Sox have won 5 in a row now, against average-to-excellent teams. The ugliness from the Minnesota series has carried over into this win streak: in these five games they have given up 8 unearned runs (1.6/game). The bullpen has been atrocious, with a 7.24 ERA over that stretch.
On the other hand, the Sox have been scoring 11 runs a game. I suppose if they keep doing that, the bullpen and defense don't matter much? Has a team ever gone to the playoffs with absolutely amazing hitting but with so many other glaring problems?
Yes, the Red Sox two years ago...
ReplyDeletePedro was their only ace...
Their closer was decent at best...
And that team got real close (winning it all last year doesn't take that pain away still) to going to the WS that year.
I actually think that the Sox will be ok in the playoffs. Their offense hits even great pitching...That's the second time they've knocked Buerhle around. They didn't really struggle against Santana...
With their pitching being:
Wells
Clement
Arroyo
Wake
Miller (they'll get him plenty of rest in September when the roster expands)
That's pretty good. Match them up against other squads that will probably get in (and I am talking about how other squads starters fair against good hitting teams, not racking up numbers against KC or Seattle)...
The bullpen is scary and I can see a playoff game or two going by the wayside in the late innings. that bugs me...But I think we'll see Papelbon up here again on Tuesday and he might stick this time. Someone is going to have to be sent down, and ONCE again it is probably Youk...Or maybe Adam Stern (he more than likely will "tweak" something in the next few days because of his status).
Timlin
Papelbon
Myers
Schilling
Foulke
Bradford
That ain't too shabby...
Of course, Foulke's return would mean Schilling heads to the starting rotation making it more like this...
Schilling
Wells
Clement
Wakefield
Arroyo/Miller
I'd go to battle with that...
I think that Foulke's return could solidify the pen and put us in a heck of a position for a serious run...
We are starting to play like we did at this time last year. We are winning games in every way possible. Last night when we went down 4-0 against a Cy Young candidate I didn't worry. I knew we'd battle...I wasn't sure we'd win, but the fight is back...
The 2003 team did not have the glaring deficiencies this one does. They had great bullpen: the Big Three of Williamson, Timlin, and Embree, who were absolutely unhittable in the ALCS; with Jones, Sauerbeck and Arroyo to help out. The 2005 bullpen, right now, is terrible.
ReplyDeleteThe key, as always, is Foulke's return to the pen and Schilling's return as starter. If they can return to 2004 form, the Sox are in great shape. If they can't, Sox are in deep trouble.
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ReplyDelete