Red Sox Update

I haven't written much about the Red Sox lately because to do so would be depressing.

There is a feeling that comes with winning teams and I just don't get that vibe from this year's Red Sox. Let me explain about what "feeling" I'm talking about.

A couple of weeks ago I was at the BC / Florida State game and when FSU scored in the third quarter to go ahead 21-17, the wind just went out of the entire crowd because there wasn't a feeling that the Eagles could really beat the Seminoles. Last Sunday, when there was 81 seconds to go and the score was tied - everyone in New England just knew Tom Brady and the Patriots would march down the field, score and win the game. Everyone just felt it. People in New England have that feeling for the Patriots. They're just like the Celtics of the 1980's in that regard.

This feeling isn't a bandwagon, jumping in with winning teams thing either. Last year when the Red Sox were down 3-0 to the Yankees, I still had the feeling that team could come back to win and I even detailed the exact scenario in these pages.

I don't get that "we're going to win" feeling this year. (And yes I realize that I don't play for the team so I shouldn't use "we" when describing the Red Sox.)

The reason many Sox fans, like me, don't have a good feeling with club is because of pitching. I know hindsight is 20/20 but wouldn't that 4th contract year for Pedro in exchange for a real shot at a back-to-back championships look like a good deal now? Maybe management should have pulled the trigger way back on that Bartolo Colon for Bronson Arroyo deal or this year's trade deadline Arroyo, Kelly Stopach and prospects for AJ Burnett deal. Going cheap with Wade Miller seemed a low risk-high reward deal at the time but it turned into a low risk-low reward thing in reality.

The only pitcher (starter or releiver) that the fans have any confidence in is Tim Wakefield (and maybe rookie Craig Hansen). You can't win with a pitching staff in shambles and that's the word to use when talking about the 2005 pitching staff.

People will quickly be turning their attention to the 2006 Red Sox even before the end of this season because the feeling that this team can win just isn't there. This will be evidenced by all the Johnny Damon contract speculation you'll be hearing even during the Yankee series.

I wish I was wrong about the Red Sox but I feel that I'm right.