“You’re getting way ahead of yourself,” is Red Sox [team stats] manager Terry Francona’s standard response whenever someone asks about his plans for the postseason. It’s the right thing to say. After all, it would be bad form for a big league manager to be leaning back in his chair in these early days of September, talking about the team he hopes to put on the field in the early days of October.
But we all know better. This organization is nothing if not prepared, which means that, yes, absolutely, Francona is meeting regularly with general manager Theo Epstein and the various lieutenants from baseball operations to discuss October baseball.

And it’s frightening to imagine what they must be saying when the talk turns to Daisuke Matsuzaka, who continues to be, in a word, terrible.
Let’s put it this way: Unless he turns things around soon, it will be difficult for the Red Sox to give Matsuzaka a postseason starting assignment. After lasting just 2 2/3 innings in the Red Sox’ 11-5 loss to the Baltimore Orioles last night at Camden Yards - the shortest outing by a Sox starter this season - Matsuzaka is now 1-4 with a 5.57 ERA in his last five starts.