Today is the first most important game of the season.

OK, I know what you're thinking: It's just April, the beautiful Tori Spelling hasn't even launched her reality show yet, and I'm over-whining the importance of a possible series-ending loss at home to Boston. Wait a minute, pally: Did you even read the above sentence, or were you off googling photos of the beautiful Tori Spelling? I'm talking about a possible series-ending loss at home to Boston! Yeah, that's right, buckos, this is it! This is our chance to take three out of four - as opposed to 2-2, which is nothing - I mean, it's paper food cooked in pan grease, it's a three-hour drive to Peoria, it's Tori Spelling in a wet suit - it's letting the Redsocks split with us in Yankee Stadium.

If we win today, we go two games above .500! (Like Joe Torre, the real Tori, I'm never comfortable until we're 10 above.)

If we win today, Ivan Nova isn't just another high-speed train magnetically headed off the rails, and Yangervis Solarte might be a long-term strategy (talking July) at 3B, or at least a RH platoon for Kelly Killzit.

If we win today, we can beat the Redsocks once in Boston and take the month of April from them.

If we win today, our bullpen can withstand the loss of its closer.

If we win today, we hit the Cubs with confidence and our two best starters.

If we win today, Adam Warren and David Phelps continue to anchor the bullpen.

If we win today, for all those fans who didn't get to see Derek Jeter yesterday, it wasn't for nothing.

And if we lose, well, screw it. Might as well be googling Tori Spelling.