Execution and Small Ball

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Sox haven't really done any one thing with too much regularity (good or bad) to start the season, so there's nothing specifically I'm hurtin to holler from the high heavens. They've hit some (but aren't red hot), they've pitched well (but haven't dominated), the fielding's been fine, no plethora of base-running mistakes, no long winning or losing streaks. Kinda been a boring start to things, which is surprising giving all the kids and changes and storylines out of last season. Really, besides Wise's entire ordeal, it's been a rather even keel start.

The only thing I've really noticed way too much of - leaving runners on third with less than two outs. You just can NOT do that and expect to be a highly successful ball club. And it's everybody - from guys you'd expect (BA) to guys you expect more of (Quentin).

Obviously a lot of this is on the hitters - they've got to have the focus and ability to bear down and make the solid contact necessary to bring the runner in. But some of it's on the coaching staff - they've got to have fostered that necessary focus and worked with the hitters on their ability to just make that productive contact when needed.

So far I can't point to a game that has clearly been lost due to this sort of failure, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. Baseball games turn on the smallest things, so while it may seem like an early run wouldn't have made a difference in what turns into a blow-out, that's not clearly the case. Maybe getting out of that situation gave the pitcher the confidence he needed. Maybe that gave the other lineup a bit of a spark that lead to a later offensive barrage. It's impossible to know, but it's assured that it's never a good thing to leave a runner stranded who should have been brought in.

A small percentage of teams make the playoffs each year, and to be in that percentage, you can't afford to blow opportunities like having a runner on third with less than two outs. If the Sox continue to do so, we're gonna end up frustratingly short of some reasonably big goals (I'm not convinced this team can't be a title contender - they've got the foundation and who out there is so much better?). Hopefully this is an early thing they can get out of before any real damage is done (the Central remains wide open) and get turned around soon enough to start taking command in the division.


One more point, one that I'll hit over and over throughout the season - I ALWAYS say play for one run in any situation within any reason. Just like with bringing in that guy from third with less than two outs, so much more good than just that one run can come from it, whereas so much bad can come from allowing the other team to keep you off the board. Numbers guys will tell you to play for the big inning. Even baseball guys (like DJ, who just recently professed his disapproval of playing for one run early in games) will say you should let professional hitters hit.

Nonsense. Baseball isn't about numbers, it's not about skill levels. It's about momentum. Hitting is contagious. It's about feeling relaxed and confident. Pitching is the same. These guys all are physical specimens, but the teams who win are the ones who get the most out of their talent. And you do that by creating situations for them to succeed.

That's why every time I had a guy on base early, I'd be working to bring that one runner home, at the expense of everything else. Not only does one run change the whole facet of most games, but it gets your team feeling positive and the other team feeling negative, whereas failing to get that baserunner around has the exact opposite effect.

I'm not saying to bunt Paulie or Thome - that doesn't give you your best chance to score one run. Those guys are terrible bunters and good hitters. But guys who can bunt - bunt. Guys who can make contact with consistency - call a hit-and-run. Guy on first who can run - give him the greenlight.

Just worry about scoring one run at a time and you'll see that focusing on that single run, at any time in the game, will inevitably lead to more runs, both directly and indirectly. It's because momentum and confidence (or the lack thereof) have as much effect on your players' abilities to produce as any other factor.

With the Sox, this "always play for one" approach is especially effective, because they will never be in any danger of over-doing it. They just have way too many sluggers for that to happen. You're just not gonna ever play small with Quentin, Dye, Thome, or Paulie. That's almost half your at-bats right there.

Hence, there aren't really that many chances to play small for the Sox, so when they do come up, they should take advantage every single time.


So for the remaining 145+ games, I'm looking to see Ozzie take advantage of the rare small opportunities at every turn, especially early in the game, and I'm looking to see the Sox hitters execute with a runner on third and less than two outs (or, the related and equally important runner on second with no outs). If those two things happen, then I'm pretty confident the Sox will be playing not only in October, but late into it.