I didn’t think we had a huge chance going into this series, but then Dice-K had to look magnificent in the first game and all of a sudden, you start counting down wins. Two from Lester, at least one from Beckett and we’re back-to-back AL champs. One squeezed strike zone, and Lester’s worst start of the year at Fenway, and all of a sudden we’re a bad Wakefield outing from being down 3-1…again. I know the last two AL pennants came when the Sox were down 3-1, but if you play russian roulette enough you’re eventually going to find the bullet.

Realistically, the Sox were going to try to win a World Series with one pitcher this year, Lester, and that’s just not going to get it done (unless your name is Josh Beckett and you’re healthy). Lester, who’s far exceeded everyone’s expectations this season, finally blinked. I wish he hadn’t, I hoped he could ride this run out through the playoffs, but it’s a lot to ask a pitcher in his first full year. (See what I did there? I didn’t mention the cancer thing. Contrary to what Chip Carey and Craig Sagear will keep telling you, the guy actually pitches too.)

Of course we should look at the offense as well. Big Papi has turned into Big Pop-up, and our leadoff batter is 0 for the series (yet Tito continues to have him not only start, but bat leadoff). Even when guys get on base, the Sox are now something like two for 58 with RISP. We should at least thank the unsung hero from yesterday, Jacoby Ellsbury come on up…no, that’s not right. Paul Byrd did a great job of saving the rest of the pen, pitching 3 2/3 innings so nobody else from the pen had to be used. Although in retrospect it’s too bad we didn’t use Timlin so Tito wouldn’t be tempted to try using him tonight. Oh well.