As with Presidential assassinations, natural disasters, and declarations of war, most Red Sox fans can probably remember where they were for the two infamous Yankee massacres at Fenway Park. The first, in 1978, was a four-game September sweep that vaulted the Yankees into a first-place tie with the reeling Sox. The latest version, spread out over five agonizing games, might go down as the more damaging of the two. While the 1978 massacre was much more one-sided competitively, the 2006 version, completed on Monday, has seriously jeopardized the Sox?s playoff hopes. The 1978 massacre was viewed as a massive choke job by a team that had led the American League all summer, but fell apart in the biggest series of the season. The Red Sox implosion was epic, and embarrassing. Losing by scores of 15-3, 13-2, 7-0, and 7-4, the team disintegrated at every level of the game. In four games, the Sox were outscored 42-9, outhit 67-21, and committed a dozen errors. Most of the games were decided by the fourth or fifth inning. It was utter and total domination. And yet? even though the Sox went to Yankee Stadium a week later and dropped two of three to fall three-and-a-half games back, they were resilient enough to stage one final charge, resulting in the memorable one-game playoff of October 2, and Bucky Dent. 2006 holds out no such promises, even with some 38 games remaining. Having fallen 6 ? games behind, the Red Sox are back to their usual status as a wild-card contender, but unlike previous years, they?re behind much more talented teams (the White Sox and Twins) who will be tough to unseat. Red Sox Nation knew the team was in trouble after a 1-5 stretch against the Royals and Devil Rays, an unforgivable stretch of ineptitude that might be permissible in April, but not August. It?s no secret that the pitching this year has been awful, with front-line starters like Josh Beckett, David Wells, Jon Lester, and, to a lesser extent, Tim Wakefield, sporting ERAs more befitting a softball beer league. Even the most optimistic Red Sox fan probably would?ve been happy with managing two of the five games, which would?ve left them a very respectable 2 1/2 games out. But to lose all five? Unimaginable. And yet ? this isn?t about a team that choked. This Red Sox team just isn?t that good. Replacing Johnny Damon with Coco Crisp hasn?t helped. Trading Bronson Arroyo was a mistake. Their gambles on NL pitchers like Beckett, Clement, and Wade Miller haven?t paid off. While the Yankees upgraded exactly where they needed to on July 31, adding Bobby Abreu to replace Gary Sheffield, and Corey Lidle to shore up the pitching staff, the Sox stood pat. Only when Jason Varitek and Troy Nixon got hurt did they rush to add replacements like Javy Lopez and Eric Hinske, but their problems go well beyond their offense. Their starters and their bullpen were battered all weekend. In Game 1 of Friday?s doubleheader, they started a rookie (Jason Johnson) who was already designated for assignment by afternoon?s end. At least Johnson pitched credibly, which is more than could be said for the Game 2 starters (and rookie), Jon Lester. They had no answers for left-handed batters like Jason Giambi, Abreu, and Jorge Posada, who feasted on Boston?s right-handed relievers. While the Yankee pitching wasn?t exactly brilliant, they were largely able to contain the Sox. Except for Sidney Ponson in Game 2 of the doubleheader, they kept the Sox out of big innings, and there was always a stable of bullpen help ? guys like Scott Proctor, Kyle Farnsworth, and Mike Myers ? to protect the lead. The Red Sox couldn?t hold a 10-7 lead in Game 2, losing 14-11, and they couldn?t hold a 5-3 lead in the late innings of the fourth game, even with their ace closer on the mound, Jonathan Pappelbon. Pappelbon probably could?ve closed the game if he hadn?t been summoned in the eighth inning, facing a bases loaded, none out situation. Though he pitched brilliantly, striking out two batters and allowing only a sac fly, he couldn?t shut the door on the Yanks in his second inning of relief, and once he was gone, the Yankees immediately pounced on Craig Hansen. When the Red Sox finally got a quality start in the fifth game of the series ? from Wells, of all people ? the Yankees got an even better one from Lidle. After beating the Red Sox?s brains out with offensive firepower in the first four games, the Yankees showed they could win an old-fashioned 2-1 game as well ? and win it without Mariano Rivera (who pitched two innings on Sunday) closing out the game. The pennant race wasn?t over after the ?78 massacre, and it isn?t over here. The Red Sox get one more shot at the Yankees in September, four games at Yankee Stadium. But realistically, you have to figure, given the sorry state of Red Sox pitching, that the division?s been lost. And, given the quality of pitching of the teams ahead of them ? the wild card?s likely gone as well. Boston is a beautiful place to be in October. This year, it may just be a little bit quieter as well.