They're Dropping Like Flies

Who are "they," you ask? Well, unfortunately, it's two "theys."

First, the channel selection in my room. I've already opined on Widener's woefully limited cable package, but it's getting worse. A few days ago, ESPN2 turned into a black screen. And just yesterday, Discovery went all static and now A&E just says "no signal" in the upper left corner. What the hell is going on? Why are my channels dieing? Discovery had several good shows: Mythbusters, Survivorman, Cash Cab... It was like the History Channel super-sub. Now the only watchable cable networks I have left are ESPN and CNN. And the latter is stretching it. ARGH!!!

Today's myth: the mysteriously disappearing cable channels!

Secondly, and more seriously, the Red Sox. Their injury woes are somehow getting worse as well. Last night our ace closer Jonathan Papelbon strained his shoulder (out for a week) and Curt Schilling will miss a start with a strained labrum. And worst of all (by far), promising young starting pitcher Jon Lester was diagnosed with lymphoma, although thankfully the Non-Hodgkin's type. Now, I don't mean to make light of his situation, but just what in the world is going on in the Red Sox's clubhouse? Irregular heart beats, strained backs, strained hips, strained shoulders, and now cancer!?

The currently injured are now: Manny, Ortiz, Nixon, Varitek, Wakefield, Clement, Schilling, Papelbon, Lester, Pena and Gonzalez. Of what would be our healthy line up, we have three hitters (Youks, Loretta, Lowell) available and one pitcher (Beckett). That's FOUR players out of FOURTEEN. Fifteen if you include the closer. This is not how I hoped Josh Beckett would become the ace of the rotation.

And yet I hear talking heads blaming Theo Epstein for the Red Sox's struggles. They say he's lost his touch, that he failed to make a move at the deadline. I say bullcrap. How can you blame the GM for the team's struggles when 70% of the team he constructed is hurt and can't even take the field?

I digress.

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PS- Go Wake! Get better soon, Ben.