We want a pitcher, not a belly-itcher.

When Bobby Jenks came into the game last night and Don Orcillo pointed out that he had not surrendered a run or even a hit yet this season, I knew the Sox were toast. Clay Buchholz labored through 5+ and left with a one run lead. Alfredo Aceves allowed an inherited runner to score, but that's not where the trouble started. It was Bobby Jenks and his absurd goatee that ruined the Sox this time giving up four runs in the seventh. The Sox rallied within a run to no avail. They went quietly in the ninth, even with the top of the order coming up.

Speaking of the the Sox failed rally, Carl Crawford led off the ninth and I have to say, in the time that I've watched him, he looks utterly clueless at the plate. Adrian Gonzalez hasn't lived up to his billing either, but a least he's put solid wood on the ball. Crawford is swinging like a broken screen door.

Spending the Money

Theo Epstein has sent a clear message to the yankees and all of baseball this week. That message is we are not afraid to invest in the right players. The Red Sox added All-stars Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford this week, at the tune of almost $300 million combined. These two additions have made their line-up, though primarily left-handed, the best in baseball. I liked both moves.

Casey Kelly was a very good prospect, but to get a player like Gonzalez the Sox had to give up some of their own talent. People have been speculating about this deal for the past 3 years and some high-profile names have been linked with a trade with San Diego. I was happy the Sox were able to keep all of the young talent already in the Major Leagues. (Buchholz, Bard, Ellsbury, Kalish, etc.)

Coming into the off-season there were two big name corner outfielders available: Carl Crawford and Jason Werth. I always thought Crawford was a better fit for Boston. Crawford is athletic, can hit and steal bases. (Think of the Sox outfield in the final innings of games, they would have 3 centerfielders-Ellsbury, Crawford, Kalish.) Also, remember the Sox passed on re-signing Jason Bay last winter which saved them cash that was now available for Crawford.

I don't think the Sox are finished making additions. They still need help in the bullpen and I think Theo will be able to add someone like Scott Downs to add some depth behind Papelbon and Bard. Also, there are rumors the Sox might bring in Russell Martin as insurance for Salty. We will see how it plays out in the coming days. I will leave you with the pleasant sight of the 2011 Opening Day line-up of the Boston Redsox; it is a thing of beauty.

Ellsbury CF
Pedroia 2B
Crawford LF
Gonzalez 1B
Youkilis 3B
Ortiz DH
Drew RF
Scutaro SS
Saltalamacchia C

Those Devilish Rays

Starting tonight Boston has a four game (sheesh!) home stand with Tampa Bay. I tell you what, I'm starting to hate them more than the Yankees. At least I can respect the Yankees while hating them. Rivera and Jeter are class acts and clear Hall of Famers. I am unabashedly jealous that they managed to get Mark Teixeira when the Red Sox had first crack at him.

But the Rays, what's to respect about them? They finally managed to put together a couple of winning seasons after getting years and years of high draft picks due to their ineptitude. They have some awesome young talent that is well documented, but let's face it. They have no fan base to hang their hats on, and they're a bunch of skinflints. The team will slowly be dismantled as they gradually let free agents get away and trade players that they're too cheap to try to re-sign. Scott Kazmir was traded last year. Now they have Carlos Pena and Carl Crawford to deal with this season. There is no way they will keep either. Crawford is going to want $100 million I'm sure.

This is why get so aggravated when they keep beating the Sox. There is no commitment, no tradition, and no fan base. In five years they will be back to losing 90 games a year.

Brad Penny Listens; Red Sox Lose

It appears that Brad Penny read my blog from last week and took it to heart.  He went 6 innings today striking out eight and allowing only three runs.  That's the kind of production one would hope for from him.  He doesn't have to be great, just decent.  And if not for two fluke hits in the fifth and a botched double play by Julio Lugo (God, I despise that wife beating, butterfingers, no offense bastard), the game would have been tied 1-1 going into the later innings.  So all things considered it wasn't a bad day for Penny.

The main reason for the Red Sox loss was that Carl Crawford stole six bases, six bases!  I've never seen anything like it.  The Rays had a total of eight steals.  One of those steals, by Jason Bartlett in the eighth, lead to Tampa Bay's insurance run after the Red Sox had closed within a run.

Just as I was about to start singing his praises, Manny Delcarmen pitches an awful seventh plunking two batters in the process.  I've never seen a pitcher hit a batter to load the bases, then hit the next batter to force home a run on consecutive pitches.  I think he is finally coming around to be the set up guy I thought he could be, today was not his day.  Without that gaffe, Youkilis' home run the following inning would've tied the game. That would've changed the complexion of things.

In other disturbing and depressing news, David Ortiz continues to swing like a rusty gate.  He's never had the prettiest swing, but now that he's whiffing on a constant basis, it's pretty painful to watch.  He's just a big dead spot in the line up right now, and I wish Francona would move him around or something, just for the sake of a change.