Pete Sheppard with Dave O'Brien

I beg your Sports Radio WEEI speech ever with the only WEEI supports -- give back to the phones just a bit older head out to Oakland at the coliseum. The new corporate name this week but they're -- a bright Red Sox a broadcaster. A join me hi David how are you my friend. -- I have been better although it's a delightful day here and Oakland California just beautiful. Everything is fine. Except for the play on the field with the Red Sox have done on what is really been a terrible road trip I can't remember. In my own memory. As far as bad road trips attend or race thumb but. That this one is right up there one of the worst the Red Sox have had in many many years. Well no question you remember on a New York -- fairly young guy but you've you've had a very successful broadcast degree you've been around situation like this before but it's not just on the field. It is in the dugout it's in the club house. And it's and Bobby -- offers its front office it's the GM it's the ownership that's what is that that. It's up it's a big time group effort given that the group reference. Yeah it has to do when you're 23 games under 500 since last September 1 you can point to a lot of different things. I think you start with the pitching -- it's been pretty disgraceful. When you look at. And on five road trip losses of ten to 321 needed to. Seven to one bit. Really this has been going on since since the 2011 season you know we we kind of tried to -- people for it through the of the heat of last summer. That when a team has an ER re ranked eighth ninth or tenth. Even worse than that this year. You're not gonna go very far but you know the offense did ten do I think kind of throw us off a little bit at times because. When you win a game fifteen to four everyone thinks everything's fine. But this is a team that although it can score he can't keep the other guy from scoring in. It was there's been another development that I think is really disturbing and that is the Red Sox don't walk anymore they didn't take a walk last night. They don't grind down counts anymore they don't get into the opponent's bullpen early the way they used to. I think that's a huge factor. In why the club does lose games it in bunches the way it does the pitching has been terrible. But that's another factor that needs to be addressed of many in the offseason under. I totally grew to that point I brought up a couple weeks ago myself on when the show -- I was doing and it's ironic. You're an open right now with the guy who invented it or not enter a big part of it. And how the Red Sox. You don't develop their ratings dollar so successful last year's -- being. What he has done that's that's the irony of the whole situation but I brought up to assure you couldn't be more correct but let me ask you. About Bobby Valentine I heard their pregame show last night with fuel and I was quite I know it's a tough situation if you went on to say it I was quite frankly disgusted by his treatment -- to be honest. Different to say didn't know either tiger mad and I just -- -- on the year well I thought it was amazing about having some guts and heart. Some integrity which right now this team has not a bit and I think the manager has completely checked out David I think he's gone it. Well I I don't see Bobby coming back in these circumstances -- I don't think he's going to be able to survive it and no one wants to talk about it right now but. When you when you see Bobby around the ball club. The other is certainly a fire that has gone out in him -- it's very odd in spring training. Bobby was the most energetic guy. On those fields in Fort Myers -- bouncing from fielder fielding was everywhere. I was involved in relay drills who's involved in running drills and then you know once the season started he almost became a different guy and and I I don't think you can throw everything at the feet of Bobby Valentine I think when you've got a pitching staff that a struggle like this one has. And you have all of these injuries those are reasons why the Red Sox are what they are today. The thing to me though is. There was so much good feeling that came out -- betrayed the mega trade with the Dodgers in freeing up all that payroll flexibility but what we're left with is a less competitive ballclub with over a month the baseball to play. And that means it's going to be tough to watch I think this team could easily lose ninety games. Oh no question about it especially you look at his schedule exception of the blue jays or not tie with image you know in the loss column a very well could be ahead of them by next week but. Besides those two series we got that you know the Orioles yankees and blue jays a couple of times in Tampa Bay there as well. All those teams are fighting their bombs off for a playoff position where B division or wild card they're gonna fight to the end so does not have any let up for vote. -- right and you know so we're looking at what's to come we have to look beyond and the rest of the month of September we have to look to next season. And there's reason to be hopeful with all of the payroll flexibility in the and a chance to do with the right way is -- -- said with a lot more disciplined but. In the short term it's going to be worse it's gonna get worse before it gets better and I think you know we're all beginning to understand just how bad it can be. A white about the Bobby once again though last not last night a lot when I say that obviously in the last couple hours to David. To me. The he shouldn't be there right now he should be gone. It is it's become it's it's he's checked out those comments he made apple over the last couple of days and I've defended him a lot this year as you know I really and I'd agree with you about the pitching and everything you said a 100% believe me. But what has happened and transpired the last couple of days he's got to go he doesn't care I don't think he cares I think he's checked out on this team might -- the team is checked out on him. They put this team -- to not show any guts whatsoever after getting slapped around like they have by the Oakland days. These last two games to have no response at all and how much they've been somebody in the head. What show. So solve the social anybody that you care at least in any way shape report shows up spark or grit and I've seen none of it. -- I I. I can't disagree he was you know and when assessment this goes in the second base and doesn't even have a slide. On a stolen base that reflects very very badly on everybody. And then obviously the dust up between miss Davis and Pedroia last night. Alfredo services a wild card he's a different cat everybody understands that by now. But you've got to play the game professionally and if they're not in sync on pick off throws. They better get in sync because those are gonna wind up in center field and you're -- embarrass yourself even more. And I kind of play cannot continue I think that the question now for -- like Bobby Valentine his what do you do. You call a team meeting and you know when your when your facing last place at this point. And Adrian Gonzales and Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford evolved and built the way. What good would that do it it would anything do any good would you if you fired Bobby Valentine would that make an appreciable difference in any thing. It it's an open question now in the Red Sox are running on record saying Larry Lucchino said. He's gonna manage the club through the end of the season I believe that's gonna happen I don't think they'll make a move on Bobby until the season is over if in fact they do that. OK and I and I just brought this up to before -- and I understand we're Larry Lucchino says in people and in -- -- that people will be upset because it brokers weren't I think he'd be mistaken. He did -- -- realize what was going to happen right now and right now this manager in my opinion has checked out in this team the team is checked out on him. Football -- there for the rest of the season see what happens. I always tell which dontrelle Dave I just can't imagine next Friday night with John for Ellison across the way and all that hype that's gonna come up what he's gonna have to deal with. And Bobby Valentine's sitting. In the dugout getting booed mercilessly along with a lot of these guys how that's gonna be perceived I just think put the man out of his misery now. Yes and I am look I think a lot of people on press row or discussing the same thing and you're gonna see a lot of columns about that in the coming days. And Bobby Valentine. It is certainly a guy who is. I think very very confused about what is immediate future is going to be and the future of this ball club through the rest of September. He doesn't wanna sit there and watch this he doesn't wanna see. The team make embarrassing mistakes and drop pop ups and file ground and and watch guys not slide when -- when they steal bases against the Red Sox. -- what I think you're absolutely right that everybody else has something to play for. With -- very few exceptions like Seattle in the upcoming series everybody else is gonna give the Red Sox not September columns. But their best effort their best pitchers and their best the best competitive will. And it could get worse and I have a feeling it's going to in the short term. I think the one thing you have to do when he we all have to do -- step back a little bit and go but the trade happened that was very good for the Boston Red Sox I think. I think in the long term it's gonna benefit them well. Maybe this is what we have to absorb for a short period of time in order to get back to competitive baseball against the -- stuff to watch. Are there and you're busy thanks so much I know it's tougher as a broadcaster to -- a -- penciled in them being down three nothing in the first for the second way that. That's the toughest thing he does it every single night it's two to nothing three to nothing four to nothing in the very first couple of any. And this is not a club that. Has the ability to come back on people. At least it hasn't shall -- at. That's the that's the hardest thing you almost want to jump to. The fifth or sixth inning to get that first inning -- -- -- but that's been a problem all season -- -- -- absolutely all right Dave -- thank you so -- -- for the started the broadcast about an hour -- -- I've been thanks thanks a lot Dave O'Brien great -- bright Red Sox broadcaster coursing along which are -- Jokester on have a Red Sox call for you coming up. I 320 this afternoon that's when I'll check out here.