When it became evident that the Sox were not going to re-sign Jason Bay, questions about the offense were raised. Who would supply the production? Then the Red Sox began assembling the 2010 team. John Lackey was a big-name signing, but he can’t hit. The names began to roll in: Beltre, Cameron and Scutaro. No big bat, more like the spare parts that the Red Sox used to build the 2004 World Series team. Guys like Millar and Mueller were important pieces to that puzzle, a team whose end result was certainly greater than the sum of its parts.
But there is a flaw to that plan in 2010 because the lethal 3-4 combination is gone. There are no Boston Bash Brothers, no Weapons of Mass Destruction. In fact, there really isn’t either one of them left. Manny was sent away with a kick in the ass, and Ortiz has faded into an aging slugger almost overnight. So the front office comes up with a new mantra for the construction of this club: run prevention. With pitching and defense, who needs a big bat? Just like trying to hide the lack of a closer behind the “closer by committee” veil, the Sox are trying to hide the lack of offense behind the run prevention label. And it isn’t going well.
Cameron has already made one lowlight reel, and Scutaro at times looks like he’s trying to grab a lump of hot coal instead of a baseball. And does anybody want to talk about the catchers? The guys that can turn a single into a double with one errant throw? The bottom line is this: runs are not being prevented!
Now Red and I are savvy, we know it’s only a couple weeks into the season. But how long before the villagers are sharpening their pitchforks and getting their torches ready? Maybe as soon as tomorrow if the sweep occurs.
