John Henry: 'I Wouldn't Be Supportive If I Was A Fan Watching' Red Sox Games
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Red Sox are in last place, and they've been outscored by 48 runs this season. It has at times been hard for some fans to watch, and Sox owner John Henry can understand that sentiment.
"I think we should be supportive at this point," Henry said prior to Tuesday night's game at Fenway Park. "I know it's difficult for the fans. I wouldn't be supportive if I was a fan watching these games. Some of these games have been abysmal. We have played like bleep. But there's a resolve here to turn it around, and I believe that'll happen."
Henry repeated one message multiple times: The pitching staff has improved and made adjustments after struggling early in the season, and it's now time for the offense to follow suit.
"They've got to be able to make the adjustments that happen in this game," Henry said. "Our pitchers have made adjustments. I think -- and I've discussed this a lot with John [Farrell], Ben [Cherington], others -- that our hitters need to make an adjustment. There's a game plan I think, in this league, with regard to Red Sox hitters, and we probably have to be a little more aggressive. But I think more than anything else, there's a lack of -- or actually, it's not a lack of -- but there's just too much tentativeness when it comes to at-bats. We're not driving the ball, we're not hitting line drives. We play in a doubles park; I think we're last in the league in doubles. We're hitting fly balls and ground balls, so we've got to make an adjustment."
Henry stressed that Farrell's job is not in jeopardy, and that the Red Sox have the right people in place to still compete for a playoff spot this season.
"Very disappointed. It's been an unacceptable 50 games. I think there's probably no one in the organization that does not feel that way. These guys have got to turn it around," Henry said.
"I don't feel any anger," he later added. "How could I? I think there's been no lack of effort. You can't fault the effort of anybody on the staff, you can't fault the manager for this. He can't swing the bats or throw the ball. I think it's just a matter of making adjustments, and also adjustments off the field. When you look at the standings these days and you see where Kansas City is compared to the Red Sox and the Yankees, you know things are happening in baseball; things are changing. And we haven't -- we ourselves as an organization at the hierarchy above the players -- haven't made the changes that we need to make."
Henry also said, "There won't be drastic changes. I think this is the right team. A couple of times now we've had to reset the team and make drastic changes, but I don't see that happening this year. I think this is the right team; they just have to perform."
Henry said that the general weakness of the entire AL East has not really impacted his call for patience with his team, as he's instead been focused more on the Red Sox than any other team.
"We're certainly in the race. We have more than 100 games to go," he said. "I think it's going to be a hell of a pennant race before it's over with. All we've got to do is put our offense together, I think, and the rest will follow."
