Bullpen is the Achilles heel that will keep the Red Sox from repeating

Bill Parcells is right. The veteran NFL coach once said, "You are what your record is."

For the second consecutive day, the Los Angeles Angels erased a late deficit and defeated the Boston Red Sox. Yesterday, it was 4-2. This afternoon, the Angels prevailed 5-3. The Angels improved to 60-38 and own the best record in baseball. They have a respectable 29-20 mark at Angel Stadium and a Major League best 31-18 on the road. The Red Sox have a Major League best 36-11 record at Fenway Park but are an embarrassing 21-32 on the road.

Simply put, the Angels are better than the Red Sox. Both teams have a solid rotation, but the Angels have a significantly better bullpen, more timely hitting and are more disputive on the basepaths. With a nine-game lead over the Oakland A's, the Angels have their post-season passport stamped. If the Red Sox can somehow outlast Tampa Bay and the surging New York Yankees in the American League East, or secure a wild card berth, their chances of winning the American League pennant look less likely as each week passes. The main reason? An atrocious bullpen. It's why the Red Sox are once again looking up at Tampa Bay, and it's a key reason why this team is one of the worst in baseball on the road.

Boston's Achilles heel was on display again today, and once again the bullpen's inability to get outs resulted in a Red Sox loss. On Saturday, because he understandably has no confidence in any of his middle relievers, Josh Beckett tossed eight innings, and was throwing a gem until he allowed all four of his runs in the seventh. Today, Tim Wakefield limited the Angels to two runs over seven innings. If the Red Sox had a reliable set-up man, Francona could have summoned him and then turned a 3-2 lead over to Jonathan Papelbon. Instead, Wakefield remained in the game and served up back-to-back doubles to open the eighth, tying the game at 3-3.

Since the Red Sox needed a win, it is curious why Francona did not call upon Papelbon to get six outs. The closer has not pitched since Tuesday's All-Star Game, and entrusting anyone but Papelbon to get an out is risky. Manny Delcarmen entered, and the results were not surprising. Jeff Mathis greeted the once reliable right-hander with a sacrifice bunt, which moved Howie Kendrick to third. Delcarmen then walked Chone Figgins, which proved costly because Casey Kotchman ripped a double down the right field line that easily scored two runs.

Once again, the Red Sox bats are hapless away from Fenway. They were held to three runs on Friday and two last night. Boston needed a gift from Vladimir Guerrero, who dropped Jacoby Ellsbury's liner in the seventh inning, to score the go-ahead run. With the Red Sox lacking timely hitting on the road, there was little doubt that Francisco Rodriguez would record his 40th save in the ninth inning. And that he did. Coco Crisp was called out on strikes, watching an obvious strike three without taking the bat off his shoulders. Pinch-hitter Sean Casey struck outy swinging, and then Ellsbury was overpowered by a K-Rod fast ball to end the game.

Just when it appears that the Red Sox are poised to make a move to leave Tampa Bay and the Yankees behind, they embark on a road trip, and the Bad News Red Sox surface. The bullpen is the main culprit. Even without timely hitting, Boston would have won several games on the road that they have lost. Unfortunately, if the issue has not been resolved by now, it likely won't be for the rest of the season. This is not a matter of one or two ineffective arms. If it was, then Theo Epstein could fix it with Justin Masterson (who was recalled today) and a trade acquisition. Every set-up man is struggling. Manny Delcarmen and Hideki Okajima are shells of what they were last year. Mike Timlin has no gas left in the tank. Craig Hansen has potential, but belongs at Triple-A Pawtucket. Javier Lopez is returning to reality after a surprisingly strong first-half of the season. David Aardsma is decent when healthy, but a sore groin landed him on the disabled list, and his control problems prevent Francona from using him with the bases loaded.

If the Red Sox even had a mediocre bullpen, the outlook for the rest of their season would be more favorable. David Ortiz is slated to return to the lineup on Friday, which will make the offense more formidable. The starting rotation remains a strength, even though Clay Buchholz does not appear to be the answer yet. Regardless of how productive the bats are, and how effective the rotation is, the Sox will not win enough games to even get a wild card berth if the bullpen cannot preserve leads or keep the game close where there is a tie.

I firmly believe that the bullpen is why Boston is so awful on the road this season. True, the offense has not delivered in the clutch away from Fenway, but the Sox have held leads several times on the road after quality starts only to see the home team rally against the likes of Delcarmen, Hansen and Okajima.

It is difficult to repeat as World Series champions even if your team has few flaws. The Sox have at least five flaws in their bullpen alone, Aardsma included since he walks too many hitters. I think that Masterson will be effective, perhaps even dominant. But one reliable set-up man is not enough.