GAME SIXTY THREE: Landslide a-coming?

The Colorado Rockies 2.0 (the jerseys above are the Rockies 1.0) got a knuckle sandwich yesterday, in the kind of game the 2005 and 2006 Red Sox had next-to-no chance in: the low-scoring kind. It's getting harder to understand how last year's team contended as long as it did; 2005 isn't much more unimaginable. Remember Matt Clement, All-Star? Closer Curt Schilling? Jason Johnson's starts from last year? More power to you if you don't, so long as that's not a medical condition. Even Wakefield broke down in 2006.



Now? We've got six viable starters; much as I can't believe I'm calling Julian Tavarez a viable starter, it's true. Remember the almost-trade of Todd Helton for Mike Lowell (currently playing out of his mind) and Julian Tavarez (somewhat out of his mind, but easily soothed with some petting by Manny Ramirez)? Does that one still sound like a good idea? Theo's a good GM, but sometimes it's the inability to put a deal together (aka pure luck) that's served him best. Like this time. Or even more so, this one.



The other notable happening from yesterday was the wife beater dropping from lead-off to #9. Lugo seemed to take this one well, saying he was just happy not to be dropped to the #10 slot. (Not that the #10 slot's that bad...I once hit in the #10 slot in a high school baseball game where we had a DH and the pitcher hit. I had the only 4-hit game of my career.) Lugo also hit a big double to score the first run of the day, on a day runs were as scarce as this piece of cardboard. Pedroia just belongs in the leadoff slot for now. And don't call him Scrappy.



The Sox are .500 in their last ten, so as far as momentum goes, we're not exactly Juggernaut lately. But put it this way: if we go 54-55 for the rest of the season, a game below .500, we finish with 95 wins. A very reasonable 59-50, and that's 100. Let the Yankee fans navel gaze; they've got a good shot at the wild card. As for us, I get the feeling...



(Note: cover should not be taken literally. Do NOT shoot any Red Sox in the eye, even if they get fucked up on Everclear and ask you to. Most successful baseball players need both eyes.)