We don’t condone violence. There are better means to resolve conflicts than war. But sometimes, an exertion of force is the only way to let others know “Don’t Tread on Me.”
It worked for the American revolutionaries. And a dog fight in the dog days of summer could spur the Red Sox to glory this fall.
There are a lot of similarities between the American patriots of the 18th century who fought for independence from Great Britain and Boston’s local nine who are fighting to win a World Series crown.
In the fall of 1775, after the Battle of Bunker Hill, the colonists had their backs against the wall. The British were taking control of Boston. The Continental Army had been pushed into Cambridge and was running low on arms and ammunition. Getting desperate, George Washington and the patriots knew they needed to rally.
(Sound familiar?)
The Americans hatched a plan to raid British arsenals to reload on weaponry and gunpowder. After fortifying their defenses and reorganizing the troops, the Washington-led army forced the British to withdraw from Boston. Fighting continued for years in other places until Great Britain signed the Treaty of Paris in September of 1783, formally ending the Revolutionary War and recognizing the independence of the United States.
The Red Sox won’t have to battle that long to be the last team standing this season. But with the character of this club, they would if necessary.
Never underestimate the heart of champions. The Red Sox have shown signs of life in their series with Detroit — uplifting signs that prove they have the talent and will to withstand and win a war of attrition.
There were some doubts after losing six straight to the Rays and Yankees. But those doubts have been erased in short order.
In the first two games against the Tigers, the Red Sox have scored 13 runs on 19 hits, including seven extra-base knocks and six home runs against a first-place pitching staff. Hold off on calling the coroner.
Jason Bay’s bat is alive and well. The left fielder has homered in three of his last four games and went 2-for-4 on Tuesday, his first multihit game since July 25. That bodes well down the stretch.
Junichi Tazawa has nasty stuff and big league composure. Thrown into the fire — first at Yankee Stadium, then in his first big league start against a tough Tigers team at Fenway — the young Japanese right-hander has delivered. A walk-off home run to Alex Rodriguez in his first career appearance didn’t faze him. Tazawa bounced back to pick up his first career win with a gutsy performance. That’s the mark of a winner. The Red Sox might have found their No. 3 starter.
Mike Lowell is getting better with age. The veteran still crushes mistakes, and his production will mitigate the loss of Youk to suspension (however many games he gets from Bob Watson).
If David Ortiz can also pick up the slack and start collecting hits in bunches, watch out. The pop has yet to return to Papi’s bat, but he looks a little more comfortable at the plate. At this point, every little success story is reason to celebrate.
J.D. Drew is the big mystery. He went 2-for-3 in the opener, followed by an oh-fer on Tuesday. Nevertheless, there’s a chance he could make that $14 million salary palatable and help the Red Sox bust out the juggernaut sticks.
Either way, Terry Francona should be able to figure out a lineup combination that gives the team its best shot to roll. He’s done it before. He can do it again.
With the bullpen back to being reliable, things are looking up. Though Fernando Cabrera didn’t do much in his stints in Baltimore and Cleveland, he looked sharp in his first appearance with the Red Sox. Daniel Bard showed no ill effects from his shelling in the Bronx, and Takashi Saito has returned to posting zeroes. If the starters can go at least five or six innings and all the relievers can bridge the gap to Jonathan Papelbon with clean innings, the Red Sox will be tough for anyone to beat.
A lot can happen in 50 games, but one game has given the Red Sox an identity and changed the complexion of this season.
What doldrums?
Let the revolution proceed.
