Throwdown in Beantown
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by user The Widening Geier
The Yankees have 3 games this week against Baltimore, a sub-par team who they should beat up on. The Red Sox are in the midst of a tilt with the Central leading Detroit Tigers, looking to even up the series tonight after a loss last night. They currently sit 2 games behind the Yankees for the lead in the AL East (with the all important 3 game defecit in the loss column). However, both teams can be forgiven for looking forward to Friday.
Beginning with a day/night doubleheader, the Yankees and Red Sox will play a 5-game in 4 day series which should determine playoff destiny for each team. Assuming things hold as they are, the Sox will have to win consecutive games at some point, and then avoid losing consecutive games to gain ground on the Yankees. Given the teams' almost dead even record against each other during the past several years, this is not the most likely of prospects. (yes, yes, neither was the Sox winning 4 straight in 2004. thanks dick). The wounded Sox will be at home, where they excel, especially Ortiz and Manny. This twosome are as benefitting of "excuse-me" homeruns as any Yankee player, what with the asenine constrction of Fenway Park.
The Yankee fan in me would love to see a 4 or 5 game domination of the Red Sox, and it may not be as unlikely as it seems. I can give the reader many reasons why I believe the Yankees have the matchups in their favor, but I will instead appeal to that friend of sportswriters the world over, the "intangible".
I spent 4 years in Massachusetts as a college student, and during that time I was witness to many Red Sox games and seasons. I got a certain feeling when the Sox were dead, and most of it came from the fans. 2004 was an abberation, as the Sox faithful stopped expecting the worst, and started hoping for the best. While I am not suggesting that the fans can affect the player performance, I am suggesting that such rabidly devoted fans can serve as an accurate barometer of where the team is headed. All but the best players are battered, including the heart-and-soul Vartiek. Ortiz is on a heat streak that seems destined for a crushing strike-out in one of those situations in which he has recently come up with a winning moment so often. the pitchers are not the Schilling, Pedro, Timmy junk-ball (who on his day can baffle the best lineup) squad who got them deep in games, and the pen is a'shambles.
I am not predicting a Yankee sweep. But I will not be surprised if one occurs.
Date
Tue 08/15/06, 10:18 am EST
why dont you click on this and play with it for a while?
