I apologize in advance....

So sorry to tell you, but posting will be erratic for the next 5-6 days. I'm leaving on a whirlwind visit to Hartford, Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey, and internet access will probably be rather unpredictable.

I was hoping to check out a Phillies game, but they seem to be at Washington while I'm there, and I haven't seen CitiField yet, but the Mets are in Atlanta. Perhaps I'll try to re-visit the shopping mall that they refer to as the new Yankee Stadium.

Regardless, plan on a nice long post by Wednesday evening - and GO SOX!

Finally some good news

Led by Marco Scutaro's grand slam, the Sox defeated the Angels yesterday, 7-3.

The Red Sox completed a sweep of the Angels yesterday afternoon in Anaheim, their first sweep since June 18-20 when when they swept the Dodgers at Fenway Park. The Sox have not swept a series on the road since they victimized the Rays at the Trop, May 24-26.

An encouraging sign, to be sure, especially since they managed to do it on the West coast, at the tail end of an absolutely brutal roadtrip. The local nine managed to salvage a 6-4 record in the last 10 games, and will head home to the friendly confines of Fenway Park to face the likes of the Tigers and Indians before taking to the road once again.

After a well-deserved offday today, the Sox take the field at a normal hour tomorrow, when Jon Lester takes on Mr. [Not] Perfect Game himself, Armando Galarraga. Galarraga has a 4.50 ERA, and has been pretty unimpressive of late, notching just one win since his near-perfect game on June second.

The way Lester has been pitching, I'm not too worried, and the bats seem to have hit their stride, too. Here's hoping the Yanks and Rays can lose some games so we can gain some ground.

Lackey not lacking

Angelic no more.

Lackey put up one of his best efforts of the season last night against his former team out in Anaheim. The big righty threw 124 pitches in 7.1 innings, giving up just two runs, and notched his tenth win of the season, finally looking like that third ace we were promised back in the offseason.

Somehow, the Sox haven't lost to the Angels this season, despite having well-documented issues beating most everyone else over the course of the schedule. Perhaps it's a timing issue, since the Sox played the Halos in May, before they lost too many people to the DL, and then again now, when they're starting to see some reinforcements.

Lackey has been much maligned this season for performing at a level that was lower than advertised. Where was that guy who screamed at his manager for trying to take him out in the 2009 playoffs? And why were we paying his salary to THIS guy?

Last night, Lackey sent a message to Red Sox Nation. Unfortunately, many of them were likely asleep, but they'll catch it this morning on talk radio, or SportsCenter, or Quick Pitch. THIS is the John Lackey we were all hoping for, and he's finally arrived. I can't wait to see what he'll do with the rest of the season.

Calling for the win

I lied to all of you this morning. It was unintentional, but I'm sorry nonetheless. Joel Pineiro will not be pitching against Clay Buchholz this evening. In a flurry of unforeseen circumstances, Dan Haren was traded to the Angels from the D-Backs late last night, and will jump right into the middle of things by taking the mound tonight.

The twenty-nine-year-old pitcher is 7-8 with a 4.60 ERA this season in the NL West, but was 1-2 against the American League this season, including a loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park on June 17th. Haren went just 5.2 innings, and allowed seven hits, three walks, and six runs, four of which were earned.

Haren has been mediocre thus far this season, but will a change of scene be just what the doctor ordered?

It's possible that Haren will be nervous and disoriented in a new city, but it's just as likely that he'll be eager to prove himself and spot on. Clay Buchholz is a mystery of his own: will we get the Clay of last Wednesday, when he lasted just four innings and gave up five runs? Or will we see the pre-DL Clay, the guy with 7-2 record, and 2.45 ERA?

Will we get good Clay or bad Clay?

Victor Martinez is finally back behind the dish, and Clay does enjoy throwing to him, so I'm expecting big things from both of them tonight. I'm calling for the WIN, and I'm confident Clay will deliver.

Digging in

The Red Sox seemed determined to lose the last two games in Seattle, wasting a great start by Jon Lester Saturday night and a decent one from Daisuke Matsuzaka yesterday.

6+ innings, 1ER is a HOF-worthy day for Daisuke.

Meanwhile, the Yankees and Rays are only gaining more ground, as the Sox' struggle to stay afloat until everyone is healthy only gets harder. The bats have been all but nonexistent lately, bad news when they're headed to Anaheim for a three game set.

However, there is light at the end of the tunnel: they'll play three at home against the Tigers and four against the Indians before heading to New York for a four game set.

If they manage to put in a good showing for the next week-and-a-half, key contributors should be back soon. Victor Martinez might return for this series, while Dustin Pedroia has been spotted taking batting practice and fielding ground balls (albeit in his ubiquitous boot), and Jacoby (D-) Ellsbury has finally begun what is sure to be a lengthy rehab assignment.

Clay Buchholz makes his second start after returning from the DL tonight, against old frield Joel Pineiro. On paper, it looks like a sure thing, but nothing is for certain the way the Red Sox have played lately, and especially since Buchholz was less than impressive last time out. Time will tell, but you know I'll be panicking until it's over.

Getting the ball rolling

THIS was the John Lackey I expected when we signed him...

Despite a meltdown of monster proportions in the ninth inning, the Red Sox put their fifty-fourth win in the book late last night against the Mariners. Somehow, the Sox gave up five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, resulting in closer Jonathan Papelbon's fourth blown save of the 2010 season.

The game took thirteen full innings, and the unlikely heroes included Hideki Okajima, Eric Patterson, and Ramon Ramirez.... What!?? Are the injured players back YET?

In all seriousness, the Sox need to keep winning, in any way they can. Their 54- 42 record would be good for first place in the AL Central, and second in the AL West, but they're SEVEN games behind the first place Yankees in the East and four behind the second-place Rays for the Wild Card.

I'm hoping last night's dramatic win galvanizes the Red Sox: the players should take inspiration from the great start from John Lackey and the clutch hitting of Patterson (I still can't wrap my head around that one), and I know that Theo Epstein is hard at work on a trade to bolster the moribund bullpen that managed to squander a five-run lead in the ninth.

I'm not ready to give up. There are sixty-six left to play, and players are starting to trickle off of the disabled list and back into the clubhouse, which can only mean good things for the Sox. I don't know that I'm holding out for the division title, but I think the Wild Card is within reach... However, it's unfortunately very possible that the Sox could win 95 games and miss the playoffs - but those are the breaks of the AL East.

Relax - Laser Show.

Love, love, LOVE.



Instead of dwelling on yesterday's loss, please enjoy this video of Pedey defending Papi at the beginning of the season. I'm sure Dustin would have similar sentiments about the state of the Sox if you asked him.