Thoughts on the Red Sox-Yankees So Far

It's been tough to be a Red Sox fan the past couple of days.

Prior to yesterday, the Red Sox had been 9-0 against the New York Yankees. But you knew that wouldn't last forever. Nor would John Smoltz's tenure with the Bosox.

Smoltz was designated for assignment after giving up 8 runs on 9 hits over three and one third innings en route to a 13-6 whupping. In eight starts, Smoltz was 2-5 with an 8.33 ERA. It was a lot to ask the 42-year-old Smoltz to pitch like he was 32. It is possible that Smoltz could be sent to the minors but it is more likely that he will be traded or simply released.

Tonight was even more heartbreaking. As mentioned earlier I did not watch the entire game because I opted to see Love in concert in Cambridge. But I got a good seat at the bar and was in a position to both watch the game and listen to the music. I arrived at the Middle East Downstairs in the 8th inning. Love had finished its set by the 14th and I left in the 15th.

Perhaps I upset the balance of the universe. Because in the bottom of the 15th, Alex Rodriguez hit a two run homerun to give the Yankees a 2-0 victory. As the guy who runs the laundromat likes to say, "An A-bomb for A-Rod." Rodriguez hit the homerun off Junichi Tazawa who was making his major league debut. Well, welcome to the big leagues, kid.

Things are likely to get worse before they get better. "Big Papi" David Ortiz is expected to address the media tomorrow in light of the disclosure that he tested positive for PEDs in 2003.

Meanwhile, with four straight losses (two to the Yankees and two previous to the Tampa Bay Rays), the Red Sox are now 4½ games out of first place in the AL East. They now have the last third of the regular season to straighten themselves out which is, of course, far easier said than done.