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| The Lone Bright Spot for the Sox in the past week, Will Middlebrooks, Professional Boss. |
You guys, I don't even know where to start. The team just wrapped up such a pathetic week, that I'm honestly almost indifferent, like a victim of a crime who just goes into a catatonic state rather than dealing with the realities of what just happened. I spent 45 minutes yesterday rocking back and forth while sitting in my shower, trying to wrap my head around what the hell was going on. I mean, they're 4-10 at home this year, they've lost 5 in a row again, and have now lost 8 of 10 to the Baltimore Orioles dating back to last year...So clearly there are a number of things going wrong to go over.
I guess I'll start here:
Boston - Yesterday was probably the worst game of Gonzalez's career, an epic
0-8 afternoon with a pair of strikeouts in Boston's 9-6, 17-inning loss
to the surprising Baltimore Orioles. After the game, the stand-up
Gonzalez defended his performance by slinking away, refusing to answer
any questions from reporters, just what you want from a $154 million
franchise cornerstone, and supposed leader.
For the second time in a week, Gonzalez's failure to come through in
the clutch spoke volumes about the man's charisma. Think about it.
Gonzalez struck out against Orioles DH Chris Davis on three pitches.
And that's really not all that harsh. It could be a lot worse. By any measurement Adrian has been a disaster this season. Now, I'm not a believer in the whole, he sucked last year, he can't hit in the clutch, yada, yada, yada...the numbers just don't back that up. Nor am I blind to the fact that it's only been one month this season, it's hardly statistically relevant...but relevant or not the guy has flat out SUCKED. Striking out on 3 pitches to the other team's DH was just the icing on the cake yesterday...the man was 0-8...was that God's plan for you yesterday? To go 0-8? What the fuck man.
Of course, that wasn't the last out of the game, no, that belonged to Darnell McDonald...you know Darnell, hitting A Buck-Eighty Four on the season...Batting cleanup for half the game because pinch running for the best hitter in the American League with the worst hitter in all of professional baseball (I'm including the minor leagues too) is a brilliant fucking idea. HOW IS THIS GUY ON THE TEAM STILL? He had a nice April two seasons ago. He's building a career off of two walk off's back in April 2010. He hit .236 last year and barely cracked .300 OBP...Pick a stat, any stat, and I'll guarantee he sucks in it. He should've had his bags packed and shipped out to Worcester to join whatever barnstorming team Jose Canseco just joined by now. There's just nothing that he does on the field that justifies his spot in the big leagues. Nothing. And it certainly doesn't make sense for him to be pinch running for David Ortiz...Ortiz could be crawling from first to third and I'd still leave him in over Darnell... I'm completely serious. I commend you for taking the mount yesterday and taking one for the team, but good god man I hope that's the last I see of you.
And then there's Buchholz. Oh MY DEAR GOD. What the hell happened to this guy? He went from an up and coming ace in the making, to an injury plagued year, to the living embodiment of John Lackey's 2011 spirit. Jesus H, kid. I mean he's on a record breaking start, right? Has anyone ever given up 5 runs per start over the course of an entire season? I don't see how they have a choice not to send him back to the minors for a while, this clearly isn't working out. His effectiveness is at a 0 right now.
On the positives, the bullpen has actually been phenomenal for the better part of a week now, and frankly, they had to be...pretty sure they've pitched more innings than the starters over the last week.
Also, there's Will Middlebrooks just mashing grand slams like a boss. Might give my Bryce Harper man-crush a run for its money.
