A day to reflect, Part II
Aug 26th, 2007 by Bill Burt
The last time I was here, the Red Sox had a day off and a big road trip awaiting them about 10 days ago.
The object of my post was to promote how good the Red Sox were playing, sans the Yankees winning streak. There were those two tough losses in Baltimore, sponsored by Eric Gagne, but the Sox bats were awakening and the starters were as consistent as they had been all season, despite injuries.
Well, here we are, 8-3 since our last post and nothing has changed, other than the fact the Red Sox are playing their best baseball of the season.
The Chicago White Sox are not a good barometer of future successes, but going to Chicago and humilating the former World Series champs is an achievement. Their lineup is still together — though Jim Thome wasn’t a full-timer — and the Red Sox pitchers made it look like the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
The Sox are also starting to get key hits late in games. They are breaking open 0-0 ties with a bang. And they’re not stopping.
So what happens now, with a trip to the Bronx?
The only thing that would matter would be a sweep by the Yankees or a sweep by the Red Sox. Anything else wouldn’t change a thing. But if the Yankees were able to creep back in to within 4.5 games, it ain’t over yet. If the Sox blow the Yankees apart, winning all three, a message would be sent. It would be over.
With the Yankees losing four of their last six heading into the series, there is a smidgen of luster lost. But the Yankees and their fans are going to be rabid this week. That should make it fun.
But fun doesn’t change reality. The Sox are hitting their stride. The Yankees, again, only matter when the Red Sox play them. And they are playing beginning on Tuesday.
What are your thoughts on the importance, or lack thereof, of the Sox-Yankees three-game series?
