Oh Happy Day

Boston Red Sox closer Hideki Okajima delivers during the ninth inning of their baseball game against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park in Boston, Thursday, May 17, 2007. Okajima earned the save in the 4-2 win over the Tigers. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
It may be cold and raining, but we've got our Sox on so we're never cold:

NYTimes: Red Sox Sweep Tigers in Doubleheader

The sweep increased Boston's lead in the AL East over the second-place New York Yankees to 9 1/2 games. The last time the Yankees, who lost to Chicago 4-1, were that far back was after games of Sept. 6, 1997.

A Red Sox Fan in Pinstripe Territory

9.5 games is our biggest division lead since 1995, when we topped out at around a 16-game lead. In 1912, we finished the season 55 games ahead of the Yanks (then Highlanders). That must've been a fun September.

We do have our little worries. It's only May. Julian Tavarez? And then there's Beckett's avulsion:

Joy of Sox: Beckett's Finger

Redsox.com reports that Josh Beckett left the game after four innings with

an avulsion on the right middle finger, leading to "irritation of the skin." ...

It was not a blister, he said, referring to the problem that plagued him earlier in his career. Francona said it would be a couple of days before the team would decide on Beckett's next start.

From Beckett's DL history:

5/1/02: Placed on the 15-day DL retroactive to April 29 with a blister on the middle finger of his right hand. (Activated 5/14)

6/5/02: Placed on the 15-day disabled list (right middle finger blister). (Activated ???)

8/24/02: Placed on the 15-day DL with a blister to his right middle finger. (Activated 9/11)

5/31/04: Placed on the 15-day disabled list with a blister to his right middle finger. (Activated 6/16)

7/6/04: Placed on the 15-day DL with a skin tear to his right middle finger. (Activated 7/30)

6/17/05: Placed on the 15-day disabled list with a blister to his right middle finger. (Activated 6/30)

But the Red Sox have the best record in baseball, and the Yankees are in the crapper. Oh happy day.