There is no doubt in my mind that Tampa Bay wins tonight against a lethargic Yankee lineup who is playing it safe. They won't be stealing bases, sliding into home, or stretching out hits for doubles. Take last night for example. Mark Texeira chose not to try and score on a double and risk pulling a hamstring as he pulled up and stopped at third base. This was a play he would score 99 times out of a hundred during the regular season. I know that the Yankees could care less about who wins. Joe Girardi and the rest of the pinstripe gang are more concerned about setting themselves up for the playoffs. However, the entire Rays-Yanks game last night seem fixed to me. The Yankees could have easily scored a ton of runs and won that game. I found a few plays to be rather strange like when Russell Martin grounded into a bases loaded triple play. Triple plays are very rare and to have one occur on a must-win night seemed real suspect. Then while the Yankees were still winning 3-2, ex-Rays reliever Rafael Soriano gave up the go ahead three run bomb to Ben Zobrist to secure a 5-3 lead. We cannot expect any help from the Yankees tonight again, that's why I expect Tampa Bay to win easily behind a great pitcher in David Price. The Rays are also at home and have everything to play for while the Yankees are on the road with their minds planning for Friday's home ALDS game against either the Tigers or Rangers.
The Red Sox have to win tonight for several reasons. First off, they need to avoid making history as the worst modern era baseball collapse by surrendering a nine game lead in the short month of September. This is the worst September the Red Sox have had in over 80 years. This is the same team that was dubbed "the best team ever" at the beginning of the year. The Sox were either in first place in the division or leading the wild card since May 24. They seemed to coast and take days off, assuming they, and the Yankees, would make the playoffs.
Another reason they need to win tonight (and potentially tomorrow) is because there are a lot of jobs potentially on the line. No job is safe due to this historic collapse, as many reporters have speculated that Terry Francona and/or Theo Epstein could lose their job. Tito has been criticized for being too laid back this season and not putting enough pressure on the guys to perform. He has juggled the lineup a million ways yet still can't find a spot for Carl Crawford and last night had Jed Lowrie batting cleanup. Furthermore, Tito, as well as strength and conditioning coaches, have been scrutinized for the players being "out of shape." Josh Beckett has come under fire for not conditioning as well as he should thus explaining his late season fade the past few seasons. Beckett, as well as many other players, seem to get hurt too often and many people believe it is due to a lack of conditioning. While I do respect Francona as a coach, I believe he has been too easy on these guys all year long. Tito, as well as some other tenured players, don't have the same 'hunger' they used to have since winning two World Series titles.
Theo Epstein has been criticized for his many pricey offseason acquisitions that haven't panned out in the past few years that have left the Sox handicapped moving forward. Signings like J.D. Drew, John Lackey, and Carl Crawford, are just a few examples of the bad deals Theo has made. He has a knack for developing our farm system and evaluating talent, but his roster moves and acquisitions have been pretty bad for the most part. Obviously, hindsight is 20/20 and Theo has made some positive moves for this ballclub. But within the past few years, Theo has made a lot of poor decisions and hasn't had quite the same impact he did when he first started.
Coaches and Managers can only do so much as players are just as much to blame for this collapse as anybody. There are a lot of new faces on this team that haven't been here to witness and experience the winning ways of the Red Sox throughout the past several years. Guys like Pedroia, Youkilis, and Ortiz, know the formula to being successful in the regular season and in the playoffs. What about Gonzalez, Crawford, or Lackey? Do they care as much as Pedroia and Youkilis to put in 110% every day and dedicate themselves to winning? I feel like this clubhouse needs more leadership and/or a guy to make everyone relax and take a deep breath. A guy like Kevin Millar or Johnny Damon. While I know Gonzalez possesses raw talent and can hit the ball a nautical mile, I don't see him as stepping forward and being a leader in the clubhouse. I don't have the feeling that he wants to have the last at-bat with the chance to win the game. I hope he, Crawford, or J.D. Drew, proves me wrong either tonight, tomorrow, or in the postseason if we make it.
Tonight could be the last game in a Red Sox uniform for many players. J.D. Drew is a sure goner come spring next year. He hasn't done much for this ballclub since we acquired him and he has missed significant time this year with injuries. Fans are fed up with his lackadaisical demeanor and his overall play while in a Sox uniform. He will not be missed next year.
Depending upon what the Red Sox future intentions are, Tim Wakefield may see his last Red Sox game from the bullpen tonight. He, along with just about every pitcher, except Lackey and Buchholz, will be in the bullpen ready to be called upon if needed. Speaking of the bullpen, many people this year have speculated that Papelbon may be gone next year as his contract expires and Daniel Bard looked poised to take over the closer role. However, Bard has struggled immensely as of late and Papelbon has proven to be one of our only big-time pitcher. He has been lights out lately for the most part. In my opinion, the Red Sox would be foolish to let Papelbon join another team. He loves the spotlight and is the only guy in the clubhouse that has specifically taken blame for a loss this month. Papelbon is the closest person to a "Kevin Millar" we have. He closed the door in last nights game with the potential winning run at the plate and also came up big against the Yankees in preserving the tied game in the bottom of the ninth.
Who knows about the future of John Lackey as he has had a terrible year and literally possesses the worst ERA ever for a Red Sox pitcher. Even worse, he is in the middle of a divorce which he has been publically criticized for leaving his wife while she undergoes cancer treatment. He has absolutely no confidence and may be our only hope to save our season if Boston and Tampa win tonight to force a one game playoff tomorrow.
If Tampa and Boston win tonight, Lackey would most likely be squaring off against Rays workhorse James Shields. Shields led the majors with 12 complete games on the year and just pitched a gritty 8 2/3 against the Yankees earlier in the week. Not only would the Rays have a significant pitching advantage, but they would also have home field advantage. Adding to that is the factor that if both teams do win tonight, the Sox will have hop on a plane and fly to Tampa for the game tomorrow. That means they will have won back to back games for the first time since late August. If they plan on making the postseason, they will have to string together three straight wins and then hop on a plane and fly to either Detroit or Texas and play the early game at 4:15 Friday. None of these scenarios benefit the Sox and they have nobody to blame but themselves.
Who would of thought at the beginning of the year, after all the Red Sox acquisitions, that the Sox and Rays would be tied for the Wild Card through 161 games. Just about everyone banked on the Red Sox to at least make the playoffs, if not contend for the World Series. It has been an up and down season in which we started off 2-10, then went approximately 90-43, until we began to fade off in late August into the current dreadful September. Most teams would be pleased if you told them at the beginning of the year that they would have one game to decide if they made the playoffs or not. Not the Boston Red Sox. We expect to make the playoffs just about every year, especially with this current pool of talent. Just like every team we have had a ton of injuries this year and this season is one we would like to forget. It isn't over yet though and true Sox fans never lose faith. As long as we make the playoffs, everyone will forget about the epic nine game collapse in the month of September.
It doesn't matter how you make the playoffs, as long as you make it there. We won the World Series in 2004 as a Wild Card and won it in 2007 as the division winner. While I don't realistically see us winning the World Series this year, I will never rule it out. Anything is possible in sports and it's all about getting hot at the right time. This team is capable of getting hot I just don't know if they are healthy enough. I remember having a "We Believe" t-shirt in 2004 that summed up the mindset of Red Sox Nation. I still have that shirt buried in my dresser and may have to bust it out for tonight's game, and potentially tomorrow's as well. Let's go Sox and maybe, just maybe the Yankees AA team can beat the Rays tonight, but I highly doubt it. See you in Tampa tomorrow.
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