Little time to waist on CC
Sox have bigger problems on hands
NEW YORK — So CC Sabathia is upset that Eduardo Nunez dropped a bunt on him Thursday night, forcing the lumbering Yankees southpaw to scamper off the mound.
Sabathia also is upset — his wife is, anyway — that Hall of Famer Jim Rice used his NESN postgame forum to ladle out a dose of fat-shaming by saying the veteran pitcher should “lose some of that chicken and that doughnut and that burger weight, (then) maybe his leg will be OK that he can field that baseball.”
If late-night bunts and snarky comments about a guy’s girth are what’s needed to breathe life into a dormant Red Sox-Yankees rivalry, sign me up. The industry of baseball is in better shape when the Red Sox and Yankees are shoving each other around at the school dance, and you can bet ESPN will make a big deal out of this on tomorrow’s edition of “Sunday Night Baseball.”
(Cue the A-Rod-vs.-Varitek dust-up on 3 . . . 2 . . .)
But while Rice overdid it with the comments about doughnuts and burgers, nobody seriously believes Sabathia has a case. He just doesn’t. Besides, the Red Sox have much, much bigger problems than to be worrying about CC’s bruised ego, such as figuring out what kind of lineup they’ll be fielding if/ when they make the playoffs.
Taken a look at the Red Sox lately? Sabathia or no Sabathia, notice how Xander Bogaerts was not in the starting lineup for the Sox’ 4-1 victory over the Yankees last night. It was a wise decision by Sox manager John Farrell, though Bogaerts appeared as a defensive replacement for Nunez in the eighth.
Bogaerts still has that hand thing going on. As Farrell pointed out, “There are times you see him shake the hand a little bit after a swing when he misses ... we know he’s been banged up a little bit, nicked up with some things physically.”
In saying he wanted to “get (Bogaerts) off his feet tonight,” Farrell, without being asked, added this: “And possibly tomorrow.” Meaning today’s matinee against the Yankees. Again, right move. But it’s also a little scary when one considers the delicate state of the Red Sox:
• Second baseman Dustin Pedroia was back in the lineup last night, his first game action since July 28. The Red Sox will continue to monitor his balky left knee, and move him in and out of the lineup, and from second base to designated hitter. He returned with a hit, but also struck out three times.
“His stability in the middle infield will do us a world of good,” said Farrell, who noted Pedroia will not be in the lineup today.
Pedroia agreed with that decision. “We have one chance to do this right, and we’re doing it,” he said.
• Jackie Bradley Jr. comes off the disabled list today and is looking for a problemfree return to center field. He’s been out with a left thumb sprain since Aug. 23.
• Hanley Ramirez was the seventh hitter on the Sox’ lineup card, a big comedown for a hitter who was hoping to replace David Ortiz — on many levels. Hanley’s often been the happy, smilin’ life of the party, but his 51 RBI in 114 games have been no picnic. But he did hit a home run in the win, his third in his last four games.
But when you add that there’s been an inevitable market correction with rookie third baseman Rafael Devers . . . that 2016 MVP candidate Mookie Betts is hitting only .261 ... well, and so on ... it becomes all the more apparent this is a firstplace team with many riddles to solve before October.
It all begins with Pedoria, of course. With him back, the Sox can shift the hot-hitting Nunez to shortstop and rest Bogaerts. By the way, the Yankees probably wish Nunez stuck to bunting last night, when he lined a two-run homer off starter Sonny Gray.
“Because we’re in a progression phase with Pedey — getting back on the field, how many consecutive innings, how many days — all of that will be factored in as we go forward, particularly with the coming days here,” said the manager.
He added this: “You can make the argument that he’s one of the better defensive second basemen in the history of the game. So the strength of the middle of the diamond is a positive. Just who Pedey is, what he means to the organization, getting him back on the field is a good thing.”
If the Sox play competitive, winning baseball to finish the regular season and emerge with a healthy lineup, they will be tough to beat.
Or maybe this is just who the Red Sox are: Banged up, perhaps fading, and possibly limping into October.
It’s always amusing when Farrell plays the tough guy, as he did before the game when he responded to a question about bunting against Sabathia by saying, “You know what? We’re going to do it again.”
That wouldn’t be until a possible playoff showdown between the two old-timey rivals. Until then, the Sox have work to do.
Last night was a good start to September.