Dead Again.

(May 29)

Short Take:  The streak is over.

Well Sox Fans, we've been down this path before.  Injuries, poor baserunning, lousy defense by "defensive specialists" and sub-.100 hitters in the line up, the Sox stumbled through nine innings to a shutout defeat, 4-0 to Toronto.  The win streak is over at five.

Can Jerry Manuel honestly say he's surprised?

Chris Singleton was a late scratch for a sore Achilles.  That meant the monster numbers lately put up by the top of the order would tonight be without his services.  So who does Manuel choose for the #2 spot?  Royce Clayton of course!  That also meant playing Jose Valentin out of position in centerfield.  Meanwhile Tony Graffanino sits on the bench and nobody can play the outfield because we have a 42 year-old designated hitter with a .117 batting average taking up our last roster spot.

Oh, but it gets worse!  Josh Paul is the luckiest fool in baseball to twice avoid being charged for a passed ball, the first time leading to Toronto's first run.  He also allowed a baserunner to advance because he's too lazy or perhaps too dumb to know the game situation during a rundown.  Let's add "catching" to the list of skills like basestealing and baserunning that Josh's alleged "versatility" is really just a polite word for "mediocrity".  Face it Sox Fans, the kid can't do anything well.

The baserunning was in rare form too, Ray Durham picked off first base, and Jeff Liefer running through a stop sign to be tagged out from here to there at homeplate.  Gary Pettis is sure adding a lot to the 2001 Sox, isn't he?

Rooney and Farmer blamed "defensive specialist" Clayton's weak throwing arm for causing Ray Durham to rush a throw.  They rightly noted Jose Valentin's throwing arm is stronger and gets the ball around the diamond quicker.  

Apparently the benched Clayton has been exhausting himself away from the playing field.  How else to explain why a guy hitting .100 would fail to run out an inning-ending double play groundout?  It's not like anyone gave him an "out" sign, right?  It's a good thing Jerry Manuel has reverted to "zombie" mode, suggesting in his post-game comments he'll start Clayton again, and congratulating him on his terrific ninth inning two-out base hit.  

What planet is Jerry Manuel from--and how soon can we ship him back?

Kip Wells was the victim of this mess, and all Sox Fans can say is how sorry we are to know we must waste such fine pitching performances so fools like Josh Paul, Royce Clayton, Gary Pettis, and Jerry Manuel can draw major league paychecks.

This was bush league stuff with big league prices.  Everyone there ought to be given a free ticket to another game.  They're owed one.