I am rooting AGAINST the Red Sox for the first time in my life

I am doing something this weekend that I have never done in my life:
I am rooting against the Boston Red Sox.

They lost yesterday and I was happy. I want them to lose today and tomorrow.

Let me explain.

I have stood by the Red Sox through thick and thin.
I’ve been a Red Sox fan since the late 1970’s.
I have hazy memories of the red hats of 1978 and vivid memories of the 1979 squad.

I cheered for Carlton Fisk, Fred Lynn and especially Butch Hobson.

I had a Yaz poster and loved Jim Rice. I cheered for Roger Clemens, cried in 1986 and was in the stands in 1988 when they lost the pennant in Oakland.

I have not lived in Massachusetts since 1987 and could have abandoned the Sox many times.
I lived in the Bay Area when the Bash Brothers ruled Oakland and they won three pennants and the 1989 title.

The Giants played a Hum Baby brand of ball and won a division and a pennant.

I lived in New York for the bulk of Joe Torre’s run.

I am living in Los Angeles in time to see two Dodgers and two Angels division winners.

I’ve stayed loyal to the Sox every time.

I wore my Red Sox hat proudly in Oakland and the Bronx for post season games.

I appeared on HBO, ESPN2 and NESN as a representative of Red Sox fandom.

My Red Sox fan credentials can not be questioned.

I have earned them.

So why am I rooting against them for three days?

It is simple.

There is nothing to gain for the Red Sox by winning this weekend.

The season is over. It is a disaster. It has a chance to be the worst season since 1966.

The worst year before the Impossible Dream of 1967 revived the team.

So winning a few games here or there is not going to save the year.

But Red Sox fans can take heart in knowing the Yankees are struggling and could possibly lose the division to the upstart Orioles. And maybe even have to win out to clinch a spot in the post season at all.

There is Red Sox misery this year. It has already happened. But to couple that with Yankee joy would be unbearable.

Hoping the Yankees are scrambling for a playoff spot in the final three games, not resting starters, using Sabathia when they do not want to and having an aura of panic set in the Bronx is worth three more losses in a lost season.

And who do the Yankees play at the end of the year? That would be the Red Sox. And you bet the spirit of Dom DiMaggio, Ted Williams and Johnny Pesky that I will be rooting for the Red Sox in those three games.

It is worth it to see the Red Sox lose Saturday and Sunday to see them have the chance for a spoiler role as the season concludes.

Hoping for misery in the Bronx is almost as important as rooting for success in Fenway.
There will be no success in Fenway this year.

But ending the year knowing that the Yankees could lose the Division and at best use their best pitcher in a one game playoff at the Red Sox hand?

That would be a sweet ending to a rotten year.

All it takes is a 3-2 record the rest of the way. Two losses to Baltimore and three against the Yankees.

Forgive me 2012 Red Sox. But you haven’t earned my love this year. Knock the Yankees out. It could be the only thing the team does right all year.

For two games, go Orioles. Then everything goes back to normal.

 

The Most Recent No Hitter For Each Franchise (Updated for September 28, 2012)

 The Pittsburgh Pirates will not have a winning season this year. And they clinched a non winning season in a spectacular manner… a 1-0 no hit loss.

But enough of the negative. Homer Bailey let the world know that the Cincinnati Reds will go into the post season with four starting pitchers capable of throwing a big game.

They had faith in Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos and Bronson Arroyo. Well a no hitter should make sure that 26 year old Homer Bailey deserves a start as well.

There is no better boost to a pitcher’s confidence than a no hitter.
The Reds finally have a no hitter, their first since Tom Browning’s perfect game against the Dodgers in 1988.

It is bad news for the Pirates but pretty terrific news for a Reds team that has World Series aspirations.

Here is the updated list.

THE MOST RECENT NO HITTERS
FOR EACH FRANCHISE

CINCINNATI REDS

Homer Bailey – September 28, 2012.

1-0 over Pittsburgh.

SEATTLE MARINERS

Felix Hernandez – August 15, 2012.

1-0 over Rays. (Perfect Game)

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

Matt Cain – June 13, 2012.

10-0 over Houston. (Perfect Game)

NEW YORK METS

Johan Santana – June 1, 2012

8-0 over St. Louis.

LOS ANGELES ANGELS OF ANAHEIM
Jered Weaver – May 2, 2012.
9-0 over Minnesota.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Phillip Humber – April 21, 2012

4-0 over Seattle. (Perfect Game.)

DETROIT TIGERS
Justin Verlander – May 7, 2011.
9-0 over Toronto.

MINNESOTA TWINS
Francisco Liriano – May 3, 2011
1-0 over Chicago White Sox

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
Roy Halladay – October 6, 2010
4-0 over Cincinnati. (Playoff Game)

TAMPA PAY RAYS
Matt Garza – July 26th, 2010
5-0 over Detroit.

ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
Edwin Jackson – June 25, 2010
1-0 over Tampa Bay

OAKLAND A’S
Dallas Braden – May 9, 2010
4-0 over Tampa Bay. (Perfect Game.)

COLORADO ROCKIES
Ubaldo Jimenez – April 17, 2010
4-0 over Atlanta.

CHICAGO CUBS
Carlos Zambrano – September 14, 2008.
5-0 over Houston.

BOSTON RED SOX
Jon Lester – May 19, 2008.
7-0 over Kansas City.

FLORIDA MARLINS
Anibal Sanchez – September 6, 2006.
2-0 over Arizona.

HOUSTON ASTROS
Roy Oswalt, Peter Munro, Kirk Saarloos, Brad Lidge, Octavio Dotel and Billy Wagner –
June 11, 2003.
8-0 over New York Yankees.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
Bud Smith – September 3, 2001
4-0 over San Diego.

NEW YORK YANKEES
David Cone – July 18, 1999.
6-0 over Montreal. (Perfect Game.)

PITTSBURGH PIRATES
Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon – July 12, 1997.
3-0 over Houston. (10 innings.)

LOS ANGELES DODGERS
Hideo Nomo – September 17, 1996.
9-0 over Colorado.

TEXAS RANGERS
Kenny Rogers – July 28, 1994.
4-0 over California. (Perfect Game.)

ATLANTA BRAVES
Kent Mercker – April 8, 1994.
6-0 over Los Angeles.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS
Bret Saberhagen – August 26, 1991
7-0 over Chicago White Sox.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS (AS MONTREAL EXPOS)
Dennis Martinez – July 28, 1991.
2-0 over Los Angeles. (Perfect Game.)

BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Bob Milacki, Mike Flanagan, Mark Williamson and Gregg Olson – July 13, 1991.
2-0 over Oakland.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Dave Steib – September 2, 1990.
3-0 over Cleveland.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS
Juan Nieves – April 15, 1987.
7-0 over Baltimore.

CLEVELAND INDIANS
Len Barker – May 15, 1981.
3-0 over Toronto. (Perfect Game.)

Bonus
WASHINGTON SENATORS
Bobby Burke – August 8, 1931
5-0 over Boston.

The Padres are still on the clock. And it would be nice to simplify the list with the Nationals having a no hitter instead of including the Expos and Senators.

But congrats to Homer. With a name like that, you’d think he’d be a slugger.