Jason Bay looks like a lot of Sox fans last night. (AP Photo)
The word painful often comes to mind. Numb could be close behind too I guess. Déjà Vu's also right there come to think of it. <takes breath> What I'm trying to get at here is this, being down isn't necessarily foreign ground for the Sox or us fans, but it certainly isn't welcome ground. Being down 3-1 the way we are now just doesn't seem right. Like a rotten sour milk taste in the mouth. Bitter, but nothing's sweet. The Red Sox are looking old and hurt, and the Rays are looking young and hyped. The difference between both clubs demeanor is night and day.
The Rays are cool and calm, the Sox are cool and cold. Last night I missed the first four innings due to a softball engagement (we won...mercy rule) and when I turned on EEI and heard...
"Masterson delivers the ball...."
...spew out of Joe Castiglione's mouth I knew the night's good start from softball was just a blip on the radar screen.
The strangest thing about the game, and the previous few, is that it was such an impervious beating by the Rays that you became indifferent eventually. Me and my friends were just laughing and hi-fiving any hit the Sox obtained. When David Ortiz hit that you triple you damn well would have believed that the Sox just won the game. It was odd, and looking back I can see we were completely masking the feeling we truly had. Sadness.
With all the injuries the Sox have I wouldn't have been shocked to see them lose this series, but my oh my, this is some way to lose it. I was all but lost on hope when Krazy Kris pulled me right back in there.
He turned to me and said, "Dude, we got Dice-K in Game 5...."
And then it clicked...
If Dice-K can win Game 5, then you have yourself an angry Beckett out to prove himself in Game 6, and likewise by Lester in Game 7. Call me delusional, or call me crazy, I'm fine with either. But call me anything but a Sox fan and I'll be offended, because i think we can win the 2008 ALCS. Tito kept saying this is a seven game series right? So lets make it one.
27 outs left for us, lets be smart with them.
I had the same click about Dice, Beckett and Lester today. I know it's a seven game series, and I know we're in bad shape and not the team of 07, 04 or whatever, but I feel like if we can pull out a good win tomorrow, the series is ours. I think Beckett will rise to the occasion and if we hit a game 7, forget about it, it's ours...
I think we're both crazy, but it just feels like tomorrow is a game 7, like if we win it, the ALCS is ours.
Posted by: tomvons | October 15, 2008 at 10:10 PM
tomvons, I like what you're spittin' kid.
Posted by: Derek Hixon | October 15, 2008 at 10:12 PM
I agree w/ you both. If Dice K goes out on that mound tonight and pitches the way he did in Game 1 we really have a chance to come back and back door these pesky Rays.
Come On Sox!!!!
Posted by: Melissa | October 16, 2008 at 08:30 AM
Until the last pitch of the final out, I still believe. It's been hard to keep any faith with them looking the way they have, but I'm taking it one game at a time. A win tonight is huge...
Win or go home, same as always...
GO SOX!
Posted by: Kris | October 16, 2008 at 10:17 AM
I agree with your sentiment, but not the order. If Dice-K wins tonight (which is feasible), then I would pitch Lester in game 6 on normal rest. Lester has been pitching way better than Beckett lately, and if it were not for two home runs, his last outing was decent. Have Lester pitch game 6, and give Beckett an extra day of rest and have him go game 7. That should get Beckett's heart rate flying!
Posted by: RationalSoxFan | October 16, 2008 at 02:10 PM
You know what Rational, I think I may have to agree with you on that one. I almost would fear for Beckett's health if he had to pitch a Game 7! Either way, we're in one game at a time land now...we'll see how Dice holds up.
If he doesn't have a good night though, beware the jackles.
Posted by: Derek Hixon | October 16, 2008 at 06:41 PM
You're delusional.
Game over.
Now you know what I've felt like as a Yankee fan since 2004. Rooting for a team that once they get punched in the mouth, they dont get up. No Rocky here.
Take solace in knowing that at least Yankee fans care about what the Sox are doing now. It used to be we didn't even pay attention. We def pay close attention now. VERY CLOSE. I was rooting for the Rays almost as hard as I would have rooted for the Yankees had they been in the ALCS. It's fun to root for a winning team again ha.
Looking fwd to future battles.
Rays = Eriks second favorite team from now on. And another one off the wall for upton. WOW.
Posted by: Erik | October 16, 2008 at 10:43 PM
I absolutely can not believe what has just occured. Even if the Rays win this game(which I doubt now that it is a tie game going into the bottom of the 9th) I will go on record in saying that that was the WORST managing I have EVER seen in my life by Bill Maddon. EVER. I cant stress it enough.
Dude... you may be watching the impossible happen again if you win this game. I'm stunned and nauseous.
Posted by: Erik | October 17, 2008 at 12:03 AM
Have fun in the world series. I'm not even watching baseball again until next season. My 30th B-day will surely be ruined.
Oh... and I have to eat crow. You're NOT delusional. Cus it's entirely possible with Beckett and Lester going. Have fun watching. No way I'm subjecting myself to it.
Posted by: Erik | October 17, 2008 at 12:26 AM