Red Sox: That’s life for the Saturday meltdown against Yankees
By Rick McNair
The Boston Red Sox Saturday meltdown means just move on
The beauty of sports and baseball was clearly on display at Fenway Park on a bleak (for Boston Red Sox fans) Saturday game. The Red Sox gave it away.
The main culprit was Adam Ottavino who manager Alex Cora has trusted with a setup role to get to closer Matt Barnes. This is a high leverage position and is one that is earned by trust and a solid track record of doing the job. Ottavino melted like an ice cube in the desert sun.
On social media, the response has been similar to being accused of witchcraft in 1692 Salem, Massachusetts. Ottavino is not facing any trials – yet. I still do not rule out the potential for tar and feathers a tradition that Massachusetts residents practiced with the King’s tax collections prior to that little dust-up that created our independence.
The game was a classic what goes around. On Thursday, the Yankees tossed – and I do mean tossed – one away with a volley of wild pitches. Jubilant Red Sox Nation enjoyed the moment only to have roles reversed on Saturday. A moment to play Grand Funk Railroads “Heartbreaker” instead of Sweet Caroline.
Ottavino was the culprit. He failed miserably. Ottavino did not feel the mystical force trotting around the ballpark in bare feet prior to the game. This happens. Ottavino will keep his role, place the game in the dark recesses of his mind, and like Cora and his teammates just move on.
Since I am in a musical mood, just think “That’s Life” by Sinatra. To paraphrase: “You’re riding high on Thursday, and shot down on Saturday.”
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Younger Red Sox fans rank very low on the misery index. They have been riding high since 2004. No Bucky Dent. No Mookie Wilson. No Aaron Boone. No 1949 tragedy. And those are just a few select samples. Since then it has been almost all Boston. The Fellowship of the Miserable is history unless the current crowd wishes to have it resurface?
For Red Sox fans the Yankees are the enemy. Crazy incidents like Alex Verdugo getting hit by a fan tossing a baseball becomes an ex post facto for all Yankee sins of the past. Somehow we overlook our own abhorrent behaviors.
Was this game a watershed? Will the Red Sox go into a tailspin of epic proportions? That was also applied to the Yankees post-Thursday evening. All warts and imperfections were being highlighted on Yankee boards ad nauseam. Now the return volley has taken place.
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Players have been in situations like that game all their baseball lives. Errors, a wild pitch bonanza, hanging a slider, fishing for a pitch somewhere in another time zone off the plate, a brain freeze by a manager, and the list just can go on. Players will dwell on it especially if they were the centerpiece, but then move on. Baseball is game upon game with minimal time to reflect upon personal Faux Pas. That is exactly what the fans need to do.