Mazz: Christian Vazquez May Have Been Part Of Red Sox' Problem, Not The Solution
BOSTON (CBS) -- A couple of months ago, Christian Vazquez was supposed to be the answer. Now he's back in Triple-A and we can't help but wonder if he was part of the problem.
Especially after Friday night.
Let's back up here for a minute. On Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels, the Red Sox had a 5-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning when the Angels loaded the bases. Folks at home began squirming, wondering why manager John Farrell was sticking with knuckleballer Steven Wright in the rain, particularly after Wright admitted to having problems in similar conditions earlier in the year. During the sequence, pitching coach Carl Willis made a trip to the mound, the details of his visit becoming more important after the game.
"There was a trip to the mound with Carl and we told him we're going to stick with the knuckleball - don't give in," manager John Farrell revealed after the game. "And then prior to the 3-2 pitch [that produced a grand slam] there was a meeting between [Vazquez] and Steven and he opted to go for a fastball on the inside part of the plate, and it ends up being the four-run swing."
So there you go. A 5-0 game became a 5-4 nail-biter. And after Willis left the mound, Vazquez met with his pitcher and the tandem chose to ignore the coaching staff. Two days later, Ryan Hanigan was activated and Vazquez was sent to Triple-A.
Sounds like a pretty suspicious series of events, no?
Look, we all know that the Red Sox don't have enough pitching. The question is whether they're getting the most out of it. When Vazquez replaced Blake Swihart earlier in the year, it felt as if there were immediate dividends. Today, Sox pitchers have a 4.41 ERA with Vazquez behind the plate, just a shade below their overall team ERA (4.48) for the season.
The point? Vazquez's impact has been minimal. And now we can't help but wonder if he has actually been part of the problem, which didn't bode well for a guy who hasn't hit all season.
In the end, as constituted, the Red Sox don't have the arms they need to beat quality competition this season. Maybe that will change. In the interim, for all of the abuse being heaped upon Red Sox pitchers this season -- and rightfully so -- we must now wonder if there was a break in the chain from the coaching staff to the mound, with Vazquez electing to ignore or veto requests from the coaching staff and manager.
If it happened in the sixth inning on Friday, after all, doesn't it stand to reason that it happened other times, too?
