The Red Sox have hit 8 grand slams this season. Half of them have come in September. Middlebrooks hit the first one of the month in the 20-4 annihilation of the Tigers. Napoli launched one in Yankee Stadium last weekend. Carp hit a 10th inning granny against the Rays. Most recently, Salty broke a 4-4 tie on Friday at home against the Yankees. This is all part of the Red Sox doing everything they can to put the bitter memories of Septembers 2011 and2012 so far behind them they seem like ancient history.
With their sweep of the Yankees and the Rays' loss this afternoon, the Red Sox' magic number has been whittled down to 4. This means they have the chance to clinch their first division title in 6 seasons as early as Wednesday. Clinching the AL East with more than a week to go in the regular season wouldn't mean the Sox can or should take their foot off the gas, however. The division winner gets 4 days off between the last game of the regular season and the first game of the ALDS, so there will be time for the players to rest. Building (or maintaining, as the case may be) momentum in the final week of the season is key to hitting the ground running in the postseason. Teams that let up too much after an early clinch have to find a way to ramp their intensity back up in short order for that first playoff series and nothing ramps up intensity like winning games going into that series. Given their current winning percentage, the Red Sox are on pace to win 98 games, matching their 2004 record. Unlike in 2004, 98 games would be more than enough to win the division. 98 wins won't guarantee anything in the playoffs (just ask the 2012 Washington Nationals), but clinching best record in the American League gives a team home field advantage throughout.
No comments:
Post a Comment