Maxbialystock

Yankees 3 up and 3 down in the 7th.

Rays pick up 2 in the 7th, and the game is now 9-8, Yankees.

Who is Hamilton?

Ray @ Yankees series, now game 3 of 4, bears watching. Rays won game 1, 8-2, but Yankees came back to win game 2, 6-5, and now lead game 3, 9-6, in the 7th thanks to 4 runs in the 5th and 5 runs in the 6th. To remind: the Rays got off to an incredible start and right now are a stunning 30-10. But they are still just 8 games up on the Yankees, who are in 5th place in the AL East, 1/2 game behind the Sox. Making up an 8 game deficit with 120 games still to play is eminently doable. Someone else, moonslav, I think, pointed out that the Sox have a near-term opportunity because they aren't played against AL East teams. Given this presumed opportunity, last night's loss, thanks to the complete collapse of the Sox bullpen after an excellent first start by Paxton, is especially dismaying. Not only did Winckowski and Jansen give that game away, both are unavailable today--although one could fairly argue their unavailability is a good thing. I'm watching the Rays and Yankees and Yankee Stadium looks jam-packed.

You're right of course. I'm just pissed that the Sox had this one until Winck and Jansen just gave it away.

Tonight against the Cardinals Paxton pitched well and the bullpen--specifically Winckowski and Jansen--stunk to high heaven. What was the name of the Gilda Radnor book? "It's Always Something."

Weather was warm tonight, 82 degrees, and attendance was a solid 34,553 against a Cardinals team that has struggled so far this season. So it sure looks like the Sox fans will support a "no name" lineup, especially one that is winning games.

Just so.

I think that neither the A's fans nor the Rays fans care anything about their teams. They A's stink this year, so fan apathy is kind of understandable. But the Rays have the best record in MLB and are 23d in attendance.

This year's Red Sox team is not one bit like the Bruins, who had a terrific regular season. This Red Sox team has pretty much of a no name lineup that is nevertheless 3d in MLB in scoring runs, but also has a terrible pitching staff that is 26th in team ERA. There is literally no "should" with respect to whether or not the Sox win a game this season.

Attendance 34,553, which hopefully puts to bed my thesis that Sox fans don't like their team.

We need a bullpen. The lineup scored 6 runs. Paxton went 5, giving up just 2 runs. And the bullpen gave up 6 runs, which could have been more but for Yoshida's excellent throw hom.

Game over. Cards win it with a better bullpen. Brasier gets 3 outs without letting the guy on 2b score. Giving up the really hard single to Yoshida was just brilliant because the runner on 2d assumed he could never be thrown out.

Why do you care? We will all know who won when the game is over and should be allowed any and all comments during it.

McGuire does not make that play at home plate for the simple reason he would not have moved forward to make the tag. Mr. Heat for the Cardinals has our number.

Don't forget the double off Bleier that resulted in a run charged to Winck.

Six runs on the bullpen so far, and still no one out in the 9th. Time for Brasier.

Looks like Mr Jansen has been doing a little too much celebrating. 3 runs, all earned, and still no one out.

Both SB's were on Jansen, but the throwing error that moved the runner to 3b was obviously on Wong.

I liked that Sgt Schultz. Not the one in the movie which, however, was way better than the TV show. Billy Wilder directed--of course.

You're already angelic.

And I was just about to announce Devers has lost it. I know nothing--and you can quote me. I think I also promised about 30,000 attendees tonight, but it sure looks like a lot more.

I love disagreeing with talksoxers, but I also think the best insights are here, not in the booth. I also think this loss--if that's what it is--is on the bullpen, not the manager. And count me astonished that Paxton gave up a 2 run dinger in the 1st and went 5 innings while giving up 2 runs. Very impressive. Eight of the 9 Cardinal hitters were righties, and Paxton has no changeup--and it didn't seem to matter.

Meh. Right now he's clearly the best choice because of all the injuries. Plus his defense is pretty decent lately.

Two out of two Sox relievers so far have been just stinking awful. Who's next--Brasier?