Nadir
Game 113: August 10, 2006
Red Sox (65-48), 4
Royals (41-73), 5
L: Curt Schilling (14-5)
W: Andrew Sisco (1-2)
S: Ambiorix Burgos (18)
Second verse, same as the first!
A faithful reader noted the disparity between the posts for games 111 and 112 and said it was the prototypical Red Sox fan response to the waxing and waning of our team’s fortunes. I endeavor ride the ebbs and flows of the tide with serenity, but the loss of the second game of the series guaranteed a series loss as well as a losing record for this short road trip.
Theories abound on Boston’s recent decline. Trot Nixon and Jason Varitek’s absence could have been seen as a positive given their recent slumps. The pitching staff’s unease on the mound, especially for the younger pitchers, has been palpable, so there is a basis for bemoaning the loss of the Captain. Wily Mo Peña has been an upgrade over Nixon in terms of power, .516 slugging versus .426, but the former needs to work on his plate discipline as shown by his OBP of .359 (compare to Nixon’s .396).
A popular supposition of the talking heads at ESPN is that the team is flagging because the front office didn’t make any deadline moves. There is a logical fallacy named post hoc, ergo propter hoc, translated as “after this, therefore because of this.” Just because events occurred in a certain temporal sequence doesn’t necessarily mean that the first event caused any event after it.
In the course of a season, there will be stretches where the team does not perform to its capabilities. It’s frustrating because the Red Sox were supposed to have an easier time against two of the worst teams in the AL, but recall how unusually well Boston played against NL during interleague. It seems to be regression toward the mean in action. During interleague we observed a winning percentage we hoped the Red Sox would maintain. But as the season continues, the wins and losses begin to even themselves out. That rebalancing is happening at a bad time, but not the worst time, i.e. late September.
With any luck, the Red Sox’s ultimate record will be enough to get them into the postseason.
Again, if you’d really like to relive last night’s debacle, click below.
top 1st: Coco Crisp leadoff infield single
Crisp CS
David Ortiz BB
Manny Ramirez lined single to left
top 3rd: Doug Mirabelli homer
“Mira-beautiful,” I said to NU50.
“Mira-bellisimo,” he replied.
bottom 3rd: David DeJesus two-out double
top 4th: Ramirez bounded a single past the Royals shortstop
Rainbow!
bottom 4th: Emil Brown two-out double
Reggie Sanders RBI double over the glove of Ramirez. Score tied.
top 5th: Mark Grudzielanek ball popped out of glove but he snatched it with his bare hand.
bottom 5th: John Buck leadoff double
Angel Berroa sacrifice bunt
Inning-ending double play to kill the threat
bottom 6th: Brown homer for the lead.
top 7th: Kevin Youkilis leadoff double down the left field line.
Lowell single over Mark Teahan.
Wily Mo Peña three-run home run; Red Sox take the lead
bottom 7th: Lowell deftly avoided the broken bat shards to field the ball and got the put out at first.
bottom 8th: Mike Sweeney one-out double to the right field
Teahen RBI double to make it a one-run game
Reggie Sanders RBI double down the right field line
Terry Francona could take Schilling out of the game anytime now! Please? Pretty please? With sugar on top?
Ryan Shealy liner tipped by Schilling, Alex Cora couldn’t come up with rebound, and the go-ahead run scored.
top 9th: Keep moving, folks, nothing to see here.
Comments
...except a little bit louder and a little bit worse. sorry, had to say it.
beth ∙ 11 August 2006 ∙ 10:32 PM
You can't ride in my little red wagon
You can't ride in my little red wagon
Front seat's broken and the axels draggin'
Front seat's broken and the axels draggin'
Boo ah boo ah boo ah ah!
Boo ah boo ah boo ah ah!
Arrrrrrggghhhhhh!
Joanna ∙ 12 August 2006 ∙ 12:34 PM