Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Game 100 - Red Sox
Exhale, Move Forward

Orioles 4, Red Sox 1
Record: 55-45

At least they scored a run. The Sox were one out away from being on the wrong end of a three-hit shutout at the hands of Dave Borkowski (career record, 3-11) and B.J. Ryan before David Ortiz launched a Ryan fastball into the cheap seats. And then strutted the bases like a pre-flaps down Jeffrey Leonard. How 'bout a bit of perspective, O?

This game was bound to happen - hell, Whitney as much as predicted it. Two huge, emotional wins against the Yankees were followed by a let-it-all-hang-out demolition of the Orioles and a rainout - the Sox were well due for a letdown. Doesn't mean I like it, but I'm having a hard time working up righteous indignation over it.

August, put very simply, is huuuuuge for the good guys. The Sox continue their season-long 12-game (well, 11 now after the rainout against the O's) road trip with 3 at Minnesota, followed by 3 at Tampa and 3 at Detroit. Then, home for 10 straight days (Tampa, Chicago, Detroit), back on the road for 6 against Chicago and Toronto, and finally home again to close out the month against Detroit (4 games) and Anaheim (1). 28 games, of which only 8 are against teams with winning records - and that includes the reeling White Sox. The Sox are capable of a 20-8 month, but they're also capable of 13-15.

The continuing Whose Line is it Anyway? quality to this season will be put to the test over the next 33 days. Are the Sox Tony Slattery, or are they Drew Carey? Please give me the wickedly talented dirtbag and not the milquetoast nebbish.