Mike Celizic

Three weeks ago, the Red Sox had nothing to lose when they met the Yankees for three games in the Bronx, and they played like it. So now they go at it again for the final three games of their season series, and this time around, the Red Sox might consider winning a game or two — preferably all three.

It’s not so much about playoff position but about confidence and self-respect. It’s about ruining their hated rivals' hopes of a divisional title and a comeback for the ages. It’s about giving the Fenway faithful reason to go home after the games full of that special joy that only watching the Yankees lose can bring. It’s about breaking the Yankees’ nine year run of AL East titles.

That’s all no less important just because it’s psychological and doesn’t really have anything to do with what happens in October. Even if they get swept, the Red Sox will still go into their final 12 games with the AL East lead. And if the Yankees were to come from 14.5 back to win the division, Boston will win the wild card by default; Detroit and Seattle having lost interest in the chase.

There are advantages to winning the division beyond securing bragging rights for your fans.  The biggest one is not having to play the Angels in the first round, which a wild card from the AL East will have to do. The Yankees especially have fared miserably over the years against the Angels and would prefer to play anyone else.

For Boston, there’s also the matter of the league's best record and home-field advantage through the playoffs. They’ve got a three game lead over the Angels in that department, and losing to the Yankees could also mean losing to Anaheim.

But it isn’t a matter of whether you have to play the Angels and where you have to play them, but when. The road to the World Series likely goes through Los Angeles/Anaheim. Besides, wild-card teams have dominated the World Series lately, so it’s hardly a disadvantage.

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Just the same, Boston needs to win this series, if only for the team’s mental health.

The Red Sox have controlled the AL East all season, and they began the year by trampling over the Yankees. They swept the first series the teams played and won five of the first six games. But since then, the Yankees have won seven of nine and four in a row, dating back to June 3 at Fenway.

At Yankee Stadium last month, the Yankees gave the Red Sox just six runs in three games. New York’s top three pitchers at the time — Andy Pettitte, Roger Clemens and Chien-Ming Wang, dominated Boston’s finest — Dice-K Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling. And Mariano Rivera, who supposedly had lost the ability to close out the Red Sox, was masterful in getting two saves.

This time around, Boston is going with the same three pitchers while the Yankees are bringing Pettitte, Wang and the man who has replaced Clemens as the rotations No. 3 man, rookie Philip Hughes. Saturday’s middle game of the series when Wang faces off against Beckett, could also go a long way toward deciding the AL Cy Young winner.

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The Red Sox have excuses if they don’t win. Mike Lowell had to take Wednesday off because of illness and Manny Ramirez hasn’t played since Aug. 28 against the Yankees, when his back seized up on him. He’s been taking batting practice and might play Friday. Then again, Manny is Manny and you never know.

For the Yankees, meanwhile, Derek Jeter is been banged up and slumping, but Alex Rodriguez is hotter than the surface of the sun, Johnny Damon is healthy and dangerous, and top to bottom, the line-up is the toughest in the game.

Boston can’t think that way and won’t. With or without Manny, with or without a completely healthy Lowell and whether Big Papi is hurting or not, the Red Sox have to reestablish their field cred against New York. They have to win this series, not for playoffs, but for themselves.

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