BOSTON — The Red Sox might as well end their Cash for Clunkers program, too.
BOSTON NOW THINKS ONLY WILD CARD
Brad Penny, following in the footsteps of another failed veteran pitcher, John Smoltz, was ravaged last night in the Yankees’ 20-11 annihilation of the Red Sox at Fenway Park that put the Bombers 7½ games up in the AL East.
Penny allowed eight runs and 10 hits over four innings as the Yankees pummeled the right-hander, scoring six runs over the first two innings. Remember in spring training when all the praise was being heaped on the Red Sox for landing Penny and Smoltz and how deep the Red Sox pitching was going to be this season? Maybe the Red Sox should have just gone the Yankees route and signed A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia.
Penny’s record dropped to 7-8 and his ERA is 5.61. Opposing hitters are batting over .300 against him. He did not fool anyone last night. He could be out of the rotation with Tim Wakefield close to returning.
“I think we’re always probably evaluating,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “Wakey pitched tonight [for Pawtucket], and it sounded like it went pretty well. We’ll get together tomorrow and kind of see where we need to go.”
Sounds like a lost Penny.
“I really wasn’t commanding the ball tonight,” Penny said. “I tried to go in and I’d end up throwing it over the plate.”
The Red Sox tried to take the cheaper rout, signing Penny and Smoltz, figuring the veterans would bounce back. The Red Sox gave Penny a one-year deal worth $5 million, plus incentives. Smoltz was given a $5.5 million deal and finished 2-5 with the Red Sox with a bulging 8.32 ERA. Smoltz was released and is now with the Cardinals.
The temperature was 83 degrees when Penny faced his first batter and allowed a ground rule double to Derek Jeter, the first of 23 Yankees hits. This was a night where Penny needed to step it up. This was a night when the Red Sox thought they could get back in the AL East race.
Penny never gave them a chance.
He wilted in the heat. Bottom line: The Red Sox should have traded Penny when they had the chance.
“The Yankees have a great team,” Penny said. “One through nine they all can do damage.”
Noted Francona, “They took some pretty healthy swings once they got going.”
This was one of the worst outings by a Red Sox starter in the last 55 years against the Yankees. Over that time just two other pitchers have allowed at least eight runs and 10 hits over four innings, Tom Bolton and Bill [Spaceman] Lee.
Now the Red Sox are running out of space in the rotation for Penny.