A ROAD FRAUGHT WITH PERIL FOR THE UNINITIATED — A TWIST OF THE ANKLE AND A BEND OF THE MIND — IS BUT A STEP AWAY
It’s always a little scary — disconcerting really — to try and do what you’ve never done.
Riding a bicycle or diving into a (deep enough, please God) body of water.
Diving off a diving board, counting the steps and getting it right, soaring into the air.
Riding a horse or for the more adventurous breaking a bronco.
Being a matador in keeping with this lunacy.
Driving a stick for the first time. Or an eighteen-wheeler. Or a motorcycle. Or a NYC taxi.
Jumping from a plane.
You probably figured out that eventually this line of thought would wend its way however indirectly and circuitously to the Red Sox.
Why?
Because doesn’t everything?
Last night (07/29/2016) in Anaheim the Sox lost their fourth straight contest, something they haven’t done all season.
And they may have achieved another dubious distinction by losing in a horrific fashion unseen in their previous 99 games — or even in recent history.
In a nutshell, they led 1–0 from the third inning to the last of the ninth with one out when, with the bases loaded — courtesy of 3 singles surrendered by de facto closer Brad Ziegler — pinch-hitter Daniel Nava (remember him?) hit a routine chopper to first base.
Double-play, game over?
Half-right; game over.
Hanley Ramirez fields the ball and throws so widely and wildly to the plate that catcher Sandy Leon has no chance, the errant throw reaches the backstop and two runs score.
Ballgame.
The Olde Towne Team was 50–0 when leading after eight innings before last night’s walk-off debacle.
A strong effort by David Price who pitched eight innings scattering 7 hits and recording 14 (of 24) ground ball outs — an absolute must for him — was wasted.
Hanley who had his feet moving while rushing his throw to the plate — he wasn’t “set” — was the goat twice in the ninth inning meltdown as it happens.
To open the inning, Trout beat out an infield hit when Travis Shaw was caught in between hops and made a poor throw across the diamond. But if Ramirez had handled it cleanly perhaps it would have been a different story.
(And this is not to bash Hanley; he has been performing beautifully offensively and defensively all year long. Rather it is to express real concern about the Red Sox, now but 10 games over .500 with 62 left to play, 40 of which are on the road where their record is 21–20. They will suit up 42 times in the next 43 days).
This past weekend’s Cooperstown Spink honoree, the Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy, plies us with telling stats which portend playoff doom and gloom should the Sox get that far.
They sit at 21–24 in one-or two-run games. They are 8–31 in games in which they score four or fewer runs, “playoff-type games,” as Shaughnessy describes them. Their record is 3–36 when they are behind after 7 innings; 2–36 when they trail after 8. They have only 2 walkoff wins, tied with the moribund Rays for last in the AL. The team ERA going into last night’s tilt was 4.42, nowhere near where it must be if long-term success is to be had.
Something must be done to stanch the bleeding immediately. Something dramatic.
August 1st. is almost here. The Red Sox need pitching badly. They also need focus. Injuries heal but that is simply not enough.
Big-name power pitcher or 2? New pitching coach? New manager? All of the above?
Time’s a-wastin’.
[Editor’s Note: This piece was written by Mr. Kaplan in July 2016.]
ADDENDUM: The 2016 Red Sox finished first in the AL East with a record of 93–69. In the postseason (ALDS) the team was swept by the AL Central champion Cleveland Indians.
