I'm certainly less optimistic than I was 3 days ago and, depending on the day, I have different reasons for feeling the way I do. Over the last couple of days, I've decided this team just has no identity and maybe even no heart. Sure, they're having fun but I'm seeing way too many close losses when we've been in prefect position to steal the game. Take bases loaded, nobody out, down by one in the bottom of the 9th on Friday for example or bases loaded with nobody out in the 9th inning of a tie game several weeks back. How do you lose those games?
That got me thinking about some teams that seemed similar. At this point in 2004, the team had a very similar personality. They had just come off the big win against the Yankees a few days before and, after 99 games, we're 55-44. That's exactly where we stand today. The team jelled after that game but the results weren't immediate. It still took a while for them to go from a fun, decent team to a fun team that refused to go down.
I don't see a trade changing the personality of this team. I think we will either see them bond in a similar manner and start winning some big, close games or we won't.
I also, before really looking at the numbers, saw a lot of the 2011 team in this team, but through 99 games that team was 62-37. Hard to make good comparisons there.
In the past week, we have seen them go 1-3 in 4 one-run games and also lose two 2-run games. In those games, about half fall squarely on pitching and the other half fall on hitting, so I can't get behind the idea of Sale being the difference maker. We need to see better, or at least more consistent offensive production from 3B and LF. Far too often, we can't count on production there.
So, I can't make a prediction on how this will play out or what it would take to fix it but I'm convinced another trade isn't the answer.