It's Just Dice-K Being Dice-K - You Never Know

As much as I want to be all over the Dice-K train after yesterday's oddly masterful performance, I just can't do it.

Call me pessimistic, but what we've witnessed over these first few weeks of the season is exactly what we get with Dice-K....the unknown.

He's the Tim Wakefield of the Far East; he can either shut a team down, or get shelled by the Pirates over 3 innings. He doesn't make sense, he never will, and trying to forecast his performance is useless.

All the factors or numbers in the world can be thrown out the window with this man...(home/away, opposing lineup, numbers with 4 days rest, numbers with 5 days rest, the weather, if he had 7 or 8 hours of sleep the night before, how many pounds of rice he consumed before the first pitch, etc). None of it matters with Dice-K, and the sooner we accept it, the better off we'll all be.

He could go 20-0 for the rest of the season, and I still wouldn't trust him in a big game....it's just the way it is. You've burned me too many times Dice-K....too many times.

That said, you, along with Jed "if I were on NBA Jam right now I'd be jumping through the rafters on fire" Lowrie, may have put the Sox back on track. And for that, I give you an appreciative nod of my head, and nothing else.

A Shot of Optimism: With A Catch

The Red Sox are 0-4. Given the media coverage and panic, I'd say even all of London knows it, perhaps parts of Paris too.  It's bad.

Am I upset about it? For sure. Do I have a level of irrational hope in Dice-k to keep this team from going 0-5? For the same reason (as I mentioned in a recent post about the spring training carry over), I do.....which is a sign in itself about of how bad things are.

Either way, we all know the stats, no team has won the world series after starting the season 0-4, collective ERA of 72, team batting average of -7. It's all there and I'm sick of hearing about it.
Tito is right that no one will feel bad for this team. That's because the rest of the league knows that the Sox are loaded with talent (see Gordo's piece on how this team is like the Miami Heat of MLB...possibly a stretch, but I see what he's getting at).  Rome wasn't built in a day (insert any other applicable saying here).  It'll take some time to gel, but this team is built to do special things

Part of that may be making history by being the only team to start 0-4 and win the World Series.

....but god help them if they continue to play like this and get beat up by the Yanks in Fenway. By then, I'll be singing a very different tune (hence, optimism with a catch).
Pick us up Diceman.
 
ITM note:  This post contains optimism, something most of Red Sox Nation doesn't have right now.  Full disclosure, it's 70 degrees and sunny in London today, which is helping this irrational sense of optimism.  That and the fact that there is no "the world is ending, the Sox are 0-4" talk at the water cooler. Had it been 50 and raining, I likely would have bashed everyone (or not posted at all...silence is deafening).

Is This The Worst Red Sox "Breakdown" Ever?

Dave Winfield, dropping all sorts of knowledge here right?

Seriously though, is this for real?  If you're ESPN, and you know your predominate target audience here are Red Sox fans, who happen to be, on the whole, a very knowledgeable constituency, why would you let this happen?

I wish I could state the obvious, read the cliff notes (watch a few game highlights) and get paid duckets to be on ESPN.   Thanks for telling Red Sox Nation absolutely nothing we didn't know, and pissing us off further while doing so.  Cutting edge stuff right there.

My 3 year old nephew could have provided better insight.  In fact, I'm pretty sure he emailed Tito via his Playmate computer toy about not calling for a hit in run in the 6th inning of game two as a result of the pitching match up and field dimensions in Texas.

Maybe if the same "breakdown" and lack of articulation were provided if we were 3-0 instead of 0-3 I'd change my tune.  I guess we'll never know. 

Clearly I'm a bit worked up across the pond today....maybe it's because now I'm forced to lean on Josh Beckett for sanity...

First ESPN Power Ranking Has Boston At #7. You Should Be Thankful

Why ESPN forced out a power ranking after three games of baseball is something I don't understand, but to be honest, I was almost happy with Boston's #7 slot.

Others in the ITM circle were ecstatic:

TMurph:  "Really, I figured they would be 29th, and barely in front of the Pirates."

We all know it's far too early to freak out, but it's what we do.  I received emails from coworkers back in Boston saying they tuned into sports radio to hear callers screaming to fire Tito.  Now I'm an admitted irrational Red Sox fan at times, but we need to pump the breaks a bit.

Sure, the Yanks and Phillies are number one and two in this fake ESPN power ranking (side note, how are the Yanks number one in front of Philly and Texas???).....but guess what, the Sox are about to square off against the #30 Cleveland Indians.  Any city whose motto is "hey, at least we're not Detroit" seems like the good place to get on the right track as a team right?

While we're somehow on the optimism train, Joe Murph and I managed to talk ourselves into a positive mood...here is our irrational, rationale: If the current trend holds, and the Sox players continue to perform pretty much exactly as they have in spring training, Beckett and Dice-K will get us back in the W column, which will followed by big Jon Stud Lester to close the series out in style...sending us back to Fenway to take on the Yanks.

Momentum...Boom.

Believe. 

Today's Sad Reality: This Dog Has The Life I Want...

We saw Boozer every day when we stumbled slightly hungover into the minor league player development complex.  He was just hanging out, yukking it up with fans, players and media.  I remember thinking that dog had it good....but after watching this video, I officially want to be him.

Sunny weather, Red Sox baseball, a loving fan base, no stress.....this dog has everything I want.  Plus he gets to roll around on the grass and no one thinks he's insane for doing it. 

New short term goal for ITM...figure out how we can be more like Boozer.   Cologino was right...the working man is a sucker...

100 days (or so) Until Pitchers and Catchers - Youk Sounds Ready

Really? The Giants won the World Series and Edgar Renteria was the MVP? While it makes me want to punch myself in the face, it also restores a little faith in the game of baseball. The Giants (and especially Renteria) had no business being there, but baseball doesn't make sense, which is why I love it.

9 different teams winning the world series in the last 10 years doesn't make much sense either given all the bitching we do about payrolls, but somehow, it's true.

That said, it's time for the Sox to start preparing the world to return to normalcy. Youk looks and sounds ready. Only about 100 days until pitchers and catchers.

ITM will be returning to Ft Myers in March, time to get focused.

Is Dice-K The Biggest Letdown Ever?

We've blogged about it a number of times here on ITM....but it has to be tough to find a greater overall let down/overpayment than Dice-K right?

Perhaps save for the 42 year old 1st round draft pick Greg Oden?

Random interesting/scary fact I ran across today during lunch: After another lackluster start last night against the mighty Orioles, Dice-K now has the longest streak of starts allowing four or more earned runs by a Red Sox pitcher since 1942.

How do you say yikes in Japaneses?

&#&^(@ - That's my official guess.

I can't think of a player who has been more overblown, over hyped, and overpaid for in my life...(yes, that even includes you JD Drew).

Where is the 103 mph fastball we were promised? The relentless pride that makes batters swing and miss before he even pitches? The gyro ball that baffles the best of hitters? The command of 9 different pitches which can be used in any count? The endless bowls of rice?

It's like buying a 30 pack of beer and not being able to drink it....we get all the costs but none of the expected benefits. (apologies for the bad analogy, it was a tough morning)....

Consider Dice-K's 2010 numbers:

An inflated record of 9-6, an ERA hovering around 5, and a WHIP of 1.41 (that is not a typo)....all done during one of his "prime years".

And don't even try to blame the cultural differences and adjustments, he's been here for too long for that crap.

At this point in the season I'm desperately looking for something to get me excited for 2011.....and Dice-K is doing the exact opposite.....well worth all the hype and over a hundy million spot right?