The Sox amass 7 errors this week and now lead MLB in the category.
What a week. I guess I’ve decided I’m going to tally Red Sox errors and stew about this until something changes. We’re wasting some good pitching, and also putting a bigger burden on our pitching staff every time we give away outs like this.
April 12
The Sox commit three errors in a 7-0 loss.
Shortstop David Hamilton, first baseman Triston Casas and center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela all committed errors. Three errors!
I will say this again (as I said last week, the first time it happened): there is no reason for three errors in a game at this level of ball, and yet the Sox have done it twice in one week. This is Little League stuff and it needs to change. The Sox were booed several times by their fans in blowout loss, and overtook the Oakland A’s for the MLB lead in errors with 16.
April 15
One error (and several “miscues”) in a 6-0 loss on Patriots Day.
Wilyer Abreu committed a throwing error when he rushed a play.
As with many plays this season, the one that was scored as an error doesn’t begin to tell the full tale. Casas wasn’t charged with an error, but a batted ball slapped off his glove, and Tyler O’Neill and Rafael Devers collided in short left. O’Neill, initially thought to be out two games, ended up going on the 7-day Injured List with a concussion, something we surely can’t afford.
April 16
One error in a 10-7 loss, in 11 innings
Abreu committed a fielding error that allowed a run.
April 18
Two errors in a 5-4 loss.
David Hamilton and Pablo Reyes each committed an error; each runner eventually scored. Obviously, in a one-run game, those are difference makers.
As of this morning, Boston leads MLB with 20 errors (in 20 games). Oakland is next with 17. Atlanta (on the other end of the spectrum) has five. Of course, that’s one error per game for the Sox—only they don’t only play one-error games. There are too many damn games that feature multiple errors. Two games at three errors a piece! Inexcusable.
Abreu has been error-prone this week, rushing a play and throw on Mondays awful Patriots Day loss, and logging another on April 16 in a 10-7 loss.
David Hamilton has not got it going and I have little faith in him doing so. He is bringing AAAA defense, if that, to the position and can’t be considered part of the solution at this time. Although he has “only” two errors on the season (my mom would probably try to put that in air quotes), Hamilton has been ridiculous. He misses the bag while running the bases, not just attempting to tag them, for godsakes.
Don’t forget about the various and regularly bobbled balls and plays that weren’t fielded cleanly but weren’t official errors: Devers and his “miscues,” Casas banging balls off his glove, Reyes letting a ball through his legs, Hamilton missing the bag on a potential double play, and more. Let’s not forget the collision; it could’ve been a lot worse and should serve as a wake-up call.
Alex Cora, that modern day poet, summed it up succinctly:
“It sucks.” — Alex Cora
And this gem:
“We just got to get better.” Cora, again
We all know this. But how can we get better, and does FSG even entertain this as an option? Our own Jake Reiser brings up some interesting names for recruiting external help. I think this is beyond a question. The past two weeks have demonstrated we cannot solve this with the options at our disposal internally.
Both Cora and Youk have noted that the Sox have been putting in the work on defense (but you’d never know it, based on the on-field results).
So many of the mistakes are mental! Rushing, letting one thing go awry and completely losing the thread (as happened on Patriots Day). The collision. I keep going back to that as an ugly metaphor and a terrible visual tableau of what these mental mistakes can cost.
Is it a crisis of confidence? Do players need sessions with a sports psychologist ? I would suggest Casas could lead some visualization exercises on the outfield grass but he’s struggled to get out of his own way at times, too.
Our players have to pick up their teammates, particularly our pitchers, and FSG has to help them.