Red Sox Can Draw Inspiration From Lance Armstrong

by abournenesn

Sep 8, 2009

Red Sox Can Draw Inspiration From Lance Armstrong The Red Sox are in a race to the finish. Time to step up and finish the final leg like Lance Armstrong did so many times over. It's winning time.

Are the Red Sox worried about Josh Beckett? He is 0-2 with a 7.56 ERA in his last five starts, but aside from one bad inning against the White Sox on Labor Day, he pitched pretty well. Will that outing jumpstart him to deliver like a No. 1 ace the rest of the way?
–John, Framingham, Mass.

I think you have to be concerned anytime you are talking about your ace. If the Red Sox are going to go deep into the postseason, they will need Josh Beckett to go back to looking like Josh Beckett. His last two outings have finished well, as he retired the last nine batters that he faced on Monday. I am not sure if this will carry over or if this is a mechanical issue that has cropped up late in the season. It does appear, from all accounts, that this is not an injury situation but simply a mechanical issue.

I was curious to get Dennis Eckersley’s take yesterday and it was interesting because he really was not concerned about the home runs because his opinion was that Beckett challenges guys so much that it will happen. Regardless, if Beckett can return to his dominant self than I like the Red Sox' chances with Beckett/Lester vs. anybody else’s one-two combination. 

Why do the Red Sox struggle on the road (34-37), but look like world beaters at home (45-21)? Do they just feel more comfortable at Fenway, or is there something more to the disparity in their home/road splits?
–Jay, Newport, R.I.

I cannot help but think that the home crowd is a huge factor. I think the Red Sox have one of if not the best home venues in all of baseball. How many runs a game it is worth is hard to quantify. However, the numbers have been staggering over the years. You never feel like they are out of a game at Fenway, but there are times on the road where they get down and that’s it. Most teams are similar. The old adage is to go .500 on the road and the Sox have struggled to do so all year. One of the teams that has defied logic in that area very well could be the Sox' first round opponent again in the postseason, the Angels.

What is the mood of the Red Sox? Do you sense any doubt creeping into the psyche of the team, or do they remain confident?
–Michelle, Cleveland, Ohio

No, I think they remain confident. There are a great many veterans on the squad who know too much about this area. Been there before and done this. I think the easy, no-panic atmosphere is also aided by the standing in the wild card. When they lose they seem to get help most days. There has been zero panic in that area. They know they just need to get in. Once the playoffs come, as we all know, in the end it really does not matter how you got there.

In September, Dustin Pedroia (3-for-26) and David Ortiz (2-for-22) are hitting a combined 5-for-48. Should Red Sox Nation be concerned?
–Gerry, Westfield, Mass.

No, in the case of Pedroia. He has had some of these but always seems to get just as hot when he comes out of his slump. He has a proven track record in that regard and that includes his Rookie of the Year season, where he was hitting .172  at the start of May. When he gets hot, he really gets hot, so I am in no way concerned about Pedroia.

That said, I am about David Ortiz. On this trip, it seemed he is back trying to figure it out with his stance and his lower half. Some in-between swings and off-balance swings have him looking like he is searching again. There have been times when the old David appeared to back, but there's been little consistency in that regard. He has been unable to carry his success from game to game.

You have interviewed many non-baseball athletes during games. Who are you the most impressed by?
–Samantha, San Antonio, Texas
 

That’s easy. Lance Armstrong. I think the best way to describe it is to watch part of the Tour De France and see what it takes not only physically but mentally to be among the best in the world. He won it seven times consecutively from 1999-2005. His drive athletically and for his efforts to cure cancer are all extremely impressive.

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