Will The Red Sox's Series Against The Yankees Decide Boston's Fate?

by Randy Booth on May 17, 2010 2:44 PM EDT in News

BOSTON - MAY 9: Jeremy Hermida #32 of the Boston Red Sox rounds the bases by Derek Jeter #2 of of the New York Yankees after hitting a home run in the fifth inning at Fenway Park on May 9, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

It all comes down to this.

Or maybe not.

The Red Sox are in New York Monday night to start a quick two game series with the Yankees. Sitting at .500 on the season (19-19), the Red Sox need as many wins as they can get at this point in the season. But if the Red Sox split or get swept in the Bronx, do we need to write off Boston?

Ironically enough, the best team to look at to compare to the Red Sox is the Yankees -- from 2009. The Yankees were 20-17 on May 19, 2009, just 1.5 games better than the Red Sox sit right now. And, as we all know, the Yankees went on to win the World Series last year. I think you all remember that.

Here's what propelled the Yankees to the World Series trophy: six winning streaks that combined for 45 wins. This is exactly what the Red Sox lacked last season and they haven't been able to string together anything this year. The Sox's best streak was a four-game winning clip from May 3-May 6.

If the Sox get swept, they sit at 19-21 with a four-game losing streak. It's bad, but it's not horrible. It's a hole, but it's not impossible to come out of. Even if the Red Sox get hit hard, we need to remember it's just two games -- and it's still just May.

On the flipside, sweeping the Yankees, even in a two-game set, would be a nice boost for this club. For the obvious reasons, yes, but also because of who's starting -- Daisuke Matsuzaka and Josh Beckett. Dice-K is coming off his best start of the season and Beckett is starting after missing a few days because of a "tweaked back." (I still don't buy that fully.) If these two pitchers can put together great starts and earn wins for the Sox, there's some hope to build off.

A sweep of the Yankees would be great. A split would be OK. Getting swept would be a hard hit, but it's not impossible to recover from it.

We're in May, folks, and as bad as all of this seems, we need to remember: it's still possible to turn this season around.

Poll

How important is this upcoming Sox-Yankees series for Boston?

Very important. Make or break the season.

77 votes

Somewhat important. It's still only two games, though.

143 votes

Not important at all.

22 votes

242 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

No

The Sox’ pitching will decide their fate. The rotation is underperforming. Lackey’s numbers are alarming. He is clearly the Sox’ worst starter. Boston’s bullpen is a mess right now. Theo may need to acquire another arm or two.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on May 17, 2010 2:49 PM EDT reply actions

I think it's very important whenever we play a team ahead of us

And I do think this is big- if we sweep, we’re 4-4 against the yankees and looking much better, if they sweep, we’re way behind them with the Twins and Phillies coming up quickly. All about momentum here. Really won’t make or break the team, but would be extremely helpful to get some positive momentum going on here.

Side note- haven’t seen lineups posted yet, but I notice Cameron isn’t in Pawtucket- makes me think we may finally have a center fielder.

by wolf9309 on May 17, 2010 2:50 PM EDT reply actions

Had to figure he'd be ready for this series

Does JVE have any options left?

by BobZupcic on May 17, 2010 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions

I believe he does have one option year left

yesterday Francona was saying that he thought Cameron would be ready for tuesday but not today. He may have just been trying to keep people from getting excited in case there was an unexpected setback.

by wolf9309 on May 17, 2010 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

He does have ONE option left.

As opposed to Darnell McDonald, who is out.

by legacyme3 on May 17, 2010 8:02 PM EDT up reply actions

and should be out

the more i see McDonald play, the more disgusted I get.

by wolf9309 on May 18, 2010 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions

Cameron has never faced Hughes

But I sure like him facing Sabathia:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/play-index/b-pvb.cgi?n1=camermi01#choice=&throws=&year_game=career&post=1&opp_id=NYY&orderby=PA&orderbyb=Name&minPA2=0&minPA=0&orderbydir=DESC&orderbydirb=ASC&n1=camermi01&as=batter

" Play Ball "

by went9 on May 17, 2010 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions

He's not in tonight's lineup

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by Randy Booth on May 17, 2010 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

sad

by wolf9309 on May 17, 2010 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions

After looking at Hughes splits against righties,

I want as many lefties in as possible.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statsplits.aspx?playerid=7450&position=P&season=2010

Hughes has tried to mix his curveball in on lefties but for righties it’s been almost all fourseam fastball and cutters.

Brooksbaseball 5/7/10 vs Sox RHH:

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/pfx.php?s_type=2&sp_type=3&batterX=0&month=05&day=07&game=gid_2010_05_07_nyamlb_bosmlb_1%2F&year=2010&pitchSel=461833&prevGame=gid_2010_05_07_nyamlb_bosmlb_1%2F

Pedroia and Scutato saw only FF and cutters.
It may be better not to start Cameron vs Hughes.

" Play Ball "

by went9 on May 17, 2010 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah I could see that if

Van Every was the starting center fielder, but the righty McDonald is in- and I just really hate his defense, he makes some good throws but his reads just look awful to me.

by wolf9309 on May 17, 2010 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm sure they just don't want his first game back to be against a tough righty and to give him a little rest

just makes me sad.

by wolf9309 on May 17, 2010 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed.

Van Every should be in the starting line up.
Hughes is killing righties.
Let’s hope we see McLovin not McDonald tonight.

" Play Ball "

by went9 on May 17, 2010 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions

apparently he's not even in NY

still feeling a little sore and won’t be activated this series. boo.

by wolf9309 on May 17, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

+1

I think it’s very important whenever we play a team ahead of us

I was talking to a friend of mine who is a [reasonable and well-intentioned] Angels fan today. We commented that the Angels’ suck-salad of a season left them in less dire straits than the Sox – the reason being that you can count on the AL West teams to underperform for an extended period at some point in the season. The AL East leaders, perhaps less so.

The margin between the Yanks/Rays and the Sox is not gigantic given the length of the season, but I feel (subjectively) that we can’t count on the rest of the league to make up those games for us.

Rock me, sexy Jesus...

by nuthinboutnuthin on May 17, 2010 3:38 PM EDT up reply actions

The "It's still early" excuse...is beginning to wear on me.

We need to, eventually, preferably sooner than later, compete with these teams, and not fall victim to lopsided defeats at the hands of our “arch” rivals.

A sweep would be fantastic for momentum, a split being a bit more realistic, is what I’m hoping for.

by RockEmSoxEm on May 17, 2010 3:50 PM EDT reply actions

at the very least, I'm hoping for a split.

by RockEmSoxEm on May 17, 2010 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Thank God I have something to do at 7 tonight.

Now I won’t have to suffer that pain that is Dice-K pitching.

"man, this team they just suck so bad"- gizmosandy
DFA Bogar
Twitter: @BoldandBrash

by BoldandBrash on May 17, 2010 5:36 PM EDT reply actions

There you go with those negative vibes again.

This is the new and improved Matsuzaka-san.

" Play Ball "

by went9 on May 17, 2010 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey dice k was ok the last time out i think he will be up for this game!

by RED SOX are #1 in my heart on May 17, 2010 6:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Rays?

Honestly, as a Sox fan, I’m just as afraid of the Rays than the Yankees, if not moreso (is that a word?). I think the Rays will win the East, and it’s going to be tough to win the WC against the Yanks, Twins and Tigers. I think all 4 of those teams (Rays, Yanks, Twins, Tigers) are legit forces. Until we get our bullpen straightened out (i.e. get rid of Ramirez, Schoeneweis and Atchison and give Oki more rest), we’re in for a long season. Our starting pitching is shaping up – it’s all up to our bullpen!

by rmarx on May 17, 2010 5:48 PM EDT reply actions

I'm still not sold on the Rays

Their offense is terrible and while they have good pitching, it is massively over-performing right now. Unless you believe that the Rays will have one of those magical seasons where everything goes right and players massively over-perform their stats, the Rays will come back to Earth.

It looks like their offense is already coming down. In 14 games in May, the Rays are averaging 3.79 runs per game. They are 9-5 over that stretch because of their pitching (2.11 ERA). They can’t pitch that well over the course of a full season. And while their offense will improve somewhat, I don’t think the Rays will continue to win at the pace that they have.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on May 17, 2010 6:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Starting pitching is shaping up?

Our “Trio of Texans” aren’t. Beckett, Lackey, and Buchholz all need to cowboy up big time.
Like Lackey not being able to cover firstbase or Beckett loosing his cool with the bases loaded.
They have not made to Lone Star State or the Bay State proud lately.

Let’s Go Sox.

" Play Ball "

by went9 on May 17, 2010 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions