It was first reported on the second game of the season on Red Sox Nation Daily, that the 2010 version of the Boston Red Sox were not going to be that good...13 games in...I stand by that prediction, and I wonder if they may be worse that we all originally thought.

  Today was about as bad as it gets...the only silver lining was how good the bullpen pitched....but of course the bullpen always pitches great when it does not count.  John Lackey showed today that he also human, as he was rocked early and often by the Rays to the tune of nine hits and 8 earned runs in just 3 innings of work.  In his defense, the defense played by the Sox and more to the point the defense Jeremy Hermidia and Bill Hall played behind him was pure PUKE!  Nonetheless Lackey did not have it today....maybe the game was to early for him...who knows...either his defeat now makes five in a row...and drops the pitiful Sox to 4-9 and 1-6 at Fenway.

  The offense today was also as equally bad as the pitching....as the Sox were dominated by some guy not even in the Major's last year.  Victor Martinez grounded into his 6^th double play of the year, as his overall numbers continue to slip into the abyss.  I think Theo and company have grossly over-estimated V-Mart's ability to be a force in this line-up.  However, V-Mart wasn't the only joker out there today, as most of the Sox line-up failed to record a hit.  JD Drew did finally get a hit today....so our long national nightmare is finally over.  However Drew still sits on 16 K's for the year to go along with 2 lousy RBI's recorded over a week and a half ago.  Speaking of lousy...David Ortiz is still seeking his first homer of the season....he also went hitless today as well.

  Not sure where the Sox go from here...looks like Mike Cameron is still on the mend from kidney stones....and NANCY BOY Jacoby Ellsbury is still nursing his boo-boo from over a week ago.  It was thought that Ellsbury would have been back last week mid-week, however it appears that Jacoby has gone to the JD Drew school of gagging an injury.  If Cameron is indeed on the shelf, the Sox may be looking at calling up Josh Reddick.  One thing is for sure, it is going to continue to be gross to watch if this team continues not to hit or pitch.....you are not going to win many games in the A.L. East playing this style of baseball.

1- THE NUMBER OF GAMES THE RED SOX HAVE WON SINCE I LAST BLOGGED "THIS WEEK IN RED SOX NATION"

 1- ALSO THE NUMBER OF HITS JD RALLY KILLER DONKEY HOLE DREW HAS IN HIS LAST 20 AT BATS..........

16- THE NUMBER OF TIMES JD RALLER KILLER DonKEY HOLE DREW HAS STRUCK OUT...IN JUST 11 GAMES...NOT BAD....

 IF SPRING TRAINING IS SO LONG...AND THEY PLAY ABOUT 30 PRACTICE GAMES EACH YEAR....THEN WHY do THE SAME GUYS (SEE DAVID ORTIZ/ Jon lester/etc) suck balls out of the gate each year...I understand that baseball is a marathon...however all games count in the standings equally....and all games count on the first day of the season....and not in september as some baseball fans would have you think

1-                 THE NUMBER OF WINS THE RED SOX HAVE WON IN FENWAY PARK THIS SEASON....

6- IS THE ACTUAL NUMBER GAMES THEY HAVE PLAYED IN FENWAY PARK THIS YEAR

1-                 THE NUMBER OF GAMES THE RED SOX BULLPEN HAS PITCHED IN AND NOT ALLOWED A RUN IN...FOR THE RECORD THE SOX HAVE PLAYED 12 GAMES THIS YEAR.

2-                THE NUMBER OF WINS BY THE "SO-Called" uber rotation of the red sox.

5- the number of games the sox trail the new york Yankees....by the way...just mentioning....we are only 12 games in the season.....at this pace the sox will out of contention in the a.l. east by early may

 2 the number of r.b.i.'s david Ortiz has....15 the number of strikeouts david Ortiz has....and zero the number of homeruns.

 zero the number of people that believe a championship caliber team can be built by pitching and defense alone.... That's was theo's genius line about this sox team in spring training

 Get used to what you saw today....the 2010 Boston Red Sox being over-powered by good pitching.  It was a theme common to Red Sox Nation last season....and guess what...this team is no where near as good as the 2009 version that struggled mightly against good pitching.  The Sox looked foolish today at the plate, the lone exception being early MVP candidate Dustin Pedroia. 

  It was a so-so outing for Shakey Wakey today....he actually looked pretty good through the first five innings.  However the start of the 5th inning was another story as the Twins got to Wake often....putting up five earned in the next frame.  In all, Wakefield was tagged for ten hits and six earned runs.....but really that was moot since the Sox offense didn't bother to give him one run of support in his 5 1/3 innings of action.  Not exactly another banner day for the bullpen, as they allowed six base-runners in 2 2/3's innings of work to go along with two earned runs....not exactly nailing it down.

  I'm still not sure how Theo thought the "pitching and defense" solution was going to work.  For starters, the Sox pitching has not been that steller in the early going.  For the season....nine games....the Sox defense and pitching has allowed exactly 4.44 runs per game.....the offense...has scored exactly that.....4.44 runs per game.  You subtract game one of the season (Sox scored 9 gave up 7) and the Sox are scoring at a clip of just 3.8 runs per game while giving up 4.12 runs per game.  That type of math if you are scoring at home....will equal a very disappointing season.  These are the same type of numbers that the Sox had in 2006...when they finished in 3rd place in the American League East....a fate they seem destined for this season as well.

  The big question is how long can the Sox resist making a move with David Ortiz and JD RALLY KILLER DONKEY HOLE DREW.  With both players the Sox have players on the bench that could spell both more effectively.  In Mike Lowell the Sox have a guy that is slow and long in the tooth...but whom did put up 20 homers and 85 r.b.i. in a short season and on one leg and a bad hip.  The Sox also have Jeremy Hermida, who is still an unknown quanity...but could be the answer to the Drew problem.  For the record Drew is now tied with Ortiz for the MLB lead in strike-outs, Drew had a three k day today.

  The Sox limp back to Fenway after posting a 3-3 road record that brings them to 4-5 for the season.  The good news for the Sox is they will play a few games in Fenway....the bad news is...they ain't facing either the O's or the Astros.  The Sox square off with a four game set against the Tampa Bay Rays....who by the way have some pretty good starting pitching.  It's way to early to place a value on this series...but I think most would agree at the very least the Sox need to at least split this series with the Rays.  Game one tomorrow night...Josh Beckett vs Wade Davis.

Well round two of the John Lackey show was on full display this afternoon....and it in a word...Lackey was not lacking.  So far in his two starts Lackey has been as good as advertised.  Ironically enough the Yankees version of Lackey pitched today....and for his second start in a row....Vasquez stunk on wheat.

  The one thing Lackey can't do...is hit...and that's too bad...as it seems the Sox will not hit for him in his starts.  Lackey has pitched 12.2 innings for the Sox this season...given up a total of 2 runs....and has been given exactly 4 runs of support for his trouble.  In today's game it appeared that Lackey was going to be snake-bitten again when Victor Martinez botched a fastball from Hideki Okajima and allowed the runners to advance into scoring position.  For some reason....Terry Francona decided to walk Joe Mauer...who was already sitting on a 2-0 count.  The move paid off and the Sox were able to score some runs in the 8th off a three run double by super cool new guy Jeremy Hermida.  Wouldn't it be something if this scrap heap guy is finally the restoration project that pays off for boy blunder Theo Epstein.

In the it still stinks catagory....David Ortiz and JD RALLY KILLER DONKEY HOLE DREW still...continue to be dead weight in an offense that is already lagging.  The Sox have A-Rod money committed to these two...to the tune of 28 million dollars...both guys are the highest paid position players on the team....and in  a strange twist....both guys are the biggest suck-wads on the team.  The only thing either of these two ***-clowns do on a regular basis is strike-out.  Today the pair struck out 4 times, for the season they have struck out an astonishing 23 times in just 7 games played.  In Drew the Sox are stuck for another year, however in Ortiz...expect the hook to be swift....especially with former World Series MVP Mike Lowell on the bench.

  Tomorrow is get-away-day for the Sox as they send Tim Wakefield to the mound to face lefty Francisco Liriano.  The game has an early 1:10 start, so try and fake an illness or at the very least get to a  and let them figure it out for you.

So I guess it was destiny that the Twins beat the Red Sox today right?  I mean how often does a team open a new ballpark...and how often has that team hosted the Red Sox....well the Red Sox opened the old Yankee Stadium back in 1923...and they lost that game too.  Most likely the reason the Twins and MLB decided to set these two up.

  Today's game was especially painful to watch, mainly because of the sloppy brand of ball the Sox played.  It was especially painful...because it seemed every weird bounce and bump went the way of the Twinkies.  The piss poor pitching also hurt the Sox cause today...as Jon Lester was lousy and ineffective....tossing only five innings and getting roughed up to the tune of four runs on nine hits...and he was lucky that's all the runs he gave up...as his control was awful.  The bullpen only gave up one run today....and that counts as good news I guess.  For the record the bullpen has given up a run in every appearance they have made this year....not bad...pretty consistent if you ask me.

  On another note the Sox defense seemed pretty leaky again today...as quite a few balls got through that "solid" infield.  I don't....to me Marco Scutaro does not look like the defensive stalwart that was advertised.  Maybe the Sox were gassed by all the balls being put in play by the Twins....either way it was a pretty shameful how bad they played as group today.

  The silver lining today was how bad everyone played on offense, that means we don't have single out David Ortiz.  Ortiz by the way did collect a rare hit today.... But he also collected the not so rare strikeout....he collected two of those.  If you are counting...that is 10 whiff's in his last 12 plate appearances.  Ortiz is not alone in fanning the flames.... his left-handed buddy JD RALLY KILLER DONKEY HOLE DREW also whiffed for the 8^th time in 6 games.  Not bad...especially for a guy touted for his OBP.

  Oh well.... that game was just number 7 of 162.... No reason to panic.  Besides the Twins are going to be a good team this year...and that was a road game.... So the Sox only win on the road about 40% percent of the time...and they only beat good teams about 30% of the time..... so the fuzzy math was working against the Sox today

 Since Theo and company could not spare the change in their pocket to sign Jason Bay or Mark Teixiera...that's what the difference between the Sox and the Yanks line-ups up have become.....and currently thats the state of the so-called rivalry as the Yanks have taken 11 out of 12...and 5 out of six at the Fens

 When you build a team on pitching and defense...shouldnt you make sure you have a few of those "bullpen" arms.  The Sox are 3-3 after the first week of the season....but should be 5-1...if not for a leaky PEN...that to date has surrendered 12 runs on 15 innings pitched.....

 Even though I know it's mathmatically impossible...I am shocked everytime Dustin Pedroia comes to the plate and comes away empty handed....

 On the other hand I am completely shocked when JD DONKEY HOLE RALLY KILLER DREW  does anything but that.........

 I think we are all going to like this guy...............

 Right now my current BRO-MANCE is with Adrian Beltre.....

 However Mr. Beltre...don't go getting all mushy on me...last year at this time....my BRO-MANCE of the week was this bum......

 It seems like an oxy-moron to have a DH that is hitting .091....right....???

 Your still an idiot....and one more false move....and FIRETHEO.COM will be up and running.............

So it seems like every spring we have a new rite of passage with the Theo Epstein's version of the Red Sox.  Every year some great white hype is run out to mound....and every year we are promised that this guy is the new chosen one....the heir apparent....a closer in waiting....this is the one that will bring 'bring balance to the force".  The list is quite long....and quite unaccomplished....Manny Delcarmen....Craig Hanson...Ramon Rameriz...Eric Gagne.....and now you can add Daniel Bard's name to that list.

  Though Bard's e.r.a. may not reflect it...his efforts in mainting a lead for the Sox when he appears in the game has earned the grade of an F.  In three of Bard's four outings he has either surrendered the lead or the tying run....and the Sox have gone onto lose all of those games.  What the boxscore doesn't reflect....our eyes do....this kid is not up to the task of being in any game where the issue is still in doubt.  We all know what we saw late last August thru October out of Bard...given the task of turning over a clean inning was more than Bard could bear or handle.  I get it...Bard has a ten million arm....however he has a ten cent head to go along with it.

  For the second game in a row....a Red Sox starter had a quality start....and for the second game in a row....that starter came up empty.  Last night's bullpen victim was the ageless Tim Wakefield, whose box score was pretty impressive....seven innings pitched....two earned runs....six hits and one walk.  Wake seemed to keep the Royals off-balance with his knuckle-ball and other than the sixth inning, had things in total control.  For Wakefield it was ops normal....in the last three seasons no Sox starter has lost more decisions by the bullpen than Wake.

  If you tuned into to see the Sox offense, you may need to tune in another time, because last night the Sox were again held in check.....this time by the vaunted Royals bullpen that had blown saves in all three games that had appeared in this season.  The heart of the Sox order last night combined to get one hit and collectively they went 1-12 with no r.b.i.'s.  As a group, the Sox collected nine hits...while whiffing 8 times.  For the season the Sox have a total of 17 hits and 26 fan outs, hardly impressive.  Even though this is what we expected this year from the Sox's offense....I guess we need to practice "patience".

  It doesn"t get any easier for the Sox today as the send thier newly signed soft-ball pitcher Josh Beckett to the mound to face Cy Young winner Zack Greinke.  It will be the unstoppable force in Greinke...versus the unmovable object in the Sox offense.  with Beckett facing Greinke tonight and Bucky facing Gil Meche.....it looks like the Sox losing streak will continue to move it's way across the heartland until they make it to Minnesota.

 So the season begins kinda-off where it left off last year.  Starting pitching not as good as advertised...an offense that can't sustain rallies...and a bullpen that can't hold any lead it has been given.  Does that about sum it...I think so...although Mr. Epstein will tell you that these games were just 3 of 162....and maybe he is right....however the boy genuis....has the equal chance of being wrong.

  What we know is....the last 13 times the Yankees have played these Sox, they are 12-1.  Meaning that the Sox, who may be a good team, but just may not be ready for prime time.  The problem for the Sox is that they have to play these Yanks, and the improved Ray's 33 times this season, and those may be 33 games too many.  This Sox team may suffer the same fate as late years Sox team, bully the bad teams....and play at about a .300 clip against the good teams.

  It is amazing how so many pundits had questions about the Sox offense, and how already those questions have seem to be answered.  For starters, it appears that David Ortiz may indeed be done as a force in the Sox line-up.  Papi as we all know had a dreadful start to last season....and so far it looks like a mirror image...sans the wrist recovery excuse.  Another problem for the Sox is those collection of stiff's that is our supposed bullpen.  I don't want to hear anymore morons call Daniel Bard the heir apparent to current closer Jonathan Papelblows. For starters.....like Manny Delcarmen before him.....Bard does not posses the skills or the mental toughness to close games out....or to hold runners on base.....and his stats in key spots since last August tell the tale.  Another problem could be Papelblows as well, in his last three outings that have counted....his e.r.a. is just a shade under 10.00.  Time will tell on that one....but the smart money is on the American League hitters figuring out Papelbon's poor strategy.

  It's too early to judge Theo's other free agent signings....although Marco Scutaro has done his best Julio Lugo impersonation by botching a routine throw in game two of the series.  So far Mike Cameron has lived up to his reputation....big defensive upside.....so-so results at the plate....while averaging a strikeout per game.  Adrian Beltre and John Lackey both have been impressive, and Beltre could be and needs to be a surprise offensive weapon.  Oh yea...there have a couple of no-named stiff's making appearances in these games.....are you kidding me.....164 million in payroll....and we have a guy pitching the 9th and 10th inning of a game that has pitched in Japan the last two years.

  To be sure....all these three games has done....has caused us to ask more questions.  Is this really the best Theo could have done to field a competitve team.  On paper 164 million sure sounds like a lot of money.  However the finished product sure has a different feel.  Aside from John Lackey this team does not look like money well spent.  It seems like more than ever the J.D. Drew signing will go down along with Dice K as the worst personnel decisions since Babe Ruth was traded to some divsion rival.  Drew and Dice both have bloated contracts....and neither has done anything to earn those contracts.....more than ever....the Sox will need Drew to contribute....and most likely he will be equally disappointing. 

  This much we do know.....the Sox aren't out of it just yet...there is plenty of baseball to be played....and plenty of small market.....small payroll teams that the Sox can pick on.....Oh look.....I see the Sox have a three game set versus the Royals......told ya things were looking up........