Who are they Gonna Blame for the Curse this Time?

Things are going horribly wrong for the Boston Red Sox right now. AL MVP candidate David Ortiz has left the team indefinitely due to an irregular heartbeat. Ortiz had already spent time in a hospital this month for what was thought to be dehydration and fatigue.

Nobody knows if or when Ortiz will return to the Red Sox lineup, but of course the team isn't their greatest concern.

"It's not good. This game is nothing compared to someone's health or family. We don't play games with people's lives. I don't know any of the details. All I can do is pray for him."

-Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin

Still, this could not have come at a worse time for the Red Sox. Ever since catcher Jason Varitek had arthroscopic surgery on his knee August 3rd, the team has been on a steep decline. Each day they fall further behind the Yankees and the AL Wild Card.

To make matters even worse, they had to put rookie starter Jason Lester on the 15-day DL yesterday and they've been without Manny Ramirez in 4 of their last 5 games thanks to a sore right knee.

I don't think the Red Sox will be returning to the postseason in 2006.