A few things came to mind as I watched the game from the comfort of my air-conditioned livingroom. At times I paced, moving from the couch to the rocker to the sofa. Sometimes I cursed. But more times than not, I sat in awe.

To think that Mark Loretta was talked about in any trade is astounding considering what he has been able to accomplish last night. The Boston Herald says that Loretta took Ortiz' role as walk-off hero.

What do you think of the Arroyo trade now? Wily Mo Pena laced that ball over the Monster like none before. I've never seen a ball leave the ball yard so quickly. I was worried about that spectator's health. In his last five games, Pena has five RBIS, two HRs and is batting a whopping .427.

Meanwhile Mr. Arroyo has steadily come back to Earth. His ERA over the month of July was 5.45, allowing 20 runs in 33 innings; he was 0-3 during that span.

I received a lot of grief about that trade. Nobody wanted Arroyo to leave. But now that the National League has caught up to him, Pena is looking better.

I never expected Coco Crisp's arm could be worse than Johnny Damon's. Watching him over the last week has been downright scary. No one knows where those throws are going, except for maybe Alex Gonzalez, who has been saving Crisp from some embarrassment. I think it is time to bring Dwight Evans in for a little sitdown. Seems to me that Coco is not looking where he is throwing. You know it is bad when the centerfielder reaches second on three hops. I give him props for getting to those balls and allowing A-Gon to do the rest.

Alex Gonzalez has been a real asset to this club. His defensive clinics have made the infield most entertaining. Everyone knew that he could play short, but this well? What has been even more impressive is his bat. (.285 for the year). At $3 million dollars, he is a steal.

Jon Lester took a very bad first inning and turned it around, giving the team a chance to win. He has been a tremendous addition to the rotation and I hope we see him for years to come. To think what this rookie has a done is amazing.

But there are still problems with the pitching staff. Who can you really count on besides Beckett and Schilling?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say perhaps the Sox should look at making Papelbon a starter. I realize how well he has pitched in his closing role, but the team needs help. Foulke will be back soon (maybe); another one of my predictions might come true.

Foulke however has added back pain to his injury list. We'll see how strong he is and what he can do. But if he ends up setting up Papelbon and has some success. Moving Pap from the pen to the rotation, may not be such a bad idea. It is where Papelbon truly wants to be afterall.

The Sox face Cleveland again tonight. MSNBC says the Sox and Beckett seek more high drama. I can do without the drama for one game. Just give me a solid W.

Josh Beckett goes for his 14th win. The Indians place Jake Westbrook on the mound. Here is the guy I had hoped the Sox would have gotten before the deadline. We'll see how he does at the Fenz, though it is too late to acquire him now. He'd never clear waivers.

Awards: David Ortiz was named Player of the Month for July. We all know what he did, it's now time to start the MVP chant. Even Florida Today's Peter Kerasotis says Ortiz deserves the honor.

Rumors: According to the Baltimore Sun, the Red Sox have inquired about Javy Lopez to help fill the catching void left by Varitek. This may be a good short-term move. However, what is to happen when Varitek returns. Is the team going to truly hold on to three catchers? Is Mirabelli going to be pushed aside?

E-mail this entry to a friend