Red Sox Fans Holding Their Breath

For the time being it appears that Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett have stopped the bleeding Red Sox.

After dropping six of seven games – and four in a row – Schilling took the mound Thursday night and flung a one-hitter against the pesky Oakland As, who had spanked the Sox on Boston’s initial three games on their current road trip.

It’s the third time this season that Schilling has put a halt to a Sox losing streak, twice winning in the wake of back-to-back losses, and Thursday’s gem that snapped the team’s season-high, four-game losing streak.

Schilling 8-2/3 inning, no-hitter was followed by yet another quality start by Beckett, who now sports a won-loss record of 9-0.

But – with the New York Yankees apparently righting themselves, having racked up six consecutive victories, one by the returning Roger Clemens – Bosox fans are praying that the team’s track record during the last two weeks isn’t yet another harbinger of things to come.

A Poor Track Record

In the wake of Boston’s near-miraculous comeback to take the 2004 American League championship on their march to the franchise’s first World Series title in 86 years, the Sox tanked their efforts both in 2005 and 2006.

In 2005, with both Schilling and former closer Keith Foulke injured and ineffective for virtually the entire season, the team tanked badly in the Divisional Playoffs, losing three straight to the White Sox. Then in 2006 the Olde Towne Team didn’t even make the playoffs. Their season went down the chute in August, capped by a horrific sweep at the hands of the Bronx Bombers. They were lucky to break the .500 mark.

Those two ineffective and supremely disappointing seasons are the type of train wrecks Red Sox Nation has come to expect over the years.

Playing Above Their Heads?

Generally speaking, this season the Sox have played up to their expectations – sort of.

First baseman Kevin Youkilis has been superb. Ditto for rookie second baseman Dustin Pedroia. Third baseman Mike Lowell has likewise been swinging a big bat, though his fielding has suddenly become suspect. And designated hitter David Ortiz is once more shaping up as the Big Papi Sox fans have grown to love and rely on.

But Manny Ramirez has had a slow start, while newcomers Julio Lugo (shortstop) and rightfielder J.D. Drew have proven huge underachievers. And centerfielder Coco Crisp is again experiencing a woeful season at bat, as well.

Although Schilling (7-2) and Beckett (9-0) have been huge on the mound, knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (5-6) has been ineffective of late after a fast start. And Boston’s biggest off-season acquisition, Japanese righthander Daisuke Matsuzaka (7-5 with a 4.52 ERA, and 85 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings) has experienced control problems during his initial major league season. His biggest enemy are bases on balls.

The Sox sent ailing lefty Jon Lester (recovering from cancer) back to the minors this week, opting to have him start a couple more International League contests before working him into their starting rotation. In the meantime, Julian Tavares has held down the fifth slot in the starting rotation. Even though Tavares has pitched credibly, he still sports an earned run average of nearly five runs per nine innings.

In the bullpen, Jon Papelbon remains a consistent closer, and has blown but a single save. Japanese lefthander Hideki Okajima has proven himself as a premiere set up man, with a 2-0 won-loss record and four saves. The remainder of the Sox bullpen also looks solid.

But with the Yankees seemingly righting themselves of late, learned Sox fans are looking over their shoulders. Even with a 9-1/2 game lead in the AL East, they know never to count out the hated New Yorkers.

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