Eating the Twinkies And Battling For Second

Now that the Red Sox went into New York and took three out of four games using a decimated roster, we can start closing the book on the 2006 season. Barring a miracle, we will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2002 – which, believe it or not, is also the longest we’ve had to “wait” in team history between not making the playoffs.
Up tonight are the Minnesota Twins, who roll into town a game behind the feel-good story of the season, the Detroit Tigers. The Twins also hold a comfortable wild-card lead over the Chicago White Sox (who are in the midst of hosting the Tigers) of four games as of the first pitch between the ChiSox and Tigers last night.
It’s a bit sad that we’re reduced to playing spoiler, but we are – we can spoil the Twins’ divisional title hopes this series, and even make their fans gnaw their frostbitten fingers off as they attempt to hold off the White Sox for the wild card if all breaks right.
Matt Garza, who will eventually become the righty hand of the Neo-Big Three (Johan Santana and Francisco Liriano the others, and trumping the former Big Three of the A’s in all facets) will oppose Tim Wakefield. Boof Bonser, the forgotten man in the Joe Nathan/Francisco Liriano/Bonser for A.J. Pierzynski filching (by the Twins, of course) then takes the hill against Curt Schilling, who we haven’t seen since August 30. (As an aside, I think it speaks a lot to the character of Curt Schilling to make a determined comeback from a strained lat muscle after the Red Sox have basically been left dead in the water for the pleasure of playing in October.)
Then the marquee matchup on Thursday pits likely Cy Young winner Johan Santana (18-5, 2.77) against Josh Beckett (15-10, 5.02). Tune in for this game.
After the Twins, we head to Toronto to play the Blue Jays in what will be a pivotal four-game series. Since we will not have Skydome-bashing Manny Ramirez (Rogers Centre-bashing just doesn’t have the same flair) in the lineup, this series is not as in hand as we usually think it is. Starting off with Julian Tavarez against Ted Lilly (to don a Sox uniform next year?), we will be battling for first place.
We will also be seeing Tim Wakefield and Curt Schilling this series, along with a new face probable for the second game. Supplanting Kevin Jarvis will be either Kason Gabbard or Devern Hansack. Hansack, who clinched the AA finals for the Portland Sea Dogs on Monday, comes up as a 28-year old who had been out of professional baseball for two years. Impressing with a 8-7 record and 3.26 ERA (124/36 K/BB) in AA, Hansack is getting a shot in the majors. It’s also believed Hansack will audition in his appearances for a spot as a middle reliever in Boston next year.
A scant one and a half game separates us from Toronto. That’s it. We can either split this series and have it go down to the wire, or we can blow Toronto out and assure that we stay in second. (If we’re not in first, I want to at least be in second – and no, not being in first does not mean you are in last.)
If Toronto beats us upside down the head … we may finish in first for the first time since 1997’s fourth-place finish in Jimy Williams’ first year at the helm of the BoSox.
After that, we see a two-gamer hosting the Devil Rays, an off-day, then a sad final series hosting Baltimore for three games before the 2007 season officially closes on the Red Sox.
After the Twins and the Blue Jays, we will likely have nothing more to amp up for or get excited about, so enjoy it while you can. Because a long winter awaits.