The Road to Brodemption

The Road to Brodemption - 

How the Loss of a Mentor, Hitting Rock Bottom, and Time Away from the Game He Loved Brought Travis Bogan Back to the Winner's Circle

by Peter King, si.com

Travis Bogan doesn't remember exactly when rock bottom came last fantasy football season.  "It was somewhere in the later part of the regular season.  I watched the Sunday ticker to see Marvin Harrison, Andre Johnson, and Hines Ward had all been ruled out for like the fourth week in a row despite being day-to-day.  I lost yet again with half a roster and was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.  I was ready to take my ball and go home."  Taking his ball and going home is something Mr. Bogan was thankful he didn't do as he 

received the Rebecca Reynolds Trophy for regular season champion  and a huge bro-hug yesterday from the Commissioner.  "It's been an amazing four year adventure for me and to win this trophy is just...", Bogan's voice trailed off as 

tears welled in his eyes.  To understand the emotion, you have to know what he had been through to get there.

The year was 2005.  Travis Bogan had for years followed Fantasy Football and now wanted to be a part of the action.  He called his best friend, Corey Reynolds, and asked in.  Reynolds, as you know, is a legend of the game.  A coach, an owner, a general manager, and now the Commissioner.  He is a surefire first ballot Fantasy Hall of Famer and was the perfect person to mentor Bogan to Fantasy greatness.  That first season was magical.  A 13-0 record in one league, the first undefeated regular season in a Long League format that anyone can remember, and a 12-1 season in their other league.  Bogan and Reynolds sprayed fake champagne all over their living room and wore their make believe Fantasy Football Regular Season Champion Tees with pride.  Then, more quickly then their ascension had begun, it was over.  They lost in the first round of the playoffs in each league.  Their dream seasons were over.

Most mentor/pupil relationships become strained when the pupil wants to be something more.  Think Bill Bellichik and Eric Mangini or Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.  The losses in the playoffs only accelerated what was an inevitability.  Bogan wanted more than just a partnership, he wanted his own team.  From there, the relationship strained as both worked on one specific team of their two team partnership and the results were disastrous.  Poor regular seasons and early exits from the playoffs happened in both Leagues. Reynolds and Bogan both refused to speak about this time together, yet apart.  Apparently the memories are not fond ones for the two of them.  A change was coming, however, and Bogan was finally going to get what he wanted, it was just more than he bargained for.

Early September 2007 was a happy time for many in the Reynolds Ring of Influence.  Reynolds had accepted the position as Commissioner and a new League was formed.  Corey's Fantasy Goat and Pony Show held their first annual draft and the whole cast was there, including Bogan.  Bogan was finally getting to draft his own team, to mold his own season.  Reynolds, in his role as Exalted Leader and Commissioner, smiled from the head of the table.  "I was thrilled for Travis.  I always encourage my assistants to shoot for the stars.  I was glad that he finally had his own opportunity.  I hoped for the best for him, second place - right behind me," Reynolds says now.  Bogan was buoyed, he remembers, "I had a great draft, was loaded at Wide Receiver, and felt like my first year on my own was going to be a breeze.  Little did I know."

The first year on his own made Bogan question if he had a future in Fantasy Football.  Injuries, bad luck, and more injuries made him miserable.  He drafted a great team, the Local Transients, that when healthy would have been as good as anyone else's, but the Local Transients were never healthy.   He lost more games than he won and when the season shook out he played in the last place Toilet Bowl.  Bogan told everyone that would listen that Fantasy Football was all "luck, no skill".  There were late season rants about the "misery" of Fantasy Football and threats of not returning to the League that everyone took seriously.  Courtney Reynolds, owner of the Convicks, and sister to the Commissioner was worried.  "Travis is one of the most fun Fantasy Players around.  He keeps it lively and he's got a real eye for talent,"  she said. "The way things were going though, I really thought he wouldn't be back.  It would have been a horrible thing for the league if that were to happen.  Whether he admits it or not, I don't think my Brother would have been able to handle not having Trav in the League."  Bogan was at a Crossroads in his Fantasy Career and he had a decision to make.  Bogan's wife, Kasey, gave him some advice that he took to heart.  "I told him to stop crying like a little baby and to just get away from it all during the offseason," Kasey says now.  "He can be quite impulsive and I let him now that he need to find something else to focus on for a couple of months.  If he still didn't miss Fantasy Football then, he would know it would be time.  It's not like Corey was going to fill his spot in the League in February anyway."  Travis Bogan needed a cause, something to take his mind off Fantasy Football and to reinvigorate him.  What he got was Wilford Brimley.

It was in the Mount Pleasant Inn, just down the street from his home, that Travis first ran into the man he credits with saving his passion for Fantasy Football.  Brimley was at the bar, trying to talk to a group of Mexicans about the dangers of Diabetes.  Bogan overheard Brimley and over beers the two talked about life, Fantasy Football, and Diabetes.  Bogan told Brimley that he was looking for something to take his mind off things and Brimley was confident traveling on the Diabeetus Express all over the U.S. for a few months was just what Bogan needed.  "Travis seemed like a lost soul and I could tell he needed something to believe in.  I thought educating the country about Diabeetus was something he would be good at," Brimley told me via text message.  "He's a salesman at heart and I knew if I could take him on the Express with me, we would be able to spread the word twice as fast."  Bogan accepted and began filming commercials with Brimley, speaking in Senior and Youth Centers throughout the MidWest and even testified to Congress about the need for more funding for Diabetes research.  "I barely slept, drank a ton of scotch, watched Brimley get all kinds of women, and didn't think about Fantasy Football for months.  I was fully on the Diabeetus Express and I was going to change things," Bogan says.  The trip to Washington brought Fantasy Football back into focus.

It was in Washington, just before heading out to speak to the United States Congress, that Travis ran into Jay Cutler.  Cutler, the world's one and only emo QB, plays for the Denver Broncos and had recently been diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.  Bogan and Cutler talked about the dangers of Diabetes and how much work it was for Jay to test his blood sugar levels numerous times a day, but also how much better Cutler felt know that he knew what was ailing him. Eventually, the talk turned to football.  Cutler remembers the time as a turning point for Bogan.  "We talked a lot about how much better I was feeling and about how I was going to use my celebrity as a football player to raise awareness about Diabetes.  Travis was complimenting me on my season last year and asking a lot of questions about the talent we had coming back.  I knew he was a Fantasy Guy, I had heard through the grapevine about his horrible season the year before, so I didn't ask him much about it.  I did tell him Scheffler was going to have one hell of a year at tight end.  Before the conversation ended and we had to part ways, I finally asked him what he was thinking for the upcoming season."  Travis says that was when he knew what he had to do.  "I told Jay that I was going to do exactly what he was doing," Bogan said.  "I was going to go play Fantasy Football with a focus on spreading the word about this dastardly disease."  It was then that Cutler and Bogan agreed to start their own foundation, Destroying Diabeetus, Inc.  Travis Bogan was coming back to Corey's Fantasy Goat and Pony Show with a newfound focus and a mission of winning the fight against Diabetes.

The rest, as they say, is history.  Bogan nicknamed his team Brimley's Bro-skies, with the abbreviation Diabeetus, drafted Scheffler with Cutler's advice, and romped all through the regular season of the Goat and Pony Show.  Bogan had such a strong year that he clinched the regular season with one week left to play, a week he'll use to rest the troops and battle against the BAMFs for the Commissioner's Trophy for most total points in a regular season.  He's promised to donate all his winnings to Destroying Diabeetus, Inc. and is finally having fun again with Fantasy Football.  "It was a hard few years, losing my mentor, learning to go it on my own. Sometimes you just have to get away from it all to realize how much it means to you," he said.  "With the help of Wilford Brimley, I'll never take Fantasy Football or my health for granted again.  How 'bout them Bro-Skies!"  On a crazier note, he did it all without Brett Favre, someone this writer will never take for granted. 

World Series Game 2 Liveblog and Numerous Thoughts on Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Championships

Yeah, that's me rocking a moustache.  It has to come off Sunday Night for a Monday interview, but its awesomeness will rule the weekend.

Top 1st - If I hear Big Game James one more time this postseason, I think I might throw my MacBook through the TV.  Really? Big Game James? A guy who I'm pretty sure lost both of his starts to a Red Sox team put together with fishing line, smoke, mirrors, and chicken wire.  I know TV types like McCarver can't wait to give personality to players to make games more watchable, but come on.

- The more I see of Evan Longoria, the more I like him.  In fact, outside of the pitching staff of this team, the Rays are a very likeable franchise.  For some reason they have a couple of real knuckleheads on that staff.

- Chase Utley comes to the plate.  If you asked me to build a team from scratch right now, I promise you I would either have Utley or Pedroia on my team playing second base.  I would settle for absolutely no one else.  They are just pleasures to watch play the game.  I remember the first time I really saw Utley outside of the BoxScore was in the Inaugural World Baseball Classic and I was extremely impressed.  He has done nothing to make me any less impressed since.  That bomb he hit last night was absolutely gigantic.  He flies out here and let the cowbelling begin.

Bottom 1st -

- Myers on the mound tonight for the Phillies.  As much as I am cheering for Philly because I believe their fans deserve a world championship, I loathe Myers and can't believe no one brings up the fact that he knocked the shit out of his wife in the streets of Boston just over a year ago.  Tim McCarver is busy claiming that Manny disrespects the game, while this guy gets off without mention.  It's a little bit disheartening.

- Upton looking like he's so comfy he's in a leather recliner with his feet up drills a hit to right, then takes second on a bobble by Werth.  Two men on, no one out and the Trop is ready to explode.

- Pena sees four straight curveballs.  3-1 count.  It's interesting, I've been trying to type a pretty long missive about the Red Sox, but haven't been able to finish it because this game is giving me plenty to type about thus far.

- Side note, Kerwin Danley is behind the plate.  I remember him as being a super nice guy when I was with the Sox.  He's a brotha with freckles, always a crowd pleaser.

- 1-0 Rays on a Pena ground ball to the right side.  Upton to third.

- And another ground ball scores another run.  Man, you gotta hate just giving two runs to a team on ground balls.

Top 2nd - 

- I spent about fifteen minutes with my father last night discussing the end of the Red Sox season and as per usual he spent most of the fifteen minutes blaming Tito Francona.  I admitted I didn't like the move to Timlin in Game 2 and thought that cost them, but asked what else Tito could have done.  Dad's answer - start someone other than Wakefield in Game 4.  When asked WHO? he responded with Justin Masterson.  When I explained to him that solution was impossible, he argued that Tito should have made him a starter earlier in the year rather than keep him in the bullpen.  That made me step back and really wonder how many Red Sox fans think that Tito has that kind of control.  I think I am fairly uniquely qualified to understand how a Major League Baseball organization operates.  Between spending two years in an actual, factual clubhouse and the amount of time I spend reading about the Sox, I feel that I have a handle on how they do things.  It's pretty simple.  Tito is an employee of the Sox who is in charge of gameday and inning to inning operations.  Decisions including who is up or down from the minors, who is in the rotation, who is in the bullpen, who makes the postseason roster are made by Theo Epstein and the baseball operations guys.  Theo is the boss, Tito the employee.  I told my father its a lot like his situation at Longrale Park.  Vance Aloupis is the owner and his boss.  Dad is the manager of the apartment complex.  If a decision on whether or not to buy a new garbage disposal has to be made, Dad has the authority to make it.  It's a day-to-day decision.  Raising the rent, that's up to Vance.  I wonder how many Red Sox fans believe that Tito can raise the rent.  Does this have something to do with why so many people complain about Tito?  It's a thought.

- Ryan Howard looks like David Ortiz looked all playoffs...wait, scratch that, he totally doubled off the wall.

- My daughter may never play Division 1 football, but we sure have fun throwing the ball in the backyard.  She already has less drops than most BC receivers of the last ten years.

- Man, that is how you quickly get out of an inning.  Let's put it this way, you manage to have as many runners on base as the Phillies have had and you don't start getting them to score , you are in deep doo doo.  Yeah, I said doo doo.

Bottom 2nd - They just had a commercial on for MLBTV.  I'm not buying it.  Baseball 24/7, REALLY?  The only sport that can work in that situation is the NFL and that's for two reasons.  1. Gambling 2. Fantasy Football.  I care about what happens to the Tampa Bay QB situation because it could affect my draft and my season and whether or not I bet, if that was legal, on them against the Falcons in Week 5. I don't care at all about the SS situation for the Rays because it has no impact on my life.

- This Rocco Baldelli situation with the mitochondrial disorder is just too odd.  He told Ken Rosenthal that his legs shake by the sixth inning and that he takes pills by the handful to try to manage this issue.  If I had this blog a few years ago, you would have heard me talking about the fact that Baldelli was going to be the Red Sox Centerfielder in 2009.  I suppose you don't worry too much about the guy because he is rich, but I feel for him.  He had the chance to be one of the truly great players of our lifetime and a rare disease has made him a platoon player.  I only hope that his disorder is something he can spread information about and work towards treatment or a cure of.

- Tampa Bay takes a completely unnecessary chance, sending Baldelli to the plate on a line drive single by Upton with 2 outs and run themselves out of the inning.  How do you not give Pena a chance to hit with the bases loaded in a 3-0 ball game.  That may come back to haunt them.

Top 3rd -  Phillie Phutility continues.  This is getting scary for them.  Runner on second with nobody out and they can't get the runner home.  They are starting to feel like the Red Sox in this series.

Bottom 3rd - I totally missed that inning because I was texting my buddy Travis our plans for world domination.  Simply put it involves Bill Simmons and The Talented Mr. Roto aka Matthew Berry leaving ESPN and starting their own website.  It needs to happen.  I seriously listened to 2 hours worth of SimmonBerry this week talking about entries to their ESPN fantasy basketball league.  I didn't do it because I'm unemployed and bored, I did it because I truly enjoyed it.  Anyway, the Rays went one two three, so that explains why I missed the inning.

Top 4th - Remember when I called Ryan Howard David Ortiz?  Forget that, he hit another laser for a hit.  He's obviously over his little slump.

- The Flying Hawaiian, Victorino, has a way better and more realistic nickname than Big Game James and he gets on with an infield single.  We have runners on first and third with one out here kids, the Phillies must no longer be Phutile.

- Man, McCarver and Buck rarely bring something up that has any value.  Here, they make sense, saying the Phillies hitter (Dobbs?) isn't picking up the ball out of Shields's hand at all.  He hit .315 on the year and looks like me at the plate right now.

- Ken Rosenthal is phenomenal as a Sideline Reporter, btw.  He always has a unique perspective on what is going on and only talks when there is something to say.  On that particular note, he talked about how the Rays have a 1 point better ERA at home this year and the lighting has something to do with that.  I can totally understand that having been in the Carrier Dome for a football game.  Some domes are lit with a yellowish hue, it has to be disorienting.

- Phutile Phillies continue, two more men left on base.  Yuck.

Bottom 5th - Yeah, I skipped a full one and a half innings.  Rays lead 4-0 on a safety squeeze in the bottom of the 4th inning.  I was busy arguing with my wife about the awesomeness of my moustache.

- Baldelli apparently made a phenomenal play in the Top of the 5th to double off Werth to end the inning with Ryan Howard in the on deck circle.  At least that doesn't count as a Left on Base for the Phils.

- Pena walks, a ball gets by first on a pickoff throw by the catcher and he advances.  One team can't catch a break, the other team gets them all.  Man, the Rays love Game 2.

- The Phutile Phils get out of the inning without giving up a run and I'm paying more attention to the Talented Mr. Roto's Love/Hate column than I am to the game.

Top 6th - A Talented Mr. Roto excerpt..."Cedric Benson, RB Bengals: You think you hate your life?  I bet Eric Karabell on today's podcast that Cedric Benson would get more than 100 total yards this week.  So now I have to root for Cedric Benson and possibly admit I was wrong.  Why don't I just make out with a dude and then kill myself to complete the trifecta." AWESOME!

- Howard leads off for the Phils.  The Shift works...Howard crushes the ball to right and Iwamura plays it as a shortfielder.

- Wow, Upton couldn't get to that ball from Dobbs and the Phils have 1st and 3rd with 2 outs.  What are the odds they blow this and leave 2 men on base?  I'm saying really, really good, especially with Pedro Feliz coming up.

- WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTTTTT - Big Game James exits in the 6th.  Seems unreasonable.

- Inning over...gross

ALCS Game 5 Liveblog

I refuse to give up on my Sox.  At least until they are behind in the third or fourth inning tonight...

Pregame - I have never had less faith in a Sox team.  I feel like its Game 7 in 2003 and we just watched the Yankees tie it off Pedro.  I just knew the game was over.  I've had that feeling since Timlin stepped on the mound in Game 2 of this series.  I just want that feeling to go away.  I may have to wait until next year.

- Wind is blowing like crazy.  I think that helps us.  We could use some funky plays as the weaker team.

Top 1st - Dice K starts Iwamura 2-1.  Man, please don't let this be one of those nights.  His ball has plenty of movement and seemingly good velocity though.  Can't complain about that.  First of many full counts of the night.

- Base hit Iwamura.  Do you get nervous?  Or do you hope that these guys do what the Yankees did in 03 and just stop hitting.  I'm thinking nervous, but how can guys stay as hot as these next three (Upton, Longoria, and Pena).

- Well I was totally wrong about that.  BJ Upton is a manimal.  Jesus.

- Okay, settle down everyone.  Dice K sure did.  Inning over and ONLY down 2-0.

- Two thoughts.  1. It's amazing how the Rays seem to be a team perfectly built for Fenway Park.  They have great righthanded power, a phenomenal defensive outfield, and their one lefty hits the ball opposite way very well.  The Red Sox, on the other hand, have Papi trying to pull everything, Drew hitting to a large right field, warning track power Youkilis, and on and on.  2. Why have none of the Devil Rays been put on their ass in this series.  If you remember correctly, knocking down and brushing back a few of the Yankees in 04 got them started on their slide.  The Rays seem to be waaaaay too comfy in the box for my liking right now.

Bottom 1st - Normally you are pleased when a player in the 2 hole hits the ball on the ground and moves over the leadoff hitter so that you have one out and a runner with speed on second base.  I say normally because it happened tonight and that just means you have Ortiz up with a runner on base and one out, which is like saying a runner on base with two outs.  He strikes out and what could be a good run producing inning now becomes a struggle.

- Thankfully Youkilis walks and Bay will actually have a shot to get us some runs.

- Bay pops out...inning over.  GRRRR!!!

Top 2nd - Dice K gets Old Man Floyd to ground out and then makes a sharp play on Navarro.  If only that first inning homer had been two feet lower.  If that ball hits the wall, it's only one zero and it feels much better.  Dice K looks like maybe just maybe he'll settle down a bit here.  We desperately need him to do so.

- Loses Gross grossly on a walk but gets out of the inning.  Dice K...Dice K...Dice K.

Bottom 2nd - Encouraging at bat by Drew even though he grounded out.  He was staying through the ball longer and looking to drive it up the middle to opposite way.  He hit the ball hard to short.  Let's get three more at bats like that form JD

- Lowrie now gets a shot. He needs a base knock here.  Let's get this thing rolling.

- Jed hits the ball hard, right at Upton.  Good looking at bats from the boys but looking good isn't nearly enough.

- Varitek up, inning over, right?

- On another note, Kazmir's pitch count is up to 35 after two innings.  Hmmmmmm.

- Varitek gets hit. WHAT A GIFT!  Now Kotsay can get out and the top of the order will have a chance to get something going in the 3rd.

- Or not.  Base Knock Kotsay.  Every ball hit hard in this inning.  Maybe Crispy can keep us rolling here.  The crowd needs to be woken up.  Is woken even a word?

- Crisp smokes one foul and it's 1-2.  Here comes the weak looking swing strikeout Coco has made famous in his three years in Beantown.

- Hey, I called that one.  Late swing on an outside offspeed pitch.  Granted, Kazmir has thrown 45 pitches, but this isn't working the way it is supposed to.

Top 3rd - Obviously important for the Dice Man to get Iwamura here.  No baserunners for Upton please.

- Kotsay dives, snags, flips, and Dice K makes a nifty play covering the bag.  One out.  Drill Upton here please.

- Upton singles and that makes you feel like you're victorious as a pitcher.  Interesting that my boy Ron Darling said they should put one on his hip too.  Great minds think alike.

- And the victory feeling goes away first pitch on a two run home run by Pena.  This really is the Ray's year isn't it?

- Holy Cow.  Longoria just hit one too.  I tried everyone.  I really tried.  I'm done.  Hopefully some miracle will happen here and I'll be back to talk to you about Game 6 but really, I don't see that happening.

A Sign From a Sign?

With everything that is going on in Red Sox Nation right now, did we really need to have a small fire at the Citgo sign today?  SERIOUSLY?!?  I'm desperately trying to spin this in a way that will make all of us feel good about the Sox chances.  I just can't...

ALCS Game 4 Liveblog

Kevin Cash - Boston's turns its lonely eyes to you...

Bottom 2nd - I got home in time to see Bay get on 2nd, followed by a scorching single by Kotsay.  Then Coco came to the plate and I thought to myself, what's awesome here is that Coco is nearly impossible to double off.  Three seconds later he hit a shot to second and got doubled off...

Top 3rd - Maybe just maybe Wake has gotten himself back into this game.  His ball seems to be down a bit in the zone and that is huge.  As they say, if it's high, let it fly.

- He gets two outs quickly and has Crawford 0-2.  The Sox desperately need Wake to keep the Rays off the board to see if they can get their offense to do anything.

- Speed Kills.  Wake tries to make a great play, but Crawford is just too quick and having him on first means you might as well pitcher Crawford at second.  He will steal the base now.  

- Aybar owns us and we're down 5-0.  I'll continue to liveblog for the love of the game, but this is absolutely over.

- Fat Catcher singles and that's all for Wake.  How do you come back from 5-0 down?  I don't think you do.

- Master Lock needs to be a Lock tonight...He gets Perez on a filthy pitch.  Can the Sox bats come back from the dead?

Bottom 3rd - Kevin Cash comes up and we just learned that Sonnanstine didn't give up an earned run in 13 innings pitched to our Sox this year.  AND the Rays didn't lose once all year with a 5 run lead.  WELL FUCK THAT!!! CAUSE KEVIN CASH JUST WENT YARD!!!

- Of course that will spark people throughout New England to say that he should be starting over Tek.  All I know is that right now we might have just a little bit of a spark in our offense.

- It seems like the fellas are getting good swings on Sonnanstine, Lowrie just ripped at the 2nd pitch and sent it off foul.

- Iwamura is a phenomenal second basemen and he proves it here with a really nice play charging Lowrie's ground ball.  One out.

- Grrr...Drew flies out and now there are two away for Laser Lightshow.  We needed someone on base here.

- Man it just seems like they are inches away from breaking out of this slump.  If Masterson can hold them down, maybe just maybe it'll get rolling.

Top 4th - Ron Darling says it best here.  "The most important player on the Red Sox right now is Justin Masterson.  If they are going to get back into this game, he has to put some zeroes up on the board."

- He gets two quick outs but then loses Upton.  Darn. Darn. Darn.

- Carlos Pena who treats Fenway like his backyard in Haverhill runs up to the plate.  This guy just can't wait to hit right now.

- Master Lock almost picked off Upton there on the third throw in a row.

- Again, we desperately need to keep these buys off the board here.  DESPERATELY.

- Filthy on the black from Master Lock...let's get some runs

Bottom 4th - Maybe this is the time to bunt Papi.  Seriously, BUNT!

- He doesn't at least through the first three pitches and it's 2-1.  Sad that we are praying for him to walk at this point.  He swings at ball 3 and the count is even.

- Papi of course grounds out to the shift and there we have it, he seriously can't help us in this series.

- USE E LESS steps up.  Let's get a couple of baserunners here fellas.

- Here's something that may shock everyone.  Kevin USE E LESS just flied out to the warning track.  I am so tired of him not getting the ball to the wall in Fenway.  It drives me nuts.  Now one of our best hitters comes to the plate with no one on base.

- Bay gets behind so you know he's seeing nothing but offspeed stuff away for the rest of the at bat.

- We're not making this guy work, he's only thrown 45 pitches thus far.  Not Red Sox baseball.  Bay, however works it to a full count.  If I'm Sonnanstine I stay away soft and he does.  Bay hits it hard, but right to third.  Grand.

Top 5th - The story stays the same here.  Masterson must continue to string up zeroes for us to have a shot.

- A curious slider behind Longoria but Ron Darling is quick to point out that it just got away.  No shenanigans there apparently.

- And Master Lock comes from behind Longoria to get a strike out.  Sweet.

- Carl Crawford is in a zone right now.  3-3 in the game.  Laser off the wall.  Ugh.

- Aybar owns us even more than Crawford.  Master Lock gets ahead of him 1-2.

- Single, RBI, thrown out at first for Aybar.  Carl Crawford is the reason for the single.  Ball squirted through the right side where Lowrie wasn't.  He was keeping Crawford close to the bad.  Seems the Sox can't catch a break as Fat Catcher comes up.

- Inning over, but the game is sliding the wrong way.

Bottom 5th - Kotsay starts us off.  He's been a breath of fresh air this series honestly.  Hits a ball to left center well, but frankly the ball doesn't carry to left or right center in Fenway Park during October.  Honestly.  I watched like 40 games there in April and October live over the years and it just doesn't carry to the power alleys.  One away.  My faith is fading.

- Bartlett makes a ridiculous play on Coco's dribbler up the middle.  We haven't even managed to get this guy's pitch count up.  We've hit the ball all over the place but right at people.  56 pitches almost all the way through the fifth inning is a complete joke.

- Cash is out, inning is over.  Sox are done.

Top 6th - Apparently 30 pitches was too many for Masterson to continue.  Now it's Manny Meltdown in for the Sox.  You can guess what is coming here right?  I mean, why didn't they just go to Timlin.

- Triple for Bartlett starts the bleeding, a walk to Iwamura continues it.

- Single for Upton and it's 7-1 Tampa Bay.

- Weak ground ball finds a hole.  Amazing how perfect everything is working out for the Rays.

- I'm still blogging here, but I don't want to be.  This is close to torture.

- Bases Loaded Walk for Manny Meltdown.  I'm sorry, I just can't do this anymore.

SEASON OVER.

ALCS Game 2 Liveblog

Any man that wears Camo and a Buddha T Shirt can pitch for me in the LCS.

Pre-Game - I'm told that my liveblog yesterday was the weakest liveblog of all time by my loving wife. I have nothing to say to that except, my liveblog is 4-0 in the playoffs. That is all.
- Craig Sager is so ridiculously wonderful that when he wears a royal blue jacket with a crazy tie, you feel like he has toned it down. Talk about giving yourself a lot to live up to.
- Beckett is the key tonight. If we get the real Josh Beckett, we could put this thing all but away after two games.
- I'm intrigued that Papi basically said the Rays were scared last night, although the man who grimaces every time he swings from a click in his wrist should know fear as well as anyone.
- It's Beckett and Kazmir on TBS, Very Funny.

Top 1st - Pinkhatsbury steps to the plate. He was poor last night and can't continue to be. When Ellsbury gets on base for Pedroia, Papi, etc, very good things start to happen.
- Watch for the Sox to be very, very conservative and take a bunch of pitches tonight. They want Kazmir to last five innings. If he can only do that, we get a huge advantage.
- Ellsbury strikes out on Ball 3. I'm not amused.
- We haven't had a good multi-hit game out of Pedroia yet in the playoffs. Maybe tonight will be that night.
- It won't start that way as Dusty flies to Upton.
- Papi goes to 2-2 on a foul off his foot and now he'll have something else to whine about.
- Papi fights off a tough pitch and the Sox have managed to get 17 pitches out of Kazmir without a baserunner.
- Ortiz draws and walk and its USE E LESS time.
- One thing I didn't get to note last night was the job that Ron Darling did. Buck finally gave him a chance to talk and it is infinitely nicer to listen to this three man group than it is to listen to Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.
- If anyone can stretch out a pitcher its the Greek God of Walks, but he's down 1-2 already. Base knock by Youk and they are managing to get to Kazmir. 21 pitches and still not out of the inning.
- Bay comes up in a big spot for the umpteenth time in the playoff and is immediately 0-2.
- I love, love, love the fact that some of the Sox have clearly gone to playoff beards. I had one going too, but the job interview got in the way on Thursday.
- Kazmir, playing the role of Ray's Dice K, is up to 26 pitches and has a full count to Bay.
- BAY HISTS A BOMB!!!! TWO RUN DOUBLE!!!
- TOTALLY GAY FOR JASON BAY!!!
- This inning is a microcosm of why the Sox are a franchise everyone wants to be like at this point. Professional hitters working counts against a pitcher they know they can get to and they give Big Beckett two runs.
- Kazmir quickly gets Lowrie to 1-2 but now he's given up two runs and got to 30 pitches already. Make that 31.
- Kaz can't snap off a slider or curve and he shows some frustration as the count runs full to Lowrie.
- Just a biiiiiiit outside on ball four. Kazmir is up to 34 pitches in the first inning and Tito Francona probably couldn't have scripted a better start than this.
- I guarantee Kotsay swings at a first pitch fastball here, let's see how much I know this team.
- Apparently not very well because its Varitek who is up now. I'm sure that Kazmir is relieved to see this out up at the plate. Although, Tek is a much better hitter from the right side.
- Where are the CowBells Rays fans?
- Tek strikes out with futility, but Bay has em on the board at the end of one.

Bottom 1st - Do we get vintage playoff Becks tonight or 2006 Beckett tonight? One out on a weak pop up by Iwamura either way.
- Beckett looks free and easy so far and is at least around the plate.
- Beckett freezes Upton, two away...filthy fastball with movement.
- You can only let Carlos Pena sit fastball for so long, double opposite way. Not sure I like that development.
- See a breaking pitch from Beckett on the outer half to Longoria who lays off. Nice to see something offspeed from Becks though.
- And he busts off a filthy curve down the middle. 2-1.
- EEEK. Longoria takes a nice easy swing on a Beckett offering and WE ARE TIED...to quote Mr. Caray.
- That was a damn wiffleball swing, easy and smooth and now the cowbells are back.
- At least Beckett has been efficient with his runs given up, he's only thrown 17 pitches.
- I get a little bit of a feeling that I'm going to be typing this blog long into the night this evening.
- Smooth play by Lowrie gets Crawford and we start fresh in Inning 2.

Top 2nd - Buck Martinez is killing it in the booth tonight. He has made Darling and Caray laugh on at least two and maybe three different occasions tonight. Just awesome.
- Kotsay gives one a ride, but its an out to center field and now its up to Coco as the #2 leadoff man to get the Sox started again.
- Beckett is saying to Farrell right now - "dude, I got nothing...smoke and mirrors out here...any advice?"
- Crisp gets him to a full count and grounds out. Pitch count rising, Sox not putting runners on.
- Kazmir gets way too easy an inning, only at 50 pitches in two innings and the Sox have gone from rocking and rolling to reeling in an inning.

Bottom 2nd - Nice to see Beckett mixing the curve in and its seems to be decent. Hopefully he can get on a bit of a roll here.
- Beautiful fastball at 2-2, just misses. Could use that call.
- Floyd has taken some bad swings this at bat, it would be a travesty to walk him.
- Man, Floyd is just finding a way to stay alive. He has such a long swing at this point in his career. I'm looking for the 3-2 curve here...damn you for saying it while I typed it Buck Martinez.
- Filthy two-seamer. One down.
- Up comes the Tampa Rays version of Fat Catcher. Everyone needs a Fat Catcher. Losing Mirabelli definitely hurts the Sox FCI or Fat Catcher Index.
- The Fat Catcher gets a nice base knock to left.
- Amazing to watch the Rays approach to Beckett tonight. They are being patient and taking nice easy swings. I was hoping they'd try to do too much tonight. Clearly that won't be an issue.
- Nice curve gets Gross and now its Bartlett before the top. If only Becks could just settle down and give them 6+ solid innings.
- Becks get to 2-2 on Bartlett. Gotta close this guy out here.
- Nasty pitch, not bad from Beckett. Let's get some runs fellas.

Top 3rd - Favorite Commercial right now. "You guys are 5 yards short of Common Sense. Ostrich?!? That's not a burger, that's a bird" Miller High Life
- Dusty leads it off here for the Sox. We really need him to get going for us to have a shot at winning this thing. He was the sparkplug all year, we need his spark desperately now.
- 3-1, Dusty will be sitting DEAD RED here. Watch out for Lasers.
- He smokes one down the line, but it doesn't stay in play. Full count, Kazmir will still need to throw him a strike. That's a LASER! Dusty finally gets one and its a home run.
- Sox lead 3-2. Dusty is 15 of 27 against Kazmir.
- And we get our best anecdote of the playoffs so far. "The Sox call Dusty Caballito in the clubhouse because he is a little horse they can ride". AMAZING!
- Kazmir quickly continues his control spiral and walks Papi. 62 pitches with no one out in the 3rd. USE E LESS will look to get a hit in a big spot here.
- Dusty has the full on smirk and puffed out chest going. On a ball that got out by about three feet.
- Youkilis got behind 0-2, but he has worked his way back to an even count. Make a mistaker here Kazmir.
- Here's something that will shock you - Kevin Youkilis hit a ball to the warning track. Oh, NO WAY! WOW! I'm being facetious.
- Bay Day for the Rays...but he flies out to left. You get the sense the Sox could have really put the pressure on the Rays here and they are letting their foot off the gas a bit.
- Lowrie hits the third easy out of the inning to right and Kazmir gets off the hook, even though he's 70 pitches deep after only three innings.

Bottom 3rd - On commercials I've had a chance to flip over to the Celtics preseason game from Manchester, NH. I'm super excited to see another full season of Doc Rivers pretending he's the mastermind behind Tom Thibodeau's team.
- On a related note, Tommy Heinsohn is in mid-season form, already complaining about the officiating of a preseason game.
- Iwamura with a quick flyout and hopefully Beckett can settle in here.
- Or not. Upton just hit a fastball eight hundred feet and we're tied again.
- Can anyone figure out what song the Rays play when they hit homeruns.
- In case you were wondering, we are getting 2006 Josh Beckett tonight. I wish I had a million dollars on the over in this game tonight.
- Pena bails Beckett out, but Longoria doesn't...he doubles.
- Aggravation...pure aggravation.
- A huge pickoff by Beckett. Sox trail 4-3. Beckett looks terrible...Sox are still in the game.

Top 4th - Man, Varitek is just an automatic out right now. Sox need to find a way to get to Kazmir. They must keep up with the Rays in this one, because Beckett isn't going to help all that much.
- Darn. Kotsay lines out and here comes Tampa Bay Public Enemy #1, Coco Crisp to the plate.
- Kazmir is getting his quick inning here and he's only up to 80 pitches trying to get out of the 4th. If the Sox don't start something here, they will let this guy get to the 6th.
- Crisp crushes a double and I was hoping he could get to third, but Ellsbury will have a chance to tie the game with a base knock here.
- You can't get much more due than 0 for your last 13 in the postseason. That's Ellsbury right now.
- He gets ahead 2-0 here and you're praying for Kazmir to make a mistake to Jacoby here. He throws ball 3 and the last thing he wants to do is have Crisp and Ellsbury on base for Dusty's Laser Light Show.
- Jacoby taking all the way and now you can bet he'll be sitting on the inside fastball with a 3-1 count. He takes one of those and it'll be 3-2.
- Crisp will be off so he scores on pretty much anything here, Ellsbury just needs to put it in play.
- A pop up is not what we were looking for here. Can Beckett get us any deeper without giving up runs?

Bottom 4th - Cliff Floyd and his amazing long swing comes to the plate for the Rays.  Beckett must keep the Rays off the board this inning...

- Um, not exactly...long swing, long homerun for Floyd.  I'm betting if we get to Game 6, Beckett won't even be available.  This is just awful to watch.

- A 15.00 ERA for Beckett so far in the LCS.  I don't think that is going to cut it.

- I'm still not ready to jump off the bridge because I believe the Sox still have some runs in them tonight.  It does seem that the bullpen will have to be huge here tonight.  I'm not sure they can be.

- Beckett gets fat catcher and Gross back to back, but I'm pretty sure I could get both of those guys out, so I'm not all that proud of that fact.

- I'm refusing to get all worked up here and totally think we will be fine.

- A capsule of Red Sox Nation's panic level.  

- Travis Bogan "I miss the old Beckett" 

- Jen Crawford "You are a huge liar" (in response to me saying everything would be fine).

Top 5th - Remember when I said we needed a multi-hit game from Pedroia.  I didn't mean multi-homer game, BUT we'll take it.

- Lasers all over the place at the Juice Box.

- I guess the whole series won't play out like Game 1 did.

- From pitchers duel to home run derby in less than 24 hours.  Now would be a great time for Ortiz to break out of his malaise.

- Kazmir is up to 94 pitches, so you can imagine this will probably be his last inning.  He juuuuuust missed to Ortiz there.

- Ortiz got two pitches to hit there and just missed them...one away.

- Youkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk...finally USE E LESS gets a hit in a big spot and you can wipe away all the mistakes by Beckett.  We have a tie ballgame.

- That will do it for Kazmir after 98 pitches and this one is going to be fun and long.

- Remember this: Balfour is a fastball pitcher, Bay crushes fastballs.

- I believe I called that...and oh yeah, I'M TOTALLY GAY FOR JASON BAY!!!

- Sox lead 6-5 on a bomb from Bay.  As all of you watching have heard already, the seven homers in this game ties a Major League Baseball playoff record.

- Lowrie gets Balfour to 3-2, hopefully he can find a pitch to put in play here.  The Sox need to keep the pressure on and they do with a walk by Lowrie.  Still only one out here this inning.

- Now the automatic out comes up.  I would definitely consider putting Lowrie in motion here.  Tek could easily ground into a double play here if they don't.

- Varitek swings at what would have been ball 3, and its 2-1.

- Beckett looks focused man...but will his body catch up with his brain?

- Man, I just have absolutely no faith in Varitek in a spot like this.  Sad, isn't it?

- He's got the count to 3-2 on Balfour however, so maybe he can work a walk.  Pretty please.

- Francona does send the runner, Varitek works the walk and things are getting very interesting in the juice box right now.  Maddon to the mound and JP Howell will come in to fast Kotsay with two on and one out.

- Kotsay hits a ball I thought was out off the bat, but its a long fly ball to right.  Lowrie moves up and there is two away.  If I had time to type it, I would have called the first pitch swing by Kotsay there.

- Coco comes up again.  See if he can get a seeing eye single to extend the lead here.

- The Sox are really grinding out at bats right now and making Maddon use up as many relievers as possible.

- Crisp fouls one off and we're 2-2.  If Crisp can get a hit here, it would be so huge for the Sox.

- The Cowbells rise as one for the 2-2 pitch...and Crisp fouls it off.

- Crisp has fouled off three straight pitches and we're battling here.

- Howell gets Crisp swinging.  Sox are back in it, lead 6-5.

Bottom 5th - What can Beckett do for the Sox now?

- We all know the guy is hurt, but we could sure use a gutsy, useful performance here in the 5th.

- He throws a great pitch to Iwamura and we've got one away.

- Of course he would be forced to face the 1-2-3 in the order.  Upton hit a bomb off him earlier and the #4 hitter Longoria has hit him all over the field tonight.

- Beckett gets sloppy and he's 3-0 to Upton.  Maddon lets guys hit 3-0, but Upton is taking all the way and its 3-1.

- Yikes, walks are the devil's brew.  Go ahead run will come to the plate in the form of Haverhill's own Carlos Pena.

- Beckett gets ahead of Pena 1-2, now he must go for the jugular here.

- Pena comes through again.   Upton stole second, then Pena hits a laser through the right side.  Aggravation reigns.

- The Juice Box is back alive.

- Let me be the first person to ask this question and I'll try to be nice.  What the hell is Beckett doing still in this game?  I mean seriously.  It's the playoffs, let's get someone in there who can get somebody out.

- Very cool stat about Longoria - when he drives in a run they are 38 and 12.  That's called impact.

- Seriously, why is Beckett still in this game?  Rays lead 7-6 on a ridiculous triple by Longoria.  The ball hit the wall and just died.  It couldn't have set up better for Pena to score.  Beckett was awful tonight.  Sox just can't hold on to the horse.

- Oh goodie, Manny Meltdown to the rescue.  Willy Aybar who owns the Sox this year will come to the plate in a pinch hitting role.  Meltdown goes to 2-0.

- Aybar gives one a ride, but Ellsbury gets under it and there is two away.  So somehow the Sox have relinquished a bunch of leads here and we're 51 minutes into an inning.  Sox trail by two and desperately need to get out of this inning so they can give their bats a shot.

- Delcarmen does his job, maybe he should have been in from the beginning.  Inning, finally over.

Top 6th - A million or more women in New England just had mini heart attacks as Ellsbury bunted a ball off his helmet and missed his face by inches.  Pheeeeeeeeeeew.

- Is it really only the top of the 6th two hours and forty minutes into this game?

- Ellsbury continues to be awful with a fister to first.

- Pedroia comes to the plate again.  A hit would be useful here.  Faces a lefty because they want Howell to face Ortiz so we need him to make them pay here.

- Dusty works him to 3-1.  Come on Caballito.

- Gets the walk, now Ortiz must come up with something.  Interesting to hear Buck say that the wrist injury is in Ortiz's head, because it clearly is.

- He strikes out looking. Disgusting.

- Come on USE E LESS.

- Howell will come out, but he clearly did his job.

- 9=8...no, no it doesn't.

- Old friend Chad Bradford will come into the game to face USE E LESS and Bay with 2 away.  Yes, I realize I am a poet.

- USE E LESS keeps grinding and there is a BAY DAY call emanating from the Juice Box right now.

- I'm assuming Bay has never faced Bradford, but the announcers tell me otherwise.

- 1-1 the count and you can cut the tension with a knife in this place right now.

- GAY FOR BAY.  He does it again with a two out single, Dusty scores on a hustle play.  Awesome.  Sox trail 8-7 and the Sox have had a great approach against Bradford so far.  Youkilis takes the extra base.  Gold Stars all around as Lowrie steps in.

- Lowrie and the bottom of the order just can't keep it going, but the Sox chip away as we head to the bottom of the sixth.

Bottom 6th - More Manny Meltdown here in the 6th and he immediately lives up to his name by going to 3-0 on Bartlett.

- Lowrie makes a very nice play but Bartlett is called safe...on a late call.  He was right, I wish he was wrong.

- Now we have Manny Meltdown with runners on base...phenomenal.

- Hit and run worked to perfection as Iwamura grounds to Kotsay.  Two away and now the rough part of the lineup comes up.

- So important to get Upton here and not let Pena or Longoria get to the plate.

- Great pitch for Manny and he strikes out Upton.  I take back the Manny Meltdown moniker for the next five minutes at least.

Top 7th - Tek is up, so I might as well type up the fact that he grounded out softly or struck out.  Bottom of the order is a struggle for us tonight.

- Varitek takes the strike out option and then Kotsay just misses on a pop out to center.  This feels like one of those games where both bullpens settle down and neither team scores again.

- Crisp gets a cheap single off Bradford, so maybe there is some two out manufacturing to be done here.

- Ellsbury of course hasn't gotten a hit this series.

- It looks like Ellsbury is going to try to steal second.  Makes sense, because worse case scenario is Ellsbury leading off the 8th.  Best case is a Coco in scoring position.

- I think they've broken the record for most throws over to first in a single at bat in this one.  At some point, this 2-1 count they'll have to throw a pitch.  Coco didn't go and it's 2-2.

- Amazing chess match and Bradford has been phenomenal keeping Crisp on first.

- Ellsbury taps out to the pitcher pathetically.  Sox go down in the 7th.

Bottom 7th - 3 1/2 hours into this ballgame and we start the bottom of the 7th.  Hideki Okajima will come in to face the rugged 3,4,5 portion of the lineup.

- Pena tries to bunt his way on against the shift and fails thankfully.

- Pena lines out, Longoria flies out.  So far, so good for Okaji.

- Bay seems to struggle with every single low line drive hit to the outfield.  He drives me a little nuts.

- Did you know that Carl Crawford could have gone to UCLA to play point guard or Nebraska to play football? What an amazing athlete he is.  Too bad he can't catch a ball in the outfield. Heh Heh.  He grounds out and we rely on Dusty and the boys as usual to get us going in the 8th.

Top 8th - Pedroia does what he does and gets his big cheap, Derek Jeter style hit through the right side.  Tying run is on base, Bradford is out.  We'll see what the Rays do to face Ortiz here.

- Very Clever Trever Miller comes to the mound to face Papi.  He will definitely see only one hitter.  Ortiz takes two balls, maybe just maybe he can get a pitch to handle here.

- Ortiz just can't handle decent pitches right now.  He took that inner half fastball and was bailing out on it so it went foul.  This is very frustrating to watch.  Then he misses a fastball.  I'm half praying he won't make contact so he can't hit into a double play here.  I wonder if Francona would consider moving Ortiz down in the order at some point.  Now I'm just babbling through my frustration.

- Ortiz got a pitch he used to turn on there and fouled it off again.

- Papi has worked the count full.  Maybe this is his goal at this point, just work walks.  Two runners for USE E LESS would be huge.

- PHEWWWWWW!  We get the walk and now things get very interesting.

- USE E LESS up with ducks on the pond.

- He hits into a double play ball...ouch.

- Still the tying run to third, Bay must produce even more offense.

- I'm not sure Bay sees anything here.  I think they may walk him to get to the next guy in the lineup, Lowrie.

- WILD PITCH WILD PITCH WILD PITCH!!! Dusty scores - tie game.  And as my good friend Buck Martinez says, it's now official, we have seen everything!

- Bay draws the walk and now Lowrie has a chance to do something special here in the eighth.

- Pedroia has scored four runs tonight...Tito has chewed 854 pieces of gum.

- Almost a full four hours into this thing.

- Lowrie is being quite patient, 2-1 the count.

- 3-1.  Wheeler doesn't want to make a mistake here, he'd probably rather take his chances on Varitek.

- Lowrie gave it a ride, Upton got a great jump.  The beat goes on.

Bottom 8th - Midnight EST.  Here's hoping Cinderella loses her glass slipper here.  There is no doubt that the Rays are Cinderella.  Here's to a beautiful Coach turning into a pumpkin.

- Phew.  that ball was smoked down the line foul.  As close as you can get.  Aybar drives us nuts.  Come on, give him the Okie Doke.

- Okaji just misses on 2-2 fastball on the outside.  Seriously, no walks here fellas.  NO WALKS!

- Youk takes a grounder, gets it to first. One away.

- Okaji gets fat catcher to foul one off.  2-2 the count again.  Keep throwing strikes here Okaji.

- Misses with a change and now the count is full.  You can't, I mean can't walk a Fat Catcher here.  He hits a homerun, fine.  No walks.

- Struck him out with the Okie Doke.  Will Francona stay with Okaji?  He's faced five batters and retired them all.

- Remember around inning 4 when I said that this game would be up to the Sox bullpen.  Well, it has been so far and so far they've performed admirably.

- You have to feel a little bit better if the Sox get out of this inning just because they have both Masterson and Papelbon left, I'm thinking the Tampa Bay bullpen is quite a bit thinner right now.

- Tampa has used 5 relievers so far.  This is the sox third.  Okaji with a 1-2 count to the pinch hitter Zobrist.

- The chess game is beginning.  Okaji is awesome for two full innings.  We go to the 9th tied at 8.

Top 9th - Francona wisely uses Drew to pinch hit for Varitek here.

- Drew is 1 for 11 against Wheeler, so maybe its not as wise as we thought.  Desperately need base runners here, but you won't get one by hitting the ball to Upton.  One away.

- Kotsay will be up now and I'm betting a dollar if the first pitch is in the zone, he's swinging at it.

- He doesn't, but its a ball.  Kotsay has been just off by a bit in his swing tonight.  Maybe he'll put it all together here.

- Wheeler gets to 1-1.  Again, Wheeler has been thrust into a closer role on this team.  He probably can only give them this inning.  If we don't get to him no, the possibility of facing someone much worse is there, but only in extras.

- Wheeler Ks Kotsay and now it will be up to Crisp to keep the inning going.

- Crisp swings and fouls it back.  Ellsbury and his 0-5 night to follow.

- Crisp can't stop himself on a bad pitch and now its beginning to look like we'll go to the bottom of the 9th in a tie game on the road.  That's never fun.

- BJ Upton is supremely lucky.  He misplayed a shot by Crisp to dead center and it bounced into the stands.  Crisp forced to stay at 2nd.  Shouldn't matter.  On a hit to the outfield with Crisp's speed, he scores.  Jacoby is 0 for the Series.  In other words, he's due.

- Ellsbury swings through a flat fastball.  I bet he wishes he had that one back.

- Ellsbury looks at strike 2.  He, Varitek, and Ortiz are just lost at the plate right now.  Just lost.

- Just missed and it's 2-2.

- Ellsbury swings through another flat inside fastball.  Just hideous.  Advantage Rays going to the bottom of the 9th.

Bottom 9th - Master Lock comes in for the 9th and he gets a beautiful play by Youkilis to get Bartlett.  One away.  Of course now we are learning about all the walk off wins for the Rays at home this year.  We don't need to hear that Caray.

- Pedroia almost makes a brilliant play on a ground ball up the middle, but then he drops it and the Rays have a baserunner.  Scary time now.

- Master Lock gets Upton.  Francona is done playing.  Papelbon comes in to face Pena.

- Haverhill's Favorite Son has a chance to beat his boyhood team in the 9th.  Papelbon runs the count to 2-1.  Runner goes and it's fouled away. 2-2 the count.

- We've been doing this for 4 1/2 hours.  Will it continue?

- PAPELBON STRIKES HIM OUT.  We're going extras.

Top 10th - Ernie Johnson just let us know this is free baseball in extra innings.  It feels like its costing me sleep.  Hope the rest of you are battling like I am.

- Wow, the Rays are sticking with Wheeler here which just highlights the fact that they have no bullpen left.

- Dusty got the 3 for 4 I asked for out of him tonight with a walk and four runs.  Can he keep it going?

- Dusty gets behind 1-2 and just stays alive on a high fastball.  Wheeler is 32 pitches deep.

- He gets Petterass looking and now you can pretty much bring Youk up with 2 outs because Ortiz doesn't stand a chance.

- Ortiz drops the back shoulder, pops out.  One and done.

- USE E LESS hopes to lose one over the wall somewhere here.  He does have a HR against Wheeler in his career.

- Wheeler left one up there, but Youkilis couldn't pull the trigger and it's 1-1.

- USE E LESS gave one a ride...but Upton gets to it.  We go to the Bottom of the 10th.

Bottom 10th - The odds that I get a good workout in tomorrow morning before the football games start are getting worse and worse by the minute.  Looks like I might have to take a break from watching five games on the computer as well as whatever is on the TV tomorrow.

- Wheeler was absolutely phenomenal tonight for the Rays.  The question becomes, if Papelbon gets through this inning, who do the Rays go to in the next inning.

- Longoria hits a ball hard to third and Youkilis makes a really nice play.  Just gets Longoria and Kotsay does a great job holding the bag at first.  The Sox keep doing what they does...

- Paps makes Crawford check a swing and miss...2-2

- If you think you haven't seen it all, see a ball hit Papelbon and ricochet to Pedroia.  Two away and the Sox get lucky on a couple of different counts.

- Drew camps under the Aybar pop fly and the Sox take it to the 11th.  Papelbon has only thrown 18 pitches, so they may see him again in the bottom of the 11th.

Top 11th - This is the game that will not end.  Yes it goes on and on my friend.  Sox and Rays started playing it not knowing what it was and they'll continue playing it forever just because, this is the game that doesn't end....

- Oh my Lord.  Dan Wheeler stays in the game for the Rays.  He's thrown a pitch count in the 30s and has pitched three innings.  This is insane.  Bay leads us off.

- Relievers don't often face guys twice in one game.  That probably is not a good thing for Wheeler here.

- Bay takes 4 pitches and we're 2-2.

- That's a perfect spot where the umpire angers me.  He called a strike on the high fastball on the 4th pitch that shouldn't have been a strike and so when the next pitch comes in high, Bay can't hold up his swing, because he is afraid it will be strike 3.

- Lowrie being very patient here and he's got the count to 3-1.

- He gets the walk, a great piece of hitting there and now Maddon will come out to get Wheeler.

- David Price, the rookie, will come in to face JD Drew.

- Rays are down to 1 pitcher in the bullpen.  That is Edwin Jackson.  Price is a stud, here's hoping he makes a mistake to one of our guys though.

- Mr. Caray just let us know that we have seen 401 pitches tonight.  That number is beyond ridiculous.

- Drew works the rookie to 3-1.  You can bet he won't be swinging unless it's a perfect pitch here.

- BALL 4!  Now Kotsay will come to the plate, lefty on lefty against Price.

- Kotsay is a first pitch swinger but that one is down and away.  Give him a fat fastball here Mr. Price, please.

- Fastball up but in the zone gets it to 1-1.  One thing I'd note is that this stadium has been completely silent throughout the last three or four innings.  You know there are both Sox and Rays fans there and they almost don't exist right now, although the cowbells get going here with 2 strikes.

- Kotsay battles off a tough pitch and hangs in.

- Wow.  He got the outside corner call like a veteran pitcher.  That should have been a ball and there is 2 away.

- Coco I'm sure would love to be a hero against his nemesis, the Rays.

- Coco grounds out to third.  The beat marches on.  Sox have stranded 13 men.

Bottom 11th - Timlin is in for the Sox. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHHHAHAHHAAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

- Oh man, I stayed up for this?

- The umpire decides to squeeze Timlin. Like he needs the help.  Runners on 1st and 2nd on two walks.  Timlin is a walking, talking white flag of surrender.

- Sac fly to Drew will do it with the bases loaded.  I'm not even sure how to feel about this game.  I'm pretty sure Francona was forced to not go back to Papelbon because he needs him fresh for the rest of the playoffs and they probably didn't want to use Byrd because they will play three in a row in Boston.  Bottom line is it's a 5 game series now and we get Lester for 2 of those 5.  Let's go Sox.

ALCS Game 1 Liveblog

Admit it, you want to see this again...

This won't be as good a liveblog as the others have been for two main reasons.
1. I hate watching Dice K and typing about him tonight will make me absolutely crazy.
2. My friend Marc "Hammer" Howard is coming over tonight and talking to him is more fun than typing.
Without further ado, Sox in 7.

Top 1st - So Youkilis finally gets a hit in a big spot and for all his awful luck it goes into the stands and Pedroia can't score. I hate having a chance to put a run on the board against the Rays and make them doubt themselves and not being able to do it. Drew strikes out on a bad couple of swings and the Dice K era begins.

Bottom 1st - Here's a SHOCKER!!! Walk by DIce K. I promise you this will get ugly.
- Even better news about the ALCS. We've got TBS back and that means more Buck Martinez with a smattering of Ron Darling. It also means of course that we have Craig Sager back. Super Awesome!!!
- I loathe this umpire. He has a late strike call which with Dice K on the mound is pure torture.
- Dice Man has walked 2 and now he faces Longoria...yikes.
- Longoria strikes out on a late strike call that everyone thought was a ball...I take back everything I said about the umpire.
- 3-1 count with 2 runners on. Why must he torture us so?
- Nothing is like walking the bases loaded in the first inning of Game 1.
- Of course, Dice K gets out of the inning.

Top 2nd - I refuse to comment on the futility. Whoops, I guess I just did.

Bottom 2nd - Dice K with a fairly quiet inning...wow!

Top 3rd - Color me UNDERWHELMED.

Top 8th - This would qualify as an extremely interesting and entertaining baseball game. Dice K settled down to have a no hitter through six innings and then battled out of the seventh to give up 0 runs. Shields pitched well, but finally gave up a run and the Sox score on a Crawford error in the eighth. This was of course, before JD Drew got hit almost in the head by Balfour and Balfour got a strike out of Bay and a pop up by Kotsay. If you can figure this game out, please let me know. Bottom line is the Sox are winning.

Bottom 8th - Somehow, someway Dice K is back out for the Bottom of the 8th?!?! This is the stuff that Francona does that drives everyone crazy. A few days ago he pulls Lester where everyone wants him to come back out and tonight he sends the Dice Man back out.
- Dice K gives up the hit and now there is a runner on base, so no matter what happens the relievers will inherit a runner.
- Does this officially mean that Francona has little to no faith in his bullpen outside of Papelbon right now.
- Upton lost his mind earlier after getting out, yelling back at the field as he walked down the dugout. Here's hoping his emotions get the best of him here.
- Varitek legit drops a pitch and lets it get by and now Iwamura is on 2nd with no outs. You just get the feeling the Sox will need to score a run or two more to win this game.
- Upton hits an absolute smoke job to third. Youkilis makes a nice play knocking it down, but Upton is safe and now there are two on with nobody out. Here's guessing Dice K will get pulled now....GRRRR
- One year wonder Okajima in to face Carlos Pena.
- Haverhill's finest up for the Rays and he quickly goes to 3-0.
- Drew makes a fantastic catch on the 3-0 swing for Pena and Francona quickly gets Okajima out of there.
- It's Masterlock Time
- Masterlock Double Play Baby!
- We go to the 9th

Bottom 9th - The top of the 9th wasn't even worth talking about as the Sox didn't even put up a fight. Now, it's Papelbon time. I'm pretty sure I have faith in him right now, pretty sure.
- First pitch is 95 MPH and smoke. The good news is its Crawford and the bottom of the lineup. Bad news, there are good bats on the bench for this team.
- Second pitch is 95 MPH and smoke again. His pitches, like Balfours, look way harder than mid-90s.
- 96 MPH fastball gets Crawford. One away and a huge out.
- Floyd pops out to Youkilis. Two Away.
- Dioner Navarro comes to the plate...and Paps has him at 1-2 in the blink of an eye.
- STRUCK HIM OUT!
- I'm still not convinced that this is that good a Sox team, but they are up 1-0 in the ALCS and they have Beckett and Lester lined up to pitch the next two. Plus the Rays have to go to bed tonight wondering if they are ready to be here yet.
- Great win, Go Sox!