Yep, they're screwed. It's no curse, it's the A's this time. Doing exactly what they needed to do - surviving Pedro and getting into a bullpen that has all the confidence of Star Wars Kid at the Playboy Mansion. Today's game was more vintage A's, getting to Wakefield early and hanging on with great pitching from Barry Zito. I don't think they can sweep, but any swagger that the Sox had is gone and Todd Walker's gone from kicking ass to kicking the ball.

Ok, just how undervalued is defense and what did Paul DePodesta figure out this offseason. There's something in his secret sauce that we haven't figured out yet. With Paul D becoming a free agent this off-season, he might end up somewhere as his own boss ... or Billy Beane could end up somewhere like LA, leaving Paul to run the show with the "glory" of a low payroll.