Felger & Mazz: Sleepy Sox?
As Felger and Massarotti rolled into hour three of Monday's show, they continued with their analysis of the recent state of the Red Sox, and the lingering impact of the mound-charging incident between David Ortiz and Kevin Gregg.
While few would argue that the Red Sox have elite talent on their roster, there have been many points throughout the season when Mike and Tony questioned whether the Sox have the intangibles and mental make-up that typically characterize a championship team. These intangibles were seriously in doubt not long ago following the Sox' Interleague whine-fest, but this is starting to change as a result of the Ortiz/Gregg incident, and the Sox' resilient 16-inning victory Sunday night.
The Sox are starting to show a "heart beat," and Felger and Mazz think that these incidents may ultimately have a very positive impact on the Sox down the line. However, with that in mind, Mike and Tony still remain concerned with the Sox' tendency to intermittently play disinterested, complacent baseball. Although they've shown that they can wake up and play well when they really need to, they've also scared fans at many points throughout the season, ranging from their 2-10 start, to getting swept by the Chicago White Sox.
That said, what Sox can we expect to see when it comes down to the wire? Will they play as well as we know they can when the stakes are rasied, or will we once again be frustrated by an uber-talented team that seems to "fall asleep" periodically?
While there is reason to be encouraged in light of recent events, the scales could easily sway in either direction after the dust settles on the upcoming series with the Baltimore Orioles. Will the bad blood from the Oritz/Gregg incident boil over into this series, or will the Orioles wait until later in the season to settle the score? And, perhaps more importantly, which Sox team will we see in this series? Will the Sox dominate and show the Orioles why they are a perennial bottom feeder in the AL East, or will the hometown boys once again take a nap against an inferior club? Tune in now to find out!
