* Red Sox: From Angst To Optimism To Victory

I hope I never lose my youthful enthusiasm for baseball.

This lifelong Red Sox fan just exhaled. Here’s how it works for me. First comes angst.

I’m watching game 4 of the ALCS, and the Red Sox are losing to the Indians 7-0 in the 5th inning.

The Red Sox seem to be playing without emotion, without energy, and without a sense of urgency.

Then comes optimism:

All the Sox need to do to win is to relax. Like Manny. The pressure is on the Indians to close the deal, just like it was on the Yankees in 2004. So here are my predictions:

Sox win a close Game 5 on the strength of Manny being Money and an unlikely hero (perhaps Cora or Elsbury).

Sox win games 6 and 7 in laughers. Beckett is the ALCS MVP.

Then comes victory!