Another year, another July 31, another belly full of stress about my boys.

I'll admit that when it comes to trades I'm very, very conservative, and maybe a little possessive. ^_^  Birds in the hand, and all that.  As a result, I've been grateful to hear that Clay Buchholz

July 22, 2007.

and Jacoby Ellsbury

July 4, 2007.

are not on the table.

But some of the names that have been coming up make me worry.

Craig Hansen has had a July resurgence--just as Manny Delcarmen found consistency and confidence, Hansen may just now be coming into his own.  I worried earlier in the year that he might need a fresh start like the one Cla Meredith got in San Diego, but now I'd hate to see him go just as he gets it together.

March 3, 2007.  (I have yet to see Hansen pitch this year...)

And what of Delcarmen?  Possibly expendable if the Sox go after Gagne?  No, please.

I'd like to see Manny in the bullpen here, thanks.

And then there's Wily Mo.

June 20, 2007.

By all rights, Wily Mo should be traded, to a team where he could play every day without the pressure he has in Boston.  But... but my heart wants to keep him here.  He came to Boston under a dark star, but he has the character to play in Boston, letting the boos and sarcastic cheers roll off his back.  He works hard.  He can hit hard.  And...

May 13, 2007.

... and, well, Papi loves him.

Five hours and change to go...

You've looked for something greater than this
I promise you it doesn't exist
And I wouldn't trade places for what I know

... or it was, anyway!  Full page of thumbnails to come, but a few photos for now:

Tim Wakefield on the mound.

Mike Lowell with the catch.

Who says J.D. Drew doesn't smile?

Jacoby Ellsbury, whose name you'll be hearing for a long time.

Tek comes out for some warmup pitches.

Carlos Pena.

Coco Crisp watches one go foul.

Big Papi.

Eric Hinske wonders how that could possibly have been a strike.

Drew watches Lowell's home run on its way to the Monster seats.

For months it was hard to believe it would happen--now it's hard to believe it's over!  From June 18 through June 28, I made a grand circuit of the country to follow my beloved Red Sox to Atlanta, San Diego and Seattle.

Those page links will take you to a few shots from each series, though I'm a long way from being done picking out photos!

Here's a few samples for now:

Tek in Atlanta.

Julian ropes in Wily Mo for a new bizarre stretch.

National League rules are stranger than I thought. Kyle Snyder and Wily Mo.

Tavarez and his unusual batting stance.

J.D. shares his knowledge of Petco with an attentive Dustin Pedroia.

How can you not love Papi?

"I'm not Daisuke. He's over there."  (Poor Okaji--I wish I were kidding, but I don't think I am!)

Coco.

Can't miss Mikey with his hat off.

An iPod ad, or Manny in Seattle?

Daisuke