Goats: All Goats

... Except Wakefield. Wakefield was what everyone else should have been. He was good. The rest of the team didn't bother to show up. I hate to do this, but I'm afraid I have to take away the rest of their off-days as punishment. It's for their own good, and believe me, I take no joy in it.

Especially bad for the night were Salty and Youkilis. Salty couldn't remember how to catch a knuckleball, and it scares me to be able to say that Varitek did a better job handling Wake. Youkilis grounded into two double plays. For chrissake, man, just strike out! Stop taking others down with you. CRW's double play was sandwiched between Youkilis's 3rd and 6th inning DPs. Also, Crawford leaving the bases loaded in the top of the first? Not acceptable.

Really, there's not much to say. Tommy Hottovy struggled. Alfredo Aceves couldn't stop the damage.... though it WAS limited damage. On a night where Wakefield only gives up two runs, you would expect the offense that put 14 runs on the board in their last game to at least make a game of it. They didn't. They weren't even in the park as far as I could tell. Tim deserved better, guys. He threw over 100 pitches for the first time since 2003 or some ridiculous year like that. You couldn't have managed to NOT ground into three double plays? You couldn't have maybe taken a few more pitches apiece from Sharky to get that pitch count up? He pitched nine full innings and only threw 110 pitches. See something wrong with that, guys?

Still, we have a game and a half lead over the Yankees, so it's not ALL bad, now is it? Winning streaks don't go on forever. Especially when Youkilis keeps grounding into double plays, damnit!

Joshua Patrick takes the ball at the Trop tonight, and a pack of bears look to turn Vancouver into Boston. I am going to be a ball of tightly wound nerves all day.