Y(L)ou Decide: Ketchup or Mustard

Time has an interesting knack of helping put things into perspective. For example, who knew Little Mike Fontenot was going to be the most important piece of the Sammy Sosa trade in 2005. The minor leaguer was so far off the radar that ESPN didn't even mention Fontenot in its report. Don't look now, but he's our starting second baseman.

Thus, time was exactly what I needed after Friday's 4-3 loss to the Brewers.

According to WCVB Boston, the truck driver responsible for delivering $43,000 worth of ketchup to Fenway Park for opening day went rogue, stashing the shipment at a truck stop in Tennessee. Had Monday's Opening Day game not been cancelled due to the weather, Boston might have been the site of another condiment-induced rebellion.

Maybe it was the humor, maybe it was the audacity; whatever the case, a few packs of ketchup helped soften what was a frustratingly awful blow. Faltering as advertised, Aaron Heilman, Neal Cotts, Sean Marshall, and Kevin Gregg were all ineffective after Rich Harden's scintiallating season debut. Harden went six innings, giving up only one earned run and striking out 10.

It's hard, and often times unfair to single out one player or one play that determines the outcome of a game. After all, there are nine innings and nine men on the field with 27 outs to work with. However, it's even harder to shy away from what happened with Kevin Gregg and Ryan Theriot.

Unfortunately for Gregg, Spring Training is over. The guy who didn't allow a run before the real lights came on has allowed three earned runs in three appearances. The problem appears to be comfortability. Gregg hasn't looked at ease, as his walk to Chris Duffy showed. Giving up hits in an outing is one thing; walking reserve outfielders seeing their first action at the plate is another. The final pitch Gregg threw to Duffy was bounced up to the plate. Kind of makes you yearn for Kid K, doesn't it?

The Kevin Gregg experiment is getting awfully old. Lou's justification for keeping Marmol as the setup man so that he can get a few two-inning outings out of him is understandable, but you need someone who gets the job done behind Marmol. Gregg finished the eighth on three pitches, then fell apart in the ninth. You WILL NOT win with a closer that inconsistent. Gregg's leash just got considerably shorter. Did I mention that I miss Kerry Wood?

[Reality checked in and reminded me that Wood has made one appearance this year, allowing one run in an inning of work, striking out three. Not exacly Rolaids Relief kind of stuff.]

Theriot is a different case. The Riot had 14 errors last year, and he picked up two more last night, with his fielder's choice to end the game registering as a judgement error [you have to go for the double play on that one]. His first error and the fielder's choice both gave up runs, ultimately sinking the Cubs, even though Gregg was about as effective as a case of O'Douls.

But Theriot has been sensational at the plate. He went 2-for-3 with a double, meaning he's 7-f0r-12 for the season, walking in all four games as well. Theriot's fielding is hurting the team, but so are Derrek Lee, Milton Bradley, and Aramis Ramirez leaving a combined eight runners on base. I'm giving Theriot a little more leeway than Gregg on this one, but I can't handle many more showings like that.

Last night was the Houston loss, episode two. Getting blown out is one thing, but giving away winnable games, games in which you have a lead after the seventh inning, is unnaceptable. That isn't going to net you a division title, and it certainly isn't going to get you beyond the first round of the playoffs. Gregg and the other kids need to get their acts together, or Lou is going to have to make some tough decisions.

I wish it was just deciding between ketchup or mustard.