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It's nice to see us continue to play well against bad teams. It's better than the alternative. This is obvious, but that bomb by Alexei was huge. We were about to get blanked that inning against the soft-throwing Bannister after Paulie's miserable pop up. Alexei fouls off a lot of slow crap then hits the high arching grand slam. We get six that inning which was enough. Mark was quite good enough; Wise was great and our bullpen only gave up one run. We got the good Dotel for consecutive outings and Linebrink looked good. I'll take wins against bad teams; hope we can win Saturday. I mean this is the pennant right here. I'd feel so much better if those games against the Twins were in the Cell. But they ain't and we need to be up four in the loss column entering that series. If we are up four in the loss column, I would think we could muster one win out of the three. If we are up four in the loss column and somehow win the opener there, we win the pennant. At any rate, we could have folded after sucking in NYC, but instead won the opener against the horrid, yet hot Royals. One question: We all get worked up about our team. Is the victory formula just this simple? Hit four homers or more and we're fine?? Don't whack four and we probably lose? Are we simply a slowpitch softball team? We all can sleep well this night. GO SOX!

No, I'm just saying I doubt it's just Oz that should be flamed when this blows up. It might be his sole idea, but I would doubt that. Like you said if we can't beat KC we don't deserve it anyway. Parallels to 1967 when the Sox tanked in KC and that was that. Unfortunately KC has played better since an article in the local rag stating that the players thought Hillman was a joke. Kind of woke up the place. That sad, the crowds will be horrific this weekend and if the Sox fans make the drive like they usually do, should be about 20 percent Sox fans; the rest Royals out of a crowd of less than 20,000 each day.

I hate the perception, real or not, that the team is dead tired. For the WS champ, there's still about six weeks left. Minnie didn't look tired last night and we didn't look tired after blowing the lead against Detroit rallying to win it on the late home run.

Wow. We got the good Dotel tonight in a wasted cause. I can't believe that bum is a zillionaire. MacDougal is stealing so much loot. Liney has an excuse, the injury.

Good question. You could say our veterans are choking or you could say it's baseball and they are just not producing for no particular reason. What gets me is we've been so predictable. I think a lot of us truly expected us to lose 3 of 4 or even all 4 to NY. I truly would expect us to win 2 of 3 in KC; but hey like fathom or somebody said with our bullpen and our inconsistent hitting literally anything can happen this weekend. We easily could lose all 3.

Well, they have to say something after pathetic losses. Might as well speak the truth.

Mark by far is my favorite player on the current team.

I would agree this 3 days rest thing seems dumb. As devil's advocate, however, I think it's got to be Oz, KW and Coop all combining their minds on this. But I have no problem with you blaming Oz if this blows up. It's why he gets paid the big bucks. Take the heat and the credit. I know emotion isn't that big in baseball where it's a marathon, but I guess I expect too much out of our veterans to fire up the club. I mean if we lose 2 of 3 and/or all 3 to KC without some tables being upturned and screaming DURING the game, that'd be disappointing. I mean this is what these guys allegedly play for, a shot at the postseason. I know we are banged up and tired, but sometimes we do appear dead. Maybe I'm wrong; maybe it just appears that way and this is just the marathon called baseball season.

Good for Frank. Numero uno.

The crazy thing is we swept Detroit and were up 3 in the loss column and we had life. Then we have no life. It's really bizarre. I've been wrong before, but I really truly am assuming 3 losses in the dome. I think the season is here in KC. If we lose all 3 we're out of gas, kaput, done. However will we turn it on and kick their ass? I have no clue.

big comeback win for the twins; will it spur them to the title? maybe

Caulfield why would you care about that? No disrespect but who gives a f*** about season tix sales. If we do not make the playoffs, it will be a major disappointment that will take us all a while to get over. The injuries will be the excuse that will ultimately pacify us all. CQ might have made a difference. Losing 3 of 4 in NY was not good but hardly unexpected. Losing 2 of 3 or all 3 to KC would really suck but who cares if it affects tix sales. Let Jerry worry bout that.

We can't expect the Twins to tank every night. As badly as we are playing, I continue to expect a sweep in Minnie. The question is can we win two of three vs. KC? We're not going to sweep KC. Nothing would surprise me there except a sweep by our Sox. I don't think that will happen; any other result would not surprise me, even us getting swept. Tony why do you think some hope we drop to 1.5. I don't believe that. We're just playing like s*** with the pennant on the line. That just sucks.

We definitely tanked in NY and will not sweep the Royals. The question is ... will be do s*** against the Royals? That was a pathetic overall effort in New York winning just one, pathetic. I would hope we could take two of three, but who knows?

If we make it and CQ can play, that might give us a major boost as well. So many ifs with this team. I think everybody's hope is we squeak in and find that playoff magic again. I mean Thome, Paulie, CQ, Alexei, even Griffey or Swish could get red hot when the bright lights are on. Maybe the starters will be on fire and the bullpen sees Joe Morgan in the pressbox and remembers they are the best bullpen in baseball. I just hope we get there and see what happens.

That is darn true. It's why what our starters did in 05 postseason is so amazing.

MacDougal is a joke, a big, tall joke. If we don't win the division, please send all former KC Royals packing. Get rid of all of them PLEASE.

I'm trying to enjoy it, but something in the back of my mind is telling me we are going to regret not playing a bit better baseball and taking advantage of the Twins' current stretch of s***tiness. Head to head for 3 games in Minnie. I hope we bring our A games. Can Vazzy beat Musina?

That's funny how two third basemen are in the top 7. Except for those 2 haven't the Sox had a horrid history of 3rd basemen?

Yeah, me too. We're pretty much doing the expected every night. 2-2 in this series is about the best anybody with common sense would have hoped for us. 1-3 will be sad no matter what the Twinks do. If the Twins do wind up sweeping us at the s***dome and we don't win it, we certainly have nobody to blame but ourselves (and injuries if you want to go that route).

Wow, no bats for us and no bullpen tonight again. Wonder if Oz should have used the Thornton, Jenks combo again. They are the only two usable relievers. We might regret not taking advantage of the Twinks' slump when their fans are going nuts soon against us in the Humptydome. WIthout reading the thread, who got all the blame tonight?

I agree with chisoxfan. I don't get the love for Swisher. I've been holding hope that he might at some point carry us whether down the stretch or hopefully if we make the postseason. Because of his personality I don't hate him, but he's not been a good acquisition yet.

I love Fisk. What a stud.

Good post caulfield, but if Clayton gets lit up as expected and Twins win, it's back to nailbiting time. I love your analysis, but it's one day at a time. Anything can happen. Ask the Brew Crew who suddenly are what nine games out and a half back in the wildcard.

Swish does suck, but maybe he's our good luck charm. We can only hope.