Way To Go, Red Sox West!
October 1st, 2006 by Michael Stephens
For the first time since 2002, the Boston Red Sox played the final days of the regular season as lame ducks. There’s no buzz, no playoff atmosphere at Fenway, only an air of resignation and apathy.
In ‘03 and ‘04, Boston closed out the year with the Wild Card all sewn up. A year ago, the Sox began the season-ending weekend with a chance at the AL East, the Wild Card, or losing out on both.
While Boston ended up losing the East to New York, despite the first-inning heroics of Manny Ramirez (right) and earning a third straight Wild Card berth after Cleveland imploded, a regular season weekend doesn’t get any more exciting than that.
Fast forward to this year’s meaningless finale against the Orioles. A list of injuries and weaknesses crippled Boston’s title hopes following the All-Star break, with a five-game sweep at the hands of New York serving as the coup de gras. Pride is all that’s left to play for.
This must be what it’s like to be a Pirates fan, although it’s the first time Boston has seen this in four years — as opposed to every year. It’s impossible not to feel down, but this year’s collapse has also given us perspective. Sox fans were remarkably fortunate from 2003-2005, and the team will likely contend again in 2007-2008. That’s more than most franchises could dream of. We’re spoiled.
I’ve long since stopped caring, but there was an exciting race in the B League… sorry, the National League. While it’s no comfort to to Boston fans, one can’t help but be amused at how many former Sox earned playoff spots yesterday in the NL West (also known as Red Sox West).
Let’s start with none other than David Wells, who saved his best stuff of the season for when it was needed most, throwing six shutout innings and not allowing a runner past first base as San Diego beat Arizona, 3-1, to clinch its second straight playoff berth.
Wells, 43, who missed his previous start with gout (seriously) allowed four hits, struck out three and walked one in his 230th career win.
“This is what I live for. This is what I’ve played for is the opportunity to pitch in a big game when it counted. There’s nothing better,” he said.
Being paid millions of dollars a year isn’t enough to motivate the portly lefty to make essential rehab starts, of course, but no matter. In other Boston Padres news, Dave Roberts (below, center) had two hits and his 49th stolen base, Josh Bard drove him in with an RBI single, and Cla Meredith tossed an inning of relief.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers earned their second playoff spot in three years, beating the San Francisco Giants, 4-2. L.A. and San Diego enter Sunday tied atop the NL West at 87-74, but the loser has earned the Wild Card spot.
The story of the day was Greg Maddux (15-14), the 40-year-old acquisition who pitched seven strong innings for his 333rd career win, but the Dodgers would not be where they are without a trio of Red Sox castoffs — Derek Lowe (left, 16-8, 3.63 ERA), Nomar Garciaparra (.303, 20 HR, 93 RBI) and skipper Grady Little (a.k.a. He Who Must Not Be Named).
The Sports Truth is officially rooting for an all-SoCal NLCS — not because of any real allegiance to the former Sox, but purely for comedic value. Tell me you wouldn’t love to see Grady leave Lowe in the game one inning too long, and watch him surrender a homer off the foul pole to Mark Bellhorn, and/or a series-changing stolen base to Roberts.
