Last night's game. . .

. . . certainly had an electric finish. I let out a yelp when I saw that Damon wasn't breaking stride around third - not as much because I thought that the Sox were going to win on that play. On the contrary, I thought they were going to get him at the plate. I yelped because of the balls to the wall way Damon was going to settle things right then and there. A play at the plate with the game on the line, Captain Caveman streaking like a freak around third . . . that's just plain exciting. Show's how this team HAS heart after all.

But you know what? They've had heart all year. I've grown weary of Red Sox Nation's hyperventilations about every loss. I've grown weary of RSN's tendency to extrapolate the way the team plays on a given night into a bigger revisionist history than saying the holocaust never happened. RSN's lamentations about this team haven't been fair at all all season. Let's take some and blow 'em up.

1. The team was taking losing too easily and playing without any heart. False. If you believe that, then you just didn't see the 13 inning extra inning loss to the Yanks. The team played with tons of guts in that game. Ortiz lumbering into third base in the 11th? Foulke getting out of the stickiest of jams in the ninth? The whole bullpen stymying the Yanks scoring opportunities in extra innings repeatedly? Leskanic showed major guts in the 12th when he got a man on third and nobody out to get out of that jam, and pitched great in the 13th (the ball Sierra hit for a seeing eye hit was a tough pitch, and Cairo was almost struck out on that wicked breaking ball right before he went down to dig that pitch out for a double.) The ONLY thing that has bothered me about the squad this year is Nomar's aloofness on the bench during that extra inning game. But to use that to say this team is heartless is foolish. . .

2. Nomar's skills have been steadily declining for three years now. Huh? Until he slumped after labor day, he was a very, very strong choice for MVP of the league (and if you need proof, go back and read ANY baseball writers midseason picks for post season awards last year.) Nomar's defense cost the Sox two games in a week last week - true. His defense is falling apart. Really? All anybody could talk about last year was how Nomar's defense had elevated to where he was one of the tops in the league. Nomar wants out at the end of the season. Is that so? The only things Nomar has gone on record as saying is that he wants to stay in Boston. Does he really want out?

3. Terry Francona is in over his head. Is he? Tell me what he has done wrong that you could fix if you could? I don't mean just a mistake here and there - heck, all managers make mistakes. What pattern of thinking in Francona's head do you disagree with?

4. Derek Lowe is a headcase. Is he? Because he's pissed at himself when he pitches poorly (which he has, no doubt about it.) D-Lowe was absolutely right to go off on reporters yesterday before the game. The media can't just write that he's pitching poorly; they need to invent stories that he's a wackjob to boot. Remember how Oil Can Boyd was consistently called unstable by the media and Wade Boggs (an admitted sex addict) was given a free pass? Boyd called out the media on that, and HE was right.

5. They need more speed at the top of the lineup. Why? Johnny Damon has scored more runs than any leadoff man in baseball. Isnt' that what he's supposed to do?

This team does have some issues to address. Arroyo is showing why he was released by the Pirates (I hope the love affair with Arroyo is officially over now), Millar needs to turn it around in a hurry at the plate. A real decision needs to be made about who goes to the bench (Pokey or Bellhorn - I say Pokey sits . . .) But this team is in good shape. It is near the top of the AL in pitching, runs, the defense is above average, they went .500 in interleague play (as much as you can ask for given the particular challenge to American League teams of interleague play) . . . they need a little more luck in one run games. Remember, with just a couple of breaks, they would've gone 4-2 on the recent 1-5 road trip.

All is well in Red Sox Nation. Stop worrying, and stop whining.

Leave your thoughts if you want to argue over this. . .