ALCS Game 6 Reader Mailbag

This is an actual letter received from a regular reader of Red Sox Rants from China immediately following the 12-2 Red Sox win in Game 6 win over the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS. By way of background, this reader lives in Hong Kong and is a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan and as well as a supporter of the Colorado Rockies (note that this dual loyalty is not in violation of Bill Simmons' Rules for Being a True Fan because of the exception provided under Rule 19).

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Dear Red Sox Diarist:

Now it gets interesting!

Huge win today for Boston. Nancy Drew finally did something positive in addition to collecting his hefty paycheck. The sun's gotta shine on every dog's ass sometime. Lugo also finally hit a ball in fair territory. Even Gagne showed he can hold a 10-run lead!

What role do you think maturity has played in this series? Sabathia, Carmona, and Perez all seem nervous and determined to throw too hard and off the plate, instead of challenging batters in the strike zone as they did successfully throughout the regular season and the Yankees series.

Beckett, of course, has been dominating. Schilling doesn't have great stuff anymore and was just fair in today's game, but the big lead gave him a huge advantage. I think a combination of youthful overexuberance and an effort to be too fine by Cleveland's pitchers and greater maturity and patience by Sox hitters plus Beckett resulted in success for the Beaneaters in Games 1, 5, and 6 (and the beginning of Game 2).

Can Dice-K stop the Tribe tomorrow? He looked confused at times in his last outing. The game is in Fenway and the Sox have the momentum, but Tito better have Beckett ready in the bullpen and keep Papelbon for a save situation, if necessary.

I still like the Rox and Sox in the World Series!

Your Faithful Correspondent

Righting the Ship

There is somewhat more equilibrium in the world today as a 41 year old knuckleballer righted the Red Sox ship Monday night at Fenway Park. In a must-win situation part of a must-win week, Tim Wakefield was almost un-hittable for 8 innings as the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 3-0. Taking a no-no into the 7th inning, Wakefield's line at the end of the evening was a sparkling: 8 innings, 2 hits, no runs, 2 walks and 6 strikeouts. Jonathan Papelbon came in for the 9th inning and simply overpowered the Devil Rays, who also had a fine pitching performance from starter James Shields.

Earning his 28th save of the year for the second year in a row, Papelbon, who had not worked since the second game of the debacle in Baltimore this weekend, seemed to be pitching for the bullpen's honor when he struck out the first two Devil Rays he faced in the 9th inning, walked B.J. Upton on a 3-2 count and then coaxed—if throwing 97mph fastballs can be described as coaxing—former Red Sox Carlos Pena to ground out to second to end the game.

While many anxious Red Sox fans have been talked off of the ledge by Wakefield's performance, the Sox remain a precarious 4 games ahead of the continuously surging Yankees and have the AL West leading Angels coming to town for a 4 set when the Devil Rays leave at the end of the week.

Some interesting tidbits: Jonathan Papelbon has not been called on to convert a 4 out save since April 8th. Kason Gabbard (remember him, the guy who was sent to Texas as part of the Eric Gagne "trade at the deadline" package) left the game after only one pitch in the second inning of his start against Tampa Bay on Sunday because of “left forearm stiffness.” This has caused some in Texas to suspect that it is the Rangers who had gotten stiffed in the deal with the Red Sox although there are many in Red Sox Nation who would beg to differ as the Red Sox lead over the Yankees was 8 games when Gagne was acquired.