Sunday August 16, 2009 following their 4-3 loss at Texas, is the first time since April 21st that the Red Sox do not have a share of the wild-card or AL East lead. Does this mean that Red Sox nation should give up hope for the playoffs or a world series birth this year? Probably not. However, they should. Sorry Red Sox fans and band wagoners, your team simply is not going to make the playoffs this year with the emergence of the Rangers pitching staff and the dominance of the Yankees offense.
Now I assume most of the Boston fans are screaming and their faces are steaming with team colors and pride. But we have to look at match ups in the remaining schedule. The Red Sox have a tougher remaining schedule than the Wild Card leader Texas Rangers and the only other team with an outside chance in Tampa Bay, has a tougher remaining season schedule than either and it would be one of the more amazing stretch runs if they make it. The Red Sox have 20 games left against teams that are trying to make the playoffs, this of course comes with 6 games against all of Boston's beloved Johnny Damon and the New York Yankees, 6 games against newly acquired division rival Tampa Bay, who play tough at home, and 3 games with the Angels. Out of the 20 playoff type team games left, there are 8 interesting games between the White Sox and Red Sox. I'm not going to predict any winners from these games {insert 2005 playoff flashback here} but will be some of the most intriguing match ups of the season as Chicago has bolstered their hitting and pitching with the addition of Alexei Rios and SP Jake Peavy. Peavy has been rumored for a late August return or early September return and could be a factor. The White Sox are doing everything they can to try to win the Central this season.
Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers schedule only calls for 16 games with teams in the playoff hunt. They also have 6 games with Tampa Bay, only 3 more with the Yankees, and 7 games with division rival Los Angeles Angels. What gives Texas the benefit of the doubt is that they have 6 games remaining with the Mariners, 7 with Minnesota, 3 in Baltimore, and 7 against the lowly A's. That's a breezy 23 games for the Rangers whereas the Red Sox only have 9 breezy games left (5 vs Baltimore and 4 vs Kansas City).
After all this the Red Sox still has 10 games with mediocre teams (6 vs Toronto, 4 vs Cleveland). There are possibly two match ups with Roy "Doc" Halladay in these games (better hope Clay Buccholz is worth it), and Cleveland's offense can still move and get on base. Texas has 7 games with these two teams as well (4 vs Toronto, 3 vs Cleveland). Sorry Red Sox Nation, as we can see the schedule is not in favor of the Red Sox reclaiming the Wild Card or even the Division (Unless Josh Beckett pitches every game for the rest of the season).
