So I've been away for a few days (buying trip in Manhattan...man, that sounds sophisticated) and the Red Sox have done just fine without me. Bill Simmons of ESPN wrote a hilarious account of last night's Sox-Rays game; I got to listen to it on Radio Free Hartford driving home, and remembered why Joe Castiglione and Jerry Trupiano are two of the most aggravating announcers in the business. Not to say that these two go off on frequent irrelevant digressions, but when you just want to know the score, you don't want to hear about Stephen King's trip to Tropicana Field or what Civil War battlegrounds are within a day's drive of Baltimore (which my Dad heard last week). But justice prevailed, and the Sox swept Tampa back into the primordial ooze they came from.

What I didn't hear about (thanks, Joe and Jerry) is that on Saturday, Trot Nixon let go of the bat after Tampa had plunked a couple of Red Sox hitters, and Frank Castillo got his own revenge by plunking some Devil Ray in the hip (I could look up who it was, but I don't care and I suspect you don't either). So Nixon and Castillo got suspended (it's under appeal) and that's just ridiculous. If Trot threw the bat intentionally (and he hinted he did), that might be worth a couple games, but Castillo? That's just ridiculous. Tampa Bay pitcher Ryan Rupe intentionally threw at Nomar and Hillenbrand because they had hit home runs the previous two nights. Give me a break.

In news from second place, the Yankees hit a three-game losing streak before beating the same hapless Devil Rays. In a story that's about as shocking as the high tide report, the Post is reporting that Steinbrenner is ready to make a panic trade for Florida's Cliff Floyd or Detroit's Bobby Higginson. Why "dance with the ones that brung ya" when you can easily afford a new huge salary? I'm just shocked and delighted that Vlad Guerrero's name hasn't come up yet.