Halladay = Stones

For all of you Red Sox fans screaming at the television that Roy Halladay drilled David Ortiz on purpose. You're right! He did! But I have never been so unemotional about someone drilling our guy on purpose. Be it because it was done with class; Below the numbers, one pitch and done, and the best player in the opposing lineup. What a lot of you didn't see was on the almost double play after Ortiz's at bat was him running hard and had a NASTY takeout slide at second base to get his aggravation out. As a batter, you're going to be ripshit if you're the one on the other team that gets drilled (ala featherweight Champ Kevin Youkilis). I'm still convinced that it wasn't intentional by Papelbon the day before, being that he went up to him afterwards and gestured and YOU DON'T PUT A RUNNER ON IN THE MIDDLE OF A RALLY. Just doesn't happen, but regardless, Papi was dotted and that was it. But Halladay not only has 4 plus pitches and a plus attitude he's got plus kahones as well. I'd want him on my team..*hint hint Theo.*

I don't think I've ever been so we'll call it even keel after a sweep and not just a sweep but a sweep at The Confines. But when you throw out Rob Schneider, Napoleon Dynamite and David Spade in your 1-2-3 slots on your lineup you're probably destined for a loss. I'm not sure however that Halladay's stuff was the best I've seen it or if it was the Gulf Coast League lineup that made him look like the second coming of, well , Roy Halladay, he is about as good a pitcher as I'm going to compare him to so I'll just rename him himself.

Timmah. It was the worst of times it was the even worser of times at the ballpark. Just watching his warm-up throws in between innings he looked like Dr. Frankenstein's assistant Igor dragging his leg with his follow through. To add insult to injury (pun absolutely intended) he labored on the mound and it was a sad sendoff for the elder statesman of the ballclub. This was DEFINITELY the last game we'll see him in for the Red Sox this year; which is sad because of the way the season started out for him. I would have loved to have seen what a healthy Wake could have done this year with the way he was throwing the ball. The real question is: Is that the last time we'll see Tim Wakefield toe the slab for the Boston Red Sox? Could be folks.

Now we are in the last series in the Regular Season. If it wasn't clear before it was CERTAINLY cleared up by the way that Terry Francona has set up his pitching rotation here winding down the season that with Lester going tonight he is going to start Game 1 of the 2009 Divisional series against the Anaheim JibYappers. If I could start Lester 162 games a year I would because the man crush thing (I'm seeking therapy) won't go away and I swear that when he is on the mound my life is better. That being said, I would have started Josh Beckett in Game 1.First off, EVERYTIME Josh Beckett has been fortunate enough to make it into October; he has been the Game 1 starter. I'm all for "sacking up" as they say and not worrying about someone's psyche, but for crying out loud, you saw what happened that first game with Victor behind the dish. Kid looked like a 3-year-old that just lost his mom in K-Mart. Second, the injury aside, he is friggin money in the playoffs and to me, it makes sense to have Lester go 2^nd to either be the stopper or the throttle. If by chance they do sneak out the first game there isn't a snowballs chance in hell that they are beating Jon Lester in this series, just the facts of life Howie Kendrick, get used to it.

A reunion of sorts this weekend in Beantown. Justin Masterson is probably going to hurl 7 shutout innings just to punch Theo square in the testes and Victor gets to reacquaint with his old club for the first time. Hopefully we can muster a win or two in this series, but the key is getting healthy EVEN IF we lose all 4 games I LOVE our chances against Mike "Al Bundy" Scioscia.

Stay Tuned

Ryan