Down and out in Anaheim

Is it just me or is everyone else also getting very nervous about the Yankees? While the Old Towne 9 still has a 6 game lead in the AL East, the folks on No. 4 Yawkey Way and their loyal subjects who comprise Red Sox Nation should be getting more than a little worried about the Bronx Bombers' surge and the Red Sox's inability to put them away for good. Because of a schedule resembling a never ending feast on such bottom-dwellers as Tampa Bay, Kansas City and other AL also-rans, the Skanks have compiled the best record in baseball since the All-Star break. Although the Sox only need to go 3 games over .500 for the remainder of the season thus forcing the Yankees to play .720 ball in order to take the division, today's loss against the Angels of Anaheim did nothing to calm the fears of an increasingly nervous Red Sox Nation. While Curt Schilling is back from his 7 week hiatus, he did little to help the Sox win today as the Sox continued their roadtrip on the West Coast with a 4-2 loss in their first of 3 games against the Angels. Schilling's inexplicable--or should I say boneheaded--decision not to cover first base on a "sure-thing" double play in the bottom of the 4th inning directly led to two runs being scored and allowed the Angels to not only get back into, but to tie, what had been up to then a Red Sox dominated game. While there will of course be those apologists who say Schilling looked good on his return and that the Red Sox should be pleased with his addition to the rotation, I for one believe the jury is still out on whether Schilling will be able to contribute to the extent he is needed in this most critical part of the Red Sox stretch run.