BoSox in dismal state as Yanks come to Boston

BoSox in dismal state as Yanks come to Boston

J. Meric/Getty Images

Bobby Valentine gives a thumbs up in hopes the Red Sox can't put all the pieces together against the Yankees.

BOSTON To get a true gauge on just how dismal things are around the Red Sox 12 games into the season, consider this: The best thing they have going for them is that the Yankees are coming to town.

-- Boston is off to a 4-8 start under new manager Bobby Valentine.

-- Primary closer Andrew Bailey is out after thumb surgery, and second option Mark Melancon was sent down after pitching to a 49.50 ERA in his first four appearances.

-- Center f ielder and 2011 AL MVP runner-up Jacoby Ellsbury was lost to a shoulder injury.

-- Left fielder Carl Crawford was on his way back from wrist surgery, but a sore elbow has slowed his progress.

YANKEES VS. BOSTON RED SOX AND A HISTORY OF BAD BLOOD: PHOTOS

And then theres Bobby Valentine. Not only is his team off to a 4-8 start, there could be some disconnect between the manager and the players. On Sunday, the former Met skipper criticized third baseman Kevin Youkilis, and Red Sox players criticized him for doing it.

Then, Valentine was booed at Fenway Park Wednesday, as the Sox dropped their third straight.

The Yankees appearance in the third base dugout which usually signals a significant challenge for Boston could mean a shift in focus from all thats gone wrong for the Sox to the game and their bitter rivals.

Its the best competition. They have great players, great pitching, great everything, Dustin Pedroia tol d the Daily News Thursday. Hopefully it will lock us in to a point where we can take off. We want that to happen.

The Red Sox got off to a worse start a year ago 2-10 but rallied into what seemed like a comfortable wild-card lead only to see them choke it away on the final day of the season.

Valentine said of Sox fans in a radio interview Thursday: I dont think theyre panicking. There is however, no question the team is surrounded by trepidation.

Im not happy about our record, and obviously the people around here arent either right now, Pedroia said. But its only been 12 games. Guys have 40 or 50 at-bats. In 162 games no 12-game stretch is going to make or break our season. Everyone is excited to play the Yankees we play some pretty intense games and theres some guys who havent played in the rivalry. Theyre going to see its fun.

Ive been hearing about it for my whole career, my whole life, said Cody Ross, who was slated to be part of a platoon in right field, but now is starting in left with Crawford out. Im looking forward to it.

Boston scored 31 runs in three straight wins over Tampa Bay last Friday through Sunday, and Pedroia described their play as a sign that were capable of being a Top 3 team in baseball. They have scored six runs in the three losses since. They have been shut out and/or scored three runs or less four other times.

Pedroia called those games signs were not very good at all.

If we get consistent, we should have what it takes to compete for a championship, he added.

We have a lot of pieces, we just havent put them together as well as we can, Valentine said Wednesday. Theres good starting pitching and good relieving, good defense, good hitting. Were capable of doing all that.

A three-game sweep of the Bombers last May finally lifted Boston to .500 in 2011 and sent the Red Sox on a wicked tear during which they were the best team in baseball for several mo nths. But its hard for the returning players to look at that context going into this series because that campaign ended in elimination from the postseason on the last day of the regular season.

I am sure that it will bring out the best in some guys. It always has in some cases, Pedroia said. My view is that it shouldnt matter who its against because every game youre in should matter. . . . If we would have won some game we lost in April or May against anyone we played, wed have been in the playoffs last year.

Twitter.com/RogRubeNYDN