A bad day’ll make you really notice ones that’s good
And that’ll make things a little better understood

Adrian Beltre doesn’t just scare children anymore.

Grown men cower in his presence.

Between the first and second innings I was thinking to myself, “Actually Zach, he’s thrown all his pitches for strikes and displayed more than zero command.  He hit some corners and got a few swings and misses with the change.”  And then Willie Bloomquist connected for a home run.  His first real, over the fence homer of 2007.  Middle in, 86, wet.  Maybe if the Red Sox allowed K-Gab to catch his breath and knock back a little vitaminwater during the top of the second, things would have been different.  Like, Willie Bloomquist may have rolled it over to short.  Certainly not shuttlecock to the groin.  “Get this kid a Power-C IV, stat.”

Its not yet time to take the curfew off Manny Delcarmen, when the score is close he withers like a delicate flower.  He was filthy in the bottom of the fourth in what looked like mop-up duty, but found the middle of the plate in his second inning after Lowell tripled to tie it.  His contribution was probably a net wash, as two runs were expected to score in the situation he entered, but close and late is not his jurisdiction.

While Javy Lopez gets the loss, he’s been so solid to this point its easy to overlook this performance.  My fear is that Francona will stick to his current usage pattern.  Remember, this is a pitcher with a career .300 OBA versus RHH.  I don’t care that he’s held righties to a .182 BA in 2007, he’s only struck out two in 22 PA, and been lucky on balls in play (.200 BAbip vs RHH).  He shouldn’t be facing Richie Sexson in a tie game.

Can someone explain to me why the Seattle scoreboard flashes “FUNK BLAST!” after a Sexson homer?  If that’s some kind of pun involving his last name and “saxophone” the Mariners stadium marketing department should be forced to listen to Jamiroquai’s “Virtual Insanity” for all eternity.  I’m just confused.

Mike Blowers, FSN Northwest color commentator on Joey Alex Cora before the game: “nice little ballplayer” and later “known for his pop.” It turns out I’m not the only one that’s confused.

So what’s become “a little better understood”?  Gabbard again showed some potential, if he can shake off the anxiety;  Lopez should face righties only in mop-up duty; Manny Delcarmen hasn’t put it all together, but he’s close.

4:35 EDT: Daisuke Matsuzaka at Ryan Feierabend

I think Feierabend needs a few more vowels in his last name.  He’s allowed 17 earned runs in 18.2 innings pitched, but managed to pick up a win along the way.   Don’t be late, the opening pitches will have most of the fanfare.