Game time: 7:05 pm

Scheduled starters: David Wells (12-6, 4.24) v. Aaron Small (6-0, 2.42)

The game will be on WSBK


New York Weather: 1 pm observation at LGA: 12,000 feet scattered, 20,000 feet overcast, visibility 10 miles, temperature 74F, DP 57F, wind out of the north at 10 mph.

Forecast: The high overcast should break later this afternoon, which will allow some heating into the low 80's. The winds have shifted to out of the north, indicating that the cold front has passed, and we should have a nice night for baseball. The wind will remain north to northeast; a north wind blows across from left to right, and a northeast wind blows slightly in from left. Winds will be under 10 mph.

Anni

**MOJO** - States Day 1
Get out Old Glory, it's time for some good old fashioned patriotism with mojo honoring the 50 states. And what better state to start it off than the home state of David Wells, today's starter for the Red Sox: California.



There are many defining characteristics of California of which mojo can be derived. First of all: there is a grizzly bear prominently featured on their state flag. How can you deny the snazzy of that?



Secondly, California is the most populous state in the union. In fact, one out of every 8 Americans lives in California. Look for contributions from the entire ball club to pull out a win in today's game. The Yankees are always a tough club, but the Red Sox will find strength in numbers.

Thirdly, California was quickly settled after the discovery of gold in 1849, sparking the gold rush. It will be up to the Red Sox to quickly rush Aaron Small should he slip up, and pile on the hits before he knows what's what. Small has seen some success since joining the New York rotation, but I know a secret which will help the Red Sox in facing him: [whispers] he's Aaron Small!

Fourthly, the state is well known for its above average amount of seismic activity. This is for David Wells and his excellent curve. Lets see his breaking stuff drop of the table and shake the hitters right out of their rhythm.

Lastly, it is home to teen heartthrobs galore:



Now normally this wouldn't necessarily be particularly powerful mojo, but the Boston Red Sox are not your normal team. How many teams have as many bonafide heartthrobs as the Red Sox? Johnny Damon, Jason Varitek, Bronson Arroyo... just saying their names are likely to make the ladies swoon. Even grown men are attempting to defy sciencein order to be closer to the objects of their affection. If that's not mojo, than frankly I'm in the wrong business because apparently I don't know what mojo is.

In fact, if you would like to participate from home in today's mojo, pull out your favorite hunky picture of your player of choice and just fawn over it for a while. Maybe practice writing out "Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Youkilis" a few hundred times in your notebook. I know I'll be scrawling my fair share of "NU+DO BFF 4-EVA!!!"

Looies will add some Mojo from that uniquely Californian place:



And what better product of Hollywood then the movies? Such as:

I think LW is on to something:

A-Rod does look pretty good in leather:



I have a feeling there will be some fireworks this series. The Yanks are getting desparate...

Gary Sheffield, who has killed the Sox this year (1.317 OPS) and has hit David Wells fairly well (.983 OPS in 21 ABs), is not in the lineup tonight with a strained thigh muscle, according to WFAN. Lawton is playing RF.

Today's pitching line reads 'Small Wells'.....now there's an oxymoron.

Here's hoping that Wells can feed off his hurt feelings from when the NY fans booed him in April (he seemed really bothered by that at the time) and turning that into a solid performance. The 'ol 'stick it to 'em mentality....

And let's hope the Sox don't look like boys against a man when facing a young pitcher they haven't seen before as they have so often this season.

And here's hoping for a few 'Let's Go Red Sox' chants from the toilet this weekend, for the moral of the players and of myself.

And finally, here's hoping that all the talk out of NY on 9/12 is of who the Yanks will have to hold off to clinch a Wild Card birth.

I'm buckled in for the weekend's ride.......let 'er rip!

Aaron Small is acually like 33, career minor leaguer.

Current Sox career at bats vs. Small



14-1.....that's ok, it means we're do...right?

PS: I never can get data to look right (even columns & such)

From Today's Cleveland Plain Dealer - previewing the upcoming series (Guess who they're rooting for):


Pulling on the Sox

The only real clam chowder is the New England variety.

The old back bay is more charming and cleaner than the East River.

Fenway Park is a great place to walk to. Yankee Stadium is a great place to escape from.

Have we established our loyalties for this weekend in the Bronx? The Indians and Red Sox even share a similar color scheme -- surely that's a good reason to root for the AL East leaders against The Only Team To Blow A 3-0 Playoff Lead.

Oh, that's right. It's important in the standings, too.

With California, there's many a cities to take a look at and feature. For today's mojo, I'm going to take a look at the favorite city home of Love of Sox, David Wells, Ted Williams, and the ever charismatic Ron Burgundy....yep

San Diego!

It's also the home of the Padres, but that doesn't matter right now. I call upon San Diego, sixth largest city in the US, and it's charms to help lead the Red Sox to victory. May the Red Sox be as laid back as the atmosphere, may Wells' pitching be as crisp and clear as the weather there. May we wreak havoc on the Yankees the way the San Diego residents did when Ron Burgundy said "Go F*ck Yourselves, San Diego" Can you feel it? I can too! So let's go!

let's go boys

put the nail in the coffin...sweep the leg... lets's make the last series of the season meaningless...

GO SOX

Holy crap! Eckersley outright says he thinks Giambi might be taking something undetectable and that is what is turning his career around. Eckersley just said this on the NESN pregame show.

Sure, we random posters can do such things, but it's different coming from an analyst like him.

He's not exactly going out on a limb there, you know.

I've never been any less confident in Manny Ramirez at any point in my life than I am right now.

Lazy Manny, jogging to first...

He REALLY hit the hell out of that one.

What in the f**k. What in the hell was Graffanino throwing to? Nice job giving up the run on that stupidass throw. Jesus Christ.

wow I love Wells' athleticism

Nice throw.

And now fatass can't find the plate. This is going to be a f**king ugly game.

I don't blame him. I don't think i've ever seen that bad of a throw to first.

Shades of Chuck Knoblauch...

Worse!

Chill everyone, i have a good feeling.

That's the first time anyone has made good contact with any ball in the last 11 innings now. About time, and sad.

i was just about to mention chuck. I dont know how you can say chuck wasn't worse though. i remember him throwing the ball into the stands from 2nd.

Tek read that thing all wrong off the bat. He should have scored there. But at least this lineup is coming to life. Good.

Do more than chill.

That throw was there because the right-field shift on Rhoid-Boy was on.

Millar or Wells should have been covering (ideally, Wells backing up first instead of home.)

Graff did exactly what he was supposed to, trusting his receiver was open.

Here we go. C'mon Johnny!

We are tied, and I think we're going to do our worst.

As Rominer would say, the Red Sox offense is much like my bladder... and the seal is broken.

F**K YEAH BABY!!! RENT!!

Dude, don't take the blame off graff. That stunk, period.

I like how Lawton plays RF.

Lawton in right field plays and looks like Tom Gordon in right field.

Renteria just tears up the MFY.

It pains me that Sheffield is so torn up...it couldn't happen to a better guy.

The "Boston sucks" chant sounds pathetic enough as it is without the added benefit of being "1918" or "Who's your Daddy".

That had nothing to do with Graffanino. Millar had difficulty getting over; tough to coordinate a movement like that when you dont practice all year.

I HATE THAT LITTLE B$%$H!

Way to keep the momentum Wells...

Peanuthead hit a homer.

Yawn.

**** these losers, let's **** these ****ing #####s.

Nice to see Bellhorn and Embree hanging out together, away from those #####s on the other end of the bench.

PRO!!!!!!

Umm...Okay.

manny is becoming more and more look like he was earlier this year. thats not good

but, I do rather him to be slumping now and get hot at the end of this month.

Sveumed.

The throw was being cut off when Sveum sent him home.

I will now light myself on fire.

Sveum you friggin moron. WTF? On the bright side, seeing Tek hit Posada (even if he did hold the ball) was fun.

Jesus Christ, Sveum simply has no judgment. That wasn't even close.

Don't act surprised. Please don't.

Posada literally caught the ball, set himself, got planted, ate a sandwhich, called his mom, then still had time to tuck his ears away and brace for impact.

It is amazing, he held him in the second on a play he should have scored on and now this call!