The Red Sox have been treating this month of September the same way Mike Vrabel approached the Patriots’ preseason schedule: It’s all about getting ready for games that count.
The Sox know they can’t move in the playoff seeding and have been playing it safe for most of September. It’s virtually certain that the locals are bound for a best-of-three Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium starting a week from Tuesday. That entire series will be played in the Bronx, just like last year.
The Yankees won the rubber game last October when Walpole rookie Cam Schlittler stuffed the Sox, 4-0, in his 15th big league start. Schlittler fanned 12, walked none, and allowed just five scratch singles over eight dominant innings.
After all the thrills provided in midsummer, it would be a letdown if this year’s Sox don’t advance.
Read Dan Shaughnessy's column at BostonGlobe.com/Sports. | 
