OVER-MATCHED BY YOURSELF

What happens when the defense and the starting pitching both fail on the same night? Unless you've got A-Rod to hit a grand slam in the ninth (and a post-juicing Jason Giambi to hit a 3 run homer an inning earlier), then things don't tend to work out well.

The Red Sox lost another one in Texas tonight, 8-4 to the Rangers. Primarily, the problem was the Red Sox pitching. Julian Tavarez was good for about two and 2/3 innings and then completely fell apart. He gave up what was an inside the park homer with one runner on, although it should have been a five base error on Drew who ended up chasing the ball down the right field line and around the wall for what felt like a century. J. C. Romero, who I have a feeling is in for a good year, looked utterly terrible today, giving up three runs without recording an out.

While the pitching was pretty bad, I can't say the same of the hitting. The Red Sox did manage eleven hits while drawing five walks. As you might guess for a team that scores only four runs with sixteen baserunners, they missed a bunch of opportunities. Chief among them was David Ortiz's meek ground out with the bases loaded in the second inning. J.D. Drew also wasted an opportunity with a couple guys on, although he had a couple hits and scored a run or two.

The last two games the Red Sox have had one of good pitching and good hitting, but never both.

Some Quick Notes:

• David Ortiz still looks lost at the plate. He did take a walk, but every time he hit the ball it was weak contact. Even his single in the first wasn't too impressive. As I'm writing this in the ninth inning, Ortiz managed to fly out to deep right-center field, almost to the warning track. Maybe he's starting to get his barrings out there. One can only hope.

• Coco Crisp hit the ball hard just about every time up and came away with only one hit. Well, I thought he had a hit... I'm looking back over the box score and they have him at 0 for 4 with a run scored. In any case, just a few feet in either direction and Crisp could easily have had three hits. Its good to see him coming around a bit, even if the box score won't show it yet.
  

• Despite his modest success as a starter at the end of last season, Julian Tavarez is not the answer to the Red Sox fifth starter problem. Primarily this is because he's just too wild, walking five guys in four innings. I think he is best suited to come out of the bullpen.
  

• Manny struck out looking twice with runners on. Of all the hitters to worry about, Manny is last on my list.
  

Hopefully Schilling can prove Opening day a fluke tomorrow night.