The Boston Red Sox may have a two game advantage, and they have beaten the Yankees. They think the so-called Curse is broken. They’re wrong. Because of their shaky fundamental play, it’s only beginning to come into play.They have committed eight errors in two games. They have zero sacrifices in two games. They have surrendered ten earned runs in two games.
And they’ve won two games.
The Boston Red Sox, who finally exorcised their Yankee demons in the ALCS, won both games this weekend at home against their National League counterpart, the St. Louis Cardinals. The first game was ugly–an 11-9 slugfest, in which the game winning home run clunked off of the foul pole and bellowed a seemingly fitting hollow crash. The second game was a fight–gimpy pitcher Curt Schilling dominated the Cardinals, despite his Red Sock that matched his jersey.
The games haven’t been pretty. But, then again, the Sox haven’t trailed in either game. With Pedro Martinez on the mound tonight, they’re in position to take a 3-0 lead. And they might. But they won’t win the series.
The shaggy group of self-proclaimed “Idiots” that comprise the Red Sox this year may have ignored the so-called Curse. That’s what distinguishes them from Boston teams of the past–like Pedro Martinez wished, they have quieted the Bambino, albeit Pedro wasn’t really the one who “drilled him in the ass.” David Ortiz showed the Babe who his Papi was.
But, this Red Sox team isn’t a fundamentally sound team. They are not the 1996 Yankees, nor are they even the 2003 Marlins. So far this Series, the Red Sox have zero sacrifices. Not one bunt. In the 2003 World Series, the Marlins collected seven sacrifices in six games. In Game 2, which they lost 6-1, they didn’t sacrifice anyone.
The Sox don’t even have a sacrifice fly. It’s true that when a sacrifice fly would have sufficed, a homerun was provided. However, the Red Sox bats won’t stay hot for the duration of the Series, especially when they, ironically, leave the cold and play in St. Louis.
Their pitching has been fantastic. In fact, the pitching has been almost too good. It’s due for a catastrophe. For how much longer will Keith Foulke be able to pitch 88 MPH fastballs and whiff hitters? Does Schilling have another start in him when Game 6 rolls around? How will Pedro react in a Game 7 environment with the “Curse” on the line, in a raucous Fenway Park? Will he be able to cross the 7 inning/100 pitch threshold? These are burning questions that the Red Sox have been lucky to avoid this postseason. They might be able to run (Dave Roberts), but they can’t hide. These problems are bound to pop up one way or another in the final five games of the season.
Even more, their defense has been atrocious so far. Manny Ramirez committed two errors in a row in an almost fatal inning in Game 1. Bill Mueller made three errors in Game 2. Then again, however, Boston has been fortunate in receiving every good hop thus far. In a symbol for the first two games of the World Series, Cardinal catcher Mike Matheny hit a bullet down the third base line that would have scored Reggie Sanders off of second base. However, Sanders was running on the pitch, so Mueller covered the base, and the ball shot right to him, enabling him to complete the unassisted double play. Two out swing. Red Sox keep the momentum. Game over.
The Sox have eluded the Curse. In fact, this rowdy Boston squad has basically said, “F— you” to the Curse. They don’t want to think about it. And in our minds, the Curse is a shaky concept, at best. What it is though, is a constant reminder of Boston’s futility in playoffs since 1918. And in a Game 7 in Boston, after blowing a 2-0 series lead, and Pedro is pitching his 100th pitch of the game to Albert Pujols with a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning, you know that every person in Fenway Park will be thinking of the Curse. Maybe, finally, they’ll join the Sox and tell the Curse to f— off. More likely, though, they’ll succumb to their fears, and Stephen King’s memoir of this year’s team will transform itself from a feel-good story to just another Red Sox horror tale.
4 replies on “Boston’s Up 2 Games–And They’re Cooked”
Not so convincing I’m not sure I buy the theory that the Red Sox will lose b/c of their defense or a turn in luck.
It is astonishing they were able to win both games while having four errors in each, but their defense over the season (at least since the Nomar trade) hasn’t been bad. Just as they have gotten lucky breaks (homers off the foul pole and the Cardinals hitting it to the right spot, both things I don’t think are necessarily always luck), they have gotten unlucky or unlikely breaks (I don’t think Bill M. has 3 errors very often). Manny is bad in the outfield, but he seemed drunk in Game 1. He isn’t that bad.
The Red Sox might lose, but b/c they choke or the Cardinals simply outplay them. They won the first two games b/c the Cards didn’t get the hits when they needed to and the Red Sox did. And the Sox pitching is just flat out better than the Cards. That’s no mystery to anyone.
Missing the Point What I was saying was that if the Red Sox continue to play horrendous defense and don’t execute, they’re going to lose this Series. You talk about the Sox not necessarily getting lucky breaks; what do you call the unassisted double play that changes that whole game? Brilliant managing? Mueller having 3 errors is the exception for him, but the norm for the team. It’s not a bad break that he had 3 errors. And Manny is probably one of the worst leftfielders in the game, so it’s no surprise that his defense has bit him in the ass.
You’re right that the Cardinals didn’t get any big hits and the Sox did, and that the Sox have better pitching than the Cardinals. Then again, if Schilling doesn’t give another Herculean effort in Game 6, and Pedro continues to give the 7 IP, 3 ER, 5 H line that he has been contributing, the Sox might lose because of their pitching. Wakefield isn’t a reliable starter, and although Lowe gave a great performance in Game 7, he stunk all year. Woody Williams is due for a game, and Suppan should be good tonight. The pitching isn’t as big of an edge towards Boston as you suggest.
I’m not really sure who I think the better team here is. I know that the Sox were better than the Yankees. I think that Houston would’ve beaten Boston because of their excellent pitching. In this series, though, I can’t really tell. What I DO know, though, is that if the Sox don’t play defense, don’t execute, their pitching is mediocre, and they’re in a tough spot in Game 7, they will lose.
Correction There was no if in your claim.
Yes, if they can’t play defense, they will lose, no question. If their pitching implodes they will lose, no question.
If the cardinals don’t hit, they will lose. If they don’t pitch they will lose.
You said they won’t win. That is the item of contention.
And three errors is not the norm for them, they were nearly perfect against the Yankees.
Foolish "Curse" notions
Hey how’s this prediction working out for you?
I always said the Curse was stupid, the Curse was a fabrication, the Curse is only believed by a lazy national media and illiterate Yankee fans.
It’s refreshing to get an outsider’s perspective, but I hate to read people pretending to be experts about the team when they haven’t been watching all season:
“For how much longer will Keith Foulke be able to pitch 88 MPH fastballs and whiff hitters?” – Umm… all season long? And for his entire career?
I’ll stop here because I don’t want to be too much of an obnoxious fan. But I am just glad after Wednesday night I’ll never have to read trash like notions of a Curse ever again.