A Wasted Beckett Effort: Peter

Well, Jenn, we're getting closer to running out of time. Tonight it was the O's, the AL's worst team, who did the deed. JB pitched a respectable seven innings, allowing just two earned runs while striking out five. He gave up just a lone free pass, and his WHIP for the game was microscopically over 1.0. Unfortunately, an error allowed a third run, and though Lowrie tried to get the Hose back into the game with a two run shot, Dubront gave up a pair of solo shots to the cheap seats. Add those to no timely Sox hitting and you've got a recipe for a loss--which is what the Sox ended up with.

Since the Rays lost tonight, we're still seven back of the wild card. However, Mr. Hankie's Yankees won, so our heroes are now a full eight games behind the division lead--with just thirty to play. The fact that the Sox have done a remarkable job given the battlefield-like casualty list all season long doesn't make it hurt any less.
I was thinking about a conversation you and I had after game three of the 2004 ALCS when the Stripes had us down three zip. Your comment then was, "I guess it's over." You sounded so down, to call you glum would be an understatement. My response was that I recalled the rules said you had to win four games before you won the ALCS, and that while, yes, we certainly were deep in the doo-doo (Actually I used a stronger word, but, hey, this is a family show), it wasn't over yet. As everyone knows, the turnaround began immediately with that day's game, ran through an eight game win streak that concluded with a World Series championship. Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight rush of Red Sox cheer. Everyone still sitting here will remember that fall of that we all revere. Oops, excuse me--apologies to Longfellow. Anyway, conversation aside, I'm getting to the point where I'm about to admit this year isn't our year--not because of a lack of talent or desire. This team has, considering what's been constantly happening to them, put on a display that they should be more than proud of.It's just that when the heart of your club is unable to take the field because of a med student's list of injuries, it's hard to use your talent to its intended end. I truly believe that without most of the injuries, the Sox would right now be in the thick of the fight, if not in an outright lead. Somewhere out there in the mists, Teddy Ballgame is nodding agreement. I know there's still enough time, but unless the injuries stop and the players get back in long enough to have an effect....