Sports Redux: Assume Crash Positions

I agree with MJG. I'm mad.

I have come to the realization that the Red Sox are simply the stupidest team in the history of professional sports in America. Francona keeps Gagne in Tuesday night in the 8th to blow a 2-1 lead (why? this is his 4th blown game since being acquired). Why not bring in Papelbon who hadn’t pitched since Friday? Then Wednesday, when trailing 2-1 he does bring in Papelbon in the 8th. Why then and not the night before when they could have won? Anyway, they lose again. When asked about it, Francona said that he needed to see what Gagne can give him in the playoffs. What ?!?!?!? What in blue blazes is he talking about? Shouldn’t you get INTO the playoffs or clinch SOMETHING before you experiment? And isn’t a walk followed by a single and followed by another walk (with none of the pitches even close to the strike zone) to load the bases enough to let you know that the experiment isn’t working? I guess not, cause he left him in to walk in the tying run and then, inexplicably still in the game, give up a double for the go-ahead run. It is just plain stupid.

And where is Manny? Another September, another Manny disappearance. By all accounts he is hitting the ball a mile in batting practice. He can’t pinch hit one at-bat for Bobby Kielty in the 9th on Friday? Mickey Mantle plays in a World Series game with a hole in his leg, and Manny can’t drag his rear end out for one at-bat in a pennant race?

Friday night the pitching and managing was the worst. Matsuzaka must have pitched to about 40 batters, and of those, I believe only 5 or 6 had a first pitch strike (I counted after the first few batters). He was almost always behind in the count. Francona left him in three batters too long. Then Lopez gets 2 out in the 7th and so he pulls him, a lefty, to bring in a lefty, to face a lefty. Why pull him? Then in the 8th, Giambi hits a long shot for a home run, 7-3. Cano hits a long home run, 7-4, and I’m thinking “Okajima doesn’t have it tonight and he’s liable to implode now. Pull him.” And he didn’t. With September call-ups he has about 12 guys in the bullpen, including a guy who pitched a no-hitter so why not use him. He didn’t. As expected, Okajima imploded. He walks Cabrera and gives up a ringing double to Demon, er, I mean Damon. Then Francona finally pulls him out to bring in Papelbon who, having been rushed in, gives up single to Jeter (7-5), double to Abreu (7-7) and single to A-Rod (8-7) before settling down and getting the first out of the inning. 7 straight batters reached. Argghhh! It’s hard to blame Papelbon, since the kid has been good all year, but the manager put his team in position to lose and the manager’s job should be to put his team in position to win.

I will grant you that Francona managed well for a week and half in October 2004, but even then he made the stupid move of bringing Pedro in in the 7th inning of Game 7 versus NY when he didn't have to. Why? To get the Yankee fans who were sitting on their hands back in the game to chant "Who's your daddy"? To keep Pedro from pitching Game 1 of the World Series? It was stupid then. It is stupid still looking back on it three years later.

All year I have been saying that they are not that good. I stand by that. On the other hand, they can at least try to be smart.

I'm not scared about the Sox ongoing collapse. I don't feel impending doom. I'm pissed.

I'm envisioning Animal House and Dean Wormer when he says "I hate those guys."

Gagne is a bad, bad man. He must be stopped from exposing his inner Schiraldi. And Manny needs to pop an Aleve, cut his hair and PLAY BALL. J.D. Drew, well, I can't describe what he did in the outfield the other night except to say it must have made Dewey cry like a little girl.

Francona makes my hair hurt.

They seem to be running away when they should fight back.

I have two suggestions. First of all, a remake of Welcome Back Kapler. He says he wants to play again. Great, Gabe. Meet us in Tampa.

Secondly, Beckett should hit the first batter with his first pitch and then yell something vulgar at the batter.

Guys, please get it together.