Hub Bids Manny Adieu

Four years ago today, the Red Sox traded Nomar Garciaparra and Matt Murton to the Chicago Cubs in a three-team trade that broughtOrlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz to Boston. Three months later, the Sox were drinking champagne in St. Louis. Will it turn out so perfect in 2008? Only time will tell. Manny Ramirez, first ballot Hall of Fame sometime in the near future, is no longer the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team deal that brought Jason Bay to Boston. Here's hoping that Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss, sent to Pittsburgh in this deal, will become the Matt Murton of the 2008 Red Sox. Similar to the Nomar trade of 2004, I have mixed feelings about this trade. Manny has been one of my favorite Boston athletes in his 7 1/2 seasons as a member of the Red Sox. Yes, he had many moments which made us all question his maturity but at the end of the day, Manny did what Dan Duquette brought him here to do. He hit. And, by the way, the Red Sox became winners. Manny hit 274 home runs with the Sox and drove in 868 runs. He was seleted to the All-Star team all eight times he was eligible while with the Sox. He was a postseason stud who was named the 2004 World Series MVP. As much as I loved watching Manny play for the Sox, he had his warts. He was not above sitting out when he thought he wasn't getting his way. He didn't always play hard. He shoved a 66-year-old team employee to the ground. Still, all things considered, we will all miss Manny. I don't blame the team for trading Manny, there really seemed like there was no other option after the events of the past month. But he will not be easily replaced. Jason Bay has some huge shoes to fill. He has been a nice player on some bad Pirate teams. He was the 2004 N.L. Rookie of the Year and has been selected to three All-Star teams but there are legitimate questions about whether or not he can thrive under the pressure of playing baseball games that have meaning. The issue going forward for the 2008 Red Sox will be can they hit well enough to make it back to the postseason and possibly win the World Series. There are still some great bats in this lineup but now that Manny is no longer in the middle, will the offense still be championship caliber? If I had to make the Red Sox lineup card out tomorrow night, it would look like this: 1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF 2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B 3. David Ortiz, DH 4. Mike Lowell, 3B 5. J.D. Drew, RF 6. Jason Bay, LF 7. Kevin Youkilis, 1B 8. Jason Varitek, C 9. Jed Lowrie, SS The Sox have to gamble that Ellsbury can shake off his slump and be the dynamic leadoff man we saw last October and this spring. The Sox can't waste Youkilis at the top of the order, they need to produce runs at the bottom of the lineup now that Manny is gone and Bay needs some protection. Big Papi has to evolve from superstar and postseason hero into a Hall of Fame player. Lowell and Drew need to step up their production. Well Manny, goodbye. The last month has been rough but I, like many Red Sox fans, will miss you and remember the good more than the bad.

Random Thoughts (July 22, 2008)

Closers, past and present, should take a few moments today to write a note of condolence or send a check to the charity of choice of Jerome Holtzman. Holtzman, a longtime baseball writer in Chicago, died yesterday. Among his many contributions to baseball, Holtzman created the statistic for saves. Without Holtzman, guys like Dennis Eckersley and Goose Gossage would not be in the Hall of Fame, the fortunes of Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman would be considerably smaller and the names of Jonathan Papelbon and Francisco Rodriguez would not be known across our great country. Never forget your past... I spent the $21 on tickets, another $20 on a water, diet soda, small popcorn and a box of Junior Mints (Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate, it's peppermint, it's delicious.). I sat in a packed theatre. And it was well worth it. The Dark Knight was the best movie I saw in a theatre since The Sixth Sense. Heath Ledger as the Joker was one of the best played roles I have ever seen. Christian Bale was very good as Bruce Wayne/Batman. Aaron Eckhart was solid as Gotham's District Attorney Harvey Dent and was almost as twisted as Ledger when he became Two-Face. I don't want to give away the movie but I assure you that even if you hate comic books and movies based on comic books, you will thoroughly enjoy this movie... For all the (deserved) bashing that the bottom of the Red Sox lineup has taken recently, batters 7-8-9 stepped up, pardon my pun, to the plate last night and carried the Sox offense. Coco Crisp was 1-for-2 with three walks and two runs scored. Jason Varitek was 2-for-4 with a home run, a walk, and two RBI. Jed Lowrie was 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. The offensive efforts of Crisp, 'Tek and Lowrie, along with a combined shutout pitched by Jon Lester and Jonathan Papelbon, pushed the Sox to a 4-0 victory in Seattle. Coming off a disappointing weekend against the Angels, last nights win kept the Red Sox withing 1.5 games of the Rays in the A.L. East... ESPN's Buster Olney believes the Red Sox will add Pirates lefty Damaso Marte to their bullpen before the July 31 trading deadline. On the year, Marte is 4-0 in 46 appearances with a 3.55 ERA and 45 2/3 innings pitched. If Marte comes relatively cheap, hopefully he will be the lefty specialist the Sox lack in the 'pen right now. The Sox are also hoping that Justin Masterson will be the right handed set-up man to bridge the game from the starter to Papelbon on a nightly basis. It's never good to be hoping and dreaming at this point of the season when it comes to the bullpen but that is the reality facing the Red Sox these days. If they are to repeat as World Series champions, they better hope these dreams come true... The C's re-signed Eddie House to a 1-year extension with a player option for 2009-10. House will receive half of the mid-level exception (about $2.7 million) in 2008-09. They also inked Tony Allen to a 2-year contract for a reported total of $5 million. There is also talk that the team is looking into signing free agent swingman Devean George, a veteran of three NBA championship teams with the Lakers... The Patriots signed third round draft picks Shawn Crable, a linebacker from Michigan, and Kevin O'Connell, a quarterback from San Diego State, yesterday, leaving only first round pick Jerod Mayo and second round pick Terrence Wheatley without deals three days before training camp opens. The team also announced the signing of free agent tackle Anthony Clement. Clement may just be coming in as an insurance policy. He could also be a potential replacement for right tackle Nick Kaczur, who was involved in an offseason prescription drug selling ring. Training camp opens on Thursday... Although there is surely a former player or former team employee who would beg to differ, I think the kindness and honesty that Patriots owner Bob Kraft projects in the public is a genuine thing. How else to explain why former Pats linebacker Andre Tippet has chosen Kraft, who was nothing more than a season ticket holder at Foxboro Stadium during Tippet's playing days, to present him for induction at the Hall of Fame next month... Boston College was chosen to finish fourth in the six team ACC Atlantic Division in the annual preseason media poll. After losing many key seniors, including quarterback Matt Ryan and safety Jamie Silva, BC is expected to have a down year in 2008 after appearing in the ACC Championship Game and winning 11 games (including a season ending victory over Michigan State in the Champs Sports Bowl) in 2007. I am not expecting too much from the 2008 Eagles. The ACC is a very talented league -- Clemson is a dark horse candidate to win the national championship, Virginia Tech is always good, one can never count out Florida State or Miami and Butch Davis will make North Carolina a better team -- and BC is in rebuilding mode. All I ask is for a victory over Notre Dame at Alumni Stadium on November 8... Enjoy Daisuke tonight...

Celtics Re-Sign Eddie House and Tony Allen

The Boston Herald is reporting that the Celtics have come to contract agreements with free agents Eddie House and Tony Allen. Danny Ainge said that both deals are for two years, financial terms have not been formally announced but both deals are expected to be worth around $2-million annually. I love that they are bringing back House, a terrific shooter who provides instant offense off the bench. I like that they are bringing back Allen because although he has not proven himself to be the smartest player on the floor in his four years in Boston, he does provide a veteran defender off the bench now that James Posey is in New Orleans. As of today, this is what the C's 2008-09 roster looks like: C: Kendrick Perkins/Patrick O'Bryant PF: Kevin Garnett/Leon Powe/Glen Davis/Brian Scalabrine SF: Paul Pierce/Tony Allen/Bill Walker SG: Ray Allen/J.R. Giddens PG: Rajon Rondo/Eddie House/Gabe Pruitt I don't think Ainge is done quite yet. Scalabrine has no fit in Boston and maybe the team will look into a buy-out of the remaining two years on his deal. The bench still lacks experience and maybe Ainge will look at signing a veteran like Mike Finley before training camp opens in October.

Random Thoughts (July 21, 2008)

After telling you on Friday that I was going to spend the weekend in Chicago, highlighted by a trip to Comiskey Park (it's actually called U.S. Cellular Field but I prefer to go with the original name) for a White Sox game Saturday, I know you probably lost sleep waiting for a recap from me. Well, I had a blast in Chicago -- by far the best non-tropical city to visit on vacation -- and I had a very good time at the ball game. I have never heard anything good about Comiskey -- it is across town from the vaunted Wrigley Field and it was the last park to open before the Camden Yards-inspired retro ballpark boom -- but I had a great experience. There were no lines, making it easy to get into the park. The concourses were spacious, allowing me and my friends to navigate our way to the seats with no problems. There were plenty of beer and food stands. The seats -- located behind the White Sox bullpen in left field -- were fine and we had a nice view of the field (helped out by moving down a few rows before the first pitch). The beer and food vendors were all over, allowing me to stay in my seat the entire game. My one complaint is that the only beer available was Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft, although the price ($6.75) for a cold 16 oz. bottle wasn't too bad. All things considered, I give Comiskey Park a B+... The Weiners Circle, a Chicago tradition (search it on YouTube sometime), made my Sunday morning a little harder to handle. Hot dogs loaded with tomato slices and a full pickle are probably a never good idea, especially at 4 in the morning... It seems that the Red Sox have not come back from the All-Star Break. Too bad for them because the Angels did... It is clear to even Stevie Wonder that the Red Sox bullpen is their biggest weakness. Other than Jonathan Papelbon, the guys running out of the bullpen on any given night are struggling. On paper, a set-up crew of Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima, Mike Timlin, Craig Hansen, Javier Lopez and David Aardsma looks pretty good. In reality, it has not been the case. The Sox are getting desperate. They have, at least temporarily, converted successful rookie starter Justin Masterson into a reliever. Masterson will join the team in Seattle for tonights game. The Masterson move, to me, is coming at a time when Theo Epstein will be forced to decide whether or not to make a move for a relief pitcher. Epstein famously dealt prospects David Murphy, Kason Gabbard and Engel Beltre to the Texas Rangers at this time last year in exchange for Eric Gagne. At the time it looked like a great move for the Red Sox. They added a former Cy Young winner to their bullpen and were not forced to deal away any player considered to be a top prospect. Well, as we all know, the Red Sox went on to win the World Series in spite of Gagne's contributions. Gagne was 2-2 in 20 appearances with Boston and sported an ERA of 6.75 in 18 2/3 innings. Gagne was even worse in the A.L.D.S. and A.L.C.S. before submitting just one (scoreless) inning against Colorado in the World Series. Murphy has been a key contributor to a very good Texas offense in 2008. He is batting .269 with 13 HR, 60 RBI and an OPS of .766. Gabbard has been a solid starter, going 2-3 with a 4.82 ERA in 12 starts before having season ending elbow surgery. As for Beltre, the 18-year-old was just named to Baseball America's hot prospect list and even though he is the youngest player in the Single-A Midwest League, he is having a very good year at the plate (.285/7/33/.734). This is important because it shows the high cost of making a trade out of necessity. The Rangers were able to add two major league players and a prospect who has the makings of a superstar in exchange for a relief pitcher who hurt much more than he helped. As desperate for an arm as the Red Sox are, is it worth the cost? Tough call for Theo... Padraig Harrington won the first non-Tiger major held since 1996 in capturing his second consecutive British Open championship. Surprisingly, he is the first European to win golf's oldest major tournament in back-to-back years in over 100 years (James Braid of Scotland in 1905 and 1906). For all the talk about whether or not the fans would watch golf without Tiger Woods in the lineup, this was a very interesting tournament. 53-year-old Greg Norman was the leader for three rounds before Harrington took control yesterday. Amateur Chris Wood of England finished tied for fifth place. U.S. Open runner-up Rocco Mediate was in the mix before finishing tied for nineteenth. Congrats to Harrington and congrats to golf... Tom Brady is awfully happy this morning after Miami Dolphin pass rushing expert Jason Taylor was dealt to the Washington Redskins late yesterday. Taylor was known for treating perennial Pro-Bowl left tackle Matt Light like Reggie White treated Max Lane in Super Bowl XXXI, blowing by him with ease on his way to a punishing blow on No. 12. Eli Manning, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo can now feel Brady's pain... With the struggles of Jacoby Ellsbury at the lead-off spot, Terry Francona might want to take my advice for his lineup when David Ortiz returns from his wrist injury on Friday against the Yankees. 1. Dustin Pedroia, 2B 2. Kevin Youkilis, 1B 3. David Ortiz, DH 4. Manny Ramirez, LF 5. J.D. Drew, RF 6. Mike Lowell, 3B 7. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF 8. Jason Varitek, C 9. Jed Lowrie, SS There is still a hole at the bottom of the lineup but a 1-6 of Pedroia, Youkilis, Ortiz, Ramirez, Drew and Lowell should be enough to carry Ellsbury, Varitek and Lowrie... Enjoy Jon Lester tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 18, 2008)

I hope everyone likes the new format for the Daily Blog. I did not renew my Yahoo! Geocities account so when it expires -- should be any day now -- the Daily Blog will be the permanent home for my mindless ramblings. Enjoy... I am off to Chicago (via a quick stop in Milwaukee) this weekend for a short vacation. I will be catching the White Sox-Royals game tomorrow, making it eight stadiums where I have seen a major league baseball game. The other seven are Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Shea Stadium, Wrigley Field, the new Busch Stadium and AT&T Park in San Francisco. Yankee Stadium may be a cesspool but it is a historic cesspool and I witnessed the Red Sox victory over the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2004 A.L.C.S. at that cesspool. Shea Stadium reminded me of a cheap knockoff of Yankee Stadium and there was nothing to do around the park pre-game. I caught a Rangers game a few weeks after I graduated from high school way back in 1999 and enjoyed the park, the restaurant in the right field roof deck but did not like that park is like 20-hours away from downtown Dallas. Wrigley Field is beautiful and the neighborhood around the park -- appropriately named Wrigleyville -- is the best stadium neighborhood in the world. The new Busch Stadium is amazing and if you go there, I recommend staying directly across the street at the Westin. AT&T Park in San Francisco is even better than Busch Stadium, McCovey Cove offers a great spot to watch a game from but their ushers are a little sensitive. As for Fenway, there is no better place to watch a game... It looks like the C's plan to replace James Posey will be to re-sign Tony Allen, maybe add a veteran wing player (Mike Finley?) and see what rookies J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker have to offer. It is not the sexy move but it saves the team money right now, giving them flexibility to make a move during the year if needed. I am happy that Danny Ainge did not panic... Veteran free agent point guard Ty Lue signed a 2-year/$5-million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. Lue stated he would have come to Boston for less money. I'm glad he's a Buck, let's keep Eddie House. House may not be great at handling the ball but his shooting makes up for that and there is no need to add a veteran point guard now, Rajon Rondo is a veteran... After hearing Justin Masterson on the "Big Show" yesterday (yes, ESPN 890 is in the rearview mirror already), I have no doubt he will be as loved by the media in this city for his ability to talk and make good points as he will be loved by the fans for his pitching talent... Less than a week until the Patriots start to play football again... Very good news to see Big Papi hit a home run last night in Pawtucket... Enjoy Clay Buchholz tonight...

R.I.P. ESPN Radio Boston

Well, as usual I am a day late and a dollar short, but I learned this morning that Michael "D.B." Felger is officially leaving ESPN Radio Boston to take a job with WEEI.com. Felger will continue his duties on Comcast Sportsnet but in addition to leaving his afternoon drive-time slot over at ESPN 890, he will also be leaving the Boston Herald after almost 20 years on Harrison Avenue. Felger, who formerly was a guest co-host on WEEI's "Big Show" will be the football writer for the new WEEI website and will most likely be an on-air talent as well. This kills me. I have been an avid sports radio listener since I was a kid, listening to WEEI back when it was located at 590 on the A.M. dial in Boston. In recent years I have turned away from 'EEI because, to me, the station became more dedicated to making loud noise and trying to stir up controversy than providing a legitimate outlet to talk sports in such a great sports city like Boston. They have become the WWF (sorry, WWE) of Boston sports talk radio. When a rival station, Sporting News backed WWZN 1510, popped up on the Boston airwaves at the turn of the century, 'EEI crushed it like Vince McMahon methodically destroying Ted Turner's WCW. When ESPN Radio opened up shop in Boston in 2005, I was excited to see that WEEI would have some actual competition. ESPN is the megapower of sports and to me, even WEEI could not keep the new station from succeeding. ESPN 890 became my station of choice -- other than when Mike Adams takes the microphone at night -- because they offered better listening choices. I will take the whining of Mike Greenberg on the Mike & Mike Show over the political diatribes of Dennis & Callahan. Colin Cowherd is a much better mid-day show than Dale & Holley. ESPN has better guests appear on their shows. I also switched to ESPN 890 because of the Felger afternoon drive show. I always have liked Felger. Not so much that I agree with what he says but because he offers an opinion, an opinion that is usually not in line with popular opinion. I like listening to someone I disagree with, as long as that person offers a researched, valid argument. Felger provided this. With Felger going back to WEEI, it will be a matter of time before WEEI crushes ESPN 890 in Boston. I love the national shows in the morning but in the afternoon I want to listen to a show that covers all things Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins. The Felger Show offered that to me but with him gone, I don't see ESPN replacing him with anyone capable of saving that show. So, I guess it is back to WEEI at 2 o'clock everyday for me. I will still hold on to Mike & Mike and the Colin Cowherd Show but when I am in the car in the afternoon, I will be stuck with Glen Ordway, Pete Sheppard and the rest of the characters at WEEI.

MLB First Half Review

The first half of the MLB season was full of surprises. It has been the year of the unexpected. The Rays, no longer Devils, are a rising superpower. The Cubs look like they are ready to end the suffering of the North Side, a century after their last World Series title. Josh Hamilton is the best player in baseball, just a few years after it looked like his career would be lost to drug addiction. The Yankees are mediocre. The Marlins are back, for a third time in just over a decade. A new group of stars -- Evan Longoria and Edinson Volquez among them -- have exploded onto the baseball landscape. The Cardinals are better than we thought while the Indians have been major disappointments. Those stories, and many more, have dominated the hardball headlines in the first half. With the second half opening tonight, here are my five annual predictions for the stretch run along with updated predictions for division standings, playoff projections and some season ending awards. (For those who missed my original predictions, click here.) Five Fearless Predictions Prediction #1: The Tampa Bay Rays will add phenom David Price to their rotation and trade for Pittsburgh outfielder Xavier Nady to solidify their team on their way to winning the A.L. Wild Card. The Rays have been the best story of the first half and will continue to impress in July, August and September. A deep farm system will give general manager Andrew Friedman the ability to make a move to shore up his lineup and Price, the first pick in the 2007 draft, is ready to contribute at the major league level now. Prediction #2: The New York Yankees bats will keep them in the race until September but their pitching will keep them from making the playoffs for the first time since 1995. Starters Mike Mussina and Joba Chamberlain have been good and Mariano Rivera is still at the top of his game but the depth of the Yankee pitching staff is so weak that they will be watching come October. Prediction #3: The L.A. Dodgers will finally trade some of their top prospects to add a pitcher (A.J. Burnett?) and a bat or two (Jason Bay, Jack Wilson?) to take the weak N.L. West. The Dodgers are stuck in limbo between competing and rebuilding. With the West stuck in neutral at the break -- Arizona leads the division with a 47-48 record -- the Dodgers will take advantage and make the playoffs. Prediction #4: The Philadelphia Phillies will outlast the New York Mets in the N.L. East behind sluggers Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins. The Phillies and the Mets both need pitching help but the awesome lineup in Philly will push them to another division title. Prediction #5: With all the media in Wisconsin focused on Brett Favre and the Packers, the Milwaukee Brewers will win the N.L. Wild Card. The Brewers should be applauded for putting all their chips in the middle of the table and going for the World Series in 2008. C.C. Sabathia and Ben Sheets give the Brew Crew a dominating 1-2 punch in their rotation and they have a deep lineup. The Brewers need some bullpen help to win the N.L. but they have enough now to at least make the playoffs. Division Winners/Playoff Predictions A.L. East: Boston Red Sox A.L. Central: Chicago White Sox A.L. West: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim A.L. Wild Card: Tampa Bay Rays N.L. East: Philadelphia Phillies N.L. Central: Chicago Cubs N.L. West: Los Angeles Dodgers N.L. Wild Card: Milwaukee Brewers A.L.D.S.: Red Sox over White Sox, Angels over Rays N.L.D.S.: Brewers over Phillies, Cubs over Dodgers A.L.C.S.: Red Sox over Angels N.L.C.S.: Cubs over Phillies World Series: Cubs over Red Sox Award Winners A.L. MVP: Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers N.L. MVP: Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies A.L. Cy Young: Francisco Rodriguez, L.A. Angels of Anaheim N.L. Cy Young: Ben Sheets, Milwaukee Brewers A.L. Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays N.L. Rookie of the Year: Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs A.L. Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays N.L. Manager of the Year: Tony La Russa, St. Louis Cardinals

Big Game James Says Goodbye

"Go on take the money and run." Steve Miller, Take the Money & Run Hey James, what can I say? You followed Steve Miller's timeless advice and took the extra year and additional $7 million that was thrown your way by the New Orleans Hornets and skipped out of Boston. Do I blame you? No, not at all. You are a hard worker. A grinder. A player who is so unselfish on the court that your career averages of 9.2 points and 4.9 rebounds are correctly overlooked when talking about your impact to your team. You have been a key contributor to the 2005 Miami Heat championship team and the 2007 Boston Celtics championship team. You made those teams champions by playing defense, hitting timely three-point shots, rebounding and being a great teammate, the kind of teammate who isn't afriad to commit a hard foul or get on a player who needs a little advice. The fans in Boston who understand the true value of a player like you, who brings so much to the table that could never be displayed on a stat sheet, will miss you dearly. The Celtics, especially the Big 3, will miss you even more. But no one can blame you for taking the longer contract and bigger bucks. You earned the right to set up your great-grandchildren. Enjoy playing with Chris Paul, Ty Chandler, Peja Stojakovic and David West. They are good players who will compete in the Western Conference for a long, long time. Your leadership and style of play will fit that team perfectly. Thank you James Posey. Thank you for pushing Pierce, Garnett, Allen, Rondo and Perkins to a championship. Your time here was appreciated and you will be missed.

Random Thoughts (July 16, 2008)

The All-Star Game that would never end (thanks to a poor throw by Dioner Navarro in the eighth inning that led to an unearned run for the N.L. that gave them a brief lead of 3-2) is finally over. Game 1 of the 2009 World Series will be at Fenway Park (October 22, mark your calendars). J.D. Drew, in his first appearance at the All-Star Game, was named MVP after going 2-for-4 with a home run. A.L. manager Terry Francona did a wonderful job of paying tribute to Yankee Stadium and the Yankees on the team by taking out Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter from the field in the middle of innings and by bringing in Mariano Rivera to a booming ovation in the ninth. Francona was down to his last pitcher in Scott Kazmir and was out of positional players to put into the game by the 15th inning but he earned home field for the A.L. in the Series. Mission accomplished. Some other quick-hit All-Star thoughts:

• The pre-game ceremony, honoring current Hall of Famers and this year's All-Stars, was nice and I bet even the greasiest of New Yorkers got goose bumps when George Steinbrenner (looking like he was auditioning for Weekend at Bernies III) was carted out on the field but it was sad that Yankee brass was so devoid of imagination that they were forced to steal the pre-game ceremony from the 1999 All-Star Game, played at Fenway Park. On that night, the Red Sox and MLB honored the All-Century Team and in a true goose bump moment, Ted Williams was driven out to the pitching mound to toss out the first pitch. Joe Buck must have forgotten the '99 spectacular when he quipped that the collection of talent on the field last night was the greatest collection of talent ever assembled on a baseball field. With no Teddy Ballgame, last night had zero chance of beating the '99 event.
• I was very impressed by Aaron Cook's ability to survive the 10th, 11th and 12th innings last night. Getting out of the bases loaded, no-out jam in the 10th could have made him the MVP if the N.L. had gone on to win.
• Okay Yankee fans, we get it, you hate the Red Sox. Still, after booing the Sox participants in the introductions, you should have enjoyed the moment and cheered on all the guys wearing the home white. You have now set up A-Rod to be verbally assaulted next weekend at Fenway.
• When the A.L. left the winning run stranded on third base in the 10th, 11th and 12th, I thought that the game was destined to join the 2002 Midsummer Classic in the history books.

All things considered, last night was a pretty cool night. The game is not perfect -- there is no way an exhibition game should determine home field advantage in the World Series -- but it was a special night in the Bronx...

ESPN Radio is doing their on-air auction/telethon today to raise money for the Jimmy V Cancer Foundation (click here to make a donation). Although I will not contribute to this great cause -- I donate my money to the Boston-based Jimmy Fund every August -- there are some great items to bid on, especially the chance to have the Mike & Mike in the Morning Show broadcast live from your house. A woman in Florida donated over $57,000 for the popular show to visit her home and then two doctors from a rehab hospital in Dallas for children recovering from cancer matched the winning bid, meaning Golic and Greenie will take their show on the road twice, raising almost $115,000 for the V Foundation...

Speaking of Jimmy Valvano, take a second and click here to listen to his speech from the 1993 Espy Awards that can make even the hardest of souls get a little damp around the eyes...

James Posey reportedly wants a four-year contract. I wouldn't kill Danny Ainge and the C's if that is a deal breaker and the valuable Posey goes elsewhere...

Check tomorrow for my annual look at MLB at the All-Star break and my forecast for the second half...

Try and enjoy poker re-runs tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 15, 2008)

On Friday I wrote that Terry Francona should choose Yankee closer, and future resident of Cooperstown, Mariano Rivera as his starting pitcher for the All-Star Game, to be played tonight at Yankee Stadium. Well, that is not going to happen. Cleveland's Cliff Lee will take the bump for the American League. However, there is still some issue over who should close this game, if the AL takes a lead into the ninth inning. Who will it be, Tito? Mariano Rivera? Or your boy, Jonathan Papelbon? Francona will most likely turn to Rivera. Papelbon himself said that the "Sandman" should get the call in his own house with the game on the line. I have no problem with that decision. It should really be a non-issue, especially in Boston. However, this could be an issue for Boston come October. The league that wins the All-Star Game receives home field advantage in the World Series. Let's say, for arguments sake, that Francona gives Rivera the ball in the ninth and he blows the save. How will Francona's own team react if they are forced to travel to, say, Wrigley Field or Shea Stadium for Games 1 and 2 of the World Series instead of playing in Fenway Park? I bet that more than a few would be displeased that their manager turned to the enemy in a clutch situation and it backfired. The only reason this is an argument is because MLB turned the greatest of exhibitions into a contest that has real meaning. For all of us in New England, we know the benefit of having the World Series open in Fenway, 2004 and 2007 prove that home field is important. If Rivera takes the ball and closes out the National League, then all will be great. If not... Brett Favre needs to call it a career unless he will accept a trade from the Packers that will be beneficial to both the Packers (in terms of compensation) and Favre (a chance to win). Favre should not go back to Green Bay. He retired. The Packers have started the process of replacing the second greatest quarterback in franchise history (Bart Starr won five NFL championships, including two Super Bowls) by handing the ball over to Aaron Rodgers. It is a process that will be hard for the Packers to navigate, even if Favre was quietly mowing his lawn back in Mississippi. With Favre putting pressure on Green Bay to take him back or release him to play elsewhere, Rodgers situation goes from difficult to impossible. Rodgers is a "rebound" quarterback, just like a "rebound" girlfriend. Favre was the object of Green Bay's affection for well over a decade. Rodgers is the beginning of a new era in Wisconsin. Very few "rebound" girls or quarterbacks succeed. It's even harder when the old love is still hanging around, reminding you of what you are missing. Rodgers chances of success are already slim. Other than Steve Young replacing Joe Montana in San Francisco, no legendary quarterback has been successfully replaced. Rodgers is a former first round pick who is talented but the pressure to step in behind center at Lambeau Field in place of Favre is probably going to be too much to handle. With Favre sitting on the sidelines waiting for him to fail or playing in another city while he struggles will all but guarantee failure. Even if Favre doesn't care about the long term future of the Packers, he should care about his legacy. The three-time MVP, Super Bowl champion and, if he does decide to call it quits right now, 2013 Hall of Fame inductee should walk away now. The legacy of QB's who stuck around too long -- Unitas with San Diego, Namath with Los Angeles, Montana with Kansas City -- should be evidence that it's better to leave at the top of your game, with the franchise you are associated as a winner, than to limp through a bad season or three in a town that will never love you like your old home. Favre's reputation has already taken a hit, both in Wisconsin and nationally, because of this "I'm retired, wait, no I'm not" episode. Brett, you are great. Walk away while you are still remembered as being great. And don't ruin the long term success of the franchise and city which made you a champion, wealthy, and famous... He didn't even win but Josh Hamilton continued his long road back from a career almost wasted last night at Yankee Stadium during the Home Run Derby. Hamilton crushed 28 homers in the first round, breaking Bobby Abreu's record of 24 set in 2005, including some deep blasts into the upper deck. Hamilton lost in the final to Justin Morneau but without a doubt, it was Hamilton's night. And what a night it was... There was a great article in Sports Illustrated two weeks ago about the San Francisco Giants young ace, Tim Lincecum. Without boring you with the details, I would like to share a quote from Lincecum when he was asked why he doesn't ice his arm after pitching, unlike 99.9% of the rest of pitchers. Lincecum responded: "Like my dad says, 'Ice is made for two things: injuries and my drinks.'" I might throw one back for the future health of that special right arm... Enjoy the All-Star Game tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 14, 2008)

Was it just a week ago that I wrote that the Red Sox were "falling fast" in the AL East race? Boy, how times have changed. The Sox took 5-of-6 from the Twins and Orioles at Fenway this past week while the Rays dropped seven straight games. A five game deficit on July 7 turned into a .5 game lead for the Red Sox on July 13. Going into the All-Star Game, the Red Sox have a 57-40 record, the lead in the AL East and a positive outlook for the final 65 games. Big Papi will start his rehab this week, Manny's bat is getting hot, Jed Lowrie has replaced the injured Julio Lugo and the entire team is playing its best baseball in weeks. Here they come... Billy Packer, the one man (along with his lackey, Jim Nantz) who could possibly tarnish the Final Four weekend for me, is retiring from broadcasting college basketball's crown jewel after a 34 year career. Packer is the epitome of the crusty, old-fashioned blowhard that infect many national sporting broadcasts (see: McCarver, Tim). He is brutally honest (his one positive contribution) but his dedication to the promotion of baseless generalizations (remember his criticisms of mid-major schools displacing teams from the power conferences in the NCAA tournament?) has made him my number one enemy in broadcasting. It is sad that a man who has so much basketball knowledge could be such a pig-headed moron who could never correct himself after being proven wrong (too many examples to fit inside this parentheses). I will always respect a person who argues their opinion but I can not respect someone who can't admit when they're wrong. Packer's rumored replacement as the color analyst for the Final Four will be Clark Kellogg. I would like to see CBS take a look at pairing Kellogg with Gus Johnson, completely replacing the outdated Packer-Nantz team. The next Final Four will be in 2009, not 1984. Johnson is younger and more energetic than Nantz and is just as good a play-by-play man. If CBS really wants to make a change for the better, they should make a total change, not just a half-hearted move in adding the talented Kellogg to replace Jurassic Billy... Still waiting on James Posey. He won't leave for the Hornets, right? Let's hope not... Ten days until the Patriots open camp... Two of my friends have been speaking of his virtues for months but with my summer schedule giving me the ability to listen live to ESPN Radio, I have become a convert to Colin Cowherd. Cowherd is very passionate about the subjects he talks about and, unlike Billy Packer, he has no qualms about admitting when he is wrong. He also adds common sense, something we all need a little more of in our lives. Check out the Boston ESPN Radio affiliate, 890 ESPN, to find the link to listen to Cowherd's show. It's a great mid-day listen... Enjoy Grady Sizemore tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 11, 2008)

It has been said many times but after a five-hit performance in a 5-4 win over the Dodgers last night, I am going to take a second to chime in on a certain trade that was consumated November 24, 2005 that has been a success for both teams. On that night, the Red Sox front office, operating without Theo Epstein, sent prospects Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Harvey Garcia and Jesus Delgado to the Marlins for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota. Beckett and Lowell have both taken trips to the All-Star Game since donning the Boston uniform and were critical contributors to the 2007 World Series champions. Mota was sent to the Indians in a trade that brought back center fielder Coco Crisp. The Marlins have enjoyed nearly as much success -- minus the World Series trophy -- that the Red Sox did from the trade. Hanley Ramirez is a S-T-A-R. As a rookie in 2006, Ramirez batted .292, hit 17 homeruns, drove in 59 runs and sported an OPS of .833 in winning the Rookie of the Year. He avoided the "sophomore slump" in 2007, posting .332/29/81/.948 and through 91 games in 2008, he has MVP-like numbers (.312/23/45/.959) for a young Florida team that is 1.5 games behind the Phillies in the NL East. His five hits last night, including the game winning homerun in the eleventh inning, gave the Marlins an important victory. Before getting hurt last year, Sanchez was 10-3 with 2.83 ERA (including a no-hitter against Arizona) in 2006 and was 2-1 last year before having surgery to fix his shoulder. Despite the injury, Sanchez is still a solid starting pitching prospect. Garcia was a September call up in '07 for the Marlins and is currently on the 60-day disabled list. Delgado is currently at Double-A Carolina. Very rarely does a trade work out so well for both teams. This one did... A very interesting rumor, one that makes a lot of sense, is that the starting pitcher for the American League All-Stars will be Yankee Mariano Rivera. Starting Rivera will be a great move for many reasons. He is one of the great all-time Yankees and with the game in Yankee Stadium, which will be retired after 2008, it would be a nice tribute to Rivera, the Yankees and Yankee fans. It also makes sense because with six relievers on his roster, it won't kill AL manager Terry Francona to use the future Hall of Fame closer as a starter. Francona will also have Jonathan Papelbon, Frankie Rodriguez and Joe Nathan, all dominant closers in their own right, at his disposal at the end of the night. Finally, Rivera is having another great season. He has 23 saves (out of 49 Yankee victories) and has WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 0.638 in 42 1/3 innings (23 hits, 4 walks). The AL roster does not have one truly dominant starting pitcher other than Roy Halladay, so it's not like Rivera is pushing out a more deserving pitcher. Make the right call Tito... There is a lot of talk and a lot of words being wasted on Elton Brand. Brand, who optioned out of his contract with the Clippers and signed a free agent deal with the 76ers, is being called many names that link him to famous traitors such as Benedict Arnold, the Rosenbergs and Johnny Damon. To make a long story short, Brand has been accused by the Clippers of going back on his promise. Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy is publicly saying that Brand gave his word to return to the Los Angeles if the Clippers signed free agent guard Baron Davis. The Clippers signed Davis only to see Brand bolt for Philadelphia. I have no problem with Brand's move. After playing for mediocre Clipper teams for the last seven years, Brand is going to a rising team in Philly. Brand will team with Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller to form the nucleus of a solid playoff contender. If he had stayed in LA, Brand was facing a bright future with Davis, center Chris Kaman and rookie guard Eric Gordon but also the reality of losing 22.1 points per game scorer Corey Maggette (who went to Davis' former team, the Warriors). This is a move made by a player who seems focused on winning. Even if he had stayed with the Clippers, Brand knows better than anyone that Donald Sterling, the Clippers eccentric and thrifty owner, would probably not do much to help him, Davis, Kaman and Gordon. By taking the money from Philly, Brand has a real chance to compete for an NBA championship in the next three or four years (that is, unless restricted free agent Iguodala leaves Philadelphia for greener pastures). It's a business people... James Posey is still unsigned. Being the eternal optimist that I am, I take that as good news for Posey's chances to re-sign with Boston... Enjoy Clay Buchholz tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 9, 2008)

What a night at Fenway. Solid pitching from budding number two starter Jon Lester (I did not think the time would come so soon when Lester would toss 7 1/3 innings and allow five runs and I would be a little bit disappointed, he is emerging as a star). Good bullpen work from David Aardsma and Jonathan Papelbon (who was worked to the bone by Nick Punto leading off the ninth inning). And, for the second consecutive night, a huge hit for Manny Ramirez. Manny's two-run shot into the Monster seats (one section away from me) was definitely wind aided but nonetheless, it tied the game at 5. Kevin Youkilis drilled a two-out double and was driven in by rookie Brandon Moss. With the Rays losing in New York to the Yankees, the Sox are just three games out of first place. When you consider the travel this team faced in the first half (Japan, 50 road games compared to 47 home contests) and factor in their success at Fenway, things look better for the second half. They have 34 games at home, including 16 in September. If they stay healthy and welcome back a healthy David Ortiz, the Sox will roll into October as the World Series favorites... Not that I have any right to complain but isn't it ridiculous that the Sox charge full price for a Monster seat and Monster standing room tickets when it is nothing more than a glorified obstructed view bleacher seat? I'm not spending money on them and it's hard to knock the team for charging big bucks when they have spent those big bucks in return for the 2004 and 2007 World Series teams but it still something to think about... So, what if the worst case scenario plays out and Big Papi's wrist injury is too severe for him to be productive? The Red Sox would have no other option than to make a play for Colorado left fielder Matt Holliday. Holliday would become the everyday left fielder with Jacoby Ellsbury in center, JD Drew in right and Manny Ramirez as DH. If the Red Sox don't add Coco Crisp as part of the trade (or use him in any other deal), he would serve as the perfect fourth outfielder down the stretch. If Coco goes, Brandon Moss or Pawtucket's Bobby Kielty (or both) would provide outfield depth. My reason for going after Holliday over Mark Teixeira from Atlanta is two-fold. First, Holliday would fit into the Boston lineup better than Teixeira because he is an outfielder. If the Sox were to acquire Teixeira, who is a first baseman by trade, he would become a DH, forcing Manny and his tired hamstrings to play left field on a full time basis. That is not a good thing. Second, Holliday is under contract for another year. He would become the heir to Manny's cleanup spot and post in the shadows of the Green Monster. If the Sox get Holliday, they bolster their lineup for a run at the first consecutive world championships since 1915 and 1916 while setting into motion the departure of Ramirez. Holliday would not come cheap but he wouldn't cost the Sox the farm either. Colorado is rebuilding, one year after winning the National League, and a package of Michael Bowden (potential top of rotation starter), Brandon Moss (cheap replacement for Holliday), and Lars Anderson (young power hitting first baseman who could be a long term solution at first as the Todd Helton era winds to a close) and maybe a low level pitching prospect such as David Pauley or Edgar Martinez could get the deal done. The Sox also might have interest in Holliday's Colorado teammte, lefty reliever Brian Fuentes. Adding Fuentes to the deal would raise the price but also give the Red Sox another solid arm for their relief corps. Of all my trade proposals over the years, this one makes the most sense. For both the short term and long term... On to the NBA. James Posey's stack of chips in his negotiations with the Celtics are starting to resemble Mike McD's after KGB had one too many Oreo cookies. Corey Maggette, a rumored potential replacement for Posey if he leaves the Green, is signing with the Warriors. Mickael Pietrius, a dark horse candidate to potentially replace Posey, is off to Orlando after agreeing to terms with the Magic. The C's are now facing a possible scenario in which Posey will follow the big dollars to Cleveland, San Antonio (imagine a perimeter defense tandem of Posey and Bruce Bowen), Washington, New Orleans or Los Angeles and they will be forced to replace his minutes with combined contributions from Tony Allen and rookies JR Giddens and Bill Walker. It's not a pretty picture for those making the decisions on Causeway Street... Not only do the Celtics have to worry about constructing a team to defend their championship, they are facing an Eastern Conference that has improved and looks like it will continue to get better. The 76ers agreed to terms with Elton Brand, making them a much stronger team. Brand will team with Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala to form the best Philly team, on paper, since the 2001 Eastern Conference championship team. The Raptors acquired Jermaine O'Neal from Indiana and re-signed point guard Jose Calderon. If O'Neal is healthy, which is no guarantee, Toronto would have a front line of O'Neal, Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani. Washington re-signed its two big free agents, Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison, to go along with All-Star swingman Caron Butler. The Wizards still have enough money to chase after a solid role player, such as James Posey. Detroit, rumored to be interested in Carmelo Anthony and Tracy McGrady, and Cleveland, sitting on roughly $30 million in contracts that expire after 2009, are sitting patiently, waiting to strike a deal. The C's are the reigning world champions but face a tough road in their own conference in 2008-09... The NL Central is gearing up for October. Two days after the Brewers traded top prospects Matt LaPorta, Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson to Cleveland for CC Sabathia, the Cubs responded by adding Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin from Oakland in exchange for Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton, Eric Patterson and Josh Donaldson. The Brewers now sport a rotation of Ben Sheets, Sabathia, Jeff Suppan, Dave Bush and Yovani Gallardo with a deep lineup featuring Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun and Corey Hart. The first place Cubs, who lead St. Louis by 3.5 games and Milwaukee by four games, have a rotation of Carlos Zambrano, Harden, Ryan Dempster and Ted Lilly with an All-Star lineup that includes Kosuke Fukudome, Derrek Lee, Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez. Maybe the N.L. will be a bigger threat in 2008 than it was in 2007... Enjoy Josh Beckett this afternoon...

Random Thoughts (July 8, 2008)

I owe Terry Francona an apology. Yesterday I wrote that Tito made some poor roster decisions in choosing the reserves for the AL All-Star team, especially selecting his offensively challenged catcher and captain, Jason Varitek. Well, I made that criticism without knowing that 'Tek was actually voted as a reserve by his fellow players throughout the American League. Sorry Tito... Although I falsely accused Tito, it does look like the Red Sox got some good out of my post from yesterday. After complaining about the bullpen and Manny Ramirez' lack of production, as well as making a call to the starting rotation to carry the team through July, all three aspects shined last night. Daisuke Matsuzaka pitched 7 1/3 dominant shutout innings (lowering his ERA to 2.84) before giving way to Hideki Okajima, who closed out the eighth inning, escaping a bases loaded jam with one out. Jonathan Papelbon them came on to throw nine pitches (eight strikes) to close out the 1-0 win (the Sox major league leading 10th shutout). Manny came through in the bottom of the eighth, driving in Dustin Pedroia for the deciding run. It was a great win for a team that was reeling. The Sox send out Jon Lester tonight to start a winning streak before the All-Star break... My vote for the last AL All-Star comes down to Evan Longoria of Tampa Bay and Jermaine Dye of Chicago. Both should have already made the team, as should have Mike Lowell... NBA free agents can officially sign contracts starting at midnight tonight. The Celtics will be facing an important decision about how much money they want to commit to James Posey. Posey is a great role player (defense, shooting, leadership) but if his contract is going to put the C's well above the salary cap it might not be worth the investment. Posey is 31 (he will turn 32 in January) and a four year deal will take him to age 36. I have reservations about Posey's ability to earn nearly $7 million per year at that age because of the intensity and effort he plays with every game. In a perfect world, the Celtics would give Posey the full mid-level exception (starting at $5.8 million with a maximum 8% yearly raise) for three years. It is affordable for the Celtics and it keeps their cap situation in a manageable place. That is important because the free agent class of 2010 -- LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh -- is very, very deep and that is when the contracts of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen will be coming close to an end. The C's do not want any dead money on the books at that time when they could be looking to rebuild the Pierce/Garnett/Allen team. Sadly, we don't live in a perfect world. Posey knows this his last big pay day and after winning championships with Miami in 2006 and with the Celtics this past season, I can't blame Posey for wanting to make some big cash. Still, I hope that the C's and Posey can come to terms that make sense for both sides... We all know that we are far and away from the lifestyles of the professional athletes we follow. Sometimes it is hard to try and understand what these athletes are thinking when they take vacations that cost triple my yearly salary. I think this quote from Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas, who agreed to a 6-year/$111 million deal with the Wizards, kind of sums up what I am trying to say: "What can I do for my family with $127 million that I can't do with $111 million?" It looks like the self-proclaimed "Hibachi" feels like he has done a great thing for the world by giving up $16 million. I would have signed for $111 dollars per game... I like the news that the Red Sox are sending Justin Masterson to Pawtucket to prepare him for a role in the bullpen. Clay Buchholz, now the master of a fastball to match his curveball and changeup, will reclaim his role in the rotation. Masterson's ability to get out right handed hitters (.170 BA) with his fastball and slider should make him a nice compliment to Manny Delcarmen and Craig Hansen in the 'pen... Enjoy Lester tonight...

Random Thoughts (July 7, 2008)

When we last saw the Red Sox in Boston, they led the Rays in the AL East and were on pace to enter the All-Star break as the best team in baseball. That was before a loooooooong ten game road trip. The Sox now find themselves five games behind Tampa Bay in the East, falling fast. The injuries are finally catching up to this team. David Ortiz' absence in the lineup is killing the offense. Josh Beckett is finally looking like he is on track to regain his form after turning in an average first half that started with a trip to the disabled list. I'm still not convinced that Daisuke Matsuzaka's shoulder is at full health, although maybe it is time to accept that Dice-BB is no more than an erratic, five inning pitcher. Another problem for the Red Sox has been the disappearance of Manny Ramirez. Even when an MVP candidate like Big Papi goes down, the Boston lineup has enough depth to succeed as long as Manny is being, well, Manny. That has not been the case as the 2008 Rays morph into the 1991 Braves. After a great start, Manny has looked like the 1989 version of Jim Rice. In 306 a-bats, Ramirez has posted a .278 BA, 16 HR, 53 RBI and an OPS of .870. Coming off a .296/20/88/.881 in 2007, Manny is starting to see the end of his dominance at a time when the Sox need him most. With Manny being Jim and Papi taking hacks off a tee, the Red Sox do not have enough bite in their lineup. Mike Lowell, JD Drew, and Kevin Youkilis are all solid run producers but they are not Hall of Fame caliber run producers and to survive in the AL East, you need Ramirez and Ortiz to produce runs. The sad thing about this is there is probably no solution. The Sox can not trade Manny without his consent (he has 10/5 rights) and Papi can't come back until he is healthy. The Sox need to hope that Beckett turns on the jets in the second half and that Matsuzaka, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield and Justin Masterson carry this team into August. If the 2008 Red Sox are going to repeat as world champions, it will be on the strength of their starting pitching... Oh, and while you're at it Theo, could you find a few arms for the struggling bullpen? Hideki Okajima looks like he spent a week in Vegas every time he trots out from the 'pen, Manny Delcarmen and Craig Hansen still struggle with being consistent, Javier Lopez is not the answer in the eighth inning, David Aardsma isn't the answer either, and Mike Timlin is on the brink of retirement. And that Papelbon guy sure looks different. The fastball is still high and hard, the splitter is still pretty nasty but he has not been the lights out closer we need him to be. Paps hasn't had a Ramirez-like drop in production but with the 'pen being so inconsistent, the Sox need No. 58 to be the man... Julio Lugo. Jason Varitek. That's right, I'm still complaining. Lugo is horrible, another example of the Red Sox front office falling in love with a player, overpaying that player and then watching as that player fails to live up to expectations. He is Edgar Renteria 2.0. The question facing the Red Sox is how much they are willing to pay to get out from the $20+ million they owe Lugo through 2010. The man plays no defense -- he is so bad that the majority of Red Sox Nation is convinced that the mediocre Alex Cora is the answer at shortstop -- and looks brittle at the plate. It is time for John Henry to write another check to clear his organization of Lugo and for Theo to summon Jed Lowrie from Pawtucket. Lowrie is not Derek Jeter or Michael Young but I think I speak for most Red Sox fans when I say I would rather watch Lowrie, earning a prorated $300,000, than Lugo and his $9 million. As for the Captain, it might be time for all of us who think the world of No. 33 to get ready to say goodbye. Varitek is completely lost at the plate, posting .218/7/27/.658 numbers through last night. The All-Star catcher (a topic for the next random paragraph) is showing his wear and tear at age 36 in a contract year. Even the evil Scott Boras will have to stumble and mumble just a little bit over the negotiating table if he tries to get big money over multiple years for 'Tek... The All-Star Game is a week from tomorrow and it should be a pretty cool event considering it is the last one to be played at the old Yankee Stadium. A tradition as old as the Midsummer Classic is the annual complaints registered over who made the team and who will be traveling to the Caribbean for three days. Terry Francona made some very curious choices in choosing his roster. First of all, as much as I love Jason Varitek, he has no business being on the roster. I admire 'Tek for his leadership and play calling duties but his offensive woes remind me of a guy who brings a knife to a gun fight. Francona's loyalty to his captain is admirable but to show that loyalty in the form of an All-Star pick is ridiculous. AJ Pierzynski should have received the call. Francona's next mistake was in choosing one of his pitchers in place of a more deserving pitcher who also calls Fenway Park his home. Jonathan Papelbon has been very good this year (3-3, 3.29 ERA, 25-for-29 in saves) but he should have been bumped in favor of Jon Lester (7-3, 3.21, no-hitter against the Royals, complete game shutout at Yankee Stadium). There are other questionables -- Manny Ramirez (who was voted on the team) should be at home while Jermaine Dye should already be there (he is a candidate for the fan vote) -- but I'll end my argument at that... Is the Celtics interest in free agent Corey Maggette a bluff to James Posey (you better take our offer, or else!) or is it a part of a long term plan of Danny Ainge to transform the world champions into a long term contender? The legs of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen aren't getting any younger and I'm sure Ainge looks at the Miami Heat as an example of what can happen when an old team wins a title and fails to replenish their roster with young legs. With a tip of the hat to the guys at Celtics Blog, I stole this idea. What if Maggette was a part of a sign-and-trade, along with center Chris Kaman, in return for Ray Allen (who was rumored not to be enamored with Pierce or Garnett in the locker room) and Leon Powe (the Clippers love cheap talent)? The C's would get younger, they would replace PJ Brown with Kaman (who also offers insurance for Kendrick Perkins' bum shoulders) and could save enough money to keep Posey at dollars that make sense for both parties. That would give Boston a 2008-09 roster that looks like this: C: Perkins/Kaman PF: Garnett/Glen Davis/Brian Scalabrine SF: Pierce/Posey/Bill Walker SG: Maggette/Posey/JR Giddens PG: Rajon Rondo/Gabe Pruitt/veteran free agent (Eddie House) As much as a long shot as this probably is, that is a team that I would really enjoy watching. Maggette is not the shooter that Allen is but he is younger and more athletic, something that the Celtics need to become. Posey would still be there as the sixth man on the wings as both Walker and Giddens learn the ropes. Kaman is capable of scoring, rebounding and blocking shots and would form a great tandem with Perk. The depth up front and on the wings would allow Pierce and Garnett to cut their minutes from October through April, preparing them for a few more long runs in May and June. It makes sense... The Patriots open for business on July 24. Revenge... Enjoy the Twins this week...