Play Ball II

Liam slept well last night which has left me chipper and energetic this morning. Regular readers of the Pressure know that I usually only post in the wee small hours of the morning; today I'm trying to squeeze out a post before work.

Red Sox on a streak.

The Sox have actually put together a couple of wins in a row. No small feat for a team that seems allergic to run scoring. I know its early and these things have a way of working themselves out over the course of a long season but pitching and defense are not the strategy you need in the american league east. Other divisions, you may be able to get yourself enough 3-2 wins but when you have to face the Yanks and the Rays 18 times a piece you need to be able to score. I, and many of the long time Red Sox fans I work with, have already allowed ourselves to fall back into old ways. Pre 04 days. There's always next year. I'm surprised at how easy that attitude came back. Its an attitude that long time Red Sox fans feel comfortable with. We've got our swagger back. Helps to weed out the fair weather fans (pink hats) anyway.

One employee of mine though is upset, very upset. Every day he comes to work angry at how poorly the Red Sox have looked and I will say it does remind me of me back in the day but his anger is different. It took me a while to figure it out but since he was only 15 years old when the Red Sox won the world series in 04. He expects to win. He expects the playoffs every year. He doesn't remember the early 90's. He doesn't remember '86. He doesn't yet know what it feels like to have this team really break your heart. Over and over again. He came to work after the sox's 5th straight loss and stood in my office and shouted "Now I know what its like to be a Kansas City Royals Fan!" I turned to face him and calmly explained. "No, now you know how it feels to be a Red Sox fan young-in." Poor kid. I was only 9 when they first broke my heart. I think its easier when it happens that young. I got used to it.

Let's be clear, I hope I'm wrong. I hope they turn it around and we make the playoffs. I will be pulling for them to do so every day. I will still watch on the edge of my seat and will still yell at my TV during games but I'm just mentally prepared for it not to happen. For them to tease me into thinking its possible right before the yearly June swoon. Our division is just too tough and I don't think that good pitching and adequate defense is going to be enough. Unless they make a big move before the deadline (a la trading Nomar in 04) it's going to be a long season.

But remember the mantra of all long time Red Sox fans, there's always next year!