So Goes the Pitching…

So Goes the Pitching Staff In the midst of a four-game losing streak that has dropped the team to 4-8, Sox fans have begun the multi-annual ritual of name calling and finger pointing as to where blame lies on the club’s current skid. While the hitting has been poor by the normal standards, perhaps the most alarming development of the season has been the utter failure of the starting pitching staff. Of particular note is how easy the hurlers have been to hit and how often they have been falling behind early in the count. Jon Lester (5.40 BB/9, 1.5 K:BB ratio), John Lackey (4.26 BB/9, 0.83 K:BB), Jon Papelbon (8.44 BB/9, 0.40 K:BB), and Clay Buchholz (5.40 BB/9, 1.33 K:BB) have been the poster children for this trend -- seeing a precipitous deterioration in their first strike rates, zone percentages, and their contact rates.

4/18 Online Seats Game Thread: Rays Nab Two After Rain

Within a matter of hours, the Boston Red Sox had dropped two to the Rays. Jon Lester must shake off his early season rust to avoid dropping three games to Tampa Bay within 18 hours.

Ryan Khoury may be small in stature, but he has a big game

Arguably ever since Ryan Khoury first put on a baseball uniform his life in the sport has been about overcoming odds and proving his critics wrong. Too short. Too slow. Too weak. Too something. Take your pick but at one time or another Khoury was labeled one -- if not all -- of the above.

Money in the margins

What is the first thing a server asks you when sit down at a table? “What can I get you to drink?” Why is the desert menu usually separate from the rest of the menu? Because flour, sugar, syrup and water are cheap and not labor intensive. The profit on that steak may be 40 to 50 percent after labor is included in its preparation but the soda you have been chugging down in the mean time nets a 98 percent gain.

Where Theo Epstein truly makes his money is with the players on the margins, the soda and German chocolate cakes players who propel an 81 win team to a 96 win team.

4/17 Online Seats Game Thread: Rain Shortens Hit Parade

The Boston Red Sox will finish what they started last night against the Rays, while a new game begins at 7:10, pitting Clay Buchholz against James Shields in game two of the series.

4/16 Online Seats Game Thread: Running to Home

The Boston Red Sox will return home to face Tampa Bay, and Josh Beckett tries to set the pace against the red hot Rays.

POLL: Who’s going to step up?

Many people say the Sox have a deep, talented bench -- which player will stand out from the rest?

4/15 Online Game Seats Thread: Rubber Match in Minnesota

After setting the Twins in their place yeterday, veteran Tim Wakefield takes the hill as the Boston Red Sox try to take the series rubber match.

4/14 Online Seats Game Thread: Sox Slide Continues

Now that the Twins have had their home opener celebration, the Boston Red Sox look to rain on the parade in Minnesota.

4/12 Online Seats Game Thread: Red Sox Open Outdoors in Minnesota

The Boston Red Sox hope to sour the Twins' home opener celebration, as Jon Lester looks to right his opening week wrongs.