Why Can't I Be Existential Angst?

You know the credit card commercial with Tom Brady and his OL scrapping over who, metaphorically, should play "fraud monitoring"? Well, substitute in Rice, Boggs, Clemens, Stanley, Evans and Buckner and you'll have an idea of what the new movie "Game 6" is all about: The Red Sox as metaphor.

But in this case, it's a metaphor for the troubled life of New York playwright Nick Rogan—brilliantly portrayed by Michael Keaton. As unconvincing as Jimmy Fallon was as a die-hard Sox fan in "Fever Pitch", Keaton is dead-on as a Red Sox-lifer who fully understands the Greek Tragedy that was the pre-2004 Carmine Hose. Keaton's character is demonized by virtually every facet of his life: his troubled marriage, his alienated daughter, his spotty career. The Red Sox are just the touchstone that unifies all this angst into something he can get his mind around. They are what they are: Team Sisyphus.

The film (which was shot in 20 days for half a million bucks) is filled with other solid performances—particularly Robert Downey, Jr. as the eccentric theatre critic/white whale that Rogan has to slay. The resolution (which I won't give away) is clever and satisfying. So, should Red Sox fans fear going to this black comedy of errors (or at least one BIG error)? Not in the least. Go and see "Game 6" and revel in a movie that finally gets "The Red Sox Thing" right—even as just a metaphor.

Boomer Being Boomer

The conversion of David Wells—on the road to DamasoMarte—creates a real problem for the Red Sox. No one can deny that his 15 wins and 184 innings were a huge boost to the 2005 pitching staff. And, for the most part, he left his Looney Tunes act on the shelf.

But 2006 was supposed to be the launch point for Jon Papelbon--either as a starter or a fall-back closer. While the latter role may still pan out if Keith Foulke cannot (for whatever reason) regain his championship form, Wells' decision blocks the former. As is stands now, the Sox have 11 hurler spots locked in: Schilling, Beckett, Wakefield, Clement, Wells, Arroyo, Foulke, Riske, Seanez, Tavarez, and Timlin. That leaves one spot. If they opt for a single left-hander, then it's Lenny DiNardo. If they make the judgment on pure talent, it might be Papelbon. But do you think he'll get much standard work out of the vastly improved 'pen? Not likely. So, it's probably off to Pawtucket for Papelbon—to pitch every 5 days at AAA. Not the scenario we had looked forward to.