Joe Castiglione & Dave O'Brien, Red Sox Pregame

Well -- Red Sox began today's play just two games in front of the Texas Rangers in the wild card race in. They Texas has some major injuries but it doesn't look like the Rangers -- going away.

Why thought they would I thought they would start to fade Joe I think a lot of us did when they lost Michael Young. For two weeks and then. It was time for Josh Hamilton to come up with a hamstring injury and he's been out. For a couple of days -- and yet they continue to win ball games and it's a big surprise because they think. Texas was an offensive club even everyone's talked about the pitching how great -- event Scott Feldman has been an incredible story for them. And yet they keep winning games without the thrust of their offense they still have some awfully good hitters guys like Cruz and bird. And the youngster Andruzzi you and I think you're going to win the rookie of the year award. But they have something going on there they have a toughness and -- that I don't think many expected did have and are still in the race.

While they also have a very positive manager Ron Washington he's a guy that. Always believes and he was asked about Scott Feldman don't want his fifteenth last night in his eleventh on the road.

It's nice to have a guy pick up eleven wins period it doesn't matter to me what it's on the road or at home only to get him. And you know the guys just been going on therapy time after time. Making his pitches and keeping us in ball games and given us an opportunity to do we did tonight win.

Feldman has the highest winning percentage in the American League think about that. Just actually right behind him is Tim Wakefield goes today but Belmont is fifteen and four on the road he's been absolutely money for them. With a 280 earned run average one of the top three ER rays on the road the American League. And this is completely out of left field everyone expected him to be. Kind of a middle of the rotation guy -- might pick up ten or eleven wins. But he already has a fifteen wins after last night nipping on the heels of -- and sabathia for league high honors quite a story for them.

And they're only yet. Three and a half behind the LA Angels in the west they -- seven games left for the Angels on their schedule they know was Marlon Byrd said what they have to do.

We have to keep winning. When they want to -- to win when they lose -- we can't take any gain program from now -- so. This is it's crunch time we really have to get on streak.

rats are certainly are very aware of the Rangers and the -- after. Jon Lester of course Clay Buchholz has pitched pretty well there are had been some question marks and we'll see what Tim Wakefield can do today it's critical.

Could be one of the biggest days of the season for the Red Sox if wake can pitch well and then recovered tomorrow feel good and off. To begin his recovery and then the throwing and running that he always does in between starts and -- bullpen session if all of that falls in. And the Red Sox are going to feel pretty good about things but it wake is going to be one and done. It's not as critical now on September. As it would have been had this unfolded in June. Or when it did in July because now I have the added roster spots with -- rosters expanding. Michael Bolden is here today to clean up the mess hopefully if that does happen. Course the Red Sox believe that Wakefield is healthy enough otherwise they wouldn't put him out there and get a monitor very closely it's a great day for him to pitch. It's warm. It's very comparable -- sun is shining brightly so the back shouldn't tighten up. Unless he runs into some problem with the cramping mini do in the last start you say it started to grip of a little bit in the third inning and he fought his way through it. To seven outstanding innings the red sex just told the tomorrow when he wakes up he feels like a real human beings.

And Daisuke guide here. Like during batting practice after pitching for a -- last night allowing two home runs for the tactical make -- decision in the next couple days as to whether he gets another rehab start or not but. Again that would be quite a boost.

Now would be can you rely right now although much on Daisuke Matsuzaka means is last start. Last night it was not all that impressive. Wasn't a horrible outing but the start before that. Against the double -- opponent he didn't pitch very well at all. There is the chance that the Red Sox will decide to pitch him in a minor league playoff game but. You know that's with a talking about today but how much can you rely on a guy who in September. It is going three or four or five innings this season is almost over now on the other hand if he feels great if his fitness his strong. And a Red Sox feel like -- get six innings out of Daisuke down the stretch. Ya he can give them a boost but that's a great unknown in -- is the health of Tim Wakefield at this point but certainly not where you want to be here in September you want to have your rotation set. And healthy it's anything but right now particularly with the problems that Josh Beckett says.

Well we'll see what Wakefield does and a little while. Now let's go back to John.