Slip Slid'n Away.....

I am sick of this same thing happening every single year. I am only 17 and havent had to live through as many dissapointing and heart wrenching seasons as others have, but I cannot imagine living through this for the rest of my life. Right now there is no one player on the market which will turn this team around...no, not even Randy Johnson... this team needs to wake up and stop sleepwalking their way back out of the playoff picture. The baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint, but its the end of July and we're at Heartbreak hill -- its time to play up to the potential of a team with a payroll well over $100 million. How can they have pride in themselves knowing that teams like Oakland, Minnesota, Chicago (White Sox), etc. have nearly identical records but more than half their payroll? The Red Sox are also comparable to the Cubbies this year...huge expectations coming in to the season...big dissapointments and chasing the wildcard before the trading deadline.

The majority of the blame cannot be placed on Terry Francona -- thats far to easy to do as a fan. The manager always gets the blame, no matter who he is. Its about time the players are held accountable, because Francona isnt going anywhere.

At least Theo is sending some sort of message or wake up call to this group of underacheivers...

This is probably just a low point right now, and there are (hopefully) some better times ahead, but for now the numbers and standings do the talking -- 52-44 and 9.5 games behind the Yankees.

NHBaseball

NH

Well said.
What has been your biggest dissapoinment??
WHat adjustments would you make if you were
in the manager's seat?

Did you happen to see the inside-the-park home run the other night vs. the Orioles?
How bizzare was that relay??

Chill

Derek Lowe has to be the BIGGEST dissapointment...he cant seem to handle the pressure of a contract year. Kevin Millar, although he has been coming on of late, had a terrible first half, offensively and defensively.

I did happen to see the inside-the-park-homerun. The worst part about it is that the players and even Francona laughed about it. The botton line is that it was not a funny play and its actually embarassing. I dont believe you can just say that it's "Manny being Manny." That is something that Francona should do differently. He needs to make the players accountable for their mistakes and failures to execute. They are professionals, and very few of them act like it.

The only thing I would really like to see Francona do is alter the clubhouse atmosphere. They are playing to relaxed and don't seem to worry when they lose a game. This team also lacks veteran leadership. Varitek is probably the closest thing to a leader they have...the problem is that the veteran, STAR players need to be leaders in order to set the tone in the clubhouse (something no manager can do) a la Derek Jeter.

Well since I am typing this after today's eventful game, we would be remiss not to talk about it. It's good to see some emotion from this team. Hopefully this will be a sparkplug for them for the stretch run. What a great finsh and a rare site to see the Sox beat Rivera..this was an exhilerating win for the fans and players. I hate to be negative, but don't worry- DLowe is pitching tomorrow. Let's enjoy this win while we can though.

NHBaseball

Chill

Don't give up yet. I am a transplanted Rhode Islander and have lived through more disappointment than I care to recount. I almost responded to your last thread a celebration of Johnny Damon but that speaks for itself. Your other posts show some degree of restraint but I think you've succombed to the roller coaster.There is a lot more to come of this season and tonite may set the tone. Every base hit against the [ ] is a treasure jewel every win a keepsake. My father was born after the last championship and is now gone without one I refuse to do the same.

Chill, Maybe just maybe after this weekend the Sox will finally wake up. Lowe finally had a decent outing. I think the key is that Lowe turns things around for the rest of the year. The injury bug has bitten again. Nixon may be out for the rest of the season. Keep the faith, the wildcard may be a possibility. BD

NH Baseball,
I would like to compliment you on a very informative and beautifully written post...it is not often you see young people who possess a command of grammar and punctuation...
as far as the Red Sox go...I am a big believer of the "Evil Eye"...so I will defer my comments for a later date...
FYI...Chill is an avid Yankees fan but I love her despite that fact

catcher

Thanks for the compliment and the information about Chill...I would never have known by reading her posts. This changes the thread a little

NHBaseball

NH

I have many friends who struggle each year with the Sox so I thought I would offer the couch here, too

I am a baseball fan first. And I am in a unique situation when it comes to my alliegences. Since I am in the Northeast I get the Sox games and I do like quite a few of them.

CatcherMom and I were having coffee the other morning and we were talking about your mature repsonse. I think you are right on about so many things...the things that most fans get frustrated with. Great conversation.

Justafan....
My roller coaster has more lows than you know about!!

Mary
Thank you, but I knew that, didn't I?
Red Sox fans can love Yankee fans

NH---

Chill has many friends on both sides of the fence. And she is very WISE, benefiting from a unique, insider perspective from a lifetime of close involvement with MLB. I consider her baseball wisdom top shelf---and I am one of her pals who HATES the Yankees, too (but she loooves me anyway)! Sorry, Chilly, that was quite graceless of me!

PAmom

I'm sure I can make an exception and get along well with Chill ..JK...Red Sox and Yankees fans can get along if they can speak intelligently about the game and their team instead of ignoring the "enemy" because of their allegiance to Boston or New York. I will always get along well with fans of baseball. Besides, baseball fans always have something to talk about.

Chill- how's the Yankee's rotation holding up???

NHBaseball

NH

Pitching for NY has been
S-L-O-W-E-D by injuries and has also lacked consitency. You start Spring Training with a vision of the team you've assembled, a rotation you think you can rely on, and then the group cannot stay healthy. Part of the game.

Ask any team how they would fare without the front end of the rotation. It has been one thing after another from groins to elbows to parasites and all the mental stuff...

Last night for example, Leiber pitched a great game. He went deep into the game and was much more consistant than he had been in previous starts. Vernon Wells did the bullpen in

You know that Schilling lost last night and for some reason the Orioles own the Sox. The difference in that series alone makes up the spread in the standings. Some things in baseball we can just not explain...they just HAPPEN.

Chill

You are absolutely correct...how do you explain Dave Borkowski fooling Red Sox hitters all night long? The O's have been a menance all season long. Hopefully the Yankees can have some trouble with them this weekend as well.
New York will get a much needed boost on Friday when Kevin Brown returns to the rotation. The Sox will have to face one of the hottest pitcher this weekend when they face Santana. They desperately need to win 2 of 3 to show they can win on the road.

NHBaseball

NH

Borkowski explained it by crediting his catcher!
Gotta love that. He called a great game for him and they were careful not to fall into a pattern. The offense Javy provided was a bonus....

Twins are hot.....The dome can be tough.
I'm not sure how effective Brown will be
after his illness......

Saw a little piece over the weekend on baseball collisions. Damon was talking about his collision last Oct and said his short term memory is shot since that happened...and said he has forgotten how many out there were twice this season because of it!

TGIF.......Summer Friday's are best!!

That ain't bad. I forget to take the trash out every week and haven't even had a collision...............

I am hearing:
Nomar to Cubs......
Sox get Clement, Cabrera and Meinetkeiwitz?? (sp)
I Love Nomar..I wish you SO MUCH success....
Yanks get Loaiza....deal Contreras
Finley to Dodgers....



Anyone with confirmation or more info?????

No more Nomar...I have mixed feelings about this trade. He was a great player while he was here, and his relationship with the media may have given him a bad rap over the past year and a half. But it's clearly a move that will improve the defense...as for whether it is a good deal or not, only time will tell. I didn't like that they had to give up a 1st round pick in Matt Murton, but this is a win now situation. The Sox did not receive equal value in the deal, but it makes them a more balanced team and they look more like a championship caliber team. It's also nice to know that Mientkewitcz (however you spell it!) and Cabrera are good clubhouse guys. Dave Roberts adds a new element to the offense with his speed, and I think he'll be a nice player to them.

Chill- Very good deal by the Yankees. Somehow the White Sox think Contreras will be more consistent in Chicago? We will see, but Loiaza is a slight upgrade who should certainly be more consistent. NYY also decreased their payroll slightly (I beleive) by ridding themselves of the remains of the 4 year, $32 million contract.

The waiver deadline is still to come, but most of the major moves are probably done with. Now it's time to win with who you've got.

Go Sox!

NHBaseball

#5 again...
Looked out of place with a new number,
let alone the new jersey.

I happened to see the name of this thread...and it made me smile, knowing that the Boston Red Sox are the 2004 World Series Champions

NHBaseball

And then back again


watch the METS!!!!!

Speaking of the Red Sox and Mets. Anyone from NE catch the replay of the 86 Series on NESN?

Great to watch the between innings interviews with former Sox players like Gedman and ,oh my God, former GM Lou Gorman.

Yes I have been watching parts of the games...I will stop after game 5.

NHBaseball

NHbaseball,

In between hot stove games have you been up to Rising Star and seen the new indoor training field? It was supposed to be open this month.