Spiraling Out of Control... And the Yankees- Red Sox Series

The injuries are adding up, and there’s a new one to report. The Boston Globe is reporting that Dustin Pedroia is heading to the disabled list because he re-injured his already injured thumb. He was injured trying to make a diving catch during Tuesday night’s game, and it is the other side of his thumb, not the side where his adductor muscle is torn.

With the loss of Pedroia, questions of Middlebrooks availability because of a pulled hamstring, Crawford and Ellsbury still on the disabled list, and on 3/5 of the original starting pitchers still in the starting rotation… the Red Sox essentially will look like a Triple-A team with a few Major League players sprinkled in. Seriously. Here’s the projected line-up is Middlebrooks is still held out:

1B- Adrian Gonzalez
2B- Pedro Ciriaco
SS- Mike Aviles
3B- Mauro Gomez
OF- Daniel Nava*
OF- Cody Ross*
OF- Ryan Kalish*
C- Jarrod Saltalamacchia
* At this point, it’s anyone’s guess where Valentine plays the outfielders, but I feel these are the three who have the best shot at starting.

Ciriaco, Gomez, and Nava all started in Triple-A this year; Kalish started the year on the disabled list but would have most likely started in Triple-A. Here are the potential pitching match-ups for the series this weekend:

Friday: Kuroda (8-7, 3.17 ERA) v. Beckett (4-7, 4.06 ERA)
Saturday (1st Game): Hughes (9-6, 4.29 ERA) v. Morales (1-1, 2.51 ERA)
Saturday (2nd Game): Garcia (2-2, 5.94 ERA) v. Doubront (8-4, 4.42 ERA)
Sunday: Nova (9-3, 4.05 ERA) v. Lester (5-5, 4.33 ERA)

I stated it yesterday, but I have a really pessimistic attitude heading into this series. It’s really make-it-or-break-it time for the Red Sox. Wouldn’t all be great if our replacement/ Triple-A players really stick it to the Yankees? Yeah, it would. But really, I think it is wishful thinking to split the series. Plus, the scary part is I have more faith in Morales and Doubront with their match-ups than I do with Lester and Beckett. Something is seriously wrong with that statement.

I wish I could be my normally positive self regarding the Sox at this point in the season, but I feel any hope fading. The All-Star Break starts Monday. The season is more than half over. There’s always that little bit of hope, but I don’t think hope is enough at this point.