We were starting to get very worried. We could have lived with Boston being in another World Series. But we could not have dealt with our nemesis, Lizzy, being right about the Manny Ramirez trade. So when the Rays finally exorcised the Sox last night — and honestly, we’re not sure if Boston’s miracle comeback to tie this series or Tampa’s Game 7 pull-it-back-together game was more impressive — we let out a contented sigh of relief that allowed us to reprint these words from one of our favorite “We Said, She Said” moments of the past. From Aug. 6, to Lizzy:

(Manny) is a difference-maker. He alters the entire landscape of a lineup and a game. He scares the [redacted] out of opposing pitchers, managers and fans. He was the glue — the crazy glue, mind you — that kept those weird and winning Red Sox teams together. Now they’re just a collection of parts without a man in the middle. … Your guy Jason Bay has done quite well so far, too. But to continue the indelicate analogy you started with Manny Ramirez, this new fling of yours is a fun rebound, but come October he’s going to be sitting on the couch watching TV while you sit there wondering where the spark went. Know why? Because he’s not Manny Ramirez. Nobody is scared of Jason Bay. He’s a nice player, but he’s not a lineup changer. He doesn’t alter innings. He doesn’t make David Ortiz better.

We remain convinced that if the Red Sox had simply waited a few more days for Ramirez to come out of his latest funk, Manny — for the sake of his own self-preservation and insane impending contract — would have done the same things for Boston that he did for the Dodgers. Even if he was just close to his old self, the Red Sox would be playing in the World Series. Yes, pitching failed the Red Sox at times in the postseason. But they also went from a team with swagger to a team with scrap when they traded Ramirez. It brought them down to Tampa Bay’s postseason level, and that made all the difference, especially in Game 7 when the Sox could only muster one run.

In a way, we’ve been waiting 2.5 months for this moment. It’s not because we hate Boston. We just like feeling vindicated, even if it’s in our own mind. Isn’t that sick?

Question of the day: Have you ever held onto a sports point, a take, an argument, something like the aforementioned scenario beyond the point of reason (and we were NOT beyond the point of reason) just for your “Gotcha!” moment?

Also, we will (hopefully) deal with the Vikings later.

Fasola-link! Soap Box Derby.

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