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...