The Sox are being kept in the hunt by the Yankees and the Rays, and up until now they have done very little to embrace the gifts they keep getting. The Sox lead the league in sympathy because of their vast injuries, and yes, it is a valid excuse for the team not to make the playoffs. It’s also easier not to make the playoffs if you don’t have adequate replacements.
But there’s opportunity still on the horizon. The Yankees have the majors’ RBI leader — Alex Rodriguez — on the disabled list for the next two weeks. Lefty Andy Pettitte is out. Their starting rotation is not in great shape, and even one of their trade deadline pickups, Lance Berkman, is on the shelf. The Rays just endured DL time for two of their young starters in Jeff Niemann and Wade Davis, but haven’t been able to overtake the Yankees or ditch the Red Sox.
After the Red Sox’ 16-2 loss Friday — the same day Dustin Pedroia was placed on the disabled list — you wondered whether they were shutting down, but Lowrie’s walkoff homer was huge in perhaps telling the world they’re still alive. Maybe.
It came in the same inning he dropped a foul pop to extend catcher John Buck’s at-bat. Lucky for Lowrie that Jonathan Papelbon struck out Buck for the third out.
Lowrie is learning to play first base on the fly and his inexperience showed in the 10th when second baseman Bill Hall made an ill-advised throw that Lowrie tried to field while keeping his foot on the bag. The ball got by him and Travis Snider wound up on second base. Lowrie should have come off the bag to make sure Snider wouldn’t get an extra base. But this is what the Sox are willing to live with in lieu of a more experienced first baseman on the roster besides Mike Lowell. Obviously, Carlos Delgado, who was placed on the minor league DL because of hip and lower back soreness, is not likely to be the answer.
