Thanks for the Memories Manny, Welcome Jason Bay

With the 4pm trade deadline rapidly approaching yesterday, after watching coverage on NESN during lunch with nothing happening (sorry, Ken Griffey Jr. is no longer big news), I took a shower figuring that the Red Sox were going to keep Manny Ramirez for the rest of the season.

When I got out, my phone started to beep with text messages, the unlikely had happened: the Sox worked a three-way trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates. Manny was going to the Dodgers while Pirates outfielder Jason Bay comes to Boston.

Even after preparing for a moment like this for the last few weeks, the actual event is still surprising. Like in 2004 when Nomar Garciaparra was traded, the Red Sox rolled the dice and made a controversial splash.

Without question, Boston gave up a lot to get rid of their Manny-induced headache. They're paying him for the rest of the year and also traded Brandon Moss (who could be the next David Murphy but didn't have a place in the Sox outfield) and Craig Hansen (who is a bust) to the Pirates. Bay is the only player the Sox get in return.

A Yankees killer, one of the most clutch players and all-around best hitters I'll ever see in my lifetime (especially on my favorite team), Manny has created endless positive memories for Red Sox fans the past eight seasons. This was necessary though; both sides needed a fresh start.

It was too much of a risk to hope that Manny would be motivated for the rest of the season (even though he was theoretically playing for a contract).

Playing in obscurity, Bay at 29-years-old is still an unknown commodity. He's a two-time all-star for the Pirates and rookie of the year. He'll play left field and bat somewhere from 3-6. Will he handle the pressure of Boston? That and many other similar questions are impossible to answer at this point. Let's give the guy some time to get his feet wet before we start making the final decision.

Manny's presence on the Dodgers makes them instant contenders, especially in the weak NL West. He's reunited with Nomar and Derek Lowe, the 2003 Red Sox reloaded. It'll be strange to see him in a different uniform, hitting ropes but such is life. Time to move on and move forward.

Evenflow

It took 12 innings but the Red Sox left Seattle with a three-game sweep after outlasting the Mariners, 6-3, yesterday afternoon at Safeco Field.

Manny Ramirez sat out with a "sore knee" so the Sox (60-43) had to juggle the lineup while facing Seattle (38-63) ace Felix Hernandez.

King Felix was good, not great as the patient Sox waited him out and forced him to throw 108 pitches in six innings. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with five walks and six strikeouts.

Clay Buchholz pleasantly surprised Red Sox fans, nearly matching Hernandez's outing. Buchholz lasted 5.1 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Another even more important revelation for Boston's postseason hopes was the debut of Justin Masterson in the role of reliever.

Coming in with two men on and one out in the sixth, Masterson struck out Kenji Johjima (who's having a brutal season) and Bryan LaHair (the pride of Worcester) to end the threat. Masterson then proceeded to have 1-2-3 innings in the seventh and eighth. Yes sir.

Hideki Okajima got the first two outs in the ninth and then Manny Delcarmen bailed him out by getting out of the inning and also pitching a clean 10th.

For the third game in a row, Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless frame (this time the 11th) but he received the win after Craig Hansen recorded his second career save in the 12th.

Up three runs and starting the inning, Hansen couldn't asked for a much easier situation then facing the light-hitting Mariners yet two hits and a walk loaded the bases before Jose Vidro (the potential winning run) grounded out to second.

The Sox jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third when Kevin Youkilis (2 hits, 2 runs) knocked in two with a single.

Raul Ibanez came back with a solo homer in the fourth, cutting it to 2-1 Boston.

In the sixth, Coco Crisp walked with the bases loaded, 3-1 Red Sox. Vidro (3 hits, 2 RBIs, walk) tied it up with a two-run bomb which ended the day for Buchholz.

Seattle had a great chance to end it in the 11th when they had runners at first and third with one out but Johjima was the goat, grounding into a double play against Papelbon.

Mike Lowell (2 hits, 2 runs, RBI) knocked in two Sox in the 12th with a single and Sean Casey followed with an RBI single of his own to give Boston the three-run cushion that it turns out was critical to Hansen.

Dustin Pedroia had two hits, a run and walk while J.D. Drew walked three times and scored a run.

The West Coast trip to start the second half wasn't the disaster that it looked like it could be after facing the Angels; the Red Sox did exactly what they had to do in Seattle and now have a day off today before facing the Yankees tomorrow night in a three-game set at Fenway.

True to their recent second half form, the Yankees are red-hot, winning six straight and 10 overall at Yankee Stadium. Josh Beckett faces Joba Chamberlain tomorrow night in what should be an outstanding pitching duel. Adding fuel to the usual Sox-Yankees hype, David Ortiz will make his return after missing nearly two months of action.

Youk helps salvage one marathon game against the Cardinals

Down 2-0 going into the bottom of the seventh yesterday afternoon, the Red Sox looked like they were about to be swept by a pesky St. Louis Cardinals club at Fenway.

It took a long time to clinch it but after going ahead 3-2 in the ninth and seeing closer Jonathan Papelbon blow the save, the Red Sox (47-31) finally finished off the Cardinals (44-33) in the bottom of the 13th when Kevin Youkilis (3 RBIs, walk) hit a two-run shot over the Monster-his second homer of the day-to give Boston a 5-3 win.

After a 50-minute rain delay, the game ironically enough was a pitcher's duel between Jon Lester (7.1 innings, 9 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts) and former Sox bum Joel Pineiro (7 innings, 7 hits, 2 runs, 1 strikeout) before it turned into a battle of middle relievers.

Cards midget Aaron Miles was 5 for 6 (all singles) but didn't score a run. Adam Kennedy pinch hit and eventually finished 3 for 3 with an RBI.

For the Red Sox, Dustin Pedroia was 4 for 5 with a run and his eighth steal of the year (which is ridiculous because the guy is painfully slow). Mike Lowell was 3 for 5 with a run and an RBI.

Brian Barton doubled in Brendan Ryan to give St. Louis a 1-0 lead in the sixth. Ryan Ludwick knocked in Barton with a single.

Youk picked up his first homer in the seventh off Pineiro and the Sox tied it in the eighth when Coco Crisp (who had tripled when Rick Ankiel fell down in center field) scored on Julio Lugo's sacrifice fly. After Pedroia singled and stole second, J.D. Drew, Manny Ramirez and finally Mike Lowell each worked walks to score Pedroia.

Papelbon struck out Ankiel and Yadier Molina to start the ninth but walked Chris Duncan. Kennedy pinch hit at that point and delivered with an RBI double over Coco's head in center.

In extra innings, the teams traded perfect scoring opportunities with neither cashing in until the 13th. Boston put the lead-off man on base in each inning but couldn't push them across. St. Louis had Duncan thrown out at home by Drew in the top of the 13th with one out.

After Dice-K's disastrous start on Saturday (when he lasted 1 inning), Boston somehow got another great performance from numerous relievers yesterday. Manny Delcarmen struck out both men he faced. Hideki Okajima recorded five outs despite allowing four hits and a walk. Craig Hansen also got five outs but didn't allow a hit or walk and struck out three. Finally, Javier Lopez survived two hits to earn the win (2-0).

It was a memorable win after such a forgettable previous two games. The Sox' final interleague foe to come to Fenway this season will be the Arizona Diamondbacks. After such a hot start, the Diamondbacks have come back to earth (since they can't hit) but they still have one of the top rotations in the game. Evidence of that: Josh Beckett takes on Dan Haren tonight. Boston desperately needs Beckett to last deep into the game.

The Flu is the Only Thing that Can Stop the Red Sox

After Josh Beckett missed the night before with neck stiffness, Dice-K was scratched from his start last night after coming down with the flu that has also hit Jason Varitek and Manny Delcarmen among others.

This meant Jon Lester had to pitch on three day's rest and well you know the result, the Sox lost 6-4 to the Angels at Fenway.

Lester didn't pitch all that bad under the circumstances, he gave up four runs on nine hits with two walks and one strikeout. Gary Matthews Jr. got a fresh shipment of steroids before the game and promptly homered twice off Lester.

Craig Hansen-called up from Pawtucket earlier in the day-took the loss after going 1.2 innings, giving up one run (a Casey Kotchman home run) on two hits. Hansen showed off his improved slider, striking out three. He hadn't been in Boston since his disastrous 2006 campaign so who knows what to expect from him. He's been quietly solid in Pawtucket but that doesn't mean much.

David Ortiz continued to warm up, hitting a two-run homer off Angels starter Jon Garland. Garland (3-2) went six innings, giving up eight hits, four runs, two walks and one strikeout.

The potent Red Sox (15-8) lineup continued to deliver, notching ten hits but the Angels (13-9) made even more noise with 13 hits. Vlad Guerrero had two hits and two runs while Tori Hunter managed four hits and an RBI. Sean Casey had two hits for the Red Sox including a double while Julio Lugo was 2 for 4 with an RBI.

The teams wrap up their three-game series this afternoon at Fenway as Joe Saunders faces Portland call-up Justin Masterson (one of the top arms in the Red Sox farm system).

I've always thought the Sox should have more afternoon games, particularly in the summer at Fenway. But I'm sure Boston being as backwards and not forward-thinking as it is, won't let it happen since the crowds would overwhelm the T and Kenmore Square. Or some bullshit like that, the liquor licenses don't allow them to sell beer before 7 p.m. during the week more than five times. Something wacky like that.