Posted on 09/29/2011 7:43:01 AM PDT by doug from upland
BOSTON - Move over, Bucky Dent. Step aside, Bill Buckner. Make room, incredibly, for Jonathan Papelbon.
The star closer is the stunned symbol of the latest Red Sox collapse. This one lasted a month and finally ended when there were no more games left to lose.
Rays, Cardinals clinch playoff spots
"This is just maybe the worst situation that I ever have been involved in my whole career," designated hitter David Ortiz said. "It's going to stay in a lot of people's minds for a while."
No team has blown a bigger lead in September — a nine-game margin through Sept. 3 — and missed the playoffs. Boston went 6-18 after that and did not win consecutive games at any point in the month.
Stunning.
"This is one for the ages, isn't it?" general manager Theo Epstein said, a blank stare on his face.
CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler says this year's collapse is as bad as it gets, because there's not one moment and not one villain.
"There's an entire group that spent four months masquerading as the best team in baseball, or one agonizing month masquerading as perhaps the worst," Knobler writes.
Boston began play Wednesday tied with Tampa Bay in the AL wild card race. But the Red Sox lost to the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 when Papelbon, who had blown just one save before this month, blew his second in September, allowing two runs in the ninth.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Go Rays!
This is just our reward for letting the Bruins best our Lightning last post-season.
And it’s amusing that the biggest oops that led to their decline was a former Ray dropping a pop fly (Crawford).
Could not happen to a better city.
Have the Red Sox fans given Robert Andino a new middle name yet?
Second best. At no point of the season were they a better team than Philly.
Couldn't happen to a bigger bunch of choking dogs.
Snicker...
And it is a very thick book.
Any comment yet from John F. Kerry’s favorite player, Manny Ortiz?
Yankees hadn't lost a game leading by 7 runs in the 8th inning since 1953.
Both happened on the last night of season to keep the Red Sox out of the playoffs.
The Detroit Tigers had a huge collapse a few years ago.
Wrong. It could have been the Yankees. Go Tigers!
Hmmm, I question the timing! Would the Yankees serve up a hanging curve ball to put the final nail in the Sox coffin? you betcha!
Tom, time for an update.
In all seriousness though, it is pretty disturbing that a 40-something year old guy with a wife and kids and a good job, would actually get so wrapped up in his sports the way he does. He's 40 and he wears Red Sox shirts and Patriots jersies to work! This fellow needs to grow up and get some serious help.
If only Billy Bean had accepted their 12 and a half million dollar offer.
boo hoo Boston. Take your $160m payroll and choke on it! Only thing better would be to see NYY eat their $200m this year.
And some dare to say thwre is no God?
and the reaction along the banks of the Charles today is quite predictable...accuse the Yankees of taking a dive!
(they are calling them the Tankees)
ping
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.