The Origami Red Sox and the $180 Million Fold

_{Each loss seems more excruciating than the last for the Red Sox. (AP Photo)}

I'm a loser
I'm a loser
And I'm not what I appear to be
The Beatles - "I'm A Loser"

Another night. Another blown lead. Another loss. The Red Sox tailspin has passed the event horizon as Sucktember continues to swirl voraciously around them, eating any hope of a Postseason in a methodical and gluttonous manner. The Red Sox season is terminal, and the only thing to hope for is that it ends swiftly and painlessly. I've scoffed at the notion of not wanting the Red Sox to make playoffs, and even a few days ago that seemed like a preposterous idea, but now I'm beginning to understand that logic.

The Red Sox become like a family member during the course of a baseball season. They're there every night, make you happy, sad, and frustrated - but in the end they're family, and you have their back in dire times because you love them - but more importantly, because you have no other choice, they're family.

I've had the Red Sox back, but I have to look honesty in the eye - they're sick, and it's inhumane to have them flounder about anymore - they crossed over to the other side of the River Styx weeks ago, and the Orioles are doing us a favor by playing the role of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. It's become too painful to watch, this month has felt like Groundhogs Day, and I just want it to end. I'll still hold onto that last sliver of hope buried inside me, but deep down it feels false, and I'm sick of fooling myself. These Red Sox have been dead for weeks, it's time to pull the plug.

Comments

[Raoul Duke]

I'm not even going to watch these last two games. I'm just going to assume the season is over and I don't care. I'm just going to focus all of my attention on the Pats & B's and pretend the Sox don't exist until next April. I can't keep caring anymore, the frustration is unbearable at this point.

[Hollie Mendillo]

Thank you, I needed a hardy laugh! You're right, I was just thinking, I don't know if I can endure us making the playoffs and then losing miserably. It may be better for it all to end now. Put us out of our misery! And yet...why does some part of me think we can still win it all?

[Taylor]

You guys must be kidding me. I assume you gave up hope in 04 as well. As a young red sox fan and son of an old one i know better than to give up hope. we can do this.

Keep the faith,

The NH Sox fan

[Derek Hixon]

If you're not questioning the Sox (who have a worse record than the Royals since the All-Star break...true story) than you're wearing some strong rose colored glasses.

As far as me giving up in 2004, nope. That was the birth of this site actually, and I had nothing but hope: http://www.sawxblog.com/2011/03/in-the-beginning-there-was-the-word.html

The real difference between '04 and '11 is that the Sox lost 3 games in a row and were against the wall in '04. This year they've lost for a whole month and are against the wall. A lot of people like to claim they never gave up in '04 - but that's not really how it was. No one truly did, but their hope and faith was paper thin - as it is now.

I hope you're right - and appreciate the optimism for sure (I was right there a few days ago).

[Michael Burke]

Who here remembers 1978?

In my opinion, blowing a 14 game regular season lead is a far greater collapse than blowing a 3-0 ALCS lead. Sure, my opinion is predicated upon my view that far too much attention / weight is given to the post season.

However, in defense of the 78' Sox, they did win their last 8 and 14 of their last 15 to force the 1 game playoff with the Yankees.