The Boston Red Sox lost this afternoon to the Milwaukee Brewers. After being up late in the game, as late as the 10th inning, the Sox fell to the Brewers in extra innings by a score of 6-5. Last night, the Sox lost to the Brewers 5-1, also in extra innings. The night before, they lost to the Brewers during the traditional 9 innings, by a score of 3-2. The Boston Red Sox have now lost 5 games in a row and are 4-6 in their last 10 games. And find themselves in 4th place in the very crowded and competitive American League East.

The Boston Red Sox management, coaches, players, and clubhouse personnel have their hands full on turning around this recent slump. Professional baseball teams like the Boston Red Sox play a 162 game regular season and maintain optimism through blanket statements like “it’s a long season,” and that famous line from the movie Bull Durham, “we got to take it one game at a time.” Players will do their part to break slumps, it is part of the DNA of every baseball player from Tee Ball to the Major Leagues. We, meaning players, will change sock lengths, pant lengths, undershirts, routes to the park, what we eat, the coffee we drink, maybe gloves and bats and hats – anything to change our 0 for 50 slump at the plate or our high ERA on the mound. But what can we as Boston Red Sox fans do? Let’s discuss and see if we can help the team out…

First off, let us look around the house and make some changes. Personally, I have been watching the Boston Red Sox games on a TV in my upstairs family room. And sitting in the corner chair with my left foot crossed over my right foot. And my hands folded neatly on my chest leaving my thumbs to circle forwards and backwards during stressful at bats. Honestly, what was I thinking??? The result – well we have documented that. So, from now on, until the Sox have righted the ship, I will be watching the Boston Red Sox from my couch in my office, with one or both of my dogs sitting next to me, with both feet on the ground for the entire game, no more crossing of the legs. Take that slump! I would encourage you at home to look around your house, get out of that comfy recliner that is obviously not helping the team, and move to another spot in your home or garage to watch the game. Now, let’s look at head gear…

I have an awesome assortment of Boston Red Sox hats. I have the Fenway Park Built 1912 hat with the B circled in the middle. I have a Spring Training Red Sox hat. I have newer off white Red Sox hats with the classic red B circled in middle. I have my Red Sox Run To Home Base hat. Again, Red Sox, I apologize that I have been wearing my trucker Virginia Beach green hat recently when watching games. That hat is staying on the hat rack and I will put a series of hats through a trial period to gauge their slump busting ability. And wear the heck out of that hat during games on TV, at Harris Teeter and other VA Beach grocery stores, and proudly represent my Sox when I go to Norfolk Tides games this summer wearing said hat. It is time to step up my fandom and my hat-dom with an awesome, slump busting lid repping the Boston Red Sox. What else can I switch up? Plenty…

During games, I will turn my recent negative thoughts into positive suggestions to help the players out. For example, when the Red Sox have runners on the bases, I will shout encouraging statements about their upcoming base to base journeys. Despite their recent gaffes on the base paths, I will remain upbeat that this trip will result in them touching home plate, not getting thrown out needlessly with less than 2 outs at third base. I will encourage a batter who just watched three straight “hittable” pitchers buzz by them to make a mental note for their next at bat, not yell out negative comments about their lack of awareness of a “hittable” pitch. I will encourage a pitcher, who walks a player late in a game, setting up the potential winning run despite the fact that the player who just walked has a batting average just north of .100.

This new positive energy flowing from my office couch with my trusty Fenway Park 1912 hat on is sure to be felt by the Boston Red Sox during their upcoming series in Atlanta vs. the Atlanta Braves. The players, the manager, the management team – they are all going to do their part to break out of this recent slump. We, as Boston Red Sox fans, need to do our part. Move to an uncomfortable chair to break a bad slump, sure can do. Ditch that shirt your wife bought you for your anniversary, it is bad luck. Or maybe just put it in the bottom drawer for now. Break out that kick ass Boston Red Sox “Damage Done” shirt that she absolutely HATES and wear it with pride!!! Switch dinners on Tuesday nights from chicken and rice to burgers and fries, after all it is a team sport and we fans are part of the team. We parade with the team when they win titles, so these sacrifices are all part of our duty as fans. So, come on fans, who is with me? What are you going to do, as a member of this team, Red Sox Nation, to help this team right the ship?

Go Red Sox.