Some Sunday (Sox) snippets

• As ugly losses go... the first two pitchers the Sox used on Sunday hadn't pitched for a combined 26 days... wonder why Lenny D didn't look that sharp?
  

• Perhaps it was just because we had Lenny starting, but it never seemed that the Sox were much concerned about losing this game. I described it to Neil M as a "we are going home to play the Yankees tomorrow" effort - perhaps that isn't fair, but it just had that feel about it - and at least it brought another of our long unbeaten streaks to an end... on the same road trip...

• Actually what made me think that the Sox weren't that concerned was Francona's decision to send out Alvarez in the 6th - he had pitched three full innings with the ups and downs that entails - the Sox were only 2 runs down at the time, but the Phillies were allowed to go double, single, home run before Francona pulled Abe... (having also allowed the Phillies to go walk, single, triple, single, single before he pulled Lenny in the 3rd - not quite so glaring, but...)
  

• One of the things that worries me about Francona is the way he uses young pitchers, particularly when they have just been called up. I guess I am a bit soft, but I think we should be putting young arms in positions where we can encourage them to succeed. Cla Meredith was an example last year - giving up a grand slam in his first inning, having been brought in with 3 men on (feel free to correct me - it was at least 2), Manny Delcarmen has been used sparingly when he has been up, Hansen made his debut last year in a strange situation... and then Abe today is the latest example, brought in with 2 men on - now Abe did get out of DiNardo's jam, but it just seemed a crazy situation to bring in a guy that hadn't pitched in 2 weeks.
  

• Given that the Sox weren't interested... I subscribed to the season package at MiLB.TV (another great example of how the internet has helped baseball reach a far greater audience) to watch some of David Wells outing against the Scranton-Wilkes Barre Red Barons (stunning name - give me an S... Give me a C...). I saw 2 innings of David's work and would have to say that he looked ready enough to make the start on Friday against the Devil Rays. The box score is here, but David gave up 2 runs in his 5 innings of work, and in the 4th and 5th (the innings I saw) he was effective, getting a mix of ground and fly outs, locating the ball well, particularly on the sweeping curve.

• I guess the best thing about this package is the chance to watch some of the names that we hope will have an impact on the Sox - possibly as early as this season - Choi, Pedroia, Lester, Hansen amongst them - I will be watching Sox - Yankees on Tuesday, but will hopefully get to tune in to the Paw Sox at home to the Louisville Bats (the AAA team of the Reds) to see Jon Lester start.