Dojji

117 pitches. It'd be kinda chancy. You don't really wanna see a pitcher go much over 120.

that leaves *ulp!* Delcarmen.

TREMENDOUS job by Buchholz.

Grounder to second plz.

oooooooooor a strikeout, that'll do nicely.

Lazy flyout please.

Rhet just gained some more ammo. Not an easy throw but a throw 3B's make.

OK just to be clear: To this point in the season, Buchholz is our ace, right?

I just don't trust this team in any situation where they might think they got the "easy" road.

Hmm, let me think. How has this team played when it's the top dog vs. when it's the underdog? Which series will inspire the kind of emotion that this offensively stunted team needs in order to win? Statistically I know what the answer is, but this is the one sport of all sports where statistics are the least meaningful. When you couple the first round win with the possibility of being the favorite, there's too great a risk that the team just becomes "Happy to be here" in the second round against PHI and you get a risk of a repeat of the CAR disaster of last year. Learn from history guys. That's what this team is, it needs adversity, and thrives on it. Unless Carter and Gagne are out for the entire series, I really do like my chances against PIT better. I don't want to give this team a chance to lean back and breathe. I think that will signify the end of the run. I want to pile tough odds on top of tough odds because that's the only way these guys are going to keep motivated. Besides which.. yeah, the Canadiens are really going to win a critical game on the road against the #1 seed team? They've put up a great fight, but Halak would have to repeat last night's performance for his team to have a prayer here, and I just don't see it, so I'm gearing up for what I think we're going to get.

I want Pitt. That would be an emotional series.

Thank you Adrian. That'll do nicely.

Varitek of all people. Awesome.

It is now mathematically possible to blow this opportunity. This opportunity will therefore be blown.

They're gonna wind up regretting that.

I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss TB's staying power. They've got a better middle of the lineup than we've got, between Zobrist, Pena and Longoria, and they picked up a closer from somewhere other than the Bargain Bin this year -- that to me signifies that they think they have a legit chance. I can't say they're wrong. Their rotation, while young and a bit unproven, is a match for ours in raw talent and their defense is arguably better even when both teams are at their best especially up the middle (Bartlett> Scutaro, Navarro>Tek/VMart, Upton>37YO Cameron). Add Zobrist's versatility, which is a HUGE hole-filling asset to them, and really they're probably better built for a deep run -- or to sustain injuries and the kind if **** that happens over the course of a regular season -- than we are.

I think we're all hoping that Iglesias can turn it on. that or Lowrie gets healthy, but while I'm wishing for a freaking miracle I might as well wish for a Hanley Ramirez trade.

OK, what it means in practical terms is that the excellent performance of 3 good players can be overcome by the horrible performance of 5 mediocre players, especially if 3 of the 5 play up the middle positions and only 1 of the 3 does.

I'm sorry, but it's not really a sweeping generality. The Boston Red Sox are weak up the middle and it's a serious problem. And I mean weak in defensive talent, not just current performance. I don't think you can really afford to downplay that. Even in the best case scenario we have a 37 year old CF who looks like he's lost a step or two, and a 34 year old SS who's been about half a tick below average at that position for his career, as well as 2 catchers not known for their arms even in their primes which were years ago in one case, and on the way out in the other. Even if you list Beltre among our major defensive assets, all of our competent defenders not named Dustin Pedroia are corner players.

That's only about 2-3 weeks away or so. We really need to be seeing some signs of life from JD Drew in particular. It's critical that he get it going, and fast.

Oh I don't think they're there yet, but I do think they're working on it. As it is we're counting on two different teams to fare a little worse down the stretch worse than their overall talent level suggests they should. That's not unlike the dynamic that faced the 2008 Yankees trying to get back into that particular race. They fell behind a bit early and despite a fairly talented roster they wound up in third place.

As much crap as Dipre has given me for my love of guys like Kottaras, Hulett, Van Every and Nava, I just have to sit here and chuckle a little at what I devoutly hope was his little joke about Darnell McDonald.

I don't think that matters as much as it did a week ago. It *IS* possible to slump so badly in April that by the time you get your **** together you're effectively out of the race.