Sox Have Bullpen "Issues"
By Alex Sherman
The Boston Red Sox had its biggest win of the season yesterday. Of all the spectactular things that happened, one thing really sticks out in my mind. The Red Sox bullpen is awful.
Yup, I don't care about the end of the game, or the brawl, or the errors. Rivera's collapse and Mueller's game-winner are moot points in my mind. I just can't stop thinking about how the league's best bullpen has suddenly turned into Curtis Leskanic, Joe Nelson, Jimmy Anderson, Ramiro Mendoza, Mark Malaska, etc.
Leskanic should be cut, immediately. The guy has about as much control over his pitches as Don Zimmer had over himself when Pedro hit Karim Garcia last year. Watching Leskanic pitch is like watching Zimmer tumble over himself. It's painful to see, but I bet Leskanic feels worse.
What happened to the bullpen that shut down the A's in last year's ALDS? Sure, Williamson is injured. But Foulke looks like the White Sox closer who was demoted, not the A's team MVP from last season. Mendoza obviously can't be trusted with the game in his hands, and I'm not even going to talk about the other guys, because just looking at their names tells the whole story.
If the Sox can't get Randy Johnson, Theo has got to find someone to sure up the 'pen. I don't think Terry Adams is the answer. But yesterday's ridiculous game, despite the win, was only one more reminder that the Red Sox bullpen has become laughable if Embree and/or Timlin is not available.
