The Red Sox managed to take game 3 against the Yankees to avoid a sweep. Baseball is a funny game. Your team loses one night and all you see are problems; a win the next day and everything seems brighter. So here’s 4 positive thoughts*:
- The Yankees are on a role. The Red Sox have been sputtering on and off the field. Yet the Red Sox could have easily won 2 out of 3. Game 1 was an even pitching match-up that could have gone to either team. The Yankees got the breaks and took the game. The game 2 pitching match-up favored the Yankees, and they won going away. The game 3 pitching match-up favored the Sox, and they took the game easily.
- Beckett and Lester would be the game 1 and 2 starters for Boston in any playoff series, and they both looked sharp.
- Watching Ortiz run the bases he looks healthier than he has in a very long time. He also looks less rusty than I would have expected. Perhaps the injury is a blessing in disguise and he’ll be ready to mash for the stretch run.
- Ellsbury was 3-4 in Sunday’s victory over the Yankees. If Ellsbury is starting to get hot, if Jed Lowrie can add a little pop from short along with the return of Ortiz, well, maybe the Sox lineup is good enough to carry the carcass of Jason Varitek’s bat.
And what if Varitek starts hitting? Nah, positive thinking only goes so far. Let’s not get crazy.
* Ignoring the loss to the Angels Monday night, of course. As far as Manny, I’ll bother to worry when he stops hitting.