77-68

When you watch a team go into a tailspin and drop almost entirely out of the playoff picture like the Mariners did, and then you watch a win that makes you want to believe again - even if just the tiniest bit, and only for a fleeting moment -  you know you just witnessed something incredible. Yeah, the D'Rays came at us with an ugly lineup and a bullpen that'd make Smilin' Bob upset, and no, for the second night in a row it shouldn't have taken this much effort to win by a run, but there is just no quicker way to pick yourself up off the mat. This was the most fun I've had in a month.

Biggest Contribution: Yuniesky Betancourt, +43.1%
Biggest Suckfest: Jeff Weaver, -33.9%
Most Important AB: Betancourt double, +42.8%
Most Important Pitch: Upton single, -9.1%
Total Contribution by Pitcher(s): -15.8%
Total Contribution by Hitters: +65.6%
Total Contribution by Opposition: +0.2%

(What is this chart?)

From time to time, my brother asks me if I ever feel bad for whacking lousy teams. This usually comes up after the Red Sox lay the gauntlet down against the Orioles or D'Rays. My answer's always the same: "I do feel bad for beating up on teams like the Pirates and Royals. I do not feel bad for beating up on the D'Rays, because in two or three years I have a hard time imagining that they'll feel bad for returning the favor." That organization is loaded with more talent than you can believe from top to bottom, so you should enjoy these wins now while you can, as it won't be long before they're taking out a decade's worth of frustration on everyone who used to laugh at them during recess.

I'm going to go sleep off the last remnants of a nasty cold. I imagine my chances of waking up healthy and happy tomorrow morning are better than I thought they'd be three hours ago. Behold the wonders of psychology.