Can you smell the playoffs? I know I can. It's a weird phenomenon when your team is playing well, there is so much less to write about. The Yankees have opened up their toughest extended stretch of the season with five straight wins. And they weren't just victories, they have been impressive blowouts. New York has won three of these games by six runs or more, with the 8-2 final tonight being no exception. It's been against two teams with better records than their own as well. All of a... Read Full Story

Beyond Jonathan Papelbon, the bullpen offers him little relief. Even the young closer isn't as dominant as he was last season, so the manager rocks back and forth on his dugout seat just as Red Sox fans squirm in stands and on couches nationwide whenever a Boston reliever appears. Welcome to Terry Francona's world. It is not Francona's fault when he leaves a starter in longer than he would have in previous seasons, and that starters coughs up runs. After all, who would you rather see on the... Read Full Story

Maybe I shouldn't write this. Perhaps those of you who believed in the Curse of the Bambino and still swear by the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx will chastise me if the scenario I am about to describe actually happens. Regardless of the risks, I will continue with this post anyway. It was reported today that New York Yankees catcher Jorge Posada was once again placed on the disabled list with an injured shoulder.  He will have an MRI tomorrow and then decide whether or not to have season... Read Full Story

Bill Parcells is right. The veteran NFL coach once said, "You are what your record is." For the second consecutive day, the Los Angeles Angels erased a late deficit and defeated the Boston Red Sox. Yesterday, it was 4-2. This afternoon, the Angels prevailed 5-3. The Angels improved to 60-38 and own the best record in baseball. They have a respectable 29-20 mark at Angel Stadium and a Major League best 31-18 on the road. The Red Sox have a Major League best 36-11 record at Fenway Park but are... Read Full Story

It was expected that Justin Masterson would rejoin the Red Sox after the All-Star break, this time as a reliever. However, the rookie right-hander's return to the big leagues was faster than expected. Masterson was recalled from Pawtucket today and David Aardsma was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a groin injury. Boston's bullpen undoubtedly needs a lift. Aardsma, though, is one of the few Red Sox relievers with palatable numbers. The hard-throwing Aardsma has 26 walks in 39.1... Read Full Story

If you casually follow the Red Sox minor league system and only glance at the stats and roster of each affiliate every few weeks, it's time for a refresher course on where several Red Sox prospects are playing. First, as reported on SoxProspects.com via Baseball Prospectus, the Red Sox have "seemingly come to terms" with outfielders and 2008 draft picks Peter Hissey (fourth round) and Ryan Westmoreland (fifth round). In the last week, Boston also signed first rounder Casey Kelly and second... Read Full Story

How can a team that is so good at Fenway Park be so lackluster on the road? That is the question Red Sox fans are posing. Last season, Boston was 45-36 away from Fenway, which was best in the American League and second best in the Major Leagues, next to the New York Mets' 47-43 mark. This year, the Red Sox are 21-31 on the road and 36-11 at Fenway. The Sox continued their losing ways yesterday, falling to the Angels, 4-2. No surprise of this result since the game was played in Anaheim. Not... Read Full Story

It's almost as if each collective Yankees player looks in the mirror the first game back from the All-Star Break, giggles at himself and then stammers, "time to win." Robinson Cano? Six hits in the two games back where he now allows himself to become a .300 hitter. Alex Rodriguez? He took a five at-bat break yesterday but came back with three hits and a homerun in the opener with Oakland. Jeter has been getting on base early on, Damon is soon to come back, the rotation has combined for 12... Read Full Story

After four full days of no Red Sox baseball, I was anxious for last night's series opener between Boston and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - especially anxious because I had to wait three additional hours for the 10 p.m. ET start. I should have waited another day. In one of their most embarrassing performances in the last few years, the Red Sox were routed by the Angels, 11-3. There is little good to write about the way Boston played on Friday night. For the second straight time since... Read Full Story

Life in the Red Sox clubhouse is loose and tame for this close-knit group of teammates, so the current version of this Sox ballclub is no comparison to the Bronx Zoo Yankees of the 1970s that featured the absurd antics of George Steinbrenner, Billy Martin and Reggie Jackson among others. However, since 2001, Boston has seen its share of shenanigans from one Manuel Aristides Ramirez. Most of Manny's quirks and eccentricities can be chalked up to that famous phrase, "Manny being Manny." Manny... Read Full Story