I think it has more to do with the fact that the Red Sox (and their fans) have been killed by bad calls in postseasons past and therefore hate bad umpiring in the playoffs. Even in 2004 they had like 4 bad calls against them and for once the umpires overturned them and got it right.
We all just hate to see a team lose because of, or in part because of a bad call.
No, and couldn't find it online. Strangly though, if you Google/Images "NY Times Sports Page" the second image that pops up is one of Bronson Arroyo singing into a mic. :dunno:
I have but one beef with this year and I hope the ending shows once and for all that the head to head games versus the Yankees (or whoever else is probably going to be there in the end) are taken a wee bit more seriously.
Every year before August we hear this from Boston management.
"We'll play the Yankees like it's any other game." and "There's two months of the season to go, I'm not going to set my rotation for a Yankees series in July". Stuff like that.
I remember for a fact that the Yankees lined up there rotation in a series in May/June after their poor start.
I know whoever plays is giving their all, but Management should take these games as more important than your "average" game.