Not a good start against the Tigers... especially when you start out against a guy that has a 9.88 ERA and is 0-3 against you.

Thank God there are 3 more games against this team.

this isn't last year. you can count on two things lately with this team, like clockwork. when the sox trail early, and are the recipient of questionable calls about which they will argue to no end, they put themselves right out of the game. any comeback is too little too late, and they just haven't been winning the close games. it feels like the team just gives up when they're down and not getting calls their way...not saying anyone is, but lately i feel like that's the way it looks.

if this team doesnt get real hot within 24 hours, they're going to be watching the playoffs on TV.

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I may be out of my mind, but I am still confident about the wild card. we still have a key series against the Twins coming up, despite having played 345439587 straight games prior to it.

I'm still confident....we're playing piss poor, not getting any hitting, and very shaky pitching, and it's a bad time to be slumping again, but we are playing good teams every night...

Also makes me feel ok that we're still up at least 3 games on Boston after tonight, and Minnesota lost at Baltimore...we're not the only team that's flawed.

You mean the Sox have been playing good teams every night since July 1st? Since that date, they are 21-25.

I don't care who we play. The bottom line is fans and the players should have the attitude that we are a good team. And it's gonna be a tough win for whoever we play. Last two games have been terrible. Tonight we had plenty of scoring opportunities and couldn't get one damn run. I'm not gonna put this on the pitching tongight. The 4 runs the pitching staff let up isn't bad. We should have scored at least 5 today.

they've played like crap since last sunday against detroit. no reason to not take at least 3 of 4 from KC, beat up on boof Ffucking bonser, and at least score runs to make the detroit games competetive.

i agree, sox should have scored some runs tonite, but buehrle walked in a run in the first. and that monroe HR, he gave up after he had the dude 0-2, then fartassed around to a full count, he hit a ball the "right size wrong shape," and on the very next pitch clobbered his HR to center.

look, i love my sox and im not abandoning them. im just calling it as i see it: the way they are pitching the ball right now, i dont see them going on the type of run they need to get into the playoffs.

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No they'll make the playoffs. You have to look at the competition before jumping off after every bad stretch. If you have conceded the division then the only competition is the Twins. They don't have enough to beat the Sox.

i know the twins dont have enough to beat the sox: when the sox play well. they have 2 games left against the tigers, and 3 against they twins. if they dont win 4 of them, i doubt they make the playoffs.

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I know people like to put those numbers and say stuff like if they don't win 4 out of the next 5 they are done.

But think about it. Since we swept the Tigers the Sox have lost 6 out of their last 9. Thet was good enough to gain ground on Boston and as we speak still hold the lead over the Twins (Boston and the Twins both lost tonight). If somebody told you they'd have that record you would have said it's over. You can put those deadlines on the team if you want but alot of times we out think ourselves.

I think the Sox are gonna get these next two Tiger games and take 2 out of 3 from the Twins. I think alot of fans fail to realize how long this damn season is.

Great post Beardown.

All you need to do is look at the Twins record on the road. The rest of the season will play out with the Twins gaining ground on the Sox during homestands and then giving them back during road trips.

No. I just realize that the only competition for the wild card is the Twins and Red Sox (hopefully the Angels do not get themselves back into this thing). Everything I have read points to the Red Sox being done emotionally.

That leaves the Twins. They are under .500 on the road. That is not the thing that playoff teams are made of.

It almost seems like, for some here at least, that you have to be pesimistic about your team or you are not objective. I'm looking at this thing very objectively and I think the Sox are a shoe in for the playoffs. You automatically paint me as a "koolaid" drinker. I know alot of this is in fun but you can objectivly have confidence in your team without being a blind silver and black flag waving idiot. It is possible.

its nice to see garland come out on top. he's been strong and our best pitcher as of late. sox fans knew he had it in him, but before his efforts rarely materialized into a consecutive streak of solid starts.

The panick will subside again for just a moment however. When they lose another game the sky will be falling again for some. Not for me. I never doubted this team would make the playoffs for one second.

I didn't think I would say it, but 5 1/2 IS a lot better than 9 1/2 out.

All the Sox need next is for Nas to predict a series win against the Twinks. How 'bout it Nas, what does the crystal ball say??

Anyone have the pitching matchups ???

Friday - ???
Saturday - Contreras vs. Santana
Sunday - Burehle vs.

Bifff is pitching tonight for the Twins.....

Friday is Radke vs. Mr 8.65 era after 5

The Sox will get their 3 or 4 runs in 6-7 innings off Radke, but I'm not confident that they're be winning the game....

I'm hip BD. My biggest concern of late is how the Sox have taken the lead in a given inning and then given it right back.

Thanks, Nas. Time to go to the window fellas (and Spaulding).

Not really a baseball fan. I was a Cub fan but said goodbye to them when they fired Steve Stone.

I can easily watch 12 hours of football on Sundays but have a hard time investing 3 hours in a baseball game. It's sad because I understand baseball the best and used to love it. I don't know what happened. I still play softball in a beer league and every other chance I get.