It would be great to be entering the series with a lengthy winning streak, but that's not the case. Boston has been hobbling lately and actually has lost three games in a row. Boston had a solid chance in each of the three losses as well, which makes them tougher.

The Red Sox and the Yankees begin an important series against one another Thursday in New York. Both teams are five games back of the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East standings, but the series is a chance for either team to make some headway between second and third place.

Of course neither the Yankees nor the Red Sox are in first place as they begin a four-game series on Thursday night at the Stadium. Somehow this still feels like the beginning of an abbreviated