Late Season Ramblings: Devil in the Details.

• The Red Sox brought the kryptonite to Tampa taking two of three. Since the Devil Rays became the Rays, hasn't the doormat factor disappeared.
• Jonathan Papelbon started having some 'clean' innings. Good for him, with MLB hurting him in the pocketbook for 'slow play'.
  
• Tonight's game has the two starters (Byrd/Garcia) with the worst fastballs among non-knuckleballers? It reminds me of pitching in an adult baseball league. If I were a hitter, I'd want to hit against me.
  
• J.D. Drew has had a pretty good season, or maybe a pretty good month saved his season.
• Drews August numbers? .329/.449/.644/1.093. Not too shabby.
  
• Why do pitchers throw Jason Bay fastballs?
• Second in OPS in the AL...Mr. Kevin Youkilis.
• Yankee fans seem to have flawed memories. Some view Paul O'Neill as Mr. Congeniality...while some of us remember him as the "Watercooler Terminator"
• Dave Roberts with the "ambush" strategy. A classic.
• Victor Martinez seems like an even better player than we thought.
• Rocco Baldelli has done a terrific job off the pine.
• BP fastballs can leave the yard.
  
• If I were a pitcher, I'd want to pitch in the NL.
• Even Pedro overpowers the weak Giants lineup...aside from Sandoval, they have very little offense.
  
• Last time I checked, the Sox had five guys in the top 20 in OBP...Youkilis, Bay, Martinez, Drew, and Pedroia.
• Let's hope Josh Beckett found the cure for homeritis.
  
• The top three in the bullpen are obvious...Paps, Wagner, and Bard. The lower half, among Delcarmen, Okajima, Saito, and Ramirez seem shakier lately.
  
• Whatever happened to Alex Rios?
• A lot of fans came disguised as empty seats in Tampa.
  
• David Price sure didn't look like the next coming of Sandy Koufax last night.
  
• Among all 97 major league catchers, Jason Varitek is last in stolen bases allowed (92%). Pierzynski is next at 80%. He also could hit below his weight for his second straight year. He must be hurt. Really.
• The White Sox (White Flag Sox ) traded Thome and Contreras...and still are putting up a good fight.
• Will payroll limitations send Tampa crashing back to the cellar sooner or later?
• Which three Sox pitchers make hitters have the worst looking swings? Wagner, Buchholz, and Bard. Oh, to have gas...and a changeup.