This weekend was really one of the most depressing Sox series' I can remember. For those who watched all three games, you know why, but examining it a little further...
- The Sox held leads in all three games.
- The Sox scored first in all three games.
- The Sox left 21 on base during the three game set, the main perpetraters being Jim Thome, who left seven men on, and Joe Crede, who left eight men on (seven alone on Sunday).
And, if the nail hasn't quite hit your heart yet, the Sox face off against Detroit for three at home, for what would've been a crucial series, had the Sox been able to take but ONE in Oakland. Instead...
- The Sox need to sweep. There's no getting around this. Everybody knows it.
- The Sox send arguably their two most inconsistent pitchers of the second half, Freddy Garcia and Mark Buehrle, to the bump for the first two games of the set.
- Detroit, on the other hand, sends a starter that owns a 1.00 ERA his year against us, a starter that has seemingly regained his step, with a 3.44 ERA in September, along with arguably their best pitcher on the staff, Jeremy Bonderman.
- Did I mention that the Sox need to sweep? And that a sweep wouldn't even put them in a tie for the playoffs?
- On a personal note, I declined taking the train down from Milwaukee to see this game, despite having great club level seats. It's sad, really; I've been looking forward to this one game since July, and, the Sox play has depressed me so much that I don't even feel it's worth it to spend $40 round-trip to see them play.