With losing 2 out of 3 to the Yankees, the AL East standings are as shown in the image coming into tonight.  As I type this the Red Sox are currently down 2-0 to the Blue Jays in the 2nd inning.
    The series with the Yankees was a bitter pill to swallow.  Not only did we lose the series, but last nights loss was just tough.  Schilling did actually give a strong outing and only made one big mistake.  And that was grooving a 85mph fastball to a certain Derek Jeter.  He may be overrated in some circles, but he can still do serious damage --- as everyone saw.  Still bitter, still optomistic... still a Red Sox fan.  All in a Septembers work.  Go Sox!

    Big win last night.  Big, big, big, big, BIG win last night.  Not only does it give the Red Sox a little bit of momentum heading into what should be an interesting series against the Yankees, but it keeps the division at 5 games.
    Also, it was nice to see the Red Sox win a game the old fashion way.  And by "old fashion way" I'm referring to the way it's gone time and time again for the past 3 or so years.  Game winning home run for David Ortiz.  Speaking of Ortiz, he may be having a down year by his home run standards but that's pretty much irrelevant when his line looks like this: .321/.434/.599/1.033 (AVG/OBP/SLG/OPS).  Add to that his 31 home runs, 104 runs batted in AND 106 runs scored and it looks like crowning Mike Lowell team MVP was jumping the gun.  I mean Mike has been BRILLIANT but this is still Ortiz' line up, no question about it.  And if A-Rod wasn't absolutely out of his skull this year I'd be calling for an MVP.
    So heading into this weekends series with the Yankees the Red Sox will trot out Matsuzaka, Beckett and Schilling.  The 3 guys they'd have out their in ANY 3 games.  I know I'll be drinking a lot this weekend and screaming at the television a lot as well, but it's September baseball.  The reason we ALL love the sport so much.  You play through this long, grueling season to get to the point where it either all pays off or you only have yourself to blame.  I'd love a sweep just to absolutely SMASH any glimmer of hope the Yankees had for the division, but my gut is telling me a 2 out of 3 for the Red Sox type of deal.  Have to keep the lead above 3 because I don't like the prospect of it being below 3 with the rest of our schedule.  Not because any of the teams scare me particularly, but because the Red Sox have a knack for losing against clubs they should win.
    Enjoy the weekend series, here's hoping it's a nice trend setter for the playoffs - GO SOX!

    Josh Beckett is the AL Cy Young winner, period.  18 wins.  Tied for the AL lead.  3.27 ERA.  7th in the AL.  176 K's.  7th in the AL.  The only person I'd put into the conversation with Beckett would have to be C.C. Sabathia, because he's had a *******' AMAZING season.  But see I'm a Red Sox fan so I'm going with Beckett.
    Keeping the division race a 5.5 games over the Yankees, I'll take it.  Happy I can get back to watching the Red Sox again now that the Baltimore series is over.  Hopefully I'll have more to write about tomorrow.  Oh yea, and A-Rod is a freak of nature.  Go Sox!

    This is indeed a Red Sox blog.  One that I like to think isn't THAT bad.  And I can talk about that terrible outing last night, and how I think Dice-K may need a start or two off.  But I can't right now.  It's week 1 in the NFL, and as much as I'm obsessed with the Red Sox; the Patriots are just as bad.  Give me both of them at once, and my head'll explode.
    Week 1 finds my boys heading into that dump called the Meadowlands with a chance to punk the Jets & Mangini one more time.  Even with that prospect I'm more excited to see Sammy Morris, Kyle Brady, Wes Welker, Donté Stallworth and Adalius Thomas.  I have a feeling Welker is going to be a MONSTER for the Pats.  I'm calling a 27-17 win for New England.
    As for the Sox; 5.5 games up on the Yankees.  Playing decent (minus last night), but it seems like my fears/expectations are going to be met.  The last series between the Red Sox and Yankees will ultimately decide the division.  It wouldn't be Red Sox baseball if it wasn't nerve racking.  GO SOX!

    As I sit here and watch the University of Michigan get their heads kicked in by Oregon, I just got through a conversation with one of my buddies about whom I think is the greatest ballplayer of all-time.  My friend is insistent that Barry Bonds is the clear #1.  But for me, is it Barry Bonds?  No.  As you can see by the photo I went with the old reliable:  Babe Ruth.  And sadly as much as I'll probably make the case for Ruth, I'll bring up my reasons for why Bonds cannot honestly be put in the discussion.
    Babe Ruth has been the consensus #1 ballplayer of all-time since before he even retired, and his stat line really does back it up.  His major career stats look a little something like this:

• 714 career home runs
• 2217 career runs batted in
• 2873 career hits
• 1.164 career OPS

Oh and the pitching stats:

• 94 career wins
• 488 career strike outs
• 2.28 career ERA

Add to the fact that Ruth reached his historic record of 714 home runs in 8398 at bats while Bonds took roughly 9300, and Hank Aaron took in the neighborhood of 11288.  Not to diminish either of those 2, and their accomplishments but merely to point out that Ruth's at bats per home run ratio of 11.80 is pretty **** amazing.
    Add all of those reasons into the fact that Ruth helped baseball recover after the 1919 Black Sox did their thing and it honestly should not be a very close argument.  As a player and as an attraction Ruth is/was/will be the most important, and best overall baseball player ever.
    Now to all you who may think Mays, Mantle, Williams, Cobb, or even Bonds is the greatest.  I respectfully disagree.  Especially with Barry Bonds.  And before I launch into this all me to say:  I don't "hate" Barry Bonds and I'm not against him.  I just think people forget the pre-73 home runs.  But Bonds cannot be the #1 player of all-time for me and not because I KNOW he cheated and got all roided up, but merely because I don't know.  And everyone can say that the clear and the creme didn't help him become the player that his is and things like that, allow me to make one point.  Who was putting Barry Bonds on the lists of best player ever or best hitter ever before the 2000 season?  Answer - NOBODY.  Every knew he was an amazing player, a sure fire first ballot hall of famer.  But nobody outside of Barry himself thought of him as the best baseball player of all-time.
    Honestly think about it.  Before 2000 Bonds was thought of as a great player, but if someone said he was better than Mays you'd look at them as if they were insane.  Here is just as a small example: let's just go back to 1999.  All-Star game at Fenway Park, Major League Baseball ran a promotion for the MLB All-Century Team.  In which a panel of "experts" compiled a list of the 100 greatest players from the last 100 years. Then fans voted on the greatest players.  Now you'd think that the panel and fans could agree that even without hitting 73 home runs or anything like that Bonds was certainly one of the best outfielders of all-time, right?  Wrong.  Barry only managed 173,279 votes for the All-Century outfield.  While a player like Ken Griffey Jr., who everyone at the time thought was on his way to getting the "best of all-time" title received 645,389 votes.  Now is this absolute proof that Bonds is NOT the best ballplayer of all-time?  No.  But to me it's just one of many examples that proves to me that it's impossible to separate Barry Bonds and the line of thinking that steroids or performance enhancing drugs helped Bonds reach that next level.  From going from one of the top players of this generation to becoming in some peoples eyes the best player ever.
    I hate that I've pretty much knocking Bonds down more than showing my work for why I chose Ruth, but in today's world EVERYONE knows Ruth's work and what he meant to the game.  Disagree?  Think I'm totally biased against Barry?  Feel free to post a comment on your choice for the greatest ballplayer ever, or to just rip me a new one.  Either way leave some feedback.  But don't bring race into this discussion because I know that's usually where these discussions go.
    Thanks for reading -- GO SOX!

    It's finally here.  My favorite time of the calendar year (no rhyme intended).  The time of the year when I get to enjoy BOTH the Red Sox and the Patriots playing at the same time.  Kind of.  The Red Sox of course are playing Baltimore this weekend so thanks to the blackout restrictions I won't get the series, and again thanks for that.  But the Patriots season DOES indeed spark off, and luckily they'll get the chance to beat the snot out of the New York Jets and that planet of a man, Eric Mangini.  But this is a baseball blog, if you can call it that, so I digress.
    As for the Red Sox, it ***** that I can't watch this series because I can't really come on here and complain or praise certain players, but even with that said as of today Boston's magic number is down to 16.  Which I feel pretty stupid even talking about a magic number unless it's 10 or less but thats pretty much all I have at this point.  So I'll be heading out to the bar to enjoy some adult beverages and watch the boys, I recommend all able do the same.  And before I click publish, the photo I'm using today comes from Jerry Remy's website, so go support the REM DAWG!  GO SOX!

    A topic that has been run into the ground, I know.  But I'd quickly just like to say that if the Red Sox were smart they'd break ground TOMORROW for a new stadium.  I love Fenway, it's a absolutely magical place to see a ballgame.  All the history, all the memorable moments that have heppen there.  But along with that comes the fact that it's: old, uncomfortable in many spots and the Red Sox as a top tier baseball team should be playing in better facilities.
    Now I know all the "Save Fenway" folks will combat that line of thinking with the fight to save history.  But I think that keeping certain things (Green Monster, field dimensions, etc.) while updating the facilities, seating and such would not only keep that "feel" of a game at Fenway but even make it better.  Add that increase in revenue from more ticket, food/beer is always a plus.  And plain and simple, I know people like the small crowd, closeness of Fenway but the fact that the Boston Red Sox only play in front of 38,000-ish at home is pretty insane.
    New Fenway won't happen for a long time, I just hope sooner rather than later.  GO SOX!

    I have absolutely NOTHING to say in this post.  ZERO.  I'll have my thoughts on tonights game either later on tonight of tomorrow, but right now.... nothing.
    I will say that the home run A-Rod hit last night was borderline retaaaahded.  Love the season he's having.  Not only because he's on my fantasy baseball this season, but I just enjoy watching great ballplayers playing the game.  As long as the Yankees lose, A-Rod can go 4-4 w/ 3 home runs.
    Also how great is the month of September.  Not even a week into the month and I'm already loving it.  Baseball is coming down to the chase for the playoffs, and I KNOW this month is going to be entertaining as ****.  My Patriots are about to stomp out the Jets.  College football is a nice Saturday lunchtime distraction.  Life is good.
    Well I really wasn't lying, NOTHING TO SAY.  Hopefully my in depth, Gammons-esque post game breakdown will pack more of a punch.  But my guess is it won't.  GO SOX!

    I'm going to admit something: I have a man crush on Jacoby Ellsbury.  Wanna make something about it?  You would to if a promising young prospect came up and from day one starting abusing Major League pitching.  Ellsbury is hitting a lean .452 since coming up and showed his skills tonight going 3-3.  Home run, triple, single and a stolen base.  Not a bad nights work.  **** even Youkillis swung a decent stick tonight, so it HAD to be a win with the way he's been batting as of late.
    Josh Beckett was also doing his thing tonight.  Beckett went 8.0IP giving up 3 earned runs and striking out 7 before giving way to Jonathan Papelbon.  I was pretty surprised to see Papelbon come in since there was talk all game about giving him some rest, but he came in a slammed that **** door shut.
    Overall it was a close game, but a pretty **** decisive win. Magic number now is 17.  So all you Yankee fans.. don't start GRIPPING yet, but start paying a little closer attention.  GO SOX!

    Well last night was... interesting.  To say the least.  10-1.  GAME OVER.  Right?  Of course that isn't the case, and the Red Sox fans were treated to a early September game that gave most if not all, heart murmurs.  But at the end of the day we out slugged the Jays and won.  Just another day in the life of a Red Sox fan.
    With the win that puts us 7 ahead of those fella from the Bronx (yes I use "us" when talking about the Red Sox.  I've spent enough money supporting the club "us" is just).  With the Rocket showing his age and Andy Pettite proving to be the ace of the staff, I have to say that last nights win; it put me in a good state of mind.  Tonights game LOOKS like it should be great with Beckett v Halladay.  So I wouldn't really expect a 13-10 game, but who the heck knows at this point.
    Also gotta give my review of two pieces of Red Sox garb, if you will.  I recently purchased the 2007 navy batting practice cap and the 2007 navy THERMA BASE on-field fleece.  Both are very, very, very nice.  The batting practice hat is light weight and perfect overall.  The only problem I have with it is that it's a stretch fit, one-size-fits-all kind of deal, but even with that it's comfortable.  Now the fleece I originally saw by way of Francona in the dugout.  I have a million Red Sox hoodies so I was looking for something else.  The fleece is nice.  The inside is what you'd expect from a fleece... which is FLEECE.  But the outside is more of a breathable type of deal.  So yea, go buy them.

    Here's hoping tonight is a stress free, easy win.  I wouldn't bet on it though.  GO SOX!

    Last night I proposed the question:  as of right now, who is your 2007 Red Sox team MVP (see poll below).  Given the choice of: Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkillis, Dustin Pedroia, Josh Beckett or Tim Wakefield.
    I went with Mike Lowell.
    Mike Lowell has had a "different" year, shall we say.  He's been stellar all year with the bat, and in some bizarro world twist has 15 errors.  I say "different" because when the Red Sox acquired him the knock was that you'd get the defense, but Lowell was offensively spent.  The fact that Mike leads the Red Sox with hits, runs batted in and average.. a Red Sox team that has some hitters name Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz on it.  I think looking at the offense boost he's given the club, giving him my vote shouldn't seem so odd.
    As for the other nominees, some I just threw in because of their names (Ortiz & Manny have been far to inconsistent).  Others I listed because I think people still are not fully grasping how good of a season they are having (Dustin Pedroia), and the others were just folks who have played a key role this season in Wakefield and Youkillis and our no doubt number one guy, Beckett.
    I've heard a lot of people make a case for Okajima or Papelbon.  Okajima has been brilliant overall, but I won't say team MVP off of 63 innings.Same for Papelbon. Because yes he's the "anchor" but by all accounts Okajima has "saved" more games simply because of the situations where he is brought in, compared to Papelbon coming in to get 3 outs with the bases empty (usually).  But that has more to do with my problem with the "save" rule.
    There is my short hand take.  Now I know this is all pretty stupid with 20+ games left and this is ALL up to this date, could change by the end of the day.  By all means if I've overlooked some points or cases to be made, leave a comment ripping my whole argument apart.  Because believe it or not, I enjoy getting comments telling me how idiotic I am and anything else you can think of.  Anyways, thank god for the Baltimore series being over now I can at least watch the boys play.  GO SOX!

    No way of getting around it.  Last night was amazing.  Simply amazing.  Clay Buchholz no hits a major league club in his second career big league start.  Of course it would have been nice if the game wasn't blacked out on my MLB package, but I'll get to that later.
    As for Buchholz, I couldn't be happier.  Not only for his brilliant pitching last night but also (and more importantly) the Red Sox actually won the game.  Nice to see Pedroia make that play to save the no hitter as well.  I've seen him make a variation of that play at least twenty times this year, and I make not bones about it.  I'm a BIG Dustin Pedroia fan.  He's not fast, strong, agile or anything like that.  But he's a ballplayer, plain and simple.  Also with Buchholz throwing a no-no an idea popped into my head.  Next season:  Beckett, Dice-K, Wake, Lester & Buchholz.  No need to bring back Schilling.  Am I placing too much emphasis on 2 starts?  ABSOLUTELY.  But I can't get past the fact that I really want Schilling gone after this season.
    As for those ****** at MLB Extra Innings who like to blackout Atlanta, Baltimore & Washington games for people in NC.  Pick one and run with it.  But when I spend $160 on a package SPECIFICALLY to watch the Boston Red Sox and end up missing a game like last nights because of blackout restrictions I'm gonna get mad about it.  But I digress...
    Congrats again the Buchholz -- here's to you having many more outings like the one last night -- GO SOX!