Unwatchable

So I woke up this morning to find out that the Red Sox and Rays are tied. After 160 games, we find ourselves on even footing with Tampa Bay at 89-71.

All this because Beckett just can't seem to pitch in the late innings any more. JoS shares the painful truth about the only two starters on our staff that don't make me want to throw up:

This was Beckett's second start in a row in which Terry Francona watched him run out of gas in the middle innings and did not pull him. In six starts since September 11, Beckett and Jon Lester have posted an 8.18 ERA.

JoS also asks the good question why Aceves pitched the 8th last night. Why wouldn't you have rested him, knowing that it's more likely that we'll need him tonight?

Sigh. It didn't need to be this way. And now our lonely eyes turn to Bedard, who had four runs, albeit only one that was earned, in 2 and 2/3 innings against the Orioles just last week. Let's hope his knee/hip/brain is feeling better tonight!

Josh Beckett, a lonely nation turns its eyes to you...

I don't think it's hyperbole to say that tonight's game is huge. Beckett needs to come in and pitch like he's capable of pitching and shut down the Rays. Someone needs to turn this team around and he's only pitcher on our staff that's capable of doing this (being the proverbial "stopper"). Lester's the only one who might be close but I just have no faith in his ability to pitch big in big games.

In other Sox news, this is interesting: sounds like Buchholz will be throwing a bullpen session this weekend with an eye towards becoming a long reliever in the playoffs. If this really happens, then we could use a combo of Aceves and Buchholz as a starter, which I like MUCH more that Miller and Weiland.

I haven't heard any news on Bedard? Is he still hurt?

Bedard and Closers

In our email exchanges last night, we were crapping on Bedard a little bit, bemoaning the fact that he was pitching like crap to the Twins. However, according to JoS, he may not have been pitching that badly, it's just that the umpire was calling balls and strikes irregularly. In true JoS fashion, he writes: "Home plate umpire Tim McClelland was squeezing Bedard as though the Boston lefty had defiled his daughter or run over his dog (or defiled his dog and run over his daughter)" and notes that "...even the Twins announcers were raising their eyebrows at McClelland's shitty calls." Click the link to see his computer analysis of the balls and strikes.

Moving to the other end of the game, I noted with pleasure this morning that Mariano Rivera gave up the winning homer and, according to hardballtalk.com, has "now allowed as many hits in 44 1/3 innings this season (39) that he did in 60 innings last year. His current batting average against of .241 would be his second highest mark in his 16 years as a reliever." Could the robotic Sox-killer finally be slowing down? I still don't want him to be up in a situation where it counts, but at some point the guy just has to start showing his age.

Finally, i'd be remiss (esp. considering how much i've been busting on the guy) if I didn't note that Papabalon has been lights out lately. He hasn't allowed a run in his last 12 appearances and in that time, as hardballtalk.com notes, "he's allowed just two hits and posted a 12/0 K/BB ratio. Papelbon hasn’t walked a batter since July 10, and he has a 64/8 K/BB ratio for the year." Here's hoping he can keep it up!