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The Boston Red Sox are matched up with the Los Angeles Angels in the first round of the playoffs starting Wednesday. The Angels had the best record in baseball this year, a record setting closer, and a manager that many consider to be the best game-time decision maker in baseball. They also picked up a pretty good first baseman in Mark Teixeira mid-season and added Torii Hunter in the off-season helping the Angels win 8 of 9 regular season games against the Sox.

While these things may strike fear into the very soul of Red Sox Nation, let us not forget that the Angels haven’t beat the Red Sox in a playoff series since Danny Glover coached, and Tony Danza was the pitching ace with bad lungs and a heart of gold. Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell are hurt, Daisuke Matsuzaka averages 200 pitches every four innings, and most of the series takes place on the other side of the country, but “The Nation” must keep it’s faith. After all, the Nation has players like J.D. Drew. This guy is the toughest baseball player I’ve ever seen. I once saw him stub his toe in the first inning and play all the way into the second, only to be forced out of the game as the pain spread to the infamous pinky-toe.

The Red Sox are out-matched, on the road, and fighting injuries; while the Angels are loaded with talent, healthy, and hungry to beat the Sox. While Tony from the North End has dilluted faith in the Red Sox based solely on the fact that the Sox are “Way Betta,” I maintain my faith on the current state of local Boston sports. The Patriots were less talented and too young in 2001, the Yankees were higher paid and up 3-0 in 2004, and the Celtics won the NBA Championship this past season.

There is a well earned skepticism surrounding all Boston sports teams, especially the Red Sox, however over the past 5 years have they not earned our respect. These aren’t your father’s Red Sox who found ways to lose, these are a bunch of scrappers who find ways to win. They are not as good as the Angels, and shouldn’t win this series, but they will. Even with the loss of Manny’s leadership, I believe this team will find a way, and I’m confident that if they can’t, the Angels will make it their mission to screw it up. Red Sox Nation need not fear, for your beloved team will prevail. The only bad news of course being that only strippers and vampires can watch, because the games are starting somewhere around 1:30 a.m. eastern time.