Pondering the Red Sox

The Red Sox are rolling along and things are very good in Red Sox Nation despite last nights loss to the Orioles. The latest feel-good series was a three game sweep of the reeling Blue Jays and I have no doubt in my mind that the Red Sox will win the next two games against the O's.

Before looking forward to what will be two more Red Sox wins - let's look back at the Blue Jays.

Recently the Blue Jays have been to the Red Sox what the Miami Dolphins are to the Patriots. The one guy who seemed capable of beating the Red Sox all by himself for the Blue Jays was Ted Lilly. The Blue Jays let their Red Sox krytonite leave Toronto via free agency. The one player who scared the bejeesus out of me for the Dolphins last year was Wes Welker. It seemed the Pats would score and Welker would put the Dolphins into scoring position with the ensuing kickoff. Their exits from the Blue Jays and Dolphins were very different however.

Lilly is looking good for the Cubs - posting a 2-2 record with a 2.78 ERA. Lilly was 15-13 with a 4.31 ERA last year for the Blue Jays. The Cubs signed Lilly to a 4-year $40 million contract which if given a do-over I think Toronto definitely would have matched. Instead they let him walk without a fight.

Of course the Blue Jays had no way of knowing that they would lose closer BJ Ryan for the season and starters Gustavo Chacin and Roy Halladay for good chunks of the season. The Blue Jay ship is sinking right now and it will probably cost Blue Jays manager John Gibbons his job (a move that is probably overdue). I'd put the over-under for his being fired at May 30th.

You have to wonder if Shea Hillenbrand is taking some delight over Gibbons being on the hot seat. My guess is that Hillenbrand is probably too worried about his own struggles at the plate to engage in and schadenfreude (Hillenbrand is hitting just .25 for the Angels).

Some may say that the Red Sox lost last night because they did not start Alex Cora (the Red Sox are 10-0 in games started by Cora). However, I thought they might lose last night's game because of a number of reasons - namely:

- the Red Sox often fall prey to no-name lefthanders (especially at Fenway)
- there had to be some overconfidence in the Red Sox clubhouse and hubris is always properly rewarded
- they were just due to lose a game (just like the Blue Jays were due to win a game).

One benefit of last night's loss was the fact that the bullpen finally got some work. Three Red Sox relievers allowed just one run in 4 innings of work. The Red Sox starters have been pitching so well that getting the bullpen guys some innings was becoming a problem. Do you hear that New York?

Today Curt Schilling takes on Steve Traschel. The Orioles are trying to win 5 in a row for the first time in over 2 years. Meanwhile the Red Sox are trying to avoid back to back losses. The Vegas money is on the Red Sox (though at a risk $250 to win just $100 its not something I'm high on).

Can you imagine if Tim Wakefield was a free agent after this season? Some team that plays in a dome would throw boatloads of cash at him.