Sports Redux: Qualifiers

There's some debate whether and how much a team should celebrate just by making the playoffs. It's not like the days when the NHL had 16 playoff spots for 21 teams. But with four spots in each league up for grabs, a team with a recent record of success, a high payroll, and experienced veterans should expect to make it. Oh, sorry, Hank, didn't see you standing right there.

But that's the attitude of a grump. The Red Sox will get to play more baseball this season and they did break out the champagne, as they clinched (let's face it) the Wild Card spot by beating Cleveland 5-4. The Sox fittingly got the win for Tim Wakefield, coming back from a 4-2 deficit on a 2-run Pedroia double and a Bay RBI single. Papelbon got out of a rough spot in the eighth and nailed down the Indians in the ninth to win it. And the mild rumpus began. Lots of pics and thoughts at Surviving Grady.

Our favorite line of the night, from the SI recap: "Bay, who was a desperation pickup from Pittsburgh when the Red Sox needed to unload Manny Ramirez at the trading deadline, spent much of the celebration off to the side in the clubhouse, quietly reflecting on the journey." You can take the boy out of Canada...

So the Sox will have to run the table and hope Tampa Bay's opponents do the same, or we're off to Anaheim for the first round. Could be worse. Now the only drama in this weekend's Yankee series could well be the Sox trying to keep Mike Mussina from winning his 20th game, which is good enough for us. Maybe we can sign Carl Everett for a one-day contract.

The rumors from yesterday are true, and the Sox will break team policy and retire #6 for Johnny Pesky on Friday night. Pesky said "I thought I had done something wrong," when he was called in to hear the good news. Now that the Sox aren't requiring Hall of Fame status for their retired numbers, we're wondering who else *coughJimRicecough* might go up there soon. Anyone who wants to start a campaign for Mike Greenwell, we'll lend our support.

The Bruins dropped their second preseason game, 2-1 to the Islanders in overtime. The Herald salutes Shawn Thornton for beating the hell out of Montreal's Steve Begin, and says it's reflective of a new era in Bruins hockey. Cool.

Photo by Michael Dwyer/AP.