Almost There...

As I write, 9 outs to go and we can exhale. For a couple of days anyway.

Bengie is providing some offense and Santana has given up 2 runs with 7 K's in 6+ innings.

It looks inevitable that we'll clinch the division, but there are some issues. Garret Anderson's back/slump. What's up? What will we get from Steve Finley? Will the bullpen give us strong performances? We'll need that during the playoff run.

If all goes well, we'll get to sit by and twiddle our thumbs while we wait for the playoff schedule.

Breathing Room?

I can hope, can't I?

A 2 game lead is good. 2 1/2 would be better. Currently, we're trailing Texas by one in the 4th. We're 11 - 7 this month. It would be nice to be playing slightly better.

Bart got back on the beam yesterday, and got his 20th. Best in 31 years.

Mike Scioscia is correct in calling out the O. Playoff baseball is here, and so is the good pitching.

It would also be nice to have as big a lead as we can before that big 4 game series coming up in Oakland.

Nauseous In Seattle

Great. Just what we needed.

We started this series with a 20 game lead over these patsies! If Cleveland isn't in a giving mood, we'll wake up tied with the A's in the division and 2 games behind in the Wild Card race. We had our chances. 2 rallies still weren't enough. Seattle even tried to boot the game away.

Joe Saunders got spanked early and often, Raul Ibanez was a one-man wrecking crew (.643 (9-for-14) in the series with two home runs and six RBIs), and if Izturis doesn't get gunned down in the top of the ninth....oh well. It shoudn't have come to that.

In the "If only we had known" department, get this. This is SICK! M's starter Jamie Moyer entered the game with a 123-0 career record in games in which his offense provided him with at least a four-run advantage! That's......I don't think there's a superlative to describe what that is. That record remains intact. He got a no-decision today.

As I write the Indians and the A's are tied in the 7th. Sorry if I disturbed anyone's digestion. Of course, with what happened already today, maybe that's moot point.

What A Difference A Time Zone Makes

Somebody go back to Chicago and find the Angel's offense. Where'd it go?

While you're there, take a quick detour to Cleveland and drop off a fruit basket to the Indians' Ben Broussard, who single handedly (with 2 homers and 5 rbi) knocked off the A's. The division lead is now 1, and we would be 1 1/2 games behind the Indians for the Wild Card.

Paul Byrd gave us a brilliant outing, but the bats were silent. Boy, we better put this one behind us because come tomorrow afternoon, we better get ready to take the brooms out of the M's hands.

Thankfully, Detroit is coming to town for 4 days, and that should be a nice elixer for what ails the offense.

18 games to go, so don't let up now!

How Sweep It Is!

Good pitching AND run support. How novel.

Outstanding weekend. Lackey looked great, as did Bartolo. It was raining souvenirs all over the park today too! 3 - 0 before your guy steps on the mound. Nice. 34 hits and 22 runs in the series. And this wasn't against rookies, or broken down geezers with frayed rotator cuffs. We're talking Mark Buehrle and Jon Garland.

Now it's off to Seattle. They ought to be licking their chops. 6 - 0 against the Mariners at their house this year. We've got a 2 game lead, and the Tigers up after the M's.

Now's the time to make hay.

Stop The Bleeding

In an all too familiar scenario, so far things in Boston are looking good early. We've seen that before.

It would be a shame to waste a chance to move another half game ahead of the A's. But what also concerns me is that a tie with Oakland equals 1 1/2 games behind the Indians and Yankees in the Wild Card race. And it's not like one team is running away with the Wild Card. The more teams involved, the more chances for someone getting hot and putting it away.

The old adage is true: You have to take care of your own business. So let's salvage this Bosox series and then strap 'em on for the Chisox.

The Slimmest Of Margins

Well, it's a fine line alright, but at least it's not boring.

A 1-game lead (as I write this, we're down 6 - 3 in the 8th in Beantown), I'm sure has gotten our attention. So has the AL Pitcher of the month (5-0, 1.72 ERA) saying he has "pain" in his back. I can tell you where my pain suddenly is. Anybody who's ever had back pain (yours truly for 25 years) know that it's scary and unpredictable. What are our chances without a possible 20 game winner for the rest of the season, and the playoffs?

OK, sorry for getting a little freaked out there. I'll lay off the coffee...

After the BoSox it doesn't get any easier with the ChiSox. It won't be a real confidence builder if we drop the series to Division leading Boston, only to find ourselves staring another division leader in the face.

These are times that prove a team's worth. But there are still plenty of reasons to feel real good!
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