If you haven't hopped on the Boston Red Sox band wagon yet, you might want to do just that. As Betty Davis said, " Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride. "

Or something like that.

The Sox were down 5-0 today in the bottom of the 9th. Josh Beckett took the mound at 2:10 p.m. and struck out the side. That was the good news. The bad news was that he gave up two runs to the Birds. By the end of the second frame, Beckett had five Ks. But the Hose were still trailing two zip.

The Sox were batting in the fourth when Jerry Remy noticed that the bullpen had come alive.

" Uh, oh, " Remy explained.

Sox manager Terry Francona marched to the mound and there he was standing next to a guy named Beckett. There they stood, like those two tramps wondering whether something should happen, or not.

I'm trying to read Francona's body language. Attempting to pick up the signs. What I wouldn't give to be a flyball on the wall, hearing what was said out there on that stage.

" You ready to go? "
" I'm not ready. "
" You're not ready, maybe you should, ya know, go. "
( No one moves )
" You sure you're not, ya know, you sure you want to stay out here and... "
" My thumb. "
" What? "
" My thumb. I think it's a blister or... "
" Your gone... "

( The pitcher exits, stage right )

That was in the fourth inning. By the bottom of the 9th the Sox trailed 5-0. The ended up scoring 6 runs in the ninth and won it 6-5.

Beckett? He didn't get the win. But he didn't get the loss either. His record? Seven wins. No losses. At this rate he'll win 25 games this season. May be the starting pitcher for the American League in the All Star Game in July. Might even be MVP, if the Sox win it all.

Name's Beckett. Remember the name. By October, ya might fookin a forgotten it, lad.