So Far, So Bad for the Red Sox

By Dan Shouse
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

I know we are only a dozen games into the season, but so far the Red Sox have looked average at best.

After ignoring offense and focusing on "run prevention" this off season, the Red Sox have not been good at either.

Case in point, take Mike Cameron. Cameron dropped an easy line drive against the Rays on Saturday, an error which quickly led to 4 unearned runs. Need another example? Look at Marco Scutaro. His throwing error against the Yankees in the opening series helped the Bronx Bombers get out of town with the series win.

Weren't guys like Cameron and Scutaro brought in to solidify the defense? They have done just the opposite. Couldn't have Jason Bay and Alex Gonzalez done just as well?

Outside of John Lackey, the pitching has also been pretty inconsistent. Beckett looked good Friday night, so that is a positive sign, but John Lester has once again been brutal in the month of April.

The bullpen has not been much better. Jonathan Paplebon looks like he has picked up where he left off last year, walking guys and putting runners on base. Okajima seems to always struggle with inherited runners, and Ramon Ramirez has looked nothing like the guy he was last year.

If the Sox are going to get going, it will still have to be with their pitching. The offense will not help out much. Outside of Dustin Pedroia, no one is hitting. Youklis is fine, and Victor Martinez will hit at some point, but after that, does anybody in that line up scare you? The offense reached a low point on Saturday. Bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the 11th and you can't get a run home? Yikes.

Plus it doesn't look like the offense will get much better. Forget about the Red Sox getting Adrian Gonzalez anytime soon. Gonzalez is under the Padres control until after the 2011 season. Gonzalez may be moved at the deadline, but he has a very affordable contract for the Padres. Gonzalez is the Padres only star, and they struggle to sell tickets as it is. Why trade your best player until you absolutely must do so?

There is some good news on the horizon for The Nation however. Baltimore is on the schedule next week. After the Red Sox beat up on the Orioles, at least fans can talk themselves back into thinking that this team is a contender.