Big Moves In Boston

The Celtics will have a 6 p.m. press conference to officially announce the Kevin Garnett trade. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen will join KG at the press conference. The Red Sox also have made a major move, trading for Texas Rangers closer Eric Gagne. The Red Sox sent Texas starting pitcher Kason Gabbard as well as minor league outfielders David Murphy and Engel Beltre. After missing most of 2005 and 2006, Gagne has enjoyed great success in 2007. He is 16-for-17 in save opportunities and sports an impressive 2.16 ERA. He will join Hideki Okajima and Manny Delcarmen in setting up Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon. The Sox now have the best bullpen in baseball to go with a starting rotation of Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Curt Schilling (when he comes off the DL), Tim Wakefield and Jon Lester. The attempts to trade for Jermaine Dye of the White Sox fell through for Theo Epstein. The White Sox wanted more than the Red Sox offer of Wily Mo Pena and Craig Hansen. However, a deal could stillbe made during August if Dye clears waivers.

KG Deal Finalized

Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald is reporting that the Kevin Garnett trade to Boston has been finalized. Garnett is on his way to Boston for his physical and will reportedly sign a three-year contract extension, which will kick in after the 2008-09 season -- giving the C's five years with KG in the lineup. Heading to Minnesota will be Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair and two future first round picks. More later.

Red Sox-Orioles (July 31, August 1 & 2, 2007); Minor League Player of the Week (7/23-7/29)

Yahoo! Geocities is on the fritz again (shocking) so here are the pitching matchups for the brief three game series at Fenway this week between the Sox and Orioles. TUESDAY @ 7:05/NESN: Josh Beckett (13-4, 3.27) v. Erik Bedard (10-4, 3.05) WEDNESDAY @ 7:05/NESN: Kason Gabbard (4-0, 3.73) v. Steve Trachsel (5-7, 5.26) THURSDAY @ 1:05/NESN: Tim Wakefield (12-9, 4.59) v. TBA Notes: The Sox should take all three games of this series ... The Orioles split with the Yankees in Baltimore over the weekend but the Sox are playing well (winners of 8-of-11) and this is their only Fenway stop until August 13 ... the non-waiver trade deadline is today ... my bet goes on the Sox getting Jermaine Dye from Chicago for Wily Mo Pena and Craig Hansen ... Bedard is one of the best young pitchers no one knows about... The M.L.P. of the Week for July 23-29 is Portland SeaDogs pitcher Justin Masterson. Since being promoted from Class-A Lancaster, Masterson is 4-0 with a 1.04 ERA. His rapid rise is the reason that the Sox could possibly part with Michael Bowden.

Garnett

Although there has been no official announcement, the KG-to-Boston trade is done. There are conflicting reports on who the Celtics will ship to Minnesota. Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair -- as well as two first round picks -- are considered locks to be new members of the Timberwolves. Ryan Gomes has also been mentioned as a candidate to be traded. Also, the NBA rumor site Hoopsworld is reporting that Garnett and the Celtics have agreed to a 3-year, $60 million extension that would kick in after the 2007-08 season. That would guarantee the Celtics have more than one shot at the title with Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. With this move, the Celtics are contenders again and the NBA will actually mean something in the northeast.

KG Update; Random Thoughts (7/30/07)

From what I have heard and read, Kevin Garnett will be a member of the Celtics no later than tomorrow. In return for KG, the Celtics will have to give up (reportedly) Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and two first round picks. As much as I like Jefferson -- I really think he will be a perennial All-Star -- the opportunity to team Garnett with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in the weak Eastern Conference is too good to pass on. That team can contend for the championship immediately. If the deal is consumated -- and it should be by tomorrow unless something drastically falls apart according to my source -- than this could be the 2007-08 Celtics: PG - Rajon Rondo/Veteran FA/Gabe Pruitt SG - Ray Allen/Tony Allen SF - Paul Pierce/Veteran FA/Brandon Wallace PF - Kevin Garnett/Brian Scalabrine/Glen Davis C - Kendrick Perkins/Leon Powe/Veteran FA The C's need to acquire a veteran point guard, center and small forward to fill out the roster. Options at point guard could include Brevin Knight, Gary Payton and Jeff McInnis. Options at small forward could be James Posey, Derek Anderson and Jarvis Hayes. Possible centers are re-signing Michael Olowokandi, P.J. Brown, Melvin Ely and Brian Skinner. Finding a veteran point guard is key -- Rondo is a promising talent but a team playing for a ring needs experience at the point -- and finding depth at center and small forward come after that. The trade isn't final yet and there are still holes to fill (finding a way to hold onto Ryan Gomes would solve some problems) but this deal makes the team a legitimate contender... Sorry news out of the NFL today. Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh, the innovator of the "West Coast" offense and the architect of the 49ers dynasty of the 1980's, has did at age 75 after a battle with leukemia. Walsh not only built the 49ers and the West Coast offense, he also developed a great coaching tree that includes current NFL head coaches Mike Holmgren, Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden and Andy Reid and former coaches Dennis Green, George Seifert, Ray Rhodes and Sam Wyche. A great coach who will be missed... There is a rumor circulating today that suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones will spend his year exiled from the NFL involved with professional wrestling. "Pacman" has signed with TNA Wrestling according to AOL Fanhouse reporter Michael David Smith. With Roger Goodell and the NFL watching him closely, I don't really think this is the best career choice for the electrifying yet idiotic cornerback. And with the recent Chris Benoit scandal (Benoit worked for WWE, not TNA), maybe pro wrestling should rethink this decision... Any breaking news with the Red Sox and the trade deadline will immediately be covered by TheBostonInsider Daily Blog...

KG To Boston?

The biggest trade rumor in Boston today has nothing to do with the Red Sox. The Celtics appear to be on the verge of acquiring Kevin Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves. This was a move that almost was consumated around the Draft but was put off by Garnett's agent, Andy Miller, who said at the time his client did not want to play in Boston and would opt out of his contract after the 2007-08 season. Apparently KG is now more receptive to playing in Boston. After the C's turned away from a possible KG trade at the Draft, they landed Ray Allen from Seattle. Maybe the thought of playing next to both Paul Pierce and Allen has changed Garnett's mind. The main pieces that Boston would have to move to land Garnett are Al Jefferson and Theo Ratliff. Reportedly, Minnesota's vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale wants the Celtics to include second year point guard Rajon Rondo but Danny Ainge has shot that proposal down. Instead of Rondo, the C's would reportedly give up Sebastian Telfair and Gerald Green, as well as draft picks. KG probaly will want a 5-year extension worth upwards of $25 million a season. This looks like a real chance for the Celtics to become championship contenders while allowing the Timberwolves a real chance to rebuild. I have been against trading Jefferson away all summer but the prospect of a triumvirate of Pierce, Garnett and Allen is too much to pass up. In the weak Eastern Conference, that is a team on the way to the Finals.

Sox Trade Possibilities

The MLB non-waiver trade deadline is 4 p.m. on Tuesday, July 31. We all know the Red Sox will be exploring deals to bolster their bullpen and their bench. They may even make a major move for a bat, though that is probably doubtful. As the team heads to Tampa Bay, they have the best record in baseball (62-40) and a team that everyone from John Henry to Larry Lucchino to Theo Epstein to Terry Francona to TheBostonInsider really likes. Instead of going through the possible trade targets of the Red Sox, today the focus will be on the players the Red Sox are most likely to be asked for in a move (Jeff Bagwell Division) and the players most likely to actually leave the organization (Matt Murton Division). Jeff Bagwell Division 1. Clay Buchholz: Not going anywhere unless the Minnesota Twins decide that they just don't want Johan Santana anymore. The first player teams ask for -- they wouldn't be doing their jobs if they didn't -- but his future is in Boston. 2. Jon Lester: Maybe a little easier to pry away from the Red Sox than Buchholz but Lester's great future, as well as his emotional impact on this team, should keep him in Boston. However, I agree with Chad Finn (http://touchingallthebases.blogspot.com/), I would trade Lester straight up to Texas for Mark Texeira. 3. Jacoby Ellsbury: Ellsbury looks to be the future of centerfield for the Red Sox but with the emergence of Coco Crisp since the beginning of June -- showing Red Sox Nation why Theo traded for him in the first place -- don't you think Ellsbury could be had if the return was a big one? 4. Justin Masterson: This guy could have the highest ceiling of any Sox pitching prospect. After handling hitter-friendly Lancaster in the California League (8-5, 4.33 ERA), Masterson has put up very impressive numbers in Portland (4-0, 1.04 ERA). His future is bright and it is probably with the Red Sox. 5. Jed Lowrie: Lowrie fits the Dustin Pedroia mold perfectly. A former Pac-10 Player of the Year at Stanford (he won in 2005, a year after Pedroia won it at Arizona State), the 2B/SS hits for a high average (.300 at Portland) and gets on-base (.413). His power numbers (8 HR, 49 RBI) aren't too bad either. Not untouchable but certainly a player the Sox would like to keep. Matt Murton Division 1. Michael Bowden: Bowden, who was drafted right after Clay Buchholz in 2005, seems to be leveling out at Portland (4-4, 4.60). Numbers alone do not dictate what kind of player a prospect will be but with a plethora of young arms stocked on the farm, Bowden is expendable. 2. Craig Hansen: The former No. 1 pick out of St. John's has struggled to find consistent success in pro baseball (ask Peter Gammons and he will blame Scott Boras for his client's troubles). Hansen definitely has big league stuff but he needs to get his mind in the right place to do so. Boston might not be that place. 3. David Murphy: Murphy was Theo's first draft pick in 2003. The Baylor product isn't the top prospect some (me) thought he would be but he could bring back something. With an opportunity, he could be of help as a third or fourth outfielder. 4. Brandon Moss: Moss has put up very good numbers for Pawtucket (.307/13/64) and he could interest a team looking for young outfield prospects. 5. Wily Mo Pena: Everyone has the feeling that Wily Mo, if he gets a chance to play consistently, could become the right handed David Ortiz. Pena has loads of power and promise but Boston is not the place where he will find the opportunity he needs. Last night in Cleveland Wily Mo showed off his talent, going 4-for-5 with 4 RBI and a homerun that he absolutely crushed.

Random Thoughts (July 27, 2007)

Manny Being Manny does not only refer to No. 24 peeing inside the Green Monster, cutting off a Johnny Damon throw from 10-feet away and not telling Coco to slide. MBM really defines one of the greatest right handed hitters in the history of baseball. Last night in Cleveland, Ramirez went 3-for-4 with two very long homeruns, a double, a walk, four RBI and four runs scored in leading the Red Sox to a 14-9 win over the Indians. For the season Manny is hitting .303 with 17 HR and 64 RBI. His numbers aren't the best of his career but remember that he is 35, not 25. His production will drop off as he gets older unless he joins the Barry Bonds Athletic Club. By the end of 2007, Manny will be around 30 HR and over 100 RBI and, more importantly, his team will be contending for the World Series. Without a doubt, Manny is a first ballot Hall of Famer... The New York Jets have lost the greatest running back in their history. Curtis Martin has retired from the NFL as the fourth all-time leading rusher with 14,101 yards. Martin, who began his career with the Patriots in 1995 as a third round pick out of Pittsburgh, is the Jets all-time leading rusher. Martin was a huge reason that the Patriots made it to Super Bowl XXXI. He was a tough runner who never shied away from contact. The Jets will miss him dearly but as a Patriot fan, I am glad we no longer have to worry about No. 28... Wake Forest men's basketball coach Skip Prosser died yesterday at age 56 from an apparent heart attack. He collapsed in his office after returning from an afternoon jog. Prosser was the Deamon Deacons coach for the past six seasons, leading the school to its' first ever No. 1 national ranking in 2004. Prior to coming to Wake, Prosser was the head coach at Xavier University and Loyola of Maryland. Prosser is the only coach to lead three different schools to the NCAA Tournament in his first year on the job. Fellow coaches, past and present players and media members all have paid tribute to a man that, as Ohio State coach (and Prosser's successor at Xavier) Thad Matta said, was "one of the all-time great people in coaching." He will be missed... I am away this weekend so my ability to watch the Red Sox pound on the Devil Rays will be limited at best. I should be back with something on Tuesday or Wednesday. Trade deadline gossip should be of interest... Enjoy the opening weekend for the Patriots at training camp...

Random Thoughts (July 26, 2007)

Even in a losing effort last night, Josh Beckett may have turned in the finest pitching performance of his Red Sox career. Beckett tossed a complete game, allowing just one run (a solo homerun by Franklin Gutierrez) on four hits while striking out seven and walking none. The Sox couldn't produce even a single run for Beckett and were hurt by some bad base running. Coco Crisp was thrown out at home in the sixth trying to score from second base on a David Ortiz single. Crisp briefly slowed up on his sprint for the plate and received no help from Manny Ramirez who was on-deck. In the eighth, Alex Cora missed a sign for a hit-and-run which ended up with Jason Varitek being thrown out trying to steal second base. There are many in Red Sox Nation (check out Dirt Dogs or turn on WEEI) today who want to hang Crisp, Ramirez and Cora for the loss but in the long run, a team as good as the Red Sox shouldn't be derailed by one tough loss... The Yankees continued to assault bad pitching last night, crushing the Royals by a score of 7-1 to pull within 6.5 games of the Red Sox in the AL East. After taking today off (I mean, playing the Royals), the upcoming schedule for the Yanks to close July and through August includes the Orioles (four in Baltimore, three in New York), White Sox (three in New York), Royals (three in New York) Blue Jays (three in Toronto), Indians (three in Cleveland), Tigers (four in New York, four in Detroit) and Angels (three in Los Angeles of Anaheim somewhere in Orange County) before a hosting Boston for three from August 28-30. If the Yankees are for real (which they are not), then they will have to be very, very good over the next 34 games... In that same July-August window, the Red Sox have the Indians in Cleveland tonight and then the Devil Rays (six in Tampa Bay, three in Boston), Orioles (three in Boston, three in Baltimore), Mariners (three in Seattle), Angels (three in Southern California north of Mexico, four in Boston), White Sox (four in Chicago) before going to New York for three with the Yankees. If the Sox want the AL East, beating up on the Devil Rays and Orioles will be key before sweeping the Yanks in New York... Al Jefferson will have a great opportunity to showcase to Celtics fans how he spent his summer in August. Jefferson is expected to be on a team of young NBA stars who will scrimmage against Team USA in Las Vegas as they prepare for the upcoming Olympic qualifier... Big day for some almost milestones in MLB last night. Tom Glavine earned career win No. 299 and Alex Rodriguez hit career homerun No. 499. Rodriguez may actually already have hit No. 500. A-Rod homered in the team's June 28 game against Baltimore that was postponed due to rain. The teams will makeup the game on Friday afternoon and when it is completed, the stats for the game will become official and A-Rod will have his 500th homerun... As I mentioned in my Pats post, the Bears agreed to terms on a one-year tender with their "franchise" player, linebacker Lance Briggs. Briggs wanted a long term deal and was adament he wouldn't return to the team under those conditions but when the Bears didn't trade him, he realized that sitting out would cost him $7.2 million. This line of thinking makes me believe that Asante Samuel will be with the Pats, if not when camp opens tomorrow than sometime soon. I can't see Belichick trading his best cornerback away with the team built to win the Super Bowl and I can't see Samuel turning his back on $7.79 million...

Patriots Roster Predictions

Tomorrow marks the day that our New England Patriots can begin the process of washing the bad taste out of their mouths from the AFC Championship Game loss to the Colts and start preparing for a run at the franchise's fourth Super Bowl championship since 2001. The loss to the Colts was a tough one for the team to swallow -- they led at halftime on the road by a 21-6 score before losing 38-34. The Patriots had the ball with under a minute to play but a Tom Brady pass was intercepted, sealing New England's fate. The Colts went on to defeat the Bears in Super Bowl XLI. With a team coming back that was just minutes away from another trip to the Super Bowl, some might think that Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli would stand pat and make only some minor additions. Some people would be terribly wrong. The Patriots reloaded this offseason, adding multiple players who should make important contributions in 2007. On defense the team signed Pro Bowl linebacker Adalius Thomas away from Baltimore and also added free agent cornerback Tory James from Cincinnati. In the Draft, the Pats took Miami Hurricane safety Brandon Meriweather and his teammate at "The U", tackle Kareem Brown as well as USC linebacker Oscar Lua. Belichick and Pioli didn't stop with the defense. On offense the team signed receivers Donte' Stallworth from the Philadelphia and Kelly Washington from Cincinnati and traded for receivers Randy Moss from Oakland and Wes Welker from Miami. They also signed tight end Kyle Brady from Jacksonville to replace the departed Daniel Graham and running back Sammy Morris from Miami. In the Draft the team added offensive lineman Clint Oldenburg from Colorado State, Corey Hilliard from Oklahoma State and Mike Elgin from Iowa. As for how the team could start the season (Sunday, September 9 in the Meadowlands against Mangini's Jets, only 46 days to go!) this is my prediction on how the Opening Day 53-man roster will look like. QB (2): Tom Brady, Matt Cassel I think Belichick will only go with two quarterbacks on the roster so he can have flexibility at some other positions. Long time veteran Vinny Testaverde, who was with the team at the end of 2006, and rookie undrafted free agent Matt Gutierrez will provide insurance. RB (4): Laurence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris, Heath Evans With an offense built around throwing the ball, not too many roster spots will be kept for the runners. I worry about Maroney's shoulder but if he is healthy enough to get through at least 14 games, the Pats should have no problem running the ball. Faulk, Morris and Evans all are proven secondary runners. WR (6): Randy Moss, Donte' Stallworth, Wes Welker, Troy Brown, Jabar Gaffney, Reche Caldwell After spending the first six years of his career throwing to some very good receivers, Brady now has the opportunity to pass to an All-Pro in Moss and overall the deepest receiving corps in his time in New England. Moss and Stallworth give him big targets on the outside while Welker is potential 80-catch guy in the slot. Brown is back for what will probably be the last year in a great career and both Gaffney and Caldwell worked well with Brady last season. Kelly Washington could either be released or traded to a team sometime in August. 2006 second round pick Chad Jackson will start the year on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) and could either be in their long term plans or insurance for the second half of 2007. TE (4): Ben Watson, Kyle Brady, Dave Thomas, Garrett Mills Watson should finally have the breakout year everyone is waiting for considering the space that should be created for him by Moss, Stallworth and Welker. Brady replaces Graham's blocking. Thomas contributed in small doses as a rookie and showed off some very good hands. Mills was hurt as a rookie in 2006 but has potential as an H-Back. OL (9): Matt Light, Logan Mankins, Dan Koppen, Stephen Neal, Ryan O'Callaghan, Nick Kaczur, Russ Hochstein, Gene Mruczkowski, Clint Oldenburg The starting unit of will definitely consist of Light (LT), Mankins (LG), Koppen (C) and Neal (RG) with O'Callaghan and Kaczur probably fighting it out at RT. Hochstein and Mruczkowski provide depth at guard and center and the rookie Oldenburg could be a sleeper at tackle. K (1): Stephen Gostkowski Was better than expected in replacing Vinatieri. Needs to avoid a sophomore slump. LS (1): Lonie Paxton One of the best at what he does. DL (6): Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Jarvis Green, Mike Wright, Kareem Brown The trio of Seymour, Warren and Wilfork is as good as any in the NFl today and one day could be considered among the best of all-time. Green is a versatile reserve and Wright is a physical presence off the bench. Brown, taken in the fourth round, was a good pass rusher at Miami last year and could provide some very good depth. LB (9): Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, Roosevelt Colvin, Junior Seau, Chad Brown, Oscar Lua, Larry Izzo, Eric Alexander This is an older group but if they stay healthy, the linebackers should be a bright spot. Bruschi, Vrabel, Thomas, Colvin and Seau will be the top five 'backers with depth coming from Brown, Lua and Alexander. Izzo, Alexander and Lua will also backbone the special teams. CB (5): Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs, Randall Gay, Chad Scott, Tory James Samuel is obviously the biggest question mark for the Patriots on the eve of training camp but with Chicago coming to terms with their franchise player, linebacker Lance Briggs, yesterday -- and he was very outspoken against the Bears, much more so than Samuel with the Pats -- I think Samuel will be back with the team sooner than later. With Samuel and Hobbs starting and Gay, Scott and James behind them, the team has a good veteran corps at cornerback. S (5): Rodney Harrison, Eugene Wilson, Artrell Hawkins, Brandon Meriweather, James Sanders If healthy, this is another top flight unit for Belichick's defense. Harrison, Wilson and Hawkins are a very good top three and Meriweather is a highly touted rookie. Sanders, who should beat out Tebucky Jones, will give them depth and a special teams presence. P (1): Josh Miller If all goes well with Brady & Co., won't see too much extended work. Belichick and Pioli will have some extremly hard decisions to make with the roster. They will end up releasing players or trading players that will make positive impacts in other places. The depth of talent the team has on both sides of the ball and at almost every position is the envy of the entire NFL. Anything can happen in the game of football (as it often does) but this roster is built to win the Super Bowl.

Sic Vick

Although I hope Michael Vick never returns to the NFL if he is found guilty of the dogfighting charges he has been indicted on, this would be a great way for dogs everywhere to get their revenge on the Falcons quarterback...

Random Thoughts (July 25, 2007)

All of a sudden everything is just fine in Red Sox Nation. The team has won five consecutive games, the bats are producing again when it counts and the pitching is still fantastic. Last night Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched seven shutout innings, leading the Sox to an impressive 1-0 win over C.C. Sabathia and the Indians. Hideki Okajima pitched a perfect eighth inning and Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth for his 23rd save. Even with the Yankees on a tear (more below), the Red Sox remain 7.5 games ahead of New York in the AL East standings. Mike Lowell drove in Kevin Youkilis for the game's only run in the fourth. It was Lowell's team leading 71st RBI of the year. Matsuzaka was very good on a night he had to be for his team to win. Over his seven shutout innings he spread out four hits and three walks, striking out five Indians. Cleveland batters were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, including a Jhonny Peralta strikeout with the bases loaded in the bottom of the first. Dice-K is now 12-7 with a 3.79 ERA. Josh Beckett (13-3, 3.41; 6-0, 1.71 on the road) goes tonight against 12-game winner Fausto Carmona. With the way things are going for the Sox right now -- David Ortiz returns to a hot lineup after missing four games with a shoulder strain -- they could keep the pressure on the Yankees and the rest of the American League... Speaking of those Yankees, what a roll they are on. Winners of 11-of-14 since the All-Star Game, the Bronx Bombers are scoring at a pace that would make the New York Jets jealous. In their last five games (three against Tampa Bay and two against Kansas City) the Yankees have scored 63 runs (the most in a five game span since 1931) and have cut their deficit in the AL East to 7.5 games and have pulled to within 4.5 games of AL Wild Card leader Cleveland. Everyone knew the Yankee lineup was more than capable of going on a tear. Pitching staffs in Tampa Bay and Kansas City are not built to stop the likes of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada and the rest of the guys in pinstripes. Heck, Reggie Jackson could go deep off the Devil Rays or Royals. I still do not think they are going to make the playoffs. Too many of their players are past their best days and they just don't have the great pitching a team in such a big hole needs to climb out. This is an impressive run they are on but in the end, I don't think it will be enough for them... In addressing the Tim Donaghy scandal yesterday, commissioner David Stern said that as far as he knows (from what the FBI has told the NBA), Donaghy is the only referee who was potentially betting on games. Although I don't like the fact that Stern is relying on government information (the NBA has not yet conducted their own investigation into the issue), I will take him at his word... The Patriots were on my mind last night but not because they open training camp on Friday. Late last night I received a disturbing phone call from a friend who said that he heard -- from a reliable source -- that Pats linebacker Tedy Bruschi had died. I believed this horrible news for two reasons: the person who called me would never make up such news and with Bruschi's health history, something like this is quite possible. I waited for the local or national news to break this story but by the time I fell asleep, I had heard nothing. It turns out that it was untrue (thankfully). Stuff like this happens from time to time but that doesn't make it right. Whoever started this ugly rumor (and I know it wasn't my friend or his source) is thoughtless idiot. It is irresponsible, gutless and flat-out wrong to start such a rumor, especially when the person is as well known as Bruschi, which makes it spread faster than Britney Spears' legs after a few cocktails... On a more positive note, Hollywood bimbo Lindsay Lohan was arrested yesterday morning on DUI charges and possession of cocaine. Why is this positive news, you ask? Because with a history of drinking-and-driving and cocaine abuse, Lohan is now probably on her way to prison. And hopefully such a turn of events will push her out of lucrative movies and into some roles where she bares her ... oh, you know... Enjoy Josh Beckett tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 24, 2007)

The MLB non-waiver trade deadline is exactly one week away. With that date in mind, the Red Sox could still obviously use some help. The trade that Theo Epstein is most likely to make is for a right-handed batting outfielder to replace Wily Mo Pena. Pena has amazing power but his lack of at-bats has stunted his development and is good for a strikeout or two almost every time he appears in a game. Reggie Sanders of Kansas City would be a great addition for the Sox, a veteran outfielder with a solid bat who can help the Red Sox immediately. Other trade possibilities include the bullpen. Even with Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Manny Delcarmen and Mike Timlin pitching so effectively, the Sox could use another arm in the 'pen. We can dream about getting Houston's Brad Lidge but that is probably a pipe dream at best. Acquiring Eric Gagne from the Rangers or Damaso Marte of the Pirates could be a part of Boston's plan... Speaking of help for the Red Sox, I'm not going to be shocked if Jacoby Ellsbury and/or Clay Buchholz make important contributions in Boston. Ellsbury could provide the team with speed and outfield defense off the bench and Buchholz can give the team a power arm, most likely out of the bullpen.... What was up with the guy sitting in the first row by the Red Sox on-deck circle last night in Cleveland? The man, who picked up his AARP card sometime in the early 1990's, wore at least five different hats last night during the game -- all of them a different bold color. With his bold yellow hat he looked like Elmer Fudd. I was flipping back-and-forth to ESPN News for Michael Vick updates so if I missed Jerry Remy or Don Orsillo make note, my bad... David Stern will speak on former NBA referee Tim Donaghy today at 11 a.m. Stern is a master of public relations so his spin should absolve the NBA and place the blame directly at the feet of Donaghy. Which, of course, it should be... The ACC preseason football poll was released at their Media Day yesterday and the BC Eagles under new head coach Jeff Jagodzinski were picked to finish second in the Atlantic Division behind Florida State. With the schedule BC will play in 2007 -- the Eagles travel to play Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Clemson and Georgia Tech and will host Florida State, Miami and NC State (the new home of former BC coach Tom O'Brien) -- a second place finish would constitute a very good season. And it will probably earn the team an invite to the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco on December 28... I really love what NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has done in terms of attempting to control player conduct this offseason. So far he has suspended Tennessee cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones for the entire 2007 season and also gave out eight-game suspensions to Cincinnati receiver Chris Henry and former Chicago defensive tackle Tank Johnson. All are suspended without pay and will have to apply for reinstatement to the league. Yesterday Goodell acted again. He banned Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick from attending the team's training camp when it opens on Thursday. Vick can not join the team until the NFL finishes its' investigation into the dogfighting charges Vick was indicted on last week. Vick will still receive his preseaon pay and the Falcons were ordered by the NFL to not punish Vick on their own until the league's review was completed. Another good move on the part of Roger Goodell and the NFL. No wonder it is the best run professional sport in this country... Enjoy Daisuke Matsuzaka vs. C.C. Sabathia tonight...

Jon Lester Return

Jon Lester, pitching in his first major league game in eleven months after being diagnosed with cancer in August of 2006, led the Red Sox to a 6-2 victory over the Indians in Cleveland tonight. Lester went six innings, allowing just two runs on five hits. He struck out six -- including a key punchout of Grady Sizemore in the fourth inning with two outs and the bases loaded -- and walked three Indians. Sizemore did hit a two-run homerun off of Lester in the third inning. Lester was impressive in his 2007 debut. He did run into sme trouble in the fourth but got out of it without allowing a run. It looked like he had been pitching with the Sox all season, he was that good. The solid return of Lester gives the Sox a great five-man rotation of Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Kason Gabbard, Tim Wakefield and Lester. Curt Schilling's return to the team will also happen soon, he has a rehab start with the PawSox on Thursday night in Toledo. After playing sub-.500 baseball for over a month, the Red Sox now look like the powerhouse that we saw in April and May. The bats are heating up and the pitching seems to be stronger than ever. Great to have you back Jon.

Random Thoughts (July 23, 2007)

Jon Lester is back with the Red Sox. Almost one year after being diagnosed with cancer, Lester will return to the Red Sox rotation tonight in Cleveland. The 23-year-old lefty will replace Julian Tavarez. Lester, who was 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA last year, fought lymphoma over the winter. Lester's return should provide a boost for the pitching staff -- Tavarez was wearing down too early in his recent starts and the move to the bullpen gives the team another good arm to rely on in relief -- as well as an emotional lift for his teammates. With Lester now back with the Red Sox, the team has a starting rotation of Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Kason Gabbard, Tim Wakefield and Lester, with Curt Schilling due back soon from the disabled list. Pitching is once again a strength for the Sox... The NBA is in serious trouble. If you haven't already heard, veteran NBA referee Tim Donaghy is under investigation for gambling on NBA games in both the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons, including games he officiated. This scandal could ruin the image of a league that already deals with bad publicity in thanks to its' players poor behavior. Now that a referee is under investigation for potentially fixing games, the NBA has to deal publicly with the fact that its' product is tainted. Donaghy, a veteran of 13 NBA seasons, was one of the officials in Game 3 of the Suns-Spurs Western Conference semi-final this past May. Game 3 of that series was known for horrible officiating -- Suns center Amare Stoudemire spent a good portion of his night glued to the bench with foul trouble -- and one can only wonder how much influence Donaghy had on the outcome of that game. Luckily for the NBA, commissioner David Stern is a powerful man who will figure a way for the league to survive. Stern has too much savvy and control to allow the Donaghy case to destroy his league. The NBA will take a hit in public over this but in the end, the show will still go on... The recent surge at the plate from both Julio Lugo (12-game hitting streak, .457 BA over that stretch, raised his season average from .197 to .225) and Coco Crisp (.384 in his last 30 games, raising the season average from .221 to .277) is just another sign of Terry Francona's patience paying off with his players. People in Boston love to bash Francona for his laid back attitude but it obviously works with his players. Similar to what Joe Torre does with the Yankees, Francona creates a calm atmosphere that allows his players some comfort. This is very important in a city like Boston, which has passionate fans and media members. When Red Sox Nation (myself included) was calling for Francona to bench Lugo in favor of Alex Cora, Terry stuck by his player and that has now paid off in a big way for both Lugo and the Red Sox. He stuck by Crisp as well and did the same for rookie Dustin Pedroia earlier in the season. If I had a vote, Terry Francoan would be my A.L. Manager of the Year as of right now... This Indians series will be no joke. The Sox face Jake Westbrook in the opener and Cliff Lee in the series finale -- two solid if unspectacular pitchers -- with 13-game winner C.C. Sabathia and 12-game winner Fausto Carmona going inbetween. The Indians also have a loaded lineup that includes Grady Sizemore, Travis Haffner and Victor Martinez. This is a potential playoff preview so do pay attention... Interesting note from Peter Gammons regarding former No. 1 pick and current Pawtucket reliever Craig Hansen. Gammons said that Hansen's agent, the evil Scott Boras, is responsible for the slow progress in his client's development. Boras' own coaching staff has tinkered with Hansen's delivery and Gammons blames that for Hansen's struggles. Boras is a millionaire agent who gets his clients big money (Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jason Varitek and J.D. Drew are a few of his big name clients) but he should not interfere with the work of big league coaching staffs. Hansen should be listening only to what the Red Sox are telling him about pitching, not what his agent's coaches are telling him. Shame on Hansen for even listening to Boras and his people at all. Boras also would like to see Matsuzaka throw less pitches in his outings. The man should stick to contracts before he ruins Hansen's career... Enjoy Jon Lester tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 20, 2007)

Those gasps for air you are hearing are coming from Fenway Park. Last night the Red Sox dropped their third game in a row, a 4-2 loss to the White Sox, and their seventh setback in their last 10 games. Is this a collapse or is it just a bad spell that they will come out of any day now? The optimist in me is coming up with reasons -- the bats will start hitting, Jon Lester and Curt Schilling will save the rotation, Daisuke Matsuzaka will find the plate on a consistent basis -- to believe but after watching this team go 20-24 since June 1, doubt is starting to creep into my mind. Seriously, the offense has to kick in here sometime, doesn't it? Big Papi is struggling to generate power because of his knee but other than that, what is the excuse? Kevin Youkilis needs to relax at the plate and not obsess over every out he makes. J.D. Drew needs to stop being such a wimp and start playing like a guy that makes $14 million a year. Manny Ramirez (hitting .400 with 3 HR and 9 RBI since the All-Star Game) needs to keep driving the ball. The reason the Sox need to fix things from within is that there do not seem to be many options outside the club. Other than moving for a centerfielder to replace Coco Crisp, there are not many places other than the bench to make an ugrade. As upsetting as Drew has been in his first months in Boston, he isn't going anywhere. Julio Lugo (.373 BA in July, .419 since the All-Star Game) is showing signs of life but even if Theo wanted a new shortstop, they can't move Lugo's 4-year/$36 million contract. The bench is where Theo needs to act. Dump Wily Mo Pena (.205 BA, 4 HR, 12 RBI, .633 OPS in 127 at-bats) and Eric Hinske (.196/4/12/.713 in 97 at-bats). Go out and be aggressive to add solid veteran players who can contribute at the plate, on the field and in the pressure environment of Fenway Park. I'm not ready to panic yet but time is starting to run out... The Patriots have added veteran linebacker Chad Brown, who played for the team in 2005, to their roster giving them depth at a position that desperately needed healthy bodies by the end of the year... Here are the top five books I have read this summer: 5. Tip-Off: How the 1984 NBA Draft Changed Basketball Forever by Filip Bondy 4. Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond by Paul Shirley 3. Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich by Mark Kriegel 2. The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis 1. Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season by Jonathan Eig And you thought I couldn't read... I watched the premiere AMC's new show, Mad Men, last night and I have to say that I liked it. The show is set in a Manhattan advertising agency in 1960 and is basically a lesson in how sexism, cigarettes and booze ruled the business world before Vietnam and Richard Nixon. The show is about more than that but the unintentional comedy of how the male ad executives act like nothing is more important than a glass of rye, a puff of a Lucky Strike and a nice set of legs drew me in... It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Bill Simmons, ESPN.com's "Sports Guy." His new feature on ESPN.com is a weekly Podcast -- the BS Report -- and it is worth the time...

Red Sox Slumping

The Red Sox are 20-23 in their last 43 games. Number five starter Julian Tavarez -- who has pitched as many innings already this season as he did all of last year -- looks exhausted. The offense has still yet to come around and be the force we thought it could be. The Yankees have won 11-of-14 and are now a season high 4 games over .500 and are only 7 games behind the Sox in the AL East. So, Red Sox, what now? I think the most logical thing for the Sox to do is see how Curt Schilling does in his rehab start on Saturday in Pawtucket. A healthy Schilling gives the team a solid 1-2-3 of Josh Beckett, Schilling and Daisuke Matsuzaka. Behind the top three, the Sox still have the consistently inconsistent Tim Wakefield as the No. 4 starter and they can fill the fifth spot with either Kason Gabbard (3-0, 3.38) or Jon Lester (7 IP, 3 runs, 7 hits, 3 K's in Pawtucket last night). With good starting pitching to go with a very good bullpen, this team is hard to beat. As for the offense, there isn't much they can do except wait for the bats to get hot. J.D. Drew and his $70 million and his .380 SLG aren't going anywhere. This team was built around the belief that Drew would hit behind Ortiz and Ramirez and drive in runs and that has not happened (34 RBI in 81 games played). Coco Crisp has been better since June (.313 BA in June and July) but he has yet to be the dynamic player we thought we were getting last spring. Julio Lugo is starting to hit but he needs more than a great eight game stretch (where he's 15-for-30) to make a believer out of me. Where has Kevin Youkilis been? Since suffering that quadriceps injury before the All-Star break, Youk has been terrible at the plate. Is he hurt or just wearing down? As for Manny Ramirez, the team needs him to go on a roll, carrying the offense on his back like a $20 million man should be doing. He is driving the ball lately (two long homeruns in the Kansas City series) and that needs to be an every day thing. The only consistent bats have been Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek. But even those four have had problems. Can Pedroia maintain his impressive .316 batting average (or will he slip back to where he was in April -- .182 BA)? Can Big Papi overcome his knee injury and start to hit for power (only 15 HR)? Will Lowell have his usual second half slip? Is Varitek able to hold up down the stretch run? The answer to all four questions better be Y-E-S. The Sox do need some help. Other than Alex Cora, the bench provides almost nothing at the plate. Come playoff time will it be fair to Terry Francona to have him look down the bench and see Eric Hinske, Wily Mo Pena or Doug Mirabelli looking back at him? Theo Epstein needs to make a move now before the lead slips any further. Maybe he can package Coco Crisp or Wily Mo Pena with Craig Hansen to find a veteran bat to help this team right now. Whatever the team does, a prolonged slump coupled with bad starting pitching isn't a good formula. Add in the apparent Yankee resurgence and it could spell big trouble for the Sox. They host the free falling White Sox for four games this weekend (wouldn't Jermaine Dye be a nice addition to the lineup) before heading out to Cleveland for four and Tampa Bay for three. All 11 games are critical -- they can't afford to open the door for the Yankees.

Celtics Trade Idea

After trading for Ray Allen on draft night, Celtics fans have been waiting for "the other shoe to drop." Allen is a very good player and teamed with Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson, the C's have a solid nucleus but it still isn't a championship team. By trading away the No. 5 pick and Delonte West for Allen, Danny Ainge was basically saying the team is trying to win now so another move is expected. Fooling around on ESPN.com's "Trade Machine", I came up with a three team proposal involving the Celtics, L.A. Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves. Boston would trade Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff and a lottery protected first round pick to Minnesota. The Lakers would send the T-Wolves Kwame Brown, Andrew Bynum and a future first round pick. The Lakers would get Kevin Garnett and Mark Blount from Minnesota and Boston would receive Lamar Odom from L.A. In this scenario, the Celtics get an All-Star forward to team with Pierce, Allen and Jefferson. They would immediately become a serious contender in the East. The Lakers get the superstar they need to keep Kobe Bryant happy and the team competitive. A team with Kobe and KG would be dangerous. Blount is added to give the Lakers another veteran big man after dealing Odom. The Timberwolves get a chance to rebuild around Randy Foye, Corey Brewer, Andrew Bynum, Gerald Green, Rashad McCants, Craig Smith, the financial flexibility of not having to pay KG and Blount and the soon to expire contract of Ratliff and through the draft. This would be the C's rotation: PG: Rajon Rondo/Sebastian Telfair/Free Agent veteran SG: Allen/Tony Allen/Gabe Pruitt SF: Pierce/Ryan Gomes/Brandon Wallace PF: Odom/Glen Davis/Brian Scalabrine C: Jefferson/Kendrick Perkins/Leon Powe Not too bad.

Random Thoughts (July 18, 2007)

I love Tim Wakefield as much as the next guy but the time is coming when the Red Sox are going to have to cut ties with the aging, inconsistent knuckleballer. After getting shelled by the lowly Kansas City Royals last night (6.1 IP, 9 hits, 6 runs), Wake is now 10-9 on the year with a 4.69 ERA. Those stats aren't too bad but you have to also take into account that because Wakefield's knuckleball causes problems for most catchers, the Red Sox are basically required to keep his personal catcher Doug Mirabelli on the roster. Mirabelli is batting just .188 with 3 HR, 10 RBI and a whopping 31 strikeouts in 85 at-bats. There are many positives about Wakefield -- he eats innings, he is the calming veteran presence on the pitching staff -- but he is getting more and more inconsistent as he gets up there in age (he will turn 41 on August 2). Wake's troubles are a major reason why the Red Sox need a healthy Curt Schilling to return. After Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka (who is still learning), the Sox need another reliable arm for a playoff run... One of the high school kids I coach actually thought this was his real voice. Not a compliment Rich... Mike Vick, the quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, was indicted in U.S. District Court in Richmond, Virginia on counts of conspiracy to commit interstate commerce in aid of unlawful activities and to sponsor a dog in an animal-fighting venture. Vick, along with three other men charged, reportedly used an estate in Virginia that he owned to train dogs to fight and also held fights on the property. The Travel Act charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The dogfighting charge carries a sentence of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. Vick will also be held responsible for his actions by the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell has already suspended Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones for the entire 2007 season for off-field behavior. Without getting too much deeper into this disgusting story, if Vick and his associates did commit the crimes they are now accused of they should be punished to the full extent of the law. It is barbaric to train animals to fight and kill. The four accused also are charged with brutally killing dogs that did not meet their fighting standards. Vick and the other three accused do deserve their day in court but if the charges stick, then the NFL and the Falcons need to terminate his career... Yi Jianlian, the No. 6 overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks and a rumored interest of Danny Ainge and the Celtics, and the Chinese Basketball Association have stated they will not allow the 6-11 forward to play for the Bucks. The reasoning behind this move according to Chen Haitao of the Guangdong Tigers, Yi's team in the CBA, is that they want to find a team where the 19-year-old (or is it 22?) can develop. Chen said it had nothing to do with marketing opportunities or the lack of a Chinese population in Milwaukee. Basically, the CBA and Yi want to force the Bucks to trade him. This is not a sinister act by Communist China, this is just a situation in which a player wants to play elsewhere. Kind of like Steve Francis in 1999 and Danny Ferry in 1989. The Bucks will have some very good options if they decide to trade Yi. Golden State would love to add him and they could send the No. 8 overall pick Brandon Wright to the Bucks. The Bulls could be interested as well and could move the No. 9 pick Joakim Noah to Milwaukee in exchange for Yi. Maybe Danny Ainge will get the C's involved. Gerald Green and a protected first round pick might entice the Bucks to act... Jerry Yang won the 2007 World Series of Poker last night in Las Vegas. His prize is a WSOP bracelet and $8.25 million. Not a bad haul for getting lucky with some cards... The Asante Samuel talk has dominated Patriot Nation lately but can someone please tell me who is going to run the ball consistently other than Laurence Maroney? Sammy Morris? Kevin Faulk? I'm getting a little bit worried that Brady's arm will fall off by Thanksgiving... Enjoy Lil' Bush tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 17, 2007)

I watched two great baseball games (from my perspective) last night. The first game was Kason Gabbard's complete game, three-hit shutout of the Kansas City Royals in a 4-0 Red Sox win. Gabbard was brilliant in this game, showing off his off-speed pitches that befuddled the K.C. hitters. The Red Sox runs all came via the homerun. Dustin Pedroia (4) and Manny Ramirez (13) clubbed solo shots over the Monster in the fourth inning and David Ortiz (16) powered a two-run blast past Pesky's Pole in the sixth. The other game I followed with interest was the Cubs 3-2 win over the Giants at Wrigley Field. Rich Hill spread out two runs on four hits over eight strong innings and got the win over San Francisco's rookie phenom Tim Lincecum. The Giants actually held a 2-1 lead going into the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Theriot got a two-out infield single for the Cubs and then was given the steal sign by manager Lou Piniella. Derek Lee hit a grounder towards second base as Theriot was off, pulling Ray Durham away from the hole, allowing Lee to single and Theriot to head to third. Aramis Ramirez then doubled in Theriot and Lee, making the difference in the win. Good night of baseball... There has been concern over the play of the Red Sox the last few weeks. Have you wondered why there has been such a fuss with the team sporting the best record in baseball (56-36) and holding a 9 game lead over the Yankees in the AL East? Here are the records, by month, for the Sox in 2007: April: 16-8 May: 20-8 June: 13-14 July: 7-6 After a terrific start the Sox have stumbled since June. This hasn't been too big of a deal because the Yankees and Blue Jays have not been great in the East but the Red Sox can't afford to sleep walk through the rest of July and through August and September or the Yanks will be knocking down our door... The Patriots and Asante Samuel did not reach a deal by 4 p.m. yesterday so Samuel can now only play for the team in 2007 under the terms of the franchise tender ($7.79 million for one-year). One of five things can happen to Samuel and the Pats now. They are listed in decreasing order from what is least likely to happen to what is most likely to happen. 5. Samuel receives an offer sheet from another team. Very doubtful because the ransom for such a move is two first round draft picks. 4. The team removes the franchise tag. Can't see the Pats making him a free agent so close to training camp. 3. Samuel sits out. Possible but doubtful -- Samuel was great in 2006 but that was his one big year. He needs more exposure to really cash in on the open market. 2. The Patriots trade Samuel. With a team built to win now, I think this will be a last ditch move for the team. Asante is by far their best corner and I can't see them moving him for draft picks. 1. Samuel signs the tender. For a guy who earned just over $4 million in his first four years in the NFL, $7.79 million is a lot to turn down. It might not be the long-term contract he seeks but it's the best he can do with New England for the time being. While Samuel might want a trade for financial reasons (he can sign a long-term deal with any club other than the Pats right now), the $7.79 million and the opportunity to win a third Super Bowl in his fifth year of playing should keep him in Foxboro in 2007... The Royals recalled pitcher Leo Nunez from Triple-A Omaha to replace scheduled starter John Thomsen for tonight's game... Clay Buchholz had a positive debut in Pawtucket last night. Held to a limit of 50 pitches (the exact amount he threw), Buchholz went three innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits. The 22-year-old righty struck out four and had zero walks in the PawSox 6-4 win over the Ottawa Lynx. The pitch count might be an indication that the Red Sox want Buchholz for their bullpen down the stretch... Enjoy the Red Sox-Royals game tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 16, 2007)

Today is the deadline for Asante Samuel and the Patriots to sign a long-term deal or the cornerback will only be able to don his No. 22 jersey under the one-year franchise player tender of $7.79 million. The Boston Herald reports today that Samuel's agent, Alonzo Shavers, thinks the two parties can come together and strike a deal. With Samuel at corner, the Pats will have the most complete team -- on paper -- in the NFL. Samuel is coming off a season in which he had 10 interceptions (tying him for the league lead with Champ Bailey) and played the best football of his young career... The Red Sox officially need a bat. With the team losing too many close games in which they accumulate more hits but less runs than the opposition, the time has come for Theo Epstein to make a move to get a run producing bat in the middle of the lineup. I think that bat resides in Texas. The Sox could send Jon Lester, Coco Crisp and Brandon Moss to the Rangers for Mark Teixeira and Kenny Lofton. Teixeira would provide the Sox with a power hitting, run producer behind David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez (something I think J.D. Drew was supposed to bring to Boston for that $70 million price tag) and Lofton would be a veteran presence behind Jacoby Ellsbury, who would be called back to Boston. With Teixeira at first base, Kevin Youkilis could be moved to third, freeing the Sox to trade free agent to-be Mike Lowell to a team in search of a bat (see: San Diego Padres) for relief help (hello Scott Linebrink). If those trades went down, here would be the team the Red Sox would send out there every day: 1. J.D. Drew, RF 2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B 3. David Ortiz, DH 4. Manny Ramirez, LF 5. Mark Teixeira, 1B 6. Kevin Youkilis, 3B 7. Jason Varitek, C 8. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF 9. Julio Lugo, SS Bench: Alex Cora, SS/2B; Kenny Lofton, CF; Wily Mo Pena, RF/LF, Eric Hinske, 1B/3B/RF/LF Starters: Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, Clay Buchholz (call-up) Bullpen: Jonathan Papelbon, Hideki Okajima, Scott Linebrink, Manny Delcarmen, Mike Timlin, Julian Tavarez, Javier Lopez (say goodbye to Kyle Snyder and Brandon Donnelly) A move of Wily Mo Pena for a veteran utility man would help too. Doubtful but you never know... Juilo Lugo is batting .526 (10-for-19) in his last five games and has raised his season average over the Mendoza Line to a robust .210. If Lugo can consistently get on-base and steal bases (24 in 26 attempts on the year) from the bottom of the lineup, the Sox will be in very good shape... Celtics fans, don't be shocked to see Jarrett Jack in green this winter... Enjoy the Pawtucket/Ottawa game...

Random Thoughts (July 12, 2007)

Yesterday was officially the slowest sports day of the year, unless one counts the WNBA as a sport. However, some things of note did occur in the sporting world regardless of the lack of games... In summer league action in Las Vegas, the Celtics demolished the Chinese national team by a score of 80-52. Leon Powe (23 points and 12 rebounds) and Glen Davis (10 and 11) dominated inside while Rajon Rondo (12 points) controlled the C's offense. Yi Jianlian, the No. 6 overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks and a member of Team China, was held to 7 points... NBA free agency also kicked off yesterday. The Orlando Magic executed a sign-and-trade with the Seattle Sonics for one dimensional scorer Rashard Lewis (they will regret the $126 million they just gave Lewis), the Phoenix Suns signed Grant Hill (hope he stays healthy), the Detroit Pistons re-signed Chauncey Billups, the Charlotte Bobcats re-signed Gerald Wallace even though they traded for Jason Richardson on Draft night and the Memphis Grizzlies reportedly came to terms with Darko Milicic on a three-year deal... The NCAA came down hard on the Oklahoma Sooners yesterday. The Sooners have to erase their 8 wins, including their Holiday Bowl victory over Oregon, and will also lose two scholarships for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 school years because of infractions committed by former players Rhett Bomar and J.D. Quinn. The Sooners are also on NCAA probation until 2010. The school has 15 days to appeal and university president David Boren said they will make an appeal. Bomar and Quinn were both paid by a car dealership for jobs they did not do. Makes you wonder what USC might possibly lose when the NCAA gets around to investigating the Reggie Bush housing scandal... I am pleading with the Boston Herald and the "Inside Track" to leave Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen alone. It seems like not one day can pass without the girls at the Track printing the newest Brady-Bundchen rumor. I knw Brady is bigger than just the sports page in this city but let the guy enjoy some privacy until football season opens... At last night's ESPY Awards, the Indianapolis Colts won the award for "Best Team" of 2006. If Brady had even half of the receiving options then as he does now, the Colts would have had to settle for "Best Second Place Team in the AFC" award. Remember that in January... The Yankees will supposedly break team policy and negotiate with potential free agent Alex Rodriguez during the season. A-Rod, who will certainly opt out of his contract with agent Scott Boras calling the shots, could command up to $30 million per season if he hits the open market. Maybe I'm crazy but don't the contracts of Curt Schilling ($13M), Matt Clement ($9.5M) and Mike Lowell ($9M) come off the books after this season? And doesn't Manny's deal (roughly $20M) expire after 2008? That leaves the Red Sox with some expendable cash and with a loaded minor league system ready to produce cheap, major league ready talent (Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, Michael Bowden, etc.), the Sox could splurge on Rodriguez. With a good history dealing with Boras clients (Jason Varitek, J.D. Drew, Daisuke Matsuzaka), Boston could have the edge in the A-Rod sweepstakes. Imagine a 6-year/$170 million dollar deal to bring Rodriguez to Fenway. Keep in mind that Boston is where he wanted to go after the 2003 season and before the Yankees made the Valentine's Day trade to bring him to the Bronx in 2004. Maybe that's why the Yanks are trying to get something done now, before he can hit the open market... Enjoy Stage 5 of the Tour de France...

Random Thoughts (July 11, 2007)

Exciting finish to the All-Star Game last night. Francisco "K-Rod" Rodriguez came on in relief of the struggling J.J. Putz in the ninth and after some initial control problems, K-Rod got Aaron Rowand to fly out to rightfield. Our own Josh Beckett got the win (he pitched a scoreless third and fourth inning) and Ichiro Suzuki was named the MVP after going 3-for-3 with the first ever inside-the-park homerun in All-Star Game history. The A.L. now has homefield advantage in the World Series after winning their tenth consecutive All-Star Game... Do you think Ray Fosse flinched at all last night when Alex Rodriguez was bearing down on catcher Russell Martin after the missile of a throw Ken Griffey Jr. launched to the plate on a Pudge Rodriguez single to rightfield? I bet you Pete Rose almost choked on his whiskey when A-Rod pulled up and allowed Russell to tag him out... Pete, please don't take that bet, I want you in the Hall of Fame... Some All-Star trivia: Last night, Barry Bonds started in left field and hit second for the National League. When was the last time Bonds hit second in any lineup? Bonus points if you can name the should-be Hall of Fame pitcher he faced that night. Answer below... The Boston Herald reports this morning that David Ortiz believes he will need knee surgery after the season to fix whatever is causing the quad and hamstring soreness he has battled through all year. In my opinion, if the Sox can extend their lead to 13-15 games AND the surgery wouldn't cost Big Papi more than 2-3 weeks, he should have the surgery now so that we'll have a healthy Papi mashing through October... Clay Buchholz, the top pitching prospect in the Red Sox system, was called up to Pawtucket from Portland at the All-Star break. Buchholz, who pitched in the MLB Future's Game, will make his Pawtucket debut on Monday, July 16 against Ottawa. There are some who believe that Buchholz, if he is successful at Triple-A, could help Boston this year, be it as a starter or (more likely) a power arm in the bullpen... Just to show America he still can outspend God, Portland Trailblazers owner Paul Allen bought out guard Steve Francis' $30 million contract. Francis, acquired on draft day along with Channing Frye in the Zach Randolph trade with the Knicks, will get a fat check and free agency. I heard he's on his way to the Clippers but I wouldn't be shocked if Kobe stepped in to bring him to that other team in Los Angeles... The Patriots came to terms with a key player yesterday but it was not Asante Samuel. Instead the Pats signed veteran receiver/cornerback Troy Brown to a one-year deal. This team is loaded at the receiver position with Randy Moss, Donte' Stallworth, Wes Welker, Kelly Washington, Reche Caldwell and Chad Jackson but will anyone at all be surprised if Brown -- the most underappreciated Patriot of the Dynasty Era -- makes this team? Even Pete Rose wouldn't bet against that... Trivia answer: On July 27, 1986, Bonds hit second for the Pirates against the San Francisco Giants. Pitching for the Giants that night was none other than the 1971 A.L. Cy Young and MVP winner, Vida Blue. (Thanks to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com for that one). Enjoy the Celtics/Team China game tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 10, 2007)

I would like to open with a thank you to Fox Sports New England for airing the Celtics summer league games in Las Vegas this week. Although not many players wearing green will ever see a uniform come October, it is interesting to watch the play of Rajon Rondo, Gerald Green, Glen Davis, Gabe Pruitt, Leon Powe and Brandon Wallace. The next game for the C's is Wednesday night against Team China at 10 p.m. Would love to have Johnny Most call that one... Some more C's thoughts: The team agreed to a partially guaranteed two-year contract with rookie free agent Brandon Wallace out of South Carolina. The 6-9, 205-pound small forward -- who played center for the Gamecocks -- is a long, athletic forward who plays defense and rebounds (two critical areas of need for the Celtics). If he can actually defend real NBA players, the team has a steal. The rumor of the day, courtesy of the Philadelphia Inquirer, is that the Celtics are among the teams interested in free agent forward Joe Smith. Smith, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1995 Draft out of Maryland, is a decent player and would help the young bigs on the Boston roster. The 6-10, 230-pound Smith can play power forward or center. Will Allen Ray ever play with Ray Allen? Doesn't look good for the second year guard. With the C's signing Wallace, roster spots are few and far between. The team still has need for veterans at point guard (I'm holding out hope for Derek Fisher) and on the front line so Ray's options look bleak. The 5-11 shooting guard is a nice player but he will probably have to look elsewhere for a job... Trivia question of the day (I'm liking this a lot): Name the four MLB players with both 500 homeruns and 3000 hits. Answer below... I really hope the American League wins in a blowout tonight so that David Ortiz can sit early and so that (hopefully) Jonathan Papelbon and Hideki Okajima won't have to pitch in a crucial situation. I'm also pulling for Josh Beckett to get skipped and for Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell to only appear as pinch hitters. Hey, the A.L. Pennant means more than the All-Star Game... The Patriots and cornerback Asante Samuel have until Monday, July 16 to come to terms on a long term deal. If no deal is reached, Samuel will only be able to play for the one-year franchise player contract, worth almost $8 million. Hopefully something will be done. The Pats are loaded and are big favorites to win the Super Bowl. Having a happy and productive Samuel will go a long way to making this a great team... Trivia answer: 1. Hank Aaron 2. Willie Mays 3. Eddie Murray 4. Rafael Palmeiro Enjoy the All-Star Game...

Is Derek Jeter Overrated?

Before I start this rant I would like to say that even though I hate the New York Yankees with passion, I do love to watch Derek Jeter. Jeter is tough, he plays every game like it is a World Series contest and he has been consistently great since debuting in 1995. It's just that I don't think he is one of the best shortstops in baseball history. Hell, he's not even the best shortstop on the Yankees. On this past Friday night I was talking baseball with some friends. Innocent stuff. Some trivia was tossed around and everyone was chipping in their two cents. Good times. It was around the time someone asked who the 1995 NL MVP was -- the same year our Mo Vaughn took home the AL MVP -- that I got to thinking about Jeter and how much his association with the Yankees helps his place in history. When Barry Larkin was announced as the '95 NL MVP, one guy in the group said he didn't deserve the award. I shot back that he did and that Larkin was one of the most underappreciated stars of his era, mainly because he was stuck in Cincinnati for his 19-year career. I added in that if Larkin was a Yankee from 1996-2007 (like Jeter) that he would have been valued much higher by baseball fans. The ensuing argument led me to do some research. Take a quick look at the following (career) statistics and guess which player is Derek Jeter and which player is Barry Larkin. Player One: .295 BA, 198 HR, 960 RBI, 939 BB, 817 K, 379 SB, .371 OBP, .444 SLG, .815 OPS Player Two: .318 BA, 188 HR, 904 RBI, 740 BB, 1238 K, 256 SB, .389 OBP, .463 SLG, .852 OPS Player One is Larkin and Player Two is Jeter. Jeter does have a higher batting average, OBP, SLG and OPS and will soon have more homeruns and RBI but take into account two things. 1. Larkin played the bulk of his career before the 1993 and 1998 expansion (which diluted pitching) and before the ballpark boom at the turn of the century that produced parks much more friendly to offense. Larkin played in the cavernous Riverside Stadium. 2. Larkin played the majority of his career hitting in lineups that featured Eric Davis, Chris Sabo, the young Paul O'Neill, Hal Morris, Billy Hatcher, the young Bret Boone and Sean Casey among others. Not bad players but certainly not the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield, the older Paul O'Neill, Jorge Posada, Tino Martinez, Hideki Matsui, Jason Giambi, David Justice and Alfonso Soriano, all of who Jeter played with. I am positive that if Larkin's career started in 1996 and he was playing with the rich and powerful Yankees instead of the cash strapped Reds, his numbers would be more impressive. It is not fair to fault Jeter for having the opportunity to play where he does but is it fair to call him an all-time great because his opportunity is better than most others? Going further into the Larkin/Jeter debate, allow me to examine the accolades both players accumulated. Larkin was a 12-time All-Star, 3-time Gold Glove winner, 9-time Silver Slugger winner and the 1995 MVP. His team won the only World Series he played in, sweeping the A's in 1990 and the Reds made only one other playoff appearance in his tenure, losing to the Braves in the 1995 NLCS. Jeter is a 7-time All-Star, 3-time Gold Glove winner, a 1-time Silver Slugger winner and although he doesn't have an MVP, he has finished in the Top 10 6-times since 1998. He has been apart of four World Series champions (1996, 1998-2000), two other American League champions (2001, 2003) and has been to the playoffs every season since 1996. So, does a comparison between Derek Jeter and Barry Larkin prove that Jeter is overrated? Of course not. It does show that Jeter is a very good player -- who will be a first ballot Hall of Famer -- but that there are also many other good players who played his position. Jeter is a very good player who plays in a great situation, one that fits his competitive nature perfectly. Some players can't make it in New York. Jeter thrives in the Big Apple. I just hate hearing that Jeter is the top player at his position. Like I said earlier, he's not the best shortstop on his team (A-Rod is a superior shortstop, he should be playing there and Jeter should be at third base). In my opinion, he's not as good as a handful of shortstops currently playing -- including Jose Reyes of the Mets and Jimmy Rollins of the Phillies. And please don't make the argument that because he wins he is the best player. He won those four World Series on teams that could have replaced him with the 2007 version of Julio Lugo and still won. The Yankees of 1996-2000 were some of the greatest in baseball history. Certainly Jeter was an important part of those teams but I don't think he couldn't be replaced. Since winning the 2000 World Series -- and Jeter inheriting the role of Yankee captain -- the Yankees have lost in the World Series twice, the ALCS once and the ALDS three times. My point is that Jeter should be considered a very good, if not great, player but nothing more. He is fun to watch and if I ever have a son who plays the game the way Jeter does, I will be a happy father. However, his association with the Yankees and the city of New York add something extra to his status in the game which is unfair to other shortstops and other stars of his generation.

Random Thoughts (July 8, 2007)

I don't put much stock in the Red Sox being swept in Detroit this weekend. Terry Francona was obviously using the weekend to rest some of his regulars. David Ortiz (Friday), Manny Ramirez (Sunday, though he did pinch hit) and Kevin Youkilis (all three games, pinch hit on Saturday) sat this weekend. Also, the Sox sent their fourth (Julian Tavarez) and fifth (Kason Gabbard) starters against the powerful Tiger offense on Friday and Saturday. All in all, with a 10 game lead on both the Blue Jays and Yankees in the East at the All-Star break, one has to be happy with this club. One three game sweep on the road against a top club won't mean much as long as the likes of Ortiz, Ramirez and Youkilis stay healthy all summer... One thing to worry about just a little about is the offensive production of Ortiz and Ramirez. Both Big Papi (.314 BA, 14 HR, 52 RBI, .434 OBP, .990 OPS) and Ramirez (.284/11/45/.385/.850) are having good seasons at the plate (with Ortiz having the better start) but they are not putting up the mammoth numbers that are expected. With a 53-34 record I shouldn't be complaining but at some point this season, the Sox will need these two to start crushing the ball and carry the offensive load. Hopefully they are up to he challenge... Julio Lugo -- he of the terrible first half and $36 million dollar contract -- had a very good game today, hopefully one that will get him going in the second half. Lugo went 3-for-3 with a homerun, a double, 2 RBI and a stolen base. He finishes the disappointing first half with a .197 BA, 5 HR, 40 RBI and 22 stolen bases... Time for more trivia. There are four U.S. colleges that have produced a Super Bowl winning quarterback and a U.S. President. Your hint is that one school produced two QB's that won Super Bowls. Answer below... With the Celtics needing a veteran point guard to play behind Rajon Rondo, one name that may be of note is Derek Fisher. Fisher optioned out of his deal with Utah to find a team close to a big city hospital that can treat his one-year-old daughter Tatum's rare form of eye cancer, retinoblastoma. Boston is an obvious possibility for Fisher, veteran of three NBA championships with the Lakers, with its' many world famous hospitals. The move to Boston would be about much, much more than basketball but Fisher would certainly help the C's... Trivia answer: University of Michigan (Tom Brady - QB, Gerald Ford - President) U.S. Naval Academy (Roger Staubach - QB, Jimmy Carter - President) University of Miami, Ohio (Ben Roethlisberger - QB, Benjamin Harrison - President) Stanford University (Jim Plunkett & John Elway - QB's, Herbert Hoover - President)

Random Thoughts (July 6, 2007)

Great piece by ESPN last night on Larry Doby, the first black player to appear in an American League game. He made his debut for the Cleveland Indians on July 5, 1947, almost three months after Jackie Robinson played his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Watch SportsCenter today or on Sunday (when I'm sure they will replay the segment) if you missed it last night... Time for a great trivia question. From 1932-1992, there were nine major league baseball players who won back-to-back MVP awards. They just so happen to cover every position on the field (P, C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS and three OF). Hint: two of these players are NOT in the Hall of Fame. Answer below... Jacoby Ellsbury made a lasting impression at Fenway Park in his brief major league debut. The 2005 first round pick out of Oregon State, Ellsbury went 6-for-16 (.375 BA) in six games. After last night's 15-4 win over Tampa he was optioned back to Pawtucket but he will be back, maybe sooner than later... Although all of the Boston media has been stating that another major move is on the way for the Celtics following the Ray Allen trade, I wouldn't be shocked to see them stand pat. Any move for another impact veteran on the trade market would probably involve using the about to expire contract of Theo Ratliff. However, with Al Jefferson on the verge of a hefty contract extension, the expiring Ratliff deal will give the C's financial flexibility. The only move I really see the C's making would be the signing of a veteran point guard using the mid-level exception and then, if the team is good enough come February, they could make a move for another big man... With Hideki Okajima winning the "Final Vote" the Red Sox will now have six representatives in San Francisco for Tuesday's All-Star Game. Okajima will join David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Mike Lowell, Josh Beckett and Jonathan Papelbon... As for Big Papi, the quadriceps injury that has bothered him for most of the season will hopefully keep him from playing. News flash: The Red Sox need a healthy Ortiz to win the World Series... Answer: P: Hal Newhouser, Detroit Tigers, 1944-45 C: Yogi Berra, New York Yankees, 1954-55 1B: Jimmie Foxx, Philadelphia Athletics, 1932-33 2B: Joe Morgan, Cincinnati Reds, 1975-76 3B: Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies, 1980-81 SS: Ernie Banks, Chicago Cubs, 1958-59 OF: Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees, 1956-57 OF: Roger Maris, New York Yankees, 1960-61 (Not in HOF) OF: Dale Murphy, Atlanta Braves, 1982-82 (Not in HOF) Since 1992, both Frank Thomas (1993-94) and Barry Bonds (1992-93, 2001-2004) have won back-to-back MVP awards. Great question to ponder over a few beers...

Random Thoughts (July 5, 2007)

Even with a team built to win a World Series this year, the future of the Red Sox can not be ignored. Take a quick peek at the roster and you will find that Josh Beckett, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Delcarmen and Dustin Pedroia haven't even entered their prime years yet. With Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Craig Hansen, Michael Bowden, Lars Anderson, Jed Lowrie, Justin Masterson, Aaron Bates and Daniel Bard all working their way through the minor's, one has to be excited for the next decade or so at Fenway... Speaking of the future for the Red Sox, SoxProspects (www.soxprospects.com) is reporting that the club has agreed with 16-year-old Michael Almanzar, a highly touted SS-3B from the Dominican Republic. Almanzar, a 6-5 power hitter, was one of the most sought after prospects on the international free agent market. The Red Sox reportedly gave him a $1.5 million signing bonus, the highest ever given to an international free agent by the team... The more I think about it, the more I like the Ray Allen trade. His age (he'll turn 32 on July 20) shouldn't be an issue because he has been healthy his entire career and always has been in terrific physical shape. Plus, no one batted an eye over Kevin Garnett's age (31) when the rumors were flying around about him coming to Boston. Allen did have double ankle surgery in April but it was to remove bone spurs, there was no structural problems. With his ability to score (26.4 in 2006-07) and proven track record playing with other scorers (Glenn Robinson in Milwaukee, Rashard Lewis in Seattle), he will fit in just fine with Paul Pierce and the Celtics... Only a few more weeks until Patriots training camp opens...

All-Time NBA Teams

A friend of mine asked me last night for some input into a column he has to write. The assignment was to come up with an All-Time NBA team, a current All-NBA team and an All-Future NBA team. All three teams consist of 12 players broken down into the five positions (C, PF, SF, SG, PG). I liked the idea so much that I decided to give it a run myself. Not to worry, I'm sure many more thousands of readers will see his work -- which I will post on this site when it is finished -- than will see mine. All-Time NBA Team C: Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal Russell gets the start on any NBA team. The 11 world championships in 13 seasons gives him an advantage over any competitor. He was also a five-time MVP, a 12-time All-Star and was named first or second team All-NBA 11-times. Kareem is right behind Russell. The 18-time All Star and six-time MVP won five world championships and is the all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points over his 20 seasons. Shaq beats out Wilt Chamberlain for the last center spot because unlike the Stilt, Shaq was the dominant big man of his era. Wilt was a great player but no matter how many points he scored, he won only one championship during the Russell years. Meanwhile, Shaq has four world championships and truly has no match at the center position. PF: Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett Duncan is the best power forward of not just his generation, but in the history of the league. Duncan has led the Spurs to four world championships and has taken home two MVP trophies. He adapts his game to whatever the situation calls for as well -- he'll pass out of double teams all night long and will concentrate on blocking shots and rebounding if that what the team needs -- and his unselfishness is what raises his team above most challengers. The spot behind Duncan was a tough call. Names like Karl Malone, Kevin McHale, Charles Barkley and Bob Pettit were all tough to omit. I went with Garnett because of the way he plays on a nightly basis. His energy and passion have been wasted in Minnesota all these years (imagine him playing with a fellow future Hall of Famer) but that doesn't diminish his greatness. Coming directly from high school KG has played in 10 All-Star games, won the 2003-04 MVP and is a four-time rebounding champion. SF: Larry Bird, Julius Erving Small forward is a tough position to judge. There certainly have been amazing players at the "3", from Elgin Baylor to Dominique Wilkins to Vince Carter, but that doesn't mean they were All-Time greats. This list is for the greatest all-around players, not just the best dunkers or scorers. Bird is by far the greatest small forward in NBA history. He won three championships with the Celtics as well as three MVP's. His great scoring and shooting were enhanced with supernatural passing ability and a will to win that is matched only by the true greats of the game. His competitive nature stood out as a team player (the steal and pass to D.J. against the Pistons in 1987) as well as an individual (his legendary exploits in the three-point contest at the All-Star game). Picking Bird's backup came down to two players: Julius Erving and Scottie Pippen. The edge goes to Dr. J solely because although he won just one championship compared to Pippen's six, Erving won his as the lead player while Pippen was playing second fiddle to Michael Jordan. In the 1980's, only four teams -- the Celtics, Lakers, 76ers and Pistons -- won world championships. It was a time in the NBA when having a Hall of Fame player might not be enough to even win a conference championship. The fact the Dr. J and the 1983 76ers were able to break the stranglehold the Lakers (championships in 1980, '82, '85, '87 and '88) and Celtics (1981, '84 and '86) had on the first nine years of the decade gets Erving on the list. SG: Michael Jordan, Jerry West, Kobe Bryant For years, I foolishly defended Larry Bird as the greatest NBA player of all-time. I always knew Jordan was the greatest of the great but my lack of maturity forced me to call Bird the best. Here is my formal apology. Jordan took basketball to a place no one could before. Without MJ, the NBA would not be the billion dollar industry it is today. Oh, Jordan also won six championships, five MVP's, the Defensive Player of the Year, and was a 13-time All-Star. Behind Jordan I have to go with the "Logo", Jerry West. Time makes people forget how truly great West was but the great Laker guard of the '60s and early '70s was certainly ahead of his time. If not for Bill Russell and the Celtics, West and his Lakers easily would have captured a handful of championships in the '60s. It wasn't for lack of trying either, West was named Finals MVP in 1969 in a seven-game loss to Boston. He had to wait until 1972 to win a title. Kobe is next on the shooting guard list. Hate him or not, the man is an exceptional talent. He won three championships with Shaq and the Lakers and though the team hasn't been as successful since the Big Fella was traded to Miami, Kobe is still the best player in the NBA today. PG: Magic Johnson, Bob Cousy Any time the current NBA players make me sick with selfish play, I pop in an old Celtics-Lakers tape to watch the brilliance of Magic and Larry. Magic may be the most unique athlete of all-time in any sport. He was a 6-9, 230 pound beast who performed like a man half his size. Before Magic the point guard position was populated by mostly pass first floor generals who made safe decisions. Then came Magic. Johnson would be dribbling up court at full speed and would thread a pass through a bundle of players out of nowhere, usually leading to a dunk by James Worthy or Byron Scott. Of course, without Bob Cousy, there might not have been a Magic Johnson. The 1956-57 MVP and 12-time All-Star revolutionized his position long before anyone was even ready to realize it. Even his long time coach and friend, Red Auerbach, didn't want Cousy when he was coming out of Holy Cross in 1950, referring to him as a "local yokel." With Russell grabbing every rebound in sight and then feeding the "Cooz" to start the break, the Celtics won six world championships in his last seven seasons. Off of omissions, a team could be made that would give this team a run for its' money. These players, with no regard for roster limits, could make an argument for inclusion on the All-Time team. C: Wilt Chamberlain, Hakeem Olajuwon, Moses Malone, George Mikan, David Robinson, Bob Lanier, Patrick Ewing, Bill Walton PF: Kevin McHale, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Bob Pettit SF: Scottie Pippen, Elgin Baylor, John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins SG: Pete Mavarich, Clyde Drexler, Sam Jones, Earl Monroe, Reggie Miller PG: Isiah Thomas, John Stockton, Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Nate Archibald, Clyde Frazier Lots of names left out still. Current All-NBA Team C: Shaquille O'Neal, Yao Ming PF: Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki SF: LeBron James, Paul Pierce SG: Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade PG: Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, Tony Parker Shaq, Duncan, Garnett and Kobe are obvious candidates as are LeBron, Kidd, Nash, Wade and Nowitzki. Yao makes it, not because he has been dominant -- though that is coming very, very soon -- but because the center pool is very weak. I give Pierce the edge over the likes of the Vince Carter's of the league because he does the more with less than any small forward. The man went to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2002 with a supporting cast led by Antoine Walker, enough said. Originally I had Tracy McGrady written in as a third shooting guard but I erased him to make room for Parker, the starting point guard on three championship teams in San Antonio, as well as the MVP of the 2007 Finals. For the Future All-NBA team, I have limited inclusion to players with three years of NBA experience or less. That is why LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh or Carmelo Anthony won't appear on this list. Future All-NBA Team C: Greg Oden, Dwight Howard PF: Al Jefferson, Andrea Bargnani SF: Kevin Durant, Luol Deng SG: Eric Gordon, Brandon Roy, O.J. Mayo PG: Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose Howard is an established rising star. Jefferson's stock is so high, Minnesota general manager Kevin McHale wanted him in return for Kevin Garnett. Bargnani, the No. 1 pick in the 2006 Draft, is a Nowitzki-like shooter with All-Star potential. Deng is leading the Bulls back into contention. Williams and Paul have already taken the league by storm with their skills at the point guard position. Oden and Durant? You may have heard about them lately. Gordon (Indiana), Rose (Memphis) and Mayo (USC) all will be freshman phenoms this winter and all will probably be among the Top 5 picks in the 2008 Draft. They are that good. Wow, this was a fun exercise. I am looking forward to see how my teams compare with that of Ian Thomsen's. His should be out shortly -- keep an eye on Sports Illustrated -- and like I wrote before, I will post his list in comparison to mine when it is available.

The Julio Lugo Problem

The Red Sox have only seven games to play before the All-Star break. They sport a record of 49-31, second best in the major's, one game behind the Angels. In the AL East they hold a 10.5 game lead on the Blue Jays and are 11 games ahead of the Yankees. At the All-Star Game, five members (David Ortiz, Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell ) and possibly a sixth (Hideki Okajima) will represent the American League. And still, I have a complaint. Julio Lugo, the third shortstop signed (4-years/$36 million) by Theo Epstein since allowing Orlando Cabrera to depart following the 2004 season, has been a nightmare. The numbers alone (.190 BA, .256 OBP, .283 SLG, .539 OPS) don't tell the story. He is finding ways to lose games. On Saturday night against the Rangers he came in to pinch-run at second base with two outs and Kevin Youkilis at the plate. Instead of waiting for Youk to rip a line drive single to score him, Lugo took off for third base and was thrown out by roughly 29 steps. The solution to this problem is difficult to come up with. Being this is the first year of a $36 million dollar contract, the Sox just can't let him go. And no team -- short of the Sox assuming more than half the remaining dollars -- will take him back in a trade. But with a team built to win a World Series, the Red Sox just can't wait for Lugo to (hopefully) get on track. Something must be done. My idea is to move Dustin Pedroia to shortstop go after a second baseman. The ideal fit as a short term fit at second? Mark Loretta, now with the Astros. Loretta works on many different levels. First of all, he was a very good player in Boston last year (.285/5/59/.345 OBP/.361 SLG/.706 OPS). He is an above average second baseman defensively and he can still hit (.326/2/27/.403/.433/.836 with Houston). Loretta also would come cheap (he makes just $2.5 million) and is signed for only 2007, meaning the Sox don't have to worry about any long term commitment. Another plus to a possible deal for Loretta is that the Sox could look into adding bullpen help from Houston in the move. Brad Lidge, Chad Qualls and Dan Wheeler would all improve the Boston 'pen. In a move for Loretta the Sox wouldn't have to give too much up in return. Outfielder's David Murphy and/or Brandon Moss would be more than enough. An expanded trade for one of Houston's reliever's would probably force Boston to add in either Craig Hansen or Manny Delcarmen and maybe even a lower level pitcher, such as Kris Johnson. Whatever Theo has up his sleeve, the time is coming for him to act. Even with a subpar month of June (13-14), the Sox still have a 10.5 game lead in the AL East over Toronto. He can make a move now from a position of strength or he can wait until the trade deadline in July, when his position might not be as strong.

Random Thoughts (July 2, 2007)

Congratulations to the five members of the Red Sox selected to play in the All-Star Game next Tuesday in San Francisco. David Ortiz (4th All-Star Game) was voted in as the starter at first base. Josh Beckett (1st) and Jonathan Papelbon (2nd) were named as pitchers. Mike Lowell (4th) and Manny Ramirez (11th) were also named as reserves. Kevin Youkilis (.329 BA, 9 HR, 44 RBI), Dustin Pedroia (.323/3/23) and Daisuke Matsuzaka (9-5, 3.80 ERA, 110 K's) were both omitted in spite of excellent starts to the season. Also, Hideki Okajima is one of five American League players vying for a spot on the team via the "Final Vote." He is on the ballot along with fellow pitchers Jeremy Bonderman of the Tigers, Kelvim Escobar of the Angels, Roy Halladay of the Blue Jays and Pat Neshek of the Twins. Voting is held on the internet (vote at http://www.redsox.com/) and Okajima should have an advantage with Red Sox Nation and the Nation of Japan in his corner... The Bruins traded for Minnesota Wild goalie Manny Fernandez over the weekend. The B's sent winger Petr Kalus and a 2009 4th round pick to the Wild. Fernandez is coming off an injury plagued season. He played in just 44 games (posting a 22-16-1 record and a goals-against average of 2.55). For his career the 32-year-old has a record of 125-113-24 and a 2.47 GAA. He should be the B's number one netminder come this winter but both Tim Thomas and Hannu Toivonen -- one of which will probably be traded -- will give him a battle for the top spot... The Celtics have a very good foundation with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Al Jefferson. Those three can score and opponents will actually have to game plan how to stop three players more than capable of scoring 20+ points per night. Still, they need a veteran point guard and a veteran post player who specializes in defense and rebounding... If you haven't done so already, you have to watch Comedy Central's new cartoon, Lil' Bush. The network is running a mini-marathon of the first three shows Wednesday for the Fourth of July... After having to place Joel Pineiro on the disabled list with a sprained ankle and with Coco Crisp nursing a sore thumb, the Red Sox called-up Jacoby Ellsbury from Pawtucket. A first round pick in 2006 from Oregon State, Ellsbury is a dynamic player who can hit for average, has exceptional speed and plays great defense. This may just be a test run but bet on Ellsbury being a star in Boston in the near future...