It is something of a comfortable feeling, this free fall. Sure some people say things like this:
“We still have work,” Manager Joe Torre said. “We won’t allow ourselves to get caught up in what people will assume is a foregone conclusion.”
But those are the words of someone planning on winning, not one trying to avoid losing. Still, the Red Sox have good company with the Mets bumbling, tumbling and stumbling as well. It’s not just that they are losing. They are losing with a certain style. Last Friday’s eighth inning collapse that turned a 2-7 lead, Sundays failure to convert bases loaded in the ninth into a David Ortiz grandslam…or hit. Last night’s snatch of failure from the jaws of victory was particularly sweet – after getting two outs holding a 2-1 lead, Gagne decided to throw bean balls at the right handed pitcher. Except the guy was batting left. In an act of utter remorse and considered correction, Gagne decided to aim for the leftie’s ankles. Again, he adjusts. You can see him making one of the next pitches above. Read the rest here. Not pretty.
My new pal Clay Buchholz pitches tonight.