2007 AL EAST CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!

Know how I was slightly worried? NEVER MIND.

2007 AL EAST CHAMPS! Homefield advantage for at least the ALDS. Bring on the Angels, baby. (Special tip of the cap to the Orioles, who scored 3 runs in the 9th off of Mariano Rivera to tie the game, and Melvin Mora who hit a walk-off *bunt* single in the 10th to finish off the Os.)

Stretch Run

First off, congratulations to the Washington Nationals. They are at 72-87, which is *more* wins than last year. Sweet!

Then there’s the Red Sox. We’ve clinched (yes yes yes yes yes!) The magic number for the division is 2. I’m a bit concerned – the Yankees are not going to lose again this year (the Orioles? Please.) We’ve got Dice-K tomorrow (we need a good outing please,) Wake on Sat, and Schilling on Sun. Sunday shouldn’t be a problem – Curt is in full post-season form and Garza is fine like most Twins starters are (wow that scouting staff,) but nothing special. Not Santana, or Liriano for that matter (remember him?) Dice-K…who knows. Wake….really who knows. The bad stretch is due to come to an end. Just in time, right? 2 out of 3 is needed. It’s definitely doable, I’m just not sure we’ll actually do it. We should, but we’ll see. The problem is the one we had tonight – the Twins have an elite closer. This is not Al Reyes (that schmuck), Joe Nathan can pitch. He’s hung with Mo in the past as the best closer in the AL, and I suspect the reason we haven’t heard much about him this year is because the Twins have gone nowhere. So all of a sudden 9th inning comebacks are a problem. Witness tonight. Gardenhire is not stupid, and there’s nothing to save Nathan for. He’ll bring him out for 4 outs. Of course there’s nothing to risk his arm for either.

Or we can solve the problem by scoring lots of runs early, and never see Nathan again this year. I like that idea better.

Swept by the Blue Jays

Smashing. The temptation to light oneself on fire is nigh indescribable. Or better yet, light the Red Sox on fire. I understand there are laws against that sort of thing though, so I suppose we’ll refrain.

See, it’s only fun having a spoiler when it’s the Nats going against the Mets. NOT when it’s the Blue Jays against us.

This is unforgivable

I was going to say something snarky about the Yankees. Or something disbelieving about D’Angelo Jimenez. Screw it.

WHAT THE *^$&%& IS WRONG WITH YOU, ERIC GAGNE??????? I DON’T WANT YOU NEAR A RED SOX GAME UNLESS WE’RE UP BY $%&)(*#%& 12 RUNS!!!!!!!

Reactive? I’ll show you %&$#(%& reactive. My patience is finished, my tolerance is done. There is NO reason we should’ve lost this game, and we CAN’T afford to lose them anymore. You had 2 outs and the bases empty. You are bloody well worthless, and I hope like hell they leave you off the playoff roster. I’d rather take my chances with Alex Cora pitching the 8th than give you the ball again.

CLAY BUCHHOLZ PITCHES A NO-HITTER.

Yep, *that’s* the way to break up a losing streak.

I’ve never watched a no-hitter all the way through, and I wasn’t watching baseball the last time the Red Sox had a no-no (Derek Lowe in 2002, against Tampa Bay.) I always vaguely have the sense of a no-hitter until the first hit actually happens, but of course I don’t take it seriously until after the 6th or so. So the first time I was really excited this game was the Ortiz double off of the wall in the 4th.