Perpendicular Lines

As encouraging as the following four pitching lines have been for the Red Sox ...

• 8 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 9 K
• 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 13 K
• 8 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 6 K
• 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

... these four have been just as distressing:

• 1 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• 0 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• 1 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• 0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Manny Delcarmen has allowed a run in each of his last four appearances. He's looked terrible, and there was no excuse for Francona to bring him in last night. That was just bad managing. Better managing would be starting to let David Aardsma try his hand at some more late-inning appearances.

Delcarmen and Javier Lopez are both in the AL Top 10 in appearances. If that statistic doesn't change, we're going to see a lot more starting pitching performances like the ones in the first list thrown away by relief pitching like the type in the second list.