Talk About Timing

This is the way it goes, right? The Red Sox go into Yankee Stadium with an eight game lead in the American League East, get swept away in three games, scoring only six runs in response to the Yankees' fourteen, and then give up nine more in a home loss to the Orioles? What's more, Manny Ramirez is out with that phantom of phantom injuries, the strained oblique, David Ortiz is still hurting, J.D. Drew (despite miserable production) leaves the game with a bad foot, and his replacement Bobby Kielty is nursing an injury as well.

Timing is certainly everything.

First of all, let's get one thing clear: the sky is not falling. Yet.

The Sox still have a five game lead thanks to Tampa Bay's absolute pounding of New York, 9-1. In my opinion they still have the best pitching staff in the AL East at the very least, regardless their recent record. Their offense, though strangely quiet, can still put together some runs, but they really need to start coming out of their funk. My solution? Start at the top.

It has to start with Terry Francona. Nobody was more upset than I was over the whole "Shirtgate" incident at the Stadium this week, but sob stories aside, Francona needs a stern talking to. His lineup use is absolutely awful and has been all season. Any fan worth their salt can tell you that Coco Crisp and Julio Lugo should never be put north of the sixth spot in the order, yet Francona, valuing the speed of both players, manages to consistently ignore their lack of on-base ability and place them up top from time to time. J.D. Drew, for his part, shouldn't be in the game with as much consistency as he has been lately. Against Andy Pettitte, a soft-tossing lefty, I would have much preferred Kielty's right-handed swing to Drew's long, loopy (albeit beautiful) left-handed one. This has really got to stop. Find a lineup that works and stick with it with only minor alterations. Keep Youkilis and Pedroia up top in front of Ortiz and Ramirez (when he can play) and just deal, end of story.

The interesting thing about all these injuries is that they're hitting just as the rosters expand for September, meaning Jacoby Ellsbury and his pals will hopefully be seeing more playing time. For my part, I'd love to see Ellsbury in centerfield, Crisp put in left, and then keep Kielty in right (assuming Drew takes a few days off). I think that would allow for Coco to get a little bit of a break by playing in front of the Wall, and give Ellsbury a chance to show off his chops just a bit more. In Pawtucket this year Jacoby has managed to post .298/.360/.380. His power is disappointing to be sure, but he's a player with just enough guts and brains to make a difference in the injury-ridden interim.

Let's hope we can just plug the holes in the lineup long enough to get our heavy hitters hitting again.