I was fully prepared to sit down on a Sunday night with some chips, salsa, and a nice cold beer, and watch Mr. Schilling make us all forget about the Yankees pulling a “look one way, while we run the other direction with your best player” robbery from the Phillies today. I figured it was going to be a good night when right before I had to chance to press the mute button to shield my ears from verbal disgust that is Joe Morgan, ESPN mentioned that Orel Hershiser would be taking over for him tonight.

After Schilling gave up home runs to O-Cab, Vladdy and Rivera all cleared the green monster in the 3rd, I realized it wasn’t to be. Hell, when a guy who looks like this goes 3-5 with 2 doubles, well, ugh:

But even with Schilling struggling the Sox still made a comeback from 5 down to get the score to 6-4 in the 5th. And then the tide turned. First, Doubles got hit on the forearm, but the umpire (who had a strikezone about as fickle as a 12 year old going through puberty) wouldn’t award him first base. We’ve reached a new level of blind. (It led to a strikeout that ended the inning with runners on 1st and 2nd.)

Then, for some unknown reason, Tito decided that it would be a good idea to give Van Buren his first high-leverage innings. The guy isn’t good enough to pitch in blowouts, but with a 2-run game in the 6th you want to make sure he’s in there. Otherwise who else would give up 2 singles, a walk, a should have been single to center if Coco didn’t make an amazing catch and then a single to right. After all that Tito decides Tavarez needed a chance to look just as bad.

I know Tito managed the bullpen to perfection in games 4-7 of the 2004 ALCS, but it’s almost like he has a Wheel-of-Fortune wheel down in the dugout and spins it whenever he needs a reliever. Unless he was instructed by Theo not to use Delcarmen, Hansen, and Timlin tonight there is no excuse for bringing in Van Buren, Tavarez and then Seanez.

Just over two hours until The Deadline. I’m still waiting…