Hardball Heaven

Well, the bats have certainly come alive at the right time. The Sox are administering a beatdown in Chicago this weekend, with 45 hits and 35 runs scored in the first three games. It's hard to believe the ChiSox won the World Series in 2005 - they've looked positively pathetic, the bullpen has been horrendous, and Ozzie Guillen constantly looks like a man who's eaten some bad seafood. The Red Sox go for a rare 4-game sweep today with Julian Tavarez opposing Javier Vazquez.

It's the right time for some offense because we need to put a little breathing room between us and the Yanks before we start that three-game series in the Bronx on Tuesday. If the lead was 4, or even down to 3, it would be pins and needles time. The worst it can be now is 5 1/2, and with any luck, it could be up to 7 1/2 which would be very nice. The Yanks have their own issues to worry about. They've slowed down some after that torrid stretch, and if the playoffs started today they'd be making tee times. New York is currently 2 behind Seattle for the AL Wild Card.

So here's hoping the bats continue to wreak some havoc today, we have at least a 6 1/2 game lead going into NYC - with Dice-K, Beckett and Schilling lined up - and we can all sit back and actually enjoy our Labor Day Weekend. Has this summah flown by or what?