SOX BEAT RAIN, RAYS

It's so fun to watch the Sox beat the Rays. I just flat-out hate the team from Tampa Bay. They have this undeserved cockiness, a sense of entitlement. They have yet to earn my respect. And witnessing their collapse this year is extremely fulfilling. They've lost 11 straight, and are only 8 Red Sox wins (or losses on their own) from being eliminated from the playoffs. They now sit 4th in the Wild Card behind the Mariners.

The Sox put on a pitching display on Sunday. 18 combined innings divided among Jon Lester (8), Clay Buchholz (7), Billy Wagner (1), Hideki Okajima (1), and Jonathan Papelbon (1), and only 1 earned run allowed. Typically doubleheaders are split, and teams want to avoid them at all costs. But the Sox pitchers really clamped down on Sunday.

The Rangers split their doubleheader with the Mariners, so the Sox now have a 4 game lead in the Wild Card. That's a nice cushion to have going into a series with the Angels.

Daisuke Matsuzaka makes his return Tuesday night as the Angels come to town. 10-7 John Lackey takes the hill for Los Angeles/Anaheim/California.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson

SEYMOUR DRAMA OVER

Richard Seymour finally reported to the Oakland Raiders, just in time to participate in their upcoming blowout loss to the Chargers Monday night. He'll wear the number 92 for the black and silver.

He claimed that it took him so long to make the 3,000 mile trip from Foxborough to Oakland because he was "blindsided" by the deal. What a load of crap. We all know he wanted assurances from Oakland, but didn't have any leverage to secure any.

To me, it's more embarrassing to need so much time to deal with this. How many athletes in how many other sports change teams without a peep of discontent, or a moment of hesitation?

Seymour claims he needed time to move his family. If that's the ONLY reason it took him so long, and if he were in contact with his new coaches in Oakland, why wasn't he in contact with the media? Why did everyone in the country, including all his new fans in the Bay Area, have to be kept in the dark?

Whatever. It's not our problem in New England anymore. I'm glad Seymour didn't do anything rash, and I feel bad for any player sentenced to a year playing for the Raiders. But as different as it will be to see the Patriots defense without Seymour (or Bruschi, Vrabel, and Harrison for that matter), how excited will Patriots fans be on draft day in 2011?

Source:
Boston.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Winslow Townson