But ya doesn't have to call me Johnson

SPORTING GOODS

Even when the Tampa Bay (nee Devil) Rays weren't any good, the Red Sox had confrontations with them. My memory is that Pedro Martinez was frequently involved in various beanball episodes back in the days when the Rays were lucky to win seventy games in a season.

Now that the teams are both contending for first place in the American League East division, the confrontations have grown more meaningful and wilder. Such it was last night when the Sox and the Rays had a skirmish in the second inning. Ultimately, the Sox, diminished to a skeleton crew (and not getting along with those who were left), prevailed over the Rays and went up in the division by a game and a half over their southern opponents.

The episode and the game were fun, but disconcerting nevertheless.