We Paid Top Dollar For This?

David Murphy, Kasson Gabbard and Engel Beltre for this? In four appearances covering 3⅓ innings Eric Gagne has given up six runs while he ERA has balooned by nearly a run per game. Two weeks ago this game would have been won by Boston with Hideki Okajima starting the eighth and Jonathan Papelbon pitching the ninth, instead we saw another appearance by Gagne that was just plain pathetic.

Okajipped

What do I want this morning? Well since I haven't cooled off any since last night when Hideki Okajima was totally screwed, I want nothing more then pure revenge. What do I want? First I want that scumbag Jim Leyland's team to come to Fenway for the playoffs so when that ass Leyland is introduced the fans can boo his ass for an hour. Of course having the Tigers miss the playoffs maybe better punishment for Leyland, but that leaves Red Sox Nation without the ability to air out our outrage directly at him. Nearly five million fans made Hideki Okajima the only fan elected pitcher to the American League All Star team and then the fans were screwed over when he never got the chance to pitch. Yet we got to sit back and watch a guy pitch who is currently suspended by Major League Baseball, ok point taken, he was on the other team, but I don't care, I am pissed as hell this morning. There were several pitchers who have or will have more opportunities in the future in the All Star game who pitched late, and while I know that theres no certainties, there future as All Stars are more certain then a 32 year old setup man who only made it because of the final man vote. Okajima should have gotten in that game over Papelbon in the 8th and even over Santana in the 7th, lets forget about the fact that J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez nearly gave the game away. I feel sorry for Okajima who had his little boy in San Francisco with him to see the game. And next season when Tito and MLB are picking the pitchers for the All Star game that they choose Okajima and get him into the game. By the way, how great is that gonna be? A Red Sox manager managing the AL All Stars in Yankee Stadium.

VOTE FOR HIDEKI OKAJIMA

Boston reliever Hideki Okajima is among the final vote candidates for the last spot on the American League All-Star team. Click here to cast a vote for Hideki. Okajima has been great all season, aside from his first batter that is. He has gone 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in 40 innings. Along the way he has struck out 36 while walking 10 and saving four games for the first place Red Sox. After allowing a homerun to the first batter he faced he went 22 innings before allowing another, and that run came on what could have been an inning ending double play that was instead a fielders choice. Coming into today's game his BAA was .163 and he had a WHIP of 0.82 both numbers went down with his 1-2-3 inning against the Rangers. Okajima would be the third Red Sox player in the six years to win the last man voting should he win. Johnny Damon won it in its first year and Jason Varitek in its second.