Sox end season with a loss, but who the hell cares?

Minnesota 3, Sox 2
WP: Garza (5-7)
LP: Tavarez (7-11)
SV: Nathan (37)
HRs: BOS-Varitek (17)

SUMMARY
The Red Sox wrapped up the 2007 regular season with a meaningless game that ended in an inconsequential loss. Terry Francona began pulling starters midway through and used 16 position players, and Boston escaped the season finale with mission no. 1 accomplished: everyone stayed healthy for the playoffs.

The Sox finished the regular season with a record of 96-66, tied for the best record in baseball, and ended up winning the East division by two games over New York. They will open the American League division Series against the AL West champion Angels on Wednesday night at Fenway, with Josh Beckett scheduled to pitch opposite LA of A's John Lackey.

The times of the first round have yet to be determined, but Game 2 will be Friday in Boston, with the matchup likely being Curt Schilling facing Kelvim Escobar, and Game 3 will be on Sunday out in Orange County where Daisuke Matsuzaka will make his MLB postseason debut when he squares off against Jered Weaver.

Tonight the team gets to rest and let the grind of the regular season seep out of them, recharge the batteries for what should be a tough ALDS, and then after taking care of business in the opening round, start preparing for what could be the third ALCS between the Sox and Stanks in the last five years.

The regular season was fun, memorable, and historic for many reasons.

But this postseason has a chance to be one for the ages.

The drive to bring championship No. 2 of the new millennium to the Hub begins on Wednesday in what will be an electric atmosphere in the best baseball city in the world, and by this time next week we could know if another meeting with the Bombers is in the cards.

But first things first for the club. First enjoy the rally tomorrow, then shoot 18 holes or lounge around your cribs all day Tuesday, because on Wednesday the white-hot spotlight of the postseason will be beaming down on Beantown.

And there's no place else the Sox and its Nation of faithful would rather be.

Congrats, Sox, and let's kick some Angels ass.

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Game Preview: 2007 Season Finale (Sox vs. Twins)

Boston will put a cap on the regular season with an utterly meaningless game against the Twins

Garza (4-7) vs. Tavarez (7-10)
205 @ Fenway Park

The Red Sox will finish the 2007 season this afternoon at Fenway in game that carries about as much importance as a mid-March matchup at Chain O' Lakes Park.

How meaningless is this contest?

With both the East title and best record in baseball wrapped up, Boston elected to scratch scheduled starter Curt Schilling and replace him with scrub starter Julian Tavarez, a move that says as much about the Sox postseason pitching plans than the unimportance of this contest.

With nothing left to play for Schilling will be rested presumably to start Game 2 of the ALDS on Friday against the Angels, and Tito will cross his digits and pray that nobody gets injured in this game today, even if he has to pull every regular before the fourth inning.

As the hangover subsides and reality sets in, this game will give Boston a chance to sit back, relax, and asses their postseason plans. Decisions need to be made on who will make the roster and who will be left off, but by electing to begin their series on Wednesday it appears the sox will be content to bring only three starters into the first round.

Obviosuly ace Josh Beckett is the No. 1 man, and by pulling Schill today to set him up for Game 2, that would leave struggling starter Daisuke Matsuzaka to start Game 3 in Anaheim on Sunday. And with Wakefield pitching poorly the last month + and Clay Buchholz being shut down with the dreaded but convenient "tired arm" syndrome, it makes sense for Boston to use three starters for a series that will be stretched out over eight days.

So there's nothing left but the shutting down of the regular season and getting on with the postseason plans today at Fenway, and you can bet by the middle of this game all the regulars will be relaxing in the clubhouse, the Sox brass will be brainstorming their playoff roster, and the Faithful will be gearing up for the rally Monday evening at City Hall Plaza.

Like last year the Sox are playing another meaningless game on the last day of the regular season.

But this time its for all the right reasons.

Congratulations and thanks for an awesome, memorable regular season, BoSox.

Now let's get to work on scheduling another duck boat invasion come late October.

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