As the Red Sox leave the city of big shoulders and bad pizza I hope someone with a clue reminds them that Hitting is a part of this game. Hitting with men on is an important part of this game. Hitting with runners in scoring position is about as important as it gets in this game.
Fourteen Left
"Around third I was yelling some expletives telling myself to get going, basically." Christian Arroyo on scoring from first in the 11th inning in the the Red Sox 4-2 win over the Cubs.@WebsterOnTV | #RedSox pic.twitter.com/cUk4HihkB0 — NESN (@NESN) July 3, 2022
The Sox left fourteen men on base yesterday. That’s sickening. They were 2-19 with runners in scoring position. That’s drive this writer to drink level bad. Devers .325 , Bogaerts .318 , Verdugo . 311 and JD Martinez .307 are the only players on this roster with 300 at bats and averages above .250. After these four players ? The numbers drop off a cliff. Both in plate appearances and average. Dalbec .205 , JBJ .211 , Hernandez .209 and Story .221.. If the bottom of your lineup can’t get on the top can’t drive you in. and the only person driving in runs right now from the bottom of the lineup is the .221 hitting Trevor Story.
RSVP RISP
THIS SERIES SUCKED AND THIS GAME SUCKED, RED SOX SCORED FOUR RUNS ON A DROPPED INFIELD POP-UP, A BASES LOADED WALK, AND A THROWING ERROR THAT LED TO TWO RUNS, DEFINITELY DIDN’T DESERVE TO WIN THIS GAME #GOLDBOTTLES pic.twitter.com/qWB3YQMuYy — Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) July 3, 2022
Please do not come at me with advanced stats about hard hit balls or shifts or Blah – Blah – Blah. I’m not having it. 43 of Story’s 55 RBI came by way of RISP. He is batting .295 with a man on second or better. Bogaerts .272/3/27 is next on the RISP hot list. Devers . 265/5/26. Verdugo is picking up the pace at .252/1/32. But this isn’t enough. Not by a long shot . not when your designated hitter is batting .229/2/25 with a man at second. The numbers for the rest of this squad with runners on are too shockingly bad to print without a disclaimer added to the headline.
Limping Home
The Red Sox were barely able to beat the Cubs today, they now have to face the Rays and Yankees 14 times in 14 days before the All Star Game. This is the biggest test of the season. — Boston Strong (@BostonStrong_34) July 3, 2022
The Sox are 2-6 on this trip as they head home for another must win series against Tampa Bay. yes I realize they are sitting in second place in the AL EAST but it’s just a game and a half in front of the Rays and a game up on the Jays. Before today’s first pitch Boston is 8-16 versus their division foes . The turn around needs to start here. It needs to start today. It needs to start with the men in the box not leaving men left on base.
As always you can follow/give me grief on Twitter @Tmurph207