The Boston Red Sox loyal fans, you know…the ones that left the game early today, and the ones that boo and heckle their own team when things look really bad, are content to rehash their beloved teams history time and again especially when they try to shit talk the Rays and Rays fans. However, we Rays fans are more than happy to watch and be a part of history as it’s made.
Fine Red Sox fans I’ll give it to you, you’re right. You’re rich history is much better than our meager 13 year history. However, let me take this brief moment to remind you of a few things in your oh so rich history, things you gloss over whilst creaming yourselves over the two World Series titles that your beloved Red Sox won in 2004 and 2007 (respectively) after only a mere 86 year drought.
Back in 1978 your beleaguered, pardon me, beloved Red Sox were ahead of the Yankees by 14.5 games in July. And just when the 1978 Red Sox thought that the curse was all but broken, they found it in themselves to blow that lead over the course of the next few months. The Sox inevitably lost to the Yankees in a one game tie breaker to end their season on a very sour note. Now, I was only two years only when that happened, though the vicarious memory of it keeps me warm at night. The Yankees found themselves in the playoffs and the Sox, well, found themselves at home.
Does this scenario sound familiar? It should. After, all at one point in this season the Red Sox were 12 games up on the Rays and now find themselves only two games ahead. Boston is now 3-10 in September and their 1.5 game division lead has dwindled and looks as though it could keep dwindling. I’d also like to remind you that not only have the Rays taken the last two series against the Sox, they have also taken the season series 12-6. And I thought the reason we learn about out history is so that we don’t make those same mistakes over and again?!?
Oh dear Red Sox fans, you can keep your cute little endearing accomplishments and let them keep you warm when you’ve nothing to look back fondly on at the end of this season. Even if your Red Sox don’t completely blow it and make it to the playoffs, I can almost assure you that they won’t go far. Their demoralization at the hands of the last month of baseball is written all over their faces. They’re battered, bruised, and I personally find it funny that the second highest paid team in baseball is playing worse than my local little league team that didn’t make it to their respective playoffs. I could give two craps if Wakefield got his 200th victory after only eight attempts at doing so…eight attempts! Perhaps he got that accomplishment not because he’s good, rather he’s old and has spent a lot longer on attaining the title of 200 game winner than the average pitcher. But y’all are psyched on it, so more power to you; you’ve now got one positive moment to look back on.
And if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times: if the Rays don’t make it to the playoffs, then they just don’t make it. Simple as that. None of us thought that they’d be relevant this late in the season, however here they are two games out of a wildcard berth. Everything else is icing on the cake. I’m content that our scrappy little small market team has, and is, changing the baseball narrative. More to come later!