Random Thoughts

Coming home yesterday from a week in Mexico, I was hoping to get some sleep last night. Instead, I watched the Red Sox sweep the Yankees and then stayed up to see the Golden State Warriors upset the Dallas Mavericks in Game One of their Playoff series. The Sox game was great. For the third straight game they came back and beat the Yanks. I had watched Friday's game from my hotel room (in Spanish no less) and caught the highlights of Saturday's win so I was very close to catching up on some sleep after flying home but... ...I stayed up. Very good decision. I witnessed history (the Manny Ramirez-J.D. Drew-Mike Lowell-Jason Varitek back-to-back-to-back-to-back homeruns) and the crumbling of Joe Torre as a manager (pitching Friday's starter Andy Pettitte an inning in relief) and the first Fenway sweep of New York since 1990. Last night's game also marked Daisuke's first game against the Yankees. I thought he pitched well considering the pressure of the game, the power of that lineup and the fact that as Peter Gammons reported, Matsuzaka still has not found a routine on game days. The guy was throwing 5 hours before the game started last night -- not a good thing. The Sox need to get him comfortable... Some other Sox thoughts: 1. J.D. Drew has been amazing. Theo seems to be back to building dominant lineups. 2. Coco Crisp is regaining confidence. A very good thing. 3. Wily Mo Pena needs to be dealt to a team that can give the Sox something good in return and where he can play every day. Coming off the bench is terrible for him because he is a power guy, not a contact hitter -- he needs to be in the lineup every day to be effective and that opportunity isn't showing itself in Boston. 4. Hideki Okajima has balls. 5. That Dustin Pedroia catch was special. 6. Papelbon is now the dominant AL closer. Another advantage over the Yankees. 7. That sweep was not another April facade. The Sox are better than the Yankees this year. 8. I think Terry Francona will be with the Red Sox for many years to come. 9. Jon Lester is healthy and should be in the rotation by May. As for the other sports... I'm looking forward to the NBA Playoffs. The Western Conference will be a war while the East will be more entertaining than some predict. The Warriors stole Game One in Dallas behind a fantastic performance from Baron Davis after the Denver Nuggets did the same to the Spurs in San Antonio. Exciting games. My predictions will be posted shortly... My final NFL Mock Draft will be on either Friday or Saturday moring. I'm also planning on posting updates throughout Saturday's first round... Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. declared for the NBA Draft last week as did fellow Ohio State freshman Daequan Cook. Oden is obviously the top prospect in the draft and Conley showed flashes of brilliance at the point but Cook could be a mid-first round steal for a contender. he can shoot it and get to the rim... I'm telling you, the spirit of Red Auerbach will deliver the C's the top pick and Oden and the C's will raise banner No. 17 by 2010-2011... I am not a soccer guy but I saw this goal on ESPN Deportes while in Mexico, worth watching... Send a message to the team as well as the few loyal fans you have and waive Sebastian Telfair. Forget that we dealt the No. 7 pick -- ROY candidate Brandon Roy -- in the 2006 Draft (as well as Raef LaFrentz' terrible contract) to Portland for Telfair and Theo Ratliff's terrible contract, the gun-loving point guard needs to go... Rich Hill. 3-0. 0.41 ERA. 17 inning scoreless streak. Phenom. He goes Tuesday night against the Brewers (8:05 pm EST) and then again in the ESPN Sunday Night Game in St. Louis...