My father said it best as we watched the game Sunday, "An out is an out, unless you are playing in San Francisco." Although he was joking, he was right.

The Red Sox and Giants did not play with the excellence each is accustomed to. I was a little disappointed. During this series, I witnessed batters record strikeouts, yet make it to first. I saw a player called out at third, although he was clearly safe. I saw a bunch of bumbling outfielders struggle with routine flyballs.

Sundays game was the most disappointing. I'm not sure how the game would have ended, had the umpire made the correct call on the force play at third during the seventh inning, but I do know that Edgardo Alfonzo would not have had a grandslam. To me, that call completely ruined a great baseball game.

Manager Terry Francona finally showed some backbone and got ejected for arguing the call. His ejection didn't fire up his team as I hoped. Instead the call seemed to demoralize them and the grand slam, the nail in the coffin.

Of all the Giants hitters, I never thought Edgardo Alfonzo would be the one to afraid of. His two game-winning home runs were indeed the difference in the series. Barry Bonds was never a factor. Bonds only got one hit. The Sox intentially walked him twice however. Boston.com breaks down Bonds' at-bats. The site says the Red Sox are the only team to have retired Bonds seven times in a row. Go figure.

Even with that stat, the Giants were the better team this weekend. Rookie Noah Lowry and Jason Schmidt pitched exceptionally. The two starting pitchers combined for 14.2 innings, 1 run and 13ks. Only Jerome Williams struggled as a starter.

SFGate.com writes about Jason Schmidt's one-hitter. MLB.com reports that Schmidt may be a CY Young winner one day.

Let's not forget Boston's Bronson Arroyo also pitched brilliantly. ProJo.com's Sean McAdam writes about Arroyo's tough luck. After Arroyo left Sunday's game, the wheels came off.

I'm not going to blame any one person for Sunday's failure, but I've seen enough of Alan Embree's flat fastball. It's time to add him to a package for a starter. Mark Malaska and especially Lenny Dinardo have done a fine job as lefty specialists.

I'm sorry but Kevin Millar is no Manny Ramirez. With Manny out of the lineup it's no wonder the Red Sox were shut out for the first time this season.The Boston Globe's Gordon Edes questions giving Manny the day off.

While the scoring hasn't been consistent the Red Sox are getting hits. Even at that the Boston Herald's Tony Massarotti questions the Sox offensive approach.

I'm not so sure that offense is an issue, but even the Yankees are worried that the Sox may be looking for help. The New York Post's reports that the Yankees are keeping tabs on the Royals centerfielder Carlos Beltran, fearing he may end up in a Sox' uniform. According to the New York Times, The Yanks May Prefer a Pitcher Over Beltran. But as we all know the Yankees will stop at nothing to derail any deals the Sox may have.

It's time to get serious. The Sox should either trade for Beltran, Seattle's Freddy Garcia or both.

Reader comments: Before the trading deadline expires, where should the Red Sox put their efforts - pitching, hitting or both?

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