Baseball's October-fest Ends Early for Red Sox Faithful, but Did it Ever Get Started?

With a couple of swings of the bat, the Los Angeles Angles dashed the Red Sox's hopes for another deep playoff run. Leading 6-4 entering the top of the 9th, Boston reliever Jonathan Papelbon surrendered a single that plated two Angels base runners.

But as the season draws to a close, I can't help but wonder: where did the Boston playoff fever go this year?

Make no mistake about it -- as a lifetime Yankees fan, watching the Red Sox lose today put a smile on my face, especially as the Yankees go for a first-round sweep later on tonight. But, as an avid sports fan, I do miss the vibrant playoff atmosphere -- the dirty looks I get walking down Comm Ave with a Yankees hat on, the plethora of Red Sox Jerseys and "Yankees Suck" shirts and the screaming, semi-intoxicated fans near Fenway. All of that makes Boston one of America's truly great baseball towns.

But, I feel like baseball's second season never got kick-started in Beantown. While there were a fair share of Sox faithful sporting their Beckett, Pedroia and Ellsbury jerseys on the T, it just didn't seem like Octobers past. Maybe it's because Boston fell into a 0-2 hole in Los Angeles, maybe it's because Red Sox fans aren't used to losing in October or maybe Boston has just taken the playoffs for granted.

This year should be a wake-up call for all you members of the "Red Sox nation". Take it from someone who has seen first-round elimination after first-round elimination for the past few years: the playoffs are something to be treasured. October is THE month for baseball fans, the "make or break" period, if you will. Only eight teams get the privilege to play after the end of the regular season. I know the adage typically reads: "Act like you've been there before," but I don't think that should apply to a team's fanbase -- sometimes you've got to act like your team hasn't been there before and won't get there again...

So Boston, when the Red Sox make the playoffs next year (and they will, they're way too talented not to), kindly treat every game like you did in '04 or '07 when you guys won it all. Even this Yankee fan can appreciate Boston's baseball atmosphere.

Until tomorrow,

-Brian

(Photo courtesy of ESPN)