Please just stop. Back away slowly from the edge. It isn't worth it. Seriously.
I get as frustrated as the rest of you at this team, but you have to take a moment to exhale and look at the positives.
This team is one game back of the division lead with our number three and four hitters representing a black hole on offense. The team is currently afflicted with RISP Disease. It only seems to rear it's head in key situations, but that's what makes it so deadly. Our top three RBI guys bat 1, 2 and usually seventh in the order.
But ultimately, every single team in the AL West is flawed. Seriously flawed.
The Angels starting pitching is suspect and their offense outside of Guerrero hasn't been much better (think they are already longing for Glaus and Guillen, especially the way both have started with their new teams?). The Rangers have taxed their bullpen beyond belief because of their weak starting pitching. The Mariners also have a rotation with some holes in it.
If anything, look at how our young starting pitching is performing:
- Haren - 2.37 ERA, 1.16 WHIP
- Blanton - 2.04 ERA, 0.96 WHIP
- Harden - 0.68 ERA, 0.98 WHIP
Remember, Beane is watching this team closely and realizes it has holes. In a division filled with parity, it might take just one or two key players to help put a team over the top. Billy knows this.
So even though we have a leader that is battling mental demons right now and a left fielder who couldn't take the proper route to a ball if he was strapped to the back a golden retriever, just have a little patience.
Chavy will come around eventually. You just have to know someone is miserably off his game if he can't protect against a fastball right down the pipe, 3-2 with the bases loaded.
But part of me wonders, at least until he gets his swing back, is it time to put him fifth or sixth in the order and go with Kotsay in the three-hole? Just until he starts to get the confidence back.
I realize that probably isn't going to happen because players need to work through these things.
It's possible Durazo got a little bit of the feel back tonight with that bomb off of Guardado and he's been hitting better lately, starting in Texas. The problem is that you can whatever you want to with this lineup right now, but too many guys aren't hitting. I mean, judging from the way the players are hitting, you'd need to go with Ellis, Scutaro and Kotsay as your top three hitters and we know that isn't going to happen.
But my point is, keep your heads high, folks. Everyone hits a slump now and then and in my opinion, it's better Chavy hit it out of the gate than later in the season.
So relax, take a deep breath and repeat after me, "We're not even a tenth into the season. We're not even a tenth into the season."
