Debacle in the fens

One of my pet peeves is people that respond to statistical information with "lies, damned lies and statistics." I call it the mating cry of the innumerate, as you can't lie with statistics to people that understand what the statistics are and what they mean. But there's no question that you can manipulate numbers and make them misleading.

The Boston Red Sox are averaging 4.5 runs scored over their last 9 games, a stretch that has now seen them go 2-7 and fall into 2nd place. How are they 2-7 when they've averaged 4.5 runs, and been outscored by only 1 over a 9 game stretch? In the 7 losses, they've been outscored 39-17. In the 2 wins, they've outscored the opposition 24-3. With last night's debacle, they've now scored exactly 1 run in 4 of their last 9 games. That's not going to get it done.


Last night's game was actually lost in the first inning. It wasn't over after the first, but that's where it was lost. The first 6 batters:

- Reached on error
- Single
- Walk
- GIDP
- Walk
- Walk

Notice that 5 of the first 6 batters reached base safely? Right. The one that didn't grounded into a double play, and the Red Sox scored one (1) run. Damon, their first batter of the night, reached on an error and scored their only run on the night. They never came close to scoring again. The first was the only inning in which the lead-off batter reached base safely, the only inning in which more than one hitter reached base safely and the only inning in which they got a runner past first base. All-in-all, it was a pathetic offensive showing, the 4th in the last two weeks.