Seriously, people. You can go jump off the Tobin Bridge if you want to. You can second-guess the trades that just a few short months ago you thought were strokes of pure genius. You can call for the manager's head. Berate the bullpen. You can spout off, demand satisfaction. We're all friends here. Do whatever you want or need to do to make yourself feel better.
As your friend, though, I have to tell you it's time to stop the whining. It's really making us look bad. This is baseball. You win some. You lose some. You get over it. I know. I know. It's hard. We have expectations. But maybe a five game sweep in our own crib is what we needed. There's nothing like a good kick in the pants to get someone going, right? Well maybe "the massacre" is this year's glove shoved in A-Rod's face. We'll find out soon enough. This team will either come together or fold.
I'm betting they'll pull it together. Will that be good enough to make the postseason? Not unless they'll be pulling some pitching together as well. That's really what's needed most of all: capable, veteran pitching.
I think we expected too much and relied too heavily on our young guns. They tasted success early and intoxicated us with their potential. This is the hangover. But what doesn't kill us can only make us stronger, right? The tribulations of late can only serve to make these guys better pitchers in the future.
Speaking of the future, I'm very happy Pedroia got the call. The kid's a gamer, a real spark plug whose hustle is going to be put a charge into this club. He brings a fire to the game that's infectious. And fire is exactly what this team has been lacking all year long--apart from the occasional show of emotion on the mound. But that's usually only displayed after wiggling out of a major jam. Hopefully, Pedroia won't hurt himself carrying the veteran's bags because I'm counting on him carrying some of the dead weight in the clubhouse now, too.
Remember, it's failure that makes success taste sweet. You think 2004 would have been as glorious if we hadn't lost those first three games to the Yankees in the LCS? Or if we had won the World Series in 86? It would have been awesome, for sure, but not as incredible.
We failed miserably over the weekend, for sure, but victory is coming. I can taste it.
P.S. I realize this doesn't jibe with the postivity above, but Manny needs to man-up! A cramp? Are you kidding me? How many times was it left up to Youkilis last night? It's real tough to stay positive when it comes to Manny's fragile mentality.