Mailing it in

[60'sfan]

I haven't watched that many Red Sox games this year, but it is pretty clear that they have been just showing up. I see no enthusiasm. They don't grind out their at-bats. They don't seem to remember how to situation hit and they have become the worse scoring team in the AL with virtually the same line-up as last year. Some of this has to fall on the shoulders of John Farrell. Last year when everything went well, we all thought that he did a great job. But the mark of a good manager is what he does when things are not going well. Interestingly, in 2012 when Bobby Valentine was the manager, the Sox were two games over .500 at this point. Did they stop being good this year or did they stop caring?

 

[Excalibur]

I'm willing to bet that the stats don't back up your assertion on their approach at the plate (adjusting for the failed experiment with the catcher who shall not be named). Napoli has missed significant time as well which would skew the stats given that he sees a ton of pitches.

And let's stop pretending that this is "virtually the same lineup". No Ellsbury. No Victorino (out for most of the year). Ortiz another year older and (presumably) in his late 30's. A competent hitting catcher not replaced. Combine with significant drop-offs from guys like Pedroia and Bogaerts and you suddenly have a completely punchless lineup.

 

[60'sfan]

I'm willing to bet that the stats don't back up your assertion on their approach at the plate (adjusting for the failed experiment with the catcher who shall not be named). Napoli has missed significant time as well which would skew the stats given that he sees a ton of pitches.

And let's stop pretending that this is "virtually the same lineup". No Ellsbury. No Victorino (out for most of the year). Ortiz another year older and (presumably) in his late 30's. A competent hitting catcher not replaced. Combine with significant drop-offs from guys like Pedroia and Bogaerts and you suddenly have a completely punchless lineup.

I'll agree that some of their demise has to do with the loss of Ellsbury. Plus Victorino and Napoli have been injured but do those losses take them from World Champions to dead last in a much weaker division? John Farrell is a stoic man and his nature is not to get rattled and he handles the press as well as any I've seen. But he does not seem to be a motivator and the results show it. Contrast him with Joe Girardi who started the season with a team that looked like it had the potential to finish last. He then lost virtually all of his starting pitching and yet the team still competes.