“It’s always injuries. Any time a team that doesn’t make the playoffs and is supposed to is because of injuries. Plain and simple.”

Gonzalez continued by explaining the specific injuries that hurt Boston’s cause as it went 7-20 in the final month of the regular season to miss the playoffs.

“You have [Clay] Buchholz in the rotation, just that one guy. Daisuke [Matsuzaka], you have him in the rotation all year long, that’s 10 more victories. We probably win the division. Not having [Kevin] Youkilis in the lineup the last month.”

It’s mind boggling to think that any player could use injuries as an excuse for what the Sox did to themselves over the last month. It’s even more shocking to think that Gonzalez, a candidate for the American League MVP award, actually believes that excuse.

Did the Red Sox miss Clay Buchholz? Of course. Buchholz’s back injury changed the entire complexion of their starting rotation, and the acquisition of Erik Bedard at the trade deadline did nothing to help the back end.

Did the Sox miss Kevin Youkilis? There’s no doubt. A lineup without a cleanup hitter who works counts and delivers with runners on base is certainly going to look less intimidating.

But for a team with the third-highest payroll in baseball and a franchise that has won two World Series titles in the last eight years, a few injuries can and should be overcome.

Gonzalez’s comments were so blasphemous that they were actually difficult to fathom as they filtered out of his mouth on Wednesday night in Baltimore.

He’s played on many bad teams in San Diego throughout his Major League career and hasn’t been involved in too many pennant races, but it’s hard to believe that any professional can possess such a lack of accountability.

Furthermore, Gonzalez was dreadful against three A.L. playoff teams in the Yankees (.183), Rays (.131), and Tigers (.130) this season, and despite a year in which he hit .338 with 117 RBI, the slugger should have been one of the first players to step forward and accept blame for the team’s disastrous failure in September.

Sure it’s his first year in a major baseball market, but one would think that Gonzalez would know better than to make a bogus excuse at a time like that.

What’s even more troubling is that he might view it as valid, but even if he does, it’s a comment that should never come out to the media under any circumstance. Excuses are for losers, and that’s what every member of the Boston roster is right now.

Significant injuries occur on every Major League roster, but the Sox should have coasted to the postseason despite the two that affected them down the stretch. A nine-game lead with a month to go in baseball has always been automatic.

It was an epic collapse in every way, and there is no excuse that applies to what just happened to the 2011 Red Sox.

Not only did Adrian Gonzalez use one, but he chose the worst one in the book.

Alastair Ingram is the featured Boston Red Sox columnist for RantSports.com. For daily updates, follow him on Twitter at @AlastairIngram, follow the blog at @RedSoxRant, and join the fan page on Facebook.

They trail the Yankees by seven games in the American League East and lead the Rays and Angels by just 2.5 games in the wild card race.

There have been numerous reasons for Boston’s horrendous late-season collapse, but its starting pitchers are the biggest culprits. Sox starters are now 3-9 with a 6.75 ERA in the past 18 games, having allowed 66 runs in that span.

The latest disappointment on the mound was Josh Beckett on Wednesday night against the Orioles. The right-hander allowed six earned runs in 7.1 innings, blowing what was at one point a three-run lead for the Sox.

It seems as though Terry Francona cannot rely on a single arm in his starting rotation, and Beckett’s shortcomings against Baltimore was further proof.

The Sox have an off day on Thursday before beginning a three-game series against the Yankees in New York on Friday. Jon Lester will get the ball in the opener, followed by Tim Wakefield on Saturday, and a starter-to-be-named-later on Sunday.

It may be John Lackey, or it could be Alfredo Aceves. We know it won’t be Clay Buchholz or Erik Bedard, but whoever takes the ball for the Sox that night, he likely won’t be giving the team a good chance to win.

Boston had better bring its bats to Yankee Stadium, because with seven games remaining in a regular season that is slowing slipping away, its pitching is highly unreliable.

Alastair Ingram is the featured Boston Red Sox columnist for RantSports.com. For daily updates, follow him on Twitter at @AlastairIngram, follow the blog at @RedSoxRant, and join the fan page on Facebook.

The right-hander leads the league in wins (21), ERA (2.34), WHIP (0.91), strikeouts (223), opponent batting average (.192), and innings pitched (223.0). At this point, it’s almost guaranteed.

With that said, Jon Lester is mounting a late-season charge to enter the A.L. Cy Young picture. The Red Sox left-hander threw seven scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in Toronto on Tuesday night and is now 15-6 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.19 WHIP.

Lester is 4-0 over his last five starts. He has allowed four earned runs and only 19 hits in 31 innings during that span.

The lefty is now tied for fourth in the A.L. in wins (with the Yankees’ Ivan Nova) and is just three percentage points shy of cracking the top five in ERA.

Lester had an outside chance at winning the Cy Young in 2010 before a disastrous final start in Chicago (4 IP, 8 ER) cost him a shot at the hardware. He finished fourth in the voting as Felix Hernandez took home the award.

It won’t be nearly as disappointing when Lester isn’t selected as the league’s top pitcher this year, but if he continues to throw well, adding another top five vote to his resume isn’t a stretch.

Lester hasn’t pitched like an ace for much of the 2011 season, but he’s certainly pitching like one now as the Red Sox head toward the postseason. In the end, that’s what truly matters to Boston.

So although the Sox may not have a Cy Young winner in their rotation this year, they appear to have one of the game’s most dominant lefties back on a roll.

Alastair Ingram is the featured Boston Red Sox columnist for RantSports.com. For daily updates, follow him on Twitter at @AlastairIngram, follow the blog at @RedSoxRant, and join the fan page on Facebook.

Last year, the right-hander wasn’t healthy to start the season, and it showed. He was roughed up to the tune of a 5.78 ERA and served up 20 home runs in 21 starts.

The Yankees hit nine of those homers against Beckett, and his ERA against New York in five starts was 10.04. Yankee batters hit nearly .340 against Beckett, and his shortcomings became crystal clear in those five outings.

But in 2011, Beckett is a new pitcher, and the immense success he’s had against the Yankees this season is helping to highlight his resurrection as an elite starter.

After Wednesday night’s start at Fenway Park, Beckett is now 4-0 against the Yankees in 2011 with the following numbers: 34 IP, 22 H, 7 ER, 10 BB, 38 K.

That equates to a 1.85 ERA in five starts for Beckett against the best lineup in baseball this year outside of Boston.

Of the teams Beckett has faced at least twice this season, only two have had a tougher time solving him: The Angels (1.46) and Rays (0.00).

Beckett is now 12-5 on the year with a 2.54 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. He won’t win the American League Cy Young award (primarily because Justin Verlander and Jered Weaver pitch in the A.L.), but when facing the Yankees this year, he’s had Cy Young-caliber stuff.

In fact, CC Sabathia (17-7, 2.99) might have a better Cy Young resume in the eyes of some voters, but it’s clear that Beckett would have the edge in a head-to-head matchup.

While the Red Sox right-hander has baffled Yankee hitters all year, Sabathia is 1-4 with a 6.39 ERA against Boston and finally beat the Sox for the first time on Tuesday night.

Last season, the thought of Beckett facing the vaunted New York lineup would have given Terry Francona nightmares.

If the two rivals should meet in the ALCS this October, there’s no doubt that Francona will confidently hand Beckett the ball to continue his Yankee domination in 2011.

Alastair Ingram is the featured Boston Red Sox columnist for RantSports.com. For daily updates, follow him on Twitter at @AlastairIngram, follow the blog at @RedSoxRant, and join the fan page on Facebook.

Cervelli, who had homered off Lackey on a 3-1 pitch earlier in the game and followed it up with a celebration at home plate, took exception to the pitch and both benches cleared.

Lackey said after the game that he didn’t intend to hit Cervelli and was merely trying to take back the inside part of the plate:

“I was definitely not trying to hit him, I was trying to knock him down for sure,” Lackey told reporters. “Go and look at where he stands in the box, you’ve got to get him off the plate a little bit.”

Lackey is never shy to show his emotions on the mound. The righty was clearly staring directly at Cervelli as he celebrated his fifth inning blast at home plate.

Many pitchers will retaliate when they feel that they’ve been shown up, and Lackey appeared upset.

It’s worth noting that Lackey easily leads Major League Baseball in hit batsmen this year with 17. He has five more than Tim Hudson, Dillon Gee, and Fausto Carmona, who all rank second.

It’s also worth noting that the right-hander would likely never admit to the media that he was throwing at Cervelli, as such an admission could result in a suspension.

There were four players hit by pitches in Tuesday night’s game: Cervelli, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and Jorge Posada. Only one of those incidents (Ellsbury in the first inning) occurred before Cervelli was plunked.

The home run for Cervelli was his second this season and just the third of his career. Lackey is now 12-10 with a 5.94 ERA this year and took his first loss against the Yankees in 2011.

Alastair Ingram is the featured Boston Red Sox columnist for RantSports.com. For daily updates, follow him on Twitter at @AlastairIngram, follow the blog at @RedSoxRant, and join the fan page on Facebook.

Tuesday: CC Sabathia (17-7, 2.99) vs. John Lackey (12-9, 5.98), 7:10 p.m.

Wednesday: Phil Hughes (4-4, 6.46) vs. Josh Beckett (11-5, 2.43), 7:10 p.m.

Thursday: A.J. Burnett (9-11, 5.31) vs. Jon Lester (14-6, 3.09), 7:10 p.m.

Alastair Ingram is the featured Boston Red Sox columnist for RantSports.com. For daily updates, follow him on Twitter at @AlastairIngram, follow the blog at @RedSoxRant, and join the fan page on Facebook.

In late May after taking a loss in Cleveland, he stood at 1-4 with a 3.65 ERA and was one of many reasons for Boston’s lackluster start to the 2011 campaign.

The right-hander has only allowed an earned run in two appearances since then and threw a full two months of scoreless baseball in June and July. He’s now 2-5 with a 2.07 ERA and ranks as one of the best relievers in the American League.

Among A.L. relief pitchers with at least 35 appearances this year, only White Sox closer Sergio Santos (.158 opponent batting average) has been tougher to hit than Bard (.166).

Meanwhile, his WHIP of 0.82 is second only to Koji Uehara of the Rangers, meaning that he is allowing less baserunners than every single closer in the American League in 2011.

Based on those numbers, it might not be a stretch to say that Bard has been the best reliever in the A.L. this year.

The hard-throwing righty is just two holds away from tying his mark from 2o10 (32), and he’s blown five less saves than he did last year in his first full Major League season.

His last eight and two thirds innings have been nearly flawless, as he’s allowed no runs and three baserunners in that span.

Only time will tell if he’s ready to take over as the Sox’ closer in 2012 should Jonathan Papelbon depart through free agency this winter.

But that’s a discussion for another day, because for now, Boston has arguably the most reliable setup man around.

Alastair Ingram is the featured Boston Red Sox columnist for RantSports.com. For daily updates, follow him on Twitter at @AlastairIngram, follow the blog at @RedSoxRant, and join the fan page on Facebook.

He may have been a candidate during that drought, but his case was certainly weakened by the nearly month-long stretch in which he failed to leave the yard and slugged less than .400.

But over the last three days in Texas, Gonzalez has emphatically thrown his name back into the A.L. MVP hat by hitting five home runs against Rangers pitching.

The last three of those home runs all came on consecutive pitches, and after the second of his two blasts on Thursday night, he was greeted by cheers of “M-V-P” while rounding third base at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

The slugger is now batting .348 with 23 home runs and 102 RBI, joining Curtis Granderson (who hit one of three Yankee grand slams on Thursday) as the only two players in the A.L. who have produced 100+ runs.

In the eyes of many in baseball, Gonzalez was the clear favorite to take home the MVP at the All-Star break. After smacking five homers in the span of only 12 at-bats, he might have climbed back to the top of the list.

Granderson is having a better statistical season in numerous offensive categories (including home runs and slugging percentage), but he’s hitting 70 points lower than Gonzalez, a sizable margin which could sway voters after the season.

This isn’t to say that Granderson doesn’t deserve the MVP. He’s on pace to hit more than 40 homers for a Yankee team which has been without Alex Rodriguez for the last six weeks. Going 40-and-100 for a playoff team is usually enough to lock it up.

With that said, the MVP is typically given to a hitter who performs in all three triple crown categories, and if Gonzalez has truly found his swing again, he will likely have the more complete resume at year’s end.

It will come down to which resume looks better to the majority of voters: A .350, 30 HR, 120 RBI season or a .280, 44 HR, 120 RBI season.

Both are elite in their own way, but only one can prevail.

It’s sure to be an extremely close race, and it may come down to which team (Boston or New York) wins the American League East. In the end, that may be somewhat unfair, but it’s the reality of the MVP award.

Whether it’s right or wrong, playing for a winning team matters when it comes to this piece of hardware. The Red Sox currently have a one game lead in the division, and they host the Yankees for a three-game series at Fenway Park next week.

Perhaps that series will provide some clarity for what is currently a cloudy MVP picture in the A.L. If Gonzalez brings his power stroke back from the Texas heat, the race will continue to gather steam.

Alastair Ingram is the featured Boston Red Sox columnist for RantSports.com. For daily updates, follow him on Twitter at @AlastairIngram, follow the blog at @RedSoxRant, and join the fan page on Facebook.

Olney suggests that Epstein has viewed the Cubs as an intriguing opportunity in years past:

“Epstein has talked about the Cubs’ organization as a place with extraordinary growth potential and as a unique challenge. When Epstein took over the Red Sox, Boston had had more than eight decades of frustration before it finally won the World Series in 2004.”

With that said, Olney also admits that Epstein’s loyalty and standing in Boston might prevent him from pursuing a job in Chicago:

“Epstein has carved out a strong position under Red Sox owners John Henry and Tom Werner, and friends say he has a deep loyalty to the Boston organization — and keep in mind that Boston is his hometown and that Epstein is in the middle of his current contract.”

Speaking on WEEI radio in Boston on Wednesday, NESN’s Peter Gammons said that Epstein would likely have interest in the opening:

“It’s a great job. Having gone even longer than the Red Sox without winning, if you win in Chicago, win a World Series in the next six or eight years, that city’s yours forever. And that’s not the worst city to have as your own fiefdom.”

Epstein’s contract with the Red Sox runs through the 2012 season. He has won two World Series titles (2004 and 2007) in his tenure as GM.

The Sox hadn’t won a world championship in 86 years before finally breaking their curse in 2004. The Cubs haven’t won the World Series in more than 100 years, the longest drought in baseball.

In order for it to be a step up for Epstein, the Cubs would likely have to offer him a job as their team president, giving him additional influence on the franchise as well as the roster.

Alastair Ingram is the featured Boston Red Sox columnist for RantSports.com. For daily updates, follow him on Twitter at @AlastairIngram, follow the blog at @RedSoxRant, and join the fan page on Facebook.

Gonzalez blasted two home runs which traveled more than 800 feet combined in a span of just three at-bats against the Rangers’ Colby Lewis to break the slump.

The slugger now has 20 home runs this year to go along with 97 RBI, second in the American League behind Curtis Granderson.

Still, Gonzalez is slugging nearly 200 points lower in the second half of the season than he did in the first half. Prior to Tuesday night, Gonzalez had just six extra-base hits in the month of August, all of which were doubles.

Gonzalez is on pace for his lowest home run total since 2006 when he hit 24 for the Padres. He had 17 homers at the All-Star break and made the final round of the Home Run Derby against Granderson in Arizona.

The lefty is still hitting nearly .320 since the break and doesn’t blame the derby for his recent lack of power.

He has admitted recently that neck pain forced him to shorten his swing, which robbed him of some power over the last month.

Alastair Ingram is the featured Boston Red Sox columnist for RantSports.com. For daily updates, follow him on Twitter at @AlastairIngram, follow the blog at @RedSoxRant, and join the fan page on Facebook.