What should be said?
I'm really at a loss for words. Everybody knows I'm the "Red Sox guy" around campus, so I'm always answering questions about our unlovable losers. But I have no answers now. I can't point to one thing and say, "That's why the Sox have been horrible." I can't do that. I can just shrug my shoulders and go mumble something.
Maybe the luck has run out on the Boston Red Sox. Maybe the magic of 2004 wasn't strong enough and couldn't carry on through 2006. Personally, I think it's just the team balancing out to their true abilities.
Stay with me here. At the All-Star break, we were talking about how lucky the Sox were to get great seasons from guys who weren't expected to produce much: Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis, and Alex Gonzalez to name a few. Now with the injury bug factored with the trip down familiar Lucky Lane, it could be all over.
Just look at the lineup for August 28th:
Crisp
Cora
Loretta
Youkilis
Hinske
Lowell
Lopez
Pena
Pedroia
Who are we, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays?
I'm not saying it's over for the Red Sox. I truly believe that until the Sox are mathematically eliminated, they've got a shot. It looks really bad for the Sox - I admit that - but there's always hope.
Right? There is always hope, right?
Maybe it's time for Francona to just bite his tongue and see what some of these guys can do. Let Papi hit. Sit Manny if he really can't play. Maybe play Pedroia every day and hope he can adjust to the MLB through September. Let guys who've played a lot (like Loretta) get some more days off.
We have to remember something: this is Boston. With every bad season, there is a very interesting off-season following. If the Sox continue to struggle and look as weak as they've been, we could see a ton of changes come November.
Good or bad changes has yet to be seen.