We have come not to bury the Red Sox but to praise Alfredo Aceves.
When he hit two of the first three batters he faced last night, I felt sick. I had to leave the room for awhile. This is it, I thought. It's his fourth day in a row pitching, after a season in which he has pitched more than he had ever done in his life. No matter what Jerry and Don told me the night before in tones of wonder and awe about his "rubber arm" and apparent inability to tire, he's reached his limit. They've asked too much of him.
But then he got out of the inning.
You, Mr Aceves, are my man. How many times this year were you called upon to pitch three and four innings because the stellar Sox starting pitchers couldn't get out of the third or fourth inning? How many times did you then come through for them? If it weren't for you, there would have been no shot at the wild card to blow with two outs in the 9th inning of the final game of the season. I don't know if you will be with the Sox next year, but if you are, I'ma cheer for you like I once cheered for Mikey Lowell or Jason Bay. Good job, dude.
xoxo
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