Today’s Game Has That “Winner Takes All” Mentality!

After splitting the first two games of the series in Texas.  The Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers are both desperately seeking a victory in the finale of their series.  As both teams are counting on their youth movement to guide them to a victory.  Since on the mound for Boston will be the 23 year old youngster, Junichi Tazawa (1-1).  While the Rangers counter by sending 28 year old Dustin Nippert, who’s 3-1 on the season.

Today’s game has that “winner takes all” mentality!  Since not only does a victory give either team the series victory.  More importantly it means they’ll walk away with the lead in the AL Wild Card race.  Which for Boston could mean they’ll have a much needed game and a half lead in that race.  Or for Texas, it means they’ll finally take the lead for the wild card, by a slight half game lead, after today.

Who needs it more?  At this point in time I’d have to say it’s the Sox, since they find themselves currently 7 1/2 games behind the NY Yankees, in the AL East standings.  Here’s a quick note for all you Red Sox Nation fans, even if the Sox lose it’s not time to hit the panic button.  Well not yet, anyways! 

Since if you look back in time on this date five years ago today.  It would bring you back to 2004, to the year the Sox won their first World Series title in 86 years.  But more importantly you’d see that the Sox were actually 10 games behind the Yankees.  While they were deadlocked in the wild card race, with the Rangers as they both had a 65-52 record.  So it’s pretty much just like they currently are at this point in time.

If that didn’t cheer you up, then hopefully this little piece of news will.  As it brings me great pleasure to announce that Kevin Youkilis, will be serving the final game of his five game suspension, this afternoon.  Meaning he’ll be back on the diamond and in the line-up come Tuesday evening.  When the Sox open up a three game series in Toronto, with the Toronto Blue Jays!