Bruce Chen and the Path to the Promised Land

Never has a back-end of the rotation starter created such a stir as Bruce Chen has in 2011. He potentially embodies the key to victory not only in fantasy baseball, but in the actual game itself.

My 89 mph fastball will save you...

Ken Rosenthal reports that the Red Sox are looking to acquire Chen for what would be a legendary tie-breaking start against the Rays should both teams remain tied following today's games.

Just last year, Bruce Chen was going about his business, pitching for a small market team and living the quiet life without a care in the world. Now he could be thrown into the most dramatic game of the 2011 season as the potential savior of Red Sox Nation. Not since an emergency trade for Doug Mirabelli in 2006 would a Red Sox trade be made with such urgency and melodrama.

Speaking as both a Red Sox homer and Bruce Chen mark, I hope Theo Epstein pulls the trigger. Even the most violent haters of His Bruce-ness have to admit that he's a better option than John Lackey, Kyle Weiland, or even my main man Tim Wakefield.

His ERA is 6.41. Instead of eating innings he's clearly been eating Taco Bell and cheesecake.

The downside of this trade would be for Chen's owners in fantasy land. They're depending on him to make his start tonight and beat the lowly Minnesota Twins to secure fantasy baseball championships across America.

The hopes of so many people now depend on one guy. But what a guy.