Real Men of Genius

Real Men of Genius

Here's to You Mr. Shorts Missing Box Headed Happy Closer Guy ...
And Everyone Else on the AL East Championship Team. Congratulations!

Breaking News Bulletin: Jonathan Papelbon Is Still Looking for His Pants
Please Look Around Your House If You Have a Chance This Weekend ...
This Just In: Manny Expected to Join Celebration at Fenway Any Second ...

Party Like It's 1995!

Breaking News: The Red Sox Nation Presidential Debate
Will Not Be Shown at Its Regularly Scheduled Time ...
(But If You Set Your DVR to the Debate, You've Got the Best Reality Sox on TV)

Wild-Card Dynasty Over!

Sox Party Like It's 1995 ...
It's the East They Can Do

Too Bad Apple: New York is Now the Big Second Banana
Ladies and Gentleman, The Boston Red Sox
Are the 2007 American League East Champions
Check Out All the Celebration Photos | Video ...

Dunn Deal!

THEO ON THE DIVISION WIN: �I�m really, really proud of our players and our organization, and happy for our fans because it�s been a long time since they had the bragging rights in the al east and don�t have to take the taunts any longer and can enjoy this one� it�s just a great day for our fans. When you have the Yankees in your division, it feels like you have a stalker. Every time you turn around, they�re right there, and we�ve been out to big leads before and haven�t been able to hold �em. � Our guys really handled the Tampa clinch very professionally, now tonight, get a little crazy, enjoy it, but then back to business, and we still have the home field to play for, best record in the league, and then the important time starts, we have to win 11 games, one at a time, try to win the division series, then go from there.�-- GM Theo Epstein, to NESN�s Tina Cervasio in the Red Sox locker room

AND A TIP OF THE CAP FROM AN EMOTIONAL TITO: "To win this division is no small feat, to see us accomplish something we share from top to bottom in the organization and the fans who live and die with us, it's something special... When we went through the tough time in Toronto, it was a tough week, tough to take, tough to handle... but Lowe, Varitek, and Ortiz calmed me down a lot... [watching the Yankees-Orioles] I couldn't believe Millar didn't swing. ... To see it unfold, to see Theo, I didn't know he had that vertical."-- Manager Terry Francona, to NESN�s Tina Cervasio in the Red Sox locker room

Fenway Southern Hospitality

Mora the Same in the AL East? Nope. Sox Are No. 1 Now!

Meet Our New BFF: Mr. Melvin Mora, Instant Fenway Standing-O

"I know there were a lot of Boston Red Sox fans that were screaming in Boston. I'm excited. It was against the Yankees, and we came back. ... In my career, what I've had success on is bunting for base hits. When I saw the third baseman way back, I just made my mind up before everything was going to happen. We just want one. We didn't need a grand slam."-- Melvin Mora, Yankee Killer, 9.29.07, Baltimore Sun

Ron Sen: Stepping Into Liquid

We share finite space and time in an infinite universe. And in that space, we struggle together on a hostile planet to share moments of joy and sadness, achievement and loss, hope and despair. Amidst that vastness, our lives become united in our shared experience called Red Sox Nation.

Red Sox Nation has never represented membership cards, Sox Appeal, or even the media frenzy surrounding tonight's celebration of an American League East championship. People drive a little more courteously, smile more easily, and food even tastes better when our boys win. We suffer the defeats less well, although the World Series of 2004 vanquished memories of Loserville.

The 'panic button' never came out this year, and as close as the competition came, I always had the same assurance for coworkers and patients, "the Yankee fans experience what we formerly owned", the anticipation of something that would not happen, the corruption of broken dreams. Mariano Rivera, Sox nemesis incarnate, failing in the clutch, and the lowly Orioles dismissing the mighty Bombers.

Tonight the Sox from grizzled veterans like Schilling and Timlin, basking in the dwindling sunshine of lengthy careers, celebrate anew with rookies Pedroia, Ellsbury, Moss, and even Matsuzaka and Okajima.

What benefit victory? A chance to rest for Ortiz and aching knees, for Youkilis and a sore hand, and for those like Lowell and Varitek who suffered the marathon to get to the postseason.

The doubting among us will say they've done nothing yet, that tonight's events only serve as a prelude to uncertainty and more sore shoulders, balky knees, and strawberries. But those who follow this team season in and season out, night and day, remind them that is simply why we watch, to find out how it ends. Tonight the Sox stepped into liquid, champagne. -- Ron Sen, Boston Dirt Dogs contributor and founder of Red Sox Reality Check

Pick the Sox ALDS Bench | A Look Back at the '95 AL East Champs

We Are At One

It's Superman

We Are At One

Dice and Easy Does It, 5-2, Number at 1
A Pretty Great 8: Matsuzaka Is Back to the Phenom Form
Look Out Old Papi's Back, HR No. 35, 3-for-4 on the Night
Mike the RBI Machine Lowell Picks Up 2 More RBIs
Bon, Jon Bon, No. 37

Buchh Stops Here

Buchh Stops Here

Breaking News:
Clay Buchholz Shut Down Until Next Season
Now He's Got More Time to Go BuchWild on His Blog

Twins Rain on Sox Parade

Twins Rain on Sox Parade

(Boston Globe Staff Photo / Jim Davis)

No Magic in the Night, It Still Takes 2 To Tango
Boof! Suddenly It's Pink-Hat Champagne on Ice

Sox Ace Dealer Doesn't Hit 21, AL East Leaders Dropped 5-4
Throwing It All Away: Josh's Toss to 'Tek Was Terrible
For One Night Only? Beckett and the Long Balls Are Back
Papi Came Up Big, But Minnesota Was Too Much
Nathan's Famous for His Finishing Touch
Tampa Bay Hates Us: No Help Whatsoever

From Meet the Press to Meet the Prez

Photo Gallery: The RSN Presidential Debate

The Debate Club

Candidates Square Off in RSN Prez Debate at BU

On the same day the Red Sox can wrap their first division title in 12 years, they held a debate for the president of Red Sox Nation promotion the team is running.

NBC�s Tim Russert, host of �Meet the Press,� moderated today�s discussion among the candidates for the presidency of RSN, which took place at Boston University�s George Sherman Union this morning. The debate will be televised on NESN following tomorrow night�s game.

The crowd of about 50 was mostly comprised of Red Sox brass and employees who were on hand to watch six of the final 11 candidates debate. Predictably, the discussion topics ranged from Bucky Dent, 1978, their favorite players, ideas for expanding the Nation, making the Fenway experience better, and taking a stand on Alex Rodriguez as a potential Sox third baseman.

One audience member asked, �Why should this position go to a celebrity when they already have perks not available to regular fans?� with Sam Horn and Jerry Remy being the focus.

Horn replied that the perks aren�t everything and the president needs to be able to go out and be a fan among fans as well, something Horn has done on a nightly basis at Fenway Park.

Horn thought he had the advantage over an ordinary fan because he said an ordinary person is not in a position to do things with players and media that need to be done in order to bring the team and the fans closer together. He said he has that experience.

Russert pointed out that Horn had more at-bats with the Orioles than the Red Sox and wondered if Horn would run for president of Orioles Nation if he loses this election. Horn responded that he would not pursue an Orioles office, and surprisingly, said that if elected, he would pick Remy as his VP.

Remy took a different approach on the celebrity question, saying that he would give all the perks to his vice president, someone who is a regular fan, who he would work side-by-side with on a daily basis. Remy thought his role on NESN would give him the opportunity to speak to a large number of fans directly.

The most dramatic campaign promise came from Boston Duck Tours president Cindy Brown, who said she wanted to go back to the time when the Red Sox would allow people on the street to enter the park after the seventh inning. Brown also proposed shutting down Lansdowne Street, like Yawkey Way, during the games.

Things got a little feisty at times, but it was all for the cameras and everyone shook hands at the end. You can see it all tomorrow night on NESN after the game.

Now comes another narrowing down of the candidates with voting starting tomorrow on redsox.com and running through Oct. 2, where you can decide who makes it to the final three.

From Meet the Press
to Meet the Prez

Russert Goes Small-Time in Boston Today to
Moderate The Great Larry Lucchino Lapdog Debate

Hot Topics That Probably Won't Be Debated at BU's George Sherman Union:

* Fan ticket access and the sketchy sales process
* Secondary re-sale market mess
* Fenway seating problems
* Fenway No. 1 in fan cost index
* Protecting fans from dangerous scalpers on the street
* Players' privacy issues, at dinner, and on the road
* Out-of-market television broadcast issues

Let's Handicap the Race ...

1. Mike Barnicle � hometown Fitchburg, MA, he sure as hell doesn�t live there now � former Globe writer and TV/radio personality

Mike's a F.O.L. L. guy (Friend of Larry Lucchino) who finds himself in the top 10. Are we ever going to see those vote totals by the way MLB? Mike already has great seats at Fenway. He�s a legit fan, and has the proper snarky attitude for the job, but he falls under the celebrity category for sure, and this was supposed to an opportunity for �regular� fans. Odds to win: 12-1.

2. Cheryl Boyd -- Holliston, MA -- Great-niece of Elizabeth "Lib" Dooley

Boyd is playing the relative-of-a-somewhat-famous-fan-card here. OK fine. But Oil Can Boyd would have been Top 3 lock if the Sox forced his hat into this ring. Cheryl Boyd�s odds to win: 30-1.

3. Cindy Brown -- Boston, MA -- Head of Boston Duck Tours

F.O.L.L. as Brown was instrumental in putting together the infamous Rolling Rally in 2004, using the Duck boats. Cindy just roasted another Duck Boat wannabe company in the courtroom, but the Duck Boat Queen will be singing her swan song after the debate. Odds to win: 16-1.

4. Jared Carrabis -- Saugus, MA -- Has worn a Red Sox shirt 1,400 days in a row

Jared wears a stinky shirt. Jared has a big MySpace Sox page that was shut down in August by MLB Advanced Media. Jared�s members sent silly emails protesting the shut down to everyone from Bud Selig to John Henry:

�Make no mistake out freedom of speech has been restricted in an open forum! MLB won't clean up the game but it feels the need to clean US up. Selig wont punish Giambi but they feel the need to punish us simply for being loving fans��

Jared wrote the following to his members when the site went back up:

�Behind the pulling of this page was none other than Major League Baseball. I'm not going to go into details as to why they wanted to do away with SoxSpace because that's not important. � When SoxSpace was deleted, tens of thousands of outraged SoxSpace members messaged MySpace, Major League Baseball, local news stations, newspapers, other Boston websites and any other means of getting the word out of this unnecessary act. SoxSpace was deleted without warning and that in my eyes is just not right. All that MLB had on me is that I used the Red Sox logos and pictures of the team but HELLOO have you looked at any other Boston fan's MySpace page? Every Red Sox fan has something Red Sox on their MySpace. I was singled out just because I had a large number of Red Sox fans all in one place.

MLB was wrong in doing this to us even if it was temporary. You have no right to delete my page just because a few of your logos are on the page. You can tell me to take them down��

I think I like the Subway Jared better. But this newfound friend of MLB has the best shot outside of Remy due to the billions of MySpace teens who will pound the keyboard 24/7 to promote the only somewhat regular fan in the game. Odds to win: 3-1.

5. Rob Crawford -- Brookline, MA -- "Regular Rob" raises funds for education

The Sox propped �Regular Rob� up on the pregame show right when this thing kicked off. He wrote a song. It�s not that great. I�m sure Charles Steinberg loves it. Voila! He�s in the Top 10. �Regular Rob� blogs a little too much. File under: Trying too hard. But if the Sox want a �regular� fan in there at the end, this will be their guy. Odds to win: 3-1.

6. Peter Gammons -- Groton, MA -- Baseball Hall of Famer, Legendary journalist

Lucchino obviously has photoshopped pictures of Andrew Jackson�s head on Oscar de la Hoya�s body suit and has threatened to pass it off as Peter. There�s no other explanation as to why Gammo would be within 1,000 miles of this marketing trainwreck. When PG made a snarky �Some Sox have no sense of urgency� comment on Mike Felger�s show on ESPN 890 last week, Felger said the comment could hurt his candidacy as president of the Nation. Gammo�s reply? �Good.� And we just can�t imagine this cutaway on ESPN next season, �Let�s go down to the Yankees dugout where Red Sox Nation president Peter Gammons is standing by to give us an update on Derek Jeter�s injury�� Not happening. But Gammons is the next most popular name this side of RemDawg. Odds to win: 2-1.

7. Rich Garces -- Nashua, NH -- Former Red Sox relief pitcher

Someone will notify Garces that his name has been exploited for this thing any day now. That�s if anyone ever sees him around these parts again. But El Guapo is beloved by billions. Odds to win: 4-1.

8. Doris Kearns Goodwin -- Concord, MA --Pulitzer Prize Winning Author

Was Clark Booth on deadline at the Dorchester Reporter and unavailable to fill this slot? Is Ken Burns busy making new tired documentaries for the big WGBH screen that hangs over the Mass Pike? DKG is not exactly a household name with the Internet set, but if you�re over 60, and want to keep hearing about the good old days for the rest of your life, she�s the candidate for you. Odds to win: 20-1.

9. Sam Horn -- Providence, RI--Former Red Sox lefthanded slugger

The always-smiling big man has been kissing babies and shaking every hand up on the Monster seats for months, and hitting the campaign trail harder than he hit some of his mammoth home runs back in the day. His name was randomly chosen for one website (Sons of Sam Horn) and he�s out there promoting another (Sawxheads.com). He�s advertised everywhere from USA Today to NESN. Hopefully he won�t run into trouble with the RSN Prez contest Final Judging rule 1c: �Advertising, solicitations and chain letters are prohibited.� Hey, rules were meant to be broken. Sam also participated in the MLBblog program associated with this contest, and the fans posted some questions in the comments section.

�As a 51-year fan of the Red Sox, I would like to know how you would advocate for the fans--the ordinary fans like me, people who can't get tickets because there are too many corporate tickets, too many obstacles, not enough opportunities. I want to know what you would do with your celebrity status to help the Red Sox forge new bonds in the community with the people who need them the most, not the wealthy people who can always afford or find a way to make a contact, but the disadvantaged youth of Boston and Cambridge who have no opportunities. I want to know why you are interested in winning the prizes, when obviously these would be better off given to a fan who in his or her wildest dreams would never have a chance to go to spring training. I want to know how you plan to make things happen, not just have a neat song and video. I want to know what you would do for out-of-market fans like me who faithfully watch the Red Sox on the small (computer) screen every night, but who still can't get a seat at Fenway Park when traveling to Boston. I want to know what you would do about the Stub Hub mess and how the fans get ripped off with all the fees.

So...What do you have to say? I am anxious to hear your answers.

Wanda�

I think we�re all anxious to hear answers to these question from all the candidates. And we would if this thing was real, but this is just a popularity contest for the online crowd. Sam�s odds to win: 3-1.

10. Jerry Remy -- Fall River, MA -- Red Sox Hall of Famer and NESN analyst

It�s the Lucchino-appointed ubiquitous NESN personality and pitchman former temporary president�s job to lose. And he got confused by the too-many-hats he wears by mixing up RemDawg Nation with Red Sox Nation in one of the many in-game drop-ins for the contest a couple of weeks ago. It would be nice to see Rem step aside, drop to a VP position, and turn it over to a regular fan that could use the perks. Odds to win? 6-5.

11. "Big Pupi"-- Austin, TX -- Would establish a section for dogs, K-9

We�d obviously prefer a scrappy dirt-doggy mongrel-type canine over this well-groomed cocker spaniel, but it would be great to see havoc that will be wreaked when dogs and people are milling around together at spacious Fenway Park� and then the cat people will come calling� Odds to win? 9-5.

Eric Wilbur: National Embarrassment

"As if anyone needed one more reason why Red Sox fans have become the laughingstock of the baseball word, we present to you the search for a President of Red Sox Nation. Ironically, as the search intensifies for the betterment of corporate Red Sox Nation, the Red Sox fan dies a slow death, a fact that people in the marketing department can�t seem to get a handle on as they relentlessly push on.

"If you�re like me, you�ve simply tried to ignore the entire situation, lowering the volume when Jerry Remy provides you with his nightly take on the happenings of the election and cringing at the fact that Peter Gammons, of all people, is actually involved in this ridiculous affair.

"Instead, the Red Sox are Sam Kinison to our Rodney Dangerfield, hammering us over our collective noggins with an election that, aside from the few wrapped up in this thing, the rest of us couldn�t care less about. The next person that I meet that hasn�t scoffed profusely at this joke will be the first. It�s gotten to the point where if I see Sam Horn�s campaign commercial one more time it�s going to take a Trot Nixon sized headlock to keep me from charging the monitor. ...

"Being a Red Sox fan at one point used to mean something, or have we forgotten? It was a fandom that was difficult to permeate unless you had experienced the heartache of seasons like 1978, �86, and �03. It was a status symbol of ultimate loyalty that is, for better or worse, now dead.

"Forget No. 756, fans that hopped on the wagon during the �04 ALCS should come with an asterisk. There is no possible way they could ever understand what the fan base meant previous to that, which in turn means there is absolutely no way they could ever feign such a passion for the team as fans bred into the culture previously. No way. As much as some want to argue that more fans are good for any team -- and what�s wrong with spreading the wealth? -- I will not budge from decreeing this thought as fact. Not point of view. F-A-C-T.

"And yet, these, I assume, are the target audience of this campaign, the ones who paid $14.95 and up to be a card-carrying member of Red Sox Nation. The ones the Red Sox know they can get hook, line, sinker.

"Let�s put it this way, the Red Sox have whittled down the list to 10 names from 1,200 original nominees. Twelve hundred. When you consider the millions of Red Sox fans in New England and around the world, what you�ve got is a minor sliver of people who have nothing better to do than devote valuable time to running this campaign. Not to be harsh, but when you dedicate every breathing moment (or piece of wardrobe) to the Red Sox, and it�s not, say, your job, there�s a certain loser factor involved, no? The dork in Fever Pitch wasn�t someone you�re supposed to aspire to be. I think we lost that translation somewhere.

"Oh, by the way, the Red Sox are thisclose to clinching the American League East. The playoffs start next week. Jonathan Papelbon is on the cover of Sports Illustrated, and nobody is worried about a related curse. But, who cares. We�re electing a president, damn it. -- Eric Wilbur, Boston.com

Stop the Presses

MLB at 'The Office': Which Dunder-Mifflin Employee Represents the Sox?

Stop the Presses ...

... The Yanks Are Going to Be Wearing the Wild-Card T's This Time ...
For the East, Not West

New York's Got a New Nickname: The Big Second Banana

New York's Got a New Nickname:
The Big Second Banana

The Most Important Achievement in the World,
a.k.a. The American League East Division Title,
Could Belong to Boston As Early As Tonight

Lowell and Behold: Sox Rock A's at Fenway, 11-6, 17 Hits | Game Pics
116 RBI Iron Mike Lowell Breaks Butch Hobson's 3B RBI Mark
Pound for Pound: Dustin Goes Deep, Right in RoY Hunt
Manny Heating Up: 3-3, RBI, Two Runs
Just Jacoby Being Jacoby

"We wanted to see if we could win the division. It hasn't been done in a while." -- 9.26.07, David Ortiz

There's No Place Like Home

More Flower Power

A Tip of the Cap to Shonda Schilling, Dawn Timlin, and the Rest of the Red Sox Wives for Another Successful 'Say It With Flowers' Event

Say It With Flowers, hosted by Dawn Timlin and Shonda Schilling, raised over $250,000 for the ALS Association in MA. Dawn and Shonda were joined by many Red Sox wives for the floral designing class and lunch at the State Room in Boston. Mike Timlin, who lost his mom to ALS, was also on hand to thank the luncheon attendees for their contributions to the ALS Associations.

There's No Place Like Home

Schilling's Wizardry Leads Sox Down the Homestretch
Magic Number Now 3 To Stave Off the Wicked Witch of the East

Yankees Stumble: D-Rays Tip Wild Card Warriors in 10th

When East Expected

When East Expected ...

... Schilling Gives a Command Performance

Sox Get A's, 7-3, Close in on Division
Who Needs Velocity? Schilling Has A's Under Control
Manny's Back, But Big Papi Goes Waaaay Back
Where Youk Been? Grinder Returns, Too
J.D. Comes Through

Positively Piniella

Positively Piniella

Lou Could Be Leading the Cubs to a Showdown with the Sox

Party Time

Party Time

It's Papelbon and Bring It On

Tom Verducci: Late and Great

Tom Verducci, Sports Illustrated, Oct. 1, 2007 Issue:

"You play this game because every day you have the chance to kick somebody's ass and win," Papelbon says. "That's what gets my motor going. And when you put me in that situation 30 to 45 times a year? That seals the deal for me."

There was, however, one problem. Before he could save 36 games in 39 chances (through Sunday), before he could lower his career ERA to 1.65 -- the second lowest of any pitcher after his first three seasons (minimum: 150 innings) -- before he could achieve the best strikeout rate in AL history (13.34 per nine innings) and before he could establish himself as the ultimate weapon for Boston heading into October ("The best closer in baseball," Toronto general manager J.P. Ricciardi calls him), Papelbon and the Red Sox needed to come up with a plan.

They had to come up with a way to keep his shoulder from breaking apart. ...

Each day, when Papelbon reports to work, he sees Reinhold and estimates the fatigue level of his shoulder on a scale of zero to five, with five being the most tired. Then Reinhold hooks him up to a strength-testing machine that supplements Papelbon's subjective score with an objective measurement of his shoulder strength. A report of the scores is logged along with Papelbon's recent usage patterns and presented to Francona and front-office officials. A summary advisement is included, which might give Francona clearance to use Papelbon aggressively or keep him from using the reliever at all.

As more data gets collected, the Red Sox hope to draw some links between Papelbon's usage and his fatigue. Are four-out saves, for instance, more taxing than working consecutive days? The program has worked so well and kept Papelbon so strong that Boston began loosening the rules in September, allowing Francona to use Papelbon three straight days for the first time this year.

Meanwhile, pitching coach John Farrell reworked Papelbon's delivery and practice habits. Farrell tightened up Papelbon's delivery to eliminate any wasted side-to-side movement, which had caused him to follow through toward the first base side of the mound and put additional strain on his shoulder. "More like a Ferris wheel," Papelbon says of his thrust toward home now, "where I'm coming right at you, and less like a carousel."

The result? Six months into the program, the Red Sox say Papelbon has sailed through the regular season in such good health that they can now increase his workload in the postseason, which could mean more eighth-inning appearances and more work on consecutive days -- the Mariano Rivera treatment. Moreover, they are encouraged by the reconfigured postseason schedule, which includes extra off days during the Division and League Championship Series and before the World Series, allowing Papelbon time to rest. Even with a postseason maximum of 19 games, the Sox would still get 13 days off.

The Red Sox might never know what Papelbon could do as a starter, which is fine with him. But they will happily take their 60 innings from him every year. "Thirty years ago you never would have heard of him," Epstein says. "He would have come up, blown out, and that would have been it."

So Papelbon will stick with his program and with his ninth-inning routine, in which he steps off the back of the mound after throwing his warmup pitches, bows his head and says a prayer of thanks.

Thank you, God, for giving me the ability to come out on this particular night. Thank you for letting me come out on this mound in front of 40,000 people and get to do what I love to do and use this ability that you gave me for something good in this world. Amen.

"Once I do that," he says, "it's game time."

And at that very moment, when he climbs back up on the mound, looking for another fight to win, another ass to kick, with neither room to fail nor fear of that outcome, Jonathan Papelbon is exactly where he wants to be."-- Tom Verducci, Sports Illustrated, 9.25.07

Will We See a Weak Lineup This Week?

Will We See a Weak Lineup This Week?

Or Will the Sox Finish What They Started?

Shaughnessy: Staying on Top of Things

"I say go for it. Beat the Yankees. Win the division. Cop the best record in the American League to give yourself home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Use Jonathan Papelbon the way you'd use him in July and August. Find out if Manny can play before he calcifies at the end of the bench. Tell Eric Gagn� to find his mojo on somebody else's watch. Stop babying Clay Buchholz and get the kid ready for playoff action. Play Jacoby Ellsbury until he's no longer hitting .372 or until he gets thrown out stealing one time. Fire all your guns at once and explode into space." -- 9.25.07, Dan Shaughnessy, Boston Globe

Survey: Should the Sox Go for It or Settle for Second Fiddle, Again?
38Pitches: Baseball's a Grind, Man
YouTube: Shea Hillenbrand, '08 Superstar

"What do Manny and the Boston pops have in common? Neither one plays in September"
-- 9.24.07, Bob Lobel, WBZ-TV4 News

Down the Stretch They Come!

Down the Stretch They Come!

Time for Tito and the Sox to Take the Division

Bill Burt: Sox Should Focus on Beating Yankees

"Losing to the New York Yankees is unacceptable.

"Call me crazy, but the Red Sox need to win the American League East Division. They've been going at this for too long with too big of a lead with too much at stake to start looking for excuses to coast the last week of September." -- 9.24.07, Bill Burt, Eagle-Tribune

Oh Baby: Where's Manny?
Survey Gallery: Pick the Playoff Pitchers
BlowUpDads: Here Come the Red Sox

Starting Trouble?

Starting Trouble?

Wake Is Shaky Like Dice-K as Summer Turns to Fall

Only Death and Taxes Are Automatic as Tim Loses at the Trop
Oh to Be Young: Sorry Dusty, Delmon's the One
What's Corey's Story in October?

"It couldn't have come at a worse time. We're in the postseason, but our main goal is try to win the division." -- 9.23.07, Tim Wakefield, stumbling in September, again

Post Time!

Post Time!

Sox Clinch October Spot with Rally in 9th
'Tek, Lugo Homers Lead Comeback Kids

True Story: Lugo, Drew Lead Sox Offense
Why Can't We Keep Guys Like Carlos Pena?
Tek Kicks In with Big Bang
Dice-K Struggles Again
Gagne Holds His Own
Rays Papelgone

"We've got bigger and better things to go after, which is an American League championship. Tonight is kind of a beginning of us getting back on top of things." -- 9.22.07. Jonathan Papelbon with his eye on a bigger prize

The Beck Stops Here

The Beck Stops Here

Josh Turns the Big 2-0

Globe: 20 Is Something for Beckett
Catch of the Day: Ellsbury Keeps His Eye on the Ball
'Pen Perfect for Three: Gagne Rebounds
Lowell Gets No. 20, Too
Forget About It: 17 K's for the Winners

"It's obviously a great feat, and nice to relish. There was a lot of hard work by a lot of different people. There's a lot of people to share this with, including everybody in this room who dresses in a Boston Red Sox uniform. We all needed to pick each other up." -- Twenty-Game-Winner Josh Beckett, 9.21.07

Some Theo Thoughts | Rank the October Sox

Will the Sox Win the Division?

Will the Sox Win the Division?

Slip Sliding Away

Can You Believe It?

Slip Slidin' Away ...

You Know The Nearer Their Destination
The More They're Slip-Slidin' Away
Stinko Ocho! Sox Swept Up, 6-1

Ain't It Grand? Pap Leads Sox Down the Road to Ruin
Russ Never Sleeps: Adams Leaves Sox Blue for Second Night
Standings Still: Yankees Just One Game Back in Loss Column
Not Too Manny Hits for The Automatics, 3 To Be Exact
What a Concept Tinkering Tito: Jays Closer Gets Easy 4-Out Save
Easy Does It: J.D.H.R., 'Tek, Hinske Go Quietly in the 9th
Timlin Throws Himself Under the Bus
Buch Stops Losing Streak Here? Nope
That's Lugo Being Manny:

"... 2-1-Jays in the 7th, bases loaded, Julio Lugo at the plate with two out, looks like a routine grounder, he doesn't run it out, not running hard out of the box and he pays the price, the third out of the inning ends the rally..."-- 9.19.07, Tom Caron, NESN Extra Bases Extra

�I couldn�t get a good look. I thought he was going to second for the out. I was just trying to run.� -- 9.19.07, Julio Lugo, Boston Herald... telling us that he watches the play instead of running as hard as he can down the line every time

When the Going Gets Tough? Start Some Petitions on Geffner, Tito
Survey: Sound the Alarm

He Falls to Pieces

He Falls to Pieces ...

... Whenever Tito Calls Him In

With Apologies to Patsy Cline. "I Fall to Pieces"

He falls to pieces,
Each time we see him again.
He falls to pieces.
When can he be just old friend?

We want three strikes but he just missed.
He wants us to forget, pretend we never led.
And we've tried and we've tried, but we haven't yet.
Jays walk by and he falls to pieces.

He falls to pieces,
Each time Tito calls his name.
He falls to pieces.
Just throwing gas on the flame.

Tito tells me to find someone else to throw,
Someone who'll get outs too, like Papelbon used to.
But each time he goes with Gagne we knew,
Jays walk by and he falls to pieces.

Jays walk by and he fall to pieces.

So What Are the Red Sox Doing to Stop Tito and This Free-Fall?
Hosting a Party for the Finalists in the Lucchino Lapdog Contest Tonight
Shhhh... We're Reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's Blog Over Here
Survey Said ... Widespread Panic

Behind the 8 Ball

Behind the 8 Ball

Eric the Dread

Going, Going, Gagne! Win Blown in the 8th
Oh, Canadoh! Eric Gagne Comes Completely Undone

Poor. Jon. Lester.
Was Manny Delcarmen Wiped Out After One Out?
And, Where in the World Was Jon Papelbon with Two Gone?

Tom Caron, NESN Extra Innings: "Panic in the streets of Red Sox Nation, Jim. This is as bad as it gets."
...
"Would you have gone to Papelbon earlier or is this a case where you have to see what Eric Gagne can do for you before you can decide where he's gonna pitch?"

Jim Ed Rice: "Well, I've always felt this way, if Papelbon my horse, I'm going to use Papelbon every day, I'm going to go out there and say 'hey, how many can you give me.' Right now, these are the dog days. If you're my horse, I gotta have you. I gotta have you in the race.

"This is not a buddy-buddy situation, this is life or death. We're gonna make the playoffs or we're gonna clinch the division. As long as you're healthy, you come to the ballpark to play every day. I want you out there."

The Incredible Shrinking Lead ...

... Is Down to 2 1/2 Games. Oh My, Tito.

Second Opinion

Second Opinion

While It Looks Like the Sox Docs Think Manny's Good to Go
The Former Slugging Savant Is Seeking a Second Opinion

Eric Wilbur: Oblique Forecast for Manny

"It wouldn�t be a Red Sox season without some form of a mini-Manny controversy. The Red Sox are 10-9 since Ramirez left the lineup last month in the Bronx, but of those nine losses six have been by two runs or fewer. Four have been one-run losses, including a pair over the weekend vs. the Yankees. It�s impossible to pinpoint exactly how Ramirez might have changed a number of those outcomes, especially considering how well Jacoby Ellsbury has performed in his absence, but potentially his bat�s presence might have been good enough to swing even one of those close losses back Boston�s way.

"Barring his return to the lineup in the immediate future, this will be the first time in a decade that Manny does not produce a 100-RBI season. It will be his first sub-30 home run year since that same season of �97. His .880 OPS is the lowest in his career since 1994, his second season in the major leagues.

"It is his worst season with the Red Sox, and yet he remains a vital cog in their late-season push. On the bench." -- 9.18.07, Eric Wilbur, Boston.com

Extra Bases: The Numbers Game | Survey Gallery: 10 Burning Questions

Rose McGowan ...

Rose McGowan ...

... Could Have Mowed Down That Lineup Last Night

It's the Bad Wake Again, Is This the End? Sox Fall Easy, 6-1
Dustin McGowan Is Just the Latest to Roll Over The Automatics
That's All There Is: Lowell, Ellsbury Combine for Lone Run
Who's Doubting Thomas Now? Big Frank Hurts Sox Three Times
Damon: 'We're Still Shooting for Boston'
Bright Spot? Fast Game

"We've got to grind it out."-- 9.17.07, Tim Wakefield calms the fears of a leaderless Nation

Yes, Dice-K Looks Silly ...

... But Not As Foolish as Tito's Ongoing Charade
To Explain the Shell of Manny Ramirez

"He needs to clear himself. The medical people have gotten fairly aggressive, he's swinging the bat fairly aggressively, but there has to be . . . a confidence from himself that he can go play the game and not hurt himself. And that's a hard thing. Myself included, you see him go hit the ball out on the street, you go, 'Oh man,' but you can really make some disastrous mistakes trying to read somebody else's body. It doesn't work.' "-- 9.17.07, Terry Francona trying to sell us on Manny's September vacation

WBZ-TV Ch. 4 Video: Sox Rookies in Drag

Split Hits the Fan

Split Hits the Fan

He Was Good in the Beginning, But the Eighth Inning
Was Too Late to Keep In Curt Schilling
Captain Tangibles Crushes Game-Breaker Over the Wall

Same Old Story: Sox Lose 2-of-3, Season Series to New York, 4-3
Clemens Gets the Better of Matchup for the Ages
Mike Lowell Can't Do It All, Big Popup

"Tonight boiled down to two mistakes. I started the inning off in the eighth by striking out [Melky] Cabrera on a 3-and-2 split, a great one, and then I overthrow one to [Jason] Giambi, and overthrow one to Derek . . . I miss horribly in the most crucial situation of the game." -- 9.16.07, Curt Schilling last night... 8-8 for No. 38 is not going to net him that $13M deal ...

Yanks Are Jeterrific!

While Good-Time Manny ...

... Is Hanging on the Sidelines in September

Hammer Time

Hammer Time

A Little Hin Music for Posada
Hey 19! Beckett's Going to Win the Cy

Big Bounce: Sox Rough Up Yanks, Extend Lead, in 10-1 Win
Sun Comes Up, Sun Goes Down, Youk Gets Hit
Ellsbury's Everything Off the Bench

"[Third base coach] DeMarlo Hale said I'm going on contact. I'm trying to score a run. I realize I'm going to be out. The only play is to try to run [Posada] over. I hit him pretty good. I think it pumped up the team a little bit. I put my shoulder down - I hadn't done that, I think, since the minor leagues," he said. "It felt great. I had fun playing high school football. I asked Posada my next at-bat if he was OK and he said he was fine." -- 9.15, 07, Eric Hinske, ready for some football

A Shock to the System

A Shock to the System

Chokajima! Papelblown!

Sox Come Undone at Fenway in the Worst Loss of the Year

Laying Low ...

Laying Low ...

Belichick's Going to Take Himself Out of the Spotlight
While the Sox Host Some AL East Also-Rans This Weekend

Shaughnessy: His Bill Comes Due Big Time
Boston.com: More Cheat-gate Coverage

Doyle Lonnegan: Your boss is quite a card player, Mr. Kelly; how does he do it?
Johnny Hooker: He cheats.
-- The Sting, 1973... with a tip of the cap to Welcome-Back-Gerry Callahan

Time to Seal the Deal

And Roll Over the Overrated Bombers

But No Matter What Happens This Weekend ...
Please Just Don't Boo, J.D. Drew. Thank You.

Red Sox captain Jason Varitek, Eagle-Tribune, 9.11.07: "I wish the fans understood how much power they have. They can help J.D. Drew. They really can. ...

"Why not give him a standing ovation when he comes to plate. They did it for Julio Lugo and it helped. It really did. The energy the fans give you can carry a team. Trust me, I know. I can feel it. But the fans can also make you want to get under a rock. ...

"He had some good at-bats, which is really what I look at instead of hits or batting average. That will be forgotten by tonight, though, because it's J.D. Drew. And that's not right."

Mnookin: Drew is the Key

Attention Please: Joba Chamberlain Is Coming to Town | Bradford: Heads Up, Joba
View from NY: Joba: 'It Never Happened'

'Hug It Out #&@%! #&@%! #&@%!'

'Hug It Out #&@%! #&@%! #&@%!'

Beckett Welcomes Vince and the Boys to Boston

Cy Young favorite Josh Beckett shakes hands tonight with actor and Honey Brothers band member Adrian Grenier (who plays Vincent Chase on HBO's Entourage) as fellow band members Ari Gold (seriously on the left) and Ethan Gold look on at the inaugural Beckett Bowl at Town Line Lanes in Malden to benefit The Josh Beckett Foundation, a charitable organization supporting community based programs that strive to improve the health and well-being of children that are seriously ill, disabled, poor or otherwise disadvantaged.

Schill Still Alive at 38Pitches: Odds and Ends for an Offday

Seems Like Old Times

Seems Like Old Times

It's Been a While for the Walkoff Man
It Takes Two: Ortiz 5, Rays 4

Devil Reyes: David Finally Connects Off Rays Reliever
Good Sign: Another Tip of the Cap from Tavarez
Trail Blazer: Paps Gives Sox a Kick When They're Behind

Photo Gallery: A Look Back at Papi's Walkoffs

Rake, Rattle, and Roll

Rake, Rattle, and Roll

J.D. Power and Associates Storm Back Big
Sox Demolish D-Rays, 16-10

Come Back and Give Me 20: Sox Unload Offensive Arsenal All at Once
Jacoby Being Manny: Kid Play Must Stay, Hits HR No. 3, Hit Streak at 11
Leaving Them in the Dust: Pedroia Locks Up Rook Honors, HR No. 7
Showing Some Papi: Ortiz Takes Some Healthy Cuts, HR No. 29
Lowell 4 President: Mike's Not Going to Hit .280 Anymore
SS for the Long Haul? Lugo Laying It on the Line, Gets RBI No. 69
Youk Too: Big Triple for KY (80 RBIs)
J.D. Whew: Drew Hits First Homer at Fenway Since April 22
Rake Up Call? Are the Times Changing for Tim?

"It was exciting. It was fun to be a part of. Not that this was a must-win game, but it was a big game for us to win." -- 9.11.07, backup catcher Kevin Cash-ed in with three RBIs himself

Never Forget

On the Sixth Anniversary of September 11, We Remember Our Brothers and Sisters Who Flew Out of Boston on 9/11:

Another Kaz Kickin'

Another Kaz Kickin'

Kazmanian Devil Tears Through Light-Hitting Lineup
Sox Go Down Easy, 1-0

The Automatics Play Five Hit Singles at Fenway
Ouch! Ortiz Hurting Again, While Manny Misses 13th Straight Game
Cora the Same: Alex Isn't Helping Anymore
On the Bright Side: Schill's Rays Audition Went Well
Another One Shines Elsewhere: Wily Mo Bangs Two More Out

Say Sayonara to a Fast Start Next Year

Say Sayonara to a
Fast Start Next Year

Sox-A's Could Be Lined Up to Play in Tokyo in 2008

Oops!... He Did It Again

Oops!... He Did It Again

Tumblin' Dice Wins Award for Worst Performance of the Weekend
Another Boras Bust? Matsuzaka is a Mess Again on the Big Stage

Matsuzaka's Struggles in September Continue in 11-5 loss
Can He Make a Comeback in October? | Discuss
Some Good News: Lugo Drove in Drew, It's True
Welcome Back, Big Papi

... Boffo One More Time

Josh Just Put Himself into Cy Contention with Win No. 18

Beckett, Paps, and Coco! lead Sox over O's, 3-2
The Rest is History: Oki's A-OK Again

Fenway Southern Hospitality ...

"Take Back the Park Night" in Baltimore Didn't Go So Well

Daniel Goon

Daniel Goon

'If You Can't Beat 'Em, Throw at the Head of the Shortest Guy You Can Find,' Sincerely, Daniel Cabrera
The Baltimore Bully Has a Big Problem in Dustin Pedroia

"The guy is an idiot," Pedroia said regarding Cabrera. "I dropped my bat. It kind of freaked me out. I was upset they took him out of the game. He is good to hit. He's 9-15. The guy [stinks]." -- 9.7.07, Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

Remember Me? Jon Lester Returns to Form, Sox Blank O's 4-0

And If Schilling Can't Pitch, At Least He Can Block ...

Gotta Get Away?: Manny Heads to Florida for the Weekend
Happy Icktober: MLB a House of Glaus with More Drug Trouble

Got a Little Captain in You?

Got a Little Captain in You?

The Sox Do. V-Tek Just Kicked in Yo!
[And J.D. Boo Owes Jason V. Dinner]

Seems Like Old Times: Sox Rally in Ninth for Win, 7-6
Not Ready for Prime Time? O's Rake Returning Wake
A Little Papi Power: Ortiz Goes Deep for No. 27
Not Your Average Call-Up: Ellsbury Up to .444
Hip, Hip Hooray for Clay: The Buc Stops Here for Relief
'Bon Appetite: Save No. 34 and Counting

Coco Props

His Play Has Been Crisp of Late

The Center Fielder of the Present Cranks Another Homer, No. 6
And He's Getting to More Balls Than Damon Did in '04

"Good to see you giving Coco his props. From a distance, he looks like a serious hoover in a porous outfield, and a greased pig on the basepaths." -- 9.7.07, Daniel Rubin, Metro Columnist, Philadelphia Inquirer

Small-Time Player

Small-Time Player

Drew's Game is More Than a Little Off,
Maybe He's Just Out of His League

Choki-Doki: Papelbonless 'Pen Gets Pounded, Jays Rally for 6-4 Win
Restin' Pedroia: It's Never a Good Time to Sit the Player of the Year
Swing Coco, Swing Cora! Too Much Bad Bunting and Punting
No Glove Lost: 'Tek Couldn't Get the Tag Down in Time
The Rally Youkiller: KKevin Might Need to Step Out
Sox Needed the Eight-Inning Schilling Last Night
The Big Guns Got Nothing Done in the Ninth

"It was just that one pitch. I gave him a fat pitch and he got a home run off me." -- 9.6.07, a tired Hideki Okajima, who may be suffering from Epstein's raise-the-bar virus, too

The Future is Now

The Future is Now

He's Jacoby All and End All. Sincerely, Coco Crisp

Sox Win a Tight One, 5-3
Like Sand Through the Hourglass, Yanks Are Out of Time
Manny Who? Take Your Time Coming Back ManRam
Hanley Who? Beckett Bests Halladay for MLB-Leading Win No. 17
Double Trouble: Lugo and Pedro Bang in a Much-Needed Run
More Power to Him: Youk Provides the Insurance
Paps Picks Up the Pace

Mnookin: The Ballad of Clay and Pedro
38Pitches: He Said, She Said | Galasso's Running for President

In Over His Head?

In Over His Head?

Matsuzaka Gives Up a Whopping 7 Runs, in 5 1/3
Has Dice-K Run Out of Gas Already?

The Bottom Line: Sox Hang On and Get the W, 13-10
Ellsbury Dough Boy: Jacoby Has Been Money for Sox
Drew Through: Can't Sit the Rookie When Manny Comes Back?
Everyone Likes Mike: So Make Lowell an '08 Offer He Can't Refuse
Lefty Lopez Nearly Lost It Last Night
Back End Finishes Jays: Timlin, Oki, Pap Shut the Door

"There have been a few games in a row where I haven't been happy about my pitching, but even today in that situation it was great that the team won and I was able to pick up the win." -- 9.3.07, Dice-K postgame ... making it clear we are never going to learn anything from these translations

Rookies Rock

Rake It from the Top

Feat of Clay

Feat of Clay

Second Coming: No HHitter for Buchholz in Second Start

"It's amazing. That's all I can say. I'm in a blur right now." -- 9.1.0, Clay Buchholz after his nifty no-hitter

Last Minute Travel: History Sneaks Up on Fenway
Sox Get Back on Winning Track, 10-0
Give Him a Save: Dusty Makes the Play on Tejada
Box | Blog

Second to None: A Look Back on the Buchholz No-Hitter