They’re one of the best hitting and run scoring teams in the American League. He’s a guy who’s just getting back into this whole “baseball for a living” thing. And to make it interesting (or, as the French might say, “easier for the Angels”), both Youkbacca and V-Mart are out of the line-up again. Meaning that after Ortiz in the five hole, we drop into the valley of Rocco, Tek, Kochman and Gonzo.

But if, somehow, someway, Paul Byrd can tie up the AL West leaders, then I’ll be convinced that this is our year. I’ll shout it from the rooftops. Wear it on a sandwich board up and down Tremont Street. And wrestle anyone who doesn’t agree me and is named Amalie Benjamin.

With a 5.5 lead in the WC and just 6.5 games separating us from those NY slugs, I don’t want to be giving anything away here. So sack up, Byrd. I want that seventh straight victory.