Courtesy of 570news.com

By Peter Karl, YawkeyTalkies Correspondent

Well, they got in. It was an ugly road to the playoffs, but the Red Sox have clinched a postseason spot for the fifth time in the six-year Terry Francona era. After last night’s almost-enough-effort in front of the Fenway faithful, where the Sox gave up 3 homers for the first time since 2004, the Sox didn’t get to shower beer around Fenway just yet. Instead, they had to wait ’til one in the morning to celebrate without their fans, as the Rangers lost to the Angels in Anaheim, handing the Sox the Wildcard spot in the most unorthodox way possible.

So, thanks Angels. I guess you’re really looking forward to losing to us, again.

To say the Sox have stumbled into the playoffs is an understatement. In fact it is very reminiscent of the struggle Ace Venture once had trying to exit a mechanical rhino. You see the similarities? Despite losing their last five games (one fewer than the season’s longest losing streak), Boston is in and, of course, the players are promising better results in the playoffs.

Dustin Pedroia couldn’t have said it better, “It doesn’t matter how you do it, as long as you’re in.”

With five games remaining in the season, (one more against Toronto tonight, and four against Cleveland) the Red Sox will need to walk the fine line between rust and rest.

The pitching rotation is set-up for each starter to get one final start. Wakefield goes tonight, in a big outing to show he is healthy enough to succeed. Lester will bounce back from that scary incident in New York over the weekend on Thursday. Matsuzaka is slated for Friday in a big opportunity to bolster his confidence as well as the coaching staff’s, and fan’s. Saturday is a big test for Josh Beckett. While he claims his back spasms are being blown out of proportion by the media, a solid outing on the last day of the season can put worried minds at ease. EVERYONE knows how important a healthy Beckett is to Red Sox postseason success.

Francona and staff will have plenty of time to scout the AL West champion L.A. Angels of Anaheim. And so will I. So enjoy watching the starting rotation try and lead makeshift offensive lineups to victory the rest of the week. Meanwhile, me and the rest of Boston will be crunching the numbers on Mike Scioscia’s postseason giants of the left coast.

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