BAAAAA-LCO, BAAAAA-LCO, BAAAAA-LCO

I hope Bud Lite's steroid policy doesn't cost the Red Sox the A.L. East and chance at defending their World Series title. Go Sox!!!

Round 15

People everywhere who feel even the least bit connected to this crazy Red Sox-Yankees feud constantly refer to the rivalry as a heavyweight title match between two veteran boxers. For years the Yankees were Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and Mke Tyson all rolled into one, steam rolling the scrappy yet inferior Red Sox, usually in an early round TKO. The Yanks had the championships, the Hall-of-Famer's and the money -- the Red Sox had a cozy ballpark and some close calls but no success. And then came 2004. The Sox finally landed a punch, right on the chin of the Bronx Bombers. They came back from a 3-0 deficit in the ALCS to beat the Yankees and then went on to win their first World Series in 86 years. Over night the Red Sox went from Glass Joe to Jimmy Braddock. But defending the crown has been tougher than most Sox followers wanted to believe. Many members of Red Sox Nation thought that one knock-out would send their longtime rivals reeling into obscurity. This belief actually gained some credibility when Boston took a 5.5-game lead in the A.L. East in August. But New York came back and now, with three games remaining at Fenway Park this weekend between the two heavyweights, the Evil Empire has a 1-game lead over the BoSox. Keeping with the boxing metaphor, the two biggest punchers this weekend -- David "Big Papi" Ortiz of the Red Sox and Alex "A-Fraud" Rodriguez of the Yankees -- are also in a dead heat for the A.L. MVP award. While the division lead is obviously more important, the MVP will most likely go to the player who ends up wearing an A.L. East Champions t-shirt on Sunday afternoon. Can't you just picture Big Papi (hitting .344 with runners in scoring position and 20 of his 47 home runs have either given the Sox a tie or the lead) coming through this weekend while A-Fraud (.292 with runners in scoring position) writes another chapter in his new book, "Why I Am Baseball's Most Overpaid Player!" Get ready for the final bell to be rung, starting at 7:00 p.m. tonight, with David Wells going head-to-head with Chieech An-Chong (or whatever his name is). On Saturday the Sox have Wake -- the most underappreciated Red Sox in team history, going up against Randy Johnson and on Sunday Curt "Time To Earn My '05 Paycheck" Schilling going against one of baseball's more overrated pitchers, Mike Mussina. (Go ahead Yankee fans, dispute that. For all the hype and money heaped on Moose, he has never won 20 games or a World Series. Admit you probably should have signed Manny instead of him after the 2000 season.) It's going to be an all-out brawl -- literally. Red Sox v. Yankees. Final weekend. Everything on the line. The eyes of the sports world transfixed on Fenway Park. See you there.

Want To Lose Some Money This Weekend? (In Other Words, Who Will TheBostonInsider Be Betting On This Weekend)

Considering that so far on the season my gambling losses are under $100 dollars, the time has come for me to dispense some "advice" to you fellas who are losing money every weekend on college football, the NFL or both. In NCAA action, a few games stand out. First off, I like a three-team tease (getting 9 points per team) with Notre Dame, Nebraska and Indiana. That would make the Irish -- a 3-point underdog at Purdue -- a 12-point 'dog, Nebraska would go from a 3.5 favorite in Lincoln versus Iowa State to a 6.5-point underdog and the Hoosiers, getting 17.5 at Wisconsin, would drop to a 26.5 'dog. Put me down for $50. Other NCAA teams I like are Bowling Green (+28) at home against hapless Temple, Utah (-3.5) at North Carolina, Maryland (-3.5) at home facing Virginia and Pittsburgh (-1) over Rutgers in New Jersey in what will be the showcase of bad college football this fall. As for the professionals, take the Patriots (+6) at home against San Diego. The Chargers are coming cross-country and will be facing the wounded Pats who are always at their best when things look their worst. Tennessee, getting 7-points at home, will upset Indianapolis. San Francisco (-3) will take Arizona on the ESPN Sunday Night game, played in Mexico City. Finally, in a two-team tease (getting 6-points per team), take the visiting Eagles from -2.5 to -8.5 against the Chiefs and Baltimore from +7 at home to +1 over the struggling Jets. (Remember that I am not a successful gambler while making your picks.)

Don't Give Up Yet

A tough morning for those of us in Red Sox Nation; the Sox got beat at home for the second straight night by the Blue Jays while the Yankees were taking one in Baltimore. The Red Sox now trail the Empire by 1-game in the A.L. East. Thank god for the Devil Rays; Piniella's gang beat the Indians last night to keep the Red Sox in a tie with the Tribe for the Wild Card. The Sox have one more at home with the Jays tonight before A-Fraud, the Big Ugly, the Balco Twins and the rest of Steinbrenner's overpaid jerks invade Fenway. There are only four games left in the season, maybe now would be a good time to get the bullpen in order. (Maybe calling on Peter Mayhew to pitch against the Evil Empire wouldn't be such a bad idea -- thanks to the Dirt Dogs for the photo.)

45 Years Ago Today

On this day, 45 years ago, Ted Williams ended his career by hitting a home run against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park (No. 9 did not travel to New York for the season ending series with the Yankees). It was career home run No. 521 for the "Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived." Looking back on the career of Williams, one of the low points was the end of the 1949 season. For those of you unfamiliar with the end of '49, the Red Sox lost a 1-game lead over the Yankees when they were swept in Yankee Stadium in a season-ending two-game series. It was the last time Williams would sniff the postseason. Keep that in mind as the Red Sox and Yanks prepare for a season ending series that will decide the fate of both teams -- the first time this will happen since, you guessed it, 1949.

Pitch The Kids Or Sign No. 4

Is there any chance that Adam Vinatieri -- the greatest closer in sports history -- can pitch? The Red Sox bullpen is in shambles and even if they do make the playoffs, do you trust the 'pen in a tight situation? Neither do I. It is to the point where I don't care how Jonathan Papelbon, Craig Hansen and Manny DelCarmen perform -- I would much rather see them in the game than the Hanging Chad's (Bradford and Harville) and Jeremi Gonzalez. Stop worrying about their mental state if they fail Terry, put faith in the kids and ride them as far as they will take you.

Red Sox Take Game One Of Doubleheader

In a make-up of last night's rain out, the Red Sox knocked off the Blue Jays this afternoon at Fenway Park by a score of 3-1. Starter Tim Wakefield did a great job, allowing just one run over seven innings to earn his 16th victory of the season and in the process he lowered his ERA under 4 (3.96). Jonathan Papelbon pitched the eighth and Mike Timlin recorded the save. The Sox are back in a tie with the Yankees for the A.L. East lead with identical 92-64 records. The Yankees are in Baltimore tonight while the Sox have to play the second game of the doubleheader with the Jays. Curt Schilling gets the start for Boston and is still looking for his first win as a starter at Fenway in 2005.

If Tom O'Brien Were To Move On After 2005....

With the Red Sox getting rained out and the bad news on both Rodney Harrison and Matt Light coming down yesterday, the local sports news today is in the midst of a thunderstorm -- literally and figuratively. That's why I have decided to take a close look at the future of the local major college football team, the Boston College Eagles. Yes, B.C. is off to a terrific 3-1 start in their inaugural season in the A.C.C. but that is for Michael Vega and Mark Blaudschaun to ponder over at the Globe. I am more interested in the future of the program, after the 2005 season. And that focus is squarely on the head coach at The Heights, Tom O'Brien. O'Brien is the biggest reason that B.C. football is the up-and-coming major program that it stands as today. Before O'Brien was hired away from Virginia, where he was the offensive coordinator, the Eagles were in a serious tailspin. Under former coach Dan Henning, the football program found itself mired in a gambling scandal that rocked the school. Under O'Brien's guidance however, the team has become a prominent outfit, winning five straight bowl games and being admitted into the prestigious Atlantic Coast Conference. Now in his ninth season at B.C., O'Brien has a career record of 60-40 after defeating Clemson on the road last Saturday, the programs first ever A.C.C. victory. But for those of us who follow the Eagles, reality may be about to set in. Boston College fans must be prepared to eventually bid farewell to the man who rebuilt the football team from the ground on up. O'Brien is a coveted coach by many on the national scene -- remember that he nearly left for Washington last December before Tyrone Willingham landed there after being bounced from Notre Dame. One school that O'Brien would fit perfectly in is Penn State. Joe Paterno can not coach forever and as the Nittany Lions are off to a 4-0 start, Paterno may opt to step down after a successful last season. O'Brien, already established in eastern football, would be more than a logical choice to replace the legendary JoePa, he would be an extension of what Paterno has been doing in western Pennsylvania for the last five decades -- producing successful and disciplined football players who are also solid students and citizens. If O'Brien were to leave for Penn State -- or any other school -- a suitable replacement would have to be found. Local names such as Tim Murphy at Harvard and Sean McDonnell of New Hampshire (the top ranked team this week in 1-AA) would be sure to garner interest but with the Eagles making a move into the college football elite, athletic director Gene DeFilippo may opt to go for a coach with division 1-A experience. Pat Hill of Fresno State, Gregg Brandon of Bowling Green and Virginia Tech's offensive coordinator, Bryan Stinespring. This is not to say O'Brien is a lock to leave Boston College but if he does, be assured that the Eagles would find a replacement that would keep the football program moving towards the top of college football.

Red Sox Come Home In A Race To The Finish

Baseball has just seven games left in its regular season. Seven games to decide who will be playing playoff baseball after October 2 and who will be playing golf after the same date. In the A.L. East -- the only division that truly matters in these parts -- the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are tied for first place with identical 91-64 records. With a race for the division title and a trip to the postseason on the line (they both trail the 92-64 Indians in the Wild Card), the 2005 season will literally come down to the final days. The Red Sox have four games with the Toronto Blue Jays while the Yankees have four with the Baltimore Orioles and then both teams will meet head-to-head over the final three games to decide who plays on and who goes home. And the biggest difference is that the Red Sox will spend the final week of the regular season playing at Fenway Park and the Yankees have to travel to Baltimore and Boston. Make no mistake about it, the fact that the Sox are at home (where they are a MLB best 50-24) and teh Yanks are on the road (where they are 38-36) will be the deciding factor in the pennant race. The difference between playing at home instead of on the road will give Boston their first A.L. East title since 1995. The Yankees will be done, out of the playoffs for the first time since the same year (when they won the inaugural Wild Card). Just how TheBostonInsider predicted!

Brady, Seymour, Vinatieri Spread Belichick's Message

If Bill Belichick is the High Priest of everything New England Patriots (preaching in the Kraft Temple) then his top three apostles are a quarterback, defensive lineman and place kicker. And no priest in history has had the kind of luck with his apostles as Belichick has had with Tom Brady, Richard Seymour and Adam Vinatieri. While watching Sunday Mass at the Baseball Tavern, Brady, Seymour and Vinatieri passed along the word of their exalted coach for the 59th time in 74 games since Brady took over for Drew Bledsoe behind center during the 2001 season. Those three have been the rock on which Belichick has built his following. Brady is an extension of his coach on the field. The signal caller who came from nowhere to change an entire region's beliefs about football has lead his franchise to three of the last four Super Bowl championships with a calm and steady field presence that attracts more and more followers every week. Yesterday was just another example of his leadership. In the fourth quarter Brady was 12-of-12 for 168 yards (31-of-41 for 372 on the day) and after the Steelers scored a touchdown with 1:21 to play to tie the game at 20, he methodically marched the Pats down field and put them into field goal range. Vinatieri then took over and booted the game winning field goal with :01 o the clock. Then there is Seymour, the best defensive lineman in the NFL. Taken sixth overall in the 2001 draft out of Georgia, much to the dismay of the Globe's Ron Borges, Big-Sey is the leader of the defense in 2005 that no longer has Tedy Bruschi, Ty Law, Ted Johnson and Roman Phifer. When Rodney Harrison, the heart and soul of the D, went down in the first quarter with a vicious knee injury, Seymour and the rest of the D-Line stepped up and overpowered the vaunted Steeler offensive line -- stopping the running game and pressuring Ben Roethlisberger into bad decision after bad decision. Seymour finished the day with four tackles and two sacks but credit him with at least a dozen other tackles that can be attributed to the constant double teams he faced that freed up another defender (Monty Beisel, Willie McGinest) to make the hit. And then, of course, there is the the kicker who always saves the game, Adam Vinatieri. Some have compared the Pats kicker to the great closer of the New York Yankees, Mariano Rivera but I think that diminishes what Vinatieri does for his team. Rivera usually has a lead when he does his thing, his job is to preserve the game which is no easy task (ask Keith Foulke) but at least his team is winning. Vinatieri, on the other hand, makes his most important kicks when his team is either tied or trailing in the game. Heinz Field, the site of Sunday's game, is no haven for kickers but No. 4 came through regardless of the conditions -- as he always does. The usual formula for an important Patriot victory -- a great Belichick gameplan carried out by Brady, Seymour, Vinatieri and the rest of the Pats -- was on display yesterday in Pittsburgh. The New England Patriots bible (known as a record book in these parts) is full of similar stories with same message: follow the word of Belichick and a win is near certain.

Just Manny Being Selfish

Last night hurts -- if you are an obsessive, over-the-top member of Red Sox Nation who believes what happens to the Boston Nine is as important as Scott Burke, that heroic pilot in California last night. (For the record, I am firmly planted in that group.) (That is the saddest self-evaluation I have ever wrote.) The Red Sox choked last night, losing a 4-2 lead in the eighth inning in an eventual 7-4 loss in Tampa Bay. At the same time Randy Johnson was shutting down the Orioles and the 2-1 Yankee win propelled them into first place in the A.L. East by a .5-game margin. I'm going to save all the boo-hoo crap, WEEI will more than cover that today. For the record, I still believe that the Sox will win the A.L. East and advance to the postseason for a franchise record third consecutive year. My only beef with last night is with Manny Ramirez. For those of you who did not watch the game, Ramirez half-jogged to first base on a ground ball early in the game and if he had been trying at full speed he probably would have been safe because a poor throw to first was made. And this is unacceptable. The players, coaches and management need to take a stand on No. 24 and bench him for the remainder of the season. If he does not want to play at full speed in a pennant chase than he should not be allowed to play at all. End of story. No matter how much the line-up will lose in his absence, Ramirez should not see the field again in 2005.

MVP Race As Close As Pennant Race

Boston v. New York. Yankees v. Red Sox. It is the biggest rivalry in sports. All of the history, all of the bitterness, all of the time. And two more chapters are about to be written in this Athens v. Sparta drama. The American League East Division champion, as well as the A.L. MVP, will come from either the Red Sox or Yankees. The Sox currently lead the Yankees by a .5-game in the division and the two leading candidates for MVP are Boston's David Ortiz and New York's Alex Rodriguez. And I think that just like last year, the Red Sox will barely overcome their rival in both categories. Like I said yesterday, I see the Red Sox holding on in the East. It won't be pretty, Boston will be filled with anxiety until the Yanks are officially eliminated, but in the end the Red Sox are the better team. Curt Schilling is finding his groove (throwing 95 m.p.h. strikes last night) and the bats finally awoke last night in Tampa Bay. The deciding factor will be that the Yankees have to come to Fenway for the last three games of the season. As for the MVP race, Big Papi will win out over A-Rod. No disrespect to Rodriguez but if the bias that exists against Designated Hitters was not in place than we probably would not be having this discussion right now. Not that the Yankee third baseman isn't having a great season -- .320 BA, 45 HR, 120 RBI, 1.028 OPS -- but statistics do not tell the whole story. Rodriguez is a great player but he is not indispensable to the Yankees. And indispensable is just the word to describe what David Ortiz is to the Red Sox. Without his bat in the lineup, the Red Sox would already be making vacation plans for the winter. But because they have Mr. Clutch on their side, the Sox have a legitimate shot at winning back-to-back World Series'. And 'Tizzle's stats do more than stand up against A-Rod's -- they mostly overshadow them. A .302 batting average. 46 home runs. 140 RBI. An OPS (combined slugging and on-base percentage) of 1.018. And enough clutch hits to make most New Englander's over 45 temporarily forget about Yaz. So, after 86 years of losing time after time to the Yankees, the Red Sox will now have two more victories to add to their historic 2004 ALCS comeback.

Red Sox Winter Plans

This is not a retreat from my last posting, I still say (as of today) that the Red Sox will be a playoff team. What this post concerns are possible winter moves that Theo Epstein could make regardless of what happens over the next 12 games. First off, the Red Sox have some of their own free agents to deal with. The biggest name on this list is Johnny Damon, the soon to be 32-year-old center fielder. Damon is viewed by some as the MVP of the Red Sox and management has stated that re-signing him is their biggest concern. But that could change if other moves are made. Other Sox free agents include Bill Mueller, Mike Timlin, Kevin Millar, John Olerud and Tony Graffanino. Mueller would be one player that I would keep if I were in Epstein's shoes. He is the consumate professional; Mueller is a gamer and since he came to Boston before the 2003 season, the Red Sox have won 280 regular season games (and counting) and made two trips to the playoffs. If he is willing to return to Boston on a one or two-year deal then he should be re-signed. If not, Kevin Youkilis is your starting third baseman in '06. Timlin, the savior of the 2005 bullpen, poses a problem. He will be 40 by the time 2006 kicks off and over the last three years he has made 223 appearances -- a high number for any pitcher, especially one of Timlin's age. With the type of year he has had in '05, Timlin is in line for a raise but I don't think he will get one in Boston. My guess is that he only returns on a one-year deal for under $3-million. As for Olerud, Millar and Graffanino, I don't think the chances of any of them returning are high. Olerud could retire, Millar has not produced enough on the field to warrant a new deal and Graffanino's eventual replacement, Dustin Pedroia, is on his way from Pawtucket. If Olerud doesn't retire he could be brought back for cheap money as a back-up first baseman and DH. Graffanino could also come back if the Sox don't think that Pedroia is quite ready to take over in 2006. As for Damon, re-signing him depends on two things. One is the money that his agent, the boorish Scott Boras, will demand and the other is what will happen with Manny Ramirez. Ramirez is obviously a player that the Red Sox want to get rid of; not because of his production but because he is owed nearly $60-million for the next three years. One team that would love Ramirez -- no matter how expensive he comes -- is the New York Mets. Mets GM Omar Minaya is trying to build an instant winner and the production that Ramirez brings to the table could just be the thing to put the Mets in the championship hunt. The Red Sox and Mets discussed a deal in July for Ramirez but Mike Cameron a prospect and a third player from another team is not enough to make Epstein move his slugging left fielder. The one player the Mets have that could get Ramirez into the National League (where he can't be a DH) is Carlos Beltran. Beltran, who is owed roughly $98-million for the next seven seasons, has had a rough debut in Queens but his talent is so jaw-dropping that Boston would gladly take him in return for Ramirez. Peter Gammons has already gone on record saying there is a good chance this deal could be consumated over the offseason. If it does happen, Boston can say farewell to Johnny Damon. The Red Sox would have no home for two center fielders making more than $10-million per year. If Beltran does come to Fenway, the Sox will need a new left fielder (to replace Manny) and a new lead-off man (for Damon) but that doesn't mean they need to fill both holes with one player. Potential left fielders include Adam Dunn, Hideki Matsui (if the Yanks overspend on Damon), Jacque Jones and Brian Giles while the lead-off role could be filled by Graffanino or Pedroia or by acquiring a Shannon Stewart from Minnesota or Randy Winn from San Diego (both would also fit into the left field gap). If the Manny trade is not made but Damon still leaves, the Sox would be searching for a center fielder and lead-off man. Florida's Juan Pierre -- in the midst of a horrible season but who is a good ball player -- could be had for cheap dollars with the savings being spent on pitching. As for the pitching staff, the '06 projected starting rotation includes Curt Schilling, Tim Wakefield, Matt Clement, Bronson Arroyo, David Wells and Jonathan Papelbon. Six names (for now) for five slots. Solutions may include moving Arroyo, to either the bullpen or a new team, or eating some of Wells contract and allowing him to walk. Other names to consider are Jon Lester, Abe Alvarez or a potential free agent (A.J. Burnett, Jarrod Washburn). Burnett is rumored to be enamored with pitching in Fenway but his price tag and shaky background could pose a problem. The bullpen is another issue. Letting Timlin go is a possibility but replacing him will be harder than finding a lead-off man. Pitching is at a premium and a good bullpen can win a World Series for an otherwise average team (2002 Angels); I will assume he returns in his set-up role. Closer Keith Foulke could be moved, his miserable '05 season could facilitate a trade. If he is moved, to a team in need of a closer possibly for a fourth outfielder, free agency is not the only way to solve the closer role. 2005 first round draft pick Craig Hansen could close (his major league debut last night was electrifying) and if Hansen isn't ready at the ouset, some free agents who could be short term closers as well as solid set-up men include B.J. Ryan, Trevor Hoffman, Kyle Farnsworth and Ryan Dempster. Manny DelCarmen will also figure into the 2006 bullpen, as could Cla Meredith. That is just a brief look at some possible dealings the Red Sox could make this winter. For now consider this roster for Opening Day 2006: 1. Dustin Pedroia, 2B 2. Edgar Renteria, SS 3. David Ortiz, DH 4. Carlos Beltran, CF 5. Trot Nixon, RF 6. Jason Varitek, C 7. Adam Dunn, LF 8. Bill Mueller, 3B 9. Kevin Youkilis, 1B Bench: Doug Mirabelli, C; Alex Cora, 2B/SS; John Olerud, 1B/DH; David Murphy, OF Starting Rotation: Curt Schilling, Matt Clement, Jonathan Papelbon, Tim Wakefield, Bronson Arroyo Bullpen: Mike Myers, Lenny DiNardo, Jon Lester, Manny DelCarmen, Mike Timlin, Craig Hansen, B.J. Ryan

Don't Reach For The Panic Button Just Yet

It looks bad this morning, real bad. The Red Sox lost an ugly game to the Devil Rays while the Yankees came from behind to beat the Orioles. The A.L. East lead is down to just a .5-game. The Sox can't get any consistent pitching, they do not field (what happpened to Renteria?) and other than Big Papi and Johnny Damon, the boys can't hit either. But I'm not worried. Not yet anyways. The fact is that the Red Sox are still in first place, no matter how tightly they are holding on. They do have a favorable schedule (two more in Tampa, three at Baltimore, four at home versus Toronto and then three at Fenway against the Yanks) -- no matter how much they have struggled with the A.L. East this year (31-31). The Yankees have an easy schedule as well but the difference is that they close the year on the road while the Sox are at home, where they are 50-24 this year (New York is 38-36 on the road). I also believe -- and this is nothing more than Red Sox optimism -- that the Boston pitching, defense and offense will pick up over the last 12 games. I think that Curt Schilling, David Wells and the youth in the bullpen (Craig Hansen, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny DelCarmen) will carry this team through October. It stretches my imagination but I am still holding out hope that Renteria will make some important plays at shortstop down the stretch instead of booting routine ground balls. And it is rational to believe that Jason Varitek, Manny Ramrez, Trot Nixon and at least one first baseman (Kevin Millar or John Olreud) will get hot for the next month. On the flip side of that, I don't think the Yankee pitching -- with no days off the rest of the season -- will hold up. The bullpen is tired, Mike Mussina and Jaret Wright are hurt, the Big Unit is old and creaky and Chien-Ming Wang and Aaron Small can't be expected to carry the Bronx Bombers to the playoffs. So call me crazy, I still like the Red Sox chances to win the A.L. East. I reserve the right to change my mind (especially if Schill loses to Tampa Bay tonight) but for now, pencil in Boston as a playoff team.

Patriots Mistakes Lead To Carolina Win

The key stat in the Patriots 27-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday was not Tom Brady's passing (an inefficient 18-for-34 and 222 yards) or Corey Dillon's running (a miserable 14 carries for 36 yards). It was the 12 penalties the team committed for a total of 86 yards. They made the difference by keeping the offense from gaining any rhythm and giving extra chances to the Carolina offense. The biggest offendor was the offensive line. I counted five times that they committed a pre-snap false start penalty. That is inexcusable and it is a mistake that I am quite sure that offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia will fix this week. The offensive line also did a poor job of giving Brady -- who was off the mark a half dozen times today -- any time to throw; the Panthers defense was consistently in Brady's mug as he tried to throw. The Pats now travel to 2-0 Pittsburgh to play the Steelers. It is an important week as the Patriots must begin to assert themselves in the tough AFC. The Steelers will be waiting to exact revenge from last year's AFC Title Game loss and I'm sure the Pats will be ready to respond as they haven't lost back-to-back games since the 2002 season.

A Late Note

A quick Friday night note (as the Sox try to hold off the Yankees)... A friend of mine who was on the field for last weekend's Red Sox-Yankees series in the Bronx told me that according to the Yankee captain Derek Jeter, the Sox will not make the playoffs this year. Gutsy words from No. 2 but will they be prophetic?

A Few Red Sox Notes

As the Red Sox prepare to open a huge four game series at Fenway against Oakland, I need to cover a few quick points about the Red Sox. 1. Craig Hansen should be called up this weekend. The bullpen needs help -- Mike Timlin can't pitch in every crucial situation from now until October. The hope was that Keith Foulke would return to form after coming back from knee surgery but that seems like a longshot (at best) right now. Mike Myers and Chad Bradford are decent but they are not dominant set-up men. Jonathan Papelbon is a positive but he can't help Timlin alone. So, why not bring up Hansen? I don't buy Hansen's "dead arm" and consequent ten day "shut down." I think that was a move made by the Boston front office to try and restore confidence in Foulke when he returned; the thinking being that if Hansen was not on the mind of Red Sox Nation than Foulke would have an easier time bouncing back to his old form. So far Foulke has been far from his old self so all of a sudden Hansen is back throwing in games and firing heat-seaking, 97 m.p.h. fastballs past batters in the Eastern League playoffs. The time is now to call Hansen to Boston. The 2005 first round pick can be the power arm in the 'pen that could take the Sox back to the World Series. 2. Give Theo credit for the David Wells signing. Resign yourself to the fact that there was no way Pedro Martinez was coming back to Boston after becoming a free agent. With that knowledge, Epstein went out and signed the (now) 42-year-old lefty with a history of a bad back, late hours and hating Fenway Park. The Theo critics were out and about, Ron Borges style, ripping the Sox GM only weeks after delivering Boston a World Series. Early on it seemed that the critics were right about Wells. He started slow and then landed on the disabled list in April with a foot injury. But since coming back from the DL he has been a horse in the rotation, a veteran for Terry Francona to lean on. Take a second to ponder where the Sox would be without his 13 wins. Good call on Wells, Theo. 3. Kapler injury puts strain on lineup, clubhouse. The painful ruptured achilles tendon suffered by Gabe Kapler while rounding second base after a Tony Graffanino home run last night in Toronto will continue to cause the Red Sox to suffer weeks after Kapler is placed in a cast. Kapler was the ideal fourth outfielder. He plays extremly hard, is a good fielder, runs well and has some pop in his bat. Kapler is also a tremendous teammate, always the first one to offer congratulations and support to the rest of the club. He may not have the talent of, say, a Jay Payton but he fits into the Boston Red Sox like a handful of ice cubes in a white russian. Replacing Gabe -- on and off the field -- will be no easy task. Lately he has been playing more because of Johnny Damon's assorted bumps and bruises and now Damon may have to come back a few days earlier than expected. The Red Sox have already re-signed Adam Hyzdu but he will not fill the void left by Kapler. TheBostonInsider is suggesting that the Red Sox go out on a limb and call-up David Murphy from Double-A Portland. A first round pick in 2003 (Theo's first draft pick), Murphy hit the hell out of the ball in the second half of '05. He is currently in the Eastern League playoffs with the Sea Dogs but the need in Boston necessitates his promotion. 4. Tonight's game. Curt Schilling (6-7, 6.28) tries to build on his dominant Saturday performance in New York against the A's tonight at Fenway. Schill still has not recorded a win as a starter at Fenway this year and tonight is as good as night as any to end that streak. Joe Blanton (9-11, 3.60) gets the call for Ken Macha's A's. This is a crucial series for the Red Sox. Taking 3-of-4 or a sweep not only would put an enormous amount of pressure on the Yankees but it would also pretty much eliminate the slipping A's from playoff contention. Relax, the Sox still have a 2.5-game lead over the Bombers. And Giambi will test positive any day now. (But the nerves will still be a little sensitive the next few days.)

A Foulke'n Problem

I am a Keith Foulke fan. (Witness the $200 Foulke Red Sox jersey hanging in my closet.) Foulkie aggressively attacks hitters with a combination of an 89 m.p.h. fastball and a wicked change-up. He helped carry the Sox to the 2004 World Series -- in effect ruining his 2005 season by emptying the tank during that historic run last October. Even as he has been consistently off his game in '05, I would not allow the memory of Foulke and Jason Varitek celebrating in St. Louis leave my mind. Until this morning. As I said -- and Red Sox Nation has seen all year -- Keith Foulke is not the same pitcher this year that he was last year. Again, I contribute this to his amazing run through August, September and October of last year. His fastball is off, the change-up is off target and No. 29 even missed six weeks with knee surgery that should have been done last November. But he has been down right bitter that not everyone remembers his contribution to the World Series champions. (Foulkie doesn't realize that this is Boston -- home of the "What have you done for me lately" fan base.) He has gone off on the fans, namely Johnny from Burger King and he has pouted to the media, namely his weekly segment on WEEI's "Dale & Holley" show. And then last night he went off again -- check out the quote he gave to the Boston Herald: "If I'm not on the postseason roster, if they don't think I'm good enough, that will be an even bigger story. I'm making $7.5 million. If I'm not on the postseason roster, there's probably a pretty good chance I won't be here (in 2006)... Do you think I give a (expletive) about their confidence? It's all about me." -- 9.13, Keith Foulke, Boston Herald This is the last straw with me and Foulke. No amount of good will can allow myself -- a "paying" fan -- to give a pardon to Mr. $7.5-million Closer. Foulke may be in a bad state of mind (I hope he would be considering his results and his paycheck) but that in no way excuses him for putting himself beyond his team. Foulke should have simply said that he is trying to work through a bad time (both on and off the field) instead of pouting to the media about his situation. Consider yourself warned Keith. I am pretty sure the vast majority of my fellow fans feel the same way. It's time for you to shut up, stop complaining and start to pitch like the Keith Foulke of old. Or else you can join the Burger King team and work for Johnny in 2006.

Papi For MVP, Pats Schedule

Good morning. Sorry for taking the weekend off, I was very busy between coaching football and work. Before I get into today's topics I just want to mention the great performances by Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield on Saturday and Sunday in New York. Schill gave us all hope for October and Wake lost a heartbreaking 1-0 complete game to Randy Johnson. The Sox accomplished their goal of taking at least one game in the Bronx, keeping the Yanks 3-games back heading into last night. As for last night, David Ortiz may have won his first American League MVP by belting two home runs (No. 39 & 40) -- including the game winner in the eleventh inning -- to give the Red Sox a 6-5 win in Toronto last night. This game should have been much easier but Terry Francona sent Bronson Arroyo back into the game in the seventh inning even though he was at 100 pitches after throwing six scoreless innings. Arroyo lost control, filling the bases, and the Blue Jays tied the game off of Keith Foulke (who looked good) and Mike Timlin (who allowed a three run home run to Vernon Wells). Jon Papelbon pitched the ninth, tenth and eleventh to earn his first big league win. But there would have been no win without Big Papi. Ortiz always seems to come up with the big shot when the Sox need it most. Forget that he is primarily a DH and focus on the fact that he has carried the Sox through three different Manny Ramirez slumps to put Boston in first place in the A.L. East. A quick peek at Ortizzle's numbers (.295, 40, 126, .989 OPS) give the voters more reasons than not to give the Red Sox their first MVP since Mo Vaughn in 1995. The Red Sox take on the Jays again tonight in Toronto with Matt Clement (13-4, 4.17) facing off with Scott Downs (2-3, 4.19). The game starts at 7:07 p.m. on NESN and WEEI. Now for a look at what the Patriots will be facing the next few weeks. Following an opening night 30-20 win over the Oakland Raiders, the defending Super Bowl champions will travel to Carolina to play the Panthers, the "favorite" (as Sports Illustrated likes to say) to win Super Bowl XL. After that the Pats go to Pittsburgh to play the "still bitter over the 2002 and 2005 AFC Championship Games" Steelers and then come home to play the San Diego Chargers, last year's winner of the AFC West. After the Chargers game, Belichick & Co. go on the road to Atlanta (Mike Vick) and then Denver (always a tough place to play) before a Week 7 bye. That is the most brutal schedule in the NFL. Four tough road games sandwiched around two tough home games (the Raiders are much improved from last year -- as they showed the Patriots -- and the Chargers are one of the best offensive teams in football). No other team in the NFL faces such a tough list of opponents to begin the year. At least we are talking about the Pats though -- the one team that looks forward to the challenge in front of them. The competitive drive that has brought this franchise three of the last four Super Bowls will be the force behind them in this difficult stretch in the schedule. And after the bye week, the Pats should be able to feast on the rest of their schedule (six division games versus Buffalo, Miami and New York as well as home games against the Buccaneers and Saints). Not that any game in this league is easy but other than the November 7 Monday Night home game agains the Colts, the Patriots have a relatively easy schedule down the stretch. They just need to survive the next five weeks. If they can do so with at least a 4-2 record (and I won't be surprised if they go 5-1 or 6-0), the Patriots will be staring down a 12-4, 13-3 or 14-2 season. And if they get through a season like this with a great record, expect to be watching the Pats playing for a third consecutive Super Bowl title in Detroit next February.

Patriots-Raiders & Red Sox-Angels (September 8, 2005)

Are you ready for some football? You damn well better be as the New England Patriots open up the 2005 NFL season at home against the Oakland Raiders. The two-time defending Super Bowl champions are in search of an NFL record third consecutive Super Bowl. Can Belichick, Brady & Co. get the job done? There are no doubts in Title Town as the 2005 football season gets going. The game kicks off at 9:00 p.m. on ABC and if you enjoy a little rock 'n roll then tune in at 8:00 p.m. for a live pre-game concert featuring The Rolling Stones, Green Day and Kanye West. The other defending World Champion from Massachusetts will be in action as well tonight. The Red Sox are looking to sweep the Angels at 7:05 p.m. on NESN and WEEI. Matt Clement (13-3, 4.17) will start for Boston against Paul Byrd (10-9, 3.97) of Los Angeles. The red hot Kevin Millar hit another home run (No. 9) and Bronson Arroyo pitched eight solid innings to give the Sox the victory on Wednesday night. They still lead the Yankees by 4-games in the A.L. East and after tonight's game the Sox travel to the Bronx to open a three-game set with the pinstriped ones.

Red Sox-Angels (September 7, 2005)

When we are all sitting back in November and discussing the 2005 Red Sox during halftime of yet another Patriots victory, the September 6 win over the Angels may very well be the game that is refered to as "the win that propeled the Red Sox back to the World Series." Not that any one game counts more than the next in the standings but last night was a dramatic win -- Tim Wakefield pitched a complete game and David Ortiz got him the win by clubbing his 38th home run in the bottom of the ninth inning. Coupled with the Sox win was a Yankee loss to the Devil Rays in New York. The Yanks had a 3-0 lead early, with Randy Johnson on the mound, but Tampa fought its' way back into the game and took a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth off of Mariano Rivera, who was charged with the loss. Boston now leads New York by 4-games in the A.L. East. Bronson Arroyo (11-9, 4.47) gets the start for Boston on Wednesday night against the Angels Ervin Santana (8-6, 4.52). Santana, a rookie, has been very good as of late and the BoSox bats are going to have to get to him early or he may get in a groove that costs Boston the game. NESN, ESPN and WEEI have the 7:05 p.m. game.

Red Sox-Angels (September 6, 2005)

Curt Schilling looked better yesterday than he has as a starter all season but it still wasn't good enough to get a win as the Red Sox got beat on Labor Day by the White Sox, 5-3. White Sox starter, rookie Brandon McCarthy, lived up to the high expectations that preceded him, holding the BoSox scoreless over seven innings. The bright spot for Boston was that Keith Foulke pitched 1 2/3-innings of perfect relief. The Angels -- who hail from as many as 9, 30 or 46 different places -- come to Fenway tonight. Tim Wakefield (14-10, 4.41) gets the start for the Red Sox and John Lackey (11-5, 3.45) will go for the Angels. NESN and WEEI have the game beginning at 7:05 p.m. Entering tonight, the Sox have a three-game lead over the Yankees in the division. The Bronx Bombers open a three-game series in New York versus the Devil Rays tonight.

Red Sox Over Labor Day Weekend

Between coaching football and working the bar, not much time for updates this weekend. One note on last night is that Lenny DiNardo pitched very well in his spot start. And my apology to Manny for knocking him on not playing Thursday night -- I wasn't aware that Terry Francona had given him the night off to rest. Saturday's game will feature a match up of Matt Clement (12-3, 4.27) against Erik Bedard (6-5, 3.42). The game starts at 7:05 p.m. Sunday's game, a 2:05 p.m. start, pits David Wells (11-6, 4.44) versus Rodrigo Lopez (13-8, 4.85), a career Red Sox killer. Monday's game is a make-up from August 14. The White Sox come in to town for a noon game and will throw out impressive rookie Brandon McCarthy (1-1, 6.19) against Boston's Curt Schilling (5-6, 6.96). Schilling is looking for his first win since returning to the starting rotation. All three games can be seen on NESN and heard on WEEI.

Red Sox-Orioles (September 2, 2005)

The Baltimore Orioles are in town, opening a three game series tonight at 7:05 p.m. Along with the sinking Orioles comes Raffy Palmeiro -- the lying bastard that has every baseball fan questioning the integrity of their favorite players every time they hit a long home run or strikeout a batter with a 98 m.p.h. fastball. Palmeiro will definitely hear it tonight from the Fenway Faithful, period! Lenny DiNardo (0-0, 10.80) gets the spot start for the Sox tonight. DiNardo will be making his first career start. His opposition will be John Maine (1-1, 2.70). The Friday night game can be seen on WSBK and NESN and it can be heard on WEEI. (Notes from Thursday ... a September sweep is still a sweep, even if it is against Tampa Bay ... wouldn't it have been great to have Olerud in Boston a few years ago? ... is this the Kevin Millar we are going to get for September and October? ... Papelbon sure looked good in the eighth inning ... Manny must stop taking days off ... 3.5-game lead over the Yankees -- who may have lost Jaret Wright again -- heading into Labor Day weekend)

Red Sox-Devil Rays (September 1, 2005)

Are you ready for a pennant race? September is now upon us and the contenders for baseball's postseason are lining up to get a shot at becoming the next team to win the World Series. Here in Boston, the Red Sox are leading the Yankees by 2.5-games in the A.L. East -- a small enough margin to raise alcohol sales throughout New England. Last night the Sox got a boost from an unexpected source. Kevin Millar hit two home runs and drove in three runs as Boston came from behind to beat Tampa Bay 7-6. It was the thirteenth consecutive home game in which the Sox have scored at least seven runs. Tim Wakefield was shaky early (five runs in the first three innings) but he ended up lasting through eight innings and he did not allow another run after the third to earn win No. 14. Mike Timlin gave up one run in the ninth to make things interesting but he did record his fourth save. David Ortiz and Doug Mirabelli each added home runs and 'Belli even stole a base (his second on the season and third career). The Red Sox will try to break out the brooms tonight as Bronson Arroyo (10-9, 4.44) takes the mound versus Tampa's Doug Waechter (5-8, 4.94). It is a 7:05 p.m. start with NESN and WEEI carrying the game. The Red Sox bullpen will bring back Keith Foulke from the disabled list tonight and there would be no better time to add a healthy, dominating Foulke to the mix than right now.