8-8 to 8-10: Texas Rangers at Boston Red Sox

[Fishercat]

After a disappointing series against the Twins (specifically game 2. You get a 3-0 lead on Johan Santana, you keep it, don't let an oppurtunity like that slip) where they lost it 2-1 and had their eight game winning streak snapped, they head back to Fenway. Meeting them in the oldest MLB Ballpark will be the Texas Rangers, who without Kenny Rogers and with the A's surge, have their division and wild card hopes dwindling mightily. They just took two of three from Baltimore on the back of solid performance by John "Way Back" Wasdin and Chris Young.

Game 1: Boston will send out Wade Miller who has been on a little winning streak of his own after being cold for a couple months. He will need to avoid his first inning stuggles facing the potent Texas offense. Ricardo Rodriguez, the Rangers starter, will try to get his own personal record up to .500. To do that, he will have to avoid the extremely hot bat of Manny Ramirez, who since the trade talks, has been on fire.

Game 2: Texas sends out Joaquin Benoit to face off against All-Star Matt Clement. Clement struggled in his last outing but got the win against a pitiful Royals team. Benoit has a dazzling 2.49 ERA in around 40 innings so far and the Sox will need to stop him.

Game 3: Bronson Arroyo will come out for the Sox as the winless C.J. Wilson tries to hold his ground for the Rangers. 0-4 with a 10+ ERA, the Rangers would be pleasantly surprised with a solid performance by Wilson and a win. Wilson is on thin ice with Showalter refusing to commit to a start, so we'll see if he even pitches.

X-Factor: The Rangers outfield. Since the All-Star break and the loss of Laynce Nix, only one member of the Rangers OF has hit in Kevin Mench. The Rangers would love to have Gary Matthews Jr. and Richard Hidalgo contribute to a surprisingly good DH in Delucci and an all-star infield and a competent Rod Barajas

Biased Sox Fan Prediction: Sox take the first game and the third game for a 2-1 series win. Manny will remain hot with two more homeruns and Joaquin Benoit will give us the best pitching show of the series.

[Fishercat]

They took Game 1 by an 11-5 (Or 11-6, don't remember) score, with a great game by Tony Graffanino, doing a little bit of everything. Wade Miller still sucks in the first.

[Fishercat]

Game Three has taken a turn, as the SP for the Rangers turns from the flat out poor C.J. Wilson to near Cy Young candidate Kenny Rogers.

[General]

Miller is on the DL again.

[Fishercat]

That just leads to Schilling coming back a bit prematurely, joy. Or maybe they'll keep him in the pen until Foulke is settled and ready and then move him. We'll see.

[Fishercat]

From what I read, Schilling isn't going into the rotation? Will it be Papelbon, Gonzalez?

Anyway, Sox overcame a scary moment with the Rangers coming back to win 16-5...damn. Nice sweep