Red Sox Magic Number - 47

With the Red Sox victory over the Orioles and the Yankees losing to the White Sox - the magic number for the Red Sox is now 47.

If you put the number 4 next to the number 7 - you have the Red Sox current magic number. If you put a dash between the numbers 4 and 7 - you have what Roger Clemens' win-loss record will probably be at the end of the season. If you put a "point" between the numbers 4 and 7 - you have what Roger Clemens' ERA will probably be at the end of the season. If you put the number 4 next to the number 7 - you have the total number of people in the United States that think Roger Clemens is still worth the money the Yankees are shelling out for him.

I saw an interesting juxtaposition yesterday. Many consider Roger Clemens one of the greatest pitchers in history and yet on TV yesterday afternoon I saw and heard him getting booed off the field in what is supposed to be his home stadium. Clemens left with his team trailing 8-0 and like I said - he was booed heartily. Last night I went to a minor league baseball game that pitted the Worcester Tornadoes against the Nashua Pride. The Tornadoes starting pitcher, Reid Willett, did not have a good night at all. In fact by the time he was pulled in the second inning his team was trailing 8-0. Willett left the field to the sound of polite applause. The applause was to thank him for his effort and to encourage him not to get his head down. In my mind I could help but compare the fan reaction to Clemens and Willett. It seems fans can distinguish between players who play for the love of the game and those who play for the love of money.