Is it just me or are you wondering when the Red Sox are going to start mashing the ball in this postseason? Billed as the greatest hitting team since the 1927 Yankees, and yes, they did break that team’s season slugging record, this bunch has not shown the firepower at the bat to make me believe that they will bust loose this October.

Granted they faced the best starting pitching when the locked up with the A’s in the ALDS, but do you get the feeling that they are still groping at the plate against the Yankees.

David Ortiz crushed one off of Mike Mussina. Nomar has yet to deliver the big bomb. Trot Nixon hit one against Rich Harden, Manny had his big hit facing Barry Zito, etc. etc. Still no consistent hitting from Bill Mueller or Kevin Millar. Jason Varitek is one bright light for the Sox offense, that’s the kind of hitting I’m looking for. The Yankees hit the ball in gaps, they are having tougher at bats right now than the Red Sox, and that doesn’t bode well for a Boston victory in the ALCS.

A long way to go, but it will be Roger Clemens Saturday hooking up with Pedro Martinez in Fenway and the Sox nation better hope the bats come alive at home or this one will not turn out well for the Olde Towne team.

The A’s made two minor moves Thursday, click below for more!The A’s picked up two minor leaguers from the Mets, snatching Marco Scutaro, backup infielder, and Matt Watson, outfielder with some pop, but not a great glove, from the waiver wire.

So, what does it mean? First Scutaro had an on base % of .400 last year in AAA. Enough said about why they like him. Probably means Frank Menechino’s days are over with Oakland as the A’s will go younger and now will not have to deal with Menechino and arbitration this winter.

Watson will fight for a backup outfielder’s job if one is available, he too gets on base a lot, so the computer says “Give him a chance”, on base % rules and that is how these seemingly obscure players find their way into the A’s system. Billy McMillon who can’t run or play the field, but can hit and gets on base, entered the A’s organization the same way, through the computer, because his on base % was over .400 in AAA.

The system does work, just not well against pitchers who throw strikes in October. I’ll take a free swinging Jose Guillen in the playoffs anyday, he can be inventive at the plate and will hit the ball hard when he gets his pitch no matter what the count.

In the playoffs you have to be lightning quick with your judgment when hitting and can’t always be looking to work the count, you have to show some initiative at the plate and Guillen does in my book, he’s not a robot hitter.

Ray Ratto wrote a very interestiong column in the SF Chronicle this morning about Billy Beane and the possibility he may want to move on again this winter, this time to the Dodgers if that team is sold, bringing new ownership to LA.

Can Bay Area baseball fans go through this again? I sure hope not, what a boring topic this is, either go quickly Billy, or put an end to all this specualtion now, just don’t milk this into a three act play for the next three months.

If BB doesn’t like the 50 million dollar payroll he is given to work with and has problems with the owner as Ratto speculates, then maybe it is time to move on, and give Paul DePodesta a chance to run the club. I don’t think the A’s will miss a beat with DePodesta in charge. What irony, BB being replaced by a cheaper version of himself.

Maybe the Met deals are a precursor to a bigger deal because it is strange to pick up two players off the waiver wire from the same team at this time of year? Who knows what will transpire between these two clubs over the next month, but it bears watching?

The Cubs will face two lefties in games three and four. Game three is always a key game in any series.The Cubs are loaded with righthanded hitting, even though they went 18-20 against lefties during the season, they have Alou, Sosa, Karros, Miller, Ramirez, Grudzilanek, and Gonzalez to name a few righthanded hitters. The story of this game: Mark Redman versus Kerry Wood. The game plan against Wood: get him out by the seventh inning and pound the Cub bullpen. With Matt Clement tomorrow and Carlos Zambrano on Sunday, the Cubs need this game tonight.

The Marlins have a lot of speed at the top of this lineup and if they get on, watch them try to run on Wood. Problem is getting on against this righty who is quickly becoming an October sensation.

October baseball, legends are made and careers defined.

Wood, Prior, Pedro, Clemens, Manny, Jason and Sosa all are on center stage.

Let’s see who will make his mark in baseball history for this postseason.