You Gotta Believe

I'm officially lending You Gotta Believe to the Red Sox. Last year it was Cowboy Up and they always use Reverse the Curse, but they just do not cut it. I have no idea what it is this year, but if Kevin Millar made it up, it probably stinks. Last night they had Believe written everywhere in the clubhouse so they might as well take the entire thing, I'm sure Tug would not mind. The Red Sox have staved off a celebration on their home turf and made this series a bit more interesting. Just when it looked like they were rolling over and playing dead, Big Papi had the game winning hit in extra innings two nights in a row. Yesterday's game started at five, at which time I went home from work. Then I got home, did some stuff while I was watching the game, then I went out to eat. At eight o'clock, I went to the movies and the game was still on and the the Astros vs. Cardinals game had just started. At about 10:30 I got home from the movies and the game was still freakin' on. The game took nearly six hours to finish and was the longest a playoff game has ever taken in terms of time. The Astros game finished a half hour after the Red Sox game despite starting three hours later. Now Curt Schilling and his magic booty are coming out to pitch game six in dramatic fashion if the weather can hold out. Can the Red Sox win two games in row from the Yankees? Definitely. However improbable of a run that this would be for the Red Sox, it is not impossible. Throw out the series being 3-2 in favor of the Yankees and look at these two final games. The Red Sox, if Schilling's magic boot is really magic, have the clear advantage over the Yankees in game six. Leiber has shut down the Red Sox recently and I just cannot believe that streak will continue. Game seven gets dicey for all. The Red Sox will have used all five of their starters in three days in row. Who would be available for game seven? Arroyo only pitched one inning on Monday and Derek Lowe would be on extremely short rest so one would assume they would combine to try and give a solid combined outing and as always, the knuckerballer can go seven days a week. The Yankees will be throwing Vazquez or Brown out on the hill for game seven and I'm not sure who would be willing to bet the farm on either of them to win that game. As far as I'm concerned, as long as Big Papi and ManRam are in the lineup and Curt is going to gut out game number six, You Gotta Believe.

* * *

Terry Collins will be the third managerial candidate to meet with Omar Minaya. I think we all believe that Mr. Collins has no shot at this job.

This is an awfully strange rumor:

Beltran is represented by Scott Boras, but recent reports have suggested he may be ready to cut ties with the powerful Boras.

Raise your hand if you thought Houston had a shot after being down 2-0 to the Cardinals. Maybe this is the year for unbelievable comebacks and two huge upsets.