Roll, Sox, Roll

The Red Sox continue to roll towards their first American League East Championship in this century. In fact, the first since 1995. After 1995, the East has belonged to the Evil Empire all but one year.

It's about time for that reign to be over. Am I counting my proverbial chickens? Not at all. I know what kind of things can happen. No one knows better than I after the dismal collapse of the Red Sox in 2006. I watched in horror as circumstances totally beyond their control launched them into a tail-spin that resulted in a horrific third place finish in the AL East. It all started when Varitek and Nixon went down on the same day. Then Manny got hurt. Then Papi got sick. And finally, the nail in the coffin...Jon Lester was diagnosed with cancer.

So, I don't dare begin to celebrate. But things are looking pretty good with less than a month to go in the season. The Yanks continue to struggle, and the Sox, even though they were swept by the Yankees in New York, continue to dominate. And they seem to be getting stronger as the season moves to a close.

We were all pleasantly stunned Saturday night as the rookie from Texas, Clay Buchholz threw a no-no. Then Lester shone the next night. Beckett is now one of two ML pitchers with 17 wins, and has reached a career high number of wins. I'm hoping he might make 20 wins this season.

And hats off to ex-Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez, who, this week, became one of the elite number of pitchers with 3000 or more strikeouts. I like Pedro and miss him being a Red Sox. He went to New York, but it was to the NL New York, so that's ok. Unlike Johnny Demon. Damon! I meant Damon! Really, I did!

TTFN, y'all!