Everyone has done it. I wake up multiple times a week, afraid I may have lost an arm. While sleeping, your arm gets caught underneath your body and the circulation gets cut off, you wake up in a daze, move positions and the feeling comes back. You fall back asleep and wake up good as new, although, when this happens to Josh Beckett and he pitches like shit it’s breaking news.

As Red Sox Nation collectively holds our breath, Beckett is not looking like the ace starting pitcher we all came to know and love from the past 2 years. In his last start (2 1/3 innings, 8 runs, 8 hits against Toronto) he felt a tingling feeling in his pinky and ring finger, and Tito had said that had something to do with his location, and we are all hoping the same.

Apparently this tingly feeling had come from Beckett sleeping on his arm the wrong way the night before, yet he told redsox.com writer Ian Browne that it is something he had been dealing with off and on this season but he had no idea what it was, or where it was coming from.

Now with his next start pushed back until Tuesday against the Yankees in New York, the Bronx Bombers are licking their lips hoping Beckett is not right and they can slip back into the playoff picture, as their window is getting more slim while the days pass.

The problem with his feeling seems to be minor, but with multi-million dollar investments, you can never be too cautious. However, with the Red Sox playoff berth far from a sure thing, we can be sure to all be biting our nails as the rest of the season and our starting pitching dilemma transpires.

Buchholz Looking to Right his Pitching Wrong

It is no secret that young phenom Clay Buchholz is not having the year that everyone expect. It is not his fault, however, that he is not living up to the hype given off of last year’s no-no in his second major league start. It’s tough to forget such a milestone for fans like us. But the season can still be saved for Buchholz.

Pitching coach John Farrell and Clay have seemed to find a flaw in the young guy’s mechanics which may be causing his pitches to drift over the plate and contributed to his 6.35 ERA and 90 hits in 73 and 2/3 innings, including 11 home runs over that time.

Texas Gal over in Center Field turned us on to the idea that Buchholz has been “drifting” in delivery, as show through the PitchFX diagrams in her post. Hopefully with this new light bulb over Clay’s head he will return to his form and help the Sox finished the sweep over the Orioles, more for the kid’s confidence than the team.

Wakefield Plays a Little Toss

After spending 10 days on the DL, Tim Wakefield has got the ball back in his hand and played catch with pitching coach John Farrell for the first time since going on the disabled list with tightness in the back of his right shoulder. The Sawx are hoping after a few more side sessions Wake will be ready to take back to the mound.

Colon to Pitch for Pawtucket this Week

After leaving his third rehab start for the PawSox after one inning with a case of the stomach bug, Bartolo Colon will continue his trail back to Fenway this week against Syracuse Chiefs. David Pauley is listed as the probable starter for tonight on the PawSox website, but Colon could end up getting the start.

The second half is well upon us and it seems that the New York Yankees are looking to crash the party atop the AL East. After a mediocre first half of baseball, the Bronx Bombers have won seven-straight ball games, trailing the East leading Rays by just 3 games heading into the second game of a three-game weekend series with the Boston Red Sox.

It seems as if the Yankees are preparing to make a strong run at the pennant, acquiring outfielder Xavier Nady and left handed reliever Damaso Marte from Pittsburgh in exchange for reliever Russ Ohlendorf and three minor leaguers. Of the minor leaguers, Jose Tabata, a highly-regarded outfielding prospect, is the most prominent name of the bunch.

Last night witnessed Joba Chamberlain’s best start of his career, as he blanked the Red Sox through 7 innings of work, striking out 9, giving up 0 runs while outdeueling Boston ace, Josh Beckett. Chamberlain is now 3-3 with a 2.30 ERA for the Yankees.

We should think about calling the New York Yankess the best second-half team in baseball. Including this year, the Yankees are 154-81 after the All Star break since 2005. Robinson Cano is easily the best hitter of the Yankee sluggers in the second half. In 209 post-All Star games in his career, Cano’s batting average is at a stellar .339.

The real question is, if the Sox and Yanks were to meet in the ALCS this year, which starters would you rather see out there? Beckett, Lester, and Dice-K? Or Pettitte, Mussina, and Joba? We all know Andy Pettitte is still one of the best playoff pitchers of his time, but my money’s still on the Sox.

*On a side note, was it me or was Mike Lowell absolutely screwed at the plate last night? He has every right to get thrown out after that barrage of calls.*

*Also, Kevin Youkilis is PISSED, when will this Joba/Youk thing come to an end? Is Joba taking it too far? To me, most certainly.*

-First, and foremost, the Sox get their feared number 3 hitter back in the line-up tonight, Big Papi. Papi is coming off the DL after a 53-day, 45 game absence, where the Sox were able to assemble a 26-19 record. The record, though, does not quantify the offense’s struggles without him in the line-up. Without Papi hitting in that number 3 slot, the Sox offense has been out of the top 10 in all three Triple Crown categories, coincidently, with him in the line-up they are in the top 10 of all three.

-However, the player who everyone seems to be bashing recently, and the number 4 hitter in the Sox powerful 1-2 punch, Manny Ramirez is questionable for tonight’s game with a sore knee. Who knows if Manny is just pulling one of his many stunts to show the Sox front office how much they need him, or if his knee has really been bothering him. Ramirez is the only one who knows the answer to that question, and I’m sure he’ll be keeping it that way.

-An interesting storyline for tonight will be Joba Chamberlain making his first start at Fenway Park, especially with the past he has with the Red Sox, and most notably, Kevin Youkilis. Joba was none too happy with Youkilis’ slide in Yankee Stadium on July 5th, and he made it known when in Kevin’s next at bat, he promptly received a 97 mph fastball between his legs. Last season, Youk also received two fastballs over his head in the Bronx. It’ll be interesting to see how Joba handles Youk in his first at bat tonight; I know I’ll be watching.

-The Sox counter Chamberlain, with dueling flamethrower, Josh Beckett, on the mound tonight in Boston. Beckett comes into the game with a 9-6 record (3-0 against the Yankees) and a 3.98 ERA through 18 starts, with 113 K to 25 BB in 120 innings pitched. He is coming off a CG last time out, against the Los Angeles Angels. Beckett took the loss in the game, chucking 8 innings of 9 hit baseball, giving up 4 runs and striking out 6 along the way. Here’s hoping to 4-0 against those Bronx Bombers.

-Dustin Pedroia has been the team’s hottest hitter this month, batting at a .436 clip, raking 44 hits in his last 101 at bats. In 9 games against the Yankees this season, Pedroia has also been hot, hitting .350 against New York pitching. Robinson Cano, widely known in the baseball world as being a 2nd half hitter, has started on his tear in the last 30 days, dancing to the tune of a .359 avg with 4 HR, striking out only 4 times in that span.

-This 3 games series ranks high on both teams priority lists, as the Yankees come into Fenway Park only 3 games behind the Sox and Tampa Bay Rays. Both teams are in a tie at the top of the AL East as of the games played through July 24th. In the case of a series sweep for the Yankees, they would tie themselves with the Red Sox and once again show the baseball world they can never be counted out of the race for the division.

Every series between these two American League elites give us something to watch for, and this series will not disappoint. Be ready for a playoff atmosphere at Fenway Park at 7:05pm.