Clear and Present Danger.....

Well no doubt about it now, the Boston Red Sox are in harms way.  For the third game in a row, a Boston starter put the Sox in a huge whole, against a team whose greatest strength is pitching.  Again for the third time in an ALCS, the Boston Red Sox will need nothing short of a miracle if they are to advance to the Fall Classic.

  The bad thing about last night's game was that it went the way most Red Sox fans thought it would.  Tim Wakefield's last outing against the Rays was also an important game, and he tanked in that one as well.  Just like he did on September 17th, Wakefield was unable to get of the third inning.  By the time Wake was done in the second last night, he had already surrendered 3 homeruns and five earned runs.  Needless to say, it was a lackluster performance from Wakefield, especially if that was his Fenway swan song.  If your scoring at home, the Red Sox starters have surrendered 18 runs in thier last 13 innings.

  If Tim Wakefield's crappy outing wasn't enough, it was followed by another epic gag job by our ole buddy Manny Delcarmen.  There are some that say little Manny has turned a corner this year.  Let me be clear, I am not one of them, I still think he is a gutless, worthless piece of crap, that comes unprepared to pitch way to often.  Last night Delcarmen's pitching was like gas on an open flame.  His line last night, six batters faced, recorded one out, and allowed five earned runs to score.  Delcarmen's pathetic display ensured the final outcome last night.  It's good to see as this season winds down, Manny Delcarmen is finishing the same way he started this season.

  The other elephant in this room is the display or lack there of by the Boston offense.  It's not like they have seen these guys before, hell this is the third time in a month they have seen last nights starter.  Too many guys in the Boston line-up have rolled over and died.  JD Drew was moved to the top of the line-up last night, in part to spark the offense and get on base.  So what does Drew do from the lead-off spot, he goes 0-5, with no bases what-so-ever.  Luckily for Drew, he has had plenty of company.  Big Papi recorded his first hit last night, for the series, I guess that about says it all.

  Now for the good news.......long pause...is there any, oh yea the one pitcher that managed to keep a lid on the Rays is pitching for the Sox on thursday.  The task has become really simple for the Boston Red Sox, win a ball game, a game that will played at home, with a pitcher whose record is 19-3 for the season.  If the Sox can do that, maybe..just maybe they can put a little pressure on these Rays, something they have failed mightly to do these last few games.