Easy To Read

Trying to hear some Celtics commentary on sports radio, the conversation is still strongly about the Red Sox.  Apparently there is some Beckett-is-being-a-jerk-and did-I-mention-he-sucks-this-year controversy, plus everyone else railing about character and attitude.

I looked at the standings a week ago.  the Red Sox were about first in Runs Scored, about last in Runs Allowed.

That's it.  That's the answer.  People who have a three-point or five-point plan about what the Red Sox should do, if all the points are not about pitching, don't understand what they are seeing.  They want mythology instead of facts.  Seeing as it's all entertainment, that's fine - unless it is victories you care about.  And I don't even know who is playing. Don't tell me about Gonzales and Youkilis and Ortiz.  You want to trade them out, try to upgrade, get rid of their contracts so you can pay other guys?  Sure, fine. Spend a few minutes thinking about that.  Pitching is your problem, and more than one pitcher.  Dumping Beckett and someone else improving are not enough.  Are not near enough.  Unleashing Bobby Valentine, or Reining Bobby Valentine In, are not the problem.  Runs Allowed. It's half the game.


Statistics never tell you everything in baseball.  But you cannot play well in MLB without leaving good numbers behind somewhere.  Over the course of a season, the numbers will tell you 80% of what you need to know.  Make that 90%.