I actually didn’t find one of the main points of this article - that a Division title is important to the Sox this season - all that dubious. Anyone who read my Red Sox season preview knows that, to a certain extent, I agree. But man is this column filled with a lot of nonsense. Chass writes…

The one thing the Red Sox have not done in this era of the renewed rivalry is finish ahead of the Yankees in the American League East, winning the division championship, of course. For the Red Sox to finish second while the Yankees place third would be an empty achievement. Being the division champion is what it is all about for the Red Sox this season, whether they admit it or not.

I have no real problem here. A little aggressive for my blood but the general point isn’t all that off-base.

Here’s where we start getting a little dicey…

Which is a roundabout way of saying the Red Sox have blown it.

The Sox blew it. Pack it in. May 24th, half the lineup hitting like shit, 40% of the rotation banged up, Jeremi Gonzalez logging starts, Keith Foulke doing his best John Wasdin impersonation and the Sox find themselves just 2 games out of first place and 2.5 games up on the Bombers. Couldn’t agree more Murray - call off the dogs, season’s over.

No, the Red Sox need to win the division title. Nothing less will do.

Not to nitpick or smarm it up but I think we Sox fans know this not to be the case.

Given their play in the first five weeks of this season, the Yankees gave their followers reason to doubt their ability to finish first again. Even with their 12 victories in the last 14 games, the Yankees have not displayed the kind of consistent pitching they need to finish first.

But have you seen Boston’s pitching? David Wells, who had pitched poorly before, returned from the disabled list last week, and Oakland battered him for seven runs in an inning and two-thirds. Randy Johnson was not nearly that bad against the Mets.

Unbelievable excerpt there. He sets it up by noting that the Yankees’ pitching has not lived up to snuff - and he’s right. But then he tries to make the point that Boston’s pitching too has been awful. But Boston’s mediocre pitching numbers are skewed badly by a couple of Wells’ outings, some Jeremi Gonzaelz awfulness and a gimpy Curt Schilling. But Wade Miller, Bronson Arroyo and Matt Clement all appear on the ERA leaderboard ahead of any Yankee starter. Further, the emergence of Wade Miller allows Sox ace Curt Schilling the ability to take his time and heal up. Put succinctly, Sox pitching has been much better than New York’s and figures to improve more than New York’s going forward.

The truly amazing part of that excerpt is the standard to which Chass holds Randy Johnson. David Wells, in his first outing back off the DL, pitched worse than the Unit did Saturday for the Mets. I am sure Yanks fans take comfort in the fact that their 41 year-old ace is not as bad as Boston’s 42 year-old 5th starter.

That column sucked, a shit-stirrer of the highest order. But hey, I clicked on it and even wasted a half-hour writing about it. Job well done, Murray.