The House That Bay Built

It's getting so that I expect Jason Bay to crank a three-run shot every time he plays in the Parthenon of Greed. For the second game in a row, Bay put three runs on the board and gave the Sox the cushion they needed to register a 7-3 win over the Yankees. That would make the Sox 5-0 against the Yankees so far in 2009. That's the first time since 1985 the Sox have started so well against the Yankees.

I know I have said it multiple times, but it bears repeating; the Sox lost nothing when they traded away Manny last year and got Bay in return. He supplies almost identical numbers at the plate and has a much better glove in the field. Add in the fact he isn't pushing old men to the floor and I think it's a net-plus for the team.

And Bay has been destroying the Yankees so far in 2009. In five games against New York, he is batting .556 with three homers and ten RBI. His OPS is currently 1.833 against the Yankees' pitching staff. They may as well give Bay a batting tee or let him toss the ball in the air at the plate, because Yankee pitchers are useless against him.

I'm glad Bay did well in the clean-up position, though I prefer him to bat fifth*. But with Youk out you make the adjustments you have to make. Once again, though, it was the top of the order powering the Sox to a win. The 6-8 batters (Drew, Bailey and 'Tek) went hitless, although Bailey and 'Tek each got a RBI thanks to a bases-loaded walk and a sac fly. But if the Sox want to string together another long win streak, they'll need the bottom of the order to pull their weight.

As for the pitching, it was nice to see flashes of the old Josh Beckett. He gave up a ton of hits (10) over six innings, but he only allowed three runs and had good control. He threw a classic "keep my team ahead" kind of game, doing what he had to do to give Boston the chance to win. It wasn't pretty, but it worked. Then the Japanese Connection went the final three innings for the win. Oki and Saito looked awesome and it was a nice contrast to the night before. The Yankee batters never even threatened to get back in the game.

Then there's Joba. I will admit this; the kid looked good last night...after the first inning. Twelve strikeouts in less than six full innings is really impressive. But that first inning killed him. Which, of course, pleases me.

You know Aviv and I go back and forth on the issue of Joba and whether he should be a starter or reliever/future closer. Aviv has held up last night's game as Exhibit A of why he should be in the rotation. And at face value, he makes a convincing case.

But here's the thing...did he get the win? In five starts, he has only one win and three no-decisions. And in two of those games, the bullpen cost him the win. And that is the point.

It's all well and good that Joba can throw like a starter. But he is also 1-1 with a 3.77 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. He isn't Roy Oswalt or Tim Lincecum or even an Erik Bedard. And the Yankees are either intentionally avoiding or are legitimately blind to the fact that this is hurting their team. Joba is not ace material; he is really good, but not an ace. That makes this exercise in idiocy all the more ridiculous.

See, Joba himself is not the problem. The problem is that the Yankees have a crap bullpen outside of Phil Coke and Mo. Without a reliable third arm in that pen, it won't matter how well Joba pitches, let alone any other Yankee starter. And we all know that Joba can be that third arm. So where does his true value to the team lie at this point? Anyone with a pulse should see that Joba's real value to the Yankees is in the pen. The Yanks would be a better team with an average starter and Joba in relief because the Yankees wouldn't be hanging their starters out to dry on a regular basis. Here, I'll even give Cashman a free piece of advice; Chuck James. 27 year-old free agent out of Atlanta. Three years with the team, went 24-19. Or if you want a vet, Paul Byrd is out there. Slot one of those guy at the 4 or 5 with a reliable pen and...wait, why do I care? Keep screwing up, guys. Makes it easier for Boston to thump you.

Well, now that Boston has hammered the faltering Yankees...again...it's back home for a pair against Cleveland. Tonight it's Masterson against one-time Boston prospect Carl Pavano. I remember back in the day when Boston traded for Pedro and the big issue was who to give up in return - Carl Pavano or Brian Rose. It was a huge discussion. Boston sent Pavano to Montreal, kept Rose and they both sucked. Though to be fair, Pavano's descent into suck-dom didn't happen for a few years. Rose pretty much fell off the cliff right away.

* Am I off-base here? Doesn't it make more sense for Bay to be behind Youk and give him some protection, as opposed to Drew making the easy out half the time? It just seems to me that you want Bay driving in those runs instead of being the first guy up in the second inning after Drew leaves runners at second and third to end the first.