Masterson's Musings: Judgment Day

So here's what I've been doing the last week:

- I've been dining at gourmet restaurants around the Denver area every night and ordering such "gourmet" items as the Premium Bacon Mac n Cheese in hopes that I will be tricked and that Pizza/Pasta Hut will have switched the restaurants 'sghetti for their own. I've struck out thus far.

- I still can't, in good faith, find the strength inside my soul to root the Red Sox onto victory against the Rays, but my cousin (Justin Masterson) is really making it hard on me. Inserted into the 9th inning in a 7-7 game, in the most crucial inning of the Red Sox season in which Sox manager Terry Francona put his faith in a 23 year old rookie, Justin came through in a big way by working around a hit and an unintentional intentional walk of BJ Upton by inducing a double play ground ball off the bat of Carlos Pena. The Sox capped off their impossible comeback win to stave off elimination in the bottom of the 9th and Justin got the win. His ERA in the ALCS now stands at 1.93 and 2.09 overall in the postseason. As a rookie. He's done more than could have possibly been asked from him and will be a fixture for the Red Sox for years to come......that is unless he gets traded the offseason. Hmmm, I hear that the Sox are in the market for a third baseman with Lowell shelved for an unknown period of time.......I believe the Rockies are shopping their own third baseman in Garrett Atkins.....I think Justin would fit in just fine in the purple pinstripes in Colorado. I'm just sayin.

- As for the Red Sox: seriously, think of another way to win a playoff series. This whole come-from-behind-when-everyone-thinks-you're-dead-thing is getting really old.

- So the Avs finally got their first win of the season last night by trouncing the Philadelphia Phlyers 5-2. Not surprisingly, the Avs finally got a mediocre-plus performance from their goaltender. Not Peter Budaj, the "number 1" starter, but backup Andrew Raycroft. After an abysmal season last year in Toronto, Raycroft, the Calder Trophy Winner in 2004 for Rookie of the Year, showed flashes of brilliance while only facing 18 shots. The only two goals he gave up last night were on a penalty shot and a 5 on 3 power play for the Flyers, two very low percentage opportunities for goaltenders. Every other year, Raycroft has had major success. After his Rookie of the Year campaign, he sucked in 05-06 (8-19, 3.71 Goals Against Average), regained his confidence in Toronto in 06-07 (37-25, 2.99 GAA), and then regressed to the aforementioned abysmalness last year. That means he's due this year. And when the number 1 goalie has surrendered 13 goals in only 74 shots (4.38 GAA, yikes spikes) he should get his number called a few more games a week. At least give him a shot to see what he can do because he looked very sharp last night.

- Why is no one calling Bill Beeeeelichick a genius this year without Tom Brady? Anybody? Bueller?

-The Pats looked Detroit Lion-esque against the Chargers last Sunday night and the Broncos will need to capitalize on the fact that the Pats will most likely not have either of their top two running backs in Lawrence Maroney and Lamont Jordan. Make Matt Cassel beat you. They're not going to be able to run the ball effectively (even on the Broncos D, Elway willing), and Cassel hasn't shown very much skill in reading defenses, getting rid of the ball, or throwing the ball down the field. That being said, the Broncos D hasn't been good at defending any of those things either.