Curt Schilling pitched in with his condemnation of Bucknor - hey may have even more to say after Bucknor works the plate in Game 2.

The bottom line, though, was that Bucknor’s ineptitude had no real impact on the game’s outcome. The Red Sox’ offense consisted of four widespread singles as John Lackey iced them into the eighth. Torii Hunter’s three-run homer gave the Angels two more runs than they’d need.

One other sidelight entering Game 2: Angels manager Mike Scioscia has inspired a mild discussion concerning his choice of catchers. It’s not nearly as lively as the radio talk show debate over Terry Francona’s call to let Victor Martinez catch Beckett instead of inserting Jason Varitek into the already chilly Red Sox lineup.

Never before have Mickey Mouse’s neighbors cast such an air of smugness as a playoff series against Boston approaches. Indeed, the good folks of greater Hollywood are so supremely confidentthat it has even been nsuggested that their Angels might actually be at an advantage against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. That might be a bit of a stretch considering the Red Sox’ relative invincibility at Fenway.

There is, of course, one game within the game in which the Angels have every right to feel supremely confident. As a team they stole 148 bases this season; the Red Sox, baseball’s most slovenly team defending against the run, allowed 151 stolen bases. It’s tough to build an argument to counter the notion that the Red Sox’ most glaring weaknesses play into the Angels’ strengths.

Now that the playoff invitation has been formalized, taking a step back, allowing the regulars some measure of rest and preparing the pitching staff for next week’s AL Division Series opener in Anaheim will be the main goals connected to the regular season’s final five games.

As for the losing streak, history suggests it doesn’t really matter how many wins a team totes into the playoffs. For dramatic evidence, witness the 2001 Seattle Mariners, whose 116 regular-season wins were forgotten as the Yankees (who won 95 regular-season games, losing eight of their final 15) needed just five games to beat them in the ALCS.

Specifically, there is the issue of Josh Beckett’s aching back, which required cortisone injections yesterday and will be tested Saturday at Fenway against Cleveland.

Clay Buchholz, cuffed around by the Blue Jays last night in another example of his consistent inconsistency this season, will get a chance to enter the playoffs on a high note in the regular-season finale Sunday.

And while Terry Francona won’t confirm what seems obvious, the schedule would indicate that Jon Lester will be the Red Sox starter in the first playoff game in Anaheim next Wednesday or Thursday.

Daniel Bard is enduring the ups and downs any rookie is bound to endure, even one who can hit 100 miles per hour on the radar gun. Ramon Ramirez has allowed 10 runs in his last 11 outings.

And then there is Manny Delcarmen. If it seems as though Delcarmen is in a free-fall and that the Red Sox are shying away from using him in tight situations, there is a basis for that reasoning. Tuesday night he managed to get one out to end the seventh with the Red Sox trailing 5-0.

On Monday night in Kansas City he came on to work the sixth inning, inheriting a 9-5 lead. By the time the book closed on his evening’s effort the game was tied.

On Sunday afternoon he came on to work the ninth inning of an 11-3 Red Sox rout in Baltimore. If body language might be interpreted via a television screen, Delcarmen’s demeanor was that of a man somewhere lingering somewhere between disinterested and disgusted. He served up home run balls to Ty Wigginton and Felix Pie and was gone after four batters without recording an out.

In his last 10 outings, Delcarmen’s earned run average has ballooned from 3.44 to 4.31.

For the moment, Terry Francona says he isn’t about to give up on Delcarmen. We’ll probably get a better idea of how the manager feels about the beleaguered reliever once the playoffs start.

The Red Sox’ infield depth headed into the postseason is taking a beating as well. Nick Green is soldiering on with a bum leg and Jed Lowrie is effectively out of the picture as his surgically repaired left wrist continues to heal.

There is a bit of good news, for New Englanders and the nation: Curt Schilling has decided not to run for Edward M. Kennedy’s senate seat.

Well, such happy thoughts need to come with a large disclaimer: The Baltimore Orioles, victims of Tuesday night’s rout, look like a ballclub more concerned with setting up their October tee times than in gamely playing out the string. It is not coincidental that Buchholz’s legendary no-hitter came at Fenway against the Orioles as they mailed in the final month of the 2007 season. It may be premature to suggest that the promise we have seen in Buchholz for three seasons has morphed into reality.

Meanwhile, distasteful as Red Sox fans may find it, the Yankees have pretty much driven the final stake through Tampa Bay’s already fading chances of challenging for the wild-card. Tuesday night’s walk-off win in the Bronx left the Rays 8½ games behind Boston. By the time they get to Fenway this weekend, they’ll be playing out the string too – without Carlos Pena, out for the season after having two fingers broken Monday night against the Yankees.

The Yankees may be set to do New Englanders another favor – apparently, they have some interest in signing Brad Penny.

Rocco Baldelli would beg to differ, claiming that his old pals have an epic run in them. Loyalty to a former team is nice, even if it is, in this case, misguided. The Rays have nothing but bad karma right now. They dumped Scott Kazmir for no reason beyond finances, and the fans seem to have responded accordingly. This was the worst drawing Red Sox series at the Trop in years.

Meanwhile, Tim Wakefield is officially scheduled to start Saturday at Chicago. An injection Monday left Wakefield feeling much better and more hopeful that his aching back might hold up, at least for now.

Jonathan Papelbon isn’t as happy this morning. Major League Baseball fined him for the seventh time for taking too long to get to the mound and throw his first pitch. Considering baseball’s chronic problems with games lumbering past the four-hour mark, the rule is understandable but little more than a baby step toward solving the problem. Giving TV less commercial time between innings would have a far greater effect – as if that will happen any time soon.

He also a avoided taking the loss as the Red Sox fought back to tie the game in the top of the eighth, only to have Ramon Ramirez and Manny Delcarmen suffer fatal meltdowns in the bottom of the inning. Both men have endured their own occasional struggles through the second half of the season.

Meanwhile, Tim Wakefield is hoping that a successful workout today will persuade Terry Francona that he is able to replace Junichi Tazawa as the starting pitcher on Saturday in Chicago. If it doesn’t go well, Wakefield could opt to have back surgery.

And for those who miss hearing from The Big Schill, the former Red Sox right-hander is thinking about running for Edward M. Kennedy’s senate seat. As if there weren’t enough hot air blowing through the Senate chamber already, Curt Schilling could bring gale-force filibusters of right-wing bloviating.

Boston opens its series tonight at Tampa Bay with a four-game lead over Texas, which it does not face again, and a five-game lead over the Rays, who the Red Sox will play six times this month. So while Tampa Bay has, for the past two seasons, been a pest the Red Sox have struggled to neutralize, the pressure is all on the defending AL champs. Basically, if the Red Sox can avoid a sweep this week in St. Pete, the Rays are barely breathing.

Of course, winning one of three would be no small feat for the Red Sox, considering their 2-13 record at The Trop the past two seasons. That, if nothing else, will make the Rays’ last standfor 2009 a challenge New Englanders will take seriously.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona is encouraging folks to maintain realistic expectations, considering Wagner’s age (38), the fact that he is coming off Tommy John surgery last season and that he has worked only two innings for the Mets this year.

As for Jonathan Papelbon, he is saying that remarks attributed to him Sunday expressing reservations over the acquisition of Wagner and the disruption it may cause the Red Sox bullpen were taken out of context. Francona referred to “some atrocious reporting” on Papelbon’s statements.

Having claimed Wagner off waivers last week it seemed all-but certain that the Red Sox would work out a deal with the Mets for the 38-year-old left-hander. Apparently, Wagner’s vanity and greed got in the way. He wanted no part of being a set-up man for Jonathan Papelbon and insisted that the Red Sox not exercise an option to keep him through 2010. He’s counting on getting more than the $8 million salary on the option year once he hits the free agent market. Sad to say, but there’s probably a sucker out there who will oblige him.

Considering his attitude and the fact that he’s coming off Tommy John surgery, the Red Sox are better off in the long run without Wagner.

Meanwhile, Matsuzaka worked in a real game on Monday for the first time in two months, throwing 37 pitches for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox in Fort Myers, Fla. with no ill effects to his right shoulder.

And Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell says that there is nothing wrong with Beckett beyond some mechanical flaws in his delivery that are easily repaired.