The Boston Red Sox choked away their season late last month. The Tampa Bay Rays came alllllllll the way back after being behind by 10 games in the wild-card chase in late August to secure a spot in the playoffs on the last day of the season. And the collapse has already caused quite the ripple effect with both former Red Sox manager Terry Franconaand Red Sox GM Theo Epstein leaving the team in the aftermath of the Sox missing the playoffs.
So, what exactly caused one of the most epic September collapses in Major League Baseball? Well, if you believe a new investigative piece by the Boston Globe, beer, chicken, and video games. Uhhhh, what? An excerpt from the piece should help explain:
"With their team in peril and their manager losing his authority, three Red Sox pitchers last month were uniquely positioned to prevent the greatest September collapse in major league history. All the Sox needed was Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and John Lackey to apply the skills and commitment that previously made them World Series champions.
Instead, Boston's three elite starters went soft, their pitching as anemic as their work ethic. The indifference of Beckett, Lester, and Lackey in a time of crisis can be seen in what team sources say became their habit of drinking beer, eating fast-food fried chicken, and playing video games in the clubhouse during games while their teammates tried to salvage a once-promising season."
You can't be serious. The piece then goes on to point out a number of other things that went wrong. Red Sox fans, proceed with caution. This might be worse than the actual collapse. [via Boston Globe]
