I’m looking at the intangibles. Guys are playing for pride here, particularly AJ. He’s had two crappy starts in Fenway. I’m thinking he’s not going to have a third. My prediction: Yanks take two of three, losing the third game of the series. Glad we’re missing Lester!

Tresh Fan wrote:

Yanks need to take one of three. Bosox need to sweep.

True, and that is really the essence of this series. (That is, to the extent it applies to the division. Regarding the WC race, a sweep by BOS is not imperative.)

Yanks need to take one of three. Bosox need to sweep.

Pitching Matchups look about even on Friday and Sunday; Yanks have the edge on Saturday. Sox much tougher at home, and still smarting from the beating they took in the Bronx two weeks ago. Their hitters, especially, will be out to prove something because of the way they were shut down the last three games.

However, the Yanks should take at least one of 3. If I had to guess, I’d say the Saturday game, even though it’s on Fox.

Steve, you hit the nail on the head on this one. As you say, Boston needs these games more than the Yanks so they will play to win and at all costs. You mentioned 2004. At one point weren’t the Red Sox 10 games out and looked dead? In this Francona era they have this never say die attitude where they don’t really need another team to give them some steam. Remember last year’s ALCS where the Rays had the Red Sox in Game 5 and it was over? Then again the Red Sox are kinda like the evil character in a film (like Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction) where you think they are dead AND they keep comin’ at you…… @ Crank, They hit Halladay so give them credit on that note, so they are on a roll of “sorts”. Then again, the Rolenless, Rioless Blue Jays lineup shelled Beckett the other night, too! I agree that it’s not panic time . BUT there is still some baseball to be played so i’m not lulled into a false sense of security.

I don’t think Boston sweeps the Yanks this weekend. At worst, the Yanks lose the series. More realistically, however, I see the Yanks winning 2 of 3.

I agree with YankCrank, I’m not going to let what Boston did to a lousy Toronto team change my opinion of them. They’re still not as good as the Yanks. The Yanks are a legitimately and objectively good team. Believe in them to show it this weekend.

What are you thoughts on this three-game set for the Yankees up at Fenway Park?
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A couple thoughts:

-Pitching matchups favor us, but so did the Burnett v. Tomko matchup. Anything can happen so hopefully the Yanks don’t relax

-All of a sudden the Sox sweep a woeful team like the Blue Jays and we need to be worried they may sweep us? Let’s be real. Yanks don’t need to sweep this series, they don’t even need to win it. Win one game, leave Boston leading the division by 5.5 and move on.

-This will, however, be a good test. Yanks have been playing well and now that they’re on a roll I want to see how they perform in Boston, and for that matter, in LA.

-More importantly, if the Yankees lose the series, or get swept, it’s NOT panic time. Yanks and Sox are incredible teams when they play at home and have the ability to make the other team look silly…much like we did to the Red Sox two weeks ago and they did to us earlier in the season. If the worst happens, everyone needs to relax and realize we’d still be up 3.5 games and in a good position.

-I’d predict the Sox take two of three, winning tonight and Sunday. However, i’d love to be wrong