The law of averages finally caught up to the Red Sox and Angels today, as the Halos celebrated in front of the Fenway Faithful after completing the sweep.
It's hard for me to be too angry about this, it really is. For one thing, Boston has been crushing Angel dreams since 1986, for Pete's sake. For another, with the exception of the final three innings of this game, the Red Sox never really seemed like they were in this series.
Yes, we knew their backs had been against the wall before. They'd looked dismal before, and come back.
But.
Per Joy of Sox:
With only one run and eight hits in Games 1 and 2, the Red Sox have never -- in 151 post-season games dating back to the 1903 World Series -- been limited to just one run or as few as eight combined hits over two consecutive games.
The Red Sox are hitting .131 (8-for-61) in this LDS and are in danger of setting a new record for the lowest batting average by an LDS team (.141, 1998 Rangers vs Yankees).
In Boston's last three playoff games (including 2008 ALCS 7), the Red Sox have scored two runs on 11 hits in 27 innings.
None of the flaws the Sox showed in this series was a surprise. For one, they couldn't buy a hit (anyone remember July and August?). For two, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester were not their ideal selves (neither had been consistent throughout the season).
And as we saw today, for three, Jonathan Papelbon hasn't really been himself all year.
It's hard, for me anyway, to get worked up when a series isn't even close, and the problems are not hard luck or controversy but well-understood, longstanding fundamental flaws in a team's makeup. Shades of 2005.
Things that DO get me worked up: booing Jonathan Papelbon. And ESPECIALLY that dude in the front row who first tried to interfere with V-Mart making a catch of a foul popup, and then patted V-Mart on the back like he'd been rooting for him all along.
Our team looked pretty bad today; wish I could at least say that we didn't make it any worse in the stands.
Yes, this.
While I will confess to a momentary "fuck you" here in the privacy of my own home*--and, honestly, I was saying it to whoever happened to be on the screen at the time: smiling Angels, sad Pap, the crowd, whoever, because that's just how I cope--but you just don't boo your own players. You don't. Especially someone who really has banked as much good will, postseason performance-wise, as Papelbon. And Papi, for that matter.
Dude in the front row did not deserve front row seats.
I just. First a whole bunch of Cards fans left early yesterday, and now the Fenway Faithful did nothing to dissuade other baseball fans that we're anything but entitled and boorish. Twins fans certainly have a chance to make a big move in the Battle for the Best Fans in Baseball.
*And, fine, I cried. Not out of surprise, or shock, or even anger. Just because that's it--not with a bang, but a whimper--our season's over. Our imperfect, beautiful, roller coaster of a season is done. I don't really care about football (blasphemy, I know), I'll just say, "Thank goodness for hockey."
Posted by: jennifer | October 11, 2009 at 16:40
Ugh, tough end to the season for the Sox. It'll be really interesting to see what they do this offseason. I already feel like Ortiz and Lowell are on the steep decline, Ortiz more than Lowell. Also, not many people talk about the decline of Pedroia this season from last season's MVP performance. Then of course there is what to do with Jason Bay.
Comment edited to delete unwelcome plug. For more info see: http://letsgosox.blogspot.com/2009/11/this-dirt-is-free.html
Posted by: Tom Palomino | October 23, 2009 at 16:08