It’s October and you know what that means? Yes, football… but also the MLB Post Season. I’ve been catching some ALDS games here and there. I kind of have no choice because the husband is a Yankees fan. And I, of course, am rooting with all my might for the Orioles… as much as it pains me.

I thought when we turned off the TV last night in the top of the ninth, the Orioles had that thing in the bag. I was sadly mistaken. And now, the hubs seems to think he can control the outcome of a game purely by whether or not he’s awake or asleep when the game ends. Awake = Yankees Loss. Asleep = Yankees Win. Let’s see how long this theory holds true.

But I think I’m putting my foam finger behind the Oakland A’s. What an exciting and inspirational road this rag-tag team of Red Sox cast-offs has had this season. On July 1st, the A’s where a distant 12 games behind the AL West leading Texas Rangers. On August 1st, they were just 4.5 games out – a mere half game behind the second place Angels.

On September 27th, with just six games left in the regular season, the A’s were four games behind Texas. They magically swept both the Seattle Mariners and the Rangers in the final three games of the season to win the AL West. Moneyball in action, folks!

This scrappy A’s team and scratched and clawed their way to wins… making incredible defensive plays and timely clutch hits. If you look at their offensive stats over the first four games of the Division Series, you would wonder how they’re even still in this thing. Whatever the A’s are doing, whether it’s a Jose Valverde voodoo doll or some sort of Hogwart’s-worthy anti-hit spell on Prince Fielder’s bat, it seems to be working.

I only wish MLB could arrange the schedule so an A’s game actually starts before I go to bed. From the recaps, it appears this is the series to watch! Good luck to the Billy Bean and the A’s… I’m pulling for you guys! We need some new blood in the World Series this year.

Watching the Red Sox this year, I feel like I know what it’s like to be a hamster: you spend all this time and energy running, sprinting even, on this wheel, to the point of exhaustion.  Once in a while, you’ll get a little bit ahead of gravity and start to run up the side of the wheel a little bit – look, you can see the sky!  Once in a while, you’ll stop for a quick breath and get spun around backwards like you’re on a roller coaster.  And at the end, you look down and, despite all the energy, twists, turns and exertion, you’ve gone absolutely nowhere.  And you live in a clear box covered in sawdust with (at least if you were my childhood hamsters) the constant threat of love from a six-year-old girl hanging over your head (think Lenny from Of Mice and Men), but that’s a different post.

Like, this week.  The Red Sox went every which way, like a hamster on a wheel.  They got a little ahead of the game. they got spun around in a few circles.  They faced down a trading deadline.  They got a little bit lucky.  They got two-hit.

And after all that, they’re still at .500, stuck at the bottom of the wheel with nothing but some sawdust and the faltering Toronto Blue  Jays to keep them company.

We begin on Tuesday night.  The Red Sox, fresh off a pretty quiet trading deadline (the Sox traded for Arizona’s Craig Breslow, a former Sox reliever and former Yalie – this led to some pretty hilarious but moderately unprintable FakePeteGammons tweets about an Eli tandem of Breslow and AAA callup Ryan Lavarnway perfecting their pitching and catching technique), threw Josh Beckett against the powerful Detroit Tigers and Justin Verlander.  Beckett had been the subject of some pretty pervasive trade rumors, so it was poetic, almost that he took the hill that night.

And, Beckett pitched well.  For 2 2/3 innings, that is, before he left the game with back spasms.

Great, right?  He’s not on the DL, but murmurs from the Red Sox higher-ups are that Beckett won’t make his next scheduled start this weekend.  The Red Sox went on to win the rain-shortened game.  The umps called it in the top of sixth inning, when Detroit had the bases loaded with two outs and the go-ahead run at the plate.  Which is probably lucky for the Red Sox, honestly – I don’t see that ending well had the skies not literally opened up and started dumping water everywhere.  Call me crazy, but I don’t have a lot of faith in Boston’s ability to battle back against that situation this year.

Wednesday night, the Sox staked the Tigers to a 6-1 lead by the fifth inning, before battling back to make an exciting game out of an ultimate 7-5 loser.  The Sox ended their four-game win streak, but did manage to take two out of three from the Tigers series.  Aaron Cook really spit the bit on this one – the starting pitcher hasn’t performed well over his last three starts.  Maybe now that Craig Breslow is here to shore up the bullpen, we can explore the Franklin-Morales-in-the-rotation idea again?

Last night was just… pitiful.  There, I said it.  The Sox lost to the Minnesota Twins – the MINNESOTA TWINS – 5-0, and got two-hit along the way.  Minnesota’s Samuel Deduno just absolutely stymied the Sox lineup over six innings, in only his fifth major league start.  The only Red Sox player who could figure him out was Adrian Gonzalez, who notched both hits.  There’s just nothing else to say – it was a frustrating game, and the Sox left very little to show for themselves.  Jon Lester had yet another tough-luck quality start.  Maybe this team just can’t get it together for Lester.  That happens – teams will score bunches of runs for some pitchers (like Clay Buchholz) and then peter out behind some other pitchers – but it’s frustrating to watch.  Lester’s thrown 11 quality starts this year, but he only has five wins.  If anything, given this lineup’s supposed power and consistency on paper, those numbers should be reversed, and the lineup should be able to pick up an occasional bad day by an ace pitcher.  Here, though, it’s like Lester is slaving away in some small-market stadium, putting up good numbers but never getting the run support he needs to actually win a game.

Ugh.  Back at .500, and now it’s August.  Still stuck on the wheel, covered in sawdust.

Felix Doubront (10-5, 4.37 ERA) takes on Brian Duensing (2-6, 4.53 ERA) tonight at Fenway.  The Twins are one of only five teams in the American League with a worse record than the Sox – so maybe we can, I don’t know, beat them?  Or at least, score a run?

The Red Sox beat the Tigers last night 7-3 behind another strong performance by Clay Buchholz to pull one game above .500 and out of the basement once again. He seems to have successfully put that horrid start to the year behind him and is pitching like he should. Actually he’s pitching like a couple of other pitchers on the staff should be but unfortunately are not. *cough*Beckett*cough*Lester*cough*

The Tigers struck first when Austin Jackson hit the second pitch he saw for a home run to open the game. My first thought — uh oh. But the Sox didn’t get down on themselves. After Jacoby Ellsbury walked, Carl Crawford followed with an RBI triple — his first of the season. Dustin Pedroia knocked Crawford in with a ground ball out.

After Detroit tied up the game in the third, Pedroia came through again to put the Sox ahead for good with a two-run home run over the Monster. And Will Middlebrooks put the nail in the coffin with a two-run dinger of his own in the bottom of the eighth.

Clay Buchholz pitched a solid eight innings of work. He allowed five hits and three runs (two of them earned) and struck out four. Vicente Padilla pitched a scoreless ninth to close out the win. Buchholz was pleased with the all-around performance in last night’s win.

“It’s just all got to happen at the same time,” said Buchholz. “You’ve got to hit and pitch well to win games or go on a big streak that we need to go on. We’ve got to build some confidence, get on a little streak, and who knows where it will take us?”

Nice win for the Sox but it wasn’t without its drama. A frustrated Ryan Sweeney punched a door in the clubhouse following a tough out in the eighth inning and had to leave the game. Really, Ryan? Punching a door? Isn’t that a little childish? I wonder if he did it on purpose to take his name out of the trade rumors. He’ll have an x-ray today and will most likely be placed on the DL. *sigh*

Click here for the solid box score, courtesy of the Red Sox. The Tigers and Sox face off again tonight in a matchup between Josh Beckett (5-9, 4.57) and Justin Verlander (11-6, 2.60) — that’s, of course, if Josh Beckett doesn’t get dealt before the 4pm trade deadline today. Rumor has it that the Texas Rangers are no longer interested in Beckett, but there still might be some life on a deal with either the LA Dodgers or the Atlanta Braves. If you’re going to send him away, Ben Cherington, just please, please, please don’t let him go for crap. Crap isn’t going to get us more wins. And we need more wins.

Big Papi still on fire (Photo by Keith Allison c/o Flickr.com)

It’s been a long time since the Red Sox have seen the plus side of .500. Actually, they haven’t been over .500 since last season. That’s just scary. But last night, they beat the Detroit Tigers and the best pitcher in baseball, Justin Verlander, 6-3 to get to this point. MV-what? Despite routinely throwing pitches in the high 90′s, Verlander didn’t look much like the best pitcher in baseball. Or maybe the Red Sox hitters are just that good?

The Sox line up jumped on Verlander early scoring one in the second when David Ortiz doubled to left field. After Kevin Youkilis struck out, Jarrod Saltalamacchia singled to left moving Ortiz to third. Mike Aviles grounded to second base in what surely would be a double play but Aviles’ hustle down the line paid off. He beat the throw to first and Ortiz scored the game’s first run.

In the fourth inning, the Red Sox loaded the bases on singles by Kevin Youkilis, Mike Aviles and Scott Podsednik. With two outs, rookie Daniel Nava came to the plate. Verlander pummeled Nava with fastballs hitting 98, 99 mph. Nava managed to work the count full and then fought off a 100 mph fastball and punched it into left field. With the runners already on the move, Nava cleared the bases with a double and put the Sox up for good 4-0.

After the game, Nava told reporters what he did in order to have success hitting against Verlander.

“The first at-bat I had I was really trying to pick the ball up, was having a hard time picking the ball up, so from that point — I had that 3-1 pitch that I swung through — and I needed to shorten my swing up,” said Nava, who’s trying out as the Sox’s leadoff hitter. “Fortunately, I got a pitch to do that with and I had guys on base. Just keep it simple. I think I got out of my approach a little on 3-1 because it was a hitter’s count. I just tried to calm myself down and keep it simple.”

But they weren’t done scoring yet. David Ortiz had an RBI double in the fifth and a solo home run in the seventh, his 11th of the season, to cap off his night going 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Daniel Bard was solid in his outing. He went 5.1 innings, scattering four hits and giving up two earned runs – both solo home runs – while striking out four. Rich Hill, Scott Atchison, Andrew Miller and Vicente Padilla handled the next 2.2 innings giving up just one more run. Alfredo Aceves (why does typing his name always make me hungry?) came in for his 12th save in the ninth. After blowing a save last week, it was nice to see him come in and get #12.

Click here for the box score that put the Red Sox one game over .500 and just 3.5 back of first place!! The Sox and Tigers go again tonight with Jon Lester (3-4, 4.72 ERA) looking to get back on the winning track against youngster Drew Smyly (2-1, 3.14 ERA). First pitch is at 7:10pm.

Deja vu all over again, right?  The Red Sox ended Memorial Day weekend by gutting out a 7-4 win over the Detroit Tigers to get back to .500… for the sixth time this season.  Felix Doubront – who, surprisingly, is quickly becoming Boston’s most reliable starter – picked up the win with a four-hit, two-run lockdown over six innings.  Alfredo Aceves (why was he in the game in a non-save situation?) gave up a two-run home run to Jhonny Peralta with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, but quickly struck out the next batter to secure the Red Sox win.

“Every outing I’m learning more how to approach the hitters, and today, I think I was more focused on throwing the ball for strikes and getting the hitters out quickly,” Doubront told reporters. “I was throwing the ball where I wanted and my offspeed pitch was working pretty good.”

Scott Atchison, meanwhile, quietly put together two scoreless innings between Doubront and Aceves.  He’s thrown 29 innings this year, and only allowed three runs for a miniscule 0.93 ERA.  He’s only allowed one home run and six walks.  Where would the Red Sox bullpen be without him?  He’s the only middle reliever that I’m confident can get the outs when he gets the call.

The Red Sox also had a good day offensively.  Ryan Sweeney announced his return from the disabled list with three hits.  Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit another home run.  And, Mike Aviles had two hits, one of them a controversial one.  In the bottom of the second, and with Sweeney on second base, it looked to everyone in the stands and to everyone watching on television like Aviles struck out when Detroit catcher Gerald Laird snagged a foul tip.  But, first base umpire Tim Welke ruled that Laird had dropped the ball.  Aviles, with new life, responded by hitting an RBI single to center, scoring Sweeney and extending the inning.  Daniel Nava scored Aviles on a double, and Dustin Pedroia got lucky on an infield single that bounced off Prince Fielder’s glove and scored Nava.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland and third base coach Gene Lamont both told the umpiring crew what they thought of the foul tip call after the second inning ended, and both were ejected from the game for their efforts.

Pedroia, by the way, appears to have jammed his thumb.  He left the game after making a diving stop in the fifth inning.  Because of the Memorial Day holiday, he wasn’t able to get an MRI yesterday, but is expected to get one today.

Here’s a link to the box score, care of the Red Sox.

The Red Sox continue their homestand tonight, when Daniel Bard (4-5, 4.69 ERA) takes on Justin Verlander (5-2, 2.15 ERA) for a 7:10 start.  I’ll be at Fenway and I have to work tomorrow, so let’s hope that the threatened humidity-breaking thunderstorms stay away until later tonight.

Baseball’s back!  It feels so good to watch games that mean something, that count in the standings, that will matter for the playoff picture.  I was getting through a particularly grueling day at work today, and I have to say, turning on my radio (or, fine, my MLB At Bat app) at 1:00 to listen to a real, live baseball game felt like a little bit of welcome magic.

Jon Lester, c/o flickr.com (Keith Allison)

It’s just too bad the game didn’t end the way we wanted it to.  Jon Lester pitched a gem today, allowing one run and fanning four Detroit hitters during a seven-inning outing, but the Red Sox dropped their season opener at Comerica Park.  Justin Verlander threw an amazing game, holding the Red Sox scoreless over eight innings, striking out seven and allowing only two hits.

Today’s game had two distinct story lines in it: first, the pitcher’s duel between Lester and Verlander, and  second, the blown outings by closers Jose Valverde and Alfredo Aceves.   Detroit scored runs off of  Vicente Padilla and a Melancon/Aceves combo in the bottom of the ninth inning (Melancon let the runner on, Aceves let him score – Melancon took the loss for Boston).  But, the Red Sox had scored two of their own in the top of the ninth inning off Valverde, care of David Ortiz scoring Dustin Pedroia on a sacrifice fly, and Ryan Sweeney smashing a two-out triple off the right field corner to tie the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, things went wrong.  After Melancon let up one-out singles to Jhonny Peralta and Alex Avlia, Bobby Valentine brought in Aceves.  Aceves hit Ramon Santiago with a pitch, which loaded the bases.  Then, Detroit’s Austin Jackson poked a single past third base and a diving Nick Punto to seal the walk-off win for the Tigers.

Valentine focused on Lester’s strong work for the day, telling the Globe that ”there was a lot I saw that I liked. Lester was terrific. He did just what he needed to do.”  Similarly, Verlander – the reigning AL MVP and Cy Young winner – seemed happy with just another one of his days at the ballpark.  ”This was the best opening day I’ve had, and hopefully that goes toward all the hard work I’ve been putting in to get off to a better start,” he said. “Long way to go, but it’s good to get that first one under your belt and have it be a good one.”  At one point, Verlander threw a breaking ball that caused Cody Ross to drop his bat and walk away from the batter’s box, even before the umpire had finished calling him out on strikes – so yeah, I’d say today was vintage Verlander.

Also, there’s this: When Jacoby Ellsbury, who came in second in last year’s MVP vote, led off the game (he hit a fly ball to left), that was the first time since 2000 that the top two MVP vote-getters from the previous season faced each other in a pitcher-batter matchup.  The last time that happened, our own Pedro struck out Ivan Rodriguez, the 1999 winner.

Here’s a link to the box, courtesy of redsox.com.  Boston has tomorrow off (mercifully, at least for yours truly, tomorrow appears to be a Friday), before Josh Beckett takes the mound against Doug Fister on Saturday at 4:05, again from Comerica Park.