BOSTON — There was a different feel to John Farrell’s pregame press conference Monday. Such is life for the manager of a team sitting 10 games under .500 and in the midst of a six-game losing streak.
Farrell answered various questions during his longer-than-usual media session about the state of the Red Sox, the growing criticism throughout Boston and the likelihood of salvaging the season. It’s clear the Red Sox aren’t happy about the situation, but they’re also not ready to let any pessimism penetrate their clubhouse walls, even with some outside critics already writing off the team’s 2015 campaign.
“No one’s giving up here. No one’s giving up on this team. No one’s giving up on this season inside of our clubhouse,” Farrell said before Monday’s game against the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park. “That might be otherwise, but that’s not inside of our clubhouse. That’s the strong belief that exists there.
“But to say that this is just going to automatically turn, no one is giving into that, either — to say that this is just going to happen. We have to go out and continue to work relentlessly and execute in that fashion.”
Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia echoed similar sentiments Monday, suggesting his 10 years in Boston have taught him that outside noise is irrelevant as far as playing winning baseball. Sometimes, you’re a hero. Sometimes, you’re a goat. But it’s important to not let distractions dictate your performance.
The Red Sox are well-aware that they’ve underachieved to this point. They’re also well-aware of what’s being written or said about them in newspapers, on the Internet and across the airwaves. The negative chatter simply doesn’t matter to them, or so they say, because their issues won’t suddenly evaporate without better on-field execution.
“I know it’s all part of every major sports city. I also recognize this is a bottom-sum game, a bottom-line game,” Farrell said of the widespread hysteria. “You work in that environment and yet it doesn’t affect the way I deal with players individually, the way I deal with our team. No one likes where we are. So that comes with the territory.
“What has been brought forth to our team has not centered around media,” Farrell later added. “We have opponents and sometimes that opponent is ourselves. What we need to do is continue to focus and become protective of another, and yet at the same time, go out and play better baseball.”
The Red Sox entered Monday with a 27-37 record and in last place in the American League East. They trailed the first-place New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays by eight games and the next-closest division rival, the Baltimore Orioles, by five games. The deficit is big, if not insurmountable.
But while the lack of success is surprising — Farrell himself admitted Monday he’s surprised by how poorly the club has played — it hasn’t yet caused widespread organizational changes. There seemingly still is an internal belief things can, and will, turn around soon.
“I would say it’s a reminder of this is 25 guys working in one direction, not 25 individuals going separately,” Farrell said. “To me, the only way we get out of the situation we’re in is we have to have one another’s back and rely on the guy next to them. We have to work in unison.”
The soggy conditions Monday at Fenway Park perfectly summarized Boston’s season. The question is whether brighter days lie ahead in 2015.
Farrell and the Red Sox are confident they do.
Thumbnail photo via Marilyn Indahl/USA TODAY Sports Images
