Random Thoughts (June 30, 2009)

I feel bad for all of you who missed the great eats at the Phantom Gourmet's "Barbeque Beach Party" over the weekend. There is nothing like stuffing your face with first-class ribs, beef, and pork. I think even Ghandi would have given in to the temptation... I can't believe there is only a month to go until the Patriots open up training camp. With Tom Brady coming back to lead a potentially historic offense and a defense led by Richard Seymour and Jerod Mayo, the Pats will be seeking their fourth Super Bowl of the decade... When David Ortiz started to hit again in June, it looked like Theo Epstein could stop searching for a hitter on the trade market. Now that Mike Lowell is suffering from a set-back in his recovery from offseason hip surgery, Epstein might want to get back on the phones. If Lowell is only going to be out for a short time, then the Sox can get by with playing Kevin Youkilis at third base and Mark Kotsay at first base. However, if Lowell is going to be out for an extended time period (which won't be known until later today) then Epstein needs to make a move. The names that surfaced when the Sox looked like they might need to replace Big Papi need to be reexamined. That includes Washington first baseman Nick Johnson, Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins, or Texas third baseman Michael Young. Hopefully, Lowell will be healthy for the long-term and the Sox can avoid having to make a move to replace his production at the plate and in the field. With the versatility of Youkilis to be able to play Gold Glove-caliber defense at either first or third, the Sox can survive without Lowell for a few weeks. If he is going to be out for an extended time, the Sox will have to make a move... I have never claimed to be an expert on hockey but I find it interesting that the Bruins would be so quick to try and trade the 21-year-old forward who banged home 36 goals for Boston last season. Kessel is a free agent and the B's are up against the salary cap so trying to get something in return for him before he hits the open market does make sense. The Bruins were very close to moving Kessel to the Maple Leafs in return for defenseman Tomas Kaberle but the deal fell apart when Toronto refused to add in the seventh pick in the draft. Still, I wonder if it makes more sense to try and move an older player -- like Marc Savard -- instead of giving up on Kessel so soon... Enjoy Rich Hill tonight...

Important Summer Looming For Celtics

After spending a week in the paradise that is St. Martin, I return to find the Celtics falling behind the Cavaliers and Magic in the Eastern Conference. As you already know, both the Cavs and Magic made blockbuster trades that for the time being give them a clear advantage over the Celtics in the hierarchy of the East. Cleveland acquired Shaquille O'Neal from Phoenix in exchange for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. Orlando picked up Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson by sending Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, and Tony Battie to New Jersey. These moves do not guarantee the Cavaliers or Magic an NBA championship in 2010 but they are signs that both teams are not happy about failing to win the championship in 2009. The Cavs could not contain Dwight Howard's strength inside the paint in the Eastern Finals so they added Shaq to give them their own powerful presence inside. Shaq is not the dominant player he once was but as a sidekick to LeBron James, he has the ability to put Cleveland over the top. The Magic feared losing forward Hedo Turkoglu to free agency so they made the preemptive move of trading for Carter, a 23.5 points-per-game scorer in his career. The addition of Carter gives Orlando two versatile forwards -- don't forget Rashard Lewis -- who can score from anywhere which will take pressure away from Howard inside. As for the Celtics, it doesn't look like they will make a major move. They do have the expiring contract of Ray Allen to dangle but moving Allen will just create another hole on their roster. Rajon Rondo has had his name mentioned as trade bait as well but I don't see any realistic deals that involve Rondo being moved and the Celtics improving simultaneously. Danny Ainge is going to have to improve his team through the free agent market. This will be no easy task as the Celtics are already over the salary cap for next season and have just the mid-level exception (MLE, worth roughly $5.5-million), the low-level exception (LLE, worth roughly $2-million), and the veteran minimum (of which the team is responsible for just over $800,000). There are some interesting names on the free agent market who could fit with the Celtics if they are willing to sacrifice dollars for an opportunity to compete for a championship. The C's need help in the front court, especially with the future of top reserves Glen Davis (free agent) and Leon Powe (free agent, recovering from a torn ACL) in jeopardy. They also need help on the wing as Paul Pierce and Ray Allen aren't getting any younger and the trio of young role players -- Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens, and Tony Allen -- don't give Doc Rivers too much too work with. Two names that I would love to see Ainge pursue off the free agent list are Rasheed Wallace and Matt Barnes. Wallace is a veteran who has made tons of cash in his career so playing for less money in exchange for title is not out of the question. He is a threat to score from inside or outside, he is an excellent rebounder, and he can block shots. Wallace would be a great weapon off the bench behind Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins. Barnes would be an ideal fit for the role played by James Posey on the 2008 championship team. He is an aggressive defender who can cover perimeter players or mix it up inside. He is a high energy player who has the ability to hit the open three-pointer. If Ainge can convince both Garnett and Barnes to come to Boston, as well as Stephon Marbury (most likely for the veteran minimun) and Leon Powe, the C's would look like this: 5: Kendrick Perkins, Rasheed Wallace, Leon Powe 4: Kevin Garnett, Wallace, Brian Scalabrine 3: Paul Pierce, Matt Barnes, Bill Walker 2: Ray Allen, Eddie House (potential free agent), J.R. Giddens, Tony Allen, Lester Hudson 1: Rajon Rondo, Stephon Marbury, Gabe Pruitt I would take that team over both the Cavaliers and Magic. It is filled with veterans and is deep enough to make a run at a second championship in three years. Whatever Ainge does, he has to find a creative way to improve his team to stay in contention in the East, as well as with the Lakers and Spurs in the West.

Random Thoughts (June 18, 2009)

Count this as another vote for Tim Wakefield (9-3, 4.39 ERA, 47 K, 1.41 WHIP) for the 2009 All-Star Game. I don't want to think about where the Red Sox would be right now if Wakefield had not been so brilliant (2-1, 1.86) in the first month of the season when staff ace's Josh Beckett and Jon Lester were struggling to find their grooves... The trade rumors circling the NBA Draft are getting to be ridiculous. When Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins are being mentioned as possible trade bait for the Celtics to move into the second or third pick of the draft, you know that the NBA beat writers are grasping at straws. Danny Ainge is not afraid to make any deal that he believes will help his team win a championship so moving Rondo and/or Perkins can not be completely ruled out. I don't think that a trade of Perkins to Memphis for the second pick makes the Celtics a better team in 2009-2010. I also don't see the C's moving Rondo and Ray Allen to Phoenix for Amare Stoudemire, Leandro Barbosa, and the 14th pick (and I don't see Phoenix making that trade). Now, I would make the second deal. As much as I love Rondo -- I think he is a top five point guard in the NBA right now with room to improve -- a rotation of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Stoudemire is impressive. The C's would also shed the contracts of Allen, Rondo (who will be demanding a huge extension after this season), and probably Glen Davis, who will be expendable with Garnett, Stoudemire, and Perkins. This would allow the Celtics to explore signing a free agent point guard (Jason Kidd looking to finally win a championship) and swingman (Trevor Ariza from the Lakers). Under this scenario, the 2009-2010 C's would look like this: 5: Amare Stoudemire, Kendrick Perkins 4: Kevin Garnett, Leon Powe, Brian Scalabrine 3: Paul Pierce, Trevor Ariza, Bill Walker 2: Leandro Barbosa, Eddie House, J.R. Giddens 1: Jason Kidd, Gabe Pruitt That roster is definitely talented enough and deep enough to win a championship. Danny Ainge would also have the 14th and 50th pick to add a young point guard and another young big man. A move of either Rondo or Perkins is doubtful but it's worth keeping an eye on Ainge and the Celtics leading up to next week's draft... Fenway Park hit a milestone last night when the Red Sox sold-out their 500th consecutive game. I will believe that every seat is sold but you would have to be blind not to see the scalpers holding seats well past the start of each game, the empty seats in the bleachers, and the empty luxury boxes... Enjoy Jon Lester tonight...

Random Thoughts (June 17, 2009)

A senior Phillies scout told me last night that his team is among three National League teams that are very interested in the services of Brad Penny. He said that the Phillies main competition for Penny are the Brewers and Mets. The Red Sox are in a position to be able to move Penny (5-2, 5.32 ERA, 44 K, 1.56 WHIP) because of their unmatched depth of starting pitchers. No team in baseball can match the Sox rotation and they also have John Smoltz -- returning next Thursday in Washington -- coming off the disabled list along with super-prospects Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden in Triple-A. It's easy for me to say this sitting in front of a computer screen but the right move here is to hold on to Penny at least until the All-Star break. If that means the Sox need to go to a six-man rotation or make a decision on the immediate future of "Mr. WBC" Daisuke Matsuzaka (disabled list or bullpen), then so be it. Pitching depth can be lost in a very short time (see: Bronson Arroyo for Wily Mo Pena). Unless the Phillies, Mets, or Brewers offer a prospect that Theo Epstein absolutely can not refuse, they should wait out the market until some team -- and there is always at least one team willingly to make a desperate move (see: Freddy Sanchez for Jeff Suppan) -- in order to add a pitcher... Who is that big guy hitting towards the bottom of the Red Sox order? He wears #34 and has a very powerful lefthanded swing. If this guy keeps tearing the cover off the ball, the Red Sox can stop their search for a slugger for the time being... I finally broke down and bought the iPod Touch yesterday. Although it has been in my possession for less than 24 hours, it is safe to say that it will dominate way too much of my time... Because I will be away next week in St. Maarten for my honeymoon, I don't want to forget to plug the Phantom Gourmet's Barbeque Beach Party, which is taking place both this weekend (at Foxwood's MGM Grand Casino in Connecticut) and next weekend (at Suffolk Downs in East Boston). After attending last year's event at Government Center in Boston, I don't think anything could keep me away ever again. The food is just too amazingly delicious to make other plans. The combination of the world-class BBQ, cold beers, and music makes for a perfect afternoon. Don't miss it... My family packed everything up and took a trip to Philadelphia this past weekend to watch the Red Sox and Phillies. There is not much to complain about. Citizens Bank Park is a great place to watch a game. It has comfortable seats with tons of leg room -- which my 6-9 father truly appreciated -- great concourses with plenty of great food choices, and McFadden's, a very good bar located inside the park gates (where I spent the entire rain delay on Saturday night). Citizens Bank is located in the same complex as Lincoln Financial Field, home to the Eagles, the Wachovia Center, home of the 76ers and Flyers, as well as the old Philadelphia Spectrum. There are huge parking lots for all four stadiums and a train stop that brings fans back into downtown Philly in 10 minutes. Very cool. I did get out and try one, or three, of the famous Philly cheesesteaks. I sampled the Cheese Whiz and steak at both Pat's and Geno's. Both had huge lines that moved fairly quickly. I enjoyed both (Pat's was better) but I was told by several people afterwards that I wasted my time and should give both Tony Luke's and Jim's my business. I never got to Jim's but without a doubt, Tony Luke's was the best of the three. Baltimore is my next trip but Philly will definitely get another visit before too long... Enjoy "no more pencils, no more books"...

Reflecting on Recent Red Sox Deals

The Florida Marlins come to Fenway Park tonight for the first of three games against the Red Sox. The arrival of the Marlins is causing a minor stir in Red Sox Nation because it will mark the return to Boston for one-time Red Sox uber-prospect Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez was the centerpiece of the trade that brought Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell to Boston following the 2005 season. Beckett and Lowell have were integral parts of the 2007 World Series champions while Ramirez has evolved into an MVP candidate. The return of Ramirez has got me to thinking about the trade history of the Red Sox since 2004. If I missed any big ones, please drop me a note in the comments section. Nomar Garciaparra and Matt Murton to the Cubs; Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz to the Red Sox This complicated deadline deal, consumated in July 2004, was controversial at the time (how could they trade Nomah?) but it supplied the necessary pieces for the Red Sox to win their first World Series in 86-years. Grade: A+ Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Jesus Delgado, and Harvey Garcia to the Marlins; Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell, and Guillermo Mota to the Red Sox This is the epitome of how both teams can benefit from a trade. Beckett and Lowell helped lead the Sox to the 2007 World Series while Ramirez won the 2006 N.L. Rookie of the Year and was an All-Star in 2008. Sanchez tossed a no-hitter in '06 but has battled arm problems. Grade: A+ Andy Marte, Guillermo Mota, and Kelly Shoppach to the Indians; Coco Crisp, Josh Bard, and David Riske to the Red Sox This trade was a big piece of Epstein's overhaul of the Red Sox following the 2005 season. The Sox had lost Johnny Damon to the Yankees and had traded Edgar Renteria to the Braves for Marte. They were in need of a centerfielder/lead-off hitter and thought they had found their prize in Crisp. Crisp never lived up to the hype at the plate but he was an exceptional defensive centerfielder. He ended up platooning in center with Jacoby Ellsbury and was traded to the Royals this past winter for impressive relief pitcher Ramon Ramirez. Bard was a disaster catching Tim Wakefield's knuckleball and was replaced in early May by Doug Mirabelli. He returned to the Sox this winter but was released in spring training. Riske was a complete failure in the bullpen. Marte never panned out to be the power-hitting third baseman that many claimed he would be when he was a Braves prospect. Shoppach has turned out to be a solid backup catcher for the Indians. Grade: B Engel Beltre, David Murphy, and Kason Gabbard to the Rangers; Eric Gagne to the Red Sox You may not remember this but the acquisition of Gagne was such big news that the trade shared the headlines in Boston with the Celtics trade for Kevin Garnett. Gagne, the 2003 N.L. Cy Young winner with the Dodgers, was supposed to add a devistating righthy to complement lefty Hideki Okajima to set-up Jonathan Papelbon. It never worked out that way as Gagne battled control problems and made very little positive impact. The Sox won the World Series in spite of his contributions. Beltre is in the Rangers minor league system. Murphy starts in leftfield for the Rangers and would look great as a fourth outfielder in Boston with the questionable health of J.D. Drew and Rocco Baldelli. Gabbard recently was released and re-signed with the Red Sox. Grade: B- Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers; Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss to the Pirates; Jason Bay to the Red Sox Ahh, the last days of "Manny Being Manny." With his agent, Scott Boras, hoping to score of Ramirez' potential free agency, Manny began to act more foolish than ever, forcing Epstein to move the mercurial slugger. Ramirez led the Dodgers to the NLCS and a fantastic start to the 2009 season before violating baseball's drug policy and receiving a 50-game suspension. Moss and Hansen have made very little impact with the Pirates. Bay has been a great addition to the Red Sox. He helped the team make it to Game 7 of the 2008 ALCS and is the team's leading homerun hitter so far in 2009. With Bay eligible for free agency after the '09 season, Red Sox Nation is waiting for the announcement that he has re-signed with Boston. Grade: B+ Coco Crisp to the Royals; Ramon Ramirez to the Red Sox Crisp was made expendable in Boston because of the emergence of Ellsbury. He is a Gold Glove caliber outfielder and runs the bases but he just doesn't hit well enough to start for a contender. Ramirez has shown flashes of brilliance in his role as a set-up man in the Boston bullpen. Up until last week -- when he allowed back-to-back homers to Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira in a Red Sox win over the Yankees and a ninth inning homer to Ryan Howard in an extra innings Red Sox win over the Phillies -- Ramirez was nearly unhittable. The jury is still out on this trade but if Ramirez continues to pitch well, the Sox will be the clear winners of this move. Grade: Incomplete Michael Bowden, Manny Delcarmen, Nick Hagadone, Josh Reddick, and Jed Lowrie to the Marlins; Hanley Ramirez to the Red Sox Some dreams die harder than others.

Legacy of Kobe and Phil Can't Be Discounted

The Los Angeles Lakers finished off the Orlando Magic last night to win the franchise's 15th NBA championship. In the process, Kobe Bryant cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA while Phil Jackson did the same in his coaching career. Love him or hate him, there was very little doubt about Kobe's greatness as a basketball player. The man can literally do everything on a basketball court. The one knock on Kobe was that he did not have the ability to win a championship when he was the undisputed best player on his team. He was an All-Star on all three of his previous championships with the Lakers (2000, 2001, and 2002) but Shaquille O'Neal was the best player on all three of those teams. On his last two trips to the Finals -- in 2004 against the Pistons and 2008 against the Celtics -- Kobe was the Lakers best player but they lost both times. In spite of his certain Hall of Fame credentials, Kobe could not be considered an all-time great without being the MAN on a champion. With this championship, Kobe has now proven that he can be the alpha male and be a winner at the same time. He has elevated himself into the upper echelon of elite guards in NBA history. Kobe Bryant is now on level with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and Oscar Robertson. This Lakers championship also made Phil Jackson the most successful coach in NBA history. This title was the tenth for Jackson as a head coach. He won six with Jordan and the Chicago Bulls (1991, '92, '93, '96, '97, and '98) and he now has four with Los Angeles (2000, '01, '02, and '09). He has finally surpassed Red Auerbach as the coach with the most championships. The Auerbach-Jackson comparison is very interesting. If this discussion were strictly about coaching, I would have to give Jackson a slight edge. Jackson has coached in an era that is dominated by selfish players who generally play more for the paycheck than for winning. Jackson also has coached in an era when X's and O's have become more necessary as the size, athleticism, and talent of the players have developed to such a great extent that the NBA is filled up with the best athletes in the world. Jackson has found a way to get his players motivated to win while also putting them into the best possible situation to do so every night. That is not to say Auerbach was an overrated coach. He got his great players to play hard every night and he built such a culture of winning that oppenents were forced to come up with stories about ghosts and other excuses for why they couldn't defeat the Celtics. Auerbach never tried to defend himself or the Celtics when people said they were lucky, instead he allowed the rest of the NBA to make excuses while his teams continued to pile up championships. In many ways, Jackson is just a more modern version of Auerbach. You could make a strong argument that if there were no Red Auerbach, there would have been no Phil Jackson. Think about it. Red was a master motivator who knew that he needed his best player, Bill Russell, to buy into his program so everyone else would fall in line. Auerbach gave Russell certain priviledges (Russ rarely scrimmaged with his teammates during practice) in return for his full effort on game nights. Jackson took a similar approach with Jordan and then later with Shaq and Kobe. Auerbach was also a visionary coach who emphasized an attacking defense that would lead to easy fast break points. Jackson also is great with strategy, employing the famous "Triangle Offense" to create dynasties with both the Bulls and Lakers. The big difference between the two men is that Auerbach was not just the coach of the Celtics, he was also the architect. He served as general manager while he was coaching the team and did most of the scouting as well. It was Auerbach who determined that Bill Russell was the missing piece for his team, he then traded All-Star Ed Machauley to St. Louis for the draft pick that would become Russell, and he finally was his coach from 1957 - 1966, winning nine championships. Auerbach was making basketball decisions for the Celtics championship teams in 1974, '76, '81, '84, and '86. Jackson has been able to strictly concentrate on the coaching. He became the head coach of a Bulls team that already had Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Horace Grant. It was Jerry Krausse who acquired Dennis Rodman and Toni Kukoc for the Bulls. In Los Angeles, it was Jerry West who built the 2000 - 2002 championship teams and now it is Mitch Kupchak making the basketball decisions. In the big picture, this gives Auerbach the edge over Jackson because he was responsible for finding the players and then molding them into champions. Jackson only had to worry about coaching.

Red Sox Ramblings

Thinking about the Old Towne Team while getting ready for three games with the Yankees... With the Red Sox and Yankees in a virtual tie for first place in the middle of June, this summer is shaping up as a Boston-New York classic. Us fans can only hope it will end like 1949, 1978, 2003, and 2004 -- with the two ancient rivals squaring off for the right to go to the World Series... When Sox owner John Henry decided that Mark Teixeira was just a little bit too expensive for his tastes, he allowed the Yankees to swoop in and sign the switch-hitting slugger. Teixeira's presence in the Bronx threatens to haunt the Red Sox for the better part of the next decade and with David Ortiz declining on a rate that Jim Rice and Mo Vaughn can only recognize, the pain is already beginning to be felt in New England... The combination of Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez in the New York lineup has to remind all Sox fans of the domination of Ortiz and Manny Ramirez from 2003 - 2008... The sagging production of Ortiz and Mike Lowell's increasing age make it necessary for Theo Epstein to re-sign Jason Bay before he hits the open market this winter. Bay has proven he can be a star on the big stage of Fenway Park and he provides valuable protection in the lineup for Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis... Today is the annual amateur baseball draft and Red Sox Nation can only dream that this edition will be as successful as 2003 (Jonathan Papelbon), 2004 (Pedroia), 2005 (Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Buchholz, Jed Lowrie, Michael Bowden), and 2006 (Daniel Bard, Justin Masterson, Lars Anderson)... Enjoy Josh Beckett tonight...

Globe Sports Section In Jeopardy

The Boston Globe has been one of the few constants in my young life. I began reading the Globe sports section as an elementary school student, even waking up early on Sunday's to read what Peter Gammons had to tell me about the Red Sox and the rest of the baseball universe. Who needs cartoons when Gammons is explaining the ins-and-outs of a major trade? I read the Globe sports before high schoolevery day, always hoping for a Will McDonough story that taught me something that I would not have learned elsewhere. I even worked at the Globe, on the city desk, for six months when I was a senior in college. It was one of my professional highlights to have a byline in the Globe (not my best work -- I did have one front page story about a young man being beaten to death in Southie but I couldn't find a link to it.) Sadly, the poor economic times have coupled with poor management by the powers that be on Morrissey Boulevard to make the future of the Globe, owned by The New York Times, precarious at best. The news from Morrissey is not good tonight as the papers largest union voted against a massive paycut. The Times is now threatening an even bigger cut, which could eventually lead to the doors closing on Boston's biggest newspaper. Many people will lament the closing of the Globe because it will leave our great cty with only one major newspaper -- the Herald -- as the voice of the people. In a time when the politicians on Beacon Hill are leaving us with more questions than answers, good reporting is one of the few ways we can keep tabs on our lawmakers. On the other hand, I will miss the coverage of the Boston sports scene. The Globe sports section isn't what it used to be (must read) but it is still worth reading every day. Bob Ryan still pumps out great columns with Tony Massarotti developing in his own right as a columnist. I wouldn't miss The Curly Haired Boyfriend but without the Globe, writers such as Mike Reiss, Nick Cafardo, Chad Finn, and Marc Spears would be looking for work. It would end my hopes of seeing Bill Simmons return from Los Angeles to give the Globe a new voice for the 21st Century. Here's hoping that the problems at the Globe get fixed so our city -- and most importantly our sports -- doesn't lose its most influential voice.

Random Thoughts (June 5, 2009)

I have been wrong all spring but don't be afraid to trust my prediction for the NBA Finals. The Lakers are going to win in a rout. They are the better team and they have the best player in the series. The Orlando Magic are going to get slapped around and there is nothing they can do to stop it. There is no way that Kobe Bryant will lose to the Orlando Magic. The bad memories of last year's collapse to the Celtics are still resonating with the "Black Mamba" and his desire to win a championship without Shaquille O'Neal is also providing him with the motivation to annihilate the Magic. There is no way that Dwight Howard will make the difference in this series. Howard is a fun player to watch and he did destroy the Cavaliers in the Eastern Finals but let's not forget that Kendrick Perkins handled him 1-on-1 in the Eastern Semi-Finals. The Lakers will contain him with the duo of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. There is no way that Stan Van Gundy is going to win a championship ring as a head coach. The man looks like Ron Jeremy and dresses like a middle school vice principal. The fact that his brother, former coach and current analyst Jeff, looks like a real-life version of The Critic makes me want to see a photo of their parents. There is no way that with a tenth NBA championship that Phil Jackson is a better coach than Red Auerbach. The Zen Master is a legend but Red wasn't just the coach of the Celtics, he was the general manager and head scout as well. (There is also no way the Celtics would not have repeated as champions with a healthy Garnett. I am so upset with myself for giving up hope when the Big Ticket went down. I love that KG is pumped up for a return to court in the fall. His prediction of back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011 should give the chills to Kobe, LeBron, and the rest of the NBA.) Lakers in 5... The Stanley Cup Finals are going on in the relative obscurity of NBC and Versus but there is a tremendous series taking place. The Red Wings and Penguins are tied at two games with the series shifting back to Detroit for Game 5 on Saturday night. I'm taking Sydney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins... Angels & Demons, the new Tom Hanks/Ron Howard movie from author Dan Brown, is well worth the price of admission... It's amazing at how well Bill Belichick sets up the Patriots for long term success. Belichick was well aware that his Pro Bowl nose tackle Vince Wilfork would be on the lookout for a hefty contract extension with his current deal expiring after the 2009 season. Wilfork has hinted at a prolonged holdout if his raise does not show itself in the next few weeks. Now, in a perfect world, Belichick and the Patriots would be happy to reward such a talented and loyal player. Wilfork is not just a force on the field, he also is one of the most active Patriots in terms of community service. He has stated many times his wish to be a Patriot for his entire career. However, the NFL is not a perfect world. There is a salary cap that restricts teams from handing out millions of dollars at their whim. If Belichick were to satisfy Wilfork, he would then have to satisfy other Patriots stars who are in line for a significant bump in pay. With that in mind, Belichick used the 40th pick in the 2009 draft to take Ron Brace, a dominating defensive tackle in his college career at Boston College. Brace still has yet to take a snap in the NFL but his mere presence in Foxboro is a reminder to Wilfork that if he demands more cash that the Patriots are willing to spend, he will be collecting checks and attacking running backs with a new team in the immediate future. It may not be pretty, but Belichick plays the hand he is dealt better than anyone in the NFL...

Red Sox Lineup Still Needs Help

The Red Sox lineup still is in need of another productive bat. My pipe dream for Theo Epstein to (re)acquire Hanley Ramirez would be great but even a blind optimist like myself can't see the Marlins trading away their best player or the Red Sox giving up their three or four best prospects. That doesn't mean that the Sox should stop looking. The first two months of the season are done and Boston finds itself in a tie for first place in the AL East with the Yankees. This is in spite of David Ortiz hitting .187 with just 1 homerun. However, to keep pace with the Yankees and their powerful lineup, Theo needs to find a hitter. Names like Victor Martinez and Mark DeRosa of the Indians, Corey Hart of the Brewers, and Jeff Francoeur of the Braves have all been mentioned. One other name on the radar, and the one that makes the most sense for the Red Sox, is Nick Johnson of the Nationals. Johnson is perfect for a variety of reasons. Most importantly, he is a good hitter. Through 51 games in 2009, Johnson has posted a .330 batting average, 4 homeruns, 27 RBI, and has an OPS of .880. He isn't the second coming of Babe Ruth but he would provide a substantial upgrade over Ortiz. Johnson's ability to take pitches and work deep into counts is something the Red Sox value and it would complement Kevin Youkilis and J.D. Drew, two Sox sluggers who put a lot of pressure on opposing pitchers. Johnson also is a very good defensive firstbaseman. This skill would allow Terry Francona to shift Youkilis from first to third and make Mike Lowell the DH. With Lowell still looking slow in the field coming off hip surgery this winter, the ability to be the DH would help sustain his performance at the plate (.302, 8, 36, .832 through 52 games). Finally, Johnson would come relatively cheap in terms of salary (he's owed less than $4-million for the rest of 2009) and compensation for the Nationals. The Nationals are in need of pitching and while it is highly doubtful the Sox would give away one of their top pitching prospects, a trade of Manny Delcarmen for Johnson would work for both teams. Delcarmen is a luxury in the deep Boston bullpen who could immediately become the closer in Washington. There would be many potential lineup scenarios for Francona if the Sox can land Johnson. Based on his recent shuffle of the order that moved Dustin Pedroia to the leadoff spot, here is what the lineup could look like: 1. Dustin Pedroia, 2B 2. Nick Johnson, 1B 3. Kevin Youkilis, 3B 4. Jason Bay, LF 5. J.D. Drew, RF 6. Mike Lowell, DH 7. Jason Varitek, C 8. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF 9. Jed Lowrie/Nick Green/Julio Lugo, SS A lineup with that kind of depth, combined with the great starting pitching and bullpen, would make the Red Sox prohibitive favorites to win the 2009 World Series.