tonytalkssports My Take on Sports, particularly the Yankees, Maple Leafs and Browns

100 Win Red Sox CHOKE!!!!

In March, Josh Beckett predicted that his Red Sox would win 100 games this year with all of the talent they had. The rotund blow-hard John Kruk predicted that not only would the Red Sox win the AL East but they would be in the World Series. Fat Kruk also predicted that the Yankees would not make the playoffs. My, my, my, my what happened on the way to a Red Sox title??? They choked on their own arrogance.

Last off season, Theo Epstein went all out dropping a $142 million contract on Carl Crawford and acquiring Adrian Gonzalez to create what all of the experts were proclaiming, "the most awesome lineup in baseball." The pitching staff was suppose to be solid with Beckett, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey and Dice-K. And the bullpen, no problem as Jonathan Papelbon and Daniel Bard would be a formidable back end. In the end, it all collapsed and I couldn't be happier.

Please don't tell me about injuries because the Yankees had their share of injuries this year. The fact is the Red Sox were 7-20 in the month of September. They had a 9 game lead on September 1st over Tampa. Go 8-19 and there is a playoff game today. Go 9-18 and they are heading to Texas. But the 100 win powerhouse couldn't pull it off.

The Yankees are always critiqued on their off season free agent moves. The Red Sox always get a pass particularly since 2004. But let's take a look. Dice-K: $50 million just to talk to him and then a $40 million contract. The guy had one good season. John Lackey: Brutal, just look at his numbers. Carl Crawford: $142 million for a left fielder who hit .255 and played terribly in the field. Adrian Gonzalez: Best months were May & June. August & September lowest monthly RBI totals for the season.

The boy genius, Theo Epstein had a terrible off season. And while were at it, the Yankees have historically been criticized for buying players and not developing their own. Gonzalez, Scutaro, Saltalamacchia, Crawford, Drew, Beckett, Dice-K, Lackey, Aceves, and Wakefield are all players brought in from outside of the Red Sox organization.

Since 2004, Red Sox fans have been as arrogant as their team. Stores in WNY would have Yankee, Met and Red Sox items for people to buy. I often found that amazing since we are better than 7 hours away from Boston. I could see Blue Jay and Indian items since there are big contingents of fans for those teams here in WNY. But with the 2004 comeback win over the Yankees in the ALCS and 2 World Series wins, Red Sox hats, shirts, jerseys and jackets suddenly popped up all over WNY. Somehow I don't ever remember seeing any prior to 2004.

Well, Red Sox fans you now are the owners of the Greatest Choke Act in Baseball History. It's going to be a hot off season on Yawkey Way.