The NYC trip didn’t pan out quite the way I’d hoped but a 1-2 series loss wasn’t the end of the world and as we speak, the Rangers series is going with the form book with the Sox taking the first two. Wake got some run support today, and some help from the Rangers pitching and defence (they’re not dead last in the AL for nothing). With JT going on Sunday (a breakfast game for me), the sweep’s a distinct possibility.

Meanwhile the Y*****s continue to tank, going two down to the Angels. A couple of weeks ago, MLB.COM started including the Wild Card ‘race’ in its standings which I thought was a little premature after a quarter of the season. Then last week E numbers appeared! E# is the combination of wins and losses a team ‘needs’ to be eliminated from contention. As things stand, MFY are eighth in the race, behind all the usual suspects and only ahead of the D Rays, KC and Texas. Their E# is 107, down from 111 in the last few days. Watch this space.

In other news, the first major gathering of SG folk takes place Memorial Day Monday (mostly) at the Cask & Flagon outside Fenway. I’m so jealous and, at the same time, so looking forward to SG West in San Diego which is now barely three weeks away. I’ve already started packing.

The third get together is scheduled for Baltimore in September, the corresponding series to my last  trip in the rain in 2006. Apparently I missed Ted D by inches!

So one more in Arlington, T-storms permitting, then it’s back to Boston for three with the Indians. This could be a defining series between two division-leading teams with much more post-season significance than the visit of the MFYs at the weekend. By golly it feels good to say that!

So much for doubleheaders. It was back to normal as the Sox and Braves split a miserable (in weather terms) twin bill on their Saturday then took the series in Sunday’s delayed game as Kason Gabbard delivered more than we might have expected. His reward seems to have been to be sent back to AAA in favour of Manny Delcarmen. I don’t understand that at all. (Edited to add: It’s related to Josh Beckett being on the DL but I still don’t get it!)

Now it’s off the NYC for three and a sweep is not beyond the realms of possibility, especially if the Y*****s put up Wang twice running as mlb.com currently has it:) Of course they may actually have two starting pitchers called C.Wang but I doubt it.

A sweep might just tip the Evil Emperor into allowing Joe Torre the opportunity to spend more time with his family, but I’d take the series win to at least maintain the lead over Baltimore. The O’s have three games with the Blue Jays but one of them is an exhibition game (what’s that about?).

The road trip continues in Arlington against the second worst team in baseball where all they seem have to guard against (other than complacency) is being distracted by what Ted D called ‘a young lady from Austin’ who will be in attendance for at least two of the games.

(Image shamelessly nicked from said young lady’s website! Thanks Tex!)

I haven’t posted twice in one day for ages but I had to come
on to say: I Love Doubleheaders! And the Sox haven’t won twice in one day since since time immoral.

My early start was rewarded by a genuine quality start from
Julian Tavarez, followed by a classic 1-2-3 setup job by OKG and three Go-Sit-Down outs for the save by Papelbon. A strange
2-1 win that never seemed in doubt.

The second game was, on paper, the more likely win but
Schilling struggled and left trailing, to be picked up by the defense and the
offense. In both cases this happened to be Eric Hinske, first with a
dirt-scraping, full-stretch catch on the warning track to deny the Tigers a
couple of runs; then a two run homer to give the Sox the lead and OKG the save
opportunity, which he duly took.

People are suggesting Hinske should take on Trot’s Dirt Dog
nickname but I think that devalues Nixon’s contribution to this ballclub over umpteen
seasons. Hinske may have gained full acceptance into RSN today, rather than
being just that guy on the bench who used to be in Toronto.

I think the MLB.com sub-editor got it right with Eric The Red. That’ll do for
now, maybe DD later.

So they took both halves of the double header and now stand
9 games up with the best record in the known universe. Braves over the weekend
then off to NYC for three. Much more of this and we’ll be partying like it’s 2004.

Weather Gods permitting we could make that ten game lead by
Monday but there’s a major risk that the series with the Braves might
get washed out along with at least one game of the Subway series. We shall see.

The Sox game on Thursday morning (US Wednesday evening) was T-stormed out so we get a doubleheader which means I can take in most of the first game before dragging myself out of bed and off to work.

That’s the good part. The bad part is that, in most cases, double headers are split so the day ends up neutral in terms of the standings (unless the Y****s rookie starter gets taken apart by the White Sox of course!).

But the effect on the bullpen if they get called on early in the first game and the effect on the starters’ rest days can have longer term implications. And that’s assuming that one or both of the  Friday and Saturday games don’t get postponed. Another doubleheader on Sunday and a future rest day make up game could be a real pain.

On the other hand, with the right breaks, including bounce-back wins from Josh Beckett and Wake and decent performances from the Mets and we could go to the Bronx with a double-digit lead!

So, 4:35 a.m. Friday, 11:00a.m. Saturday and, God help us, 5:05 a.m. Sunday and we’ll see where we are.

Go Sox!   

In the off-season the Sox pitching rotation and bullpen was, to say the least, in a state of flux. Big bucks and weeks of uncertainty over Matsuzaka. Would Beckett ever really come good? How would Lester’s treatment and rehab go? Was Papelbon really a starter and, if he was, who would be the closer? Would there even be a single closer?

And in all this, what would be the role of Señor Tavarez?

Today, he kept it close for 6+ innings with Wakefield-like run support and took his third loss in five starts to stand 1-3 with a 6.48 ERA. With a little more luck he could easily have been 2-2 or 3-1 for the year. His numbers, apart from Ks, would then be not a million miles away from the 100 million dollar man.

Beckett, on the other hand, is 6-0 and is looking like the ace of the staff, a title Schilling still desperately wants. Again, with a slight change in fortune, Josh could have the record of a mere mortal.

Now there’s talk that Tavarez might return to the bullpen as a long reliever when Lester’s ready, a role he didn’t exactly shine at last season. Or he might even be traded.

As Jimmy Greaves used to say about English football, it’s a funny old game.

Oh, and my 2-1 series ‘sweep’ as Ted D called it is still on the cards with Schill starting my Monday morning breakfast game. Must figure out a good reason for getting into work at around 10 a.m.!

Haven’t posted here in a little while and I felt the need to catch up.

The Yankees sweep at Fenway was followed by two out of three in NY and it would probably have been another sweep if the unfortunate Jeff Karstens had avoided the Lugo line drive that broke his leg. Still, 5-1 this year and seven of the last eight (OK the last two of last season were meaningless end-of-season affairs).

Sox in first place with, briefly, the best record in baseball and the other lot in last place, umpteen games under five hundred.

And then today’s crazy ride with Matsuzaka coughing up 5 in the first on three walks, a hit batter and an error. Sox tying with five of their own, including a Manny HR, taking the lead, losing it again to give Dice-K a no-decision and Manny’s second of the game for the 8-7 win.

Meanwhile in Texas, the other lot were playing a double-header and, unusually, won both games so they made up a little ground (but they’re still .440 which is all good). With any luck, they’ll be knackered for the weekend series against the M’s.

The Sox are in the awful dome in Minnesota. My imperfect memory tells me they traditionally don’t do well there. Timmy goes tomorrow (for me) at lunchtime, then Snr Tavarez faces Santana, with Curt in the Sunday game. I’d take a  2-1 Sox series but 1-2 wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Mid-autumn sun tomorrow so I might get out on the deck for the last time this season.

::Clinks wine glass::

Go Sox!