Deep Thoughts Aboard Boston's Subway

Once again I find myself stuck on Boston's subway coming home from work, and I'm worried about the Sox. You would think that with my wedding coming up on Saturday my mind would be elsewhere, but it's not, it's focused squarely on Brad Penny and Boston's bullpen.

As soon as the Sox went into extras last night the worrying started,not only in regards to the game at hand, but to the repercussions it could have on the bullpen during the most important stretch of the year thus far. Not only did the Sox use up their bullpen arms last night with stressful innings,but Brad Penny takes the mound against a scrappy Rays team that seems to raise their collective games against Boston (see Evan Longoria...he's a great talent and hard to dislike,damn that guy).

I don't think I've ever wanted to see Tim Wakefield take the mound more than tonight. Ol' reliable would go out there and eat innings all night long, Penny on the other hand, while also a veteran, has yet to show the ability to go deep into games. He tends to suffer from the John Smoltz syndrome of one bad inning. Usually it's in the 4th or5th, and that's something Boston's current record and bullpen simply cannot afford. They'll have to bring up an arm from Pawtucket, most likely Hunter Jones (they may have done so already, but I'm underground with no signal to check). Jones may have a great baseball name, but he's not exactly the best person to be sending onto the bump during such a pivotal stretch.

So let's collectively pray Penny gives the Sox what they need tonight;a significant amount of quality innings to keep them in the game and save the bullpen to fight another day. God willing.

Go Sox