A tough stretch

I've spent the last week or so asking myself a very simple question:

"What are the Red Sox DOING?"

But before I get too serious, I think I should let my two readers know that the reason I'm writing this is for a few very good reasons:

1. I wanted to be able to tell people that tease me about my sports teams losing to "go read my blog" instead of using phrases such as:

"If you can't talk to me when they're dominating, don't bother talking to me when they're not."

OR

"Does the phrase 'I've NEVER been charged that much at the vet's before' mean anything to you?"

2. I realized that I am a part of Red Sox Nation - and we NEVER quit. yankees don't have a single solitary clue what The Nation means to us - they don't have anything close. We outnumber the opposing team's fans in THEIR ballparks almost every time. We're louder, more loyal, less conceited, kinder, better sports, and we don't care what other people think about us or our team. We hate the yankees just like everybody else, except more so - and not because they've won a lot, but because they act like they're God's gift to the baseball world.

3. Winning is important but it ISN'T everything. Sure, I love to see the Sox win. And I hate it when they lose, but I've been too emotionally swayed by Boston's Win/Loss record over the years. I don't sleep, I get sick to my stomach, and I lose precious time with my family while I stew about losing streaks. If the Red Sox losing makes me worry more than my conscience bothers me about my poor attitudes, then sports are in the wrong priority slot in my life. So maybe this post is as much about perspective as it is about providing some valuable data on why the Red Sox are gonna be just fine...

So, "What are the Red Sox DOING?" With the Boston lead in the American League's Eastern Division down to 1 1/2 games as of this evening, I am sure that the many ulcers developing all over Red Sox Nation are asking something along the same lines.

However, after all the internal (and a few external) tirades I've blown through recently regarding such topics as players being bought off (ala Black Sox 1919), MLB officials and umps "arranging" for a positive yankee swing this late season, the inevitable yankee surge (ala Bucky F**king Dent) and the uncanny chain of statistically improbable events occuring - I've come to realize that the Red Sox are exactly where they needed to be at this time of the season. AHEAD. Obviously no one in the Red Sox front office would like to see us limp into the playoffs as we are undoubtedly doing at present, but then the factors involved here are more complex than "the Red Sox were winning a lot and now they're struggling." Who's chasing who?

So who is better off heading into this post-season? New York or Boston?

Let's take a look at some historically proven trends and issues that have played key roles in previous post-season pushes:

1. Health - it has been said almost to the point of boring ad nauseum by broadcasters all over the sports world that one common denominator amongst championship teams in nearly every sporting discipline is that of overall team health. Right now, the Red Sox are hurting big time and it is no small coincidence that their recent decline has directly coincided with that. The yankees had similar injury issues earlier this year but their record suffered for months, not weeks. And regardless of recent events, the Sox are making the right choices to bench players with nagging injuries to preserve them for a post-season run. On the other hand, just to give themselves a chance at catching us for the division crown, the yanks have a injured Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, and Johnny Damon playing nearly every day - and don't give me that bunk about "playing through the pain" and "tough guy" crap. The Boss wants the AL East title - period. Kevin Youkilis is arguably the toughest competitor in baseball and only a doctor's mandate is keeping him on the bench right now.

2. Pitching - Boston's starting rotation has an absolutely miserable RECORD of late, but their ERA STILL leads the league, even after a sweep against the team with the second best ERA, Toronto. It has been the offense that has suffered of late and even when it hasn't the bullpen has been coughing the lead up. This offense can only win so many games by itself (e.g. NYy of the first 4 months of the season). Get those offensive players healthy (Manny, Youk, Crisp, Papi, Drew, and the list goes on) and this team will once again be, as they say, SCARY.

3. Hitting - still in the top 5 in almost every major offensive category, the Red Sox and yanks are nearly a dead heat here despite the pendulum swinging towards the Bronx late here in the season. But that is why you play a SEASON. The Red Sox CAN rest a little on their laurels thanks to completely demolishing the league for 140+ games. Complacency is different than rest and nothing approaching complacency can be found in Beantown. And despite the NY-biased media machine (don't even BEGIN to deny that), no one in Boston is panicking and no one in New York is comfortable, especially with the recent hitting woes of some key Bombers.

4. Defense - despite the influx of rookies in the starting lineup (averaging 2 rookie STARTERS per game), the defense is actually getting better in Boston. Unfortunately for the Bombers, defensive upgrades mean playing Doug Mientkiewicz, benching Johnny Damon (or DHing him - yikes), and doing anything possible to NOT have to play Jason Giambi in the field - anywhere. Yuck.


Phew... I feel like I just hit an inside the park homerun - a little winded but boy does it put a fresh perspective on "in it for the long haul."

Geez I love baseball - but I need to go kiss my kids good night and snuggle up to the woman of my dreams. After all, they still love me even if the Red Sox could care less about my ulcers.



P.S. Take a look at what New York's Shelley Duncan gave this young Red Sox fan when asked for an autograph at the recent series at Fenway Park... now THAT'S a class act huh?