http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/article/1057210--five-reasons-why-the-red-sox-are-doomed
Five reasons why the Red Sox are doomed
September 21, 2011
Cathal Kelly
Boston Red Sox third baseman Mike Aviles cannot make the play on a single by Baltimore Orioles' Robert Andino in the third inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011.
Elise Amendola/AP
Tuesday night felt like a decisive tipping point. With the opportunity to extend their lead in the American League wild card to three games with seven remaining, closer Jonathan Papelbon blew up in the eighth, handing a win to the Orioles.
Tampa Bay now lurks two games behind with nine of their own to go.
Here’s why the pursuers have the advantage over the pursued.
1. The Yankee factor.
Both the Red Sox and Rays still have to get through the Yankees. Six of the Rays final nine games are against New York. However, the Rays get the Yankees at home for the final three games of the season. This will be the ‘ramping up for the playoffs’ Yankees — that is to say, the half-speed Yankees who would rather face Tampa Bay (season head-to-head against them 5-6) than Boston (season head-to-head against them 11-4) in the ALCS. Before that happens, Boston has to go to Yankee Stadium and take at least of two of three off New York while the Rays are (sorry) steamrolling Toronto at home. Advantage: Rays.
2. Momentum
Forget match-ups and probable pitchers for a second. Boston has lost 15 of their last 20 games. Back on Sept. 1, they were half-a-game ahead of the Yankees and 9 games ahead of the Rays. Once you get on that sort of downhill roll, gravity is your biggest enemy.
3. Curt Schilling has predicted it.
To whit: “You know how I feel about these guys. You know how I feel about Terry (Francona) . . . I don’t want them to make the playoffs because I don’t think they have a chance to go anywhere,” Schilling told a Boston radio station. He may have been crying while he said it. I don’t know. I’m just stealing the quotes.
“I don’t think they’re going to make it . . . I don’t know that they have the horses. I hope they do, I want them to, but I think there’s been a huge momentum shift and I can see Tampa winning out.”
And this was before Papelbon imploded.
Curt Schilling, you must understand, makes his living as a professional former Boston Red Sock. Having bloodied his ankle for this team is the only reason he has to go on living. If he’s rubbishing their chances, they have none.
4. Starting pitching
Boston has precisely one starter they can still depend on — Josh Beckett. They are now stuck in the bind of whether to go three times with him in eight days, which would make it impossible for him to start the first game of the playoffs. It’s either that or pin their hopes on John Lackey and Erik Bedard. So, right, short rest. That sounds . . . disastrous.
5. The mark of Cain
Boston’s faithful (if that’s the right word in this context) have been asked to show the wisdom of Solomon and solve an unsolvable conundrum — how long you can lay loyalty aside in pursuance of self-interest. They came with the wrong answer which is, ‘As long as it suits me.’ Having given up on their own side, they now expect the Yankees to rid them of the Rays. By embracing the enemy in such cynical fashion, the Red Sox nation has broken faith with the laws of man and God. Expect a lightning bolt.
Five reasons why the Red Sox are doomed
September 21, 2011
Cathal Kelly
Boston Red Sox third baseman Mike Aviles cannot make the play on a single by Baltimore Orioles' Robert Andino in the third inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011.
Elise Amendola/AP
Tuesday night felt like a decisive tipping point. With the opportunity to extend their lead in the American League wild card to three games with seven remaining, closer Jonathan Papelbon blew up in the eighth, handing a win to the Orioles.
Tampa Bay now lurks two games behind with nine of their own to go.
Here’s why the pursuers have the advantage over the pursued.
1. The Yankee factor.
Both the Red Sox and Rays still have to get through the Yankees. Six of the Rays final nine games are against New York. However, the Rays get the Yankees at home for the final three games of the season. This will be the ‘ramping up for the playoffs’ Yankees — that is to say, the half-speed Yankees who would rather face Tampa Bay (season head-to-head against them 5-6) than Boston (season head-to-head against them 11-4) in the ALCS. Before that happens, Boston has to go to Yankee Stadium and take at least of two of three off New York while the Rays are (sorry) steamrolling Toronto at home. Advantage: Rays.
2. Momentum
Forget match-ups and probable pitchers for a second. Boston has lost 15 of their last 20 games. Back on Sept. 1, they were half-a-game ahead of the Yankees and 9 games ahead of the Rays. Once you get on that sort of downhill roll, gravity is your biggest enemy.
3. Curt Schilling has predicted it.
To whit: “You know how I feel about these guys. You know how I feel about Terry (Francona) . . . I don’t want them to make the playoffs because I don’t think they have a chance to go anywhere,” Schilling told a Boston radio station. He may have been crying while he said it. I don’t know. I’m just stealing the quotes.
“I don’t think they’re going to make it . . . I don’t know that they have the horses. I hope they do, I want them to, but I think there’s been a huge momentum shift and I can see Tampa winning out.”
And this was before Papelbon imploded.
Curt Schilling, you must understand, makes his living as a professional former Boston Red Sock. Having bloodied his ankle for this team is the only reason he has to go on living. If he’s rubbishing their chances, they have none.
4. Starting pitching
Boston has precisely one starter they can still depend on — Josh Beckett. They are now stuck in the bind of whether to go three times with him in eight days, which would make it impossible for him to start the first game of the playoffs. It’s either that or pin their hopes on John Lackey and Erik Bedard. So, right, short rest. That sounds . . . disastrous.
5. The mark of Cain
Boston’s faithful (if that’s the right word in this context) have been asked to show the wisdom of Solomon and solve an unsolvable conundrum — how long you can lay loyalty aside in pursuance of self-interest. They came with the wrong answer which is, ‘As long as it suits me.’ Having given up on their own side, they now expect the Yankees to rid them of the Rays. By embracing the enemy in such cynical fashion, the Red Sox nation has broken faith with the laws of man and God. Expect a lightning bolt.
