BoSox fans better start worrying

I tend to disagree with most people on this. Maybe because it feels like I’ve been here before. I’ve seen a few struggling baseball teams before.

And 0-6 sucks.

The winless Boston Red Sox lost their sixth in a row to the Cleveland Indians, 1-0. The Tribe scored the only run in the eighth inning and trapped pinch-runner Darnell McDonald for the final out.

That’s right, the Cleveland Indians scored on a squeeze play and then McDonald slipped rounding second after he realized he wouldn’t make it to third.

McDonald: “I was trying to make something happen and it didn’t work out.”

Almost the motif of the first six games. The BoSox are playing anything but disciplined baseball, right now.

Howard Ulman said it best:

In Wednesday’s 8-4 loss to the Indians, Dennys Reyes came out of the bullpen and threw 12 pitches, 11 of them balls and two that hit batters. Dan Wheeler relieved him with the bases loaded and got Michael Brantley to line to third baseman Youkilis, who dropped the ball.

Youkilis stepped on third for the force-out then threw to catcher Jason Varitek, who assumed the force was still in effect and stepped on the plate but didn’t tag Travis Buck, who scored.

“The record is what it is,” Manager Terry Francona told reporters. “But I don’t want us to have a hangover.”

Jon Lester // Photo: mlblogs.com

I think they already do, at least that would explain the 7.13 team ERA. Daniel Bard is “leading” the way with an 0-2 – with a no decision in the first game of the Cleveland series – after only lasting record and an ERA over 20.

Matt Albers and Bobby Jenks are the only pitchers with an ERA under 4.5. They have as many strikeouts – six – in four innings of work as the combined efforts of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka.

And they’ve only managed six strikeouts in 15.1 innings pitched.

“I don’t know. I’ve got more important things to worry about than how the hell they’re going to clap.” – Red Sox Manager Terry Francona

“It can’t get any worse than this,” third baseman Kevin Youkilis told reporters before offering some optimism. “There is only one way to go, that’s up.”

Fans can only hope. The Sox are set to face division rivals through mid-April (Yankees, Rays, Blue Jays) and are 4.5 games out of first.

The Red Sox are off their worst start since 1945. As a team, they’re still trying for the Mendoza Line. Even the Pittsburgh Pirates are laughing.

They’re batting .190 as a team! There are only three players – David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez – batting over .250. The 2010 Seattle Mariners weren’t even that bad.

I’m not saying they are going to go 50-112, but Friday would be a great time to pick up that first, and very elusive, “W.” The Sox have their 100th home opener Friday against the Yankees.