Sure, but have you seen my WBC Trophy??

Damn you World Baseball Classic!! Damn you Dice-K and your "rubber arm". You went out and won it for Team Japan and now you've left "Team Red Sox" up the creek with your penchant for giving up a boatload of hits and pitching all wild and the like. I harken back to last season and your trademark "implosion" innings. Ahhhh.. how I miss those. Sadly, now it's not confined to just one inning. Sure, you were on the DL for a bit (ahem, ahem, the WBC is evil) but now it's June, you're 1-4 and have a fantastic ERA of 7.33. I'm sure your WBC MVP trophy is pretty and it's nice to show folks when you are entertaining, but can we PLEASE agree that we've got some damaged Dice-K here, due to that "wonderful world-uniting sports classic"? UGH. Watching him pitch is kind of PAINFUL at this point.

I was actually glad I was working today and missed most of this messy 6-3 loss at the hands of the Rangers. Ells made an UNREAL catch in center (making #1 Web Gem on Baseball Tonight, btw) and banged up his shoulder, reports are he may not be starting on Tuesday against the Yanks. There was also some careless running on the base paths which led to the Sox being thrown out 3 times. Eh.. not the end of the world, but not a great day.

I was a bit chagrined to learn I missed such a gem last evening, though. Talk about 'what a difference a day makes'. Lester kept Texas to just 2 hits, he was perfect through 6 1/3 (someone will have to tell me - did Eck discuss this fact openly through the entire broadcast??), Papi had a HR and signs point to him climbing out of this slump. (Yes, Virginia, there IS a Santa Claus!!)

I can't wait for the Yanks to come to town on Tuesday to start the 3 game series. Beckett goes Tuesday, Wake on Wednesday & Penny Thursday. I get absolutely FRENETIC about a Sox/Yanks series. And I am feeling VERY good about this one - especially if we can find a way to keep Lugo off the field. (He is a Yankee spy, I am convinced...) I just read on the Globe's Extra Bases blog the Sox are rumored to be on the search for a shortstop as a "stopgap" to cover until Lowrie returns. Seriously, could there be better news to start this week?? I can't think of any.