Games 71 - 74

Final Scores:

Game 71: Boston Red Sox 3, Minnesota Twins 4
Game 72: Boston Red Sox 12, Philadelphia Phillies 1
Game 73: Boston Red Sox 2, Philadelphia Phillies 9
Game 74: Boston Red Sox 12, Philadelphia Phillies 3

Theo Epstein pointed out something this weekend that reinforces something that's been bothering me since Thursday, at least: the Sox don't do fundamentals well. The Twins won on Thursday because they were able to take advantage of a Nomar error - a mix of sacrifices and singles was what got that run in the top of the tenth inning that won the game. The Red Sox don't do that. When their bats are on, they hit and they win by blowout - this past weekend was no exception. When the bats aren't on...forget about it. They make errors too - they have the fifth worst fielding percentage and the fourth highest number of errors in the majors. The result is a streaky team - this past weekend was the first series in four that they've won.

Tomorrow is the beginning of the season breaking series - or am I being too dramatic? Oakland's record is about equivalent with Boston's at the moment and regardless of how poorly Oakland seems to do in the playoffs, they're certainly an excellent regular season team...so the Red Sox need to take at least two out of three this week, if not a full sweep. The funny thing is, the lack of fundamentals I was complaining about in the last paragraph isn't what's going to beat the Yankees - it's just a matter of who's going to beat the crap out of whom first. With a five and one record against the Yankees this year, the Sox certainly have the advantage, but then again, last time Boston and New York played each other, the Yankees weren't hitting. Of course, the Sox didn't have Nomar and Trott in the lineup, either. It's enough to cause an anxiety attack, I tell you.

I seem to be developing the beginnings of a collection of Sox paraphernalia. After not having so much as a hat for a good ten years, I now have a Yankee Hater hat (the Hat) and a new addition - one of those awesome authentic Red Sox jerseys (henceforth referred to as the Shirt), given to me by none other than my girlfriend, the Yankee fan. I asked her if she had to handle it with rubber gloves and tongs afterwards, then wondered if it might have a purifying influence on the powers of the dark side. I now turn myself into a walking shrine while listening or watching a Red Sox game, as I will do tomorrow when I venture into the deepest, darkest South Bronx to see Lowe and Vasquez face off at the Stadium. With any luck, I'll come back in one piece and not smelling of beer...I kid. YANKEES SUCK!