Game 2:

- My lifetime of conditioning as a Red Sox fan has made me absurdly nervous about blowing leads in big games. During Game 6 of the ALCS, I was having trouble breathing in the 8th and 9th innings. I felt like I had a 20 pound weight on my chest. Even with a 7 run lead in Game 7 and a 4 run lead last night, I kept waiting for something bad to happen. Fortunately, it never did.

- Although, my first reaction when A-Rod knocked the ball out of Arroyo's hand was, "NO!!! NOT AGAIN!!!" That was before I saw the replay, of course.

- Win or lose, Curt Schilling has injected himself into the pantheon of New England sports legends with his stitched up right ankle. It's unbelievable that he can pitch the way he has in Game 6 of the ALCS and again last night with a tendon that's fastened to other tissue in his foot so that it can't move around. When people think of great clutch performances for our local sports teams, names that will come to mind will include Russell, Bird, Orr, Brady, Vinatieri and Schilling, among others.

- What the heck has Mark Bellhorn been eating for breakfast the last few days? Big hits in each of the last four games, including a 2 run double last night. Whatever he's been eating, I want some.

- Guys who have made themselves a lot of money this postseason: Carlos Beltran and Derek Lowe. A guy who hasn't: Matt Morris. He's had a very poor playoff run for the Cards, and got battered around by the Sox again last night.

- If it were against a team other than the Red Sox, I could sit around all night and watch Larry Walker, Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds hit. What an incredible group to have in the middle of the lineup. Of course, I don't really want any of them to start hitting again until next spring.

- If I had to pick a Red Sox MVP for the entire playoffs so far, it would probably be Ortiz, but a very close second would be Keith Foulke. He's been untouchable in the postseason so far, and he just never seems to get tired. In fact, didn't Theo sign the three most important players in this run for the Sox: Ortiz, Foulke and Schilling?

- I keep thinking every night that this will be the game Manny breaks out and has a big game. Hasn't happened since the Angels series. Maybe tomorrow night.

- Pedro pitches his first ever World Series game tomorrow night. He's had an extra day's rest since the one inning stint in the ALCS, and he really should be pumped up for this. Also, being out of Yankee Stadium should help, too.