Thunderstick: We're into the first week of September so we're into the final stretch and done with what was an up and down week. We start off by getting beat in three pretty exciting game against the Yanks. Those games were tough to watch as the difference between the teams was the Yanks' ability to get hits when they had an opportunity to score and to play clean, error-free (or at least more error-free than the Sox) baseball. Basically the Yanks played the way that championship teams play while the Sox played like a bunch of pretenders. Fortunately, we were able to cleanse our palates with 3 against Baltimore and the Labor Day game against Toronto where we went 3-1 while the Yanks were going 1-3 against Tampa and Seattle and all of a sudden that sweep NY needed to get to stay in things last week doesn't look as meaningful.
Bottom line is that there just doesn't look to be enough games for NY to catch us at this point. As we've emailed a hundred times, there's 24 games left. Even if the Sox go 12-12, the Yanks will need to go 18-6 just to catch us and given our schedule I have a hard time seeing us go 12-12 over these last 24. But the most important thing now is to get this done as quickly as possible. We've got Manny ailing, Dice looking like he's tired and general nicks and bruises that result from a long season. The sooner the Sox clinch this thing, the sooner guys can start getting rest to get ready for the playoffs. That's really all it comes down to now. Hopefully, unlike in the last three series with the Yanks, this team can finally show some killer instinct and get it done.
dcat: It's tough for Sox fans to shake off the past and make bold calls. At least it is for those Sox fans who have been around long enough to know better. The bandwagon folks tend to be louder and brasher and generally make the rest of us look even worse than we can already be. But the sweep against the Yanks last week looks more and more like the last gasp of a desperate team. They had to win those games. It would have been nice for us to win those games. And from outside appearances, anyway, the teams played in ways that reflected their sense of necessity. I think it is pretty safe to say that we are going to the postseason and that we are almost certainly going in as the Americal League East Champion and the team with the best record in the Majors.
As you noted, we have recovered pretty well, going 5-2 since that series ended and putting the Magic Number at what is now 16 after tonight's win against the O's. The Yanks were off, and any time we have a chance to gain a game when they are sitting we need to take advantage of it. You are right that the best thing we can do is put ourselves in a situation where the games at the end of the month are not must-wins so that we can set up the rotation, get some guys a bit of rest while playing some of the younger players on the 40-man roster. We are seeing Dice-K's rough adjustment to the longer and more intense season on this side of the Pacific, for example. And there is little doubt that if we are in a position to do so, Tito will give him rest in hopes that doing so will rejuvenate his arm. We need Manny back. Youks could use some time off. Basically, it would be nice not to be the team clawing to the end just to secure a berth in the postseason.
By the way, is there any doubt that September is one of the best months on the sports calendar when your baseball team is in contention? You get baseball that matters, the kickoff of the NFL and college football, and hell, even some significant tennis and golf, and perhaps somewhat more esoterically, at least for Americans, the Rugby World Cup, which kicks off tomorrow. Glory be.
2 comments:
The best thing about being comfortable at this point is that we can give vital Major League experience to Moss, Ellsbury, Buchholz, and Lester now that he is back. Spot start Tavarez. And let Manny, Papi, Youk and co rest up. Dice and Okajima have also already pitched more innings that they managed last year. By the time we get to the playoffs, we should be much fresher and ready to roll.
I know this is Sox-talk, but who do you like in the other division/wild card races?
Good lib --
Obviously the morning's standings are usually a fairly good indicator of who is going to do what. I'd say that the yanks will pull out the Wild Card, so we are looking at Anaheim, Cleveland, the Yanks, and of course the Sox. No easy outs there. In the NL things are a lot more up for grabs. Arizona and San Diego look pretty much guaranteed, and I'd bet San Diego pulls that division out. I have no idea how Arizona is doing it given that they have given up more runs than they have scored and so are far outperforming their pythagorean expectation. The Metropolitans have given themselves some room to breathe in the East and will take that race. The Central is fascinating, as all of those teams are dreadfully mediocre, but we saw last year that a dreadfully mediocre team can win it all if everything slots right for them. We all want the Cubs to win it, unless of course you live in St. Louis or Milwaukee. I do think they have some momentum and have played well enough to project to winning the division.
That's how I see it, anyway.
Cheers --
dcat
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