The Red Sox, losers of eight of their last 10 after being shutout by the Yankees Thursday night, remain fringe contenders for a top 5 draft pick in the 2013 amateur player draft. It is duly noted that the No. 6 Miami Marlins have strung together a strong three-game losing streak in a valiant effort to distance themselves from Boston, currently in the No. 7 slot. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Indians stupidly battered around Joe Nathan and the Texas Rangers on Thursday night, allowing Boston to move within four games in the loss column of the No. 5 position.
The Sox hope to hold off Kansas City, just 1.5 games behind in the Reverse Standings. The last time Boston finished with more losses than the Kansas City Royals was during the strike-shortened 1994 season. With such a thin margin for error, the BoSox can only hope to match their September 2011 futility.
The frontrunner Houston Astros actually won last night at home against the red-hot Phillies. But ‘Stros fans aren’t likely concerned: Houston’s magic number to clinch the first overall pick, ahead of Theo Epstein’s Chicago Cubs, is now just nine. Additional help could be on the way if the team gives Roger Clemens and his 90-MPH fastball a chance to start against a contender.
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