Back in Business
The Sox took two of three from the ailing Twins earlier this last week, making it three series wins in a row for the Southsiders since being swept by the Indians. I went to the only loss of the Minnesota series. So far I’m 3-10 on games attended on the season and probably 3-11 after tomorrow, since I’m going again, and I’m extremely unlucky. For the first time in a couple months I don’t have as many complaints about Robin, since we’ve been winning some games lately. If you want to hear some of those complaints, check out the Up the Middle Podcast I was just a feature on, which should be up soon. Anyways, the Indians were soaring until yesterday since the Cavs won the NBA title, and they’re finally losing again, but before today’s game against the Houston Astros, the Sox sit at 41-40, exactly halfway through the season and only 2.5 games out of the wild card race. It could be so much worse, seeing how the end of May and beginning of June went.
I want to bring up something that has really been bugging me lately. GET RID OF THE WAVE! Seriously, how juvenile do we have to be that people raising their hands from across the ballpark entertains us?! In that game that I attended earlier in the week, the Sox were down 1-0 with runners on 1st and 3rd with two outs. It was a close game. Quintana was about to deal the pitch, and when the wave reached home plate, he released his pitch just a tad high. This ended up being a home run for Brian Dozier in the bullpen, but who’s to say what would happen if the wave didn’t have to come around at the most pivotal point of the game? Think about it. The fans were deadly silent the whole game and started a wave at one of the worst possible times to start a wave.
And now, back to the show.
MVP of the Week: J.B. Shuck
He has filled in the shoes of centerfield pretty well after a rough start there. Since the beginning of the series in Fenway, Shuck has been crushing the ball by his standards (three homers), and he has put up a .310 average after today’s game. You couldn’t ask for much more in a fourth outfielder turned starter.
Most Improved: Brett Lawrie
He has been crushing the ball as of late, as well, including an RBI single in today’s 4-1 victory. A .377 average since the beginning of the Boston series is pretty good. He is the crux of this Sox lineup along with Todd Frazier.
Needs to figure it out: Avi Garcia
I thought for a while there he might be making a little comeback, but this guy is done. Stick a fork in him, Jerry. It’s time to move on. A .246/.313/.353 slash line is unbearable for a guy once nicknamed “Little Miggy.”
My 2 cents: Robin isn’t going anywhere, as long as this team is still contending and on the brink of a wild card (2.0 games out).
This week in preview: To start the week, the Sox have the Yankees at home tomorrow, and then the Atlanta Braves come to town. Let’s win both and make it a nice stretch into the All-Star Break. Go Sox!
