Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
Gonzalez wound up grounding to second, then was ejected by Everitt after saying the quick-pitch should have been ruled a ball. When Gonzalez’s plea fell upon deaf ears, the first baseman said, “Mikey, you stink,’’ which earned him his second career ejection.
“I wasn’t ready to hit,’’ Gonzalez said. “I wasn’t out of the batter’s box. When I come set up with the bat on my shoulder and the pitcher comes set, I kind of get into my position to hit and I was still in a position where I wasn’t ready to hit. My argument was that they called that same play a ball on Franklin [Morales] earlier in the year. He does the same thing and the umpire said it was a ball. It needs to be universal. It can’t be interpreted by each individual. That’s my argument.’’
Valentine came out of the dugout to take up Gonzalez’s argument, and wound up getting tossed as well. It was his fourth ejection of the season and 41st of his managerial career.
“Adrian thought maybe Mike should’ve called something and he didn’t call it,’’ Valentine said. “Adrian told him what he thought and I reiterated it.’’
Globe | Orioles defeat Red Sox, 5-3
You know it's getting bad when Adrian Gonzalez is using the S-word at umpires.
This team finds new ways to disappoint us every night, and last night was no different. The weird Crawford misplay, Gonzalez and Valentine getting tossed for pretty placid complaining, Cook falling apart -- it just goes on and on.
On the one hand I understand Gonzalez's frustration, but I also hate how long it takes players to be "ready to hit." Not specific to this situation, just generally -- there's no need to step out of the box after every pitch, adjust every piece of clothing on you, check out the ladies in the stands...every player thinks they're Nomar these days. Enough.
Maybe it's time to just bail on the Red Sox for the rest of the year anyway. That's what John Tomase thinks.
Come on, we've got better things to do. End-of-summer vacations, barbecues, root canals -- there are plenty of things on our calendars that beat watching this team.
Of course, that's not how it works. We'll still watch, because that's how it works. But hopefully they don't continue down this spiral. The playoffs are basically out of the question at this point, but we can at least look for things to have some hope about for 2013.
Things like:
1. The continued improvement of Jon Lester
2. Healthy, consistent play from Carl Crawford
3. A September call-up of Jose Iglesias in which he dominates (#freejoseiglesias)
4. Signs that Andrew Bailey is better than Alfredo Aceves
Surely there are more, but that's what I'll have my eye on.
Globe | Red Sox worried about leaks | John Henry, Red Sox awash in spin cycle - while keeping eye on the (soccer) ball | Bobby Valentine mum on dugout moment with Pedroia | Herald | It's time to call it quits, Sox aren't worth our attention | David Ortiz cooling his heels | Alex Ochoa, Jon Lester laugh off controversy | Sox come apart, again | John Henry again backs Bobby V, refutes story | ESPNBoston | Bobby V's Sox on wobbly legs | Cook self-destructs as hard-luck Sox fall | Aaron Cook, Red Sox lose no-hitter, then game to Orioles | Henry: Players blamed themselves | Bobby V: 'Totally responsible' for record | CSNNE | Red Sox lose lead, fall to Orioles | Henry: No one asked for Valentine to be fired | Epstein gives thoughts on Pesky's passing
