Can they hold on?

When my youngest son was very little, he watched a show on PBS called Between the Lions which featured a cartoon segment called “The Adventures of Cliff Hanger”, his signature song/catchphrase being:

“Can’t… hold… on… much… lonnnngerrrrrrr….”

Every time the Sox lose a game this year I’ve had this stupid catchphrase in my head. It’s been a horrid week of disappointment from the Fenway 9 with Beckett and Lowell supplying the only real badge of courage and champion behavior. How amazing is it that we find the Sox making their own troubles and creating an even tighter race? With the lead cut down to 3.5 games, it’s not without some element of doubt that we live our collective lives in the Nation.

Wakefield has truly struggled since he announced a stiff back a few weeks ago. It can’t possibly be feeling better with his pitching the way it is. Don’t blame Mirabelli’s absence, Timmy. We can’t take it as an excuse. You’re a 41 year-old who schooled at Florida Institute of Technology. You should have the brain juice and rationale to be able to pitch without a security blanket.

So… in the Wake of last night’s game… Can they hold on?