Making the most out of a trip to Boston
ByNearly two weeks ago, the Red Sox left New York reeling. They had just been swept by the Yankees to fall 6.5 games out of first place in the AL East. It was a good weekend for Yankee fans.
Since then, though, the Red Sox have recovered. While the Yankees have gone 7-3 over their last ten games since facing Boston, the Red Sox have also gone 7-3 since leaving the Bronx. They just wrapped up a three-game sweep of Toronto in which they scored 24 runs and gave up just 11. This weekend’s match-up features two hot teams playing for right now.
The Yankees, as we well know, have not had much luck in Boston this season. They’re 0-6 in Fenway, and barring an October match-up, this weekend’s trip will be the last of the season. Tyler Kepner explored how the Yankees have something to prove in Boston.
This weekend, though, goes well beyond something to prove. This weekend will determine the AL East. We’ll find out if the Yankees have to worry about the Red Sox. We’ll find out if the Red Sox can mount a comeback. We’ll find out if the very hot Yankees can come into Fenway and make a statement.
As things stand right now, the Yankees are 6.5 games up, and they can leave Fenway in one of four positions. They could sweep and be 9.5 games up. September would be a cakewalk for them. They can win two of three and head home with a comfortable 7.5 game lead. They could lose two of three and find themselves 5.5 games up. Or they could find themselves on the wrong end of yet another Fenway sweep and feel the Red Sox breathing down their necks just 3.5 games out of first.
Of course, we’ll hope for the three-game sweep but be satisfied with two of three. Even that outcome would strip four games off the Yanks’ Magic Number, and the pitching match-ups favor the Bombers. How will it end is anyone’s guess, but it’s bound to be a wild weekend no matter what. In Fenway, it always is.
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I think the opening game will really set a major tone for how the rest of the series plays out. If the Yanks go out swinging, I have no doubt that they will win against Penny and then riding the hot streak to Tazawa. However, if it starts slow, I got a feeling the Yanks are just not going to be there vs Tazawa and we are going to be disappointed.
You’re really going to predict the entire three-day, 27-inning series based on the first two or three innings later tonight?
Only predicting 27 innings, Jamal? How conservative of you.
First of all, I only really talked about the first two games since CC vs Beckett could go anywhere. I am just saying that usually the Yanks either kill or are stifled by bad pitchers. Maybe that is just my observation and not fact.
Maybe that is just my observation
It is.
and not fact.
It’s not.
The weather’s supposed to suck in Boston this weekend. Thunderstorms on and off all weekend.
No late-season trip to Boston is completely without an epic rain delay.
The weather’s supposed to suck in Boston this weekend. Thunderstorms on and off all weekend.
Yet another sign that the City of Boston’s 10-year contract with the devil was finally fulfilled when the Celtics won the 2007-08 NBA title.
Lucifer promised to give them a Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics title within a decade. They got their titles. Those fuckers are on their own now.
Was this in return for Kerry going belly up in the 2004 election?
No, that one was George Bush’s deal with the devil.
Door opens for the alarmists. I’m of the opinion that sweeping the Blue Jays at this point doesn’t immediately make you “recovered.” The Red Sox have major problems that won’t be fixed this season.
They did beat Doc, but then again Doc hasn’t been himself since that groin injury.
Every offense gets hot at some point or another.
I have only one thought about Fenway…
No lead is safe.
Also: No chick is safe. She could be a man.
It’s Boston.
It’s a trap.
Get some chowdah!
CC in August (4-0, 2.35 this August and 32-9, 3.14 for his career) vs. Josh Beckett at home (8-0, 2.58). That should be a fun one
now I’m of two minds about ESPN. on the one hand, I hate them. on the other hand, it means I’ll actually get to see the game
If not lower, MLB.TV is just a one-time fee of $35 for the remainder of the season.
doesn’t help me–I live in Brooklyn
So you don’t have cable or can’t go to a bar? I live in Brooklyn too. We get the YES Network out here.
mentioned this in the game thread yesterday, but I just started med school at Downstate, and the cable we have doesn’t have YES (this was the first thing I looked at upon moving in). Going to a bar might work every now and again, but I certainly can’t do that every night, and I’m thinking once school gets going I won’t have the time from 7-10 (or 1145 if the Sox are in town) anyway
That sucks.
Grab a radio. Tune it to 880 AM. It’s better than nothing.
I have a radio (and listened to the game a couple of nights ago on it) but Jawn and Suzyn were so awful that I wound up just gameday-ing it yesterday to spare myself.
Joe Morgan won’t be any fun either, but at least there I can just mute it
I see, I see… your future! It’s… a cab ride!
Move out of the sticks, fellas.
im surprised theres a cable provider within NYC that doesnt carry YES.
When a guy drops in an excellent Pulp Fiction reference, he deserves credit for it. Dynamite drop-in TSJC!
Are Boston fans going to be rooting for us against Texas next week if we don’t put them away this weekend? That sort of situation is always so complicated.
yea, I want the Yankees to win but Texas is Boston’s biggest competitor. Plus, you don’t want them to throw away games because that could lead to a bigger slide. I guess, the Yanks just got to keep winning and carry momentum into the playoff.s
I can only speak for myself, but I will root for the situation that gives the Sox the best chance at the Playoffs. If they take 2 or 3 against the Yankees this weekend then I’ll be rooting for Texas to beat NY. If they drop 2 or 3 against New York, I’m a realist and I’ll be rooting for the Yankees. But not out loud.
Don’t get swept.
That’s all I care about.
Don’t get swept.
Optimist, my ass.
We’re going to win all three games by an aggregate score of 25-1.
Yankees are gonna win!
This is the series I’ve been clamoring for since they released the schedule last winter. Hopefully Hurricane Billy doesn’t become too much of a pest. Saturday and Sunday we should feel the effects of some nasty wind.
Hopefully AP continues to do his thang. Can’t wait.
If the weather gets nasty they’re going to need to tie ole Dusty down to the bench. They promised Ernie that they’ll get Dusty back to the tree in 1 piece.
I have a feeling one of the games will become an ugly slug fest…
Let’s hope for a 2 out of 3, this way if the Yanks sweep.. it’ll feel THAT much better.
While a sweep would be the best thing to happen in the universe since…well, since the last time we swept them, I’d be extremely grateful with 2 out of 3.
so excited for the weekend series, the weather is going to be crappp though
What else is new?
Lets win this series yanks!
Against beckett, all you gotta do is get to that damn bullpen, and we are home free
The things I’m looking foward in this HUGE series are:
1) Can A.J. Burnett FINALLY give us a quality outing in Fenway? In my opinion, Burnett is the wild card that can transform our rotation from ALDS caliber to World Series caliber.
I say that cause we know what to expect from Andy (6 innings+ / 3-4 runs) & CC {7 innings+ / 2-3 runs} but A.J. could be anything from Josh Beckett {8 innings +/ 0-1 runs}to Kevin Brown quality
{3 innings + / 6-8 runs } in a big game. I fully believe A.J. to be a leading reason why our rotation is intimidating and respectable but if he can’t get it in gear in Hell, er, I mean Fenway then we will be prohibited from advancing deep in the postseason.
2)Can our batters impress away from the Stadium? Our hitters need to clubber the two wretched pitchers the BoSux are offering us on Friday & Saturday. In other words I don’t want to see a quality start from either Tazawa or Penny. Especially Penny, after he humilated us last time by dominating us & outpitching CC to give them their 8 straight victory over us. Thus, I don’t want to witness Andy or Allen James losing a game due to lack of run support.
3) Let’s see how good our supposed ace can be? I firmly believe CC can outpitch & outlast anyone who faces him. He is FINALLY giving us a taste of that this month & I can only hope this man, who has already been legendary in the pennant chase last year, can finally take that final step and become a legend in October. A.J might be our ace in the hole but CC is our lead man in every series pitching wise.
In the big games, like the one on Sunday night, eating innings won’t be enough to qualify as a quality start. Hell, last time at Fenway he was 2 outs away from delivering a CY Young performance in a game the Yankees needed. But then Nick F*&& Green came up and led way to Pedoria’s knockout At-bat. It’s hard to consider that night a failure for CC but when you’re expected to be the ace, you may be need be close to perfect. Up against Cy young favorite &
2-time WS hero, Beckett, he might need a perfect night to give the Yankees a series win or simply just to show the world WE have a man capable of finally matching their true ACE. I hope we win this game more than any other.
My prediction- 2 out of 3 (I see us losing Saturday- I don’t know how but I just do). And thank you for reading my massive post about my ramblings on my favorite team. GO Yankees!!
http://i346.photobucket.com/al.....sotrue.jpg
This picutre will never get old, lol.
But anyway, Rebecca said it best. As long as NY doesn’t get swept, they are fine.
IF they sweep the division race is over. Not expecting it, though.
2 of 3 is REALLY asking a lot in that ballpark considering that no lead is ever safe until the final out is recorded
1 win, we take it and move right along.
My daughter and I are leaving for Boston in about an hour. We will be at tomorrows game. I plan on coming back to NYC on Sunday with a nice comfortable division lead.
Have fun. And when walking around Boston and interacting with the locals, remember four things:
-No sudden movements
-Keep your hands below your shoulders at all times
-If a Bostoner begins scratching his temples or crotch, or disrobing, run away as fast as you can
-For god’s sake, do NOT eat the baked beans. You don’t want to know what’s in there, trust me.
Visiting Boston can be a fun and enjoyable experience for all, but you must respect the habitat of those savage beasts who live there, or they’ll rip your arms out of your sockets and defile you in ways too foul to describe here. Because they’re subhuman animals who lack the higher brain functioning necessary to restrain themselves.
Enjoy! (And watch your step. At all times.)
Those are fighting words where I come from!
Luckily, Boston is not where I come from…;-)
Hopefully Damon, Bruney et al are not all hung over from partying like/with rock stars last night.
They went to see Creed. How hungover could they really be?
I don’t wanna sound like a queer or nothin’, but I think Depeche Mode is a sweet band!
Yankees take 3-2 form the Boston Red soxs 11-8 1-9 Mely Homers Jetter homers A-Rod homers Mark homers Hikikiki homers molina Homers Jr homers Damon homers pena homers
Bruney Socks vs Red soxs because one Batter David Quirzs
The match ups clearly favor the Yanks but when these two teams get together there is no telling what will happen. Obviously this is a more important series for the Sox, but the Yanks just need to avoid the sweep and they should be fine.
Any word on Gardner? We could really use him back now that Melky has decided to stop hitting.
I think he still has the splint on (doctor took it off, then told him to put it back on). We’re not getting him back for another couple weeks, most likely.
http://twitter.com/NY_Yankees_.....3402879578
I think they win 2 out of 3. The pitching matchups favor us. Hopefully Brad Penny sucks it up a ton.
Yankees take 3-2 form the Boston Red soxs 11-8 1-9 Mely Homers Jetter homers A-Rod homers Mark homers Hikikiki komers molina Homers Jr homers Damon homers pena homers
The series is much bigger for Boston than it is for New York. The Yankees have earned themselves a comfortable lead. They’re virtually assured of making the playoffs and of being able to set up their rotation accordingly. Even though a sweep would make them look pretty bad, considering who Boston is chucking in the first two games, they still have another three game set left in New York and would be fully in charge of their own destiny. You all know I’m rooting for an epic collapse by the Yankees, but I’m really dissapointed that Boston has let it come to this. There is nothing on paper that screams one team is clearly better than the other, but the Yankees did a MUCH better job of weathering their injuries and plugging their off season holes. Boston’s main weakness remained unaddressed and that was obviously Teixeira or a similar bat for their line up. They need an offensive overhaul this offseason (and for Martinez to learn how to be a better defensive Catcher).
.A-Rod has been way off the last month+ but hit well in this game. The Sox are in big trouble if they lose this series. If A-Rod gets hot towards the end of the season for once this could be the year for A-rod and the yankees.
nah, I gotta say I’m pretty happy overall
just going through Yankees withdrawal