More Baseball

2 outs in the bottom 8th in game 4 of ALDS...

The Sox are not going to win this series for one reason: Scot Shields.

Oh, and Francona made a potentially series-changing blunder by leaving Masterson in to face Torii Hunter. He absolutely should have had Papelbon up and ready. I know they've been leaning on him, but if they don't, they have to go back to LA of Anaheim for a game 5. Taking 3 of 3 in a week from LA in Anaheim is not likely. At the very least, he should have had Delcarmen come in after that wild pitch snafu.

In any case, the tide has turned. I'm expecting a game 5 blowout in favor of LA of Anaheim (of Los Angeles).

This game isn't over yet, but I'm not expecting much. The Sox aren't hitting very well at Fenway. Tito won't take out Masterson...


Update: top of the 8th

The Sox just caught a very lucky break: after a leadoff double (off, of all people, Masterson) and a sac bunt, Varitek caught Reggie Willits (who, for the record, is a white guy) going on a mis-executed suicide squeeze. Shortly, thereafter, a groundout got The Sox out of trouble. Onto the bottom of the 9th...


Update: bottom of the 9th
Shields is going to burn through this lineup. They can't touch him. There's not a single killer in this lineup right now. Who wouldn't trade their first-born for Manny right now?

Oh Snap! Jason Bay. That's who you trade for Manny...And then you get Jed Lowrie to single him home.

I should know better - the new Red Sox don't choke.

No run today, but yesterday's 12-miler was just fine. I waited until the early evening in hopes that the temperature would drop. By the half-way point, it had cooled down to the mid 70's, which provided for a pleasant jaunt.