Sports Redux: Drama, Drama, Drama

The folks who operate the Fenway Park scoreboard have been missing out on a key opportunity to help out the team. Just keep those two red circles on the scoreboard lit anytime the Sox are up at bat. Before you know it, baseballs will be clanging off the Green Monster like nobody's business.

The Red Sox have adopted the Jonathan Papelbon Approach to Baseball Success (JPABS), in which things don't really get underway until you have your back against the wall. While our closer seems to prefer to load the bases before he gets into his groove, our team is all about the two-out scoring opportunities as of late. Such an approach often backfires, but it favored Boston on Monday, as the Red Sox defeated the Other Sox, 12-8, during play at Fenway Park.

A total of 28 out of 30 runs in the last three games have been scored with two outs. Those who like to view a glass as half full will point out that it takes mental toughness to score with two outs. Those who are a little more cynical by nature could easily ask what's stopping the Sox from scoring runs the rest of the time. Given that we're clinging to a 1 1/2 game lead in the wild card race, we'll simply say that we're willing to take any kind of win Boston wants to record, even one that involved an ugly Chicago third inning (thank you, ChiSox!).

While we gear up for another Sox-on-Sox battle tonight, here's your pitcher update: Clay wasn't looking sharp last night, Dice-K pitched during a live rehab game and Billy Wagner still might make his way into the Sox bullpen. If he does, we can't help but wonder if the back and forth between him and Papelbon will continue. We advise setting up cameras in the bullpen if this happens - we can totally see Wagner and Pap going all LC and Heidi on us. That's easy ratings for NESN!

Outside Fenway, Boston College fans are grappling today with the news that would-be QB David Shinskie sustained a cracked rib during scrimmage play over the weekend. He could be available in time for the season opener on September 5, but it's unclear at present.