Sports Redux: Thanks, Joe!

Oh, hindsight. What tricks you play on fans, coaches and baseball bullpens.

It made sense, in some respects, for Tampa Bay pseudo-starter Jason Hammel to be pulled from Friday night's game during the sixth inning. Considering that Hammel, a reliever bumped up to starting rotation placement, had walked consecutive batters when the DRays were holding onto a precious 1-0 lead, the decision to turn to the bullpen was one that many baseball enthusiasts would support ten out of ten times. Such a decision is the sign of smartly thought-out baseball - if you forget about the fact that Tampa Bay's bullpen is mediocre at best. Whoops!

Red Sox fans ought to be clamoring for the chance to buy Tampa Bay manager Joe Madden a beer today, because the seemingly wise move cost the DRays big time. Relief pitcher Juan Salas walked onto the mound, threw a few warm-up pitches and then pretty much handed Kevin Youkilis a home run ball. The quick three-run shot over the left field wall pushed the Sox past the Rays and opened the floodgate for a 7-1 victory. Thanks, Joe!

Tim Wakefield continued to amaze and mystify folks with his dome-pitching ways: Friday marked the 17th win notched by the knuckleballer in Tropicana Field. He's never lost there. His knuckleball always has a little something extra special there. He kept the team in the game until the offense was ready to start knocking at the Devil Rays.

-- Curt Schilling is tentatively slated to come back to the Red Sox rotation on Aug. 5 or 6. Mark your calendars!

-- It is officially that time of year again: the time when the media is left to juggle Red Sox coverage with Patriots coverage, the time when baseball fans and football fans debate which team deserves more attention. The Pats are back! Training camp started Friday, and Dan Shaughnessy's already sending the team to the big game (surprise, surprise, surprise). Brady, Bruschi (thank goodness) and the rest were there, and it seems that Brandon Merriweather will be there soon, after having finally come to agreement over his contract.

Photo by flickr user eurodana