Twice in my life time, who would have thunk?!  Definitely not me, but I’m totally enjoying it.

Very happy to see Mike Lowell as MVP, though I think the whole team could have been considered.

What a great end to a fantastic season.

After this past weekend I was ecstatic about the Red Sox and seeing how the bats came alive against the White Sox.  On Monday I was asking people, “Are the Sox bats that good or are their pitchers that bad?”

Having watched (and currently listening to the game) I have to believe that the White Sox pitching was that bad.  I mean come on Red Sox!!!  Two games in a row when you don’t get friggin’ hit number one till the 7th inning.  The Sox pitching wasn’t bad, but man the offense can really suck.  This is not a team that can survive in the playoffs. I hate to say it but I just did.  This team needs to show me alot more to make me believe that they could actually win the ALCS or anything else.

I know it’s been awhile again.  It’s hard to keep with all the issues going on at work and how it’s running over into family life. 

8/24 – 8/26 Red Sox trounced White Sox – Yeah!!!!  8 games up on Yanks

8/28 -8/29 Red Sox lose 2 to the Yankees – Boo!!!! 6 games up – can’t stand overpaid non-performer like JD Drew.

At work it’s obvious with the new merger and after meeting the new CEO and CTO that cuts are coming and they are coming soon.  This of course sucks but I’m told and have been assured I am safe.  I guess we’ll have to see but it hasn’t been easy lately.  You become friends with your co-workers and having to let them go because we need to trim costs is going to suck.  I mean it would suck more if it was me (god knows I can’t afford to be let go) but it will not be much fun letting others go that I have built up relationships with.  I know I am responsible to those remaining but part of me wants to make sure that those who might be going (for I truly don’t know who will go or stay) are at least smart enough to have prepared themselves and have started looking.  So of course I struggle with the thought of getting the word out to people.  We’ll see.  That’s been my mantra for the last 4 weeks now – We’ll see.

OK, it’s August 23rd.  The Sox are 5 games up on the Yankees.

Here we go Red Sox.  Here we go.

Here we go Red Sox.  Here we go.

By the way – what the hell happened to Baltimore yesterday!!!!  WOW.  It was nice to see Kason Gabbard get the win, but seriously how bad do you have to play to let up 30 runs in one game.

Well on our last vacation we and several thousand other members of Red Sox nation went to Camden Yards to watch the Red Sox take on the Baltimore Orioles.  Great game, too bad we lost 2 of 3 (damn Gagne).  Anyways, for those who haven’t been Camden Yards is a beautiful ballpark.  Great views and very accommodating.  What stood out most, besides blowing a 3-1 lead, was the Cal Ripken Jr tribute that was played on the big screen in between one inning.  What stood out was one clip they had of Cal when he said something like the following:

“What is the best thing about being remembered.  Isn’t being remembered enough?”

The guy seems to be a truly class act.

 An aside.  It was really nice to Kevin Millar stick it to the Sox that Sunday.  If anyone has to do it, I’m glad it was him.

Sorry for the delay in posting.  Work has been challenging lately.  We were told we were acquiring a company but it turns out that both companies have actually been acquired by a new holding company so everything is uncertain.

 What gets me is the game of kiss-ass that a lot of people are now playing.  Perhaps I’m just naive about these things but if I was the CEO I’d want some true straight talk from someone.  What are the real issues and challenges we about to go through?  If as CEO I don’t have that information it could seriously jeopardize what we are trying to accomplish.  Anyways that’s where my time has been spent lately.

Sox have been hanging tough, but those Damn Yankees (and I don’t mean the late 80’s group with Tommy Shaw and Ted Nugent) have been just been smashing the ball around and scoring runs.

Carl Ripken Jr. was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend.  MLB.com did a nice summary of his speech.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070729&content_id=2117722&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Every baseball player today should be forced to watch or read his speech.  For that matter any pro or amateur athlete should too.

Finally I think you are seeing the Nation tiring of JD Drew and Wily Mo Pena.  At least Lugo decided to hit, it’s like he knew it was time hopefully he keeps it up.  At this point I think I’d rather see Hinske playing outfield than Pena.  With a 10 game lead over the Yanks and Blue Jays, and a series with the Jays coming up, I’m getting concerned again.  You can’t beat up teams like the Devil Rays and then get swept by the Tigers, who will probably make the playoffs.  Sure I can’t lay the blame it all on Drew and Pena.  I mean on Saturday the Sox were shut out for 12 innings.  But if there were ever two players who can kill a rally it’s Drew and Pena.  Thinking back to Sunday, I would have rather see Youk pitch hit for Drew, leaving Hinske in the game.  Perhaps I’m missing the issue with Hinkse but I can see the issues with Pena and Drew, so why not just let Hinkse play (he can’t do any worse).  For that matter give Ellsbury a chance to play left or right field, could he do worse than Pena?  And while we are at, if Lugo starts slumping again I think we seriously need to play Cora everyday.  The first half is over and several players have been given a “free pass” by the fans.  If this lead starts to slip, those players (Lugo, Pena and Drew) are going to start hearing it more so.  All is forgiven if we’re winning, but if the Blue Jays take 2 of 3 after the sweep by the Tigers I believe there will be concern amongst the Nation.

Went away for a little vacation again.  Nice and relaxing.

Anyways.  Who really thought that the Red Sox would be 12 games up on the Yankees on July 6th?  Any one?  This is turning out to be a great summer.  Now if we can only hold off the yearly post All-Star slide we should be all set.  I’m hoping they take 2 of 3 from the Tigers this weekend.  We need to beat some good AL teams.  The pitching is consistently there, just have to keep those bats awake for teams other than the D-Rays.

Haven’t paid attention to any news so nothing to bad to rant about.  Did check out the new Bon Jovi album, Lost Highway.  Pretty good, definitely a country feel.  Good vacation driving music.  We’ll be getting the new Velvet Revolver album this weekend.

One last thing, if you haven’t checked it out you need to watch Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends.  Very, very funny show meant for children, but still great for us late 30 year olds.

Damn.  Lots to mention while I was away on vacation.  Where to start?

Chris Benoit.  I used to follow the WWE, then I found UFC.  Every now and then I check out Vince and crew to see what’s going on.  Most of the story lines are beyond horrible but occassionally the wrestling is entertaining.  I know that the recent plot involved Vince supposedly being blown up in a car.  I was real curious to see how that was going to play out, but understandably so with the Chris Benoit mess, it would seem that the Vince storyline has been undone.  Chris Benoit was a very entertaining wrestler who had little personality that could keep him on top or make him a major headliner.  I don’t believe the whole ‘roid rage’ issue in this case.  I believe we have a case of two stressed-out people (Chris and his wife) dealing with a child that needed a lot of attention and care.  That would be enough stress for normal people but wrestlers and their families are not average people.  The chosen career places a lot of strain on families and can take its toll.  Put steriods and pain meds on top of that and you have a voilatile situation.  Which in this case ended horribly.  We don’t know what went on in the Benoit house that weekend, but I cannot imagine what was going on in Chris’s head we he decided to smother his son.  From what we are being told about the situation I have to say the WWE was wrong to do that 3 hour tribute.  They should have done their standard bell count to 10 and performed their normal show and then if the police said it was nothing criminal do a tribute show for him.

Red Sox dropped 3 to Seattle – not happy about that.   Especially the two one run loses.  I also think it might be time for Mike Timlin to call it a day.  I like Timlin a lot but he doesn’t seem to helping them win games anymore.  I know the game was already lost but still you have to make outs.  I believe that makes the road trip 4-5.  Not too bad considering the Yankees are 11 out, and look at those Blue Jays coming on strong.  Good for them.

And lastly the US Senate actually did something to protect tax paying citizens, the Senate drove a stake Thursday through
President Bush’s plan to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants, likely postponing major action on immigration until after the 2008 elections.  Yea!!!!!