shows had it all. Some think Beckett & Lester will regain their form over the next 2 months & lead the Sox to a playoff berth. Others say it is time to throw in the towel, blow it up & start over in 2013. I'm with the latter opinion. We are a hopeful Red Sox Nation & you can hope that the Sox right the ship with their current roster. Or you can look at their physical performance on the field & conclude that this team just doesn't have the horses to compete in 2012 against the Yankees, Rangers, Angels, White Sox & Tigers. I would rather see the team get what they can for Josh Beckett, remove Jon Lester from the big squad & send him somewhere to start over & package extra position players in Boston, Pawtucket & Portland in a package deal for new pitchers via trade. For the right deal I would not be adverse to trading anyone at this point. For me it's time for the Red Sox to start over instead of hoping that things change. Logic tells you otherwise.

Back to Last

An embarassing loss 15-7 in the finale today allows the Blue Jays to sweep the Red Sox at home. Jon Lester - just horrible, giving up 9 runs in 2 innings. Good for Bobby V for leaving Lester out there to clean up his own mess. Later, Mark Melancon had a horrible 8th inning allowing 4 more runs. If there is any doubt about whether this roster, specifically this pitching staff, can take this team into the playoffs, that question was answered loudly this weekend with an emphatic "no." Can't blame the offense today. The Red Sox need some new blood. Time for Beckett to go, time for Lester to be demoted or get a phantom injury or just go & time for Lackey to get healthy so he can be traded too. We are back at .500 once again, back in last place again & going into Texas & New York.

Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 3

It could have been a shutout if not for a long bomb by Salty that drove in all 3 runs. Mr. Ortiz, the offense misses you! Aaron Cook showed he is human & gave up several runs for the 1st time in a Boston start. The left side of the infield kicked the ball around, allowing important runs to score. And the Boston Red Sox are now 5-4 after the break & they are heading back to a very average .500 record. Inconsistency in all phases of the game continues.

The Case for Change

If the Boston Red Sox stand pat at the trade deadline, it's a sign that they are not willing to spend money to right the ship that has been floundering since last September. It's obvious to ownership, management & Red Sox Nation what the problem is. The problem is Josh Beckett & Jon Lester. Throw in John Lackey if he was healthy. Beckett & Lackey are being paid like #1 starters when they are both very average pitchers right now. Can they occasionally throw a good game? Yes. But they cannot duplicate 2 or 3 or 4 good games in a row like most #1 starters do. Jon Lester is a mess with his control. He has been healthy all year & he still can't find the reason for his wildness within the strike zone. To fix the problem of Beckett, Lester & next year Lackey will cost the team money. The team will need to eat half or more of the current contracts with Lester having the most team-friendly contract of the 3. The solution is to bring in - via trade or free agency - a real #1, top-of-the-rotation guy to compliment Clay Buchholz as a 1-2 combination. My first choice would be Felix Hernandez from Seattle. Lester is from the Northwest & would probably enjoy a chance to play closer to home. Since the Mariners need offense I would package Lester with Nava, Kalish, Lars Anderson, Nate Spears & pretty much any 3 or 4 prospects from Pawtucket or Portland. Make it a 5 for 1 deal. If we can't get Hernandez, I would go next with Matt Garza &/or Ryan Dempster from the Cubs. Other than these 3, the rest of the available pitchers from the few teams out of the race are no better than Cook, Doubront or Morales. If the Red Sox don't bring in a quality starter or two, forget about the playoffs this year.

Blue Jays 6, Sox 1

No offense. Defense kicking & throwing the ball around. Starting pitching that puts the Sox in a 4-0 hole after 2 innings. All this leads to a 6-1 loss in the opening game against division rival Toronto. Nothing went right. And this against a Blue Jay team without Jose Bautista in the lineup. Beckett continues to be very average with a good game, a so-so game like last night & a stinker thrown in every 4th or 5th start. He is not performing consistently like a #1 or #2, even though he is being paid like a #1 or #2. That's a problem.

Ross is Boss

One sports show reported that in San Francisco shirts were printed up for the Giants that said "ROSS IS BOSS." Maybe we should order a few of those! Another day, another 3-run homer for Cody Ross. This time it's in the bottom of the 9th & it's the game-winner. Ross' timely hit backed a great pitching effort by Clay Buchholz. His hit also came after 2 other good at bats by Crawford & Gonzalez who both singled of a tough lefty, Matt Thornton. Pedroia grounded out in between, but hussled down to first to negate a double play. That allowed Ross a chance to be the hero & he did not disappoint. Ross deposited a 94 mph fastball off the White Sox closer into the green monster. Game over. Sox are now 5-2 since the all-star break. Ellsbury, Crawford & Pedroia's returns certainly have given the team more energy. And less not forget Ross filing in nicely for Big Papi. Keep it up, boys!

New Podcast Coming

Gaff, Steve & I will be taping a new podcast tomorrow. It should be uploaded onto the blog over the weekend. Sorry it's been awhile, but work schedules & health issues have made getting together tough lately. We'll do our best to explore relevant questions about the Boston Red Sox as the trade deadline approaches. Thank you for your support.

Red Sox Power Over White Sox 10-1

Cody Ross - 3 hits, 2 HR's, 6 RBI. Adrian Gonzalez - 3 hits, 1 HR, 4 RBI. Jacoby Ellsbury - 3 hits, 3 runs. Carl Crawford - 1 hit, 2 runs. The revitalized Boston top of the order is having a fun time of it lately. A 10-1 win to back a good pitching performance by Felix Doubront is a nice comeback after a lackluster performance the night before by Jon Lester. At this point the end of rotation guys like Doubront, Cook & Morales are having more success than Beckett & Lester at the front. Tonight's game is an important start for Clay Buchholz to see if he can back-up his last good start in Tampa Bay. Once through the rotation this past week & only Lester threw a stinker. If we go 4-2 every time through the rotation, I'll take that.

Youk Loves Killing the Sox

It's not in his words. Youk has been very gratious & has taken the high road halfway through the series with his former team & teammates. But inside you know he is saying "take that" after his multi-hit performances over the past 2 games in his return to Fenway Park. His 3-run homer over former beer & chicken mate Jon Lester sealed the win for the White Sox last night. And Youk has to privately be relishing every minute of his comeback to Boston thus far.

Lester Stinko Again

Jon Lester is 3 or 4 steps behind Daniel Bard. He can't stop the bleeding once it gets started. His ability to locate has been inconsistent all year, whether it be his cutter or fastball. His ERA is almost 6.00 which is Triple A grade for a guy who is suppose to be the ace or ace-like. The 7-5 loss last night is the 1st poor starting performance by the Red Sox staff in the last 5 games. Lester needs to figure it out or join Bard in Pawtucket to figure things out there. Bring Franklin Morales back out of the bullpen & have him take Lester's spot for awhile. Lester is a big problem for the Sox who need to make a move in the standings. They can't do it with a guy who gives up 6 runs in 4 innings.

Big Papi Gets the Boot

Just when the Red Sox were ready to get the band of varsity players back together David Ortiz sprains an achilles & will be out for at least a week, maybe longer. Big Papi is the stabilizing force in the Red Sox lineup. Without him the Sox will need to use the speed of Ellsbury & Crawford to manufacture runs - like the 1st 2 last night. Most analysts have said the Sox need to play .600 ball from here out to reach 89 wins & make the playoffs. Without Big Papi the entire pitching staff is going to need 2 or 3 turns where they keep the opposition to 3-5 runs to have a chance to win - like Tampa Bay. Jon Lester showed last night that he is not ready to do his part yet.

Adrian, Cook Big in 5-1 Win

The Red Sox got another good start from Aaron Cook, the 4th in a row by the maligned Boston rotation. Cook went 7 giving up 1 unearned run. Adrian Gonzalez supplied the offense with 4 RBI, one swing bringing in 3 big ones in the 8th with a homer over the monster. And the Sox win 5-1 despite 3 hits from Kevin Youkilis in his return as a member of the White Sox. In his return to the Boston Lineup Carl Crawford had an excuse-me hit, a walk & 2 runs scored. David Ortiz suffered an achilles pull rounding 2nd base which will keep him out of the lineup for a few days. Hopefully, he & Pedroia will both be ready to go on Thursday when the entire starting lineup could be on the field for the 1st time in many months. Maybe things are getting brighter!

Bobby V Piling On Youk

If this was football, Bobby V would get a flag for a late hit. The Red Sox manager lays the blame for the Youkilis trade on Youk's inability to get over his comments in April when he stated that Youk wasn't as focused as in the past. Cheap shot, Bobby. Let it go. You don't need to get the last word in. It's over. He's traded. For Youk's part he took out an ad to express gratitude to all the Fenway fans, especially when he hit a triple in his last at bat & took a curtain call to thunderous cheers. What ever happen to the axiom "you praise in public & scold in private?" I guess that's not the world today with Facebook, Twitter, etc. Nothing is private. And you know Bobby will always get the last word in.

Youk's Back!

Kevin Youkilis makes his first return to Boston as a member of the Chicago White Sox. Since his trade Youk has been as hot as any player in the bigs, helping the White Sox to remain in 1st place in the AL Central. I struggled with the Red Sox decision to trade him, but I believe it was the right thing to do. It was time to let him go to a team where he would be the everyday third-baseman. Even though Middlebrooks got injured & was out for a week, Will is back now & still producing on offense. Youk was not ready to be a spare part. The rumors of bad karma surrounding Youk & having that infect the clubhouse is out there. Perhaps Youk was the player that outed the pitchers on chicken & beer last year. Too much baggage in Boston. The trade to Chicago allows Youk to continue his career past the end of this season. He worked very hard as a player of 2 World Series champion teams in Boston & he should get a standing "O" from the crowd tonight.

Sox Take Series With 7-3 Win

I saw Beckett in the first inning & turned the game off. After getting a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st he gives up 3 in the bottom of the inning. I thought this was going to be a long day in Tampa. When I turned the game back on in the 7th I was pleasantly surprised to see the 7-3 lead by the Sox which ended up being the final score. I'd take 2 out of 3 at the Trop anytime, so it's a good start to the 2nd half to win a road series. Nice to see Jacoby Ellsbury hitting the ball. Nice team win today.

Sox Lose 5-3

It was a good game with back & forth leads. David Price & Clay Buchholz matched each other pitch for pitch. Will Middlebrooks went deep which was nice to see. But in the end it was the Rays who scratched out 2 sac flies & a bases loaded walk to win the game. Without Longoria & Joyce the Rays only have BJ Upton & Carlos Pena that can hurt you with a long ball. And it was Upton who homered in the 8th to give the Rays a big insurance run. Sox had a few opportunities, like Ells on 2nd with no outs in the top of the 8th, but couldn't plate him. With Gonzalez out & Salty striking out more than making contact, the Sox offense needs someone other than Ortiz to come through. Beckett vs. Shields should be quite a finale to see who wins this series.

Sox Start 2nd Half With 3-1 Win

The never-ending lineup shuffle for Bobby V. continued in game 87 last night. I think Bobby deserves credit for finding a lineup that can produce enough to win every other game. No Dustin Pedroia. No Adrian Gonzalez. Insert Jacoby Ellsbury. Insert the hot Pedro Ciriaco. Add a good pitching performance by Frank Morales & the Red Sox bullpen. Add a Big Papi HR in the 1st to set the tone. Throw in a dumb baserunning play by Ben Zobriest in the 8th. It all adds up to a 3-1 win in Tampa. The Sox can move up to 3rd in the standings with another win tonight. A Red Sox lineup last night that can win with Mauro Gomes & Ciriaco on the right side of the infield, Punto at 3rd later in the game for Middlebrooks, & Nava starting the game in LF is quite a fete!

Can Sox Pitchers Find Consistency in 2nd Half?

I agree with the talking heads. The Red Sox starting pitching has underperformed. No question about it. Lester has been healthy, but not up to par with his previous years. Beckett has pitched better than his record, but he throws a stinker in there more times than he should for a guy of his caliber. Buchholz started slow, got in a groove, then got injured. If Lester, Beckett & Buchholz just pitch to their historical averages from past years, they should help the team win more in the 2nd half. Question is - can they do it? What do you think if you're Ben Cherington? The talent is there. Pitching, more than spotty offense & defense, will determine if the Sox are sellers at the trade deadline after a rough stretch of games throughout July.

Ellsbury, Crawford Coming Back

Unofficial reports have leaked that Jacoby Ellsbury will be in the Sox lineup on Friday night when the Sox take on the Tampa Bay Rays. Ells would be a welcomed addition to the struggling replacement outfielders who have carried the load most of the first half. It is also reported that Carl Crawford will rejoin the team on Monday after a few more rehab starts. Crawford would also be a shot in the arm for the slumping replacements. Both Ells & Crawford can create a little havoc on the basepaths, as well as chase down balls in the outfield. It's time to get the regular outfield back & see if they help this team to go on a run.

Are You Ready for Some Baseball?

My mom use to say that it's such a long day when there is no Red Sox game in the summer. I guess we all get use to watching & complaining about this team. And when there's no game we have nothing to complain about. The 4-day drought is over tomorrow, however, as the Sox & Rays start it up again in St. Pete. These 2 teams are 4-4 so far this year. It would be nice to see the Sox start the unofficial 2nd half by winning this first series.

It Could Be Worse

I have been involved in playing or coaching sports most of my life. I always hated a player, a board member or another coach who used the saying "we are no worse than Johhny Jones or XYZ team." Really, is that the goal? To be no no worse than another player or team. Don't you want to set your own standard to be measured against? I'm getting off track here. Looking at the standings today I was reminded of that saying. As A Red Sox fan, we are no worse (in fact better) than a fan of the Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins, Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals. These 6 teams are out of it for the 2nd half while the other 24 clubs are still within striking distance of the 2nd wild card. So keep the faith, Red Sox Nation. We are no worse than 6 other teams at the break.

Can the Sox Make the Playoffs?

Isn't that the million dollar plus question? Will the returning starters add enough punch to steady the highs & lows of the offense? Will the return of Clay Buchholz this weekend help even out the highs & lows of the starting pitchers? Can Will Middlebrooks & Dustin Pedroia return from injuries & contribute again? Will Jon Lester &/or Josh Beckett ever become a #1 starter with consistency? Can Adrian Gonzalez get hot in the 2nd half to drive in more than 100+ runs? If the Sox fall out of the race, can they move some big ticket pieces for top prospects? At 43-43 the Sox have tred water for 3 months. As we saw last year, it all comes down to September to determine who's in & who's out. Other than the Yankees who have left the pack of AL teams, everyone else is a few games above or below .500 for the 2 wild cards. I'm looking forward to an interesting 2nd half to see how the above questions get answered.

Mid-Season Playoff Teams

At the all-star break the AL division leaders are the Yankees, White Sox & Rangers. The one-game playoff between wild card teams would be between the Angels & the Orioles. In the NL the division leaders are the Nationals, the surprise Pirates & the Dodgers. The NL wild card game would be between the Braves & the Reds. No Red Sox. No Rays. No Phillies. No Giants. With so many teams in contention it will make for an interesting 2nd half of the season for sure.

Anyone Watching the All-Star Game?

Is the all-star game a thing of the past? It's basically a money maker for the players who have bonuses written into their contracts if they make the all-star team. Starters are out of the game by the 4th or 5th inning & on their way home before the game is done. Home field advantage during the World Series is only important to contending teams now & those teams may not be contenders in September. The Home Run Derby is usually the more entertaining night. But how many times can you listen to Chris Berman say back-back-back! Here's 3 days to catch up on your DVR'd shows or to rent a movie you missed at the theatre. The thrill of the all-star break is gone for me.

Sox Lose 3 of 4 to Yanks

Another loss last night. The Red Sox limp into the all-star break after a 2-5 west coast trip & a 1-3 home record against the Yankees. At 43-43 you can say that the glass is half full or the glass is half empty. Either way, the first half of the 2012 season is in the books. The first 2 months of the season saw the Red Sox try to reach the .500 mark. The last 6 weeks had the Sox up as many as 5 games above .500 & in 3rd place after a 7-2 homestand before crashing to a 3-8 record over the final 2 weeks. In a word - inconsistency. Inconsistent starting pitching. Inconsistent offense. They just can't seem to put the 2 together for any extended period of time - which is what good teams do. Add in an inability to win 1-run games & that's the Reader's Digest version of the first half of 2012. Perhaps the return of Ells, Crawford, Buchholz & Middlebrooks will help to keep the offense more consistent & get to more balls to keep the pitchers more aggressive in the strike zone. Only time will tell. I'm ready for a break too.

Sox Win, Sox Win!

Read all about it! It took big games from unknowns Pedro Ciriaco & Mauro Gomez to defeat the mighty Yankees in the twinbill nightcap 9-5. We'll take it. Felix Doubront shook off recent unimpressive starts to go 6+ innings. And the call-ups added much-needed offense to the lineup in the win last night. With one game left before the all-star break the Sox cannot fall below .500 to close out the unofficial end of the first half. Those rehab reinforcements can't get here soon enough after the break.

Yankees 6, Sox 1

Freddy Garcia couldn't break a pane of glass, but his junk was good enough to keep a punchless Red Sox offense to just 1 run through 6 2/3. Just looking at the patchwork lineup for Boston you knew they would not generate any offense. Unfortunately, Frank Morales had his worst start, giving up several long balls & 6 runs. Funny how limiting the Yankees to 6 runs would have earned a win last night. The Sox are in a hole & it doesn't look like they are climbing out of it any time before the break.

Why No Cody Ross?

Lineups for the first game of today's Red Sox-Yankees doubleheader are out & there is no Cody Ross in the Red Sox lineup. Why is that? Ross is one of the few long ball threats in a mediocre Red Sox lineup that desperately needs a win. Brent Lillibridge in right, really? Unless Bobby V knows something we don't, Ross needs to be in there. This isn't Little League where everyone on the 25 man roster has to play every 2nd or 3rd game. It's very surprising to me (& to Lou Merloni on the Baseball Show) that Ross is not in the lineup.

Yankees 10, Red Sox 8

On the west coast it was no offense. In game 1 against NYY it was no pitching. Josh Beckett gave up 5 first inning runs. The bullpen coughed up an 8-7 lead in the 7th. In an otherwise back & forth game that was entertaining to watch, the end result was a Red Sox loss 10-8. This was another winnable game, like several recent ones on the west coast. Several outstanding efforts by individuals like Salty, Nava & Punto that allowed the Sox to climb back into the game after being down by 5 went for not. It was as if Jerry Remy was reading my mind when Nick Punto came up with the tying runs on base & 2 out in the 7th or 8th. Valentine did not pinch hit for him with Middlebrooks or Shoppach & Punto made a weak ground ball out to end the threat. Such is the life of a Red Sox fan these days. Inconsistency on the field rules.

Red Sox & Yankees Again

Steve Buckley finally said something that I agree with. He said the Red Sox & Yankees rivalry transcends the current roster of players. No brawls between Fisk & Munson, Varitek & A-Rod. But there is still a bigger buzz at the park whenever the Yankees are in town. As Pedro said, they are our daddies & the pinstripers come in atop of the AL East. 4 wins by the Red Sox would make quite a change in the standing at the all-star break. Is it possible? Sure. Is it probable? No. The Red Sox are a .500 team through the first 82 games & nothing would suggest that things will change this weekend, especially after the west coast power outage of no offense. No media hype by NESN, Fox or ESPN can change their record. As Bill Parcells once said, you are what your record says you are. And the Red Sox are tied for last.

Ugly Road Trip Ends With Another Loss

Swept by the Oakland A's. How often does any team hear that? Another 1-run loss, another good pitching effort down the tubes. This loss comes on a day that David Ortiz hits a milestone, home run #400. 2-5 gets you back into the cellar after a 7-2 homestand had the Sox in 3rd place. The Yankees come into Boston off of a sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays. Other than '04 & '07 it seems like we are always looking up at the Bronx Bombers. I thought CC Sabathia being out, along with no Mariano Rivera, would be the end for the Yankees. But they find a way to have consistency on offense that wins games. A 4-game sweep of the Yankees at home by the Red Sox could put them right back into the playoff race. But I'm not counting on that. I expect 2-2 or .500 just like this season has been to date.

Sox Punchless in Oakland Again

I stayed awake through the 7th inning stretch with the Sox ahead 2-1. Glad I went to bed & didn't see the 9th inning Little League mistakes that cost the Red Sox & Jon Lester a win. Where is the offense? In 5 of 6 games they have scored 2 runs or less. That gives low-scoring teams like the Mariners & A's a chance to win - which they have done 4 out of 6 times. This is a disastrous west coast swing to end the first half of the season. Nick Punto has to be the worst utility man ever. He dropped a foul pop & could get a crucial bunt down last night. Punto adds zero to the lineup. And the fill-ins have hit the wall with what they can contribute. You can be a glass half full or half empty at the midway point. In a word the Boston Red Sox have been inconsistent throughout the entire first half of 2012. And yet they are still in the hunt for a playoff berth. Go figure! It's a strange year.

Sox Lose to A's 6-1

Dice-K was terrible, neck injury or not. No offense once again. And, as usual, the Sox lose the 1st game of their series in Oakland. It seems like Boston loses the 1st game of every series lately, then they come back in win the next 2. Let's hope that's the case in Oakland. Another loss will made this a sub .500 road trip against 2 of the lower teams in the AL.

Rehab Players Getting Closer

The Red Sox website says Scott Podsednik is the closest outfielder to finishing up his rehab & he may rejoin the team on Friday for the Yankees series. Podsednik brought life to the top of the order with his bat & speed - reminded you of an older Jacoby Ellsbury. Carl Crawford is back in Boston to be re-examined, then off to Double A Portland for a few more games. Jacoby Ellsbury remains in Florida to play in his third GCL game. As outfielders return, roster moves like Darnell McDonald will continue to be made. Daniel Nava & Ryan Kalish are the most likely to be ousted when more players complete their rehab. Nava, Kalish & Podsednik have all contributed to the recent successes of the Sox during June. But only 25 men can stay.

Sox Win in 10th to Salvage Split

Sleepless in Seattle is not the right phrase. How about offense-less against some young arms? The Sox could have very easily swept all 4 games with an extra run or two in their losses. And they could have also lost all 4 had it not been for sporadic HR's, most of which came in the 2nd game. Yesterday it came down to a much-needed sac fly by David Ortiz in the 10th after a Ryan Kalish pinch hit double & a Dustin Pedroia single. Pedroia also homered in the 8th to tie the game 1-1. Bullpen was solid for 5 relief innings. Sox leave with a split in Seattle & a split against a bad team like the Mariners has to be very unsatisfying.

Sox Blow Game in 11th 3-2

A miscue between Mike Aviles & Daniel Nava. An offense that leaves 11 out of 12 runners stranded. Another good outing for Josh Beckett where he has nothing to show for it. That about sums up a 2nd frustrating walk-off loss to the Mariners 3-2 in 11 innings. One timely hit. One extra play in the field. That's all it would have taken for a victory last night, but it was not to be. Losing 2 of 3 to one of the weakest teams in the AL is not what the doctor ordered so far on this 7-game road trip. Don't blame the starting pitching this time.