In a Soaked Fenway Park, the Red Sox 2009 Reign Continues Over Yankees

Mark Teixeira wears the face of frustration that's haunted Yankees this season. (AP Photo)

As inclement weather played host to a three game set between the Sox and Yanks, the rain continued a drop pattern that ended up equating to a perfect storm for the home nine. Three games played, three games won. Three series played, three series swept. This most recent victory didn’t just make the Red Sox a dominating 8-0 against their NY foes, but it knocked them strait on their asses and off the high horse they rode into Friendly Fenway on. There no longer is the A-Rod excuse (as we sat Jacoby this entire series), and having their prized number one pitcher lose to the Sox five plus pitcher has to sting deep. The Yanks were the team set out with something to prove, not the Red Sox, and last night was their night to salvage some of that mythic Yankee Pride. While the Sox are “only” two games up on NY in the standings, these games go farther than those statistics concede, and all you have to do is watch the games to realize this.

I recognize that when all is said and done the Yanks will be right there come September; I’m a reasonable man after all. But from my biased perch their overpaid team seems to be one that’s more fraud than fact. With a bullpen doing its best NY Met impersonation and a starting staff that’s living well below expectations, I just don’t see why they’d expect to go very deep. Cranking out questionable bomb after bomb in their new Stadium can only go so far, and you can’t forget the tax on their pitchers throwing in that park as a season wears on. Meanwhile the Red Sox stand on the opposite end of the pitching spectrum with what now seems to be too much pitching. Brad Penny showed a hell of a lot of guts out there last night and he simply wouldn’t bend to the Yanks fearsome lineup. With Smoltz and Clay waiting in the wings Theo Epstein now has what every good GM should have, and that’s options.

The Red Sox head down to Philadelphia (where I’ll be as well at Saturday’s game) and it will be the fourth first place team they face in their last four series (Detroit, Texas, NY, Philly) in what will be a match-up of the last two World Series Champions. Not the easiest of stretches for Boston by any means and all they’ve done in their last 10 games is go 8-2. In conclusion to all this, life just seems pretty damn grand in Red Sox Nation for a few of the following reasons.

• They have the best record in the AL.
• Are sitting alone in first place in the AL East.
• Have the largest run differential in the AL.
• Sport the leagues best bullpen by a mile.
• "Cheeze", "Paint", and "Salad" are now common phrases thanks to the underrated Eck.
• Their starting pitching is really starting to hit their stride with both (yes both) aces leading the way.
• A fallen star in David Ortiz is beginning to burn bright again and has done nothing in '09 to tarnish his "Yankee Killer" status.
• Come July, the majority of their games will be played in Fenway Park.
• In reality, they haven't even hit their stride yet....scary.

So bring on the summer rain or shine, for things are looking awfully bright right now for the Boston Red Sox of 2009.

Comments

[Kris]

We've started a drinking game. Every time Eck says "cheese", drink. Every time he says "paint", drunk twice. Sadly, he only said cheese like twice last night. This did not, however, prevent me from getting drunk...

Look, I'm also a reasonable guy, and I know the Spanks (bring it, Erik; we spanked 'em) are going to score runs. But if their bullpen is going to cave after their starter is chased, what good will it do? I realize it's only June, both teams have a lot of games left, and there's no real arguing over who's better until September. But this series is a pretty good indicator of what we can expect come the end of the season.

It's nice to see Papi hitting again, and hitting for power. Just ironic it came against a team he's tortured for so many years...

[j9]

I have to say... I LOVE Eck, he cracks me up!

[Erik]

Hate to be the voice of reason here. But there are 100 games left in the season... and there is going to come a time when the new found Sox fan arrogance is going to fall straight on IT'S ass.

I'll be the first in line to say this losing streak has been dispicable from a Yankee perspective. And no doubt you sport the leagues best bullpen, and no doubt your "Two aces" have seemed to be just that as of late.

But I warn you to not discredit every positive the Yankees have.

What analysts and people who dont watch every Yankee game(as I do) fail to mention is that the majority of homeruns at the new ballpark are WAY GONE. not squeakers. So I'm sorry... moonshots were going out of the old ballpark as well. But YES, there are quite a few cheapies as well. But no more cheap than most of the green Monster HR's or Ortiz's 2nd BLAST of the 295 ft Pesky pole.

I would also advise you, as I have been for years... to act like you've been there before. because what you share in common with all other Sox fans(even IMMEDIATELY following the o4 series) is the LITTLE BROTHER complex. You Finally beat your big bro, and then you have to shout from the rooftops, but only after the game is without-a-doubt over. Again I'll poitn out that after game 3, the NY talk shows were flooded with calls from Sox fans saying their team was a disgrace and that you'd NEVER win... blah blah blah. NE fans, are very hard to tolerate with their hypocrisy. Sure NY fans have some too, but sorry you guys take the cake.

On to the current. Here are facts.

-We are only 1/3 through the season.

-(Last I checked)You have a below .500 winning % on the road. Your team is built for Fenway. Period.

-You ALSO have a shaky starting rotation.(Dice-Gay and Wakefield certainly arent stoppers... and Smoltz coming up... lets just wait and see. 4 runs in 6 innings in AAA isnt exactly a gleaming line) And I would warn you to not assume Beckett and Lester are going to be Nolan Ryans for the remainder of the season.

-Papelbon, while I will admit is the best closer in the Al right now, puts men on ALL the time. it's always an adventure... and eventually in a very big spot it is going to come to bite him. Also his fist pumping is allowed, but Jobas is not. The same way we catch shit for throwing at you guys when AGAIN i'll point out what few do... that The Sox have hit FARRRRR more Yankees in the past 5 years than vice versa. FAR more. Torre didnt believe in throwing in. Pettite doesn't. moose didnt. etc etc. Hell... Years ago...Pedro put Jeter and Soriano in the hospital in the same game with NO retaliation. No mention. I'm shocked. Why would anyone from good ol' Sox nation ever talk the flip side of the coin?

-Joba WILL be in the bullpen come August. And if he isn't? I might give up on this front office completely.

-Posada more than likely will be more of a DH come August. It is not a coincidence that we started losing after he returned from his injury. Pitchers do not like throwing to him. Never have.

-I'm sure we'll be picking up another starter to replace Wang, who I'm not sure will ever get his 19 wins - 2 years in a row confidence back.

So cool out cub scout. Trust me.. I understand the elation of embarrassing the yankees. Trust me.. I wish it was the reverse. But you're not going to sweep us the rest of the season. 6 out of 8 games have been played in the confines of Fenway.... and the Arod excuse was QUITE valid. So you can cut that out. Our manager SUCKS... and his manipulation of the starting rotation... not only threw Wang in there(WHY?) but also moved Burnett, who yes has been inconsistent, but that messed with him as well.

Alot of what ifs to argue on both sides. But we'll see what happens. maybe the yankees will bow out because their confidence is shot. And maybe you guys will stay hot for a bit and go right back to your mediocre play on the road. You never know.

PS. Chill out on Ortiz. He's not "coming around." he simply got BP fastballs from burnett and then hit one of the few Mistakes Sabathia made. By the way you do realize that Sabathia owned you until he was 120 pitches deep int he game, and the only reason he pitched the eigth was because we have no 8th guy(where Job will be come late season) right? Lets not act as if you beat him up.

Also I must point out that whats funny is how even luck is on your side these days. The Rain? DOWNPOUR for CC in the 8th. Clear skys for Pap in the 9th. maybe God has a new favorite? haha

[Derek Hixon]

Sounds to me like the "big brother" can't take being repeatedly beaten like a gong by their "little brother" for the past decade. :-)

All I'm going to say is the complex isn't mine, and the black and white of arguments like this are getting tiring...I said you'd be there in September, what more do you want?

PS - New Yankee Stadium is still a joke, number's don't lie, it'll break every HR record there is by end of the year by a mile....

[Kris]

excuses are like assholes - everyone has one, and they all stink. when we're tied near first place again in august (because even I could hit one out at yankee stadium), and we hit the house that juice built, we'll continue this run of dominance. you can make all the excuses you want - throw your manager under the bus, bitch about the rotation changing or not having an 8th inning set-up guy - we'll still be playing consistent team-oriented baseball. we may not have a great record on the road, but all of our long road trips are over, and the friendly confines of fenway will ensure we remain at the top of the AL east...

p.s. - get over 2004. your bitterness over blowing the biggest series lead in MLB history is getting tired...