Laughter Is The Best Medicine. Honestly, what else is there to do? Doesn't it seem like the last Red Sox win was about 2 months ago? These recent losses have passed from infuriating to heartbreaking to absurd. (In fact, things are going so badly that I think Jim Donaldson has a point.)

Where do we go from here? Well, this glutton for punishment is going to swig some more of Terry's Kool-Aid -- "When we do good, it will feel that much better." -- and get back on the Bus. With any luck (or perhaps a lot of luck), we'll be shaking our heads in November about that crazy week back in early July that had us at our wits' end.

Scott Williamson went back on the DL (radial nerve impingement of his right forearm) and Anastacio Martinez was recalled from Pawtucket. Bill Mueller is back and Cesar Crespo was designated for assignment (yay!). ... ProJo: "Francona, though, said he thought about batting Garciaparra for Crespo in the 13th. But the Sox already had scored on Manny Ramirez's homer for a 4-3 lead, so Francona held out Garciaparra. Crespo hit into an inning-ending double play." ... Boston dealt for two pitchers: LHP Jimmy Anderson (from the Cubs) and RHP Brandon Puffer (from the Padres). ... More soap for the opera (Schilling v. Williamson).

Several fans are wondering why -- in 25 innings of baseball over 2 nights -- Lenny DiNardo did not even warm up? ... Finally, the Seattle Times reported Friday that the Red Sox are talking to the Mariners about a deal for 1B John Olerud and possibly some bullpen help (Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Ron Villone).

Schilling needs to pitch deep into tonight's game (and win it, if possible (wouldn't that be something?)) because the pen is fried. Foulke, Embree and Timlin have all been worked like mules lately.