Sunday, June 17, 2007

Gino's Rebuttal

Statistics do not lie. However, when dealing with hand-wringing xenophobes of the Red Sox nation Percentages do not mean anything if they’re wearing pinstripes.

Understand this, as a Philly fan I have no sympathy for any person from Boston. None. It is amusing that it is now in vogue to be a Red Sox fan carrying the underdog moniker with pride. I enjoy watching the Bosox and the reasons are simple. They play great ball, they have great players, a great ballpark, even a great stretch song…I mean come on, Sweet Caroline would only be played at retirement centers if it wasn’t for Fenway. But I am so sick and tired of the “glass half empty” drivel that spews from their media outlets.

The Yankees are 8.5 back on June 18, 2007. They have had a great 2 weeks in June. SO WHAT…they played at home, they beat up the reeling White Sox, swept the AAA Pirates and an exhausted Arizona team (who just played their guts out to get 2 out of 3 in Fenway) and roughed up the Mets who are in a funk. So HERE COME THE YANKEES, yeah right. They are currently 3 games above .500. In order for them to win the AL East they will have to post a .779 winning percentage in the second half of the season. This has only been accomplished ONCE in the last 109 years. The problem with that is it happened in 1978, almost 30 years ago but close enough that we can remember it. I could bore you with more stats utilizing the power rankings and road travel records on west coast trips lasting longer than 6 days but it wouldn’t make a difference. Bottom line is they have Oakland, Minnesota, LAA, and Toronto in July. Their pitching will not hold up to win the nearly 80% of games it will take to get in.

The Red Sox had two weeks of offensive struggles. Tito knew it was coming and they weathered the storm. They now have Texas and Tampa Bay at home. They have 17 out of 27 at Fenway in July and six out of the ten away games are at KC and Baltimore.

Relax Sox fans. Theo will take you to the Promised Land. Detroit, Cleveland, and Anaheim will not let you down. I stand by my prediction. Unless there is a resurrection of the Son of Sam and Billy Martin, the Bronx will not be burning come this October.

3 comments:

nikki said...

Gino -
let me just say that I've known Rik a looonnggg time! and there' is something that you may not know about him...
while statistics may not lie they are not the issue at hand. you are dealing with a case of undiagnosed PTSD - post traumatic sox disorder - (I know of which I speak, I am a fellow sufferer). Statistics are not the friend of the RSN - Red Sox Nation...fans can quote box scores from decades ago. PTSD stems from watching our beloved Sox find yet another way to lose it all against the maligned pin striped team who will not be named...ptooey.
There is no cure for this disease. Moving across the country to Chicago, Miami or even round the world to Germany cannot cure this. It must be humored and never belittled with statistics. We are a sick bunch, the RSN, "good times never seemed so good, oh I've been inclined to believe it never would." Sweet Caroline - our anthem, our hymn...Big Papi don't let us down!

Anonymous said...

Now how come Rik never introduced me to YOU! Rik...you suck

Rik said...

Nikki: Couldn't have said it better myself. <3333333...