The Boston Red Sox deserved to be eliminated from post season play if for one reason only -- John Lackey.

The notion of Lackey taking to the mound after announcing he was divorcing his wife who has what sounds like very serious breast cancer would be too much to bear.

The Red Sox should be glad they will not have to face that searing spotlight this post season.

No matter what the Red Sox did the Lackey story would have been front and center .

Not since former House Speaker Newt Gingrich divorced his wife as she lay recovering from cancer has there been a more callous act by a famous person.

Lackey is well named,

He lacks any normal decency to do such a thing to his wife Krista who is desperately ill.

For the Red Sox they now have the off season to off load the troublesome Texan who was a bust for them anyway to whoever will have him.

They should be delighted to.

A measure of how badly they were handling this is given by their press release.

"John Lackey is dealing with a deeply personal family issue, and it is one the Red Sox do not feel is appropriate for public debate," it read. "The Red Sox request that John and Krista's privacy be respected. The Red Sox will not have any further comment."

They were clearly in a no-win post season situation anyway.

They will be well rid of Loathsome Lackey.