So, I've come up with the following 2 scenarios for this year's Buckner-esque Red Sox exit from the baseball playoffs: 1. The Red Sox, hoping against hope down 0-2 in a 5 game series fight back to tie the series against Oakland and force a game 5, nearly blow the win in the bottom of the ninth of the final game to survive to the ALCS, only to be swept by the Yankees. I call this the sound and fury option as it is a classic tale of never giving up, only to have it not matter that you did. Like all Red Sox games in October, it signifies nothing. 2. The Red Sox, hoping against hope down 0-2 in a 5 game series fight back to tie the series against Oakland and force a game 5, nearly blow the win in the bottom of the ninth of the final game to survive to the ALCS, finally beat the Yankees when it counts to make the World Series, only to lose to the Cubs. I call this the Harry Carey's cosmic F.U. option, as the only team less able to do anything remotely victorious in the month of October than the Red Sox is the Cubs, a team that has spent the last 95 years incapable of winning even the little league world series. A clear case of Harry Carey pulling the strings now that he's signing "Take me out to the ball game" during the 7th inning stretch at the big ball park in the sky. If there is a more painful option, please post it.
Yankees take a commanding 3-1 series lead but the Sox rally to tie the series at 3 a piece. In the deciding game at Yankee Stadium, Red Sox fall behind early, but they remain resilient, and an Ortiz homer in the top of the 9th puts the Sox ahead by one. Now, it's bottom of the 9th, men on 2 and 3rd, two outs. Soriano sends a routine grounder to first base, ending the season for the Yank... wait, the ball goes through Kevin Millar's legs! Both runners score, Yankees advance to the World Series.
Sox get two or three game advantage out of the gate, then the Yanks sweep 'em. In the last game, the Sox blow a six-run lead and lose in extra innings. Crowd at Jillian's in Boston shown live on Fox drowning their sorrows in purple Kool-Aid. Film at 11.
the ghost of Babe Ruth comes out of the ether, bats 4th in the Sox lineup, and smashes 8 homers in 4 games to lead to a Sox sweep. After the series, as he fades back into the netherworld, the babe can be heard to mutter "ok? good enough? now leave me alone.". eff you, wank-ees.
How about this: Their ace, pitching without his best stuff, headhunts some career .250 hitter after giving up some go-ahead runs. To make matters worse, one of their star position players over-reacts to a pitch over both his head and the plate, and charges the mound. Stir in a septagenarian body-slam and a bipolar grounds-keeper, and voilà: the sawks lose the only thing they had a chance of winning this year: support of fans outside of New England against the Evil Empire. In fact, they dork-up the whole "kids from out of nowhere who just might go all the way" angle to such an extent that they make the Yankees easier to root for. The New York Yankees . Oh yeah: punks fold meekly in 6. The only thing better than 85 years of Red Sox futility: an 86th.
Yankees hire that poor schmo from Chicago to sit out in the right field stands - front row, of course - to give a little assistance to a Jason Giambi warning track fly ball in the bottom of the ninth in game 7... (Seeing as how the poor kid will never be able to get another job in Chicago again...)
It isn't a jinx, it is a Curse, the darned Curse of the Bambino. As a New Hampshire native, I have lived with it my entire life as a BoSox fan. Please, please, please let this be the year the pain ends. 4-0 in elimination games so far, but game 7 in Yankee stadium will be by far the hardest game the BoSox play this year.
Most painful way? Roger Clemens beating Pedro Martinez with a brilliant pitching performance in Game 7 after the Bosox came back to win Game 6.
The Red Sox score 27 runs in the first inning of game 7. And then it starts raining in the second inning and the game has to be cancelled.
I know if Boston beats the Yankees in tonight's Game 7, the so-called "Red Sox Nation" will be in absolute bliss. BUT... the so-called "Curse" would not be officially lifted until the Sox win a World Series. And while Florida will no doubt be an underdog to whoever wins the ALCS, they are nothing to sneeze at the way they've been playing. And they have a catcher who has a good knowledge of the hitters on both the Sox and Yankees after years in the American League.
Somebody pulls the Bambinos finger in the bottom of the 9th. The Babe cuts one, Jeter smacks a three run homer to extend the curse. Gut wrenching.......
It would be kind of fun if the long and storied history of the franchise known for a century as the Florida Marlins managed to write yet another glorious chapter in its long, long annal by this time managing to dash the hopes and dreams of every boy and girl; every man and woman that has ever called themself a fan of either young upstart program known as the Chicago Cubs or the Boston Red Sox both in one post season.
Just doesn't seem right. I mean, they already did it to the freaking Cleveland Indians. The same Indians that were so good in an era behind the Yankees, so they never smelled the playoffs, then sucked for decades...then bamm! The Marlins beat them in seven, in extra innings. Joe Table ain't ever been the same. Besides, game seven in Miami? Please, and that all-star means something now is a joke, too. Best record shoud have home field advantage, period.
Most painful playoff exit? I think we just found it. That's why we're the Yankees and you're not. Clap, Clap. Dude is hitting .125 in the post season and jacks a homer to win the game. Red Sox were 5 outs away, only to blow the lead and send themselves home for the season. Absolutely Brilliant. I actually feel bad for wakefield, he was great in 2 games and was the only reason why the Sox were in game 6 to begin with. Cruel Red Sox twist of fate that he of all people, a career Sox player, has to take the bullet. On a side note, I think Boone just got a contract extension.
Pedro..... Pedro.... Pedro.... YOU SUCK! DAMN, My heart just stopped racing. That was one wild ride. Thankfully the Yanks pulled it off. I take back every bad thing I ever said about Boone. Did you see the look on his brothers face when he drove the ball out of the park? He looked like he wanted to jump up and down screaming. Joe Buck was watching him and thinking, go ahead.
I couldn't believe they let Pedro stay out there that long, and it cost them the series. Dumb dumb dumb. Actually, Wakefield came up with the Pirates and was there for several years.
Fixed my own damned post. Congratulations, Boston. Though it's little comfort, you @#$%s played a @#$% of a series.
Great game. You know as soon as I saw Pedro wasn't gonna get the win I thought to myself, "At least that jerkoff *#*#*#*#ed it up." But when Boone hit that homerun I had the biggest goddamn grin on my face. Thank you Boone. Boston, you will never win.
I'll take "Sox have the game won but that idiot Little doesn't turn the game over to his bullpen and costs them the series" for 100, Alex.