this lineup just has way too many holes in it. Here's my evaluation
Ellsbury is good leadoff hitter, but he's really hurting us in this stretch, unless he gets plunked, not getting on to start games.
Victorino has been consistently good. Puts the ball in play, speed pressures the defense, runs the bases well.
Pedey is still one of the best hitters in the game, pure and simple. And usually pretty clutch, when he slumps, it's because he's hitting line drives right at people.
Ortiz has come back strong, like the Ortiz of several years ago. Wish he could learn to push balls to the left side and force people to give up the shift...but that's being picky. Need him to keep hitting balls out of the yard, or we won't be scoring runs period!
Napoli has classic power swing, but waaaaay too many strikeouts. Like 40 percent of his at bats. Can't continue to back up Papi with a guy every manager would prefer to pitch to as opposed to give Ortiz pitches to hit. He has to figure out how to make more contact, or he gets dropped in the order.
Nava is a nice surprise so far this season. He's a switch hitter, short of him breaking BOTH lets, no reason to ever play Gomes who is an absolute joke. He's hitting 182 with 21 strikeouts in 66 ab. Gomes should simply not see the field again.
Middlebrooks is horrible. Some claim he's hurt, but aside from one big game in Toronto, he's been awful all season long. Enough of a sample to know pitching coaches have him figured. 44 k's in 140 at bats. He's a rally killer! On top of that he's a huge liability in the field, so he needs a trip to Pawtucket to get things ironed out. Would rather see Double-A guy with potential filling that spot. seriously.
Salty is a mystery. great swing, some nights he looks like he's impossible to pitch to, other nights, he looks like he's stoned in the box. 36 k's in 95 at bats. Wow, nearly a 40 percent clip.
Drew has been a huge disappointment. 28 k's in 95 at bats, one whiff per game. He's had one decent 5 game stretch and that's it. A 232 hitter....not horrible for a 9 hitter, but nobody thought he'd be a 9 hitter when he was signed. And combined with the assclowns hitting ahead of him, it makes it too easy for opposing starters and bullpens knowing once they get by Ortiz, there's little chance we can hurt them.
Synopsis....I know many are simply saying we're in a slump, and not getting any breaks, and no doubt there is some validity to that. But even when we were 20-8, I was bemoaning the bottom half of this order, saying sooner or later it would kill us.
And at some point, as the slump prolongs, we have to ask ourselves, despite as good a starting rotation as anyone has, with this lineup, a continuing proclivity to make HUGE errors that cost us games, and a pen that's both hurt and suspect, maybe it's not a slump, we're just a 500 team.
Sorry for the long post, but feel better putting it all down. Peace Sox fans!
