Visions of Sugar Plums.

"THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value." --Thomas Paine

Perhaps it was the fact that three out of the last six games have ended around 1:30 in morning but I've spent the past day and a half envisioning a ninety-eight win season (if you're going to day dream, then you might as well dream big) and somehow it seemed feasible. In my scenario, ninety-eight wins at least got you the wild card--even if New York also won all of it's remaining games (with the exception of their games against the Sox because somebody has to lose) they would have finished with ninety-eight wins as well but Boston would win the season series by one. Leave it to John Lackey (and undoubtedly Don Orsillo's concerned voice) though to suck the fun right out of the room. But then there was a glimmer of hope and it grew into a flame and then to a bonfire only to be cruelly snuffed out.

After a tough, emotionally draining day, I went into the game hoping only to be entertained and ultimately I was; disappointed but entertained. So I guess it's back to the drawing board to figure a new way into the play-offs (the current front runner is that a highly contagious, non-lethal flu might run rampant through New York's clubhouse forcing them to have to forfeit the rest of their games since they're all in the bathroom yakking) because like it or not, I'm in it for the long haul--if I can't not watch pointless games in Seattle, it doesn't seem likely that I'll be able to turn off the games that start before ten.

Also, I've taken to rooting for the Giants (mostly because I've also decided that I dislike Heath Bell) but I'm extremely glad that I was wrong about Adrian Beltre and the offense that the Sox were going to get this season; watching San Fransisco try to string together a couple of hits may be the most painful experience imaginable. As I sit here, they're down by two to Milwaukee and it's probably an insurmountable deficit. Just thought I'd share.

And if there are any Revolutionary War veterans who are offended by the misappropriation of Thomas Paine: apologies.