Did Adam LaRoche and Casey Kotchman REALLY play for the Red Sox last year?

I see the pictures of them... and I have some hazy recollections of it...

But I could have dreamed the whole thing.

It DID happen, right?

I wonder if they savored their memories of their completely inconsequential tenures in Boston.

I wonder if anyone bought a LaRoche jersey.

If you bought a LaRoche or a Kotchman jersey, send me a picture of it at info@sullybaseball.com

Are the Red Sox playing a split squad game?

Seriously... have you seen the starting line up for tonight's game?

Joey Gathright leading off?

Josh Reddick batting second?

Casey Kotchman in the #3 hole?

George Kottaras batting 6th?

Lowrie at third? Woodward at second?

Look, I know they clinched and all, but when I see this kind of line up, I think "I guess the other guys are in Sarasota playing some other team's split squad."

Fernando Cabrera is already in the game.

I hope a parent in the stands says to their son and daughter "If you are lucky, you might see Hunter Jones and Dustin Richardson pitch tonight!"

It's better to lose like that

When Casey Kotchman hit that homer to give the Red Sox a 3-1 lead last night, I'll admit it... I started thinking "Oh man, we can win this game."

Then the Yankees started slapping Smoltz around and I thought "Oh no, this is going to be one of THOSE kind of games... a back and forth Red Sox - Yankees game that goes down to the wire."

Mercifully it wasn't.

I've always maintained that 9-8 losses are the worst. But games where the Sox are blown out and blown out early are easy to swallow.

I had dinner with my wife and kids, went to the Farmer's Market in South Pasadena and the four of us took a family walk on a clear August night.

No need to watch every pitch... it was a whuppin'. And Billy Traber took one for the team with 3 1/3 innings, allowing Papelbon, Delcarmen, Okajima, Bard and Ramirez to be rested for today.

I thought the Sox were going to lose last night and they did.

I didn't expect them to go 19-0... but for a second there, I thought they might.

Two bullets dodged and some curious moves

Sorry dear readers. I've been swamped the last few days so I'm a bit behind.

And not exactly an uneventful few days for the Red Sox eh?

When we last left the Red Sox, David Ortiz tested positive to the surprise of nobody and looked like with the Phillies dealing for Cliff Lee that Halladay might be Red Sox bound.

Also the Yankees were surging and the Sox fell to 3 1/2 back... and the A's took a 4-1 lead and looked like they were going to take 3 of 4 in Fenway.

A day and a half later, the Red Sox had two come from behind games, pulled to within 1 1/2 games of the Yankees and decided to acquire every first baseman in the American League.

Seriously, where the hell is Casey Kotchman supposed to play?

Two more months of baseball with a magic number of 60 to clinch a playoff spot.

It's certainly going to be interesting.

Let's update the tally.

DODGED A BULLET GAMES - 14

April 17 - 10-8 win against Orioles. (Overcame 7-0 deficit.)

April 24 - 5-4 win against Yankees. (Bay homers off of Rivera in 9th to tie it.)

April 25 - 16-11 win against Yankees. (Overcame 6-0 deficit.)

April 29 - 6-5 win at Cleveland. (Overcame 5-0 deficit.)

May 12 - 4-3 win at Anaheim. (Down 3-1 in the 8th.)
June 11 - 4-3 win against Yankees. (Down 3-1 in the 8th. Rallied against Sabathia.)

June 12 - 5-2 win at Philadelphia. (Overcame Ryan Howard's 9th inning shot to win in 13)

June 21 - 6-5 win against Atlanta. (The wind turns Nick Green's fly ball into a walk off shot)

June 27 - 1-0 win at Atlanta. (Masterson and Papelbon wiggle out of late jams.)
July 1 - 6-5 win at Baltimore. (Sox score 4 in the 9th and Lugo wins in in the 11th)

July 8 - 5-4 win against Oakland. (Wind keeps Hairston's 9th inning go ahead homer in the ballpark)

July 10 - 1-0 win against Kansas City. (Pedroia drives in the only run with 2 outs in the 8th.)

July 30 - 8-5 win against Oakland. (Ortiz tests postive then hits a 2 out 3 run go ahead homer.)

July 31 - 6-5 win at Baltimore. (Youk's 2 run homer saves Smoltz from another bad start.)

TEETH GRINDER GAMES - 16

April 14 - 6-5 loss at Oakland. (Sox blow early 3-0 lead. Lose in 12)

April 28 - 9-8 loss at Cleveland. (Sox blow early 5-1 lead. Lopez drops 3rd out.)
May 14 - 5-4 loss at Anaheim. (Ortiz goes 0-7 stranding 12 runners.)
May 15 - 5-4 loss at Seattle. (Red Sox blow their second 4-0 lead in three days.)

May 17 - 3-2 loss at Seattle. (Red Sox strand two in the 9th. Lose in the bottom of the 9th.)

May 23 - 3-2 loss to the Mets. (Papelbon lets up a 2 out 2 run homer in the 9th to Omir Santos)

June 18 - 2-1 loss to the Marlins. (Rain washes out a tight game after 5+ innings.)

June 28 - 2-1 loss to the Braves. (Tying run on base in the 9th. Solid Penny outing wasted)
June 30 - 11-10 loss at Baltimore. (The Red Sox blow a late 10-1 to the lowly Orioles.)
July 3 - 7-6 loss to Seattle. (Red Sox comeback in the 8th only to lose in the 11th.)

July 4 - 3-2 loss to Seattle. (Saito walks three in the 9th as the Mariners rally to win)

July 9 - 8-6 loss to the Royals. (Bullpen blows early 4-0 lead.)

July 21 - 4-2 loss at Texas. (Beckett loses a complete game and the Yankees take over first.)

July 22 - 3-1 loss at Texas. (Sox are swept for the first time all season.)

July 28 - 9-8 loss to Oakland. (Sox blow 3 run lead in 9th. A's rally with 2 outs in 9th and 11th.)

July 29 - 8-6 loss to Oakland. (Down 5-0 in the first, Sox comeback falls short)

Up to -2.

Isn't playing the Orioles such a soothing tonic?