Avoid ALDS Parking Nightmares Around Fenway

As the ALDS approaches, parking for games will become more and more of a pain in the you-know-what. All those annoying college students from Long Island are already clogging up our beloved byways around Fenway Park (not to mention the Secret Police of Parking in The People's Republic of Brookline). One way to avoid all of this is to use the handy ParkWhiz system that will guide you to safe, reasonably priced parking spots within easy distance of Fenway. CLICK HERE AND TRY IT FOR FRIDAY!

Still No Friday Start Time, But Umps Are Known

We still don't know who the Red Sox will be playing or when the Friday game will start. What we do know is who will handle the balls, strikes and outs. MLB announced the umpiring crews for the ALDS between Boston and 'They Who Are Yet To Be Named'. Dana DeMuth will serve as crew chief, along with Eric Cooper, Paul Emmel, Chris Guccione (who will ump the plate on Friday), Larry Vanover and Mike Winters.

Missing "Manny Being Manny" (From 2009)

Game 163 Brings Back Bad Vibes For Sox Fans

Fans of the Rays and Rangers have no idea what they're in for. The angst level of a Game 163 hovers somewhere in the DEFCON 5 area. Every Red Sox fan old enough to remember the Blizzard of '78 remembers that year's Game 163 and the infamous Mr. Bucky F. Dent. Back then, I recall hovering around a black and white TV at my new workplace in Cambridge and agonizing with the rest of the office over every pitch. When the fatal blow was struck, a quiet horror hung in the air. Many left to resume work, but a few hearty souls stayed until Yaz (who had homered earlier) popped out to third to put the final nail in the 1978 season with a 5-4 loss. Decades earlier, the 1948 Red Sox lost another tie-breaker—this time to the Indians. But the Sox were out of that game early—eventually losing 8-3. Ironically, had Boston won, they would have faced the cross-town Braves in the 1948 World Series. Tonight, lots of fans in either Tampa or Dallas will be too numb to know what hit them.

Theo Epstein Lowers The Boom On Dale Sveum

(AP Photo)

Former Red Sox GM Theo Epstein today fired former Red Sox coach Dale Sveum from his position as manager of the Chicago Cubs. Apparently, the Cubs want a clean managerial slate to help celebrate next year's 100th Anniversary of Wrigley Field (we know how impactful those celebrations are on team performance, don't we?). Sveum was really in a no-win position—skippering a low-talent team of lovable losers for two seasons. His combined record over that span was a dismal 127-197. Said Epstein, "We will begin our search immediately." Svuem was the Red Sox third base coach in 2004-5. You can read the Cubs official statement HERE.

A-Rod Appeal Hearing Begins Today In Gotham

The Fraudulent One Arrives (New York Daily News)

Our national pastime's long national nightmare is about to come to an end. The appeals hearing for Alex Rodriguez begins today in New York City. MLB will start presenting its case against The Fraudulent One, charging that: 1.) he used PEDs from the notorious Biogenesis clinic, and 2.) that he recruited players to the "anti-aging" scam and 3.) he interfered with MLB's investigation into the case. Rodriguez was given a 211-game suspension, which he appealed—allowing him to impact the AL playoff races. Thankfully, The Bronx Embalmers did not themselves make it to the post-season. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz will decide the case. In typical pathetic fashion, Rodriguez addressed the press thusly, "I'm excited. This has been a burden, a big burden...I'm fighting for my life and my whole baseball legacy." Legacy????

Red Sox Feature 'B Strong' Logo On OF Grass

(Red Sox On Instagram)

In a tribute to the victims of the April terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon, the Red Sox will display a 'B STRONG' logo cut into the outfield grass during the ALDS at Fenway Park. The logo has appeared on the Green Monster continuously throughout the season. The slogan and symbol have been a unifying theme for residents of the Boston area for the last six months. It has also served as a motivator for the team's play. It is a fitting tribute and we salute the Red Sox for making it happen.

Jose Iglesias Is FN's 2013 Rookie Of The Year

(Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

It's tough enough to give an award to a player wearing different laundry. It's even tougher when that player might contribute to a playoff defeat for the Red Sox in a few short weeks. But, the editors of FenwayNation really had no other choice but to make Joe Iglesias our 2013 Rookie Of The Year. In 63 games for The Carmine Hose, Iglesias pretty much put to rest the talk that he was "all glove and no bat". He finished up with a .330 average, .376 on-base percentage and a .409 slugging percentage. Moreover, he chimed in with a respectable .785 OPS. Of course, what dazzled us even more were his defensive skills—which he continues to display as a member of the Detroit Tigers. Most people in The Nation agreed with the deal that sent Iglesias to MoTown for Jake Peavy—as did we. Nevertheless, it will be very tough to watch this kid emerge as one of the elite shortstops in baseball. Congratulations, Jose!

David Ortiz Is FN's 2013 Player Of The Year

(Jim Rogash / Getty Images Sport)

Once again, people were skeptical. A tough Achilles injury kept David Ortiz out for all but 9 games of the first month of the 2013 season. His age and inactivity made many question whether he'd be any kind of significant contributor to this year's team. Once again, Big Papi proved everyone wrong, having one of the most productive years of his 17-year career. Because of this, the editors of FenwayNation have named Ortiz their 2013 Player Of The Year. This is the fourth such honor for Ortiz—who previously won the award for three straight seasons (2004-2006). In 2013, Ortiz ended up playing in 137 games—third highest on the team and put up the following impressive numbers: .309 BA, 30 HRs 103 RBIs. Other metrics were equally dominant: .395 OBP, .564 slugging percentage, .959 OPS. Less talked about were his 38 doubles and 76 walks. And, how about this? He had a career-high 4 stolen bases. On top of all this, he made the inspirational speech to help Boston overcome the Marathon tragedy. Congratulations, David on your fourth FenwayNation Player Of The Year Award.

Mike Napoli Is FN's September Player O' Month

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

The Editors of FenwayNation have named Mike Napoli as their September Player Of The Month. Napoli hit .333 for the month with 6 HRs and 16 RBIs. The Red Sox first baseman had an on-base percentage of .494 in September, with a .733 slugging percentage. Napoli's OPS for the month was an impressive 1.227 in 20 games. Napoli joins Clay Buchholz (April), Dustin Pedroia (May), Jose Iglesias (June), Koji Uehara (July) and Shane Victorino (August) as winners of this year's Player Of The Month awards. Congratulations to Mike!

Sox Await Winner Of Rays-Rangers-Indians Fest

It didn't turn into the craziest scenario—but almost. With all three teams in the AL Wild Card chase winning, Wednesday's actual Wild Card play-in game will need to be preceded by a one-game "play-in for the play-in" on Monday in Texas (8PM Eastern, TBS). The Tampa Rays and Texas Rangers will square off tomorrow for the right to be eliminated in another one-game play-in against the Indians on Wednesday. Confused? So is Bud Selig. But it's all good for the Red Sox.

Bullpen Blows 5-0 Game 162 Lead; Sox Lose, 7-6

 (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

The Red Sox will limp into the post-season on a two-game losing streak—two games that exposed a huge bullpen weakness in the run-up to their lights-out closer Koji Uehara. In today's game, Boston relievers blew a 5-0 lead—in a 7-6 loss that froze the team's 2013 win total at 97. Five runs were charged to Felix Doubront, while the loss went to Rubby De LaRosa. Ironically, De la Rosa's "trade mate" in the Great Punto Deal (Allen Webster), pitched three solid innings (after a shaky first)—allowing no hits to the Orioles. The loss came despite that fact that six Red Sox had multiple-hit games—including home runs by the two fastest guys on the roster, Jacoby Ellsbury and Quintin Berry. Boston will await the winner of Wednesday's Wild Card game—which is likely to be preceded by a "play-in play-in" on Monday between the Rays and Rangers in Texas.

Next Red Sox Rival Could Be Fit To Be 'Tied'

If you thought the tiebreakers for the best record in the American League were convoluted, welcome to the Wild Card mess. If Tampa, Cleveland and Texas finish in a flat-footed tie, they would engage in a wild three-day skirmish to win the right to face the Red Sox at Fenway on Friday Night. A three-way knot would mean that Cleveland and Tampa would play a "play-in" for the "play-in" on Monday at The Mistake On The Lake. The loser of that game, would fly to Texas to take on the Rangers for another "play-in" for the "play-in" game on Tuesday. The winner of that game plays the winner of Monday's game on Wednesday—for the actual Wild Card play-in game. The survivor of this gauntlet get the privilege of playing Boston on Friday in Game 1 of the ALDS. We can only hope!

Achilles Heel Sinks Red Sox; Fall To O's, 6-5

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

If the Red Sox fail to capture their eighth World Championship, chances are it will be due to their one big weakness: set-up relief. Tonight, that serious flaw reared its ugly head in what was—thankfully—a meaningless 6-5 loss to Baltimore. Meaningless because the Oakland A's had earlier fallen to Seattle—ensuring that Boston would wind up with the best record in the American League. After Jon Lester had pitched an uneven five innings (9 hits, 4 earned runs), Matt Thornton did a creditable job in the sixth (0 runs, 0 hits, 1K). Then, the deluge. With the Red Sox battling back to take a 5-4 lead, Junichi Tazawa got through the seventh unscathed. But in the eighth, he put two runners on and was yanked for Franklin Morales (he of the 'lots of stuff and zero command'). Morales proceeded to allow both inherited runners to score—game, set, match, Baltimore. John Farrell had better think long and hard about who he wants in his post-season bullpen, because his current run-up to Koji Uehara is not a winning combination.

Seattle Gift Wraps AL Best Record For Sox, 7-5

Now the Red Sox can relax. The Seattle Mariners did their dirty work for them this afternoon, eliminating Oakland from the best record pursuit with a 7-5 victory at Safeco Field. Boston now has home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs and in the World Series (thanks to the American League win in the All-Star Game). Just as important, The Carmine Hose do not have to face the Tigers in the first round of the post-season tournament. The Mariners won despite continued heroics by former Red Sox—in particular Brandon Moss who clouted his 30th HR of the year in the defeat. Jed Lowrie was also 2-5. Boston can now relax and await the winner of the Wild Card play-in game next Friday night at Fenway Park.

Red Sox Inch Closer To Best Record; Win, 12-3

(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

The Red Sox moved one step closer to clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs with a 12-3 clobbering of the Orioles. Boston got two three-run homers (David Ortiz, Daniel Nava) and just missed a third (Jarrod Saltalamacchia) and sprinted out to an early 8-0 lead for Clay Buchholz. The righty went seven innings, giving up three earned runs for his 12th win of the season. Jonny Gomes hit a solo HR, Stephen Drew tripled and Dustin Pedroia had three hits in the Boston rout. The Carmine Hose now have 97 wins and need just one more win or A's loss to clinch best record in the AL.

Sox Gain On Best Record; Clobber Rockies, 15-5

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Will Middlebrooks knocked in seven runs—on a three-run HR and a grand slam—leading the Red Sox to a 15-5 thrashing of the Rockies on Todd Helton night. Others joined in on the party—Jarrod Saltalamacchia had four hits and drove in three, and Shane Victorino hit a three-run jack. Most importantly, Boston moved to 96 wins—two ahead of Oakland with just three games to play. Jake Peavy was just OK, going six innings and giving up five runs. Boston has today off and moves on to the final series of the regular season in Baltimore on Friday.

Ellsbury Likely In Red Sox Line-Up Wednesday

An extremely welcome development has unfolded in Denver, as Jacoby Ellsbury appears ready to lead-off and play center field tonight for the Red Sox. Ellsbury—who took batting practice Tuesday—has missed 16 games due to a broken bone in his right foot. His return before the post-season might allow him to get back into playing form and be a real contributor in the playoffs. Great news!

Boston FinCom Asks Mayor To Nix Fenway Deal

The Boston Finance Commission has asked Mayor Thomas Menino to block a vote on the sweetheart deal between the Red Sox and the city. The deal would grant the Red Sox the right to close off Yawkey Way during games in perpetuity for a one-time payment of just $7.3 million. The deal also gives the team "air rights" over Lansdowne Street—worth untold millions with future development. In the words of the FinCom, the deal will "shackle generations of Bostonians to an agreement that over time will prove to be financially irresponsible."

World Awaits Arrival Of Yankee Elimination Day!

In just a few short hours, the world can finally celebrate a moment that has been too long in coming—Yankee Elimination Day. With just one more loss by The Bronx Embalmers or one more win by Tito's Indians and The Pinstriped Posers will be sent to the links for the Winter. With reports that manager Joe Girardi will be leaving and a possible free-agency departure by Robinson Cano, we can look forward to even bleaker days at The Concrete Bunker On 161st Street. All hail Yankee Elimination Day!

Red Sox Lose Dumb Inter-League Match-Up, 8-3

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The idea that a team vying for the best record in their league has to schlep to Denver to play a late-season inter-league game is a travesty that Bud Selig will never live down. Not surprisingly, Boston dropped the game to the Rockies 8-3 on a night when David Oritz had to play first, John Lackey had to hit and Mike Napoli had to ride the pine. Lackey continued his post-All-Star-break road woes—giving up three solo HRs in the loss. Luckily, the A's were beaten 3-0 by the Angels, so Boston's 1-game edge for best record was maintained with four games to play.

Our Choices For The 25-Man Sox Playoff Roster

The Red Sox will need to make some tough decisions before they take the field in ten days for the opening game of the 2013 ALDS. The current 36-man roster has to be cut down to 25. Here's how we would do it if we were in Ben Cherington's shoes—or we should  say in his sox.

OFFENSE: 14 PLAYERS
INFIELD (5). We would go with Will Middlebrooks at third, Stephen Drew at short, Dustin Pedroia at second and Mike Napoli at first. Our bench option would be Xander Bogaerts.  

OUTFIELD (6). Our outfield would be Jacoby Ellsbury (assuming, of course, he is healthy enough), Daniel Nava, Shane Victorino, Johnny Gomes, Mike Carp and Jackie Bradley Jr. Nava and Carp can fill in at first and Bradley is necessary in case Ellsbury breaks down. 

CATCHERS (2). Jarrod Saltalamacchia and David Ross.

DESIGNATED HITTER (1). David Ortiz. End of story.

PITCHERS: 11 PLAYERS
STARTERS (4). Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Jon Lackey, Jake Peavy.

RELIVERS (7).  Ryan Dempster, Koji Uehara, Junichi Tazawa, Craig Breslow,  Felix Doubront, Brandon Workman, Franklin Morales.  Doubront can serve as an emergency starter or long man in case of: 1.) Buchholz or another starer getting hurt or 2.) a blowout loss. Workman has shown enough promise to make the cut. Morales is the only tough choice, since his lack of command often renders his great stuff dangerous. On the other hand, Matt Thornton has been underwhelming.

So, there you have it: our choices for the 2013 Red Sox post-season roster.

Arcane Tiebreaker Rules Cloud Best Record

A FenwayNation reader—Steve from Connecticut—suggested that we augment our story on the A's charge toward the best AL record with tiebreaker rules. Bud Selig has layered the tiebreaker with an arcane, convoluted set of steps to find out who has home-field advantage. Here are the rules—in sequence:

1. The team with the best record in head-to-head play.
2. The team with the best overall record in intradivision games.
3. The team with the best record in the final 81 games of the season, ignoring interleague play.
4. The team with the best record in the final 82 games of the season (providing the game added is not between the tied teams), extending backward until the tie is broken (Interleague games are skipped and ignored in this process.)

Any questions? Hey, Red Sox, just win the last five games, OK?

REPORT: Girardi To Quit As Yankees Skipper?

Quitting The Bronx Embalmers?

According to a report by Incarcerated Bob's Sports Wrap, Yankee manager Joe Girardi is quitting his post at the end of this season. According to sources named by the site, Giradi has told close family members that "it's time to move on". Girardi—earlier in the season—had been talked about as potential AL Manager of the Year for keeping an old and injured squad in the Wild Card race. With playoff hopes fading, Girardi is apparently setting the stage for his departure.

Sox Legend Kevin Millar Turns Forty-Two Today

(FenwayNation Photo)

It's hard to believe it was ten years ago that Kevin Millar affixed the "Cowboy Up" moniker on the 2003 Red Sox. While falling short of the ultimate goal, that squad carried something special into the next season that ultimately got the job done as the Millar-christened "Idiots". It's hard to name a more dynamic clubhouse presence before or since that had the exact panache of Millar (possibly Jonny Gomes of the current "ZZBop" crowd). We will always remember Millar for that special at-bat against Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the 9th of Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. Working a lead-off walk, Millar was pinch-run for by Dave Roberts. Without that walk, who knows? I had a personal encounter with Millar just as he was starting his tenure with the Orioles in 2006. At his very first day of Spring Training in Fort Lauderdale, he was having promotional pictures taken by team officials. He somehow noticed a few stray Red Sox fans hanging around to get a glimpse of their 2004 hero. After about a half-hour, Millar trotted down the left field line and made a point of signing a ball for my then 10-year old son (see pic). As he handed the ball back, he noticed my son's Red Sox cap. "Hey, buddy, don't you want me to sign the hat, too?". Beaming, my son handed him the hat, which he cherishes to this day. Happy B-Day, Kevin!

Rampaging A's Challenge Sox For Best Record

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Don't look now, Red Sox fans, but the "best AL record" race is on. The Oakland A's won again last night and closed to within one game of Boston for best record honors. This has huge implications for the post-season. The owner of the best record will face the winner of the Wild Card play-in game (likely either Tampa, Cleveland or Texas), while the runner-up in the best record race gets the Tigers in the first round. While the Red Sox would—at this point—have home field advantage against the Tigers, they would lose it in an ALCS against a "best-record" Oakland club. Last night, two old Red Sox players powered the A's—as both Brandon Moss (2-run HR) and Jed Lowrie (3-run HR) went yard in a 10-5 win. Oh, and by the way, Coco Crisp was 2-4 and scored two runs, while Josh Reddick was 2-3 with an RBI and run scored. You know these Boston alums would love nothing more than to wrest the best record from their old team. Look out below!

Boras Hatches Dumb Idea: Neutral World Series

President: Dumb-Idea-Of-The-Month Club

Leave it to the elites—agents and 'old media' sportswriters—to come up with one of the dumbest baseball ideas ever. Uber-Agent Scott Boras—aided and abetted by Boston Globe sportswriter Nick Cafardo—is peddling the idea of holding the first two World Series games at a neutral site. This would—in their view—dramatically boost the popularity of the event. Neither Boras nor Cafardo have a clue of what an avid season-ticket holding baseball fan might think about this. A huge part of the reason many Red Sox fans buy season packages is to be guaranteed post-season ducats. So, for the sake of argument, let's say the Boras/Cafardo scheme was in place this year. If the Red Sox were so fortunate as to make the Fall Classic, they would host the first two games at Fenway.....oh, wait, no it would be in a nice "warm weather" venue like Miami or Phoenix. No problem, I'm willing to sacrifice my investment (substantial, by the way) in season tickets so that some schmo in Sioux City, Iowa might be more interested in baseball. Are you kidding me? Cafardo's condescending retort?: ".... it would be like Patriots fans going to New Orleans to watch their team in the Super Bowl". Yeah, right. Of course, Boras and Cafardo would get nice cushy complimentary seats in Miami/Phoenix, but most of us would get screwed. What an incredibly stupid concept. Go to your rooms, both of you. No biscuit.

Lackey And Peavy To Face Rockies In Denver

The Red Sox will send John Lackey to the mound on Tuesday night at Coors Field. He will be opposed by Rockies right-hander Tyler Chatwood. Jake Peavy will be the Red Sox starter on Wednesday night against veteran Roy Oswalt. Both games will start at 8:40 p.m. Eastern Time. After the brief two-game set, Boston will head to Camden Yards for the final three games of the season.

Ellsbury Could Be In Sox Lineup By Wednesday

(AP Photo)

According to Red Sox manager John Farrell, injured centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury could be back in the lineup as early as Wednesday night in Denver. Ellsbury is rehabbing from a broken bone in his right foot, and has begun baseball activities. The dynamic lead-off hitter has missed 14 games, but Farrell is still optimistic on his return before the post-season, "Hopefully he's in the lineup Wednesday. The work he's going through right now, the baseball activities, are starting to wrap up. There's been no setbacks. That's an optimistic view, but I'd hope we'd be able to get him some at bats that day." Emphasis on the "optimistic view" part.

Carl Yastrzemski Honored With Fenway Statue

(Boston Herald Photo)

Carl Michael Yastrzemski was honored on Sunday at the place he played for 23 seasons—his beloved Fenway Park. A new statue was unveiled that captures the scene of his final at-bat—saluting the fans who loved him so much. Yaz was the symbol of Red Sox Recovery—recovery from years of dismal finishes and hopeless seasons. He and his team had an 'impossible' year in 1967—a Triple Crown for Yaz and the first pennant for The Carmine Hose in 21 years. Yaz has never been the most demonstrative person, choosing his words carefully and succinctly. He commented on the statue, "This statue means as much to me as being inducted into the Hall of Fame and having my number retired." You'll always mean a lot to us, Yaz.

Red Sox Take I-95 On-Ramp; Beat Blue Jays, 5-2

 (Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images)

For the first time since 2003, the Boston Red Sox have won 95 games in a season. And they're not through yet. After finishing up their home season with a 5-2 win over the Blue Jays, they will head out for the final five games that —conceivably—could get them to the century mark for the fist time since 1946. Jackie Bradley, Jr. clouted a three-run HR off kncukleballer R.A. Dickey to provide the decisive blow in the second inning. David Ortiz added his 29th HR—a solo shot—to close out the scoring. Felix Doubront was impressive in seven solid innings—giving up just four hits in his 11th win of the year. Onto to Coors Field—the site of their 2007 World Championship—and just maybe not their last.

Gomes 'Punt' Injures Red Sox Fan In Crowd

(Photo By The Nosebleeds.com)

Everybody loved it when Jonny Gomes drop-kicked his helmet into the air while rounding third on a game-winning HR. And, it was sort of cool when he was punting beer cans into the crowd on Friday night after the Red Sox clinched the AL East. But, in a classic case of unintended consequences, one of those errant Bud Lights struck a Red Sox fan in the face causing a pretty serious laceration. One has to wonder whether all that legal mumbo-jumbo on a Red Sox ticket will insulate the team from a lawsuit by the injured fan.

Menino's Last 'Kiss In The Mail' For Sox Owners

Boondoggle Alley (FenwayNation Photo)

On his way out of office, Boston Mayor Tom Menino delivered one final gift to his buddies in the Red Sox New Ownership Group (NOG). And this one was a beauty—worthy of Menino's distant predecessor James Michael Curley. Thanks to 'Mayor Mumbles', the Red Sox now own the right to close off Yawkey Way during games—essentially—in perpetuity. The cost for this carte blanche is a measly $7.3 million—about the yearly jock strap budget for the owners' foreign soccer club. Oh, we forgot to mention, the sweetheart deal also grants the club "air rights" over Lansdowne Street—also as long as the NOG plays in their 101-year old ballyard. The development implications of this windfall is a boondoggle of epic proportions. Estimates are that the team garners $4.5 million per year from these street uses—meaning they pay back this "kiss in the mail" in less than two years. By the way, the state's inspector general, Glenn Cunha, has said that the properties should have been subject to competitive bidding. But, when you've got a pal at City Hall, who cares what some other bureaucrat thinks? Interestingly, the Boston Globe aggressively reported on this story in the past—but now, of course even they will be owned by John Henry. This all happens while a "feel good" mood pervades The Nation. Nice sleight-of-hand, NOG!

Best Record In Jeopardy; Sox Fall To Jays, 4-2

(Getty Images)

Clay Buchholz lost for the first time this year and the Red Sox found their best record position in serious trouble in a 4-2 loss to Toronto on Saturday. Buchholz—who started the season 9-0—fell to 11-1 with a 6-inning performance in which he gave up just two earned runs. Most of the damage was done with two outs and nobody on in the fourth—when the Jays crossed the plate three times. With their win on Saturday, The Oakland A's are now just two wins behind Boston in the race for the AL's best record. Hopefully, this game will mark the end of "resting the regulars"—which happened tonight with Dustin Pedroia, Mike Napoli and Jarrod Saltalmacchia riding the pine.

Red Sox Are '13 American League East Champs!

Team ZZ-Bop did it. They went from last to first against all odds and all punditry. They captured the hearts of fans with beards and bravado. Tonight, they finished the deal with Jon Lester firing seven solid innings to capture his 100th career win in the 6-3 victory. They did it with Koji Uehara getting five outs to close it out. They got it from Mike Carp knocking in three of the six runs. They got it from Dustin Pedroia, as The Muddy Chicken went 3 for 5 with an RBI. What else is new? Almost everyone contributed to this most important win of the year. Your 2013 Carmine Hose are American League Eastern Division Champions. Enjoy!

Sox-Braves Series Would Be A Nostalgic Treat

Before the 'Tomahawk Chop', Ted Turner-Fonda or even a Hall of Fame outfielder wearing #44, there were the Boston Braves. If by some chance this year's Fall Classic saw a match-up between Boston and Atlanta, it would be a perverse version of a Trolley Car Series. After all—a long time ago—the two teams played within shouting distance of one another. The Braves left Boston after the 1952 season—and at various times from 1876 onward they were known as the Doves, Red Stockings, Beaneaters, Rustlers and Bees. They won one World Championship (1914) in Boston, but very few fans are left who remember anything of the days at Braves Field on Commonwealth Avenue. So, a reunion of sorts would certainly be a good story for baseball and an opportunity to reflect on the long history of baseball in our town. Let's hope it happens.

40% In ESPN Poll Think Red Sox Will Win WS

An on-going ESPN SportsNation Poll shows that 40% of nationwide on-line voters think the Red Sox will go all the way in the post-season and win their third World Series in the last decade. As the chart shows, another 30% think The Carmine Hose will lose in the ALCS, 18% think they will lose in the World Series and 12% think they'll fall early in the ALDS. Even New Yorkers are picking us to get Ring Number Eight. You can vote in the ESPN Poll HERE.

Dempster Is Ready For Playoff Bullpen Duties

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

It's so much better when players pro-actively confront potentially controversial issues. Ryan Dempster has made it plain that he has no problems moving from the rotation to the bullpen come playoff time. Rumors have swirled around this change—which makes eminent sense—for weeks. Now, in an interview with WEEI.com's Rob Bradford, Dempster has cleared the air. Asked if he thinks he can be effective out of the 'pen, Dempster stated, "Yeah, I think I can. If I was asked to go down there I could help us out in a big way. I have confidence in my ability, confidence in the mental side of it. I’ve been there before. It’s fun. It’s a totally different animal." Dempster once closed for the Chicago Cubs and has amassed 87 saves over his career. Said the right-hander, "I’ll do whatever role they ask me to pitch in. Whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to grab it by the horns and run with it." Refreshing. Hey, what would expect from Kevin Millar's "best bro"?

Lester, Buchholz, & Doubront To Face Toronto

The Red Sox will send Jon Lester against Esmil Rogers tonight in pursuit of the American League East crown. On Saturday night, Clay Buchholz will face off against Mark Buehrle, while Felix Doubront will match up against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey on Sunday afternoon.

ALDS Ticket Sales Begin Next Tuesday At Noon

The Red Sox announced this morning that tickets for the (presumably) upcoming American League Division Series will go on sale starting next Tuesday (September 24th) at Noon. There is a four ticket limit for each fan. Prices for the ALDS range from $45 to $170. No tickets will be sold at the Fenway Park ticket office, so the only way to get them is to call 888-REDSOX6 or purchase them online at redsox.com.

Red Sox Poised For First Division Flag Since '07

Blue Jay Way

What better opponent to clinch the division against than the Toronto Blue Jays—they of the 70 wins and last place in the American League East? They are 2013's 'Team OverHype', picked by many to be at the top of the division. They are the 'Anti-BenCher' front office—doing a reverse salary dump with the Miami Marlins that netted them over-paid, under-performing and injury-prone players like Mark Buehrle, Jose Reyes, and Josh Johnson. The Blue Jays are bucking the trend toward shorter-term, fiscally-responsible contracts and they are paying the price. Celebrating a Division title against them will be an affirmation of Boston's 'Three B's' off-season plan: brevity (of contracts) bean-counting (on fiscal issues) and beards (self-evident).

Lackey Shines; Sox Capture Playoff Berth, 3-1

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

John Lackey was about as good as he's been all year—no-hitting the Orioles for 6 1/3 innings in tonight's 3-1 Red Sox win. The right-hander secured a complete game win giving up just two hits, and striking out eight. Both the no-no and the shutout were ended with a mammoth homerun off the bat of Adam Jones in the seventh. Boston started the scoring in the second inning with a two-run HR by Stephen Drew, with Dustin Pedroia (2-4) knocking in the other run. The win assured Boston of at least a Wild Card playoff spot, but they have designs on bigger things. Tampa's loss tonight means the magic Number to clinch the AL East is just one.

Thumb Keeps Victorino Out Of Tonight's Game

FenwayNation Photo

Shane Victorino, who jammed his right (top hand) thumb in Wednesday's loss to the Orioles will not be in tonight's lineup for the final game of the series. He was replaced late in yesterday's contest and is considered day-to-day. Jackie Bradley, Jr. will get the start in centerfield tonight, flanked by Daniel Nava in right and Mike Carp in left. Boston—with a win tonight—has the opportunity to clinch a post-season berth. The Magic Number to clinch a division title still remains at three.

Cuban Jose Abreu One Step Closer To Fenway?

Headed To Fenway Park?

The big first-baseman the Red Sox are lusting after is a little closer to playing in Major League Baseball. Cuban star Jose Abreu has established residency in Haiti—the initial step to qualify for free agency. And just so the federal bureaucracy has something to do before the upcoming government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has "unblocked" the 26-year old slugger (whatever that means). Boston and San Francisco have been linked to Abreu—and both are expected to attend his workout at the end of September. Abreu is a former MVP in the Cuban professional league, and hit .360 in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Let's hope the Red Sox spend a little of this year's unexpected playoff money to land the 6-3, 250 pound star over the Winter.

Larry Lucchino Reveals Red Sox 'Nap Room'

Have you ever said something and immediately regretted saying it? We suspect that's how Red Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino felt during his interview this morning on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan Morning Show. Gerry Callahan had just asked about the likelihood of Mike Napoli's return next year—citing the obvious fact that he likes his surroundings here in Boston. Lucchino then talked about the non-monetary accoutrements that attract free agent types—like the "sleep room" for Red Sox players in clubhouse. Oops! Needless to say, the talk-meisters pounced on that one and groveled for every detail of the small room off the second floor of the Red Sox clubhouse—replete with bunk beds and white noise machines. If we weren't in the midst of one of the biggest positive turnarounds in Red Sox history, this story would be a real doozie.

Sox Blow Another 2-0 Lead; Fall To O's, 5-3

(Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

This is getting to be a disturbing pattern. Build a 2-0 lead on Baltimore, cough it up and lose the game late. For two straight nights that's been the script in 'doppelgänger losses' at Fenway. Last night, Jake Peavy pitched seven solid innings (striking out 8), but could not hold the O's off the board. Home runs by David Ortiz and Mike Napoli guaranteed the game was tied 3-3, but John Farrell made one of his worst managerial decisions of the year in the 11th inning. With runners on first and second, Stephen Drew was due. The lefty-hitting shortstop had be 0-6 lifetime (with five strikeouts) against the Orioles hurler. Instead of pinch-hitting Xander Bogaerts, Farrell let Drew hit—into a inning-ending double play. Game. Set. Match. Baltimore, 5-3 in 12 innings.

Lowrie: Oakland Sewage Issues 'Pretty Gross'

(Photo: Bob Stanton, USA TODAY Sports)

Former Red Sox infielder Jed Lowrie is a smart guy—he went to Stanford, after all. So, he knows when something's not quite right. When sewage seeped into the dugouts yesterday at the Oakland Coliseum during a game, Lowrie had it all scoped out, "There’s no carpet down there [in the dugout], so it’s a little bit better, but it’s still pretty gross. It’s kind of repulsive, honestly." Anyone who's been unfortunate enough to have attended a ballgame at the Coliseum knows it looks more like a correctional facility with grass. Barbed wire—literally—welcomes you as you leave the BART station and head toward the stands. When you add in raw sewage to this delightful mix, a stadium that looks like a wretched "old factory" becomes more "olfactory".

Need Sox Parking? Use Our ParkWhiz Partners!

As this memorable Red Sox season winds down, parking for games will become more and more of a pain in the you-know-what. While overall attendance may be off, all those annoying students from Long Island are clogging up our beloved byways around Fenway Park (not to mention the Secret Police of Parking in The People's Republic of Brookline). One way to avoid all of this is to use the handy ParkWhiz system that will guide you to safe, reasonably priced parking spots within easy distance of Fenway. CLICK HERE AND TRY IT TONIGHT!

Nomar: Sox 1 Of 3 Teams That Can Win It All

Nomar At 2003 ALCS (FenwayNation Photo)

Red Sox icon Nomar Garciaparra thinks the Red Sox are one of three teams that can win the World Series this year. Based on late-seasons momentum, the former Red Sox shortstop thinks Boston, Detroit and the Dodgers are best suited to go all the way. Nomar picked the World Champion San Francisco Giants to win last year,  "I really gauge the postseason on the last couple of weeks of the season. I did this last year and said San Francisco, and people were looking at me like, ‘What?’ I could see they were hot, the momentum was on their side. They battled back in their games, and that was the same thing with the Cardinals the year before. This game is so much about momentum. Shoot, ask the guys on the Red Sox, ask David [Ortiz] about ’04. Everybody says, ‘We got hot at the right time.’" He also thinks current shortstop phenom Xander Bogaerts is on the perfect veteran-laden team to give him the kind of guidance he got from Mo Vaughn and company in his early years. He cautions, however, that the 20-year old Bogaerts needs room to grow, "People need to give him time. He has tremendous ability, both on the defensive and offensive side, but he’s so young." Garciaparra continues this year as an analyst for ESPN's Baseball Tonight.

Why The Heck Aren't People Enthused By Sox?

(Associated Press Photo)

In today's Boston Globe, the estimable Eric Wilbur tackles a thorny issue in this otherwise magical Red Sox season—how come nobody cares? Tonight's 'One Dollar Beard Night' promotion seems more the product of a AA Schlock-Meister than the wondrous mind of Dr. Charles ("The Mad Dentist") Steinberg. Wilbur correctly points out that it could be a lot worse—the streaking Indians draw a pitiful average of 19,435 fans, compared with 34,823 at Fenway. And yet, Boston's number is down 2,744 from last year's Valentinian Nightmare. How can that be? We're all in love with Team ZZ Bop, aren't we? Apparently not. Wilbur postulates that hard core fans may have been turned off by recent mediocrity—along with commemorative bricks, the unctuous “At Fenway” music video debacle, and the endless renditions of “Sweet Caroline". Also, younger fans just aren't into baseball anymore and tickets are still ridiculously overpriced. The result may be an 'Imperfect Storm' of ennui. Go figure.

Buck, A Drunk NYY Fan, & A Loss 20 Years Ago

Blotto Yankee Fan Robs Red Sox Of Win

Since Buck Showalter is in town, it's fitting that we cite a Red Sox-related event involving the Orioles manager that happened twenty years ago tonight. Back then, Showalter was managing another team you may have heard of—the New York Yankees. In 1993, both the Yankees and the Red Sox were pathetic also-rans (much like the Yankees this year), but the rivalry was still meaningful. On September 18th, The Carmine Hose held a 3-1 edge on The Bronx Embalmers in the bottom of the ninth at the original Yankee Stadium. As Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times recounts, ambidextrous Greg Harris was on the mound for Boston and easily got the first two outs. Then he hit a batter, and then Mike Stanley hit a routine fly ball to left-fielder Mike Greenwell. Game over, right? Wrong, Pine Tar Breath! A moronic, drunken Yankee fan ran onto the field just as Harris delivered his pitch—so the umpire called time. No play. Re-do. Of course, Stanley roped a single. Next up was—of course—Wade Boggs. He singled (what else is new?). 3-2 Red Sox. You know what's coming, right? Don Mattingly singled in the game-winning runs and Boston lost, 4-3. Thanks to a drunk Yankee fan. So, not much has changed. You can watch the whole fiasco HERE.