Ten Games up and Red Sox Nation Waits for the Other Shoe to Drop

[Hughes2.50]

On May 29th of this year the Red Sox had a 14.5 game lead over the Yankees. Roger Clemens joined the Yankees shortly after and within two weeks the Red Sox lead was down to 7.5 games on June 14. Now it appears that at least some in Red Sox Nation are prepared for a very rough patch once Phil Hughes rejoins the Yankees as the fifth starter along with Pettitte, Wang, Clemens and Mussina

Below are comments directed to and responses by Red Sox fan and ESPN Sportsnation Jock, Bill Simmons during a chat this week. Check out what he has to say about the Yankees in October this year and what he really feels about Phil Hughes and A-Rod.

http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/chatESPN?event_id=16493

(Key Key)] Fantasy sleepers for the second half of the baseball season?

And the big one - Phil Hughes down the stretch for the Yanks. I'm terrified of him.

You said you didn't want Delcarmen pitching to A-Rod in October, does that mean you think the Yanks are still alive?

Absolutely. I am terrified of them - when Hughes comes back, they go Wang-Clemens-Hughes-Pettitte-Mussina down the stretch... granted, Hughes is a rookie and Mussina has been bad, but it's not unrealistic that all five guys could get it going for a six-week stretch. Plus, they haven't played the "fire Torre for a quick change of tempo boost" card yet.

[Chacon]

Something in that town's water makes everyone paranoid

[ZYanksRule]

Simmons is right about the pitching staff. That's a lethal starting 5 for down the stretch

[NYYRocket]

Things will be good when Moose is our worry starter

[BRNXBMRS]

Bill Simmons and ESPN are a match made in heaven.

[MassNYYfan]

Something in that town's water makes everyone paranoid

Yeah, dirt.

[cupcollector99]

Why can't these people up here accept the fact that their team is good and they deserve to be in 1st place? It's like they don't know how to win or they don't like winning or would rather lose for the sake of losing. The "woe is me" bit must be encoded in the DNA of Sox fans.

[ScubaSteve]

Why can't these people up here accept the fact that their team is good and they deserve to be in 1st place? It's like they don't know how to win or they don't like winning or would rather lose for the sake of losing. The "woe is me" bit must be encoded in the DNA of Sox fans.

I think we're making more of this than it is. Fans are cognizant that there are 70+ games left in the season, and one 5 game losing streak changes the outlook considerably. Secondly, look at a lineup that contains a Jeter, Arod, Posada, Matsui, Abreu, Damon, etc tell me that it isn't a team that can make a charge. Then ask yourself if a team with pitchers that include Andy P, Wang, Clemens, Rivera and possibly Huges isn't capable of stringing a few wins together.

Now look at a team who's 3rd best starter is currently either Wakefield or Tavarez and whose sluggers are underperforming (somewhat). Fans are trying to be realistic. I don't think anyone is saying "well, the division is lost", they are just acknowledging the possibility that in 70 games a lead can be chipped away at.

Can you imagine the reactions here if everyone was saying that its over blah blah blah. We'd likely be saying "a lot of time left" and "they have no class, don't know how to win, they are not used to it".

I view it as tempered enthusiasm. Every Sox fan I talk to is very happy with their team but isn't ready to count the Yankees out entirely. Not because of ghosts or 1978, but because there are a lot of games left and there is plenty of talent on the Yankee roster, even if to date they have underachieved.

[DCfan]

I view it as tempered enthusiasm. Every Sox fan I talk to is very happy with their team but isn't ready to count the Yankees out entirely. Not because of ghosts or 1978, but because there are a lot of games left and there is plenty of talent on the Yankee roster, even if to date they have underachieved.

Exactly right. It certainly isn't that Red Sox fans want their team to lose.

[Rice14]

I think we're making more of this than it is. Fans are cognizant that there are 70+ games left in the season, and one 5 game losing streak changes the outlook considerably. Secondly, look at a lineup that contains a Jeter, Arod, Posada, Matsui, Abreu, Damon, etc tell me that it isn't a team that can make a charge. Then ask yourself if a team with pitchers that include Andy P, Wang, Clemens, Rivera and possibly Huges isn't capable of stringing a few wins together.

Now look at a team who's 3rd best starter is currently either Wakefield or Tavarez and whose sluggers are underperforming (somewhat). Fans are trying to be realistic. I don't think anyone is saying "well, the division is lost", they are just acknowledging the possibility that in 70 games a lead can be chipped away at.

Can you imagine the reactions here if everyone was saying that its over blah blah blah. We'd likely be saying "a lot of time left" and "they have no class, don't know how to win, they are not used to it".

I view it as tempered enthusiasm. Every Sox fan I talk to is very happy with their team but isn't ready to count the Yankees out entirely. Not because of ghosts or 1978, but because there are a lot of games left and there is plenty of talent on the Yankee roster, even if to date they have underachieved.

About sums it up for me.

[hobokenfish]

Why can't these people up here accept the fact that their team is good and they deserve to be in 1st place? It's like they don't know how to win or they don't like winning or would rather lose for the sake of losing. The "woe is me" bit must be encoded in the DNA of Sox fans.

Or maybe it's some Yankee fans who can't accept the fact that the Red Sox are in first place and are a good team? Why do we need to monitor what Boston fans are thinking about their team? Who cares. Let's worry about our own team. It makes me nauseous when I see threads like this, with people saying "Hey, Red Sox fans don't know what it's like to be in first place!" To me, these types of threads just seem like sour grapes.

[bobbymagee]

Or maybe it's some Yankee fans who can't accept the fact that the Red Sox are in first place and are a good team? Why do we need to monitor what Boston fans are thinking about their team? Who cares. Let's worry about our own team. It makes me nauseous when I see threads like this, with people saying "Hey, Red Sox fans don't know what it's like to be in first place!" To me, these types of threads just seem like sour grapes.

Something totally off topic:How are them fish in Hoboken?

[hobokenfish]

Something totally off topic:How are them fish in Hoboken?

Not bad, since they started cleaning up the Hudson.