On Solid Ground?

This picture is dedicated to my friend over at TwinsTown. Once again, it’s not like I’m a C’s fan or anything, it’s just cool to see KG in a Sox jersey.

After last night’s performance, Boston is in the midst of still finding which identity they are going to carry (or not) into the postseason. Julian Tavarez proved once again why I hate the idea of him starting. Ever. He was quoted before last night’s game as saying being prepared to start is “mental.” It seems Tavarez has three brain cells upstairs in la cabasa that are constantly fighting and are unable to string together a complete thought or pitch sequence. You know what? I used to think that his saving grace was that he was a good guy to keep the clubhouse loose, but his ability to fuck games up out of the gate are starting to outweigh that trait. With Schilling on his way back next Monday Tavarez hopefully has a one way ticket to the bullpen for the duration of the season.

At least the Sox have their lineup to lean on, even though it hasn’t been that dependable the last two outings. They were able to mount a four run comeback in the bottom of the seventh on the backs of the heart of the lineup. It’s nice to see the big bats come through when they are needed in the clutch and come together as a team rather than just relying on one or two people night in and night out.

All-Star reliever Hideki Okajima made things interesting giving up an eighth inning solo shot to Baltimore Orioles SS Miguel Tejada. Javier Lopez came in to collect the win after closer Jonathan Papelbon came in to pitch a perfect ninth earning his 24^th save of the year.

Tim Wakefield is on the mound this afternoon for a rare mid-week day game at Fenway against Jeremy Guthrie in the rubber match with the O’s. If the Yankees keep playing the way they are, it’s going to be difficult to nurse their seven game lead in the AL East by playing .500 ball like the Sox have been doing since early June. Since going 36-16 in April and May, the Sox are 29-26 in the last two months. Like I’ve said to counter the Yankees production they have been playing some weak teams in Tampa Bay, Kansas City and the Chicago White Sox. They’ll have a tougher stretch in the second half of August playing top AL teams in Cleveland, Detroit, LA and Boston. So, we’ll see what they’re made of and if they are for real after playing those top teams in the AL by the end of this month.

Also, regarding last night’s events in Minneapolis, I’m happy to see that the Twins organization made the no brainer call to postpone today’s final game against the Kansas City Royals and the groundbreaking on their new stadium. It’s a tragedy that hits a little too close to home for me, as my uncle who works for Fox Sports Net North and aunt who works for the University of Minnesota took the bridge that collapsed yesterday to work everyday. In fact, my aunt traveled over it just minutes before it went down into the Mississippi River. I’m not the type of guy to say “keep the victims and their families in your prayers” however it’s sort of hard not to say that in a way when something unexpected like that happens. Me being me, I'd rather just make a joke about it and gain a little levity. But since this could have happened anywhere (including where I live) here’s to wishing the Minneapolis/Twin Cities community a speedy recovery.