Red Sox And Yanks Down the Stretch

Burnett Keeps it Together - For one Night

 

Before I forget, the Alec Baldwin and John Krasinski Ads are really well done.  My favorite is here, the one where Baldwin runs all the way up the LIE.  Too angry to drive.

 

It's been a good series, but I don't think we'll see the Yankees in October

Anyway, originally, I was going to do the next post about Texas and/or Detroit, but with the Yankees in town, one last gasp at the rivalry before the playoffs.  This series, so far, has played out like much like the whole season, and I think it just really demonstrates that the Sox really have the Yankees' number this year.  Now, as I'm writing this, the rubber match is in doubt, Sox up 2-1, but as a Sox fan, it's hard not to like what you see.  Game 1 went to the Yanks, but you needed a herculean effort from Sabathia, who was in trouble all night, and he was pitching against Lackey.  The Yanks need Sabathia to beat the Sox, and I just don't believe he can.  Game 2 was Beckett beating the Yanks - again - with a solid effort.  In both games, the Sox guys you need to perform were doing just that, (with the exception of A. Gonzales against CC Sabathia, yikes...).  It's also nice to know that Boone Logan isn't the same guy on back to back nights, and Papelbon is having an otherwordly year.  With all that, you had to think that Burnett would get blown up tonight, but he held it together for 5+ innings, and really, I thought, pitched well.  His curve had depth and he was spotting the fastball, even when getting squeezed by the ump.  Maybe he will crack the post season rotation!  The games have been very entertaining, but regardless of the outcome, I still think the Yankees are short offensively and defensively.

Sox Position Themselves for Division Win

 

There were a number of analysts that assumed the Yanks would continue to win and the Sox would struggle on that last road trip, but it turned out the other way - the Sox got hot again, and the Yankees came to town in second place.  I still think the Yankees will struggle down the stretch, and although I'm running out of days, I think the Sox will comfortably win the division, and get to set their rotation.

Jeter, I didn't Mean It

 

I don't think anyone has been on Jeter's case more than me.  Somehow, after playing like someon's grandfather, he gets hurt, and then after a few weeks on the DL, he comes back and hits like nobodys business.  He's been on-fire, pulling his average up and looking more like a much younger version of himself.  2 for 8 in the series with one RBI, he's been a non-factor, but the fact that his average is anywhere close to .300 is fairly surprising.  So I was wrong about Jeter collapsing this year, but I am so often wrong about the Yankees getting old. (For some reason, they have the fountain of youth in that stadium.  They have more players over 35 that don't get hurt and defy gravity with their numbers...Are you listening Mo?).  Also, I need to tip the cap to Curtis Granderson.  Hey, how was I to know he'd stay on track to increase his OPS by almost two hundred points over the average of the last two years?  I do think the home run totals are inflated by playing at home run friendly Yankee stadium, but still, quite a year for Granderson.

 

 

 

 

Do Good Things Today!

Matt Heisler