These are, indeed, dark times for Red Sox Nation. The New York Yankees, the best team that George's money can by, are no longer in the rear-view mirror of the front-running vehicle in the race for the Eastern Division, but right along side and in the fast lane, it seems. Has bad luck eeked into the Sox dug-out? Well, before you dismiss 
that thought immediately, consider that in the ninth inning last night of a 6-1 loss, on the same day that it was revealed they had lost captain catcher Jason Varitek for much of the remainig schedule, a black bird, an omen, maybe, strutted from the outfield grass and stood atop second base, until scared away by an Indian infielder. In the ninth inning? Hitchcock did not write that well.......well, on second thought, maybe he did.
The Yankees are in the fast lane, for sure, just days after GM Cashman brought in a much needed bat in Bobby Abreau, along with a much needed arm in Eric Lidle just before the trade dead-line. They are scoring runs and winning games. Derek Jeter has put this New York team on his back and he has carried them all year. They are 62-40. Garey Sheffield is expected to return later this month. 
Their pitching staff, maligned much of the year, now appears more solid than that od the Red Sox. Mike Mussina is having, possibly, the best year of his career. The Unit is not as dominating as he was in his prime, but he still knows how to pitch and how to protect a lead. The Yankees score runs for their pitchers. Lastly, the Bronz Bombers have 'the Hammer of God" waiting in the bullpen for the ninth inning, Mariano Riveria.
If the Yankees ARE in the fast lane, the Sox, by comparison, are in the slow lane attempting to conserve gas and save wear-and-tare for the long trip ahead. No moves were made at the trade dead-line, 
which means no immediate help for a starting pitching rotation that had lost three members to the dis-abled list. Not only does this place added pressure on the young pitchers that Tito sends out there in those number-three, four and five spots(Lester, Snyder and Johnson), it also drops squarely on the shoulders of the two aces of the staff, Schilling and Beckett. It's almost like these two warriors HAVE to go out there and win every time because of all the uncertainity. That pressure may already be mounting, as Schill, usually strong at Fenway, was pounded last week by the Angels and even gave up three homers in one inning. Another bad outing by Schilling will send Red Sox faithful into a full frenzy of woe and despair. If they are not their already.
esteblished starting first-baseman for the Yankees in the mid-20's, until he sat out a game due to a "mysterious" ailment and was replaced by a young lanky rookie getting his first taste of major league baseball. That impressive rookie did not play like one and became part of the best one-two punch in the history of baseball. Of course I am talking about Yankee legend Lou Gerigh. 
Yesterday afternoon's MLB trade deadline passing without the Boston Red Sox making a much needed move to bolster an embattled back portion of their pitching rotation was the equivalent of the Grinch stealing Christmas in July. To a Red Sox Nation, waiting for Theo to ride like the calvery into Fenway at the last minute to announce a huge mega-deal such as bringing Roger Clemons or Roy Oswalt to town, the passing deadline was numbing.With three starting pitchers on the DL(Wakefield, Clement and Wells) the
Red Sox have survived to lead the Eastern division, thus far, with inexperienced arms and heads in the three, four and five spots of the rotation. Every GM that Theo talked to had to have been foaming at the mouth to take advantage of the desperate need for help on the mound. It is believed that most teams, when contacted about tradig pitchers, requested from Boston the young-gun arms of Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester, Hansen and Manny DelCarmen. Instead, it is believed that Theo dangled Coco, Lowell, Trot and Wily Mo and he couldn't get any takers. So, the sox stand pat. That, actually, may have been the best news this week. The Sox, not only have the second-best record in the American league and a one game lead over the Yankees. With Lowell, Gonzo, Loretta and Youk playing the best infield in baseball, the Sox pitching staff just needs to induce ground balls. That's all................That's all?........hahaha. There has to be a great amount of pressure and tension at Fenway leading up to the trade deadline, especiaslly if your name had been batted around in the Boston media, of late as the trade-bait de jour. And after the deadline passed and maybe the same players looked at their teammates and thought, "We are all still here. Now let's win this thing." Can you say team chemistry? I know, I know............but in the words of John Lennon, "I know I'm a dreamer.........but I'm not the only one." 
Jason Varitek had only one hit in five at-bats, but it was a doozy, a three-run double in the seventh that helped turn a 6-5 nail-biter into a blow-out. Curt Schilling won his 13th, joining teammate Josh Beckett and Toronto's Roy Halladay as the only 13-game winners in the majors.
