It’s not like they didn’t warn us. Remember Theo’s comments in December about the “bridge period’’? He said that’s not what he really meant, but it was a moment of truth. The reality is the Sox figured they were in for a soft season. They just didn’t think they were going to have 20 guys hit the disabled list.
It’s disappointing because postseason baseball has been an autumn staple here since 2003. The Sox have qualified for the tournament in six of the last seven seasons. They have spoiled us.
But the lost weekend in St. Petersburg crystallized what has been obvious to the rest of the baseball world since the injuries started piling up in July.
The Yankees and Rays are on 99-win paces. They are in a great race and have no reason to let up. Boston’s quixotic quest to get into the race has been a figment of our imaginations. No where else in the country are people assessing Boston’s playoff chances. It’s Texas in the AL West, Minnesota or Chicago in the AL Central, and New York and Tampa slugging it out for AL East supremacy with the loser earning the wild card. This is what Johnny Damon was telling us last week when he said no to Boston. Damon was telling us the Sox are no different from the Tigers. Boston is just another non-playoff team this year.
Think the Sox can catch the Rays with a strong stretch run? Boston still has to go on a six-games-in-six-days West Coast trip. The Sox finish with 10 games against the Yankees and White Sox. During that stretch, the Rays will be playing the Mariners, Orioles, and Royals.
