Collapse in Boston

Boston Herald: “The Red Sox had a chance to force a one-game playoff in Tampa today regardless of the Raysâ€ fireworks, but they managed to screw that up in appropriately pitiful fashion, blowing a 3-2 lead in the ninth, in part because shortstop Marco Scutaro inexplicably stopped running a la Luis Aparicio in 1972, and then with finality when closer Jonathan Papelbon [stats] couldnâ€ t protect a 3-2 lead in the ninth.”

Washington Post: “These days, thereâ€ s no boatman in a dark cowl to take you over to the other side where the souls who wail for eternity are found. Theyâ€ ve got an elevator now. Just push the “downâ€ button. Donâ€ t worry; you canâ€ t go too low. Pick any rung. Mr. Dante has fine punishments arranged at every level. New rules: No more eternal damnation. They let you out next opening day to try again. Excuses, fine, theyâ€ re permitted, too. But for now: Go to hell.”

In their final month of baseball the Boston Red Sox went 7-20, and failed to make the playoffs. Unbelievable. At one point they looked unbeatable, absolutely unbeatable, then this.

I’m glad I’m not a Red Sox fan.