If momentum is only as good as your next days starting pitcher, well maybe it is only as good as your bullpen too. Joe Torre must be thinking that, as the second-guessing of Torre has begun in LA.  Second-guessing that almost makes NY writers look docile.  I have to say, the lead was big enough, that when I saw Lowe depart, and Kershaw come in, I thought this is perfect.  Kershaw gets his young feet wet in the big game with some cushion. Lowe can come back for game 7 too.  The Dodgers need Kershaw to be comfortable pitching since he is one of only two lefties they have in the bullpen. That was my gut without looking at numbers.  The Chan Ho Park one I didn’t get, though I often don’t understand the use of Chan Ho Park. So, now the Phillies are up, and have built their confidence up so that they know they can come back from any lead the Dodgers create.  The Dodgers are in for some hard games the next few days (at least one more hard one).  Cole Hamels will be tough, and the Phillies bullpen doesn’t nearly have as many question marks as the one from Los Angeles.  The interesting thing about the games yesterday was that the Philly writers had begun to spell doom, but the Phillies  team proved those writers wrong.  In Boston, where there was only a hint of doubt yesterday, surprisingly that has changed, but only a bit. Dan Shaughnessey actually refers to himself as a nitwit, for calling the Sox “a lock” to play in the World Series this year a few days ago. Now he’s not sure.  Shaughnessey does a nice job of walking the line between positive and realistic. Its not time for Red Sox nation to turn off the TV’s yet, but he also says it might be time to get excited for the Celtics.  Its fine for a team of young upstarts to win a game in their own ballpark, but quite another to win at Fenway.  That was not supposed to happen and yet it did and quite decidedly. If they can win one, well…. they can win another.  Once again, my heart is beginning to speak a little louder than my head and say that the Rays might be the AL rep in the World Series this year.  The Rays and Phillies would probably be a little too east coast, and a little too uninteresting for the rest of the country, but they could be very interesting games. This is a post-season that you can’t predict though.

On another note, on my FOX bashing note that is, I want to point out that the fines were handed out for the melee that occurred during the Dodger-Phillie game the other night, as follows:

Kuroda was fined $7,500

Ramirez was docked $2,500

First-base coach Mariano Duncan got $1,000

 Third-base coach Larry Bowa $500

Victorino was fined $2,500

First-base coach Davey Lopes was fined $1,000

Reliever J.C. Romero $1,000

I wrote this on the messageboard, but I think those players and coaches should send that bill to FOX.  After all there were no punches thrown, no actual fight and FOX could have cut away to a commercial.  If a fan runs on the field the networks do not show it to discourage that behavior, yet when their is a fight, or a potential fight, its all over the network. I know it could be considered “news” and does set the tone, but cut to break, and then show us some of it after the break.  Its FOX that should be fined for sensationalizing a glorified shouting match. Instead, as per usual with FOX, the game becomes an episode for Jerry Springer, and the players are punished for playing the game, and for not fighting.  I want to hear your thoughts so share thoughts on the messageboard.