Tough Red Sox question

Who would you rather see at bat in a big spot at this point?

Catcher Kevin Cash?
Or Elmo creator Kevin Clash?

Don't answer right away... it's a tougher question than you would think.

(Maybe I'd rather have Elmo up there.)

Loves when the Red Sox win... even when I don't know who they are!

I looked at today's Red Sox box score and I saw Niuman Romero got into the game as a pinch runner.

Also I saw Robert Manuel got an inning of work in with some mop up duty.

I had never heard of either one before and I follow the Red Sox pretty damn closely.

If I told you that on the 3rd of July, the Red Sox DL would have more post season heroes than the line up and players like Daniel Nava, Darnell McDonald and Kevin Cash would be in the game, you'd assume the Sox season was lost.

Kevin Cash is back? I would rather have Elmo Creator Kevin Clash in the line up!

But your assumptions would be wrong.

After today's game, the Red Sox remain 1/2 a game behind the Yankees and tied for the most wins in baseball.

No need to go all Butch and Sundance on this team and ask "Who are those guys?"
I don't care, as long as they wear the Sox uniform.

Does Kevin Cash belong in that elite group of Red Sox/Yankees champions?

The Red Sox today welcomed back old friend and knuckleball catching specialist Kevin Cash in a deal with Houston.

With Victor Martinez hurt, it is good to have someone with big league experience backing up "The Lobster" and catching Wakefield (who goes tonight in search if his 178th win in a Red Sox uniform.)

Cash was on the 2007 Division Series roster but didn't get into a game. (He played and homered in the 2008 ALCS for the Sox.)

So he earned a ring with the '07 Red Sox.

But remember, he also played for the 2009 Yankees... which as painful as it is to remember... also won the World Series.

Now he only played 10 games for the Yankees that year and was released in September... but I wonder if he got a ring from the Yankees as well.

I guess he would join Ramiro Mendoza, Johnny Damon and Eric Hinske as the only living players to get a World Series ring as a player with the Red Sox and Yankees.

But I have a hard time putting him in that list because Mendoza, Damon and Hinske were all on the active roster for the post season while Cash was cut from the team before the season was over.

It's the sort of thing that a lunatic like me thinks about at this late hour.

Either way, welcome back... and don't get hurt.

Varitek an All Star?

I had a few people write to me regarding the Mike Sharperson Award.

I gave the prize, given to the player who is on the roster only because each team needs a rep and will inevitably make people at home say "WHO?" to Nate McLouth.

Mainly people said I was being a homer and ignoring Jason Varitek's selection to the team.

Let me say that first of all he isn't Sharperson eligible.
People HAVE heard of him and clearly has had All Star years in the past.

That being said, the only way that Jason Varitek should be at the 2008 All Star Game is if he buys a ticket.
I love the captain and will give him standing ovations from here to the end of time (which will be indicated by a Cleveland Championship).

But he's been such an automatic out this year that sometimes I wonder if the Sox should bring back Doug Mirabelli for his bat!

This is clearly a reputation selection and a respect selection rather than honoring the production of someone currently batting sub .220.

Plus there is no shortage of Red Sox this year at the All Star Game...
Papi, Papelbon, Drew, Pedroia, Youk, Manny... Christ I think Marty Barrett will be there too!

But how does Varitek get the call over A.J. Pierzynski?
Jorge Posada?

Hell, Kevin Cash!

Oh well, the bizarre selections are as much a part of this game as the snubs.
Starting next year I will hand out not only the Sharperson Award but also the Varitek Award.

How's about that, dear readers?