Red Sox Diaries

In the midst of a season that has been pretty up-and-down, Boston's second straight sweep of New York might be the most exciting development. It's no secret that the Red Sox typically have their way with the Yankees in the first half of the season before fading after the All-Star break to lose the season series and (except for last year) the division. So in some ways, this start isn't particularly out of the ordinary.

The difference this season is that Boston seems to match up against New York much better than it has in the past. Usually the Yankees are the ones who have the stronger, deeper pitching staff and a more battle-tested ballclub. But that doesn't seem to be the case this year.

This short two-game series was a good representation of the problem with the composition of New York's rotation. Young budding stars Philip Hughes and Joba Chamberlain started games 1 and 2 for the Yankees. while both have undeniable talent, there's one major issue: they don't pitch deep enough into games to take advantage of it. They have 40 starts combined in their careers, and have completed the seventh inning just four times -- or, once every 10 starts. Neither of them has ever pitched into the eighth inning, let alone go all nine frames. Simply put, that just isn't going to cut it, and certainly not against Boston.

General manager Theo Epstein is one of the new-age baseball executives who study statistics extensively and target guys who work the count and get on base a lot. Because the Red Sox have a patient lineup that isn't adverse to drawing a walk, opposing starters tend to run up a high pitch count fairly quickly. Combine that with pitchers like Chamberlain and Hughes who are already susceptible to short outings, and the result isn't pretty.

Hughes has gotten roughed up in both of his career starts against the Sox, allowing nine earned runs in only six innings. Chamberlain has had some more success against Boston -- he even pitched seven innings in one meeting last year. But when he gives them trouble, such as on nights like Wednesday in which he struck out 12 hitters, the Sox can wait him out until he has thrown more than 100 pitches -- the point around which he is usually removed for a reliever.

That's the most crippling side effect of Hughes' and Chamberlain's inability to eat up innings. The Yankees' bullpen is highly suspect, and Boston knows it has a much better opportunity to break the game open when Damaso Marte, Jose Veras or Jonathan Albaladejo is on the hill. Even Mariano Rivera no longer seems invincible, though the Sox have always had more success against him than most teams, anyway. Compare this to Boston, which effectively has two shutdown closers (Jonathan Papelbon and Takashi Saito, when healthy) and two set-up relievers with ERAs below 1.00 (Manny Delcarmen and Ramon Ramirez). In addition, the lefties have been decent: Hideki Okajima seems to be getting his act together, and rookie Hunter Jones has been impressive at times.

In 2003, the last time New York was in the World Series, four starters threw 200 innings or more and made at least 30 starts. In 2008? Two pitchers accomplished that feat, and neither one topped 210 innings (which the four pitchers on the '03 squad all managed to do).

The rest of New York's rotation also leaves a lot to be desired, at least when facing the Red Sox. CC Sabathia, the only reliable workhorse in the rotation, is 2-4 lifetime against Boston. A.J. Burnett has enjoyed some success, but was knocked around for eight runs against the Sox earlier this season. Boston has had Andy Pettitte's number since he returned to the Bronx from Houston. And Chien-Ming Wang? A career 4.82 ERA against the Sox -- and all that was before he totally lost it at the beginning of this season.

Also, Pettitte is the only member of that group to have pitched in a World Series, and just one of two pitchers (with Rivera being the other) on the whole staff. Every one of Boston's original starting five (Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield and Brad Penny) has done so -- in fact, each one of them has won a World Series. John Smoltz, who should be back in the middle of the summer, is another seasoned, successful October veteran.

Obviously Alex Rodriguez didn't play in any of the five games so far, and even on one leg he would be an upgrade at the plate and in the field over banjo-hitting converted shortstop Angel Berroa. But it might not matter if the Yankees have to keep leaning on their bullpen, which is repeatedly proving to be not-so-reliable.

--Danny Daly (ddaly06)