I never want to become one of those people who’s content to rest on laurels and past glories and demand nothing more of the Red Sox in years to come. But I have to be honest: these two losses to the Tigers — even last night’s infuriating, come back only to lose shitshow — just haven’t phased me. In fact, unlike some other largely unnecessary losses from this season, they haven’t caused the slightest rise in blood pressure or inspired even a passing thought of kicking out a window.
The reason is every time I see the Tigers take the field at Fenway, all I can think about is the 2013 ALCS.
Yes, like you, I found myself shaking a first at the TV when it became abundantly clear that Steven Wright’s knuckler wasn’t knuckling Monday night. But every time the camera panned to those Detroit unis in the outfield, my mind kept circling back to thoughts of Torii Hunter’s legs and Ortiz knocking one to Australia:
And once you go there, you have to go here:
And then here:
And, finally, here:
Again, I mean no disrespect to the current team. And I don’t want to spend my days wrapped up in the past. But we’ve already scored our greatest wins against the Tigers when we (and when I say “we,” I mean the entire city of Boston) needed it most. Anything above and beyond is gravy, and I’m sorry if I offend your competitive spirit.
Today, the Red Sox have a chance to take one from Detroit and save themselves the embarrassment of a sweep on home turf. Of course, I’ll be rooting for that W. But win or lose, I may just rewatch the Lackey-Verlander match-up in game three of the 2013 ALCS.
