We're Half-way There

Just a warning, I probably will be getting on my soapbox at some point during this post so if you don't care about baseball you will probably be very bored. :)

I feel bad for Astros fans. I really do. 'Cause if I was in their position I would be feeling exactly the same way. Trust me, I know only too well what that feels like.

But one thing that has to be remembered is that what possibly happened with Jermaine Dye last night is just part of the game. The umpires are human and everything evens out in the end anyway. I really believe that. The Astros fans and media that are blaming last night's Sox vistory on the umpires really need to chill out. They are not looking at the whole picture. No run scored because of Dye being sent to first base. They are assuming that if that hit-by-pitch had been called a foul instead, Dye would have struck out later in the at-bat or something. What makes them so sure of that? Dye is anything but an automatic out. He might have gotten a hit or been walked. To say that what happpened "prolonged the inning" is a bunch of B.S. The only difference it made was that Dye went to first instead of batting longer.

Also, I know what it is like to want your team to win. Of course that is what you want. But, please, be reasonable. The Astros fans who think that they will win all their home games come off as so absurd that it makes me feel really, really bad for them. 'Cause they are so not prepared for what is going to happen. There is NO WAY the Sox lose three games in a row. NONE. It's basically impossible. Please, Astros fans, don't lower yourselves to Cub fan behavior. You are so much better than that.

The reasons these people give for why the Sox will lose 3 games in a row are bogus if you know anything about this Sox team. They say that the Sox won't be able to win because they will have to play the so-called "National League style of play." FYI, that type of play is included in Ozzieball, which is what the Sox play. Ozzieball is not "smallball" as the media so often mistook it for over the summer. Rather, Ozzieball is the bringing together of all types of playing with the ability to use each one when it is necessary. The Sox don't just only play smallball or only hit home runs or only have good pitching or only have good defense. In fact, one could argue that,with the exception of pitching, they are not particularly talented as a whole at any one of those aspects. BUT, they know how to do what they have to do when they have to do it. They know when they just need to move a runner along and they know when the time is right for a 3 run homer. They have been exceptional at knowing what to do in a given situation and then doing it. And if it seems like they are catching a lot of breaks that's because they know how to take advantage of them. All teams catch breaks, trust me on this one. However, I have seen throughout this season that the Sox do a lot better job of capitalizing on them than other teams do so you notice it more.

Not having a DH is so not going to be a problem. Carl Everett hasn't done anything all postseason so that is not really going to affect the team in any way. As for saying that they will have to take the starting pitchers out sooner...um, why would they have to do that if he's pitching well and the Sox are winning? There would be no point in pitch-hitting for the pitcher if the Sox are ahead and the pitcher isn't tired. If they do have to remove a starting pitcher earlier for some reason all I have to say to that is, "Have you seen our bullpen lately?"

I have followed the Sox since day one this season. They are playing the same now as they did at the very beginning, only better. The media is just going to have to deal. The Sox are winning this thing. I think they will do it in 4, but it definitely won't take more than 5 games. The feeling is there, and has been there, all month. There was only one day this month when the feeling was negative. That was the only game they lost to the Angels. I predicted it 12 hours before the game even started. Call it freaky, but I am so emotionally connected to this team that I know what's going to happen. Last night when the Astros came back in the 9th inning it absolutely did not bother me. I knew the Sox were still going to win. I have been amazed by how calm I've been this postseason, but I have this inner peace. There is no way they lose. Deal with it.

Before leaving, I do want to say that is has been a lot of fun playing the Astros. They are definitely much better competition. The Red Sox were too easy, and the Angels were almost too easy too. The Astros definitely play on a higher level. They are still going to lose though, 'cause the Sox are better.

Later...