Now is the time to praise formerly famous teams — and how the mighty have fallen. It is perhaps a sign of their season long struggles that CFG just hasn’t given a damn about The Nation this year, after spoiling for a fight with their fans for lo these many years. What’s the problem with the Red Sox? When I asked this question of CFG writer Tom in mid-August, he gave me a one word answer: “injuries.” True. The Red Sox injury woes have been legion. Kevin Youkilis tore up his right thumb, Mike Lowell strained his right hip, Josh Beckett threw out his back, Clay Buchholz pulled a hammy, Dustin (our lord and savior) Pedroia broke a foot, Jacoby Ellsbury fractured his ribs, Mike Cameron strained his abdomen — and on and on and on. All bad, and enough to sink any good team. But the Red Sox problems go well beyond the training room.

Everything starts with pitching and, for the Red Sox, that’s where it ends. The rotation has been a problem since Opening Day. John Lackey (the Moses from California) has been steady (but unimpressive), Josh Beckett has proven he’s still capable of providing a lights-out presence (though inconsistently), Daisuke Matsuzaka can be awe inspiring (but only about once every four starts, if he’s not injured), and Tim Wakefield (good for a once-upon-a-time steady outing) has been relegated to the bullpen. That leaves (let’s see) Clay Buchholz, the young talk-of-baseball fireballer and John Lester (18-8!), who’s as good a starter as there is in the game. We should add this obvious perspective: the Nats would kill for this rotation, but the Red Sox have struggled so mightily to pitch with consistency it’s actually sometimes uncomfortable to watch (or a great pleasure, if that’s what turns you on). Then there’s Jonathan Papelbon, yesterday’s hero who (if his splitter isn’t working) spends his time pitching batting practice. He’s given up four earned runs in two of his last ten outings and has authored a series of implosions so stunning that there’s been talk of trading him.

Red Sox fans have taken note of their beloved team’s problems — television and radio audiences have diminished, single game tickets are easier to come by and “Fenway South” (Baltimore’s Camden Yards) has actually been filled with O’s fans when the Sawx come to town. The community of Red Sox bloggers have been particularly unforgiving. “Extra! Extra! Red Sox Actually Beat Orioles,” Over The Monster headlined last week, then noted that “it’s really nice to see this team play a good, solid game every once in a while.” Yeah, fine. But this kind of commentary only shows how far the Red Sox have come over the last decade and just how spoiled fans of The Nation truly are. The Sox are at 85-68 (and what wouldn’t Nats fans give for that), Adrian Beltre is in the mix for consideration as MVP, Jed Lowrie (oft injured, but talented) is sizzling hot just now, Kevin Youkilis is hobbled (not dead), Dustin Pedroia is still one of the deadliest players in the game and Daniel Bard is waiting in the wings should Papelbon be dealt. Oh, and the team is stacked with emerging and young talent.

It’s been a tough year for the Red Sox and they face major off-season decisions, but a starting four of Lackey, Lester, Beckett and Buchholz provides a good foundation for 2011 — and four solid starters that a ton of other clubs (like the Nats — and, frankly, even the Yankees) would just love to have. So here’s the message to weepy Red Sox fans who think this is the end of an era: Get A Grip.

That glazed and puzzled look that has appeared on the faces of so many other post season teams (the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday, and the Chicago Cubs last year, to name just two) is now being worn by the Boston Red Sox. The A.L.’s wild card entry was stunned by a ninth inning rally in Boston on Saturday, and swept in three games by the Los Angeles Angels to be eliminated from the playoffs. The Bosox appeared headed for a sure win in their head-to-head match-up against the Belinskis, leading the Halos 6-3 heading into the 9th inning at Fenway Park — with their ace closer, Jonathan Papelbon on the mound. But with two outs, Papelbon’s down-and-out or up-and-in stuff failed him: Erick Aybar singled, Chone Figgins walked and Bobby Abreu doubled to tighten the contest. Even then, the Red Sox remained a simple grounder or fly ball away from victory. To set up a force out at every base, Papelbon walked Torii Hunter intentionally. That brought Vladimir Guerrero to the plate. On the very first pitch to one of baseball’s beset bad-ball hitters, Papelbon gave up a single to center. Guerrero’s hit, a leaning over-the-plate smack of a low and outside fastball, scored Figgins and Abreu and gave the Angels the 7-6 victory.

Those Are The Details, Now For The Headlines: The elimination of the Redbirds and Bosox now sets the wheels in motion for the offseason in both Boston and St. Louis. There’s a lot to do. Fans of “the Nation” face some big questions: about the future of David Ortiz and the cost of Jason Bay. The team is hardly in need of a major overhaul, yet the horses that have consistently put it into the off season are aging or hobbled. The entire left side of the Boston infield is in question: Mike Lowell can’t play third forever and the team has no ready answer at shortstop. “Phtttt . . . c’mon” — fans of the Nation say: what about Jed Lowrie? Well, what about him? Maybe Baseball Reference is lying, but their stats show him hitting .147 in 32 games. Hell, there’s a shortstop in Washington who hits a damn sight better than that and he’s no damn good at all . . .   

The Redbirds are younger, but the questions might be more pertinent: whether to pony up the big bucks it will take to keep Matt Holliday in left and (just like the Red Sox) what to do at third. Mark DeRosa is a free agent and while he likes St. Louis he will test the free agent market. Then too, while shortstop seems set for the River City Nine, rookie phenom Brendan Ryan hit a scorching .083 in the playoffs and looked shaky in the field. Redbird fans have the same reaction to this negativity as their Bosox buddies: “Oh yeah, well what about Troy Glaus?” Okay, right. Troy Glaus: who left his right shoulder somewhere in Toronto and hasn’t been the same since. Maybe he’ll return to his 2008 form (.270, 27 home runs), but it’s a pretty big maybe. Then too, number three starter Joel Pineiro is a free agent and would be a number one starter on most major league teams: including the Nats (now there’s an idea). Oddly, whether Holliday or DeRosa or Pineiro decide to stay in St. Louis might hinge more on the fate of Tony LaRussa and Dave Duncan than on how much money Billy DeWitt puts on the table. LaRussa and Duncan’s contracts are up and both are rumored headed to Cincinnati, to team up with their old St. Louis G.M. pal Walt Jocketty . . .