Entering last week, things looked good for the Red Sox. Just 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees and awaiting a weekend series at Yankee Stadium, the Sox had a chance to close in on the Yankees, and perhaps even take the lead on them. The team was 8-0 against the Yankees in 2009, so things were encouraging.
Boston came in hoping for the best and got the worst. Swept by the Yankees, shut out twice, and more pitching woes for the Sox.
At this point, it looks like the Yankees have asserted themselves as the favorite to win the division. Boston needs not only worry about winning the division, but must make sure it even makes the playoffs. The Sox have a race of their own with Texas, as both teams are tied for the Wild Card lead.
Not only were Boston's bats atrocious, but more importantly, its pitching was weak. The bats are generally fine, but the pitching struggles are the bigger issue here.
The Red Sox have a decimated pitching staff, with both Tim Wakefield and Matsuzaka on the disabled list. Clay Buchholz and John Smoltz have been far from effective, and Boston's starting pitching situation is a mess right now.
If this isn't all surprising enough, how about those Washington Nationals? With a 12 and 4 record over the last 16 games and an 8 game win streak, there may not be a hotter team in baseball right now. I can't remember the last time I've said that, if ever before.
Moreover, their bullpen has been fantastic. Prior to the All-Star break, the Nats bullpen ERA was 5.71 and they had only attained 14 saves in 34 opportunities. After the break, their bullpen ERA has been 2.98. A lot of their wins can be attributed to their new closer, Mike MacDougal, who's done exceptionally well closing out ball games.
Just as hot as the Nationals would be Mark Reynolds, who seems to be responsible for as much offense over the last 10 days as the Boston Red Sox combined. With 8 HRs during this period, he's made fantasy GMs thrilled, and their opposition miserable. I'm in that miserable category.
Boston came in hoping for the best and got the worst. Swept by the Yankees, shut out twice, and more pitching woes for the Sox.
At this point, it looks like the Yankees have asserted themselves as the favorite to win the division. Boston needs not only worry about winning the division, but must make sure it even makes the playoffs. The Sox have a race of their own with Texas, as both teams are tied for the Wild Card lead.
Not only were Boston's bats atrocious, but more importantly, its pitching was weak. The bats are generally fine, but the pitching struggles are the bigger issue here.
The Red Sox have a decimated pitching staff, with both Tim Wakefield and Matsuzaka on the disabled list. Clay Buchholz and John Smoltz have been far from effective, and Boston's starting pitching situation is a mess right now.
If this isn't all surprising enough, how about those Washington Nationals? With a 12 and 4 record over the last 16 games and an 8 game win streak, there may not be a hotter team in baseball right now. I can't remember the last time I've said that, if ever before.
Moreover, their bullpen has been fantastic. Prior to the All-Star break, the Nats bullpen ERA was 5.71 and they had only attained 14 saves in 34 opportunities. After the break, their bullpen ERA has been 2.98. A lot of their wins can be attributed to their new closer, Mike MacDougal, who's done exceptionally well closing out ball games.
Just as hot as the Nationals would be Mark Reynolds, who seems to be responsible for as much offense over the last 10 days as the Boston Red Sox combined. With 8 HRs during this period, he's made fantasy GMs thrilled, and their opposition miserable. I'm in that miserable category.
About the Author:
If you love baseball with a passion, you would definitely be interested to come to RootZoo Sports, a massive social network for sports fans, with a sports forum, sports trivia questions, and much more.
0 comments:
Post a Comment