First You Lie To Congress, Then You Wear This Tie?

Can someone tell Rodger Clemens it's not 1988 anymore? Are things that bad in his life that he can't afford a decent tie? Honestly, is this a prank? Was he trying to punk us?

Come on Clemens, we all know you shot yourself with needles, but at least make an attempt to look the part. I swear I wore that same tie at my first communion.

You can lie to Congress and almost get away with it, but you simply shouldn't be able to wear a tie like that and live another day in this country.

And yes, this post is absolutely an attempt to deflect my current anger and frustration with the Red Sox.

Not a Good Weekend

There just isn't that much to say. A half-empty Tropicana ringing with a few weak cowbells saw the Sox fall again tonight, putting them 6 and 1/2 back in the division and wild card. A particularly disappointing finish to what looked like it might be a glimmer-of-hope weekend.

Is it insurmountable? No. If Buchholz and Lester start going on 2 days rest, then the Sox are right in the hunt. But it's tough to see how they're going to make up these games without a dramatic improvement from Beckett and Lackey. The dog days have been lackluster, though, and even hardened Sox fans, knowing that this was possibly a make-or-break series, had a tough time feeling the magic of late-summer baseball. I for one only mustered a few choice mutterings when Jed Lowrie, the tying run, got called out on a ball a foot out of the zone on a swing that didn't go a quarter of the way around. But that was that, and that's the way August has been.

That said, there's a month of baseball to be played, and only a week's worth of games to make up. The Sox have the Rays for 3 more at home next week and a big 3 game set in NYC at the end of September. For the latter, ITM is calling now for a summit. I'm fleeing New York for autumn in Massachusetts, and I'm calling the Vicinos and Murphys together for one last pull. We might still be 6 games out with 6 to go at that point, but dammit if we're not going to believe against all reason. We might just reclaim the old Sox mantle - baseball's Knights of Faith.

Random Rainout Video Post: An Underrated Classic

No one likes rain outs in August, especially wind-driven cold ones. Either way, with the Sox idle as result of this October like monsoon in Boston, and the Yanks and Rays likely on their way to victories, I'm forced to turn to a classic commercial to keep my optimism up.

It's just too bad that Big Mac had to go ruin a great commercial by throwing his name down the toilet with needles and supplements. Regardless, you can't deny the amazing acting of Maddux in this piece, it's an award-winning performance that goes completely overlooked. The man was a nerd, knew it, and had dart-like control......a lethal combination in any aspect of life.

....ITM note: How bad must it be that I was almost pumped when the game was called and I didn't have to watch Josh Beckett disappoint me again tonight?

It's Clay's World and We're All Just Living in it...

Clay Buchholz's season of dominance kept chugging along today. Another ho-hum outing of keeping a powerful lineup off the scoreboard. It's just Buchh being Buchh.

And another reason to keep a small bit of playoff hope for these Red Sox.

A weekend family wedding kept me away from the games, but it's nice to know that I have nothing to really worry about when Buchholz is on the bump.

Second in the AL with 15 wins, leading the league with an unreal 2.26 ERA, and STILL under the radar. I don't get it, but I'll certainly take it.

I'm lucky enough to have money seats to tomorrow's game, right on the first base line.....and with my luck it'll rain on me the entire time. Regardless, I'm just hopeful they can get the game in, the Sox can get on a run, and Heidi is close by.

....an open bar wedding means I desperately need sleep. Go Sox

Beckett Can't Get The Sox Over the Hump

(I hear ya Tito, loud and clear)

I'm not saying he pitched poorly, but he certainly continues to fail in rising to the occasion. Things were going well for a bit, but then Josh Beckett let up a three run tater to Godzilla and the Sox never had a chance after that.

I'm not going to rant and rage about Beckett's inconsistency, lack of ace-like stuff, or ability to dominate important games throughout the year (..or did i just do that?). I will however say that having Josh Beckett (on the Red Sox and/or on your Fantasy team) is like having a hot ex girlfriend. She was great for a while, but you don't trust her anymore, you want nothing to do with her, but deep down, you know she's still got "it" somewhere, and you can't help but stay interested.

This is by no means directly applicable to me, I just watch a lot of Entourage.

Either way, with the Rays losing late night, the Sox missed yet another chance to gain ground in the Wild Card race......a "race" that is becoming more and more one sided.

Buchholz Steals Pedey's Limelight - Start Talking Cy Young

Dustin Pedroia returned tonight after 7 weeks of injury to a standing ovation. It was even his birthday.

Ryan Kalish, a yet to be determined level of studly rookie hit a grand slam to break the game open.

But to be honest, none of that matters, because Clay Buchholz has been that good this year.

After going 7 dominate innings against a Halos team that simply can't score against the Sox, Buchholz has absolutely cemented himself in the Cy Young award talk.

Joe Murph and I had this conversation after his last start, we were concerned that he wouldn't have enough time to pile on some wins, and we agreed that he remains under the radar and won't get the "sexy votes" that David Price may (ITM note, how is that possible given the Boston/Tampa market differences?).

Tonight's game however, in my mind, put him square in the mix. At 14-5, a ridiculous league leading ERA of 2.36, a WHIP of 1.1, and the title of being the most consistent and valuable pitcher in the AL, how can this guy not get a ton of votes?

Also, have you ever seen a pitcher make adjustments as quickly and as well as Buchholz? Most prospects get lit up a bit, and it takes a few years to make adjustments before they reach this level of success, but Buchholz has essentially done it in one year.

He's matured to the point where he realizes he doesn't need to strike everyone out, in fact, he's among the league leaders in ground outs, which helps to keep his pitch count down.

Going into the season, if you would have told us a Red Sox pitcher was in the Cy Young discussion, many would have assumed Lester, maybe Beckett, possibly Lackey, but probably not Buchholz. See how much this guy has poured?

Imagine if Theo dealt this guy? (ITM note, at one point or another, all of us were ready to show him the door for a bat, admit it).

Now if we could ever get the Rays and Yanks to lose on the same nights as the Sox win, we'd be on to something.

Playoffs or not, Buchholz needs to be on the ultra short list for Cy Young consideration. Mark it zero, next frame.

A Shot of Optimism: The Laser Show Returns

I think we're all searching for a little bit of good news and optimism after a 5-5 road trip that should have been 7-3. We're further away from a playoff spot than when it started, but you know what....Pedey's back.

I'm not saying he'll laser show us right back into a playoff spot, mainly because our bullpen is that bad and we still have starting outfielders with names like Patterson, McDonald and Kalish, but if nothing else, he'll give us more to be excited about.

So while Ellsbury sits in "worse pain than ever before", and Beckett continues to implode in front of our eyes, at least ITM should have good pre and post game quotes from Pedey to pedal for the next month or two.

Thank god he plays baseball better than he dances.