Red Sox vs. Yankees

The Red Sox find themselves in second place as of today. Everything points to the AL coming down to a three-game showdown against the Yankees at Fenway Park the last three days of the season. Here's some points I'd like to make:

1. The best team will win. If the Red Sox come in second - so be it. No crying from me. Both the Yankees and the Red Sox have had to overcome a lot. One team will probably miss the playoffs. The Yankees have come back from a lot of games. If they fall short - they have nothing to be ashamed of. If the Red Sox miss the playoffs it will be due to the weakness of pitching staff finally coming home to roost.

2. I speak for most Red Sox fans when I say - we really want the White Sox to go into full free-fall. That's the only way the wildcard comes out of the East. Cleveland is the toughest team in the league right now and they will definitely make the playoffs.

3. The injuries to Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke really hurt and in the end - those two injuries may be the reason the 2005 Sox miss the playoffs. However, those two players were also the reason the 2004 Sox won the World Series. If the season isn't extended into October this year - I'll remain thankful to those two players for 2004 and turn my attention fulltime to football.

4. The Yankees have 7 road games remaining on their schedule and they should not overlook Toronto at home. Oh how I wish Halliday was still pitching for the Blue Jays.

5. Mo Rivera and Derek Jeter vs. Mike Timlin and Edgar Renteria. This may be even more the reason why the Sox are in second while the Yankees are in first today.

6. The day off for the Red Sox today comes at a good point for the fans too. Most of us were getting burned out.

7. Many Red Sox fans want to blame Terry Francona but the only thing I blame him for is sticking with Kevin Millar all season. Millar is a stiff and if the Red Sox lose by one game - then I'm laying it squarely on the doorstep of Bigmouth Millar. If anything sticks in my craw from 2005 - its the play of Millar.