Not So Fast…

It’s taken all season, but finally there is reason for Red Sox fans to be excited-  the pitching staff, so praised throughout last off season has finally come together and pitched to its potential.  Josh Beckett and Jon Lester have been givens most of the season but now that Clay Buchholz has matched his hype and Daisuke Matsuzaka has (potentially) shown he is back to form, the Red Sox suddenly have a real chance in the upcoming playoffs.  It certainly didn’t look that way the first week of August when Boston was swept out of Yankee Stadium and mocked by fans and foes alike.  But before Hank Steinbrenner sets up plans for a victory parade at the Canyon of Heroes, realize there is still some baseball left to be played.  And with the pitching staff currently as hot as it is, The Sox have a real shot to neutralize New York’s Murderer’s Row lineup.  Yes, the Sox will have to get past their annual playoff opponent, the Los Angeles Angels.  But the last two nights at Fenway have shown that Boston appears to be in the Angels’ heads once again.  Add to that the fact that Brian Fuentes is by far the weakest closer among the American League playoff teams and the Angels could be in trouble.  If  it does come down to Red Sox-Yankees in the ALCS, don’t be so quick to crown the Yankees AL champs.  They have pitching problems now that the Sox had in mid-season.  Is A.J. Burnett up to the task?  Is Andy Pettitte healthy?  Will Joba Chamberlain contribute anything meaningful?  They can’t really answer those questions right now.  If Boston can start to win some games on the road it could make for a very interesting October.  Yankees fans’ worst nightmare is slowly unfolding-  the nemesis Sox are peaking as the playoffs near.  You can feel the nervousness emanating from the Bronx.  Stay tuned.