a700hitter

They do owe it to the current players to try to win this weekend and the series beginning Monday against the White Sox. As strange as it seems, this debilitated team full of retreads just beat the likely Cy Young winner, Halladay and long time nemesis Lilly in back to back games which has me completely baffled. Early in the season, when the Sox were healthy, the Jays were tuning them up. This game is so unpredictable. If I was a betting man, I would have lost a load of money the last two days on the Jays. This game is so unpredictable. In 2004 ALCS after game 3 things were worse. You can argue that we had a very talented team in "04 and these guys stink, and that is true, but there was no margin for error in "04. They had to beat a talented Yankee team 4 straight and they did. If this tattered group can somehow find a way to win over the next 5 days with patchwork pitching, they could be somewhat revived. Varitek and Nixon are coming back on Monday. Wakefield will be back. I think it is a 100 to 1 shot, but this game is just so unpredictable. The other thing is we don't know what kind of effect Lester's cancer will have on this group. It could be something that focuses this group and galvanizes them. You never know. I stuck a fork in them long before most people, but while I am not optimistic I am still curious.

When is Wakefield making a rehab start?

I am sure that they will give him a full battery of tests and not let him pick up a ball for a few days. He said it felt better in the clubhouse after the game. Who the hell knows. I don't think anyone has clue yet.

Baseball is not even close to important in light of his health. However, even if things go well for him and he is completely cured with no negative after-effects, the treatment and recovery will take many months. I don't think that even in a best case scenario, he will not be playing much baseball if any on 2007.

We beat Halladay and Lilly (our nemesis) with starter by committee and the KC reject and no Manny or Ortiz. You just can't figure out this game.

Terry said that Papelbon felt a burning. I guess that is better than a pop.

I forgot about that bird. BTW: Terry said that Schilling is hurt and will miss a turn. Tomorrow is Jarvis. Sunday is Becket and Monday is TBA. I've never seen a manager so depressed after a win.

That sucks. The nightmare season continues. Top starting piching prospect has cancer and top young reliever hurts shoulder. What is going on?

The Twinkies and White Sox are losing big. The Red Sox win two in a row behind Tavarez and Snyder. Hmmm? :dunno:

Nice pitching by Snyder. Good win for the kid.

Timlin had some good sink on his pitches. I stepped away. What happened to Papelbon?

The kid is hurling a gem so far.

Snyder gets through the 5th still throwing strikes and he strands a lead -off double. Nice work.

We already know that kapler can't do much of anything. If Murphy can hold his own over the next few weeks, at the very least he would enhance his trade value.

Snyder always looks good early. He's got a mean hook. Then he blows up in the 4th or 5th. It's very odd, because I don't think it is a stamina issue.

Hopefully, Lester's condition was also found early and he'll be completely cured.

This is just too sad for words. This kid makes it to the major leagues and in a few short weeks later is literally in a fight for his life and health. The automobile accident may have been a blessing in disguise. Had it not been for the accident and the resulting bad back they might not have found it until it was at a later stage. A similar thing happened to my sister in law. She hurt her knee and when she went for her pre-op they found something on her chest x-ray. It turned out to be small cell lung cancer, a particularly deadly form of cancer that doesn't become symptomatic until it is too late. The knee injury saved her life, because her doctor from Sloan Kettering told us that they rarely find that type of cancer at such an early stage. She was treated and has been cancer-free for over two years.

And Randy's ERA falls to 4.94 as September begins-- just a hair away from 5.

Yes, I do.

I was just pointing out that we were not seeing a lot of dissent on the boards. Don't take it so personally.

It is really disappointing to me that the FO took full advantage of the goodwill they had from the fans and let a short window pass by where they might have been able to win one or two more titles. I really thought the that 2004 was a turning point and that the Sox would beat the Yankees like a drum for a few years. THe '04 team had learned to win and that was the final hurdle. They were not given the chance to see if they could repeat. The White Sox kept their key pieces and added Thome. Now that the Red Sox have crashed and burned, we can hope that FO will make moves with an eye towards winning next year.

One poster with 13 posts asking why is not very significant dissent.

It would be funny if he doesn't retire.

It is conjecture now either way. The reinforcements might have made the difference or they might not have made the difference. We'll never know.

That's too bad...not! Just as amazing as Mo's record is the fact that he has stayed healthy for so long despite Torre's compulsion to use him so much. I will not be sorry to see him go when he finally goes.