Boston Red Sox Need to Win "For the Children" [UPDATED]

The Braves wrapped up their division title and the Red Sox need to sweep the Yankees at Fenway to avoid a playoff game and for the possibility of a Braves-Red Sox World Series. But, there is more at stake than just a title. The Red Sox need to win "for the children." How's that? Well, follow the logic.

According to LiveScience, when the Red Sox win, emergency room visits dip. Who would have figured that? Here's what they say:

In a newly released study, researchers tracked hourly visit rates at six Boston-area emergency departments during the each of the 2004 American League Championship Series (ALCS) and World Series games.

During the lowest-rated games -- ALCS games 3 and 4, when the Red Sox were losing -- visits to the emergency room were about 15 percent above the volume expected.

Then the Red Sox won game 4. During game 5, Nielsen ratings surged and ER visits dipped about 5 percent below normal volume.

During the ALCS final game 7 and the World Series final game 4 (Boston won)-- the two most-watched games in which at least 55 percent of Boston-area homes tuned in -- ER visits dipped about 15 percent below the expected volume.

Unidentified Red Sox Fan Signals Touchdown!

Got it? The Red Sox win and emergency room visits drop. How does that help "the children?" Well, as any parent knows, kids are always getting scrapes and bumps keeping emergency rooms busy. If the Red Sox win, then more kids stay safe and out of hospitals! Pretty good logic, huh?

So, come on Red Sox! Do it not only for the fans, but win "for the children!"--and, G.M. and his beloved Norma, too. Follow tonight's action and root for the Red Sox!

Saturday Update:

The Red Sox won 5-2 Friday night. It's not starting so well on Saturday, but they have to play all nine innings. Here's the play-by-play for Saturday's game with Yankee's pitcher Randy Johnson (3.79 ERA) and the Red Sox's Tim Wakefield (3.96 ERA). Boston has to win the remaining two games at home to avoid taking the division title game to New York.

Update: Yankees win. Boston has to win Sunday just to have a chance at the playoff game. If they don't, then they will have to hope to beat the Indians for the Wild Card, but let's not think that far ahead.

Correction: I hate it when I'm wrong, especially when it is not good news. To correct previous information, the Red Sox had to have the same record in both the league and in the series with the Yankees to force a playoff game. Since the Yankees will end up with more wins against the Red Sox, they became the division champion on Saturday. But there is some good news and some hope. If the Red Sox win or if the Indians lose the last game of the regular season, then the Red Sox get the Wild Card Title and will play the White Sox to start post-season. Winning the Wild Card can be good news, as the wild card team has been winning the last few World Series.