Patriots Face Seymour & Raiders

If you have not been to Oakland, let me tell you from first hand experience that it is not a nice place. The city is dirty. There is a lot of crime & poverty. Most of the pro teams that play there prefer to stay in hotels across the bay in San Francisco. No one wants to be there if you don't have to be.

The Pats take on an improved Oakland Raiders team this week. The black & silver beat the J-E-T-S last week in convincing fashion 34-24 with a big day running the ball. Can the Pats defense fare any better against McFadden?

On the other side, you have Richard Seymour & Co. that the "O" line needs to keep out of Tom Brady's face. This will be a big test for the Patriots in very hostle territory.

The Pats need to win to stay 1 game behind the unusual leaders in the East, the Buffalo Bills, & to stay tied at 2-1 with the NY Jets. The Pats take on the Jets at home next week in Foxborough.

Underperforming Players in 2011

The Sox enjoyed a breakout year from Jacoby Ellsbury. Jon Papelbon had a strong comeback year. Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz & Adrian Gonzalez performed about how you expected them.

Who underperformed? Here's my underperformers in order of preference.

1 - Carl Crawford

2 - Bobby Jenks

3 - John Lackey

4 - Dice-K

5 - J.D. Drew

6 - Dan Wheeler

7 - Felix Doubront

I'm sure we could add a few more, but all of these guys did more than their fair share to contribute to a poor season.

Let me know if I forgot anyone.

Theo & Tito Meet the Press

A day after "the collapse" both Theo & Tito gave a little insight as to how the Red Sox would move forward into the future. Neither one shirked the question that the final, disappointing result was of their own making.

Theo summaried the off-season process as a complete review from top to bottom of all aspects of Red Sox operations, including how they view & value free agent signings - a sore spot on Theo's resume. He also said a review of their health program would be part of the process as injuries to key players have occurred frequently over the past 2 years.

Terry Francona thought that the Red Sox players could have come together better over problems faced by individual players - perhaps suggesting there were cliques or factions within the team. Again, it's the manager's job to keep everyone going in the same direction.

Theo said that the organization's review will include self-assessments to see if he & Tito are the guys who can bring the team forward for the future. I believe he said "a look in the mirror" will be required.

Expect changes & plenty of them.

IT'S OVER!

The team in a month-long slump, the Boston Red Sox, played & lost last night like a team in a downward spiral.

The team that was hot, the Tampa Bay Rays, made an incredible comeback to win the AL Wild Card.

Maybe both endings were fitting.

Next year begins today. There will be much to say & much to do in the coming months. Expect to hear it all. I'm already tired of hearing Curt Schilling on Dennis & Callahan this morning. Some people should just stay retired & quiet.

Perhaps it was appropriate that Carl Crawford misplayed the last ball of the season. That play reflected a perfect summary of Crawford's first year in Boston - an error.

The outstanding effort last night of Dustin Pedroia & Marco Scutaro go for naught. The breakout year for Jacoby Ellsbury goes for naught.

Watch for a new podcast in the next few days to address some of the issues that the Red Sox face in this off-season.

Like last year, we are faced with the same goal in this year's playoff postseason - anyone but the Yankees.

Can Lester Do It?

Jon Lester has not been himself lately. Some think he is injured. Some think he has just not been repeating his delivery.

I think Jon Lester is Andy Pettitte reincarnated. Both Lester & Pettitte live & die on a cut fastball, a la Mariano Rivera. If it's working & batters swing & miss, Lester is dominant. If he can't control it & piles up walks, the results are the kind of starts that he has had lately.

Which Jon Lester will show up tonight? I think short rest means he will not overthrow the cutter. I'm looking for a good result tonight.

Ryan Lavarnway Hits It Big

Quite a first game for a rookie catcher. Ryan Lavarnway - one of my favorites this whole year after seeing him in the Arizona Fall League - made the most of his starting opportunity by hitting 2 homers, driving in 4 runs & throwing out a runner at 3rd. And this was an emergency start due to Saltie & Tek being banged up in a huge playoff-type game. It reminded me of Bledsoe going down against the Jets & Brady stepping in. Maybe Ryan earns himself a spot as the starting catcher the rest of the way & for next year.

Besides Lavarnway, the magical season for Jacoby Ellsbury continues as he put the Sox on the board with a 2-run homer early in the game. This was home run #32 & he leads the team in HR's. Not bad for a leadoff batter with 200+ hits, 100+ runs, 30+ steals & 100+ RBI. Ells is the one & only Red Sox player to ever reach those milestones in one season.

Marco Scutaro added a 2-run shot of his own to help the cause. As it turned out, the Sox needed all 4 homers in a tense 8-7 win over the O's to keep pace with the Tampa Bay Rays. Still tied for the Wild Card after 161 games.

Even more amazing, J.D. Drew actually argued a bad called 3rd strike, giving the home plate umpire lip most of the way back to the dugout. This is J. D. Drew we're talking about. It's as if he was Rip Van Winkle & someone woke him up from a 2 month nap & said go play. And he has been productive.

Game 162 will be a memorable one.

"Unstoppable" Slide Continues

Have you seen the Denzel Washington movie "Unstoppable?" It's about a runaway train. The movie builds to an ending where the train rounds a steep curve where everyone expects it to derail.

The Boston Red Sox are rounding that same turn & it's unclear how their movie called the 2011 season will end. A loss in Baltimore last night drops the Sox to even with Tampa Bay.

Will they derail or pull out of their tailspin? In 2 days we will know.

Josh Beckett was not good last night for a 2nd time. The offense was not good with RISP. Too many opportunities went astray.

I was frustrated in the 1st inning last night when the Orioles intentionally walked Adrian Gonzalez with runners at 2nd & 3rd. It's the 1st inning! I thought that was bush league to go with an intentional walk so early in the game, but that's Buck for you. As it turns out, Jed Lowrie swings at the 1st pitch he sees & makes the 3rd out. Poor plate discipline.

One way or the other, the nightmare of September will be over soon.

3 Games for the Postseason

It's always been in their own control. A monumental collapse in September has the Boston Red Sox still needing to win their last 3 games in Baltimore to assure themselves of a ticket to the postseason.

Don't you just want them to get in? I'm tired of hearing everyone say that they won't go anywhere should they get into postseason play. Once you're in anything can happen. Haven't Boston fans learned that yet?

And I'd hate to see the Rays get in instead of the Sox. Joe Maddon & Johnny Damon have deflected comments that the pressure is on the Rays - which is squarely is.

Enough talking by sportscasters, players, coaches, etc. Let's play the darn 3 games & settle it on the field.

Pats Turnovers Cost Game 34-31

Tom Brady was good. Then Tom Brady was bad. Then bouncing balls went the way of the Buffalo Bills. Bills comeback from a 21 point deficit to win at home & take sole possession of 1st place in the East. Jets lost to the Raiders who the Pats play next week.

Too bad a great day for Wes welker goes for naught with his 200+ receiving yards. Chad Ochocinco missed a TD pass right through his hands. And the Pats defense shot themselves in the foot with stupid penalties to make it easy for Bills offense to put together long drives.

Ovwerall, a sloppy day on both sides of the ball. The Pats dominated for the first quarter & 1/2. The remaining 2 & 1/2 quarters belonged to the Bills. Pats need to clean-up the turnovers & penalties to win next week on the road.

Third Homer Is The Charm!

What a weekend in New York!

Saturday's 9-1 loss was embarassing for Jon Lester. He better find a way to stay ahead of batters in the count & stop walking people.

Sunday's game 1 loss 6-2 was embarassing for veterans Tim Wakefield & Carl Crawford. I think the experiment of Crawford batting 2nd is a failure. Jacoby Ellsbury's 2 homers were the only blemishes for AJ Burnett.

Going into Sunday night's 2nd game of the day, the Sox offense had only scored 3 runs in 2 games & the Sox starters had continued their streak of getting behind early & taking an early exit. Momentum was not with the Sox & another loss would put them in a tie with Tampa Bay.

Then a miracle happened. John Lackey pitched a decent game. He didn't get rattled after 3 1st inning run & he contained the damage. Even J.D. Drew appeared like a ghost & contributed an RBI hit after 2 months on the DL. Then Jacoby Ellsbury hit a 3-run homer in the 14th inning that won the game 7-4. Red Sox win & keep a 1-game lead over Tampa with 3 to go.

Just maybe the Sox can build on this win with 3 games & 3 days left to the season.

Brewers, Diamondbacks in Postseason

The Milwaukee Brewers & the Arizona Diamondbacks punched their tickets into postseason play last night. They join the Philadelphia Phillies & most probably the Atlanta Braves. Even though the Phillies have the best record in baseball, any of these 4 teams have enough to go all the way.

In the AL we have the New York Yankees & Texas Rangers as ticket holders to the postseason, most likely to be joined by the Detroit Tigers & Boston Red Sox. The Tampa Bay Rays & LA Angels are still clinging to the possibility of catching the Sox, but games are running out on them. Like the NL postseason teams, any of these 4 have the capability of putting together a run in the playoffs.

It's nice to see small market teams like Milwaukee & Arizona in the playoffs this year. As last year with the San Francisco Giants, the Bay team was able to dispose of the Phillies & then the Rangers to win the World Series. Remember - the regular season ends Wednesday. A new season begins on Friday.

Rain Forces Doubleheader Sunday

No game in Gotham last night due to rain.

It's Lester today, then Slackey & Wakefield on Sunday. Jon Lester's mound opponent is Freddy Garcia who the Sox have beaten this year. We best win today as you know that Slackey & Wake haven't gone too deep into games lately.

The Sox wild card contenders have hit the skids as well. Tampa Bay & LA lose last night leaving the Sox with a 2 1/2 game lead. It seems like the AL Wild Card will go to the team that is less cold than the other two.

Nothing is easy. But it will all be over soon.

6 Days to Postseason or Bust

The Sox begin the weekend 2 ahead of Tampa Bay & 3 ahead of the LA Angels. 6 games left for each team.

The 3-game series in New York kicks off tonight with Jon Lester - a Yankee killer in the past - on the mound for the Sox. Given Wakefield & an unannounced starter start the next 2 games, this would be the game to win.

The Yankees may rest their starters a bit since they have won the AL East already. You have to give them credit, yes I said credit, for putting together another 95+ win season with all of their pitching woes.

I'm looking for 1 win in New York & 3 wins in Baltimore to end the season & get us into the postseason. Let's see how my crystal ball works out.

Pats Depleted for Bills Tilt

The New England Patriots have a depleted roster for their game on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Aaron Hernandez, Myron Pryor, Dan Koppen & Patrick Cheung are some of the big names not available for Sunday.

However, you would think that Tom Brady still has enough weapons on offense to outscore the Bills. It may be a high-scoring 40-39 type of game, but the Pats will look to survive another conference opponent on the road.

On the flip side, the 2-0 Bills are looking for respectability & a win against New England would go a long way to proving they are for real. Look for the Bills to pull out all the stops to get a "W" on Sunday.

It should be a very entertaining contest.

September Implosion Continues

Another game. Same story & same ending. Another blown lead results in another loss. Sox lose to Baltimore 6-4 after leading 4-1. It's time to use the C-H-O-K-E word as the September record for the Sox stands at 5-16.

Even their most dependable guys - Beckett, Lester, Bard, Pap, Aceves - have not been able to deliver in the last 2 weeks. I heard a stat that the offense is ranked #2 in the AL for the month of September. So I blame this skid squarely on pitching & defense. Tito is trying everything to win a game & nothing has worked.

Beckett did pitch into the 8th inning, something no other starter has done in a long time. Overall, he did not pitch badly minus 2 homers to Mark Reynolds. But Aceves can't hold & gives up a 2-run single to Vlad Guerrero. Snakebitten again.

At the same time, the Yankees beat the Rays twice to clinch the AL East title again. And the Sox actually pick-up 1/2 game even with their loss. The Angels have moved into a tie with the Rays now & both are 2 1/2 back of Boston.

We are down to 6 games starting in New York on Friday. 3 with the Yankees. 3 in Baltimore. And 2011 is over. Math is still on their side, but they do need to start winning.

If the Sox do not make the playoffs, it will be a historic meltdown that players, coaches & management will have to deal with throughout the long, cold off-season.

Even Pap is Human

Jonathan Papelbon squarely put a 7-5 loss to the O's on his shoulders. A 3-run 8th inning started by Daniel Bard unraveled when Pap relieved Bard with runners on 1st & 2nd with 1 out. An out, a walk & a bases-clearing hit later & 3 runs had scored. Game over.

The Sox lose no ground to Tampa Bay who was defeated in New York 5-0 by the Yankees. The home team remains 2 games up in the Wild Card with 7 to go. The Yankees host a doubleheader with Tampa today while the Sox take on the O's in their last regular season home game tonight.

Since Thursday is an off day everyone should be available for tonight's tilt against the Birds. They need everyone to pull off a win & a split with the O's.

Mariano Gets #602

In my mind there are only 3 real Yankees left - Jeter, Posada & Mariano Rivera. Everyone else is an import, a hired gun.

Mariano Rivera is now the all-time leader in saves, besting the former mark of 601 by Trevor Hoffman. Rivera has been the best & most dependable closer for the past decade & more. Without Rivera you take away several championships for the Yankees back into the '90s & right up to '09.

Mariano is a classy guy. He is the model of consistency over a long period of time. That's what makes him the best.

Too bad he wears pinstripes.

Sox Finally Win 18-9

John Lackey flat out stinks. On a night that the Red Sox needed a veteran pitcher to step up, he threw possibly his worst game of the season. 4+ innings, 11 hits, 8 runs. After the game Lackey offered no explanation, just saying I don't know what happened.

Let me help you, John, with an explanation. You stink at overcoming anything negative that happens on the field. A good pitcher will find a way to pick-up players around him. Instead, a bloop hit or missed ball turns into a 5-run inning with Lackey. And he can't hold a lead. That's what happen again last night & throughout his last several starts. You don't give your team a chance to win - period.

Thank goodness the Sox offense came back to life against terrible Baltimore pitching & they spanked several O's pitchers for 18 runs. Jed Lowrie's & Conor Jackson's HR's accounted for 7 RBI. Jacoby Ellsbury added an inside-the-park-homer to the mix. Everyone in the lineup contributed. This was a big comeback win by the offense after a tough loss in the opener.

Back to "Slackey," I hope that this start & his previous 3-4 solidifies his place as a non-starter should the Sox be lucky enough to make the postseason. He is now embarassing himself every time he takes the mound.

O McDonald!

Darnell McDonald misplays 2 balls in left field - all because Carl Crawford has a stiff neck before the game & pulls himself out of the lineup.

David Ortiz has a double taken away because of a poor foul ball call by the first base umpire.

Kyle Weiland starts an important game down the stretch because the Sox decide to keep Alfredo Aceves in the pen. He gives up 3 home runs & 5 runs in 4.2 innings.

Nothing works out in a 6-5 loss by the Red Sox to the O's in game 1.

Now we turn to John Lackey in game 2 to get a much needed win. If you can believe it, I feel better about starting Lackey than Weiland.

Fun With Math

Red Sox have 7 games left with Baltimore & 3 with the Yankees.

The Yankees have 7 games left with Tampa Bay & 3 with the Red Sox.

Wouldn't it be something if the Yankees, who are also struggling lately, became the odd team out in the AL East & the AL Wild Card??

Remember - no team in the AL East has clinched anything yet. Think about that math!

Chargers Fumble Game Away 35-21

It looked like anyone's game for awhile. That was until the 4 turnovers by San Diego created by the Pats defense, including a pick & skamper by Vince Wilfork. Patriots win 35-21 to go 2-0 in the early season.

The "D" did their job by creating turnovers & the Patriots offense, behind Tom Brady & his multitude of receivers, did the rest. Hernandez & Gronkowski continue to produce in big situations. The tight ends combined for 3 TD's yesterday.

Next up for the Pats are the surprising Buffalo Bills in Buffalo next Sunday. The Bills are also 2-0.

Sox Crawling to the Finish Line

2 games up in the Wild Card with 10 left in the 2011 season. Another loss today to the Rays leaves Boston 4-13 for September.

The Tampa series hinged on Jon Lester winning his game yesterday which did not happen. Hence, Rays take 3 out of 4.

Sox move onto a day-night doubleheader on Monday with the O's. The Sox bats will need to come alive to support starting pitchers who are underperforming. think about it. When Mike Aviles is your leading hitter there are big problems with your lineup.

Can the Sox pull it together for the last 10? The O's will have a big say in whether or not the BoSox go to the postseason. A spark - like a sweep of their doubleheader on Monday - would be just what the doctor ordered.

It's never easy being a member of Red Sox Nation.

Mike Flanagan's Remembrance

Us NH people had a very nice remembrance for Mike Flanagan today. His parents, brother & sister were there. Surprisingly, Peter Gammons was there. A few NH political figures were there as well. Many friends & teammates I knew were there. I think I saw a girl I dated in high school 40 years ago there.

The Flanagans were most generous in their comments to the swams of people flooding the Memorial High School auditorium. Mike's parents are in their 80's, but they seemed to be holding up pretty well. His brother Tim & sisters Kathy & Elaine were very gratious as well.

Mike touched a lot of people in a positive way, including me. Life will go on, just a little less bright without Mike in it.

Sox Lose A Game They Needed 4-3

It was a close game. It could have gone either way.

That's why I don't get why Jacoby Ellsbury is trying to steal 3B with 2 outs & Dustin Pedroia up with the Sox down 4-2. That was just dumb, Ells. And dumb plays cost you games.

You are already in scoring position. Why go for 3rd with 2 outs? It's not like you had the #9 batter up & you were trying to draw an errant throw. Mistakes like that cost you games when it's a tight game & you need to capitalize on the very few offensive opportunities you get.

Don't look for much from Wake tomorrow.

Big Win Last Night 4-3

A huge 4-3 win by the struggling Red Sox last night over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Give credit to all the Sox pitchers. Josh Beckett threw 6 strong innings in his return. That's leadership! Aceves, Bard & Pap closed the door for the final 3 innings. Pap striking out Longoria was a perfect ending to this playoff-atmosphere game.

Give credit to the offense for coming through against James Shields. Ellsbury, Pedroia & Big Papi struck back after every Tampa Bay score to keep the game tied 3-3. Then Mike Aviles homers out of nowhere a la Bucky Bleepin' Dent.

We need a repeat by Jon Lester today against David Price. A split of this series is a must.

Real Fans Don't Jump Ship

The Red Sox are certainly sinking fast & so are their fans in Red Sox Nation. Every missed opportunity for a win is more heartache, anger, sleeplessness, etc.

We've been here before. Remember 2004. Don't jump the ship now. There's only 13 games left & we are still in the lead for the Wild Card. Other teams are still fighting to catch us.

All we need is a .500 performance from here on out. We are bound to get better pitching, better defense & better offense. This team has too much talent not to come back to life.

Hang in there a little longer!

Sox Demolished in Opener 9-2

Poor starting pitching.

Poor relief pitching.

Poor offense.

You knew it was going to be a long night when a shattered bat fragment follows a ground ball to Marco Scutaro, causes an error & the Rays score the 1st run of the game. A 3-run homer later & it's 4-0.

You knew it was going to be a long night when the Sox had the bases loaded & Youk grounds out weakly to 3rd base. Hellickson had the up-tight Sox batters off-balance with a good changeup all night. The offense is definitely feeling the pressure.

We need a good start from a starting pitcher.

We need key hits with runners in scoring position.

Every game for the rest of the season is a playoff game. Beckett will be leaned on tonight to come up big against James Shields. The Sox seem to fare better this year against name-brand pitchers. We need a win to keep a split of this series a possibility.

As Theo said earlier this week, if we can't beat the Rays, then we don't deserve to make the playoffs.

Youk Still Not Right

It's apparent to me & probably everyone watching the Sox that Kevin Youkilis is just not right. I hate to say it, but it reminds me of watching Mike Lowell when he had the bad hip. Not quite that bad yet, but Youk's multiple injuries are definitely hampering his play.

Too bad. We could use the old Youk now.

Big Series With Rays

4 games with the Rays at Fenway.

4 games ahead of the Rays in the AL Wild Card.

4 1/2 games ahead of the Angels in the AL Wild Card.

Things have tightened up considerably due to Boston's sub-.500 performance during September. Can the floundering Sox find their mojo again? These next 4 games will tell a lot.

Best news I can think of is that Beckett & Lester will both pitch in this series. We hope for the good Jon Lester to show up & the Beckett of this entire season to show no rust.

We can't get swept.

Bard Still Going Through Rough Patch

It wasn't the bunt & low throw to Lars Anderson that looked like a makeable play. It wasn't the bobble by Youk to get one out instead of 2. The single by Loewen was just a ground ball that found a hole. It was the 2 walks to the first 2 batters that set the tone for Bard's disasterous 8th. 3 runs later with the benefit of 1 hit the Sox find themselves turning a 4-2 win into a 5-4 loss.

Everyone has times during the season when they go through a rough patch. Remember April for Daniel Bard. Then he was lights out for 4 months. Now trouble is back. If Bard can't be the bridge to Pap, we are in serious trouble since the starters haven't gone more than 5 or 6 in the past 2 weeks. The bullpen is "iffy" at best now.

You hate to see any game slip away late in the season in the middle of a pennant race. This is one you'd like to have back.

Sox Win #86, Wake Wins #200

The drought is over.

The Sox couldn't have scripted a better time to explode offensively with an 18-6 drubbing of the Toronto Blue Jays to begin their 10-game homestand. Youk returned to the lineup which was maybe overlooked, but very important. Ellsbury & Pedroia went 4-5 each with 8 runs driven in. Petey delivered 2 big homers while Ells contributed a Monster shot as well.

And Tim Wakefield pitched 6 innings to finally, finally earn elusive win #200. As he said, he's glad it's over. He becomes the 89th pitcher to ever win 200 or more games & he is the 2nd oldest to do it. Good for Tim!

Adding to the big night, Tampa Bay loses in Baltimore to send the AL Wild Card lead back to 4 games.

What a difference a day makes! Life is good again.

Time to Put Up or Shut Up

The Rays & Yankees both continue to win, putting pressure squarely on the Boston Red Sox to come out of their 3-10 nose-dive in September. The fun starts tonight with the first of 2 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

It would be great to get the homestand off on the right note by winning game 1 before the Wild Card race gets any closer. Whether it's by a score of 1-0 or 20-19 we just need to get a win tonight.

Pats 38, Dolphins 24

Tom Brady threw for 500+ yards against a defense where the Miami safeties proclaimed themselves best in the league. They didn't back up their talk.

Only down note for opening night was a possible broken ankle by Pats center Dan Koppen. He will possibly miss the rest of the season. Dan Connolly filled in very adequately in Koppen's absence.

It was nice to see Wes Welker torch his old team for 2 TD catches, one for 99.5 yards. Besides Welker, tight ends Gronkowski & Hernandez just ate up the Miami secondary.

Pats come back home to play their home opener on Sunday afternoon against the San Diego Chargers.

Who Will Step Up?

The Boston Red Sox are in a bad funk. They need someone or several players to step up & lead the team to a victory on Tuesday night & during the rest of their homestand.

Tim Wakefield is the scheduled starter for the Sox, still going for win #200 for the umteenth time. This could be one of Wake's last starts in a Red Sox uniform if Beckett & Bedard take their turns next time around. You know that Wake will give up some runs, so the offense will have to score 5 or 6 anyways.

My vote for leadership goes to the 2 guys who embody what the Red Sox are all about - Dustin Pedroia & Kevin Youkilis. Petey is due to break out of his offensive slump. Youk will be rested & ready to contribute to the offense as well. I'm looking for a big homestand from both of these guys. Maybe the rest of the team will follow.

Time For A Change

The Sox got a subpar performance from John Lester, but could muster only 1 run off James Shields & they lose again 9-1 to get swept in Tampa Bay. Maybe it would have been better to only lose 2-1 if Lester was on, but a loss is a loss. 5 in a row now.

A much needed day off occurs on Monday. Red Sox fans can turn their attention to Monday Night Football with the Patriots & Dolphins going at it on national TV.

On Tuesday the Sox start a 9-day, 10-game homestand against the Jays, Rays & O's. To me this is the make-or-break part of the season. They need a 7-3 or 8-2 homestand to get back on track in this post-season race. Otherwise, they will be watching Tampa Bay or Anaheim as the AL Wild Card. And this would be a monumental collapse for the Red Sox players, coaches & management.

It's time for all the knicked up players to suck it up & get out there & play. This homestand is the season - period. A repeat of their last 10 games with a 2-8 record & the post-season will be gone. No more resting players. No more giving an extra day off to be sure a player is 100%. It time to put your best 9 out there. McDonald, Aviles, Wakefield, Miller & Reddick are not the answers. Get Beckett & Bedard back into the rotation. Get Youk back out there. Yes, I'm going to say it, get Drew back out there. Let's get aggressive with Buchholz as well.

It time for all hands on deck for the last 16 games.

9/11 & Sports

On the 10th anniversary of 9/11 we remember the country being rocked by the attached on the World Trade Towers, the Pentagon & the foiled attack on the Capitol.

I believe that sports played a big part in the country's recovery from the threat of terrorism on our soil. Everyone remembers the following days, weeks & months of hearing about deceased family members & heroic rescuers who died in these attacks.

Many shows are asking where were you on 9/11. I was coaching a college softball team. One player was worried about relatives in NYC. My assistant coaches did a great job counseling her & other players. The players voted to continue their schedule of games that semester. We could have easily cancelled the season as many other schools decided to do.

I was very proud of those young women for not letting terrorism interrupt their college life. And I believe that they helped me as well.

4 - 1/2

That's the difference in the AL Wild Card race as we wake up this morning.

Sox can't buy a win, even after 9th inning heroics by Saltie & Ells who hit back-to-back home runs to ties the game in the 9th. David Ortiz grounded into a double play with men on 1st & 2nd to end the rally. I knew that was a bad sign.

And Daniel Bard has a seeing-eye flyball drop between Ells & McDonald for a triple with Longoria bringing in the winning run in the 11th. A good effort goes for not.

Lester & Shields go this afternoon, so that's anyone's game as both guys are capable of putting a lot of zeros on the board.

A much needed off-day happens on Monday. Maybe the Sox can re-group at home on a 9-game homestand against Toronto, Tampa & Baltimore.

It's pretty ugly right now & things need to change before the postseason gets away from the Sox.

The Ship Is Taking On Water

The Red Sox ship is adrift at sea & taking on water. It's starting to sink like their lead in the AL Wild Card.

John Lackey continues to give up big hits. If not for a smoked ball striking him in the leg, Lackey would have given up 2 more runs with the bases loaded before exiting last night's game.

The offense has struggled all year against no-name pitchers. Wade Davis, a guy with an ERA of 8.00 against the Sox in the past, pitches a complete game & wins 7-2. Bring on Shields & Price as we have done better against the better pitchers in the league. We can't do any worse.

Injuries continue to mount with Youk & Bedard back in Boston to be re-evaluated. Pedroia is in a terrible drought at the plate. And the list goes on.

Things are rough right now for all of Red Sox Nation.

O Canada!

Going 1 out of 4 north of the border is only a batting average of .250. Sox lose again 7-4.

Pitching was the culprit this whole series. Other than Jon Lester, starters & relievers did not perform well, as evidenced by another poor outing by Andrew Miller. It's hard to comeback from a 4-0 deficit after 2 innings.

Don't look for much improvement in Tampa Bay. Lackey & Weiland start the first 2 games. We know the Rays get the edge in starting pitching. It could be a 1 for 3 weekend if Lester can win his game again.

Next week we should see Bedard & Beckett back in the rotation. Until then, we are in survival mode & watching the AL Wild Card race heat up. As of today, the Sox are only 6 games up in loss column on the Rays with 18 games to go. A sweep by the Rays in Tampa could cut that lead in half. We need the team to step-up this weekend, pitch & hit well enough to win.

Ugly, Ugly Loss

Ugly game & I'm ugly over it.

Sox lose to the Jays 11-10 after being ahead 3-0 & 8-5. Yes, Daniel Bard had a very bad game. But here's my pet peeves leading up to the 8th inning disaster.

- Where is Youk running to on the bases? He has been caught twice in 2 nights trying to go to third base. He almost made the 3rd out last night before the runner crossed home plate.

- Same can be said of Jose Bautista. Where is he going on a 3-0 count to the batter behind by 3 runs? He gets thrown out at 2nd to end the inning. If I was Farrell, I would have benched him for stupidity.

- Where was Pap last night? If he was available, why didn't he get up & ready when Bard was imploding? Albers is an accident waiting to happen & he had a head-on crash with Encarnacion.

- Why is Aviles trying to steal 2nd against a good throwing catcher like Molina? You never want to make the last out of the game on a steal, especially when you are out by 3 feet. Not even close. I'm not an Aviles fan as I think he is a poor fielder at every position he plays. The Sox should have kept Navarro.

- Finally, my #1 problem last night is Tim Wakefield. Everyone loves this guy, but he has pitched very poorly in his last 3-4 starts & needs to be dropped out of the rotation. 5 runs in 5 innings is far from a quality start & he is burning the bullpen a la Dice-K. Who's available tonight in the pen if Miller only goes 2 like in his last start?

Like you, I'm not happy that a winnable game got away from the Sox & it might have cost them a split in Toronto. If you score 10 runs, you ought to win. Period.

Beckett Has Ankle Sprain

Josh Beckett has an ankle sprain. Nothing more ominous.

If you have ever had a sprain, some are more severe than others. The fact that Beckett walked off the mound without too much discomfort leads me to believe that his is not serious.

However, nay-sayers like Joe Haggerty last night on Comcast Sports have to stir the pot & say Beckett will not be the same for the rest of the year. Where is that doctor of medicine degree, Joe? The media just kills me at times.

Here's my theory, Joe. I think Beckett will be back to his old self after missing one start. Let's see who's right.

Sox Crush Jays 14-0

No runs in 11 innings on Monday afternoon. 14 runs on Tuesday night. Go figr!

Lester pitched a great game with 11 K's over 7 innings. Papi & Scutaro each had 4 hits. Saltie & Reddick went yard. The offense was clicking on all cylinders & left very few runners out there when in scoring position.

Let's see if Wake & Miller can at least earn us a split before heading to Tampa.

Remember 2004

Things are not looking good for the Sox right now.

2-5 in their last 7 games.

Beckett, Drew, Buchholz, Lowrie all have different nagging injuries. Bedard to miss his next start with a sore knee.

Sox & Tampa Bay still play 7 more times. As a Sox fan, we know nothing is locked up until the math says it is.

The Yankees are flying high & continue to win.

The talk shows today are wondering how far can the Red Sox go if they make the playoffs.

I seem to remember being down to the Yankees 3 games to none in 2004. Things looked pretty bad, even worse, then than they do now. Keep the faith.

Over the regular 162 game schedule baseball is an ebb & flow of momentum. Any team, like the Giants last year, can get hot during the playoffs. Let's just make the playoffs & see where the chips fall.

Math Still Working in Sox Favor

Red Sox are not playing well, but still have an 8-game lead in loss column for the Wild Card with 21 games left in the season.

Playing 11-10 or 10-11 the rest of the way makes the math a little more favorable for the Sox. The Rays or Angels would need about 18 or 19 wins this month to overtake the Sox.

Having said that, go back to my previous article. Remember - anything can happen. But the math is still looking favorable for the Red Sox to make the playoffs.

The Sox are just making it more exciting. That's one word for it.

Sox Hit Rough Patch

The Boston Red Sox have hit a rough patch. They are 2-5 in their last 7 games, including a 1-0 extra inning loss in Toronto today. Balls don't find holes, umpire calls go against you - it seems like nothing goes right.

John Lackey has had 2 poor outings in a row.

The offense is either 10+ runs or no runs.

The bullpen, other than Bard & Pap, has been bad more than good.

Josh Beckett get a sprained ankle today.

And on & on we could go.

This is why we fans never count on anything with the Red Sox until the math says it's so. Hello! Doesn't past history tell us that? Stop worrying about who the 3rd starter will be in the playoffs. We have to get there first.



Nothing is for certain, especially with a 1-4 record to start the final month of September.

4 Hour Games Too Much for Teixeira

Mark Teixeira joins the whiners who don't like the long battles between the Yankees & Red Sox. He said it's too much of a grind to play these long games.

C'mon, sizzy, man up & earn that big salary of yours. If games took 6 hours, you are still being overpaid for hitting & catching a baseball.

That comment should sit well with people who are unemployed or working for minimum wage. I think I know a lot of people who would take your job, Mark, & not whine about it.

What a loser remark! Even if you think it, don't say it in public. Teixeira must go to the same school of public speaking as LeBron James. Way to disrespect your fans...

Mo, Yankees Prevail 4-2 in Finale

Adrian Gonzalez struckout with the bases loaded in the 9th as Mo Rivera & the Yankees won last night 4-2. Yankees finally beat Boston in a series, but it can down to the last at-bat.

I never thought of it before, but Mariano Rivera is similar to Tim Wakefield - he has one pitch which is unhittable at times. Wake has the knuckler. Mo has the cutter.

A questionnable called 3rd strike on Gonzo ended the game after Rivera gave up 2 walks & a hit. The pitch was still close enough that Gonzo should have protected the plate. It wasn't a good series for Adrian who had only 1 hit in 3 games. The Yankees leave town 1/2 game behind the Red Sox in the AL East.

How about some good news? Kevin Youkilis gets activate for the start of another big series tonight against the Texas Rangers. Youk will definitely lengthen the lineup & give it more punch against the Texas lefties.

We need to forget the Yankees & focus on winning this weekend series with the Rangers. Who made up this schedule? It's like playing 2 playoff series in a row in September.

Robinson Cano: Like Him Or Not?

We don't like any Yankees - period. However, the original or real Yankees like Jeter, Rivera & Posada you have to at least dislike a little less because of the way they play the game.

For some reason Robinson Cano bugs me. He seems to be very put out when a ball is hit to him, like why are you bothering me. He fields & throws very casually. Not much intensity there or maybe that's his way of being cool.

I don't like it. He is so not the Dustin Pedroia type at 2B that we are use to seeing every day.

I guess one size doesn't fit all, but I'll take our guy's style of play anyday.

Red Sox Strike Back 7-5

John Lackey & Josh Beckett traded places these last 2 nights. It was Josh Beckett getting 7 runs of support & earning a much needed victory over the Evil Empire 7-5. Once Beckett got the lead in the 6th he came back out to the mound & shutdown the Yankees 1-2-3 in the 7th. Bard the 8th. Pap the 9th. Game over.

Nice to see that David Ortiz still brings fear to Yankee pitchers & Yankee manager Joe Girardi. Girardi intentionally walks Big Papi, then gets burned by next batter Jed Lowrie. In his next at-bat Ortiz takes a 3-2 pitch over the center field wall. I guess that makes Joe 0-2.

Huge home run by Jacoby Ellsbury in the 6th to put the Sox ahead for good. And Ells hit it off lefty specialist Boone Logan. His power numbers are off the chart this year.

Wow! Jason Varitek comes up with a 3 RBI night. He clunks a ground ball just fair inside the 3B bag to score Reddick on a hit & run. Then he knocks a 2-run homer in the 8th to put the game out of reach. I saw his homer & said pigs must be flying. But we'll sure take it.

Red Sox-Yankees is like a chess match. It's like 2 armies trying to out-manuever each other. So far we've each won a battle. I pick Lester to win the series tonight.