Welcome To Rocktober

Though the title harkens to the amazing story of the 2007 Rockies (according the ESPN's Tim Kurkjian, perhaps the greatest story ever), the real story today is about how the Tribe is going to put the final nail in Bean-Town's baseball coffin tonight. Not because Manny doesn't care about this series, or because Sabathia isn't going to pitch poorly twice in a series. No, it's because Josh Beckett has to be rattled by the late change in National Anthem singers in Cleveland:

Country music artist Danielle Peck will sing the national anthem and "God Bless America" at tonight's Indians game. She will not sing, "Stand by Your Man." Peck, it turns out, dated Red Sox pitching ace Josh Beckett, who is starting tonight's do-or-die game against the Tribe and who handed them their only loss in the American League Championship Series. The Indians claim they had no idea of the love connection when they announced Tuesday that Peck would replace Taylor Swift as tonight's vocalist. "It's an incredible coincidence. Honestly," said Indians spokesman Bob DiBiasio. "This isn't another bug thing."

Aside from the fact that I have no idea who either Danielle Peck or Taylor Swift are, I think this is the lowest form of distraction that Cleveland could have attempted, and I love it. You have shipped in the ex-girlfriend of the opposing starting pitcher. I only hope Indy is taking note, and can ship in Bridget Moyanhan to sing the National Anthem when they play the Terminators. Or maybe she can be a sideline reporter...bonus points if she carries around Tom's baby while she does it. NFL picks later today.