Alex Speier, Red Sox Pregame

" Alex everything seemed to be rolling downhill for the Red Sox right now or should I say they're swimming upstream so much so they are staring at a four game sweep at the hands of their arch rivals and they haven't scored a run -- Since Thursday night. It seems like things cannot get any worse I suppose they could but it feels like they can't. Yep be careful what you say -- John but it it certainly has been easily the most trying start of the season for the Red Sox. This is now 25 game losing streaks they've had. Since the All-Star break. That there are either getting pretty much smoked by by every team that they've played it's not it's in contention in fact the Red Sox are now. Oh and eight in the second half against teams with a winning record so. I clearly things are not trending in the right direction they've been I mean there have been times they're been elements of their game -- have done quite well at times Clay Buchholz was terrific yesterday. Following Josh Beckett having been outstanding the previous night and yet the Red Sox just have two more losses to show for it himself. There -- other kind of at the point where it's difficult. You know to push everything. It is going on outside you know. Outside of the doors of the clubhouse which is part of the reason why. Hi -- during which is part of the reason why the Red Sox held a held at a meeting that included both the players in the in the coaching staff. Prior to tonight's game at about 615. They met as a group. One it was a very short meeting just a few minutes but you know in these situations. Terry Francona just typically. Offers a simple massed along the lines of you know we trust in the talent that's here go get them. I am not sure I have yet to confirm whether or not that was -- this time but it would be surprising if it was a variation on that the but that is extremely unusual -- the best of our knowledge this is the first team meeting that they've had all season to that gives you an idea even though the message might be short and simple. That it's rare that they use that forum to deliver any type of message absolutely the last time that they had one of these that we can recall is thought was right after the the Manny Ramirez trade. Last July 31 and so you know that that does kind of give you a sense of effective Francona by his own admission hates these type of these types of meetings and die and doesn't think that there's a great deal appoint to you know to stormy in our you know we're going new rock -- everyone. But but there are certain moments in the season when he just kind of likes to offer a a voice of reassurance. It's a little bit different than you know the Yankees under Joe Torre when. -- he seemingly wanted to offer. -- hold a team meeting once every every four -- so. This is definitely a a once in the proverbial blue moon not type of parents knew you mention elements of Boston's game that have been encouraging even during the midst despite game. Losing streak. Yet in that respect maybe that's the most frustrating thing of all Jon Lester is going to pitch tonight pitched fantastically on Tuesday night at Tampa Bay you mention Beckett you mentioned buckles. When a team that's struggling. Gets outstanding starting performances those -- the types of things that you really cannot afford to waste. It's just really difficult to win when you're getting four singles -- night which is what the Red Sox have done in each of the last two games in. You know from top to bottom I mean they're different elements of the lineup they're struggling. They've they've certainly been hurt by the absence of Jason Bay who even though he's struggled in recent months is still been getting on base. And a very good clip in the second half you know drying his walks in quote -- keeping keeping the line moving. We've also seen you know so they've been now they've been a little bit short handed and had to put -- a guy like Casey Kotchman a left handed hitter. Yesterday against CC sabathia that's not a matchup that you want. You know David Ortiz is obviously been in a pretty deep funk and he's out of the lineup today in order take kind of a mental health day. There are other people up and down the lineup the shortstop position has really been a disaster for the Red Sox of -- I think -- dad Nick Green has yet to get. I hit on this on this road trip and you know he's he's played tremendously well it's -- vastly exceeded what anyone would have expected this year but. The fact of the matter is the between him and be injured Lowrie. They just haven't been getting much from that position and you can go on and on but. They aren't scoring and that's that's the real issue for them right now ever since the thirteen innings on Tuesday added on top fifteen innings on Friday. The bullpen has been spent and it's been a concern all week long but they managed to stay away from almost everybody yesterday. Better rotation a backup insurance guys having -- all week long but they should be a pretty good shape for tonight I think. What with things so they did get a chance to rest the guys yesterday and so. A number of them had reasonable pitch counts over the course of that fifteen inning marathon. On Friday things that affect the Beckett did go as deep into the game as he did so. You know they I don't think that. Would relieve availability is going to be necessarily the limitation for him tonight they just have to be able to score against any -- One other thing we'll talk more as we get closer on Tuesday but the Red Sox announced today the Junichi to zeile law will get the start on Tuesday at Fenway against the Tigers. And the -- it's being thrust into some pretty big positions early on in his career obviously. He was the loser in the fifty inning game on -- Friday night now is going to make a start in the heat of the pennant race it's pretty remarkable what you think about the fact that this guy was an amateur as of you know last out last fall. He is in his first ever professional season I mean it would be almost unheard of deceit. A guy who had been drafted you know of what year after being drafted by the Red Sox all of a sudden thrust into the heat of the pennant race. You know indicted the following August. But the Red Sox regard him very very highly believe a lot in his make up and is poised and certainly in -- four pitch arsenal it was so very impressive over the course of his time. In both Pawtucket and Portland and now the issue is if you know they're they're eager to see and hope that they will see that it translates at the Major League level is our himself. Said through -- translator that he hopes that he's going to be of at a kind of have steady her nerves over the course of over the course of a game that yet have a bit more the chance to prepare for as opposed to suddenly being thrust into the middle. Of the game in the fourteenth inning of a tied nothing nothing game in Yankee Stadium on on Friday and facing Hideki Matsui is its first ever Major League hitter. I'm Alex thanks as always -- talking assume that's good thank you John."