I know baseball has a 162 game season, and it's always dangerous to overemphasize the importance of a single game.  However, without intending to be overly hyperbolic, I really do think that today's make-up game against the Tigers may be an important game for the Sox playoff chances in 2008 -- perhaps even in the top 20-25 of all of the games they will play this year.

Think about it:  If the Sox win, they will have made a "statement" to their fans, the media and the rest of the league that they are serious about competing for a division title this year.  What a confidence boost that would be!  What a great message to send to the younger players!  If they lose, on the other hand, the rest of the division will certainly gain confidence.  They may even begin to think that the Sox may lack the heart to gut it out and win a relatively important game -- that they lack the discipline to want it bad enough, if you will.

Look, I know it's early and there is still 1/162nds of the season (nearly 1%) left.  I'm sure a lot of you so-called "statheads" and "logic freaks" will disagree with this post.  But to me (and I fully acknowledge that I speak only for myself here), this is just "one of those games" that it is important for the Sox to win if they want to make the playoffs in 2008.