Okay, what kind of parallel universe is this? Nothing seems to be going "as it should" in the ALCS. The Red Sox were favored to beat the Yankees pretty soundly. (They haven't.) The Yankees starting pitching was supposed to be suspect. (It hasn't been.) Pedro Martinez was supposed to step and pitch big. (He hasn't, for the most part.) After the Yankees took the first three games in a best-of-seven series, the Red Sox were done. (They aren't.) The Yankees were going to take the fourth game and sweep. (They didn't.)
So here we are. The three games in Boston took something like fifteen hours and featured, separately, the longest 9-inning game *and* longest overall game, both postseason records. The series is knotted with the Yankees maintaining a 3-2 lead in games, and the series heading, improbably, back to New York for tomorrow night's Game Six. In the history of the postseason where one team has won the first three games in a best-of-seven series, that team has gone on to sweep 20 of 25 times. Only twice has the series even been extended to six games. No team has ever extended it to seven games, much less come back to win the series.
I'm not sure the Sox can do it. I had predicted the Yankees in five games at the beginning of the series, and my choice started to look pretty darn good by yesterday. (Actually, I was in danger of being wrong if the Yankees swept in four.) But now, Game Six is on its way, and I'm not sure how much to let myself believe they can do it. The Yankees always seem to win when the chips are down, and the Sox always seem to fold when in the same position. I have to like the way things match up in Game Six, but I liked how the first THREE games matched up, and those went to hell rather quickly.
The Yankees bats have gone VERY silent since their 19-run outburst in Game Three. In Games Four and Five, they have scored eight runs in 26 innings. And they've left about 30 runners on-base in those two games. Is Boston's pitching (especially their bullpen - scoreless for the last 13 2/3 innings) really that good? Or will the Yankees' bats suddenly awaken, dashing all Sox hope against the jagged rocks of a torturous 86 years?
Curt Schilling is going to start Game Six for the Sox. He of the "torn ankle tendon sheaths" whose "tendons are just snapping back and forth over the ankle bone" is going to, get this, try some high top shoes and see if those help. This is an injury that would generally put the foot in a cast for a couple of months, but heck, there's PLENTY of time for rest after the baseball season! Will Schilling "take his walker", as some Sox fans are nervously suggesting, and turn in a Schilling-like performance? Or will he bow out early and leave it to the already-taxed Sox bullpen to somehow come up big again?
As I mentioned earlier, I had the Yankees knocking out my beloved Red Sox in five games. Given the way this series has progressed, I don't see how anyone can say how this roller coaster is going to end. For my part, I'm watching the games again and rooting for my Sox!
(As an added bonus, I would like the following people to catch a foul ball in the mouth: Tim McCarver and Scooter, the Talking Baseball. Jack Buck: my eye's on you. Leiter: you can become America's hero by throwing those two clowns from the pressbox. Everyone at FOX in charge of these things: bring in real sportscasters, or continue to suck it. I, for one, will be muting Jeter's love slave (McCarver) and Jack "My Dad is Joe!" Buck and flipping on Gary Miller and Joe Morgan on ESPN Radio. That is all.)
Posted by pcg at October 18, 2004 11:28 PMGame 7 baby! Believe it!
I knew Curt would come through. He's my favorite player (since he was on the Phillies) for a reason: he doesn't whine, he just does his job and does it spectacularly.
My worry at this point is that the Yankees and their fans feel motivated by two (correctly) overturned calls. This is the sort of intangible that could turn the tide, so to speak.
My hope is that Francona trots out Lowe for tonight, Wakefield still scares me, even though he shut down the Yanks in relief in Game 5.
Posted by: jonathan on October 19, 2004 11:50 PM