Who Are The Real Red Sox?

Last week, I wrote that with the Sox pitching situation, it would be a case of “get a lead and pray”. It hasn’t worked. In the team’s first 11 games, the ERA’s are so bad that there have been very few leads, and those that they have disappear quickly. Following the embarrassing 18-3 loss to Texas, the pitching stats are incredibly poor.

As of Wednesday, the hurlers that I recently suggested were among the top three starters in baseball-Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, and Clay Buchholz-had a combined ERA figure of 6.84. When you merge them with the number 4 and 5 men- Felix Doubront and Daniel Bard- it is a bit better, but still over 6. The relievers are not quite so bad, but Marc Melancon is back in the minors after compiling a figure of 49.50 in just two innings pitched. It is not surprising that Bobby V is booed every time a pitching change is made.

The Sox hitting has been erratic, but even the 27 Yankees could not overcome these stats. If by some miracle Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig suddenly walked through the clubhouse door, the Sox would still be losing.

My question is: Who are the real Red Sox? Are they the team that lead the AL East most of last season or the club that has lost 28 of 39 over two years? It it’s the latter, the summer will be a long one on Yawkey Way.

Injuries to Andrew Bailey, Jacoby Ellsbury, and Carl Crawford have hurt a lot, but it shouldn’t affect them to this extent. No team can win without pitching. Giving up a 4-spot in the first couple of innings, as has often happened, doesn’t do much for the squad’s confidence. In the first Texas game, for example, it was already 7-2 by the third.

I don’t know the reason that the “big three” starters have suddenly gone sour. But if things don’t change soon, the 2012 Sox will be battling with the Orioles for fourth place.