10 Reasons the Sox WILL beat the Yankees*
Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 12:12 am
I know it may be early to go ahead and declare us wild card winners, but I think we will be able to pull it out. Here are the reasons Red Sox fans should not fret heading into the 2009 postseason.
1. The Red Sox are still winning the season series, 9-6 guaranteeing at WORST a split of the season series. Let's not forget that.
2. Don't look at New York's large lead in the division as intimidating. When the playoffs start their lead will be reduced to zero.
3. In all probability, the Red Sox would face the Angels in the first round. We have owned this team for the better part of a this decade. Sox will be in the ALCS.
4. The Yankees will most likely face the Tigers in the first round. At first glance they may look like a pushover, but less we all be reminded of what happened in the 2006 postseason. This is why I put Yankees* in the thread title. The Yankees postseason failures are well documented this whole decade.
5. The Yankees went out this offseason and bought up a ridiculous amount of talent. It paid off, they have been amazing. But I said it in April and I will say it once again in September and October. They did not go out and get postseason performers. CC Sabathia has been a house of horror in the playoffs between the Indians and the Brewers. Statistics tell the story here: 2-3, 7.92 ERA, 22 walks and 24 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched - including a couple of shellackings by the hands of the Red Sox in 2007 when we went on to win the World Series. Burnett has not pitched into the postseason. Texiera had a great series against the Red Sox last year in the Angels loss to the Sox, but is a newcomer and the jury is out on whether this guy is a big-time postseason guy. As for other Yankees - vendors are always peddling Mr. April - Miss October shirts outside Fenway. Need I say more?
6. The Red Sox Playoff rotation looks good. Beckett-Lester-Buchholz when on will be amazing. Trust me on this one. Beckett has been struggling of late, but you have to have a short term memory if you don't think he will turn it on in October. He has a history of dominating in the postseason. The 2003 Yankees can attest to this
. Beckett playoff stats: 7-2, 2.90 ERA, 0.94 WHIP
7. The Red Sox lineup is just as good as the Yankees. The Victor Martinez trade was striahgt highway robbery. The Red Sox lineup is reminiscent of the 2003 lineup that really didn't have any holes in it. Alex Gonzalez in the 9 hole has been nothing short of respectable at the plate since we aquired him. Not to mention his defense.
8. The Yankees bullpen is good, but the Red Sox's has been better. The addition of Wagner has put the Red Sox bullpen over the top. Wagner has looked absolutely electric in his first several appearances with the Sox, he is sure to be no Eric Gagne. Bard/Papelbon is right on par with Hughes/Rivera. The Sox depth with solid guys like Delcarmen, Ramirez and Okajima and Saito have all been reliable in the pen and have sported ERAs under 4.
9. We can beat the Yankees in a playoff series. The stigma well ended with the 2004 comeback. There is no inferiority complex anymore.
10. I have not heard this yet... but it's definitely true: THE PRESSURE IS ALL ON THE YANKEES. If they are to come out flat after such an amazing regular season it would bee an absolute travesty for the entire state of New York. This team has the MOST pressure out of any other Yankees team this decade, and it's not close. They have let their fans up way to much to go and **** it all up.
1. The Red Sox are still winning the season series, 9-6 guaranteeing at WORST a split of the season series. Let's not forget that.
2. Don't look at New York's large lead in the division as intimidating. When the playoffs start their lead will be reduced to zero.
3. In all probability, the Red Sox would face the Angels in the first round. We have owned this team for the better part of a this decade. Sox will be in the ALCS.
4. The Yankees will most likely face the Tigers in the first round. At first glance they may look like a pushover, but less we all be reminded of what happened in the 2006 postseason. This is why I put Yankees* in the thread title. The Yankees postseason failures are well documented this whole decade.
5. The Yankees went out this offseason and bought up a ridiculous amount of talent. It paid off, they have been amazing. But I said it in April and I will say it once again in September and October. They did not go out and get postseason performers. CC Sabathia has been a house of horror in the playoffs between the Indians and the Brewers. Statistics tell the story here: 2-3, 7.92 ERA, 22 walks and 24 strikeouts in 25 innings pitched - including a couple of shellackings by the hands of the Red Sox in 2007 when we went on to win the World Series. Burnett has not pitched into the postseason. Texiera had a great series against the Red Sox last year in the Angels loss to the Sox, but is a newcomer and the jury is out on whether this guy is a big-time postseason guy. As for other Yankees - vendors are always peddling Mr. April - Miss October shirts outside Fenway. Need I say more?
6. The Red Sox Playoff rotation looks good. Beckett-Lester-Buchholz when on will be amazing. Trust me on this one. Beckett has been struggling of late, but you have to have a short term memory if you don't think he will turn it on in October. He has a history of dominating in the postseason. The 2003 Yankees can attest to this
. Beckett playoff stats: 7-2, 2.90 ERA, 0.94 WHIP7. The Red Sox lineup is just as good as the Yankees. The Victor Martinez trade was striahgt highway robbery. The Red Sox lineup is reminiscent of the 2003 lineup that really didn't have any holes in it. Alex Gonzalez in the 9 hole has been nothing short of respectable at the plate since we aquired him. Not to mention his defense.
8. The Yankees bullpen is good, but the Red Sox's has been better. The addition of Wagner has put the Red Sox bullpen over the top. Wagner has looked absolutely electric in his first several appearances with the Sox, he is sure to be no Eric Gagne. Bard/Papelbon is right on par with Hughes/Rivera. The Sox depth with solid guys like Delcarmen, Ramirez and Okajima and Saito have all been reliable in the pen and have sported ERAs under 4.
9. We can beat the Yankees in a playoff series. The stigma well ended with the 2004 comeback. There is no inferiority complex anymore.
10. I have not heard this yet... but it's definitely true: THE PRESSURE IS ALL ON THE YANKEES. If they are to come out flat after such an amazing regular season it would bee an absolute travesty for the entire state of New York. This team has the MOST pressure out of any other Yankees team this decade, and it's not close. They have let their fans up way to much to go and **** it all up.