A First Step!

The Red Sox became the first team to punch their playoff ticket with their win last night. That's a pretty impressive feat, to be the first. It's one thing to maybe have a big lead in a weak division. But, to clinch a playoff spot, you have to be better than like four other teams. To be that far ahead of all those teams that you clinch first...in the beginning of September no less...that means you're pretty good.

Does it mean anything other than that? Not really. Because the playoff spot that has been clinched is about the worst playoff spot there is. The visiting team in the Wild Card game. 

Yuck.

So, the beat needs to go on. This needs to just be a step towards the clinching that the Sox do want. Clinching the division. Clinching home field. Clinching the World Series. Those are the ones that matter.

Which is why there wasn't a celebration last night. Personally, I've never been one to regulate celebrations. It doesn't ever think they celebrated an achievement too much. I don't care if they spray champagne to celebrate an April series victory. But i do think there's something to realizing that there's more. Clinching a playoff spot isn't a time to relax and sit back enjoying a job well done. It's a time to press on and keep climbing higher.

So, on to win 100! 

36 Pack Wax Match: Pack 32

The Stage has been set. The Match is underway. Who will come out on top? There’s only one way to find out.

Keep going, and open that thirty-second pack!

As we dive into this pack, 1990 is hoping to extend the series lead after a victory in pack 31. It's getting to the point where it can close out the match noon. Can it do it with this pack? Let's see!

Yankees -2

 Yeah, not the way to start things off. The great Ron Kittle drops 1988 right into the negative values.

Red Sox +2

Thank goodness for the Red Sox! This Steve Crawford card brings the pack back to zero. I don't think Crawford is amused with that development.

He'll be even less impressed with the fact that the scoring ends there! With zero points. Can that possibly be enough?

Red Sox +2

Rob Murphy says, "I don't think so!" As he glares at the 1988 pack, he assures everyone that his pack will come out on top.

Which is exactly what happens! The scoring ends with 1990 in positive points! That's enough to win the pack!

Box Bottom: 1988 +1 (1-0)

Pack 1:  1990 +6 (1-1)
Pack 2:  1990 +4 (2-1)
Pack 3:  1988 +3 (2-2)
Pack 4:  1990 +1 (3-2)
Pack 5:  1990 +1 (4-2)
Pack 6:  1988 +2 (3-4)
Pack 7:  1988 +3 (4-4)
Pack 8:  TIE   +0 (4-4)
Pack 9:  1990 +2 (5-4)
Pack 10: 1990 +4 (6-4)
Pack 11: 1990 +4 (7-4)
Pack 12: 1990 +1 (8-4)
Pack 13: 1990 +5 (9-4)
Pack 14: 1988 +3 (5-9)
Pack 15: 1988 +2 (6-9)
Pack 16: 1988 +3 (7-9)
Pack 17: 1990 +3 (10-7)
Pack 18: 1988 +2 (8-10)
Pack 19: 1988 +3 (9-10)
Pack 20: 1990 +2 (11-9)
Pack 21: TIE   +0 (11-9)
Pack 22: 1990 +2 (12-9)
Pack 23: 1988 +2 (10-12)
Pack 24: TIE   +0 (10-12)
Pack 25: 1988 +3 (11-12)
Pack 26: TIE   +0 (11-12)
Pack 27: TIE   +0 (11-12)
Pack 28: 1988 +1 (12-12)
Pack 29: TIE   +0 (12-12)

Pack 30: 1990 +1 (13-12)
Pack 31: 1990 +3 (14-12)
Pack 32: 1990 +2 (15-12)

Another win by 1990 would seal the match!


What will happen next time?

Magic Number Drops to Eleven!

Oh, sure. This weekend didn't go exactly as planned for the Red Sox. I would have much preferred winning the series 2-1 as opposed to losing it by that margin. But, in the end it doesn't really matter. If they can pick up the pace a bit for the rest of the homestand, thy'll but the division to bed very quickly.

Is there anything you can take away from the series? Sure.

Apparently, the Astros are a terrible baseball team. I was at the ballgame on Saturday along with, apparently, half of Houston. Every time the Astros made a catch that took more than three steps, the Astros fans erupted in cheers. Or, if a pitcher struck out a Red Sox batter, standing ovation. A home run, and you'd worry about the stability of Fenway Park with all the hooting and hollering. So, clearly, these aren't things the Astros are expected to do, or things their fans are accustomed to seeing. I hope the Red Sox never trade Jackie Bradley to Houston...they may all explode with excitement his first game.

The popular narrative following the series is that it proves just how bad the Red Sox bullpen is, and how it will kill them in the playoffs against quality teams. A quality team just like the Astros. But, as I've mentioned time and time again, bullpens are just tricky like that. The Red Sox have bludgeoned other teams' bullpens as well. Even other playoff teams. Even in this series. For instance, in the three games the Red Sox bullpen was responsible for two blown saves, and a loss. The amazing Astros pen was charged with...a blown save and a loss. Not exactly bone and spirit crunching. So, as I've been saying...The Sox bullpen may cost the Red Sox a game in a series. But, so will their opponent's. It's just a matter of which team takes advantage better.

David Price's performance was certainly encouraging. Pretty sure there's nothing you can take away from him with that start. He was against a playoff team. They weren't on their getaway day. Fairly certain it was their regular lineup. This was him pitching really well against a really good team. If he keeps this up, I really like the Red Sox chances.

So, basically, from here on out, the Red Sox just need to sweep the Yankees. If they do that, they don't have to win another game the rest of the season. 

But, I'm pretty sure they may pick up another one or two wins along the way.

Kara Jutras Visits Section 36!

Section 36 has another visitor! Kara Jutras is a musician, a Red Sox fan, and the current Miss Portsmouth Area. I’m thrilled she was

nice enough to take some time out of her schedule to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading everything she had to say!

So, let’s see what happens when Kara Jutras visits Section 36!

How did you celebrate being crowned Miss Portsmouth Area?

I celebrated being Miss Portsmouth Area by going out to Fratello’s Restaurant with my family!

How did you select your platform, “We need to Communicate! Supporting Hearing Parents of Deaf Children”?

I chose my platform, “We Need to Communicate! Supporting

Hearing Parents of Deaf Children” because I fell in love with the deaf world after taking an American Sign Language class in college. Although I am not fluent in ASL, I feel as though I am able to communicate enough to get to know the members of the Deaf Community (which is a fabulous community might I add!)

For the talent portion of the competition, you both sing and play guitar. How do you decide which song to perform?

I love singing and playing guitar and it is seriously so hard to pick a song to sing! County is my favorite genre but you don’t see a lot of that in pageants. However, being different is good and keeps things interesting! I chose the song Jolene, by Dolly Parton to sing at Miss New Hampshire. It was a song that I could sing confidently with some attitude and really engage the audience.

Is there a goal you’d like to accomplish during your time as Miss Portsmouth Area?

My goal as Miss Portsmouth Area is to really get to know my community. I am looking forward to meeting a lot of kids in the area and getting them involved. Portsmouth also has a very large Deaf Community, so I am excited to do a lot aimed at my platform!

You recently returned from a trip to Italy. What was that experience like?

My trip to Italy was fantastic. It was so amazing to experience a

different country as it was my first time out of the USA! And the food – to die for! I traveled to Rome, Florence, Perugia and Assisi, all of which were breathtaking. I would love to go back some day!

If you had an extra ticket to Section 36 to watch the Red Sox, who would you bring with you?

If I had an extra ticket to Section 36 to watch the Red Sox, I would bring one of my brothers! They are huge baseball fans and love to both watch and play.

Who is your favorite current Red Sox player? Why?

My favorite current Red Sox player is David Price as he is an outstanding pitcher!

How will the Red Sox finish the 2018 season?

I think (and hope) the Red Sox will take this season home! I’ll be rooting for them!

—-

I’m not going to argue with that. Not with this team.

As always, I want to give huge thanks to Kara for doing this interview. I also want to thank her for providing so many amazing pictures to accompany the interview. They make it a lot more fun for everyone.

As Kara continues her time as Miss Portsmouth Area, I encourage you to follow her on her official Miss Portsmouth Area Facebook page. It’ll be lots of fun!

I also want to wish Kara the best of luck this spring as she competes for the Miss New Hampshire crown! It would be incredible to have another Section 36 visitor take home that title! 

Thanks again Kara, and good luck!

Even When They Try to Lose They Win

OK. So I'm sure that the Red Sox weren't actively trying to lose the game yesterday afternoon. But, as much as Alex Cora talked about the all stars and high draft picks on the field, they weren't exactly trying to win the game either. Cora has made it clear that he's not going to miss a chance to give some guys a break if they need it. So, the chance to rest his regulars for two full days before the Astros series was an easy call for him. And it was the right one, even if it meant losing one game on September 5.

Of course, they went out and won the game anyway. There are so many amazing stories that come out of that, I can't possibly hit them all. But here are a few of the bigger ones.

When David Price had his dominant start against the Indians a couple weeks ago, some saw it as a huge win for him against a playoff team. Others insisted that the win didn't mean anything because it was getaway day for the Indians. They already had their bags packed and were thinking about their in-flight meals. Shutting them down wasn't a big deal, or any kind of achievement. So, apply that logic to yesterday's game. The Sox had their bags packed. They were down huge late in the game. Easy one to just fold up and get out of town with a series win. But, they didn't. They came back huge to tie the game. Then they fell behind again. Then the came back AGAIN in the ninth inning. Of a getaway game. Against a playoff team. Yeah, that was impressive.

So, maybe the Sox can, in fact, hit their way out of an early deficit...even against a "playoff" team. Because that was the knock, right? Sure you can come back against the Orioles. But, not a good team. Well, that's now two playoff bullpens (after the Yankees game earlier this season) who the Red Sox have knocked around to come back when trailing big. This time, they didn't even need their big guns, as Betts, Bogaerts, and Martinez went 0-1 with a walk combined in the game. So, doesn't that put the "comeback" in play come playoff time too? Doesn't this mean that the mythical "playoff bullpen" is just that? A myth? The Sox can come back against any bullpen. They've shown they can.

Doesn't the game also show that a playoff bullpen can blow a lead? I know, I just said that. But...this is another angle. All season, people have been pointing to the bullpen as the Sox fatal flaw. A team can't expect to advance in the playoffs with a bullpen that blows games. Right? Well, that's now a second team that the Sox were supposed to worry about that has a bullpen that blows games. Huge. So, maybe the Sox bullpen isn't as much "fatal flaw" as "the definition of a bullpen". Sure, the Sox might lose a game because of their pen. But, chances are, so will the team that they're playing. It's an even playing field, not an advantage other teams have.

So, at this point the division starts to look pretty comfortable. The Sox hold a 9.5 game lead over the Yankees, thanks to their loss last night. That means, with 21 games remaining the magic number is 13. Simple math tells you that the Sox just need to go 13-8 to take care of the division themselves. Considering their current .688 season winning percentage, that's not exactly a crazy thought. But, say they Sox stumble, or rest more players, and only go 10-11 the rest of the way? That means the Yankees would need to go 20-2 the rest of the season to tie for the lead. Yeah, that's a pretty big hill. Possible? I guess. Probable? Not even a little bit.

Which is why this last month will be so much fun!