The Red Sox recent slump - dropping 4-of-6 games to the Padres and Pirates - should be chalked up to nothing more than a superior team looking past inferior opponents following a stretch in which they won 14-of-16 games.
Unfortunately, the Red Sox have a different take on things. They see this mini-slump as a product of the National League rules - which prevent the use of the Designated Hitter - and are using that as an excuse to drop a few games that should be wins.
Not having David Ortiz' bat in the everyday lineup is definitely not a positive but that is not the reason why they dropped consecutive series to San Diego (which was played at Fenway Park with the DH) and Pittsburgh. I wish the Red Sox players would just admit they are doing some sleep walking and get past the absence of Ortiz for a few days.
The Sox have the opportunity to move past this (non)issue starting tonight in Philadelphia. This series is being hyped as a potential World Series preview and it would be a shame if the Red Sox players made excuses instead of making plays over the next three days...
Two of the three Red Sox-Phillies games will feature great pitching matchups.
Tonight, Josh Beckett (6-2, 1.86) will square off against Cliff Lee (8-5, 2.87) and on Thursday, Jon Lester (9-4, 3.66) will do battle with Cole Hamels (9-4, 2.49).
For those of you with tickets to Wednesday's game, you are stuck with watching John Lackey (5-6, 7.36)...
The Celtics introduced JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, their 2011 draft picks, yesterday and also announced they will make a qualifying offer to Jeff Green, which will give the team the right to match any offers that are made to the restricted free agent forward.
Danny Ainge also talked about the probability that the C's will sign former Pittsburgh star Gilbert Brown, an undrafted free agent, once the (anticipated) lockout ends.
Brown, like Johnson and Moore, is a proven winner at the college level who gives the Celtics a potentially dangerous role player. Brown was best known as an athletic defender at Pitt but his offense developed over his four years as a Panther. The best case scenario is that he will turn into a better version of Tony Allen and give the C's a boost off the bench at both ends of the floor...
Following their Stanley Cup victory, the Bruins selected defenseman Dougie Hamilton with the 9th pick of the first round at the NHL Draft. The B's were able to draft so high thanks to the Phil Kessel trade of 2009 that landed them two first round picks. The trade is already a win for Boston, who took Tyler Seguin with the 2nd pick of last year's draft, and if Hamilton turns into a star then the Maple Leafs will be joining the discussion of team's who made the worst trades in sports history.
Hamilton is not expected to play in Boston until 2012-2013 at the earliest but he has great potential. The 18-year-old from Toronto has a big frame (6-5, 195) that plays well at both ends of the ice. Playing for Niagara of the Ontario Hockey League last year, he recorded 58 points (12 goals, 46 assists) in 67 games. He immediately becomes Boston's best defenseman prospect.
Hopefully this will be an example of the rich getting richer...
Enjoy your 20's...
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