Much talk today about what exactly the season's 0-fer against the Red Sox means for the Yankees psyche. I've gone a little back and forth on this, but here's how it shakes out.
1. The Zero- Listening to the game's preview yesterday, all I kept hearing was that the Red Sox were not in the Yankees heads yet, but if they finished the sweep and made it 8-0, then they would be. This struck me as idiotic. Is there a huge difference between 0-8 and 1-7, some say yes, I say no. The zero is not some ominous ring hanging over the Yankees head (although many heavily accented Yankees fans on talk radio seem to feel that ring around their necks today). No one with a brain really thinks they will go 0 for 19 against Boston this season. Clearly either record shows that they're not doing something right against this team.
2. Moving Forward- Are the Yankees feeling "down" going forward. I really think not. The old "momentum is as good as tomorrow's starting pitcher" is far too cliche for me to ever mention. (Woopsy daisy). In reality, momentum is the most overrated thing in baseball (though it is not nearly as overrated as "clutchness" nor Roy Oswalt). The Yanks now play 12 strait against NL teams, and then various AL teams that don't rhyme with "Dead Cocks" for a whole month. Will they be thinking (do baseball players think?) or talking about Boston during this stretch? Absolutely not.
3. August vs. Boston- The Yanks don't play Boston again until August. This is a GREAT thing for Yankees nation. Sure, the 0 for 8 will be a story next time those tampons come to town, but so much will change for both teams between now and then, and a lot of what happened this week will become irrelevant. There will be new lineups, new players, and new roles for other players. The Yanks will have 11 fresh and so clean-clean chances to make it right against their hated rivals. It's just a matter of seizing that opportunity.
4. Psyche- There is one area where I can imagine these losses affecting future performance. I call this the "Here We Go Again" problem. The Yanks have had golden chances to win a number of these games. Look no further than last night. Going forward, should the Yanks get a bad break here and there and start to see a lead dissipate, I can imagine them tensing up some while the Boston schneid is on their minds. This is a natural human reaction, even though it shouldn't really happen since each game is its own unique set of scenarios. Conversely, in this setting Boston's confidence can only empower them, as they probably feel like they can and will win any close game with the boys from the Bronx. Nonetheless, baseball, like any sport is about executing physical performance. The psychology of the 0-fer is present but overstated.
5. Redemption?- Is there any way that the one-sidedness of this series can be accepted by Yankees fans? Barring some unforseen domination by the Yankees, Boston will win the 19-game season series handily. This is unacceptable in Yankees land, especially considering the extreme parity between these two teams since 2003. The only way to make it right would be to take out Boston in the ALCS. I see this as a very likely matchup the way these teams have played this season, and frankly, I'm hoping it happens. Otherwise, we'll be confronted with the nonsensical, logically-fallatious caviat "sure you won, but we were better than you this year" from those clam breath's in New England.
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