Random Thoughts (August 21, 2007)

How is it possible that Tim Wakefield has a career record of 19-2 against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays? Amazing... There is a small piece of me that truly hopes Michael Vick gets the Ol' Yeller treatment from U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson... Maybe Wily Mo Pena should have received a few more plate appearances with the Red Sox? Since going to the Washington Nationals, Pena is batting .455 (5-for-11) with two homeruns and three RBI. In three games since being traded, Wily Mo has 1/3 as many homers as J.D. Drew has all season... The Rodney Harrison shoulder block sack of Vice Young in the Pats preseason loss to the Tennessee Titans last Friday night officially marked the start of football for me... I haven't had a good trivia question in a while but here we go: In MLB history, 41 players have hit at least 400 homeruns in their career. Seven of those 41 have played at least one game for the Red Sox, name them. Answer below... I was a bit surprised to see the Patriots release veteran defensive back Artrell Hawkins the other day. Hawkins has been a very good fill-in the last two years when injuries slowed down both Harrison and Eugene Wilson... Speaking of the Patriots secondary, it is interesting to note that Ellis Hobbs and Randall Gay are currently the starting cornerbacks for Belichick's defense with rookie Brandon Meriweather coming off the bench. Once they get Asante Samuel in uniform, the Pats pass defense should be very good... Ten game road trips are never any fun -- for the players or the fans -- but this trip could pay huge dividends for the Red Sox. With seven relatively "easy" games in Tampa Bay and Chicago, the Sox could expand their AL East lead on the Yankees, who are on the road in Anaheim and Detroit. The teams meet in the Bronx starting a week from today, a series that may well determine the outcome of the division race if the Sox can take care of the Devil Rays and White Sox... Trivia answer: Babe Ruth (714 HR, 49 with Red Sox), Jimmie Foxx (534, 222 with Red Sox), Ted Williams (521), Manny Ramirez (489, 253 with Red Sox), Jose Canseco (462, 52 with Red Sox), Carl Yastrzemski (452) and Andre Dawson (438, 29 with Red Sox). When I was asked this question last week I was told their was eight players but after looking up the eighth name it turns out he never suited up for the Red Sox. That player is future Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell, who hit 449 homeruns and played his entire career with the Houston Astros after the Sox traded him there for Larry Anderson in 1990... Enjoy Walpole in the Little League World Series today...