Keep False Hope Alive

The Red Sox could still win the A.L. East division title. Really, they could. It's not bloody likely, but it is possible. Here's how.

First of all, keep in mind that since the Sox won 11 out of 19 games against the Yankees this year, in the event of a tie Boston wins the division and the Yankees are the wildcard.

So, with Boston having 7 games to play and New York 6, here are the won-loss combinations that would give the BoSox a tying record with the Bombers, and therefore the division title:

Boston 7-0 | New York 3-3
Teams tied at 100-62, Sox take division

Boston 6-1 | New York 2-4
Teams tied at 99-63, Sox take division

Boston 5-2 | New York 1-5
Teams tied at 98-64, Sox take division

Boston 4-3 | New York 0-6
Teams tied at 97-65, Sox take division

Yeah, it's not going to happen, especially since Boston has 4 games against the mysteriously difficult Orioles. Then again, the Yankees have three against Minnesota, who can be tough, and New York's got a ton of pitching woes right no. But if the Yankees win 4 of 6, there's no way for Boston to win even if the Sox go undefeated for the rest of the year.

We wouldn't be Sox fans if we weren't hoping against hope for a miracle, setting ourselves up for heartache again. Probably it would be smarter to concede once the wildcard is a lock, and focus on getting the team in shape for the playoffs.

But that would require management that thinks with its head, not its foolish heart.

Update: The Sox clinched at least a wildcard berth tonight with a 7-3 win over Tampa Bay.