Sox Drawer: The Aftermath of the Lineup from Hell

First of all I want to say I hope that everyone is honoring the 6th anniversary of Sept. 11th, both the memories of the victims and the courage of the survivors, rescuers and the thousands of people who have poured their hearts and lives into the recovery and rebuilding effort.

It's hard to believe that we are already six years removed from the greatest tragedy in modern American history, and hopefully before the 10th anniversary this day will be a national holiday as it so rightfully deserves to be.

Never forget.
--------------------------------------------------------- Many people today have criticized the patchwork lineup that Tito trotted out last night to face the Rays and Sox killer Scott Kazmir, but not many have suggested what the manager was to do without the services of Manny & Papi and with J.D. Drew becoming more of a liability every day.

Which is why you have me.

I meant to do this in my piece last night, but I had a computer problem as I was finishing my post so I had to get up super early this morning and finish it, and at that hour I couldn't remember that I was supposed to back up my Tito bashing with a counter-argument.

So here is a comparison of Tito's starting nine last night and the one I would have chosen to oppose Kazmir:

TITO/J ROSE
1. DH Lugo / RF Drew
2. CF Coco / 2B Pedroia
3. 2B Pedroia / LF Ellsbury
4. 3B Lowell / 3B Lowell
5. RF Kielty / DH Youk
6. 1B Youk / C Tek
7. C Tek / CF Coco
8. LF Ellsbury / 1B Hinske
9. SS Cora / SS Lugo

Loyal reader Red Sox Bat Boy commented that no matter what lineup Francona penciled in for the game at least Drew's name wasn't in it. And with a .254 average and an uncanny knack for being at bat but not coming through with a clutch hit in nearly every game over the past couple of weeks, it's hard to argue with that logic.

But I am going to have to disagree here, and it's simply a numbers game. Although Drew's average is horrible, he does have an OBP of .357, which is good for seventh on the team among the regulars and 62 points higher than Tito's leadoff choice, Lugo.

Plus if you stick him at the top of the order there's considerably less chance he will hit into a soul-crushing, rally-killing, inning-ending double play.

From there you have Pedroia in his normal two spot, the team's hottest hitter Ellsbury sandwiched between Dustin and RBI machine Mike Lowell, the slumping Youk taking a day off from the field and DHing in the five-hole, rounded out by Captain Clutch, Coco, Big Hit Hinske (remember, he doesn't get many hits but they're usually big, and he's got more pop than Kielty) and Lugo bringing up the rear where he belongs.

I dare anyone to tell me that lineup wouldn't have had a better chance of putting some runs on the board than the band of oh brothers Tito ran out there instead.

Not that I'm trying to tell a World series-winning manager how to do his job or anything.

More notes from last night:

-The 1-0 shutout loss was the first such game at home for Boston since the infamous Mike Mussina near no-hitter on Sept 2nd, 2001.

I have a particularly fond memory of that game, as I was back home in Boston that weekend and watched it at my grandparents house in Wakefield. I distinctly remember sitting on the edge of my seat in their kitchen praying for someone to get a hit off that a-hole Mussina, and jumping for joy when Jurassic Everett singled in the 9th to rain on the Stanks near-parade.

Two days later the family and I flew back to FLA.

It was exactly one week before the hijackers would leave from Logan.

Never forget.