E-Mail This Article to a Friend Don’t worry, be happy BY CHRISTOPHER YOUNG

Even during a week away in the mountainous nether regions of New England, I could sense the gnashing of teeth, the profuse sweating, and the woeful moans of the non-believers of Red Sox Nation. We lost two of three to the #?!$ Royals! We blew a six-run lead against the Tigers! Our rotation and bullpen are in shambles!

It’s as if nobody remembers what happened a year ago, and more specifically, last October. Amazing things came to pass, and that’s why this year’s version of "They’re going to blow it again!" seems so unseemly. Oh sure, Dan Shaughnessy’s Globe column from June 26 was a bit premature, but really: are the Red Sox in that bad a shape? Not so, when you consider the contenders and pretenders who will be fighting them tooth and nail for playoff berths next month. After all, those teams have their own share of problems.

New York: Sure, the Pinstripers are 13-4 since August 11 and have cut Boston’s lead to a game-and-a-half entering Monday’s action. Still, other than taking two of three in the Windy City against a White Sox team that may yet blow the AL Central, the Yanks’ opponents have been a fading Texas team (during a stretch where the Rangers dropped 12 of 13), a .500 Toronto team, and a KC team that’s the worst in the game (except against the Sox last week). Ten of those 13 wins were in the Bronx, and two of those four losses were against the Devil Rays, who, admittedly, have the second-best record in all of baseball since the All-Star break — and who remarkably still lead the season series against NY, 9-4. Now the Empire Staters head out West for a key seven-game trip against the tough-at-home Mariners and the AL West–leading A’s. In fact, 13 of the Bombers’ last 20 contests will be on the road, where they’re just 29-32. New York’s rotation is still questionable (with only Colorado cast-off Shawn Chacon showing any sign of consistency), and the bullpen is again showing signs of overuse (three Yankee relievers are in the league’s top 16 in appearances). And don’t think that one of the minor leagues’ worst-stocked reservoirs will help when rosters expand!

LA Angels: After just getting swept by the Devil Rays, the Halos are just 10-14 in their last 24 contests, and are showing signs of a slow fade, à la 2003 (when they went just 17-15 from August 29 onward and only won the West because Oakland went 13-18). Paul Byrd hasn’t won since July 15, Jarrod Washburn has lost four of his last five outings, and only ace Bartolo Colon remains a formidable figure in the rotation. The bullpen — normally the Angels’ perceived strength — has been marginally better than Boston’s lately, but not much.

Oakland: After a hot streak in which the A’s went 20-5 to move back into contention in the West, Oakland has gone just 6-7 yet still remained (barely) atop the division. The A’s boast three top starters, but they’re batting just .266 as a team and don’t have a single .300 hitter among their starters (Eric Chávez leads the team at .281). Plus, Oakland has a brutal September schedule, as does LA, so each will find it difficult to land the wild-card spot (given the Yankees’ and Sox’ cakewalk ledgers down the stretch).

Chicago: Back on August 1, the White Sox were running away with the division by 15 games; after a 10-13 stretch (and the Tribe’s resurgence), the lead is down to eight games. In their head-to-heads against the A’s, Yanks, and Red Sox since July 1, the Pale Hose are just 6-12, and their aura of invincibility is long gone. Even if Chicago does make the playoffs, they’ll be dead tired heading in, as they finish the regular season on an eight-game road trip.

Cleveland: Since getting swept at home by the D-Rays two weeks ago, the Injuns are 10-3 and making some noise in the AL Central. No wonder: Cleveland’s 41-27 road record is third-best in the big leagues, and they’re just a game behind New York in the wild-card race. Should the Indians be taken seriously? Damn right they should, but it’s still hard to imagine that the Tribe’s $41 million payroll will be able to adequately compete in the post-season against the big spenders on the East coast.

Now about the Red Sox: 22 of the team’s last 34 games will be at Friendly Fenway, and have you forgotten that this squad is still the majors’ best-hitting team and a league-best 40-19 at home? And perhaps if you give Curt Schilling a chance to settle back into the starter’s role, he’ll flourish again. And what about the return of closer Keith Foulke from the DL? Could help, wouldn’t you think? And the ineffective bullpen? Re-energize it with the likes of Jonathan Papelbon, Abe Alvarez, Manny Delcarmen, and some more call-ups from Pawtucket, and the wear and tear on Mike Timlin et al. will be significantly reduced.

Feel better? Didn’t think so.

Sporting Eye runs Mondays and Fridays at BostonPhoenix.com, and Christopher Young can be reached at cyoung[a]phx.com.