This is the (basically) the starting lineup for the Red Sox (what it should be, that is, with notes of why it isn't, excluding our middle relief pitching, which is basically fine):
C Jason Varitek (injured)
1B Kevin Youkilis (playing [poorly] in left field)
2B Mark Loretta (batting DH)
SS Alex Gonzalez (injured)
3B Mike Lowell
LF Manny Ramirez (injured)
CF Coco Crisp (injured)
RF Trot Nixon (injured)
DH David Ortiz (injured)
SP Curt Schilling (injured)
SP Josh Beckett
SP Jon Lester (cancer)
SP Matt Clement (injured)
SP Tim Wakefield (injured)
RP Jonathan Papelbon (injured)
Also, our two best backup outfielders, Adam Stern and Wily Mo Pena, are injured.
I've never seen anything like this. And most of the injuries have happened just in August. It's incredible. It's bizarre. The Sox basically just have Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett, some half-decent middle relief, Kyle Snyder starting pretty well, and ... well, and nothing.
And for some reason I've still not lost hope. There's a decent chance Varitek, Gonzalez, Nixon, Ortiz, Schilling, Manny, Pena, and Papelbon injuries might be over soon. But maybe not. And apparently Loretta is not playing second just to give a rookie (Dustin Pedroia) a chance to show what he can do, and David Wells (our best pitcher the last few weeks) was traded, so management has apparently a lot less hope than I do.
More forks stuck in them than a porcupine
mako132 on 2006-09-04T02:05:07
There is no hope that they'll make the playoffs. The only hope is that they'll end the season on a high note, perhaps get within 2 games of the wild card, or have a few exciting games where Big Papi has more walkoffs, Manny hits a grand slam, and Papelbon shuts 'em down in a tight game.
I'm hoping to reap the rewards of poor performance - namely season ticket holders dumping their tickets for peanuts. Maybe I'll be able to take the family to a game without dipping into the home equity account.
Re:More forks stuck in them than a porcupine
pudge on 2006-09-05T01:17:37
There is no hope that they'll make the playoffs.
Nonsense. They have more of a chance to go to the playoffs now than they had to go to the World Series in 2004.
Oh ye of little faith.
