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∗ Thanks to their current hot streak, the Red Sox season has been, for the time being at least, salvaged.
Weeks after it appeared as though the second half of the season would be full of irrelevance, the Red Sox are back in contention and inviting hope for a meaningful month of September...and perhaps beyond.
The turnaround is due to, yes, outstanding staring pitching, beyond-dependable relief work, stellar defense and, at last, a league-average offense.
But let’s not forget Chad Tracy. Still no more than the team’s interim manager, Tracy has been the perfect steward in his role. He never panicked and never showed any signs of frustration while the team struggled to find its way. In today’s game, the role of manager continues to constantly evolve, but perhaps the two biggest prerequisites are to set the proper tone and foster good communication with the players.
Tracy has done both from the beginning. He showed patience with journeymen pressed into more regular roles and confidence in unproven rookies. He benched Caleb Durbin for a week, but never abandoned him. He’s leaned on three rookie starters, but never too much.
Not that it’s bought him much of anything. He still holds the clunky interim title and that likely won’t change until after the season. His fate is inexorably tied to that of Craig Breslow; if the latter isn’t retained beyond this year, it would seem a long shot that Tracy will keep his job under a new lead baseball executive.
But that’s months away. For now, no matter what happens, Tracy deserves loads of credit. He still hasn’t managed a game in which Garrett Crochet was his starting pitcher and he had all of a week of Roman Anthony before injury struck.
And yet, here are the Red Sox, having grown from also-rans to legitimate contenders. Someone should thank the manager for a job well done.
∗ The Home Run Derby was more watchable this year than it’s been in some time. Funny that baseball got better when it introduced a pitch clock, while the Derby got better by getting rid of one.
∗ For that matter, even though the game itself lacked drama, last Tuesday was a reminder that the All-Star Game in baseball is, far and away, the most compelling All-Star game in any sport.
One thing, though: the elimination of the league offices, the increase in interleague play and the standardization of umpiring crews have all helped blur the lines between the leagues. So how come the AL has been so dominant (11-2 in the last 13 meetings)?
∗ Tom Brady has become — how do I put this politely? — a walking contradiction. Known for his obsession with nutrition, he also has become a spokesperson for a host of fast food brands (Subway, Pizza Hut, etc.) And while he insists he doesn’t seek attention, he shows up to a pre-fight press conference to slap Logan Paul in the face. Make it make sense.
∗ Pro golfers are an entitled lot in general, but Bryson DeChambeau seems to take that to a whole other level on a regular basis.
∗ Others have suggested it, so I’m not the first. But the Washington Nationals’ Luis Garcia Jr. makes a lot of sense as a Red Sox trade target. Garcia offers versatility (he can play all four infield spots), offers thump (20 homers, .554 slugging percentage) and wouldn’t be as costly as some other options. Garcia is lefthanded on a team which is already too lefthanded, but you can’t have everything.
∗ It’s quite odd that the NHL and MLB schedules for next season came out on the same day last Thursday. Odd, because one season starts in late September and the other begins in late March.
∗ Once again, the greed of NFL owners knows no bounds. If NFL stadia can install and maintain real grass playing fields for the World Cup, it can be done for football, too. Another reminder that owners can’t bring themselves to prioritize the well-being and safety of their players whenever there’s money involved.
∗ I have not ever been, am not now and don’t anticipate ever being a soccer fan. But that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the pageantry and excitement of the World Cup, and the joy it’s brought to so many this summer. Bravo.
∗ There’s talk that the Red Sox might be in search of a shortstop at the deadline, maybe even one with multiple years of control remaining. Francisco Lindor, Willy Adames and Zach Neto are among the names being floated.
But that hardly makes much sense, especially when the Sox have a 1) a year left on Trevor Story’s deal 2) Marcelo Mayer as part of their depth chart and 3) Franklin Arias, the highest-rated prospect in their system.
∗ Recommended reading: Tana French’s Cal Hooper trilogy, a masterclass in writing and character development. I’m kicking myself for taking so long to get to The Keeper, the final installment. Crime writing doesn’t get any better than this.
∗ The introduction of the 84-game NHL schedule, which was thought necessary by exactly 32 people in North America, means that the regular season now stretches into eight months, from late September to mid-April. Throw in the Stanley Cup playoffs marathon and there are now just two months without any consequential hockey at all: July and August.
∗ Who is Jarren Duran angry with today?
More Red Sox coverage
- How does a 13-game win streak feel for the Red Sox? ‘We can’t do anything wrong right now’ | Sean McAdam
- Red Sox All-Star happy that win streak has stopped ‘Sell the team!’ chants: ‘I take that personally’
- MLB trade rumors: Are Padres trying to get out from under Xander Bogaerts’ hefty contract?
- Red Sox reactions: With sweep, 13th straight win, Boston has longest win streak since Ted Williams era
- Red Sox trade deadline plans are ‘fluid’ amid winning streak
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