Somnambulism!

Game 8 - Red Sox

Yankees 5, Red Sox 2
Record: 3-5

The Sox were poised yesterday to shake free from the early-season doldrums that have plagued them to date. Curt Schilling taking his turn in the rotation, big crowd still pleasantly abuzz from Monday's ring ceremony, and in hard-throwing but erratic Jaret Wright exactly the kind of pitcher that the 2004 Sox chewed up and spit out as a matter of course.

Best laid plans, and all that. The Sox will look back at this one with regret. Wright was wild and hittable in the first 3 innings, and the Sox let him off the hook repeatedly, squandering opportunities for big innings in the 1st and 3rd as Wright labored. After the Yankees scored 3 in the top of the 6th against an obviously tiring Schilling, the Sox simply took a nap.

Schilling was really the only bright spot for the Sox, at least for 5 innings. He had good command, seemed to be comfortable, and -- with only a few exceptions -- made his pitches when and where he needed. The rest of the team -- feh. And that's where the first seeds of worry are beginning to find purchase.

The season is now 5% complete, with miles and miles to go before we sleep. Presumably. Except that last year's merry band of idiots have a real Rip Van Winkle vibe at this early juncture. We're not far from needing Terry Francona to recreate the Bull Durham shower scene. Lollygaggers, indeed.