Red Sox-White Sox (July 21, 2005)

Ten days before the trading deadline and the Sox are heading to Chicago to face MLB's best team, the White Sox, in a very important series. Matt Clement (10-3, 4.21), coming off a horrible start on Saturday versus the Yankees, goes up against A.L. All-Star starter Mark Buehrle (11-3, 2.58). This is a pivotal series for the Red Sox. Winning 3-of-4 or even splitting with the White Sox would send a message to the rest of the A.L. that the Red Sox are still the elite team until someone steps up and proves otherwise. Clement should be up to the challenge -- he has bounced back every time this year after being roughed up in his previous start. (Thoughts from Wednesday's game ... Wells has made some of you doubters into believers ... Olerud needs to play more ... great play by Renteria in the first, setting the tone for the day that the D-Rays were not going to get anything easy ... or anything at all for that matter ... nice blast by Damon, the Sox are going to need him to hit a few more home runs ... Chad Bradford was a solid addition ... could you imagine Manny Ramirez playing for Lou Piniella?)