Since DP Isn't Around...

There's just a few things I'd like to say with impunity:

Hockey is better than basketball. The game is better. The players are more athletic.

Daisuke sucks. His 18 win season was luck. He's never been a true member of the Red Sox, he only cares about what's good for him and not what's good for the team. He's been allowed to do his own thing, and his career has been plagued by injuries because of that. There's no such thing as a gyroball.

The Perkins trade was a mistake.

Hideo Nomo is not the Japanese Jackie Robinson.

Ben Roethlisberger is a rapist. He got away with rape because of a misogynist cop who had befriended Ben earlier in the night, and because he surrounded himself with off-duty cops from PA. He wasn't an idiot to go to that bar, because he was smart enough to protect himself.

Oh, and Tom Brady is much better than Roethlisberger.

College football players shouldn't get paid. USC and Ohio State are SCHOOLS. Athletes get plenty of benefits when they attend these schools. Paying people to attend one's college is wrong.

Barry Bonds is a cheat, a liar, a clubhouse cancer, and a scumbag. He hates Boston, he hates baseball fans. Any Boston fan that likes him is misguided.

Rex Ryan is an overrated, walking (waddling) reality TV show who likes sniffing feet and putting videos of his wife on the internet for everyone to see. And any Boston fan who likes a team from New Jersey, even if they hate the local football team, is a traitor.

You know what, not liking hockey and hating the Patriots, are we really sure DP is from here? I met him in high school, and I've seen pictures and heard stories from his childhood here, but I don't know for certain. Where is DP actually from?

-The Commodore

Ok Dice-K Is Gone, What Now?

As DP reported yesterday Rice-K is gone, so the question is what happens now. Well, the Sox are going to have to hope that Lackey can comeback and be solid. He doesn't have to be great, but solid (ERA under 5 and win 50%), because otherwise the Sox will be filling two spots instead of one.

As for taking Dice-K's spot, for now if will be Wake/Aceves. They can hold on to it for awhile, but I don't see either as a long term solutions for the rest of the season. The guy that is interesting is Felix Doubront. He is finally healthy again and he has a 1.59 ERA and .172 batting average against in five starts for the PawSox.

The only problem I see for Doubront is if Hill is out for the season and the Sox don't find a guy to get lefties out. Dourbount did that pretty well last year against lefties (.189 BA), so they might need him to fill that role. I would rather they find someone else, and see what this kid can do starting, but we will have to wait and see, because the other option other then the 3 I have mentioned it Milwood and none of us feel like dealing with his 82 MPH fastball.

Red Sox Sweep Angels

The Sox are only one game below .500 and they owe it all to the Angels. Remember last year? The Sox owned Anaheim, going 9-1 against them. So while I'm happy the Sox are now only 3.5 behind the Yankees, and have a record that's not too shameful, beating the Angels is old news.

Lackey beating the Angels doesn't impress me. But Daisuke beating them does. Then again, Daisuke's problem has been consistency, and two great starts don't demonstrate that a consistency problem has been solved. I'm not aboard the Daisuke bandwagon yet. And won't be for some time.

One thing the Sox have thoroughly demonstrated with this 8-1 run, is that pitching wins. Even if half the lineup is slumping, even if the bullpen is shaky, good starting pitching makes winning easy. Crawford is still hitting below his weight, Lowrie's the only guy hitting over .300, and it seems like a new middle-reliever struggles in every game. But the wins keep coming so long as the starts are good.

To continue this roll, Buchholz needs to step up. He's lost his confidence, he's been obsessing with baserunners, and allowing homeruns. The offensively challenged (3rd fewest runs scored in baseball) Orioles present Buchholz with an opportunity to re-establish his place in this rotation. He's the only starter yet to register a Quality Start.

He faces 3-1 Zach Britton Tuesday night in Baltimore. And yes, Britton is a lefty.

-The Commodore

Rays 16, Red Sox 5

It took Tampa Bay 5 games before they scored 7 runs. Daisuke allowed that many in 2 innings. Everything he threw was a meatball, with no action, no bite, it was essentially batting practice for the Rays.

The people that think Daisuke is a good pitcher really baffle me. They allude to his 18 win season. But if any normal player came up through the minors, had a decent rookie year, then had an 18 win sophomore campaign, then struggled for two years, we'd dismiss them as washed up. As Brian Rose redux. Why is Daisuke any different?

He's just not a good pitcher. He doesn't throw strikes. He needs 20+ pitches to get out of an inning. He taxes the bullpen. And who knows if he's healthy or hurt?

That's pretty much all there is to say about this game.

Jon Lester faces David Price tonight.

-The Commodore