Digital Sox

It's Playoff Time

2008-12-06T16:46:00.003-05:00

The playoffs have begun in most Fantasy Football leagues around the country, but I'm ready for the start of a different kind of playoff. I'm talking about an 8-team playoff system to replace the current BCS mess.

The Big 12 is partly to blame this year for the mess at the top of the BCS standings. Texas beat Oklahoma (at a neutral site), Texas Tech beat Texas, and Oklahoma beat Texas Tech. Rather than using a sytematic tiebreaker that takes results into account, e.g., total points for, total points against, margin of victory, etc., the Big 12 allows the BCS standings to serve as a tiebreaker. This couldn't be more flawed if the Joker devised it himself.

The BCS standings have always had two major flaws. First, the teams are ranked before the season even starts. This makes it much harder for surprise teams to climb to the top of the standings. Second, the BCS always punishes teams that lose later in the season more than teams that lose early. Florida lost at home to an unranked team in September this year yet they will most likely play in the BCS championship game if they win today. Meanwhile, Texas, which beat then Number 1 ranked Oklahoma on a neutral field in October has no chance to make the title game without help from Missouri today. That's because Texas lost to Texas Tech in November.

Somehow the BCS voters and computers (hello, Skynet!) moved Oklahoma ahead of Texas last week, allowing Oklahoma to play in the Big 12 title game. If Oklahoma wins tonight, they will play in the BCS title game.

I want to see Oklahoma play Texas again.

I want to see Alabama play USC.

I want to see Texas Tech play Florida.

I want to Penn State play Utah.

I want an eight team playoff.

Think of the excitement an eight team playoff would create in the new year. It would be like March Madness, the Men's NCAA basketball tournament, only bigger. Wouldn't the bowl games be more exciting if they were part of a single-elimination tournament? Wouldn't office pools create interest among even non-football fans? With conference bragging rights, and potential recuiting benefits, wouldn't the players and coaches be even more amped up?

It's time for a playoff system to replace the BCS.

2008 NFL Mock Draft

2008-04-22T19:52:00.004-04:00

Loyal reader(s) your tremendous patience has been rewarded! My 2008 NFL Mock Draft is finally here!

Enjoy.

1. Miami - Jake Long, OT, Michigan
2. St. Louis - Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
3. Atlanta - Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
4. Oakland - Chris Long, DE, Virginia
5. Kansas City - Branden Albert, OG/OT, Virginia
6. New York Jets - Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
7. New England - *trade with Carolina* - Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
8. Baltimore - Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State
9. Cincinnati - Ryan Clady, OT, Boise State
10. New Orleans - Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
11. Buffalo - Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan State
12. Denver - Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt
13. Carolina - *trade with New England* - Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
14. Chicago - Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh
15. Detroit - Keith Rivers, LB, USC
16. Arizona - Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
17. *Kansas City* - Phillip Merling, DE, Clemson
18. Houston - Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
19. Philadelphia - James Hardy, WR, Indiana
20. Tampa Bay - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State
21. Washington - Quentin Groves, OLB/DE, Auburn
22. Dallas - Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
23. Pittsburgh - Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
24. Tennessee - DeSean Jackson, WR, Cal
25. Seattle - Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
26. Jacksonville - Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
27. San Diego - Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
28. Dallas - Limas Sweed, WR, Texas
29. San Francisco - Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College
30. Green Bay - Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
31. New York They Got Lucky Giants - Kenny Phillips, FS, Miami

Comments:

I do think the Pats trade down. Unless they are shocked to see Chris Long or perhaps Darren McFadden fall, I don't see New England standing pat. They could trade down with Cincinnati, New Orleans, Carolina, or Detroit. Getting LB Adam Seward from Carolina as part of a deal would be nice.
I do think if Dorsey is selected 2nd, Atlanta will take Matt Ryan. The draft will be much more exciting if he falls. The Jets and Pats would have all kinds of trade partners if Ryan falls.
I think McKelvin will be the first of the big four corners to be drafted. I think Talib falls to last of the four but stays in the first round.
I don't think Detroit selects Mendenhall as seems to be the general consensus right now.
I think Dallas takes a corner at 22, not Felix Jones. Again, I'm going against the overwhelming opinion here. In my scenario Dallas would have to try for Jonathan Stewart, Chris Johnson, or Jamaal Charles in round two.
I think Malcolm Kelly is the best WR in the draft and will be a steal for Seattle. I do think he stays in the first round.
I don't think teams will trade aggressively into the back end of the first round to select the second tier QBs. I could see one team trading into the 28-31 range for Joe Flacco if that team is convinced he won't be available in round two. I just don't think the movement will be as heavy as predicted.
I deviated from the final (fourth?) revision of my mock draft, which always starts on paper, as I was typing. I switched Houston's and Tampa Bay's selections.

Edit: I changed #17 to KC now that Jared Allen has been traded to Minnesota. I think the pick is the same whether it's Minny or KC selecting.

2007 World Series Champions

2007-11-09T21:55:00.000-05:00

It's been over two months since I last posted. I don't know if anyone is even checking this small corner of the Internet anymore. I really wish that I had been better about keeping a regular blog schedule. I enjoy the creative writing. I never did any creative writing in school until I had an English course in college. I think that I'm a pretty good writer when I have a decent idea and the motivation to write. I haven't given up hope for this blog just yet, I simply needed to live life and wait to find the opportunity to write more. Now back to the nitty gritty.

The Red Sox won the World Series. Again.

Can you believe it?

For some reason I'm still soaking in the World Series victory. I think of it on occasion and find myself pleasantly surprised and happy. In 2004 the World Series was an epiphany, a moment of total emotional release. It was real and complete in a single instant. For some reason the current championship has a more dream-like feel to it. Maybe it's the occasional long hours at work during the playoffs and the long nights watching baseball.

The team that I live and bleed for won a second title in four years. 2004 meant redemption for the fans. I felt simply validated as a fan, as a human being; all the pain and suffering had been worth that one moment. Since 2004 I have felt differently about the Red Sox. I still live and bleed Red Sox. They just didn't need to win it all for my life to have meaning. I still watch every playoff game with a nervous energy and my own stupid rituals and superstitions. I still celebrate every key base hit, defensive play, and strikeout.

Hell, I went to game two of the division series this year with my dad. I had the opportunity to buy tickets through the second chance lottery. I got two obstructed view tickets in right field, one in front of the other. The view was great but the tunnel to the concourse was just to our left and fans were constantly streaming by us. I think no fewer than three different people spilled beer on my dad. By the time Manny hit a ridiculous walk-off homerun it didn't matter. We were there for that moment. We had a natural high that took more than a week to come down from. We arrived at my home at 3 AM and he crashed in the guest room for the night. We had such a natural buzz going the next morning.

The fact that the Sox went the distance made that particular game a part of history. We went to a game that was won in memorable fashion during a World Series title run. My dad bought me a picture of the two of us at the game and Jerry Remy's scorecard for the game for my birthday. I think that was an awesome idea.

I already have one championship t-shirt and one AL championship t-shirt. I plan to buy another championship t-shirt. I may still buy the special hard-bound "Sports Illustrated". I may not. I bought the special SI after the Patriots first Super Bowl victory. I didn't buy the subsequent issues nor did I buy the subsequent t-shirts.

Imagine living at the poverty line for most of your life. Then you hit the lottery. If you won the lottery again a few years later, would it feel the same as the first time you won?

All I know is that now is a GREAT time to be a Boston-area sports fan.

An Open Letter to JD Drew

2007-08-28T22:23:00.000-04:00

Dear David Jonathan (JD) Drew II:

We the fans of the Boston Red Sox, also known as Red Sox Nation, are extremely passionate about our beloved team. We love the Red Sox, our mothers, our spouses, the Red Sox, our children, our pets, and the Red Sox. Essentially in that order.

We are a forgiving sort. Ask the once maligned Bill Buckner.

That said, you, sir, are pressing your luck.

You have no heart. You play without any passion. And you have the guile to wear the number of a recently departed dirt dog, a true Red Sox, Trot Nixon.

If you were actually skilled at the sport of baseball, you could be a deadly, silent assassin. Instead you are a deadly, silent saboteur. You kill the team from within.

Tonight you played in a game against the rival New York Yankees. You probably were aware of the history of the Yankee franchise before receiving this letter. We do not need to make you aware of the intensity of the rivalry or the arrogance of the New York fans.

In the 8th inning of the game tonight you were facing a rookie pitcher still wet behind the ears. You were batting with two men on base with the Red Sox behind by two runs. You had an opportunity to earn your rather sizable paycheck.

Instead you phoned it in.

You watched five pitches to draw a full count, 3-2. Then you decided to take a meager, half-hearted check swing at a pitch in the dirt.

For shame, Mr. Drew, for shame!

Any member of Red Sox Nation could have performed at least as ably in that situation. A ninety-year old grandmother with a stroller and cataracts, recently declared legally blind, could have done the same thing at the plate.

Only she would have been pissed off about striking out.

You, sir, simply turned and walked back to the dugout. You showed no disgust, no anger, no fire or passion.

That behavior will NOT BE TOLERATED. You better get your head together and find a reason to play baseball with passion. We may be a forgiving lot, but you are sinning in the worst way.

If you are not up to the task at hand, may we suggest that you simply donate your entire salary to a charity such as the Jimmy Fund?

You can expected to be booed unmercifully for the rest of your days in Boston if you don't improve your performance. Consider yourself warned.

With best regards,
Red Sox Nation

Comeback Kid(s)

2007-08-14T22:19:00.000-04:00

Wow. What a change of emotions for me tonight.

I worked late and got home around 8:30 PM. I left work with sinus pressure and a slight headache. I was hoping it would improve on the drive home. Unfortunately, I was nearing a migraine by the time I got home. I took some medication and my sinus spray. I was feeling down about getting a headache and the Sox approaching a tough 1-0 loss to the Devil Rays.

I took more medication a little later and started to feel just a little better. I decided to walk to Dunkin' Donuts and get a small ice coffee. When I got home the Sox had escaped a bases-loaded jam thanks to Mike Timlin. Eric "gag me with a spoon" Gagne had just entered the game. Surprisingly, Sir Chokes-a-Lot only allowed one hit and struck out the side.

My head was starting to clear and the ice coffee was helping. Ever an optimist, I liked the Sox chances in the bottom of the 9th.

After Mike Lowell tied the game on a solo homerun I was feeling really optimistic. (He should have won the game on a two-run homer, but that's a different story.)

I decided that Jason Varitek needed some inspirational music. I started up "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" on the laptop. It worked. Tek lined a ground rule double to right field. Now I decided on "Heat of the Moment" for Coco Crisp. It also worked. Sox win 2-1. My head feels fine.

I was elated. My head didn't hurt. The Sox came from behind to win 2-1. My inspirational music selections were 2-for-2. Oh, yeah, the Yankees are getting destroyed 12-0 at home.

It was a great feeling to see the comeback kids pull one out this year. The team hasn't had the same magic so far this year that they've possessed the last three years. I hope they are able to hold onto it.

Speaking of comeback kids, Jon Lester pitched a great game tonight. It's a great feeling seeing him pitch this year after beating cancer. Tonight was his best start of the season. I hope that it portends a strong finish for him. He's a strong person and continues to become a stronger pitcher.

756* - Ignorance is Bliss

2007-08-08T08:17:00.000-04:00

The inevitable finally happened last night.

Barry Bonds, he of the ever growing brow and jaw line and the ever shrinking testes, hit the 756^th homerun of his tainted career.

I avoided all replays of number 755 and I intend to avoid all replays of 756. I haven’t read any of the expanded coverage and I won’t be reading it any time soon.

I’m going to ignore Barry Bonds.

Bud Selig ignored the steroid era of baseball for far too long. He’s the reason that Bonds was able to break what is typically considered the most hallowed record in all of sports. I’m now going to take the same approach as Selig and ignore the problem.

I know that ignoring everything Barry Bonds related won’t change history, but I certainly don’t have to acknowledge his fraudulent accomplishments nor do I have to give them any more of my time than it takes to write this entry.

I can’t stand many things about Barry Bonds, his lies, his cheating, his self-righteous smug arrogance. I also don’t like much about Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez lacks instincts. He comes across as a cheap shot artist and someone who tries too hard to be liked. He’s a Yankee, for crying out loud!

At least Alex Rodriguez is someone who can be celebrated when he surpasses Bonds.

Trading Places

2007-07-30T21:03:00.000-04:00

It appears that the Celtics are about to get their man. Danny Ainge has essentially completed a trade for Minnesota Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett. It only cost the C’s “Big Straight” Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastion Telfair, Theo Ratliff’s expiring contract, two future first round draft picks, and Tom Brady’s unborn child.

I know the C’s were really trying to cut ties with Telfair in the off season, but this is a little overboard. *rimshot* It seems that Danny Ainge is now following the New York Yankees’ model: spend a ton of money, trade all of your good young talent, win a lot of regular season games, and choke in the playoffs. Right now the Celtics don’t even have enough players on the roster. My sources tell me that Trader Ainge is scouting a YMCA near you as we speak.

Meanwhile, Theo Epstein is afraid to pull the trigger on any deal to improve the Red Sox roster. The Sox desperately need a bat in the lineup. Theo is probably sitting in the corner of his office with the lights off, holding scouting reports of all Sox prospects murmuring, “the precccccciousssss”.

It’s time for Theo to wake up and smell the coffee: no mo Wily Mo, it’s time for him to go. (That sounds like a good protester chant, right up there with the classics like, “Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?”, which of course refers to Lyndon B. Johnson, not LeBron James. If LeBron were killing kids, Michael Vick would be breathing a sigh of relief.)

Speaking of Vick, do you think he’ll play in the NFL again? I hope that he doesn’t. I think that some team will give him a shot when he’s cleared to play again, though. The NFL is always recycling players and coaches. Why try something new when you can try something new to you?

I originally listed Scott Kazmir as the tough lefty in the post below. I changed it to Randy Johnson at the last minute.

I hate Red Sox off days…

Swing Away, Sox, Swing Away

2007-07-16T19:17:00.000-04:00

I know that it has been too long an absence for me to call myself a true blogger. I'm going to continue to publish, though, and hopefully with improved regularity.

I have an idea for the Red Sox. When they are facing a tough lefty (Randy Johnson), a rookie (Jesse Litsch), or a tough rookie lefty (Ryan Feierabend) simply swing away.

Being patient at the plate isn't working for the Red Sox in these situations. They should take a page from Merrill Hess' book and simply swing away.

Manny Being Manny

Manny Delcarmen has been a pleasant surprise lately. If he continues to be a lights out set-up man, I feel a lot better about an already great bullpen. I also feel relief that Francona won't trudge Mike Timlin out for important situations, although Timlin has pitched well recently.

We need to pick up a bat for the lineup. Shortstop or Right Field would be ideal. We should dump Wily Mo and eat a chunk of Lugo's deal to get a better SS.

Two Thumbs Up

I saw the new Harry Potter movie and enjoyed it this weekend. It's by far the worst of the Harry Potter movies, but it is a good movie. The pacing was improved over the fourth movie. The climax was too fast, though.

I also saw "the Illusionist". I love Ed Norton. I also loved "the Prestige" last year. I wanted to see both films and hoped that "the Illusionist" would be as good as "the Prestige". It wasn't. It was good, but it was easy to figure out where the ending was headed. Unlike Stephen King, I wasn't fooled and didn't require a second viewing.

In a nutshell both movies are good and worth seeing, but neither is great.

Simpsonize Yourself

If the website ever recovers, go to http://www.simpsonizeme.com/index.php to "Simpsonize" yourself. It's much better than the avatar creation at the official Simpsons movie site.

Round One Goes to the Bronx Buttheads

2007-06-02T14:17:00.000-04:00

The Yanks beat the Sox 9-5 last night. So what?

Let's see the Yankees beat Schilling and Beckett. Then they'll have something to talk about.

I can't help but feel like the Sox find the Yankees to be a let down this year. It seems like the Sox haven't faced the Yankees with the same fire they have shown against the Tigers, Braves, and Indians this year. Francona threw our 4, 5, and 1 starters against the Yanks 1, 2, and 3 starters during the last series. If he hadn't decided to hold Freddy Kreugar out of this weekend set, we would have faced the top of the Yankee rotation with our 4, 5, 1 starters again.

I want to crush the Yankees on Saturday and Sunday. I want to step on their collective throat, hold their head under the water, keep the pillow pressed firmly to their face. If the Sox can take the series, they will have increased their lead against New York to 14.5-games. If the Sox manage to win only a single game, the Yanks will have only improved by a single game in the standings. We need to embarrass the Yankees.

And for something completely different, here's my first round NBA mock draft. I don't follow the NBA draft, let alone the NBA, with the same vigor I did four or five years ago. It became too hard to keep up with high schoolers and foreign prospects. I don't even follow college hoops until March Madness rolls around these days. I was pleased with my first round NFL mock draft this year. I have no sense of how good or bad my NBA mock could really be. It was simply a nice waste of five minutes.

A-Rod Likes She-Males, Is Anyone Surprised?

2007-06-01T08:42:00.000-04:00

The New York Daily News had the following quote yesterday:

A petite stripper at the Hustler Club said A-Rod "likes the she-male, muscular type. They brought me up to the champagne room one time. I spun around once and that was it. I'm not his type."

I'm not in the least surprised. In fact, when I saw the "Stray-Rod" cover of the New York Post, I thought A-Rod was with a tranny. I have said that A-Rod is probably bisexual for years.

I don't care about anyone's sexually orientation, publicly or privately. I simply find it humorous that A-Rod continues to be a foil for fan backlash no matter what he does. He has no sense of sportsmanship and, apparently, no sense of loyalty to either his team or his wife.

The "Slappy McPurplelips" incident in the 2004 playoffs was simply the tip of the iceberg. A-Rod's latest infraction was yelling "mine" while rounding the bases in Toronto two nights ago. The video on YouTube clearly shows that A-Fraud purses his lips to make an "mmm" sound at the beginning of his shout.

MLB Official Rules:

2.00 Definition of Terms

INTERFERENCE (a) Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play. If the umpire declares the batter, batter- runner, or a runner out for interference.

Rule 8.08 (b) Any runner is out when he intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball.

Here's hoping for a Red Sox sweep this weekend.

Life is Goooooood

2007-05-30T12:59:00.000-04:00

I can't think of better time to be a Red Sox fan. The Sox are red hot, winners of five straight games, and they have the best record in baseball. That alone would put a smile on the average Sox fan's face. The icing on this wonderful cake is the drama provided by our rivals in the Bronx.

The Yankees are simply awful. Steinbrenner's $200 million toy is broken. At 14.5-games out of first place, with a record of 21-29 (and tied with the D-Rays for last place), the Yankees are dead. Done. Finished.

Not even the $28 million hired gun can save that pathetic excuse of a ballclub. Besides, he's ducking the Sox this weekend.

Giambi is ailing and about to get a beat down from Bud Selig.

Finally, to add a little extra spice to the drama, A-Rod decided to stray from his wife in Toronto.

This should be a great summer. The Sox are rolling and the Yanks are a massive train wreck. Go ahead, fire Torre, that will fix everything. (Tee hee!)

UPDATE: Even 3/4ths of Yankee fans think the season is over.

You Can't Change a Tiger's Stripes

2007-05-07T08:31:00.000-04:00

Roger Clemens announced that he will be returning to the New York Yankees yesterday.

Clemens’ announcement confirms the suspicion that he is more interested in money than in winning or in the comforts of home and family. His hometown Houston Astros offered Clemens the chance to be near his family. The Red Sox offered Clemens a chance to win another World Series, the opportunity to set the franchise record for victories, and a superior bullpen. The Yankees offered nothing more than money.

I had mixed feeling about Clemens before his announcement. The Red Sox don’t have a pressing need for another starter, especially one only capable of going 5 or 6 innings. Jon Lester will soon be back in the Sox rotation and he potentially offers more upside than Clemens. Clemens would have been a great feel good story in Boston, though, if he decided to return. His jersey sales would have been through the roof.

His decision takes away half of the emotion. Go back to loathing him with a passion. He is a backstabbing liar who is interested more in money than his legacy at this point. I expect him to pitch like Josh Beckett of 2006. He will be bull-headed and resist changing his ways, have an E.R.A. around 5, but win the majority of his starts.

If the Yankees continue to crash and burn, and if they continue to ravage their bullpen, Clemens will be nothing more than a footnote in the worst season $200 million can buy.

Spider-Man 3 Review

2007-05-06T12:34:00.000-04:00

I saw "Spider-Man 3" last night and thought I would write a review. I have been anticipating this movie for months. I thought the second movie was so good that I figured "Spider-Man 3" would be simply, well, amazing. I read some reviews at Rotten Tomatoes before heading to see the movie. I'm glad I did, because I lowered my expectations before going.

"Spider-Man 3" is simply too ambitious for its own good.

I'm not sure why director Sam Raimi decided to incorporate so many story lines into a single movie. The first "Spider-Man" movie was good, but not great. Raimi was slightly handcuffed in the first movie because he needed to establish the characters and Peter Parker's transformation from tough luck geek boy to tough luck super hero.

The sequel was an excellent movie; it's definitely one of my top 10 favorites. "Spider-Man 2" carried so much emotional weight that viewers were completely drawn into the story. Peter's self doubt, concern about Harry's psyche regarding Mary Jane and the death of his father, inability to express his emotions to Mary Jane, difficulty juggling work, class, and the obligation to live up to his responsibilities as hero, and need for Aunt May's forgiveness for his involvement in Uncle Ben's death all combine to propel "Spider-Man 2" to great heights. When Peter barely manages to prevent the runaway train from running off the tracks, he collapses, drained and unmasked and the viewer feels exhausted, too. When Peter confesses his involvement in Uncle Ben's death to Aunt May her immediate rejection of Peter is felt not just by Peter, but in the heart of the viewer. These two scenes are the best two scenes in the entire trilogy.

"Spider-Man 3" starts at a frenetic pace. The movie actually feels much like "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" during the first 45 minutes or so. There are so many story lines occurring at once that they all feel rushed and under developed. The pacing doesn't allow Raimi or the cast to involve the viewer emotionally. "Spider-Man 3" should have built on the emotional weight of the first sequel; Harry wants revenge on Peter, Peter wants revenge on Uncle Ben's killer, Venom wants revenge on Peter. Unfortunately there are no cathartic moments, no points at which the viewer feels completely drawn into the story. Instead, the viewer is simply watching from the outside with little to no emotional investment.

The introduction of numerous new characters also fails the movie. The Sandman, Eddie Brock/Venom, Gwen Stacey, and the new Green Goblin all feel shallow. Harry never grows into the new Goblin role. He simply becomes the new Goblin almost instantaneously. Eddie Brock never develops into Venom; he is instantly transformed and fully aware of his new strengths and abilities. The Sandman is the only nemesis with any sort of development and he is the least interesting. Gwen Stacey is completely unnecessary in the movie.

The lack of emotional emphasis also detracts from the climax of the movie. The viewer is interested, but doesn't feel involved with the outcome. The resolution of the movie also doesn't feel satisfying.

Don't get me wrong, "Spider-Man 3" is a good movie. The story lines and intersecting character arcs are well thought out. Most of the plot elements are clever and cause lots of emotions for the characters involved. The action sequences are top-notch. It's simply unfortunate that the viewer feels left out.

Overall, "Spider-Man 3" is a good summer movie, but a seriously flawed one. It's better than the first movie, but pales in comparison to the second movie. I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10.

2007 NFL Draft First Round Prediction

2007-04-27T22:12:00.000-04:00

Well folks, here it finally is. I've officially stopped reading the rumours and inside information. I'm done looking at other mock drafts. I've made up my mind and I'm putting it out into cyberspace for all to see. A few people saw a preview of my top 20 earlier this week, so I can tell you than Len Pasquerelli, John Clayton, and Mel Kiper, Jr. are ripping me off. Apparently ESPN has been teaching mind reading.

I had originally planned to do two running mock drafts, a "should draft" and "will draft". I just haven't had the time to put two divergent drafts together. I realized that I didn't know if my first list was leaning towards the "should" or the "will", so I scrapped the idea for this year. Maybe next year.

Without further ado, I present my 2007 NFL Draft First Round Prediction:

1. Oakland - JaMarcus Russell, QB
The Raiders take the logical step towards righting the ship. Sure, Russell isn't the highest rated prospect on anyone's board, but he makes the most sense for the Raiders.

2. Detroit - *TRADE* with Tampa Bay - Calvin Johnson, WR
The Lions will probably select Johnson, the best prospect in the draft, and then work out the details of a trade with Tampa Bay.

3. Cleveland - Adrian Peterson, RB
The Browns should take Brady Quinn, but the coaching staff wants to win now, they don't care about the long-term plan. Peterson is considered an elite prospect, if not a durable one.

4. Tampa Bay - *TRADE* with Detroit - Gaines Adams, DE
Matt Millen takes the presumed safe route and avoids a fan riot in Detroit. He should select either Brady Quinn or keep Calvin Johnson.

5. Arizona - Joe Thomas, OT
The Cardinals (and Matt Leinart) will be thrilled if Thomas falls into their lap. They have a terrible O-line, just ask Edgerrin James.

6. Washington - *TRADE* with Miami - Brady Quinn, QB
Washington wants to trade down and Miami needs a quarterback. The Dolphins will pounce and take Quinn before he falls to the Vikings at pick number seven.

7. Minnesota - LaRon Landry, S
The Vikings don't have a pressing need for a safety, but they would be smart to take Landry, who is considered an immediate impact starter.

8. Atlanta - Amobi Okoye, DT
Unable to trade up for Calvin Johnson and with Landry off the board, Bobby Petrino drafts one of his own. Okoye will be the youngest player ever drafted at just 19-years-old.

9. Miami - *TRADE* with Washington - Leon Hall, CB
The Redskins would probably prefer Okoye, but they would happy to simple acquire the additional picks from the Dolphins for trading down three spots.

10. Houston - Levi Brown, OT
The Texans try to upgrade their offensive line by selecting Brown. Somewhere, David Carr sheds a tear.

11. San Francisco - Patrick Willis, LB
The 49's coaching staff loves Willis after getting to know him at the Senior Bowl. ILB may not be their most pressing need, but they would love to get Willis.

12. Buffalo - Darrelle Revis, CB
Buffalo needs help at ILB, CB, and RB desperately. Marshawn Lynch is a bit of reach for the Bills here and Willis is off the board. They take the second best cornerback prospect in the draft.

13. St. Louis - Jamaal Anderson, DE
I think the Rams will consider Anderson, Adam Carriker, and Alan Branch. My best guess is that they go with Anderson.

14. Carolina - Joe Staley, OT
The consensus has been that the Panthers will select TE Greg Olsen. I read recently that the Panthers have cooled on Olsen. I'm projecting that they opt to upgrade the offensive line here because a safety would be a bit of a reach.

15. Pittsburgh - Adam Carriker, DE
This is another pick that many folks seem to agree on. The consensus is OLB Lawrence Timmons. I think the Steelers would prefer Carriker, who can play inside and outside on the defensive line. His versatility will help as the Steelers transition their defense from a 3-4 to a 4-3.

16. Green Bay - Marshawn Lynch, RB
The Packers are desperate for play makers. They would draft me if they thought I could help put points on the board.

17. Jacksonville - Jarvis Moss, DE
Most DB options would be a reach for the Jaguars at 17. They will most likely take a defensive end instead.

18. Cincinnati - Alan Branch, DT
Cincinnati will get the steal of the draft if Alan Branch falls into their lap. He was once projected as a top five pick. His stock has been hurt by over analysis. He's going to be great.

19. Tennessee - Robert Meachem, WR
I think the Titans are more likely to take the local WR, Meachem, over Ted Ginn, Jr. Meachem is taller and almost as fast. I think he'll be a better target for Vince Young and the Titan's backup QB. (Vince is the Madden 08 cover boy and will go down at some point this year.)

20. New York Giants - Lawrence Timmons, LB
The Giants would probably like Joe Staley and could draft an offensive lineman here. They probably wish they never traded for Eli Manning.

21. Denver - Anthony Spencer, DE
Denver doesn't have many holes, but could use help on the defensive line, at wide receiver, and defensive back. Spencer would upgrade their weak pass rush.

22. Dallas - Reggie Nelson, S
The Cowboys need a compliment to Roy Williams. Nelson could be the ideal pairing. Nelson is a player that I wouldn't mind seeing the Patriots draft.

23. Kansas City - Ted Ginn, Jr.
I think Ginn, Jr. is overrated. He's fast yet injury prone. The Chiefs need a receiver and could use Ginn, Jr. in the return game to replace the just traded Dante Hall.

24. New England - Aaron Ross, CB
The Patriots are the hardest team in the league to predict. They seem to take 2nd or 3rd round prospects in the first round. I wouldn't be shocked to see them take Eric Weddle, Reggie Nelson, Jon Beason, or an offensive lineman here.

25. New York Jets - Greg Olsen, TE
Olsen falls into the Jets' lap in this scenario. He's an immediate upgrade for Mangina and Pennington.

26. Philadelphia - Michael Griffin, S
The Eagles could take a S, CB, or LB. They don't need to reach for anybody and could simply take the best available player.

27. New Orleans - Chris Houston, CB
The Saints were the feel good surprise in the NFL last year. With no good ILB prospects available, the Saints should look to upgrade their DBs.

28. New England - David Harris, LB
Harris is a prototypical Patriot player. He's versatile, hard working, and coachable. I decided on this pick on Wednesday night, before I had settled on the 24th pick. Today I see that Mel Kiper, Jr. confirms the Patriots' interest in Harris.

29. Baltimore - Jon Beason, LB
The Ravens draft Beason to help replace Adalius Thomas. With Jonathan Ogden returning they don't have the same pressing need to draft an offensive lineman that they did twenty-four hours ago.

30. San Diego - Dwayne Bowe, WR
The Chargers need receiving help. Antonio Gates has been their best receiving target for a few years. Bowe is a big receiver and would probably step right into the number one role in San Diego.

31. Chicago - Paul Posluszny, LB
The Bears will probably look to draft a linebacker or defensive lineman to counter the Lance Briggs drama. They would be elated if Brady Quinn fell to them. HA!

32. Indianapolis - Justin Harrell, DT
The Colts got lucky and won a single Super Bowl. So what? Call me when they've won three of four. Harrell will help them try to match the Patriots' feat.

How Sweep It Is

2007-04-23T08:26:00.000-04:00

Monday mornings are so much nicer when the Red Sox are coming off of a series sweep against the Yankees. I’m not surprised by the sweep seeing who the Yanks sent out to the mound, but I am surprised by how much our top three starters struggled. The bullpen continues to be a very pleasant surprise, stopping the bleeding and saving all three games this weekend.

Francona has been a brilliant maestro so far this season. He seems to be making all the right moves. I have to question the logic of sending Matsuzaka out to face A-Rod in the 8^th inning last night, though. Matsuzaka was already over 100 pitches and was scuffling. I would have sent Donnelly to face A-Rod and then brought in Okajima to face the next two batters. Timlin would have been available to come in behind Okajima, if necessary. Second guessing aside, the Sox are rolling right now.

Counter Strike

2007-04-20T23:32:00.000-04:00

The first Sox-Yanks game of 2007 was a great one. The "Slappy McPurplelips Show" accounted for 5 of the 6 runs scored by New York. Curt Schilling wasn't in top form, scuffling a bit, serving up a pair of homers to McPurplelips. The Sox offense bounced back against the mediocre Yankee bullpen in the 8th inning. Hideki Okajima earned the save in the 9th.

R.I.P. Mariano Rivera. An 88-MPH cutter with no movement isn't going to "cut it" in the major leagues.

I've been listening to Death Cab for Cutie's "Plans" the last few days. It's a great melancholy CD. It's soothing and sweet and feels honest at the core.

Why I Want to Revoke Your License

2007-04-14T13:02:00.000-04:00

Generally speaking I’m an easy going guy. I’m an optimist, so life is good and the glass is half full. Most things will roll off me like water off a duck’s back. I admit that I think it’s a great way to navigate through life.

Unfortunately, navigating in my car isn’t always so cheery. Some things in life bug me to no end. Bad drivers have to be at or near the top of my list. The daily commute is often an exercise in both patience and alert driving. I may not be the world’s most experienced driver myself, but I was taught well.

Here is a list of some of my biggest annoyances on the road. For any minor driving faults I may have, I won’t be caught doing any of the following.

Glued to a cell phone while driving
When you are driving your top priority should be driving. Driving somewhere isn’t an excuse to use up all of your overpriced cell phone minutes. When you are glued to your cell phone you are distracted to some degree no matter how good a driver you may or may not be when the road has your full attention.

I know who you are, too. I can usually spot you from a quarter mile away. You touch your brake randomly, you don’t maintain a constant speed, and you often drift to the left and right. I’ve predicted many times that you were chatting away before I ever had visual confirmation.
If you must talk and drive, keep it to a minimum and use a hands free headset. Then you have zero excuse for committing the second offense on this list, which you have a tendency to do…

Not using turn signals
I love “Star Wars”. I’ve often wished that I was “Force sensitive” and could wield a real light saber. If I could manipulate the force, I might not be able to read your mind, but I could at least force you prevent me from wishing I could. You must be simple minded, after all, if you can’t remember or be bothered to signal.

I don’t read minds. No one does. Turn signals aren’t simply a courtesy, but a safety feature. Signaling allows me and everyone else on the road to understand your intentions and react accordingly.

On the highway your turn signals provide a warning to any cars that may be in one of your blind spots. On regular road ways your turn signals allow people to navigate around you or in front of you without causing an accident. When you don’t use your turn signal I get frustrated because I’m not going to commit the next offense and you made me wait longer for an opening…

Cutting people off
Don’t be an asshole. I don’t drive like your grandmother and you’re no more important that I am. If I have to brake after you cut in front of me, you should not have made a lane change.

There is plenty of highway for you to plan your lane changes. If you can’t find ample opportunity to make a safe lane change at, oh, say, the “One mile to the next exit” sign, don’t take it out on me. Odds are you are a multiple offender, talking on a cell phone, not signaling, and/or driving overly aggressively. You may even be guilty of the next offense…

Not checking your blind spot
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. All cars, from the smallest little Mini Cooper to the largest Chevy Suburban, have two blind spots. Until you have that experimental surgery to install two new eyeballs in the back of your head you must turn your head to check your blind spots before even thinking of making a lane change. Your side mirrors are not adequate.

Checking your blind spot takes all of a second to do and can prevent accidents, swerving, and will minimize the number of times someone honks their horn at you. Even if you’re merging right you need to check your blind spot, because you’re likely to encounter someone who is…

Passing people in the right lane excessively
Not only is passing in the right lane illegal it’s dangerous. Faster traffic moves to the left. I don’t care if the right line is wide open. It’s not an excuse to pass 25 cars at 90 MPH.

I understand that occasionally you might need to pass a car or two and can’t do so by merging left. Just don’t overdo it. If you do you are probably…

Driving over aggressively
Odds are you are male. You either have a fast car or think you do. What I can’t figure out is why you think every day is the Indy 500. Either you are compensating or you need to learn time management.

Stop weaving in-and-out of lanes. Stop passing excessively on the right. And please stop…

Tailgating
Get off my ass. I’m not going to drive any faster just because you want to admire my rear fender. I’m driving an adequate speed for my lane and you can feel free to pass me (on the left, thank you very much). I’m not going to transfer your aggression or ignorance to the car in front of me.

If you aren’t paying attention and start to ride up my backside, Heaven help you if you’re…

Reading the newspaper or other such activities
You should be thrown in jail immediately if you are reading the newspaper while driving. What could be worse than yapping on a cell phone while driving? How about not even looking at the road while driving?

Don’t read and drive. Don’t apply makeup and drive. Don’t change your clothes and drive. Don’t eat and drive. Don’t goof around with the passenger(s) in your car and drive. Don’t do whatever you are doing when you are reaching down to the floor on the passenger side of the car and drive.

Not accelerating and merging on highway on ramps
I ran out of clever transitions for the last few items, but they are no less important.

You need to accelerate, look at the oncoming right lane traffic, and merge safely when getting on the highway. It may sound complicated, but you should have this skill mastered after five trips on the highway. How it is that you manage to make this a difficult task after years of driving is beyond me.

Stick to the back roads if you can’t get onto the highway safely. You’re not simply putting yourself at risk you’re putting everyone behind you at risk, too. You should never get on the highway at 30 MPH. Ever.

Not understanding or obeying the right of way
Cars to your right have the right of way. Clever, isn’t it? So do cars going straight or right through an intersection. Cars on a main road also have the right of way before cars on a side street.

Make the letter “L” with your index finger and thumb if you can’t remember which side is your right and which is your left.

Stop trying to cut everyone off making a left turn when a light turns green. Stop trying to turn left in front of traffic on a main road. Stop trying to ignore the right of way at four-way stops. Ignorance isn’t an excuse.

Swinging out wide to make a turn
The final offense is one of the most annoying because it’s so simple. Move left to turn left and move right to turn right. You will be doing everyone a courtesy (especially if you are using your turn signals) and not slowing traffic around and behind you.

School buses, 18-wheel trucks, RVs, and any vehicle towing a trailer have wide turn radii and require extra space to navigate corners. Your passenger vehicle does not.

I see double digit offenders weekly. I can’t tell you how many CVS employees commit this offense daily in the industrial park where I work. I’m thinking of notifying CVS headquarters and telling them to require a remedial driving course for their employees.

There are many good drivers on the road. Unfortunately the number of bad drivers on the road often feels like the majority. Please drive safely and courteously on the road. Your driving affects not only you, but others around you.

Sweet Home Massachusetts; It's Good to Be the King

2007-04-12T08:56:00.000-04:00

The Red Sox home opener played out beautifully on Tuesday. Josh Beckett was brilliant and the offense came alive, scoring a pair of touchdowns. The offensive outburst allowed Francona to use the bench and give all the positional players some face time before the crowd.

Yesterday’s pitching matchup of Daisuke Matsuzaka versus Felix Hernandez was as tantalizing as they come in mid-April. Both pitchers played well last night. Matsuzaka pitched well enough to win on most nights. I’ll take 7 innings and 3 earned runs from any starter, any day of the week (and twice on Sunday).

I felt that Matsuzaka didn’t have his best stuff last night; his offspeed pitches didn’t have as much movement as some previous outings. He still managed to pitch a very solid game. I think that his effort last night bodes well for the rest of the season. When he’s on he can dominate and when he’s off he can still keep teams at bay.

I’m not being a homer when I say this, but I felt that Hernandez had a bigger strike zone than Matsuzaka last night. Hernandez seemed to get many calls on the edges of the plate and the upper part of the strike zone. He threw a high curveball that was clearly above the letters to Pedroia that was called a strike. Matsuzaka didn’t get favorable calls when he could have put hitters away with pitches on the corners. His strike zone definitely seemed smaller.

Regardless of the strike zone inconsistencies, “Felix the King” pitched a brilliant game last night. I don’t know if this kid has completely turned the corner or not, but he has been outstanding so far this year. The two leading contenders for the Cy Young right now are Hernandez and Beckett. It’s early in the season so I’d be surprised if both players were still the leading contenders in September. I hope that Becket remains on the list.

In Papelbon We Trust

2007-04-09T08:47:00.000-04:00

I don’t think many baseball observers would disagree that Jonathan Papelbon is one of the top five, or maybe top three, closers in baseball. I am going on the record today as saying that Jonathan Papelbon is the best closer in baseball. He is simply made to close big games. The stare, the confidence, the raw power, the filthy pitches, the adrenaline-fueled exuberance. He has it all.

Papelbon was amazing last night against the Texas Rangers. Curt Schilling pitched seven strong innings, allowing a single run and leaving with a 3 to 1 lead. Joel Pineiro starts the 8^th inning and can’t find the strike zone. The bases are loaded and Terry Francona is starting to sweat bullets. Javier Lopez induces an RBI groundout. With runners on the corners and one out in a 3–2 ballgame Francona calls for Papelbon. Papelbon strikes out Michael Young on four pitches, simply overpowering him. He blows fastballs by Young at 94, 95, and 96 MPH, increasing speed with each strike. A pop out ends the inning. Papelbon continues the domination in the 9^th inning, shutting down the Rangers. He ends up with a five-out save, throwing only 15 pitches and striking out three.

Big Papi looked good last night, finally getting solid wood on the baseball. He managed a pair of homeruns, accounting for all of the Red Sox scoring. He also roped a would-be base hit late in the game that was stabbed beautifully after a hop by a diving two-time Gold Glove winner, Mark Teixeira.

After a week of Sox baseball I can say that the pitching looks good. The starting pitching has been very strong. With the exception of Saturday against the Rangers, the bullpen has also been a strength so far. Last night Papelbon covered for Pineiro’s ineffectiveness.

The offense, on the other hand, has been near offensive. If the bottom of the order can’t hit this season, we need to start playing small ball with ‘Tek, Crisp, and Pedroia.

I hate off-days.

Dazzling Debut

2007-04-06T08:22:00.000-04:00

Daisuke Matsuzaka’s Red Sox debut was simply brilliant yesterday. He pitched seven strong innings and struck out 10 Kansas City (Missouri) Royals. He earned his first Major League victory by allowing only a single run. Matsuzaka’s performance was even better than I predicted (6.1 IP, 5H, 2BB, 7K, 2ER, 107 Pitches – over at “Matsuzaka Watch”).

I wish the game times were the typical 7PM starts. It’s frustrating at the beginning of the season not being able to follow the games live on TV or radio.

Glad to see that Jeter is making errors at a steady clip this season. Maybe the voters will finally smarten up and stop giving him undeserved Gold Glove awards. Also glad to see ARod in mid-season choke form. Bases loaded in the 8^th and he pops up a meatball of a pitch. I think I heard the “boos” from outside the window last night.

Take 2 Is Much Better

2007-04-05T08:29:00.001-04:00

The Sox finally managed to climb back to .500 after more than a 48-hour wait. At times I feel like Tom Petty was on to something.

Josh Beckett may not have pitched brilliantly last night, but in my eyes he made improvements over his performance from last year. Beckett stayed with his off-speed pitches and was able to navigate some trouble spots. He didn’t try to force his fastball down the Royals’ throats when he was in a jam. I think that his approach last night will serve him well this year.

Mike Lowell had three errors last night. Whoever made the Mike Lowell voodoo doll, please destroy it now.

J.D. Drew made an excellent catch on a gap shot last night. He was well positioned, had a great jump, and showed good speed in getting to the ball. Beckett was clearly pumped by the catch as he probably thought that two runs were about to score. That was a play that Trot Nixon might have made three years ago, but would not have made last year. If Drew can stay healthy, I think I’m going to really like him. Time will tell if the Sox overpaid and if he can continue to play at this level hitting behind two of the game’s best hitters. He’s at least a solid all-around player when in the lineup.

I had a thought on opening day. If Coco Crisp starts to hit with regularity batting 8^th, he could potentially move up to 6^th in the lineup. If memory serves me correctly, Crisp is best at 2^nd or 5^th in the lineup based on his stats from his days in Cleveland. I imagine that batting 6^th would be close enough to 5^th for him to be just as effective. Lowell and Jason Varitek have yet to demonstrate that they have enough bat speed to provide any offense this year. Crisp could be the solution to provide Drew with some protection.

Schil-lacked

2007-04-02T21:00:00.000-04:00

Curt Schilling demonstrated that a great Spring Training doesn't guarantee a lick of success in the regular season as the Red Sox dropped the season opener 7-1 in Kansas City today. Schilling's control was decidedly lacking today. I laughed this afternoon when Yankee's starter Carl "I Think I Pulled My Glute and Will Miss the Rest of the Season" Pavano couldn't get out of the fifth inning against the Rays. I cried this evening when Schilling didn't even go out for the fifth inning.

If the Yankees lost today, it would have supported my assertion that the team doesn't have enough starting pitching to succeed this year. Unfortunately, their come-from-behind victory supports the pundits who said they have enough offense to overcome the poor rotation.

I think that J.D. Drew is going to get on base at a crazy clip this year, but end up scoring something like 30 runs. We don't have anyone who can bat 6th this year.

What state do the Royals play in? Kansas or Missouri? While we're at it, do the Chiefs play in Kansas or Missouri? I always assumed the Chiefs played in Missouri, but I'm not so sure about the Royals. Can the state of Missouri really support two baseball teams?

How can a professional team allow water fountains to spray water across the camera locations? The Royals probably don't broadcast in HD, but they should realize that other teams do.

We've got a whole extra day to brood about the first loss of the season. I hope that Beckett can provide a pick-me up on Wednesday.

Break Out the Crystal Ball

2007-04-01T20:56:00.000-04:00

It's time for my 2007 MLB predictions.

A.L. East
1. Boston - The best rotation in the division, arguably the best closer, and a potent lineup will propel the Sox to the top of the division and back into the playoffs.

2. Toronto - The Jays are poised to surprise (some) people and make a run at the division with good starting pitching and a great bullpen.

3. New York - The Yankees rotation is simply not good enough to win this division, no matter how good the lineup is.

4. Tampa Bay - The Rays are good enough to finish ahead of the Orioles but don't have any young pitching to compliment their young and talented lineup.

5. Baltimore - Not enough of anything to make much noise in the competitive A.L. East.

A.L. Central
1. Chicago - The White Sox rebound from a post-World Series hangover to win the Central.

2. Cleveland (A.L. WC) - The Indians bounce back in a big way in 2007 and win the American League Wild Card.

3. Minnesota - Without Liriano the Twins don't enough pitching to make the playoffs in what is probably the strongest division in baseball.

4. Detroit - The Tigers fall back to reality in a big way after spending most of last year as everyone's darling.

5. Kansas City - Once again the Royals are just going through the motions.

A.L. West
1. Los Angeles / Anaheim - The Angels will probably be the division winner with the fewest wins in the A.L.

2. Oakland - The A's should have a chance again to win the division playing by the "Moneyball" rules as long as their rotation stays healthy.

3. Texas - The Rangers still haven't figured out that they need good pitchers to make the playoffs.

4. Seattle - At least Ichiro will have the chance to showcase his talent before hitting free agency.

N.L. East
1. New York - The Mets rotation doesn't scare me in a good way, but it does scare me a little in a bad way.

2. Atlanta (N.L. WC) - The Braves return the playoffs but the don't quite win another division title after their incredible streak was ended last year.

3. Philadelphia - Ryan Howard and Chase Utley give Philly fans hope for the future.

4. Florida - The still very young Marlins team will probably win fewer games than last year, especially without Joe Girardi at the helm.

5. Washington - The Nats are stuck in neutral.

N.L. Central
1. St. Louis - The Cards should be able to earn the chance to defend their title, but this weak division is really up for grabs.

2. Cincinnati - It could be a good year to be a baseball fan in Ohio between the Reds and Indians.

3. Chicago - Without a healthy Prior and Wood the Cubbies will be watching the playoffs from home even after spending big this offseason.

4. Houston - The Astros won't make the playoffs with or without Roger Clemens.

5. Milwaukee - At least Ben Sheets is getting better with age and is under contract for the next few years.

6. Pittsburgh - Last season's N.L. batting champ played for the Pirates. Yay!

N.L. West
1. Los Angeles - Nomar, Grady, Billy, and all of the former Red Sox on the "Red Sox West" try to get fans in L.A. to appreciate baseball.

2. San Diego - The Padres compete with the Dodgers for the division title and the most former Red Sox players.

3. Arizona - Reacquiring Randy Johnson should help the Diamondbacks out of the N.L. West basement.

4. San Francisco - A declining Barry Zito should see a statistical uptick by switching to the N.L., but a declining Barry Bonds should be spending his nights in jail.

5. Colorado - The Rockies should have traded Todd Helton when they could still get value for him.

Playoffs

Red Sox over Indians
Angels over White Sox

Red Sox over Angels in the ALCS

Mets over Cardinals
Dodgers over Braves

Dodgers over Mets in the NLC

Red Sox over Dodger in the World Series

Awards
A.L. Cy Young - Roy Halladay
A.L. MVP - David Ortiz
N.L. Cy Young - Roy Oswalt
N.L. MVP - David Wright

Back in the Saddle

2007-03-25T13:22:00.000-04:00

The Red Sox finally found a closer this Spring. To paraphrase the Who, "Meet the new closer, same as the old closer". Jonathan Papelbon will be slamming the door shut at the end of Red Sox games this year. This is simply great news for all Sox fans. Papelbon is a better closer than anyone the Sox could have acquired through a trade and he's substantially better than any of the current members of the bullpen.

I had been pulling for either Joel Pineiro or Brendan Donnelly to be dominating enough during Spring Training to convince the fans and management that the Sox had a legitimate closer on the roster. I bought into the theory that Papelbon's shoulder would be better served by pitching on a regular schedule. I agreed that 200 innings from an upper-tier pitcher would help the club more than 60 innings at the end of the game.

That said, I welcome this news with open arms. No one, not Pineiro, Donnelly, Tavarez, Timlin, Delcarmen, or Hansen has demonstrated the desire or consistency to be the closer. Papelbon was easily one of the top five closers in baseball last year. He simply has the makeup and mindset to dominate at the end of a game.

I have to believe that the Sox, both management and the medical staff, along with Papelbon truly believe that his shoulder is not at an increased risk in the closer's role. Maybe I'm just drinking the Kool Aid, but I think that the Sox thought starting would be better for Papelbon this season until they saw how strong his shoulder was this Spring and they saw how bad the bullpen was. I think the team adjusted it's strategy accordingly.

I hope that the team signs Papelbon to a long-term contract soon.

I have the game against the Marlins on in the background. I love the sound of Don Orsillo, Jeremy Remy, the crack of the bat, the snap of the mitt, and the swell of the crowd in the background. It's always been a soothing summer sound to me. I remember being a kid and listening to the game on the TV while I was playing in the yard. I don't have to be actively watching to enjoy the sounds. I think that I do my best napping with a game on.

This is my 100th post since starting the blog. It's taken about a year. At this rate Curt Schilling will pass me by July.

Random Tidbits

2007-03-10T11:56:00.000-05:00

Here are some lingering thoughts from the past week or so.

The Patriots appear to be interested in linebacker Ed Hartwell. I think he'd a be a great pickup for the team if he's healthy. Hartwell can play inside and stop the run. He was great in Baltimore before joining Atlanta as a free agent two years ago. He's been plagued by injuries since joining the Falcons but he's only 28 years old. Even if he's able to compete as a part-time linebacker for the Patriots he could be a nice value signing.

I liked the Minnesota Vikings as a kid and I've been a big Randy Moss fan since his rookie year. I got a nice surprise on Christmas from my parents during Moss' rookie season when my dad was able to find a Moss replica jersey for me. I have never, however, condoned his actions off the field, or often, on the field. He can be a total jackass. I think that he is helpless without proper guidance and leadership on a football team. I think that the Patriots have the stability to reign Moss in, but I don't want him on the Patriots' roster. Moss is on the decline and his attitude sucks. Yes, he might behave in New England, but I don't think he'll put in the effort.

Donte Stallworth isn't high on my list of free agent wide receivers. He's lazy and has never reached his potential. His draft stock shot through the roof based on his 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine. He's rested on his laurels since then. The Saints tried to dump him for at least year before actually doing so. I don't think that Stallworth will bring much to the Patriots as a wide receiver, especially for the amount of money he wants.

I do like Kelley Washington at wide receiver, though. He's a big guy (6' 3") who probably won't require a lot of cash to sign. To the best of my recollection he's had some injury problems, but I don't believe that he's had any attitude or discipline issues.

The Red Sox starting rotation looks like it could be very special this year. I am well aware that Spring Training games are both meaningless and a terrible predictor of regular season performance. However, the starting pitching has been dominant so far this spring. Curt Schilling has been working on a changeup this year. Josh Beckett has been using his curveball effectively. Daisuke Matsuzaka has baffled hitters with his off-speed pitches. Jonathan Papelbon has looked as fiery as a starter as he was as the closer last year. Tim Wakefield has been mixing in a curveball this year. Jon Lester is an amazing story simply being able to compete with the team this spring after being treated for cancer last year.

Schilling has officially joined the blogging the community. His new blog, "38 Pitches", has been an interesting read this week.

Speaking of new bloggers, Rob Bradford also has a new blog this year, "Bradford on Baseball".

I will be adding both links to the sidebar of "Digital Sox" along with a few other new links.

The Sox bullpen has looked simply awful this spring. No one has looked good enough to provide any relief to the fanbase. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) Hansen is fat and out-of-shape causing his back to flare up. Donnelly got crushed the other the day. Pinerio doesn't seem comfortable with his arm slot. Hansack and Delcarmen have failed to impress. Timlin can't even get onto the field. I really hope that the bullpen pulls together, and fast, because the starting pitching is going to go to waste when the real games start if the 'pen struggles this mightily.

On a personal note, we got a new laptop last week. It's a Toshiba Satellite A135-S4467 running Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit). It's a great laptop that I found on sale for a very good price. It has a dual-core 1.6 GHz Centrino processor with 1GB of PC4200 RAM. It comes with a 160 GB SATA hard drive and a dual-layer DVD burner. The screen is a 15.4-inch 1280x800 widescreen display.

I'm quite happy with the laptop and overall I'm rather impressed with Windows Vista. I wouldn't run out and upgrade any computer running Windows XP SP2, but Vista offers some nice upgrades to the overall arrangement of Windows. Many set-up operations, like setting-up a home network, have been streamlined. The overall appearance has been tweaked not only for looks, but also for simplicity and ease-of-use. I also really, really like the new layout of the menu system in Office 2007. Users no longer have to hunt down obscure toolbars or sub-menus to find advanced options.

I'll write-up a detailed Vista and Office 2007 review in the coming days.

Early Presents

2007-03-04T13:52:00.000-05:00

The Patriots have been busy this month delivering early presents to us, the fans. The team has signed free agents Adalius Thomas, Sammy Morris, and Kyle Brady. Wes Welker is reportedly on his way to Gillette Stadium for a visit with team officials. With the free agency period less than a week old, the Patriots have addressed pressing needs at linebacker, running back, wide receiver, and found a replacement at tight end for the soon to be departed Daniel Graham.

Color me surprised. I have speculated about the opportunity for the Patriots to sign Thomas for at least of couple of months, yet I never truly expected the team to do so. I was not entirely convinced that the Baltimore Ravens would allow Thomas to test the free agent market without at least tendering him an offer, which would require compensation from the team that signed him. I also expected that the Patriots would take a slower approach to signing free agents. They have historically waited to sign versatile role players rather than making a large splash by signing the top available talent.

I am thrilled by the potential for Thomas to spend time at inside linebacker, outside linebacker, safety, nickel cornerback, or even defensive end. He's certainly a big boy, weighing a solid 270 pounds. He's got plenty of speed, though. He should be a great addition to the team.

In signing Morris and Brady the Patriots have essentially replaced the just released Corey Dillon and unrestricted free agent Daniel Graham, respectively. That's not to say that Morris and Brady are the same caliber of player as either Dillon or Graham. Morris provides depth at running back and should allow the team more flexibility in upcoming draft. The team will not have to identify a running back to immediately step into a prominent role. Brady is great blocker and will probably be used similarly to the way Graham was.

Welker is another versatile player who will be an upgrade to the team. He's approaching his peak years having spent only three years in the league. Veteran receivers almost always have a greater impact on teams than rookie wide receivers. Ron Borges suggested in the Globe that the Patriots pursue Seattle's Darrell Jackson. Jackson would be a great pickup for a team very weak at wide receiver.

After a frustrating couple of off-seasons, the Pats appear to be giving the fans what they want. I, for one, am thrilled with the new gifts.

Huskies Crushed

2007-03-01T22:27:00.000-05:00

One of the Red Sox split squads pounded the Northeastern Huskies today to the tune of 11-0. Don't feel bad, Huskies, I couldn't hit Josh Beckett, either.

I may be a day late to celebrate the start of meaningless games in the Florida sun, but I'm pretty sure that I've got a dollar or two in my pocket.

Curt Schilling got the exhibition season under way last night for the Sox. Schilling looked impressive in the first inning, especially considering his elevated body-mass-index. He was most noticeably thicker in his jowls.

I watched the first four outs of the game. I wanted to see Ellsbury and Murphy, but I've got to pace myself. There's still over 30 days until opening day.

On the bright side, opening day will be here in just over 30 days.

Man-Crush is in the Air

2007-02-18T10:38:00.000-05:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Spring Training has arrived. Every baseball fan's hope springs eternal. World Series dreams gleam in their eyes. Some are even lucky enough to be in love.

I'm one of them. Okay, so it's a man-crush not actually love. I've had a void to fill ever since Petey joined the Mets. Not wanting to metaphorically find someone else to bed with before the sheets cool down, I’ve been waiting for the right Sox player to come along. Honestly, I can't say who my favorite Sox player was in 2005 or 2006. I’ve had fleeting moments in which I’ve pulled for Papelbon or Hansen to fill my psychological needs. No player has been able to completely do so until now. I have finally found a replacement for my lonely heart.

Daisuke Matsuzaka, I think I man-crush you.

I started visiting the "Matsuzak Watch" blog before the winner of his posted rights was announced. I was intrigued by his potential and mystique. I hoped the Sox would win his rights as he was considered the best pitcher available this off-season.

When the Sox won the right to negotiate with Matsuzaka I began reading more about him. I couldn't get enough. He's been in the spotlight since high school, where he threw a 17-inning, 250-pitch complete game in the Koshien. The more I read the more I saw his dominance and confidence. He actually began to remind me of a certain former Sox ace.

I’ve seen the videos (thanks, Youtube), read the stories, factual (Koshien dominance) and false (he throws the mysterious “gyroball”), and now I’m soaking up the Spring Training coverage. I’ve been watching his press conferences, painful as they may be, and checking out the pictures from Fort Meyers.

Last week I won two Matsuzaka-related EBay auctions. The first was for a Nippon Baseball rookie card. The second was for this sweet t-shirt. I’ve been trying to obtain one of the Nike Seibu Lions jerseys since the Sox won his posted rights. Unfortunately they don’t seem to be available, even in Japan. Now I need to find one of the good Seibu Lions baseball caps.

Daisuke has the swagger, confidence, charisma, and skill to be an ace in Major League Baseball. I’m pulling for him. I’ll be sure to watch every fifth Sox game with renewed zeal this season. Having digested the stats, I’m a true believer that Matsuzaka will be successful from the get-go.

If he isn’t, maybe Varitek will satisfy my cheating heart.

Brockton Ink

2007-02-10T16:57:00.000-05:00

After 10 years of wanting to get a bald eagle tattoo on my right arm, I took the plunge today. I went down to Pins and Needles in Brockton with a colleague of mine and waited for the shop to open. I was like a kid on Christmas day, full of nervous excitement. I had formally decided to get the tattoo in the Fall and had to wait until after my flag football league was over. I had selected the image around the same time. I was anxiously awaiting for today to arrive ever since.

I have wanted a bald eagle tattoo for two reasons. First, I'm very proud to be an Eagle Scout. Second, the bald eagle is a patriotic symbol. My colleague pointed out to me that my feelings were not going to change 10 years from now, so there was no reason to continue delaying the process.

With the increasing popularity of shows about tattoo shops ("Miami Ink", "Inked") the public acceptance of tattoos has seemingly grown in recent years. I certainly have gained a greater appreciation for the artistry of tattoos in the last few years. I don't like all tattoos or all styles, but I think that the right piece on the right person can be very nice.

I had my tattoo done by Phil. I was very pleased with the line drawing and the placement of the tattoo before he began. The completed outline looked great. When he started to do the shading, I was really impressed. I was interested to see the blend of colors to achieve subtle shading and highlights. The overall progression was from dark to light.

I have to admit that the process hurt more than I anticipated. I expected a very sharp pain that would dissipate after the initial needle contact each time the needle was applied. The pain was actually very sharp initially and did dissipate, but would gradually build up again the longer the needle remained in contact with the skin. It also took a little longer than I expected for me to get used to the pain and for the overall intensity to plateau. I expected it to take about five minutes; it took closer to 15. The back of the arm was more intense than the side and front of the arm. I definitely got used to the pain, but I would never say that at any point I was totally comfortable. Repeated needle punctures hurt, plain and simple.

Overall I am very happy and impressed with the tattoo. I can't wait for it to heal and see what the final colors and shading look like. I would recommend Phil for someone looking for a tattoo. It took 10 years, but I'm glad that I got inked today.

Awful Studio Shows

2007-01-21T18:44:00.001-05:00

Shannon Sharpe not only butchers the English language, he does it with
flair. I think that he would be easier to understand if he filled his
gigantic mouth with marbles before speaking. Listening to his AFC
Championship Game prediction was excruciatingly painful. He started
out by quoting the Patriots' "Renee Cartwell". Assuming that he meant
"Reche Caldwell", the quote still made no sense in the context of his
prediction.

I'm sick of the network chuckleheads who handle the pre-game and
halftime segments. Boomer Esiason is the only studio commentator
worth listening to.

I would love to hire Esiason and Chris Collinsworth to handle a
factual and insightful pre-game show. I would hire Trey Wingo to
host. Mark Schlereth and Ron Jaworski could contribute. It would
dominate in this era of Michael Irvin-, Shannon Sharpe-, and Terry
Bradshaw-hosted yukfests.

I hope some network executives see this and agree with me.

Pats Prediction - AFC Championship Game

2007-01-20T17:23:00.000-05:00

Last week: Once again, wow. The Pats managed to gut out a difficult win against a very good team in the San Diego Chargers. Gostkowski was great, going 3-for-3 on field goals. Troy Brown saved the season when he stripped Marlon McCree after McCree had intercepted a fourth-down pass from Brady.

Ladainian Tomlinson of course played the sour grapes card after the game, complaining about Ellis Hobbs celebration at mid-field. I, for one, was thrilled that someone from the Pats imitated the ridiculous Merriman dance. I told my wife before the game that I was hoping the Pats would win and do just that. I'm glad the general consensus in the national media was that LT should shut his trap. LT's sad attempt to blame Belichick for the celebration of his players was a stretch. Maybe the Pats should send LT some popcorn (and sour grapes) to enjoy while he watches the AFC Championship Game tomorrow.

Reg. Season Record: 9-7 straight up, 4-10-2 against the spread.
Playoff Record: 2-0 straight up, 1-1 against the spread.

AFC Championship Game Favorite: Indianapolis (-3)

I feel extremely relaxed about tomorrow's game. In fact, I called my father not fifteen seconds after the game ended last week and left him the following voicemail: "We're going to the Super Bowl!"

The Colts cannot, and will not, hang with the Patriots. I don't care how well the Colts defense has played for two whole weeks. Both the Chiefs and Ravens had simply awful gameplans and terrible play calling against Indy. The last time I checked Bill Belichick could outcoach Herm Edwards, Brian Billick, and the ghost of Vince Lombardi combined. Tony Dungy is only slightly better than Marty Schottenheimer in the playoffs. He can't make the necessary in-game adjustments to beat a team smarter than his.

Peyton Manning has looked like crap in the playoffs. He's thrown 1 TD against 5 INTs. He should have 7 INTs, save for Ray Lewis deflecting two sure picks. Peyton is going to smell like crap when he dumps in his pants tomorrow. He's simply not a good leader. He likes the adoration of being a QB, but he feels entitled. He's been groomed to be a QB for so long that he probably doesn't remember wanting to be an astronaut or a fireman as a child. After tomorrow's game seals his legacy as a great regular season QB who couldn't hack it in the playoffs, he'll wish that he had become an astronaut.

Tom Brady's mechanics were inconsistent last Sunday. Is there any doubt that he will be anything less than rock-solid perfect with his mechanics tomorrow? The Colts pass rush pales in comparison to San Diego's. I bet that Brady could try some left-handed throws for fun tomorrow if he wanted to.

Belichick will combine a spread offense with a strong rushing game to gash the Colts. Manning will choke on the field like a man choking on a sausage when he tries to play catch-up. The Colts might want to consider moving out of Indy in the middle of the night after the game.

Prediction: Patriots 30, Colts 20

What a Game!

2007-01-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a game yesterday. I was more excited to watch the Patriots - Chargers game yesterday than any playoff game since Super Bowl XXXVI against the Rams. The 2003 and 2004 Patriots teams were simply better than everyone else and winning Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX just felt like the natural conclusion to those seasons.

The 2006 Patriots don't feel like a team of destiny. The Patriots clearly have the pedigree and tradition of winning that helps a team to win close games late in the season and in the playoffs. They simply weren't overwhelming or dominating at any point this year. The defense quietly set a new franchise record for fewest points allowed in a season but never seemed to take over games or force many turnovers or sacks. Brady has a bunch of no name receivers and has had some uncharacteristically bad games this year. All in all, it's been a weird season. I hope it ends with a victory.

Pats Prediction - Divisional Playoff

2007-01-14T12:05:00.000-05:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: The Pats turned a close game into a blowout thanks to a couple of timely plays by the defense. First, Roosevelt Colvin deflected a lateral that Vince Wilfork smartly picked up and ran back 31 yards. Second, Asante Samuel did an excellent job to leave his receiver and jump the pass route to nab another interception and score a backbreaking touchdown. If the Jets had scored on that possession, they still would have been in the game. Samuel put the Pats up by 21 and took the life out of the Jets.

Regular Season Record: 9-7 straight up, 4-10-2 against the spread.
Playoff Record: 1-0 straight up, 0-1 against the spread.

AFC Divisional Playoff Favorite: San Diego (-4.5)

I think that the San Diego Chargers are overhyped and overrated. That said, I believe the Chargers are still one of the two or three best teams in football this year. The Chargers' defense is the reason the team is overhyped. They had some great games against weak teams (Oakland, Tennesee) yet they gave up 41 points to Cincinnati, 30 to KC, and 25 to Cleveland. They won a lot of games by less than 10 points. The fact that San Diego had such a powerful offense allowed the defense to look better than it was. San Diego controlled the clock on the ground and with a short passing game. The team rarely trailed in games this season. For those two reasons, the defense was able to pad its stats against the run and the pass; opponents didn't run on the Chargers as much as most teams because they fell behind and the Chargers' D could tee off on quarterbacks trying to play catch-up through the air.

I think that the key for the Patriots is to stop Antonio Gates. He is Philip Rivers' safety blanket. I think that the Patriots' run defense is good enough to contain LT today. I would consider 100 yards or so and two or fewer scores a victory for our defense. If the Patriots can score first and make San Diego play from behind, even more pressure will fall on Rivers' shoulders. I think that by shutting down Gates the Patriots will be able to force Rivers to make mistakes. Those mistakes will be the difference in the game.

Prediction: Patriots 27, Chargers 24

Pats Prediction - AFC Wild Card

2007-01-07T12:58:00.001-05:00

The Pats are favored by 8.5 today. I like New England 24-17 over the Jets.

NFL Week 17 - Pats Prediction

2006-12-31T11:45:00.000-05:00

Pats Prediction:

My internet connection has been flaky this week. I couldn't get online to post anything last week. I would have predicted the Jaguars to prevail 24-20 over the Patriots and cover the spread. Scout's honor. I'm taking two losses for last week.

Last week: The Pats used a spread offense to dominate the time of possesion against the Jaguars. Maurice Jones-Drew made Tully Banta-Cain and Tedy Bruschi look foolish at times. The Pats had just enough to hold off the Jaguars in the end.

Season record: 8-7 straight up, 4-9-2 against the spread.

Week 17 Favorite: Tennessee (-3.5)

The Pats need help from Miami (facing the Colts) to secure the #3 seed in the AFC. They know they will be playing next week at home. They simply don't know who their opponent will be. They really don't have a lot to play for today other than pride. I think the Patriots present a more difficult challange to the Titans than some of the teams the Titans have suprised in recent weeeks. Tennessee is fighting to make the playoffs. I like the Patriots to win today and keep my straight-up record above .500.

Prediction: Patriots 17, Titans 13

Wily Mo versus Big Papi

2006-12-19T21:54:00.000-05:00

I was bored tonight because there was nothing on TV. I started comparing David Ortiz's stats to Wily Mo's. I looked as far back as the three years prior to joining the Sox since they both played a similar amount in the three prior years and had about the same relative Major League service. I was curious to see if I could find similar trends that would lead me to think Wily Mo Pena could someday be as dangerous at the plate as Señor Octubre.

Here are the raw numbers. Sorry for the lame embedded image; Blogger sucks at formatting charts and tables and doesn't allow users to paste tables:

A few stats jumped out at me. WMP really had a power decrease this year as evidenced by his HR% (HR/AB*100). He dropped from the 6-7% range down to just under 4% this year. His wrist injury probably contributed to that, but the drop is worth noting.

Ortiz stayed at a fairly consistent HR rate, but dipped to slightly under 5% in 2002, a year in which his plate discipline was worse as seen by a higher AB-per-walk ratio. I believe he was also recovering from wrist and knee surgeries in 2002, but I haven't been able to track down the surgery dates yet. Big Papi has been rocking at about 7% HR or better since joining the Sox. Wily Mo has shown the same potential as evidence by his HR rate in his two final seasons in Cincinnati.

Both players also earned an RBI between 15 and 20% of the time (RBI/AB*100) before joining the Sox. Ortiz jumped to 22% or more every year since he arrived in Boston. This again bodes well for Wily Mo.

The bad news is that Ortiz, who had a reputation as a player with a hole in his swing, was much more disciplined at the plate. He was drawing walks at a rate of about one per every 7.5 ABs. WMP draws walks at half that rate, or about one per every 14.5 ABs.

Ortiz also had a much lower strikeout rate before joining the Red Sox. Ortiz would strikeout about 20% of the time (K/AB*100). Wily Mo Pena strikes out nearly 33% of the time.

The universally accepted theory is that Red Sox staff fixed the hole in David Ortiz's swing which resulted in his increased productivity. Fixing the hole in his swing may have increased Ortiz's HR rate, but he also improved his plate discipline since joining the Sox while maintaining a consistent strikeout rate. These factors combined have yielded the amazing results we've given witness to over the last four seasons.

Wily Mo needs to seriously reduce his strikeout rate to become a more productive hitter. The slight uptick in his batting average was nice this year but his lack of power rendered it less effective. His homerun and RBI rates are good enough to provide middle-of-the-order power, but his walk and strikeout rates are poor enough to keep him batting 6th or lower in the lineup. For Wily Mo to turn the corner he needs to reach for the stars, not swing for them.

NFL Week 15 - Pats Prediction

2006-12-17T09:24:00.000-05:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: The Dolphins whipped the Pats by a score of 21-0. The Pats looked terrible. Brady had no time to throw and took a number of hits. The running game was lost without Maroney. Simply an awful game last week. The Patriots are clearly a flawed team this year.

Season record: 7-6 straight up, 4-7-2 against the spread.

Week 15 Favorite: New England (-12)

The Patriots looked terrible last week. They struggled against the Lions the week before. I don't expect them to dominate today. If the offensive line plays as poorly as they did in Miami, Mario Williams may actually look like a #1 overall draft pick today.

I think the Pats win today but they once again struggle with an inferior opponent.

Prediction: Patriots 20, Texans 13

Konichiwa Matsuzaka-san!

2006-12-15T09:09:00.000-05:00

The Red Sox completed a deal with Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka-san at the 11th hour yesterday. I haven't been this excited about the Sox acquiring a pitcher since the Duke obtained Pedro Martinez before the 1998 season. Theo and Company did a brilliant job staring down the devil (agent Scott Boras) in the high stakes poker game of negotiations and forcing him to fold. I think the deal is a great one for the Sox; Matsuzaka-san is under contract for six years at a reasonable salary. In fact, his salary is in line with the extension the Sox gave Josh Beckett last year. I think that the Red Sox and Scott Boras were both wrong in how they viewed the $51.1 million that the Red Sox posted for the rights to Matsuzaka-san. Boras was wrong to think that the posting amount should in any way correlate to the player's salary. The Sox were wrong to view the posting fee as part of the contract offered to the player. I think that the posting fee needs to be completely disregarded as soon as the winning bid is announced. The Sox are going to pay Daisuke Matsuzaka-san more than any Japanese baseball player ever and more than any untested foreign player. That's a great deal for the player and considering that the average annual value is less than $9 million it's also a great deal for the Red Sox.

Daisuke-san may or may not need a new nickname. I think his current nickname of "Monster" is fine. It works well considering that he'll be pitching his home games in Fenway Park with the "Green Monster" at his back. I seriously don't want people or the press to call him "D-Mat". I hate the "first initial, hyphen, first syllable of last name" nicknames. They aren't real nicknames. I hate "A-Rod", "I-Rod", "A-Gon", "T-Mac", "J-Wil", and every other iteration. If you hear someone refer to Daisuke-san as "D-Mat", please punch them in the mouth for me. For now I'm sticking with either "Monster", or "Pedro 2: Electric Boogaloo". I think I prefer the former.

The good news for Johnny Damon fans is that their home jerseys, with #18 on the back, are now a hot item again. I'm trying to locate a Seibu Lions #18 jersey. Nike appears to manufacture the uniforms for Nippon Baseball, but they don't seem to sell them stateside. It's too bad because the jerseys are nice and Nike is missing out on a revenue stream. I wonder if they are barred from selling the jerseys in the U.S. because they aren't the official jersey manufacturer of Major League Baseball. Any way you slice it, I think Seibu Lions jerseys would be big sellers in the New England area right now.

Northshore Dragons win Super Bowl III

2006-12-12T18:07:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to the Northshore Dragons, DFFL Super Bowl III Champions! After a grueling regular season the Dragons made it to the "Chip" without the benefit of a bye. The Dragons were an expansion team this year and used speed and athleticism to win it all.

Alright, so the handsome devil in the Oakleys is me! It was great playing with everyone this year, my first in the DFFL. I can't wait to defend the title next year.

Mingo, Shizz, Keith, Moose, Fred, MD, Gene, Rambo V, Tubbz, Brandon, Bo, Gabby, Dustin, and Ray, thanks for a great season!

NFL Week 14 - Pats Prediction

2006-12-09T19:49:00.000-05:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: The Lions certainly put a scare into the Patriots last week. The Pats looked sloppy while committing a number of stupid penalties. Thankfully Tom Brady is still Tom Brady and he led a fourth quarter touchdown drive that gave the Pats a 28-21 win.

Season record: 7-5 straight up, 4-6-2 against the spread.

Week 14 Favorite: New England (-3.5)

The Dolphins have been playing better football lately. Joey Harrington has settled in at quarterback. The Dolphins' defense always seems to give New England trouble. I think this game could be a trap game for the Patriots. However, their incredible sloppy play last week makes me think they will be extra focused and determined to play clean football this week. For that reason I think the Pats win a game that will play out not too dissimilar from the Bears game two weeks ago. I think the Pats get the early lead and keep the Dolphins at bay.

Prediction: Patriots 27, Dolphins 17

A Traveshamockery! - Update

2006-12-03T21:22:00.000-05:00

I'm pissed that the jackholes who vote in the AP and USA Today Coach's polls have elevated Florida over Michigan. Now Florida is going to play Ohio State (and get destroyed) in the National Championship game. It's a travesty, sham, and a mockery that the morons who vote would penalize Michigan for being idle. Florida was not impressive last night against Arkansas. That didn't stop CBS' commentators from slurping Florida and the SEC. Way to kiss ass to the conference you are in bed with, CBS.

Michigan had a more difficult road schedule this year, playing at Notre Dame, at Penn State, and at Ohio State. Three of Florida's four toughest games were played at the Swamp. The Big Ten conference plays more difficult out-of-conference games than the SEC. Michigan has better athletes on both the offensive and defensive lines. Florida won't even be able to stay close to Ohio State in January. I don't care what Florida coach Urban Meyer thinks.

At least ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski has some common sense.

The NCAA needs a division I playoff. The top four, or preferably, eight, teams should play in December and January. There would be no controversy and some of the top athletes would be better prepared for the longer NFL season. The BCS system has failed repeatedly; LSU, Auburn, and now Michigan, among others, have all been screwed over by the system.

I also think the Coach's poll should be abolished. Michigan was screwed over in the Coach's poll in 1997. The Wolverines were ranked #1 in both polls and beat a very good Washington State team led by Ryan Leaf. Nebraska, which also finished an undefeated season, leapfrogged the Wolverines in the final Coach's poll once coach-turned-senator Tom Osborne announced his retirement. The obvious swing in votes were driven by the same type of idiots who voted Florida over Michigan this week.

I for one, hope that the NCAA gets it right sooner rather than later.

Update: ESPN's Pat Forde also has a little common sense.

Go Blue! And NFL Week 13 - Pats Prediction

2006-12-02T21:18:00.000-05:00

First of all, let me congratulate the University of Michigan Wolverines on earning a trip to the national championship game in January. The UCLA Bruins beat #2 ranked USC today virtually ensuring the Wolverines a rematch against Ohio State on a neutral field. I was of the opinion before the Ohio State - Michigan game that they should play again for all the marbles if the game was close. The game and the events following have done nothing to change my opinion. I don't think that USC or Florida played as difficult a road schedule as Michigan did this year. The Wolverines were the most worthy opponent in my mind before UCLA's assist today. I'm confident that the two polls will get it right, especially if Arkansas continues to hang tight with Florida. Michigan should get a rematch. GO BLUE!

Pats Prediction:

Last week: The game played out pretty much as I predicted. It was even more physical than I expected and had more turnovers than I would have liked. It was certainly fun to watch, though.

I hope that Junior Seau will at least give serious consideration to playing with the Pats again next year. He's been better than I expected this year. It was tough watching the replays of his leg being snapped last Sunday.

I thought the turf looked nice. The playing surface appeared level and even throughout. I'd like to see FieldTurf in person some day. I played an ultimate disc scrimmage at Wentworth's turf field (not FieldTurf) and it was like brillo against the skin - not pretty.

Season record: 6-5 straight up, 3-6-2 against the spread.

Week 13 Favorite: New England (-14)

The Lions still stink. Matt Millen hasn't shown that he has what it takes to guide them to even mediocrity. That said, I still think any double digit spread is difficult to bet with. I think New England should win easily. I just don't think they will win by as many points as Vegas does.

Prediction: Patriots 27, Lions 17

Grading My 2006 Red Sox Predictions

2006-11-26T20:24:00.000-05:00

My predictions for the 2006 Red Sox were posted back in April. I'm overdue to review my predictions against the actual stats. Predictions are in black. Actual numbers are in red. The grades in red are my personal assessment of my predictions, not my grades for the type of season the player had.

I completely missed the mark with my predicted win total of 98 and the division crown. The Sox finished with 86 wins and a third place finish in the A.L. East. I certainly didn't think they would completely tank the way they did down the stretch. The team trotted out more journeymen prospect type players the last two months of the season than many cellar dweller teams. Grade: C-

Hitters
Crisp: .310 (.264) 14 (8) HR 61 (36) RBI 32 (22) SB
In my mind Crisp never fully recovered from his broken finger in April. The off-season surgery on the finger would seem to confirm my suspicions. Having broken my knuckle, I know that Crisp was at least playing with pain in the hand when he returned last year. Grade: C

Loretta: .301 (.285) 11 (5) HR 78 (59) RBI
Loretta was the epitome of professional. He was fairly consistent at the plate although he did have some ups and downs. He was steady in the field all year. He will be missed next year. Grade: C+

Ortiz: .317 (.287) 43 (54) HR 141 (137) RBI
Ortiz had another MVP-caliber season, finishing third in the MVP voting. He set a new Red Sox single season record for homeruns. His HR and RBI totals were awesome. His batting average suffered a little from the numerous defensive shifts he faced when at the plate. Grade: B

Ramirez: .276 (.321) 34 (35) HR 118 (102) RBI
Ramirez seemed to prove that his troubles early in the 2005 season were a fluke; he had no problems hitting for his usual high average this year. He phoned in the end of the season, though, or his power numbers would be even higher. Grade: B-

Nixon: .272 (.268) 18 (8) HR 102 (52) RBI
Nixon, a true Red Sox dirt dog, saw his numbers fall into the toilet this year much like the content at Boston Dirt Dogs. Injuries once again plagued Trot and crippled his production. Thanks for the memories, Trot. Grade: D+

Varitek: .289 (.238) 15 (12) HR 94 (55) RBI
Varitek's numbers fell off a cliff this year. Yes, he spent some time on the DL. I hope the numbers are more reflective of injury and/or an off season than of old age catching up to a catcher in his 30's. Grade: D

Lowell: .264 (.284) 23 (20) HR 87 (80) RBI
Lowell had a nice bounce-back season at the plate. It's too bad that his extra-base hits dropped off as the season wore on and that he couldn't bat fifth to protect Ortiz and Manny. His defense was phenomenal and he deserved the Gold Glove. He had a higher fielding percentage and more chances than Eric Chavez, so his one more error should not have been the difference in winning or losing the award. Sadly, the Gold Glove means less than a Grammy award these days as the voting is a complete joke. Grade: B

Youkilis: .271 (.279) 12 (13) HR 76 (72) RBI
Youkilis was on base at a hearty .381 clip. He led the league in pitches per plate appearance. He was great with runners in scoring position and even better with runners in scoring position and two outs. He hit everywhere he was asked to in the order. He was a pleasant defensive surprise at first base. A solid season landed him the Hank and Sandy Most Valuable Jewish Player Award. Grade: A-

Gonzalez: .247 (.255) 10 (9) HR 52 (50) RBI
Gonzalez was exactly as advertised: excellent defense with no bat. He actually had a higher batting average most of the season, but played hurt late in the year and his BA tanked. He was even more deserving of a Gold Glove than Lowell. The fact that Jeter won the award illustrates the total incompetence of the voters. Grade: A

Pena: .239 (.301) 14 (11) HR 34 (42) RBI
I though Wily Mo made strides at the plate this year. He had a huge hole in his swing in April that he seemed to correct later in the year. He still strikes out a lot but he's a monster when he connects solidly. A defensive liability, he could be the everyday center fielder, with Crisp in left, if (when?) Manny is traded this off-season. Grade: C+

Pedroia: .286 (.191) 1 (2) HR 18 (7) RBI
The would-be starting second baseman for the 2007 Red Sox looked overmatched at the plate in a brief call up this year. I hope he looks better next year if the Sox don't bring Loretta back. Grade: C-

Pitchers
Easily the downfall of the 2006 Red Sox season. We didn't have enough pitching in the end. It seems like everyone was either hurt or stinking up the joint. Schilling's starts used to provide a sense of comfort but last year he allowed too many big innings late in games. Beckett never seemed to let Varitek call games and relied too much on his fastball. Wakefield stunk when Bard was catching him, didn't do a lot better with Mirabelli, and spent time on the DL. Tubby took a shot to the knee and missed most of the season before returning in time to be traded. Matt Clement disappeared. Keith Foulke was as bad as expected early in the year. Foulke's shaky start did open the door for the one bright spot of the staff, Jonathan Papelbon. Papelbon was excellent before hurting his shoulder. He set a new Red Sox rookie record for saves and had an E.R.A. under 1.00. Jon Lester impressed before his season was shut down. I hope that he is able to fully treat his cancer and lead a fulfilling life. Craig Hansen and Manny Delcarman were disappointing but showed brief flashes.

Schilling: 20-7 (15-7) 3.62 (3.97) ERA Grade: B-
Wakefield: 14-12 (7-11) 4.53 (4.63) ERA Grade: C
Beckett: 20-8 (16-11) 3.44 (5.01) ERA Grade: C-
Clement: 16-10 (5-5) 3.98 (6.61) ERA Grade: D
Wells: 9-9 (2-3) 4.47 (4.98) ERA Grade: D+
Papelbon: 7-3 (4-2) 3.16 (0.92) ERA 14 (35) S 1 (6) BS Grade: D+
Foulke: 2-5 (3-1) 3.88 (4.35) ERA 11 (0) S 4 (0) BS Grade: C
Hansen: 2-1 (2-2) 2.74 (6.63) ERA 10 (0) S 2 (2) BS Grade: C-

NFL Week 12 - Pats Prediction

2006-11-26T12:04:00.000-05:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: The Pats put a whuppin' on a lower tier team (the Packers) last week. The 35-0 score demonstrated a perfectly executed gameplan for the good guys. Green Bay wasn't even in the game. I hope they continue to fire on all cylinders today.

Season record: 5-5 straight up, 3-6-1 against the spread.

Week 12 Favorite: New England (-4)

The Bears have feasted on lesser teams in the NFC this year. They haven't beaten anyone who impresses me. The Vikings, with whom the Bears struggled, are not as good as they looked a month ago. Rex Grossman has terrible mechanics, especially under pressure. The Bears should have lost on Monday night to the Cardinals this year. Ricky Manning, Jr.'s suspension comes at a bad time for Chicago.

Brady is 19-1 on turf in his career. He will now be playing his home games on FieldTurf. The Pats have the horses on defense to pressure Grossman. They also have enough on offensive to attack the Bears on the ground and in the air. I think the Pats will take an early lead and keep Chicago at bay today.

Prediction: Patriots 20, Bears 17

NFL Week 11 - Pats Prediction

2006-11-19T09:28:00.000-05:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: I can't figure out the Patriots this year. For the second straight week they abandoned the run against a team with a poor run defense. I've heard people defend the team by saying they are adjusting to the defense, but I don't buy that excuse. I don't care if the Colts or Jets put 8 guys in the box - run the damn ball! The Jets beat the Pats 17-14 last week, dropping New England to 2-3 at home. For the first time in four years the Patriots lost two games in a row. Let's all hope that the new FieldTurf improves the Pats' chances at home rest of the year.

Season record: 4-5 straight up, 2-6-1 against the spread.

Week 9 Favorite: New England (-6)

I hope that Patriots can continue their success on the road this year (4-0). I honestly don't know what to expect today, though. I hope (think?) they will play with a purpose today and get a much needed win before playing the Bears at home next week.

Prediction: Patriots 27, Packers 20

NFL Week 10 - Pats Prediction

2006-11-12T09:26:00.000-05:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: The Colts beat the Pats legitimately this year. Brady had terrible numbers with 4 INTs, but played better than that. Three of the four INTs were tipped. Kevin Faulk cost the Pats a chance to tie the game when he couldn't hold onto a short pass over the middle. The Colts managed a 27-20 victory. At least Vinatieri missed two field goals.

Season record: 4-4 straight up, 1-6-1 against the spread.

Week 9 Favorite: New England (-10.5)

I have no doubt that the Pats will beat the Jets today. I don't think they will cover the spread, though. A ten point spread in the NFL is a lot to ask any team. Mangini has proven to be a pretty good coach this year, but the Jets don't yet have the talent to match the Patriots. Belichick needs to redeem himself after screwing up the gameplan in the second half against the Colts last week.

Prediction: Patriots 24, Jets 16

NFL Week 9 - Pat's Prediction

2006-11-05T14:46:00.000-05:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: Wow. The Pats beatdown the Vikings in Minnesota. I heard a caller on WEEI last Friday afternoon say that the score would be 31-10 in favor of the Pats because the Vikings had no chance to keep up with the Pats. That guy was a lot closer than I was. The final score was actually 31-7. New England’s game plan was simply brilliant. Score another one for Bill Belichick and his staff. A tough 0-2 week for me, although I'm happy to be wrong.

Season record: 4-3 straight up, 1-5-1 against the spread.

Week 9 Favorite: New England (-3)

Strangely enough the Colts don’t scare me this week. Facing a defense that is allowing a whopping 5.2 yards per carry I could probably hold my own as the featured back in the Patriot’s offense this week. I expect the Pats to come out throwing the football because everyone thinks they will pound the ball on the ground. After they knock the Colts back on their heels with the aerial attack I expect them to unleash Dillon and Maroney. I think Belichick can (and will) coach circles around the very overrated Tony Dungy. Dungy and Brian Billick are two coaches who were erroniously granted “genious” status because of the schemes and personnel they had as coordinators. In addition to the gameplans in place Peyton Manning has never beaten the Pats in a meaningful game. He can have last year’s victory; it was a hollow win against a depleted Patriots team without Harrison and Seymour among others. I think the Pats will control the clock and the game without much trouble.

Prediction: Patriots 34, Colts 24

NFL Week 8 - Pats Prediction

2006-10-29T21:43:00.000-05:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: Oops. My bye week lasted an extra week. Blame it on my flag football league, the DFFL, which plays on Sunday mornings and business travel. I went to Philly and back for a site audit on the 20th and was slightly frazzled all weekend. I hate flying to Philly or Newark because the return flights to Boston never leave on time. I forgot to post the Pats Prediction last Saturday and I don’t have the chance to do so on Sunday mornings. By the time I get home the 1PM games are underway.

I’m not even sure what the spread was for last week’s game. I’m going to guess that the spread was between 4 and 10 points and that the Patriots were favored.

Here’s where you have to trust me; I am an Eagle Scout, after all. I would have taken the points last week, but said that the Patriots would prevail. The Bills’ defense gives Brady trouble (they did have three sacks) and the Pats were on the road. I still felt, correctly, that the Pats were a far better team than Buffalo. The Bills need at least one more year to be contenders in the AFC East. They need to shore up the offensive line, get a possesion receiver, and let Losman progress naturally for the remainder of this season. I would not have expected the blowout, though.

Season record: 4-2 straight up, 1-4-1 against the spread.

Week 8 Favorite: New England (-2.5)

The Monday night game this week scares me a little bit. The Vikings are a very good team. They aren’t truly a great team yet because they have let a couple of games slip away. They do play very well at home and the Metrodome is a very loud stadium. If this game were being played in New England, I would pick the Patriots outright. This game isn’t being played in New England and I have a hard time predicting the outcome. I can see several possibly scenarios: a low scoring defensive game (favoring the Vikes), a high scoring shootout (favoring the Pats), or something in the middle. I’m hedging my bets on this one and predicting something in the middle, a game that could really go either way.

Prediction: Vikings 24, Patriots 23.

Shame on "the U"

2006-10-21T12:25:00.000-04:00

The brawl that occurred between the University of Miami and Florida
International University football teams last Saturday night was a
black eye on the face of college athletics. The brawl was so raucaus
and nasty that it was more like a broken nose with the complimentary
pair of black eyes. Not surprisingly, the melee resulted in 31
players receiving at least a one game suspension.

FIU did the honorable thing and held its players accountable for their
actions. Some of the FIU players received increased suspensions, were
kicked off the team, or had their scholarships revoked.

Meanwhile, "the U" took the low road and maintained its much deserved
public image of a university more interested in coddling thug football
players than in preparing the youth of America for life after college.
Miami President Donna Shalala should be ashamed and embarrassed by her
actions this week.

Shalala failed to take any significant action after the brawl. In
fact, the only action she took was to avoid watching the tape of the
incident. How can the head of a major university do her job by
sticking her head in the sand? Shalala caved to boosters and the
football program when she decided to ignore the problem.

At an absolute minimum Shalala should have expelled the player who was
swinging his helmet at FIU player's heads and Brandon Merriweather,
the defensive captain, who was stomping on at least two prone FIU
players with his cleats.

Donna Shalala is a joke of a leader and should be fired. Head Coach
Larry Coker should follow her out the door. Miami needs to start at
the top with this housecleaning.

NFL Week 5 - Pats Prediction

2006-10-08T00:09:00.000-04:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: Bengals were favored by 6. I said the Bengals would beat the Pats 30 - 20. I was very happy to not only be wrong, but to be way off base. The final score was 38 - 13 New England.

I would like to thank my wife for helping the Patriots win in Cincinnati last week. She left the room and the Pats scored their first touchdown. She fell asleep for 10 minutes and the Pats scored their second touchdown. She went for a walk with my mother and the Pats scored 24 unanswered points in the second half.

Season record: 2-2 straight up, 1-3 against the spread.

Week 4 Favorite: New England (-10)

Prediction: Pats 27, Miami 20.

Miami looks terrible so far this year. If Culpepper sits in favor of Harrington this week, the Dolphins offense might actually be better than it has been to date. The last time a team that wasn't playing well faced the Patriots was the loss to Denver at home. I'm not convinced that the game will be a cakewalk today. I'll take the points but the Pats will win.

Money Can't Buy Me Love...

2006-10-07T19:42:00.000-04:00

...and it can't buy George Steinbrenner a championship. All $200+ million dollars of Georgie Porgie's payroll couldn't buy the 27th world championship for the New York Yankees.

Celebrate tonight, but do it safely. It's always a good day when the Yankees lose and it's always a great day when they are elminated from the playoffs. Good luck Tigers fans.

NFL Week 4 - Pats Prediction

2006-10-01T13:42:00.000-04:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: Pats were favored by 7. I said New England would beat Denver 31 - 27. The actual outcome was 17 - 7 Broncos.

Season record: 2-1 straight up, 1-2 against the spread.

Week 4 Favorite: Cincinnati (-6)

Prediction: Bengals 30, Pats 20.

The Bengals are rolling offensively. They can run the ball and have one of the best passing offenses in football. They are ball hawks on defense. This is my first predicted New England defeat of the season.

Don't get me wrong, I'm completely rooting for the Pats, but my head says the Bengals are too good, especialy at home, for the Pats this week.

NFL Week 3 - Pats Prediction

2006-09-24T08:42:00.000-04:00

Pats Prediction:

Last week: Pats favored by 6.5 points. I said 24 - 20 Pats over the Jets. The actual score was 24 - 17 New England.

Season record: 2-0 Straight Up, 0-2 Against the Spread

Week 2 Favorite: New England (-7)

Prediction: 31 - 27 New England over Denver

Mike Shannahan has had success against the Patriots in the past so I expect this game to be a high scoring affair. Jake Plummer has really struggled this year and has had difficulty against Bill Belichick in the past. I think the net result is another Patriots victory. I'm glad that Pats get to face Denver at home and I'm glad it's early in the season before Denver has put everything together. This was a game I indentified on the schedule that could be a loss.

NFL Week 2 - Pats Prediction

2006-09-16T22:25:00.000-04:00

Pats Prediction:

Last Week: Pats favored by 10 points. I said 27 - 13 New England over Buffalo. The actual score was 19 - 17 New England.

Season Record: 1-0 Straight Up, 0-1 Against the Spread

Week 2 Favorite: New England (-6.5)

Prediction: 24 - 20 Pats over Jets

A Close Shave, A Pruned Branch

2006-09-11T17:34:00.000-04:00

The Buffalo Bills defense came to play yesterday. So much for my predicted score this week. I'm now officially 1-0 straight up and 0-1 against the spread. The more predicitions I make the happier I am that I'm not a gambler.

Both teams played a sloppy game yesterday. Losman looked rattled and confused. Brady looked just plain bad at times. I don't know how much of Brady's trouble stemmed from poor offensive line play, but his fourth quarter interception was a poorly thrown ball no matter what Phil Simms says. Watson beat the safety and should have made a huge gain on the play. The ball simply didn't travel far enough; it was short and to the inside and the safety made the easy play.

Deion Branch was traded to Seattle today for a 1st round draft pick. It will be interesting to see what the Patriots do with two first round picks next year. I'm actually surprised they managed to get a first round pick. I think the Seahawks made a knee-jerk reaction to their poor play yesterday. Start rooting for the Seahawks opponents this year. There is a streak of Super Bowl losers (the last six or so) failing to make the playoffs the following year. I hope it continues.

I still think Branch's agent, Jason Chayut, is a complete idiot. Branch and all parties involved would have been happier if he could have agreed to an extension with the Patriots. Now Branch stands to be exposed as a top 25 to top 35 receiver. It seems Chayut has convinced Branch that he's a top 10 receiver. In reality Branch is probably somewhere in the 15-25 range. He should have accepted one of the Patriots' offers.

NFL Week 1 - Pats Prediction

2006-09-09T16:56:00.000-04:00

The NFL season shifts into high gear tomorrow at 1PM. I can't wait!

I'm also playing flag football tomorrow morning in an organized league. I can't wait to start the first game of the season. I don't know how I'll sleep tonight.

I decided to predict the Patriots results each week straight up and also to include the spread. This will give me two chances to be right (or wrong) each week. I'll use Bodog.com for the spread on Saturdays unless otherwise noted.

Pats Prediction:

Last Week: N/A

Week 1 Favorite: New England (-10)

Prediction: 27 - 13 New England over Buffalo

So, as you can see, I'm predicting New England straight up and I'm predicting they cover the spread. I'll keep track of the two results separately for the season.

I'm Ready For Some Football

2006-09-06T18:11:00.000-04:00

Since I'm ultra-confident that I'll successfully defend my Fantasy Football crown this season, I figure I'm well qualified to predict the outcome of the NFL season. Here's my prediction by division. Wild card winners for each conference are in italics and have a * after the name.

AFC EAST
12-4 New England Patriots
10-6 Miami Dolphins *
5-11 Buffalo Bills
2-14 New York Jets

The Pats could go 14-2 this year. I don't buy into the Miami hype, but they do have a relatively favorable schedule. The Bills and Jets are awful.

AFC NORTH
11-5 Cincinnati Bengals
9-7 Baltimore Ravens
8-8 Pittsburgh Steelers
7-9 Cleveland Browns

The AFC North could have a dogfight at the top of the division as the Bengals, Steelers, and Steve McNair-led Ravens team all have a shot at the division. I think injuries to McNair and Roethlisberger will derail the Ravens and Steelers, though.

AFC SOUTH
12-4 Indianapolis Colts
8-8 Jacksonville Jaguars
6-10 Houston Texans
4-12 Tennessee Titans

The Colts run away with the division. The Texans make a baby step forward. The Vince Young era begins in Tennessee.

AFC WEST
10-6 San Diego Chargers
10-6 Kansas City Chiefs *
9-7 Denver Broncos
5-11 Oakland Raiders

The Chargers ride their defense and LT to the division title. Likewise, the Chiefs ride LJ and an improved defense to the playoffs. Broncos fans get to see Jay Cutler a little earlier than they had hoped.

NFC EAST
10-6 Philadelphia Eagles
9-7 Dallas Cowboys *
7-9 New York Giants
6-10 Washington Redskins

The Eagles got rid of clubhouse cancer Terrell Owens and can't possibly get hit with the injury bug as hard as they were last year. Meanwhile the afformentioned T.O. behaves enough during his first year in Dallas to earn a playoff berth. The overrated and overhyped Giants and Redskins fall by the wayside.

NFC NORTH
9-7 Chicago Bears
8-8 Minnesota Vikings
6-10 Detroit Lions
6-10 Green Bay Packers

The worst division in football allows the Bears defense to once again rise to the top of the division. Brett Favre will wish he had retired.

NFC SOUTH
11-5 Carolina Panthers
9-7 Tampa Bay Buccanears
8-8 Atlanta Falcons
6-10 New Orleans Saints

The Panthers are very good team but I don't think they will completely outdistance themselves from the pack. The Buccanears are the tough-luck team in the NFC. Michael Vick and Reggie Bush compete for highlight reel plays, but not for the playoffs.

NFC WEST
11-5 Seattle Seahawks
10-6 St. Louis Rams *
7-9 Arizona Cardinals
5-11 San Francisco 49's

The Seahawks lost guard Steve Hutchinson to the Vikes, but they still have a great offense led by Hasselbeck and Alexander to compliment a top-notch defense that added some key players this off-season. The Rams have the talent to be a very good team this year. The Cardinals don't have the offensive line or defense to get to the next level yet. Good luck, Alex Smith.

I like the Pats over the Colts in the AFC Championship Game.

I think the Panthers beat the Seahawks in an NFC Championship Game rematch.

I think the Pats will beat the Panthers in Miami in February in some really important game.

We're Not Dead Yet

2006-09-05T21:53:00.000-04:00

I can't even count the number of times that I planned to write a column titled "R.I.P. 2006 Red Sox Season" in the last two weeks. I'm an optimist, I think it helps me get through life on a relatively even keel. So when I thought the season was over for the Sox, you know the team was in dire straights. After two great pitching performances in a row, first Freddy Kreuger and now Kason Gaba-gaba-hey, the team is not only clinging to their slim playoff chances, but is showing a glimmer of hope. The return of Varitek this week is huge. Getting Papi, Nixon, and Gonzalez back into the lineup doesn't hurt, either. Hopefully Papelbon and Schilling won't be on the mend for too long.

I'm planning to write my NFL season preview tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Pats Prediction

2006-08-26T19:02:00.000-04:00

Good thing it's only the pre-season as I failed to post a Pats Prediction last week. I had gone to see the Brockton Rox game last Saturday and forget to throw up a score before I left in the afternoon.

Here is tonight's prediction:

24 - 20 Pats over Redskins

Both teams have potential top 10 defenses but the Skins will really miss having Clinton Portis tonight.

I was in Toronto this week for business so I didn't post anything. I managed to see the Blue Jays play the Athletics on Tuesday. I'll post pictures and details soon.

Rotten Apple, Good Music

2006-08-20T09:53:00.000-04:00

I'm definitely not an Apple person; I hate Macs and find them totally unnecessary. I like the internet image that shows a series of baby toys and the Mac one-button mouse with the tagline, "Macs, simple computers for simple people". Several years ago Macs served a purpose in graphical design and computer animation but those days are long gone. The new television commercials showing a middle-aged guy in a tweed jacket as a PC and a young punk as a Mac are clever but they work against Apple. Consumers sympathize with the PC and recognize the "Mac" as representative of its fanbase, smarmy spoiled loyalists.

The one thing that Apple has done right is the iPod. It's a wonderfully designed device. The execution is nearly, if not totally, flawless. The device is compact, simple to operate with one hand, and intuitive. I never read the manual for my iPod; I charged the battery and simply started using it. I am a manual-reading kind of guy, too. I'll spend the time to read the manual for even basic devices just to ensure that I have learned all the little tips and tricks. The iPod didn't require any reading.

Many detractors don't like the iPod because of the forced association with iTunes. Until today I never understood what the fuss was about. I installed iTunes a couple of years ago without any trouble and had not updated the software since. I read about the changes that Apple continually implemented in the digital rights management (DRM) of later versions of iTunes and I avoided all updates like the plague. As a result, I had no complaints. I could purchase music cheaply and easily without going to the store and subsequently burn music CDs for the car or stereo and then rip them back to MP3 format if I need to edit the files for ringtones or other purposes. The DRM had little effect on my music and use of it.

Today I wanted to purchase the new single from the Killers, "When You Were Young". I decided to pre-order the new album since "Hot Fuss" was so good and the new single is great. I heard the new single on the radio yesterday and immediately recognized the artist as the Killers.

When I tried to pre-order the new CD, "Sam's Town" iTunes forced me to upgrade to version 6. I was happily running version 4.7, thank you very much. I begrudgingly went to upgrade my iTunes version and was forced to install Quicktime 7(.1?), too. I'm sick of Apple's pathetic attempts to force the use of Quicktime upon iTunes users and iTunes upon Quicktime users. The only time I ever use Quicktime is if I want to view movie trailers at the Quicktime website. It's totally useless otherwise. Windows Media Player 9 and 10 support High Definition and offer more versatility.

After waiting 15 minutes for the Quicktime portion of the install to complete I shut down the install operation. I had to relaunch Windows and run the entire install again. Way to not piss me off, Apple. If you're going to bundle your crappy software, at least make sure the installation configuration is robust enough to work on PCs. In case you haven't heard, Apple, PCs dominate the market.

Time will tell if the new version of iTunes will really muck up my DRM and use of the software.

I've got my Killers single now and I'll have to wait until October 3rd for the rest of the CD.

I did buy the Angels and Airwaves (AvA) CD, "We Don't Need to Whisper" that I mentioned a few weeks ago. Simply put, this CD is one of the best I've ever heard. I'd be remiss to not mention it and explain it.

I don't for a second believe that "We Don't Need to Whisper" will be, or should be, universally praised and loved as much I love it. I understand the difference between something that will sell 10 million copies and something that might achieve a gold record. The beauty of this CD is that for those people who enjoy the genre of music it should really resonate. It struck a major chord with me.

Tom DeLonge clearly spent months crafting the CD. The major themes are repeated lyrically, as is the case on many a CD, but also musically, sort of like a movie score. There are hints of melodies that are contained in multiple songs. The end result is that the whole CD is simply brilliant. I can't remember another CD that made my spine tingle so much on the first listen.

Again, Tom isn't the world's best singer. The music isn't the most complicated or technically adept. The hooks are incredible though, and the emotion shines through.

I would recommend that anyone who likes alternative rock, rock, power-pop-punk, or similar check out the website at http://www.angelsandairwaves.com/ . You can watch the videos for "The Adventure" and "Do It For Me Now" at the site. If you enter the main site you can listen to "The Adventure" and "It Hurts". For some reason, the "Enter the Site" link will spawn new windows to clothing sites Tom is affiliated with. Click it a few times and you'll get into the site.

If you like the three songs you can hear on the site do yourself a huge favor and pick up the CD (even if you have to use iTunes).

I Like Mike... One Way More Than the Other

2006-08-16T17:56:00.000-04:00

I watched a little bit of the Monday Night Football game on ESPN this week. I wanted to see how Tony Kornheiser would do in the booth. While he's not as bad as Dennis Miller, he's not a whole lot better. He seemed tentative to me and he didn't add anything substantive to the broadcast.

I'm actually somewhat annoyed, nay, peeved, that ESPN broke up the Mike Patrick - Paul Maguire - Joe Theismann combination. I really liked those guys as a team. I like Mike Patrick's voice and I have no problems with his calm and excited tones. Paul and Joe provided a "point-counterpoint" type of argument during games while sharing their experience and opinions.

I'm not a fan of Mike Tirico. I don't like his voice; he's too excitable and not even-keeled. He also seems to always have an agenda. I'm not convinced that he's a totally neutral observer.

Another MNF bummer is that Hank Williams Jr. is still going to provide his annoying pregame introduction song. I was hoping that he would be lost in the transition to ESPN. He's going to incorporate all kinds of different guest stars this year. >sarcasm< Woo hoo! >/sarcasm<

The Pats didn't quite live up to my lofty pre-season expectations ("Oh, a sarcasm detector, that's a real useful invention!"), but they did some things well. I was very pleased to see a Corey Dillon reminiscent of the 2004 version. He looks healthy again and appears ready to be a bruiser for the Pats. Laurence Maroney looked awesome last week. He reminded me of St. Louis' Steven Jackson, displaying speed and power (and dreds). I coveted Jackson in the draft a couple years ago, so I hope Maroney is even better.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

2006-08-11T17:35:00.000-04:00

It's a Friday night party!

The NFL pre-season continues tonight as the Patriots face the Atlanta Falcons at 8PM on CBS. This is the first pre-season game for the Pats. They should provide a pleasant distraction from the suddenly pathetic Red Sox.

I was happy to find that the St. Louis / Indianapolis game was broadcast in HD on FOX last night. FOX has been showing Saturday baseball games in 16:9 standard-definition. The baseball games look absolutely terrible. I figured FOX might try to pull the same garbage on the fans during the NFL pre-season.

I have no idea if the game is in high-definition on CBS tonight. I hope so.

The NFL pre-season signals the start of many fantasy football leagues. I must admit that the NFL.com fantasy football commercials are pretty funny. I've seen two and they were both memorable. In the first ad one guy is telling the new player that kickers are drafted early and that running backs aren't important because you can always trade for one. He ends by telling the new guy that he's the new guy's friend. In the second ad a guy is trying to draft WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, but he can't pronounce "Hoosh-man-za-da".

And now for a new feature at Digital Sox, the "Pats Prediction". I will predict the outcome of every Patriots game this year.

Pats Prediction:
20 - 13 Pats over Falcons

Brady leads the team to a TD in his only series and the Falcons don't do much until Matt Schaub enters the game. Beyond that, nobody really cares as long as no one gets hurt.

Come On Baby, Light My Fire

2006-08-10T21:03:00.000-04:00

The Sox dropped a game they should have won last night. That makes
four straight losses to the D-Rays and Royals, also commonly known as
"the two worst teams in the American League".

The losses are tough enough on their own merit. What bothers me more
than losing games against very bad teams is that no one on the Sox
seems to really care. Even Schilling commented on the fact that the
team maintains a very even keel. That was a positive in Schilling's
eyes.

Well, the laid back approach isn't working.

It's time for someone to light a fire under the Sox' collective backside.

On any other team that guy would be the manager. GL2:EB is too much of
a player's manager, though. By not chewing out the team he's affirming
his nickname (Grady Little 2: Electric Boogaloo, for the uninitiated).

In the absence of a fiery, gutsy manager, the Captain should seize the
opportunity to contribute from the DL. Varitek could light the much
needed fire behind closed doors and get the team pointed in the right
direction.

Be the guy who popped Slappy McPurplelips in the kisser when it was necessary.

We need that passion.

Moblogging, Mo Problems

2006-08-07T22:10:00.000-04:00

Rejoice, rejoice, for this is my first ever moblog (mobile blog). I
just got the very awesome Cingular 8125 smartphone. It really is a
great cellphone and a great PDA. More on the phone at a later date.

I want to rant about Shaw's tonight. I enjoy the finer things in life
(at least when time allows). I don't ask much of this world (most of
the time). I only want three things from my grocery store.

1. The ability to redeem bottles and cans.

2. The ability to cash in my loose change.

3. The ability to buy fresh food.

Shaw's managed to pull an 0-fer tonight.

The bottle redemption machine wouldn't take the beer bottles from the
anniversary party we just had for my in-laws. At first I thought that
maybe it was a Crudweiser machine because it said that Sam Adams'
bottles weren't accepted. When it didn't take Crud Light bottles I
knew that Shaw's was starting to piss me off.

Then I dumped my jar of coins onto the sorting tray of the Coinstar
machine. I look up at the screen and notice it says the machine is not
ready for service and please see a manager. As I'm picking up my
change an employee walks by and says the machine is "closed". What.
The. Hell.

So I'm buying my groceries and I'm nearly finished when I pick up some
cottage cheese. I happen to see that said cottage cheese expired FOUR
DAYS AGO!

I used to like my local Shaw's, but now I'm not so certain.

Holy Jet Lag, Batman!

2006-07-27T15:57:00.000-04:00

We made it home safely yesterday after taking a red-eye flight to New York and then to Boston. I've never been so jet lagged in my life. Between the heat and humidity (and a hotel without air conditioning) and not getting any sleep overnight yesterday my body doesn't know which way is up. Hopefully by Friday or Saturday I will have recovered.

Comic-Con was fun; we can say we did it and we survived. Just as I suspected, I definitely rank pretty low on the geek scale at Comic-Con. I saw more costumes that I didn't recognize than ones I actually did.

*** Possible "Lost" Season 3 spoilers below. Read at your own risk. Skip to the next set of asteriks to avoid. ***

The "Lost" Q&A session was my highlight of the event. Some quick tidbits:

Damon Lindleof said that Desmond returns in Season 3 and implied that Locke is alive and well.
Lindleof also said that Season 3 has a twist in the middle that will blow your mind. By implication from earlier questions I gathered that the twist involves the perceived passage of time on the island.
Kate will choose her man in the first pod of new episodes, which the producers call a sort of mini-series to start the season.
The outside world (Penny et al.) will continue to play in a role going forward.
The show seems planned for about 4 seasons. I had read that J.J. Abrams planned for 7, so this was news to me. The producers hope that ABC doesn't make them drag the show on indefinitely because they don't want to tap dance; they have a planned overall story arc.

*** END OF SPOILERS ***

The second best part of the show for me was a tie between the Lionsgate films presentation and a demonstration by Lucasarts.

Lucasarts has been working on a new Indiana Jones game and a new Star Wars game. Both utilize two amazing new technologies. The first involves the artificial intelligence of the enemy. The AI is no longer scripted, but programmed to follow behaviors. As a result, the game is never the same twice. During a demo of the Indy game the bad guys never fell or reacted the same way twice. They tried to approach Indy and were staggered or thrown realistically and uniquely when hit or tossed.

The second technology that Lucasarts demonstrated involved the behavior of materials. If memory serves me correct, the name was "Digital Molecular Modeling". DMM allows materials to bend or break realistically. The demo showed thin wood, thick wood, soft metal, stone, glass, ice, crystal, graphite, and rubber objects all behave appropriately in a Star Wars themed location. The way that wood and glass break is unique depending on where and how the materials are struck. Soft metal gradually deforms while rubber is reflexive and returns to form.

One cool part of the demo had Storm Troopers spawn while being thrown at a wooden ceiling beam. Some, but not many, were able to grab onto the wood with one or both hands to prevent from falling. At one point a Storm Trooper holding the beam with one hand grabbed a fellow Storm Trooper with his free hand. The extra weight caused him to slip from the beam as the beam itself splintered and broke under their combined weight. Even the Lucasarts guys had never seen that happen before.

A brief video of gameplay from the new Star Wars game showed the DMM coupled with the AI. It was amazing. The Storm Troopers would react uniquely to the Jedi shown in the video. When the Jedi used the Force to push the Storm Troopers off the ledge several loose items on the ledge were also pushed over and one Storm Trooper lost his helmet. Then a different Jedi character was shown Force lifting three Storm Troopers and slamming them into the ground. Several small items were also lifted and slammed with the STs. One ST even lost hold of his weapon and tried to reach for it while both he and the gun were suspended in the air. The last part of the video showed a male Jedi lift a single ST and throw him against a large outcropped structure on a wall. The ST grabbed onto the structure to prevent from falling. The Jedi than Force pulled the ST sideways, eventually ripping the entire outcropping and ST from the wall.

Sadly both games are only in development for "Next Generation" consoles at the moment. Looks like you'll need an X-Box 360 or PS3 to play.

Lionsgate previewed several horror movies and a movie called "Crank". "Crank" stars Jason Statham as a hitman who has been injected with a poison. He has only 90 minutes to find out who injected him. Somehow his adrenaline level is involved, but it was not discussed during the panel. I believe he needs to maintain a high level to prevent the poison from taking effect. It was shot in HD and looks very cool.

The other Lionsgate film I'm excited about is "Saw III". A clip was shown at the end of the presentation that was most likely too graphic to receive an "R" rating. In the clip a man who was born into a privileged life yet has spent most of his life in chains in prison is forced to remove about a dozen bull ring style piercings from his body in 90 seconds. The three-to-four inch rings are pierced through his arms, legs, back, Achilles heels, and lower lip/jaw. It was brutal watching and listening to him struggle to save his life. It was more reminiscent of the first "Saw" than the sequel.

Tobin Bell, the actor who plays Jigsaw in the "Saw" movies, sounds just like the character he plays. I had previously assumed he used a deep, throaty, scary voice for the character in the films. It turns out that is his normal voice. If you had his cell phone number, he would scare the crap out of you.

Vacation

2006-07-18T15:46:00.000-04:00

Here's my last post before leaving for San Diego tomorrow. We're going to the annual Comic-Con for the first time. It should be a blast. I'm most excited about "Family Guy" on Friday and "Lost" and "Spiderman 3" on Saturday. It should be fun going to a place where my level of geekiness only ranks about a 2 on a 10 scale.

I'm thinking of trying to start some shi* between the Star Wars and Star Trek fans.

The Sox eked out a win against the lowly Royals last night. Mirabelli should have walked on a 3-1 pitch, but a lousy call by plate ump Jim Joyce allowed him the opportunity to hit a game-tying 3-run homer. Thanks Jim!

I saw an interesting short article on Josh Beckett today. The author of "Feeding the Monster" reiterates what we all know about Beckett by now.

I saw Rotoworld questioned Jason Varitek's ability to call a decent game this year. I found the timing sort of interesting seeing that I just praised Varitek's defensive and leadership abilities in my "Mid-Season Musings" post. It made me realize that I'm not really in a position to evaluate Varitek's overall worth and that maybe he can't call a good game. I've always read and heard good things about him and would be a little surprised if he had suddenly become significantly worse than the last few years. I personally still have to think that the health of the starting pitching (and subsequently the quality of pitching) has had a big impact on the result this year as opposed to Varitek's abilities. The article on Beckett above would certainly seem to explain his troubles.

Now for something completely different. I had the chance to play Southers Marsh Golf Club last week. The course was easily one of the best manicured courses I've ever had the chance to play. It has been voted the best golf course in Plymouth four years in-a-row. It also has been voted the best burger in Plymouth. I certainly cannot disagree on either count. I wouldn't mind playing the course again this year, hopefully closer to the cranberry harvest to see the full color of the course.

Lastly, be sure to check out "What If" on NESN at 6PM on Thursday night. NESN has used computer statistical analysis to determine the outcome of Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS if Grady Little had removed Pedro. It should be a very interesting program. I've got the DVR set to record it.

Ch-ch-ch-change

2006-07-17T18:24:00.000-04:00

I enabled email posting to my blog today. This is my first attempt to send an email to Blogger as a post. Keep your cyber-fingers crossed. There's really no reason for me to do this, but in theory I could post from remote locations with only email access and not internet access. I could also use other devices, like cellphones or PDAs, to post.

I also enabled the ability for readers to email posts to other people. The link is at the bottom of each post, near the "comments" link.

Finally, I decided to write about life in general. Yes, I want to write about the Sox and the Pats, but as I've said before, I don't want to rehash games. Anyone can watch Sports Center or Sports Desk or read the Globe or the Herald. If I can't say anything unique, or at least present it differently, I'd rather not say it.

On that note, I ate lunch at Ruby Tuesday's today. As of today they have pared down their menu. I was somewhat disappointed to discover that they only offered about a dozen types of burgers now. Gone were many of the combinations containing bison meat. They still offer bison, but it's a simple bacon and American cheese offering.

I didn't ask, but I'm hoping that Ruby T's would still make some of the old combinations. I almost asked to have a bison burger with bacon, cheddar, and some blue cheese on top. I settled for the smokehouse burger (beef, onion strings, BBQ sauce, cheddar, and bacon).

I also think that Ruby T's needs to pay a royalty to the Rolling Stones so that motion sensors can be installed at the doors. They would be the one-way directional sensors that detected when customers left the building. As the customer leaves, the outdoor speaks would play the line, "Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday...".

Mid-Season Musings

2006-07-15T10:17:00.000-04:00

Some thoughts from the last few days in sports and the Sox at the unofficial midpoint of the season...

The Sox need pitching help, both a starter and a reliever in my opinion, but given the lack of quality arms available I hope they don't mortgage the future by trading any solid prospects this year. I think the Sox pitching is good enough to make the playoffs and even win the World Series this year, but I think they would be able to bury the Yanks and Jays with some help.

I think a healthy Matt "Meltdown" Clement with his head screwed on straight could be the necessary addition to the rotation. He doesn't have to be amazing, just eat up some innings at the back of the rotation and keep games close, giving the Sox a chance to win.

Julian Tavarez has been hit or miss all year. He could be an asset down the stretch if he strings together some good outings.

Rudy Seanez is worthless. Throw him out with the garbage.

While we're talking about worthless garbage, dump Willie Harris A.S.A.P. He's the worst pinch runner I've ever seen; he's costing the Sox valuable outs and potential runs.

I think that Timlin, Delcarmen, and Papelbon are very solid. I think that Hansen is getting there, but he's still not quite a completely reliable set-up man. Part of the problem may be that Francona pushes him past 3-outs at a time, to which he's seemingly getting more comfortable with. It's the multiple inning appearances that are hurting his numbers.

Varitek should bat in the 8th spot until (hopefully) he heats up. Since Lowell has shown he can't bat 5th either, Nixon and Pena should platoon in the number five spot.

It will be nice to have Pena back (no more Willie!).

Maybe Gonzalez should bat 8th and Tek 9th for while. There's no shame in that. Tek brings a lot to the table as team captain and catcher of the staff even if he's not bringing a lot to the plate this year.

Other topics:

I hate the ESPN baseball power rankings. Whoever does them is a total suck-up and Yankee kiss-ass. I've felt this way for years and it's going to take a lot to change my mind.

How does Michelle Wie suffer from heatstroke? Didn't she grow up in hot and humid (and reportedly beautiful) Hawaii?

Barry Bonds is going to prison, Barry Bonds is going to prison! Ring the bells! Sing it with me, "Barry's going to prison!". It's only a matter of time now. It will be funny for that @$$hole to worry about his @$$hole, if you catch my drift.

I heard one of the guys on ESPN News pronounce Hanley Ramirez's first name "AHN-lay".

I heard the song "The Adventure" by Angels and Airwaves on the radio. I thought it was Blink-182. Turns out the band is fronted by Tom Delonge of Blink fame. Sounds like it could be a great CD.

We'll be heading to the Comic-Con International in San Diego on Wednesday. It should be fun. I can't wait for the presentation by the producers of the show "Lost".

Red Is Better Than White

2006-07-10T17:07:00.000-04:00

The Red Sox handled the White Sox on the road this weekend but they couldn't finish the job yesterday. The good guys won the first two games of the series relatively easily before failing to put away the defending champs on Sunday.

Jermaine "Why Won't You" Dye hit a game-tying homerun in the bottom of the 9th off Jonathan Papelbon with two outs. The Sox then managed to score twice in the 11th inning but missed two key opportunities in the bottom of the inning. First, "Why Won't You" Dye failed to touch third base when returning to second base on a flyout. The Red Sox didn't notice and failed to appeal. The miscue gave the White Sox another opportunity to tie the game. The next batter hit a potential double-play ball but A.J. "the Punk" Pierzynski slid well outside the baseline with both arms raised. His actions helped the runner beat the throw. Had the Red Sox completed the second half of the double-play, the game would have been over. Rudy "How Am I Still Pitching In the Major Leagues This Year" Seanez didn't have enough gas in the tank to get through the 19th inning.

Winning the series against the White Sox was a nice pickup after tanking against the Devils Rays earlier in the week. I still don't understand how the D-Rays can play the Sox so well, but fold against the Yanks. The D-Rays at least came back from a 5-0 deficit to win Sunday.

Red Hot Sox

2006-07-03T19:34:00.000-04:00

The title says "Sox", you pervert.

The Sox are absolutely smoking, having won 14 of their last 15 games. They won 12 in row before conceding defeat to the Marlins on Friday night. They threw Jason Johnson on the mound against Dontrelle Willis, the Marlins' ace, in what could only be viewed as a blatant waving of the white surrender flag. I assume that management was hoping Willis would have an off night and the Sox offense would overcome any deficit that Johnson would create. Well, Johnson was as bad as advertised early, allowing five runs in the first two innings. The Sox didn't recover and lost for the first time in two weeks. They did go on to win the last two games of the series. In doing so they managed to tie the all time best mark in interleague play for a season at 16-2.

The NESN broadcast tonight is stuttering as if the frame rate is not what it should be. In the past I had assumed that my Motorola 6412 had simply become too warm. Turns out it's only NESN that's the problem. I just checked my incoming signal strength and found that NESN was only "Fair". ESPN HD, on the other hand, was "Good" and had twice the signal-to-noise ratio. Come on, NESN, don't play me like that. Boost your signal strength. I haven't yet attempted to correlate the problem with the location of the team or the weather conditions. It's perfectly clear and warm here, though.

Yes, I think Schilling was snubbed by Ozzie Guillen in not being elected to the All-Star game. However, I think Francisco Liriano was a bigger Guillen snub. I'm also shocked that Nomar was not chosen for the NL team. Both Liriano and Nomar are eligible to voted in by the fans in the MLB Final Vote.

I would like to propose that in the future the managers of the All-Star game are only allowed to add a single player from their own team. That would ensure that fan and player balloting accounted for the primary selections and the managers would be mostly responsible for electing the representatives from crummy teams. It would also remove much of the nepotism that Guillen and Joe Torre are so found of. I would also hope that baseball either drops the stupid rule calling for each team to be represented, or better yet, finds a way to increase the parity among the big and small market teams.

A Perfect Ten

2006-06-28T09:13:00.000-04:00

The Sox won their 10th game in a row last night. Lester pitched out of two difficult bases loaded jams in the fourth and fifth innings. His record now stands at 3-0 with an E.R.A. of 2.95. His batting average against is around .221 and he's averaging more than one strikeout per inning. If he cuts down on his walks, he won't be in as many jams. I definitely think that the kid is here to stay; he would have to have a Clement-like meltdown to be sent back to Pawtucket. I actually have more confidence in Lester right now that I've ever had with Clement. I think Lester will be fine down the stretch and in the playoffs.

Coupled with a Yankee loss the Jedi/Rebel Forces now have a three-and-a-half game lead over the Evil Empire.

We all know that the Yankees are the Evil Empire in the galaxy of baseball. The role of the Sox was never clearly identified. I think that historically the Red Sox would equate to simply an average band of Rebel Forces. Now that the ghosts of the past have been vanquished the case could be made that they play a more prominent role in the galaxy of baseball.

Here in an image I created in 2003 during the ALCS. I think that Clemens and Nomar came out the best.

I don't want to preach in this corner of cyberspace, but I will take a quick moment to stand on my virtual soapbox. I hate and abhor three types of people in this world: child molesters/abusers, wife-beaters, and drunk-drivers. I'm glad that the local and national media did not let the Philadelphia Phillies sweep the Brett Myers incident under the rug. Myers was seen assaulting his wife on Boylston Street in Boston last week. He is a foot taller and weighs twice that of his wife. What he did has no place in our society. The Phillies did not handle the incident correctly this weekend. Thanks to the media it appears that they may be taking steps in the right direction.

*steps down*

I was glad that Sox fans applauded Pedro yesterday. It was a classy move by the Sox to show the highlight clips and a classy move by the fans to show so much love and respect. Yes, Pedro was my favorite Sox player through my college years and beyond. No, I don't condone his actions when he left (it's never okay to agree verbally to a contract with a team only to have your agent leverage your verbal agreement against another team to get more money/years). Pedro didn't pull a Damon here; he didn't say that he could never play for the Yankees and then run to them. Pedro simply used the Sox to get a better contract from the Mets. His Koufaxian career has been like a comet, incredibly bright, but short-lived. He deserves to be remembered as one of the best, if not, the best, pitcher in Red Sox history.

The moron running Boston Dirt Dogs had been planning, nay, hoping and praying for, a boo-fest for Pedro for weeks. I'm glad the fans were smarter than him. Once he sold-out to Boston.com his content went from uber-fan who believed every rumor to be stone-cold truth to a simply rehashing the daily headlines and pushing his opinion on the rest of us. I liked him more when he still cared about the team and not the money. The only content worthwhile on his site these days are the custom illustrations.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Commissioner, Peter Gammons, and his family.

Walk This Way

2006-06-27T09:58:00.000-04:00

Big Papi, the greatest clutch hitter in the history of the Boston Red Sox, did it again. Ortizzle hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the 12th inning yesterday to give the Red Sox their 9th consecutive victory. Ortiz beat the Phillies with walk-off hits in back-to-back games to close out the three game series. That gives him three walk-off hits in the last 15 days. Somewhere, ARod is crying.

Kevin Youkilis scored the winning run and had a hit that was just as important yesterday. His game-tying double with two outs kept the Sox hopes alive and gave Big Papi a chance. I hope that Youk gets his due.

Craig Hansen got his first victory of the year after allowing an inherited run to score in the top of the 12th inning. Why does GL2:EB insist on bringing Hansen into games with runners on base? Let the kid cut his teeth with clean innings. Then if he gives up a hit, he's not giving up a run at the same time. He needs to gain the confidence that Papelbon possesses. Giving up runs every time out won't help him.

Bill Simmons wrote a piece about Papelbon for ESPN the Mag. I totally agree with his sentiment; my head says that Papelbon should be a starter next year, but my heart says he should remain the closer.

The Sports Guy somehow decided that Papelbon's nickname is "Paps". I think that sounds like a gynecological procedure. Simmons has had nickname issues ever since he moved to L.A. I don't know if he has faulty sources or if he's just too far out of touch with the east cost, but he misspells "Youk" and used to misspell "Big Papi". Someone needs to tell him to simply stop using nicknames altogether.

My last post was #50. So pop open the champagne (or better yet, a beer), but drink responsibly.

I Heard That You Missed Me

2006-06-25T13:29:00.000-04:00

I suppose that I'm obligated to explain the dearth of posts here for the last month or so. The simple truth is really multi-faceted.

I've been crazy busy at work.
The Sox went through a funk and seemingly everyone had the injury bug.
Feedster claims that they were going to add Digital Sox to the list of Sox blogs on Boston.com. It hasn't happened yet.
I'm still trying to figure out the best way to capture thoughts and ideas and save them to write about at a convenient time.
I want to put the necessary time and effort into blogging so that I can write creatively and really find my voice. I don't want to simply rehash news or data that you can find on any website or blog.

Without giving away too much detail I will say that I currently work for a large consumer products company that is based in Boston. At least it was for the last ninety years or so. They "merged" with an even larger consumer products company based in Cincinnati. As a result I will be helping provide "the best a man can get" for only 5 more business days. Trying to launch three SKUs (possibly four), transition a chemical business, clean out your lab and desk, and find a new job is not all it's cracked up to be. A short while ago I was either taking a quick 15-minutes to post in the morning or leaving work on time and posting as soon as I got home. That hasn't happened for a while.

The Sox were starting to bum me out with the yearly June swoon. I certainly have become accustomed to it, but I've never attempted to blog through it in the past. The fact that the injury bug had seemingly bitten the team didn't help the matter. Sure, I poked fun at it with this post but frustrations with work made it difficult to blog about. I am by no means a fair weather Sox fan. I bleed Red Sox red through-and-through. I don't believe that real Sox fans could ever be fair weather fans given the history of the team. I watch way too many innings on NESN every year (at least according to my wonderful wife). Thankfully, the team has righted the ship and currently have an eight game winning streak.

I submitted my blog to Feedster to submit to Boston.com's list of fan blogs during Spring Training. At the start of the season I was blogging almost every day. Feedster said they would be submitting my blog to the list. I haven't seen it yet. It was sort of disheartening knowing that I could have increased readership by being added to the list at Boston.com but that nothing was happening on that front.

I have to figure out how to save "seeds" of posts. I can always type a few sentences and save the post as a draft but for some silly reason Blogger will treat the date of creation of the draft as the post date no matter when the draft is actually finished and posted. This might work, but I don't know how it would handle posts that are seemingly out-of-order chronologically. Maybe I can start using my PDA or saving drafts in GMail or something. I'm open to suggestions.

I like using creative metaphors and analogies. I enjoy carefully crafting pieces. Sites like Blogspot make bloggers a dime a dozen. I want to be different if only in quality, not necessarily content. I want to put the effort into posting that results in a blog I can be proud of.

The good news is that I will have a lot more time in July to post. I will be starting a new job August 1st and will have to reevaluate the blogging situation at that time. In the interim I will be attempting to post 5 or 6 times a week in July, save for the trip to San Diego we'll be taking.

Back to the Sox. Today they try to win their 9th straight game. They haven't made an error in almost two weeks. They are 10-1 against the National League so far this year. If they lose today, it will probably be because I jinxed them and the team made three errors. Let me apologize right now if that happens.

He Ain't Pretty No More

2006-06-14T09:05:00.000-04:00

Steelers' QB Ben Roethlisberger crashed his motorcycle on June 12th in Pittsburgh. While I don't ever wish harm on anyone, I think that Big Ben might have been the victim of some much needed karmic retribution. You see, Mr. Roethlisberger is a big, fat liar. In July 2005 he was interviewed about riding motorcycles by ESPN's Andrea Kremer. How many times did his proverbial pants catch on fire? At least three by my count. And everyone knows that it's three strikes and you're out.

Here are his own words compared to the facts.

Roethlisberger: But when you're riding a Harley or a chopper and you're riding with a group of people and you're not on the highway and you're cruising, you're relaxing. I don't think its as much of a risk as people make it out to be.

Strike 1: LIAR! Benny-boy was riding solo.

Roethlisberger: I think it can be a risk. It depends on how you ride. I don't ride a sport bike. If I'm riding a sport bike and trying to do tricks, and going 200 miles down the highway, that's probably pretty stupid... I ride a Harley and a chopper.

Strike 2: LIAR! He was riding a black 2005 Suzuki Hayabusa, a "large, racing-style bike".

ESPN: I assume you have your license?
Roethlisberger: Yes.

Strike 3: LIAR! Roethlisberger did not have license. That means he was required to wear a helmet and will face a whopping $388 in fines. He should be thrown in jail.

Roethlisberger is lucky to be alive. Helmet or no, he's lucky that he only scrambled his face and not his brains.

Riske Business

2006-05-30T08:56:00.000-04:00

Ugh... The bullpen is decimated right now. Timlin went on the DL over the weekend which could cripple the Sox for a few weeks. After climbing back against the Jays last night and tying the game on a three run Varitek homerun David Riske promptly gives up the go-ahead run. I don't know why GL2:EB put Riske in that situation in only his second appearance of the season. Foulke and Papelbon were available last night. Bill James would have sent Papelbon into the game in the 8th inning. Is there any chance the Sox can hire James to be the manager?

Coco Crisp made an early return to team on Sunday. In fact, Sunday marked his Fenway debut. He's 3-for-9 since his return with a homerun. Soon enough he'll be batting leadoff again.

Wakefield was brilliant on Sunday throwing eight shutout innings. The bullpen nearly blew the 5-0 lead in the 9th inning. Certainly Mirabelli's inability to catch a 3rd strike, resulting in the Sox having to get four outs, didn't help the cause.

It was great to see the Sox complete a four game sweep of the Devil Rays over the weekend. It was even nicer to beat Scott Kazmir for a change. Papi dealt the killer blow with a three run double off the center field wall.

Injuries have hit hard this week. It looks like Clement might be feeling the effects of the line drive he took off the leg last week. Wells is going to miss his scheduled start tonight. Wily Mo joins Timlin on the DL. Keep your fingers crossed boys and girls.

Early Retirement

2006-05-26T21:02:00.000-04:00

Tubby just took a line drive off his bad knee tonight. I'm betting that his career is now over.

I was hit in the knee by a baseball-sized rock thrown by a friend (I know, some friend!) back in my Little League days. I missed my next game because I couldn't run on the bad leg. Tubby has no cartilage in his right knee and was hit by a baseball traveling a lot faster than the rock that hit me. I can't see him returning.

It's a shame considering the rehab he required just to play this year and then the rehab required after his season debut. We need pitching. As good as Wily Mo plays, we could really use Bronson right now (see yesterday's closing paragraph).

Where's Jack Bauer When You Need Him?

2006-05-25T08:44:00.000-04:00

"Slit his throat. Cut deep to sever the vocal chords and carotid artery." - 24's Jack Bauer

Jack Bauer is brutally efficient counter-terrorist agent. He saves the world 24-hours at a time without eating or using the bathroom. He's not afraid to torture, maim, or kill you to get critical information or to prevent disaster.

The Red Sox could have used a bit of Jack Bauer last night. The Yankees were licking their wounds with Posada and Damon on the bench nursing injuries. Randy Johnson was ineffective as advertised yesterday. Yet somehow the Red Sox could not finish off the Yankees and managed to lose the game.

Matt (insert nickname pertaining to "mental", "meltdown", or simply, "overpaid") Clement demonstrated exactly why GL2:EB skipped him in the rotation last week so Clement could avoid the Yanks. Look at how many times Papelbon has been hit by or has deflected the baseball coming off the bat and still made the play. Clement made no attempt to field the ball after getting hit in the leg last night.

I was okay with the Arroyo trade when it happened. I think I've changed my mind. Even if Bronson had an E.R.A. of 7.50 right now and didn't have a win to his name, I would still trade Clement to get him back on the team.

Rubberized

2006-05-24T10:58:00.000-04:00

Tim Wakefield and Doug Mirabelli looked an awful lot like Tim Wakefield and Josh Bard last night. Ironically, as the game started I thought about how much more comfortable I feel having Mirabelli back in his familiar role of personal backstop to Wake. In the 6th inning last night Wakefield fell apart and Mirabelli was charged with three passed balls. The Yanks took advantage and held on for the 7-5 victory.

The ever more ugly (as a person and a visage) and ever less effective Randy Johnson faces up-and-down Matt Clement tonight in the rubber match of the series. The oddsmakers favor the Sox in this game and I'm not going to disagree. I think RJ is totally washed up and will retire after this season. He's a thrower, not a pitcher.

Wily Mo Pena is scheduled to return to the Sox lineup tonight. I think I would have gouged out one of my eyes if I had to suffer through three straight nights of Willie Harris. I understand and agree with the decision to leave Adam Stern in Pawtucket; he needs to get at bats and playing to continue to develop. I don't, however, understand how or why the Sox can't get a better backup outfielder in the short term. I suppose the problem will resolve itself when Coco returns from the DL.

10-4 Good Buddy

2006-05-23T08:56:00.000-04:00

Or 9-5. Either way, the Yanks got it handed to them by the Sox once again last night. Schilling was excellent. This was the first game since Schilling threw 133 pitches against the Indians that he actually looked dominant. He had been scuffling a little bit since that outing. The Sox are now 4-1 against NY this year.

Patrick Hruby wrote a great piece on the number of homeruns that Bonds* would have hit without steroids. He discusses the key factors influenced by Barry's chemical intake and their affect on homerun output. It's a good read for stat-heads and casual fans alike.

Wanted: A Starting Pitcher

2006-05-22T09:43:00.000-04:00

Must be able to throw 80-120 quality pitches every 5th day. Pitches should include a fastball between 88 and 100 MPH. Fastball in the 92-97 MPH range preferred. Must also possess at least two other quality pitches. Preferred pitches include 90-93 MPH slider, 82-86 MPH curveball (either a 12-6 break or 1-7 break), and a changeup in the 76-80 MPH range. Additional pitches, such a sinker or knuckleball, are also welcome. Applicants must possess excellent command of all pitches (see Greg Maddux). Applicants without excellent command must possess the ability to vary speeds and throw pitches with excellent movement (see Pedro Martinez).

Benefits include:

the opportunity to reach the playoffs.
a good chance to win a World Series ring.
excellent run support.
a very good bullpen.
lots of media coverage and exposure.
the opportunity to sign multiple endorsement deals.
a great team physician, Dr. Bill Morgan, oops an adequate team physician

Serious applicants only. Relocation packages available. To inquire, call Theo Epstein, General Manager and Executive Vice President of the Boston Red Sox.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

2006-05-19T08:54:00.000-04:00

I hope that people in this area have made more progress building their respective arks than I have. I feel fortunate to live where I do as I have been relatively unaffected by the near constant rains of the last 10 days. The sunshine on Wednesday and Thursday was wonderful and the temperature was perfect. I finally got to play a round of golf this year. I feel for those individuals who have to deal with flooding and water damage. Stay dry and stay safe.

The Sox have had a quiet week so far. They have only played three games, going 2-1 against the Orioles. They had an off day yesterday and had two games rained out last weekend. Tonight they start a three game series in Philadelphia.

There has been a lot of jibber-jabber by the talking heads inside the radio and TV regarding the lineups that the Sox will or should use against the Phillies. If you believe D&C on WEEI, Youk will sit tonight as Ortiz plays first, then Youk will play 3rd as Lowell sits on Saturday, and finally Ortiz will rest on Sunday as Youk moves back to 1st base.

I disagree with the notion that Ortiz is a complete liability in the field. Big Papi should have dispelled that notion by his play in the 2004 World Series. I do agree that he's a big downgrade defensively from the stellar play of Kevin Youkilis, but he's not a disaster waiting to happen. I think that the rotating lineup is the best bet for this weekend. When the Sox travel to Atlanta and Florida later in the season the health of the team could dictate the lineups. Having a healthy team is a blessing that leads to healthy debate.

I was discussing the impact of the eventual return of Coco Crisp to the Sox lineup with a friend the other day. If Loretta had not broken out of his slump, Youkilis would have been well suited in the #2 spot behind Crisp. Loretta has been on fire lately, though, and I think he's better suited to move runners over with sac bunts and to protect runners when the hit-and-run is called. As it stands now, we figured that Youk would be best suited at #6, as opposed to #7, #8, or #9. His high average and on-base percentage would help keep innings alive and drive in runs behind the big bats in the order. I'd like to see the impact he could have at #6.

Drivers Aren't Athletes

2006-05-12T10:04:00.000-04:00

Kurt Busch and Michael Waltrip have each thrown out the ceremonial first pitch at a Major League Baseball game this year. Both NASCAR drivers were simply awful. Awful. Busch threw like an effeminate wimp. Waltrip threw the ball into the 3rd base dugout.

These two drivers are helping to prove two points. Drivers are not athletes. NASCAR is not a sport.

NASCAR is an entertainment event. It should be covered under the Arts and Entertainment section of the newspaper. It should not take up time or space on sports shows, channels, or papers. NASCAR should receive as much coverage on SportsCenter as the WWE does.

NASCAR drivers are skilled individuals who can navigate crowded racetracks at very high speeds for hours at a time in brutal heat. They are not athletes. The more they pose as athletes the more they will be exposed.

If a kid can't go outside and play NASCAR, NASCAR is not a sport. I, for one, hope that NASCAR stops being covered as a sport.

Every Game Counts

2006-05-12T08:46:00.000-04:00

The three game series the Sox just completed in New York went about as well as one could have hoped for. The Sox won two of the three games (hello, Marvin!) while facing the top of the Yankees rotation. Boston has now won three of four against the Yanks.

Game one was a romp, with the Sox pounding the now ineffective Randy Johnson. The national media continued to pump Johnson as a great pitcher before the game. His numbers and performance this year told a different story. After surrendering seven runs to the Sox and looking awful on the mound, the media has come around to see the light. Johnson's mechanics were simply awful and he isn't a pitcher ready to get by on smarts and location. Even at his peak he was never a great pitcher, but rather an intimidating thrower. Thanks to some of E-Rod's continued superb defense against the Sox Johnson was only charged with two earned runs. He actually lowered his E.R.A. from 5.02 to 5.01.

Mike Mussina has completely turned the corner this year and become a crafty pitcher. Mussina now mixes speeds and uses great control to fool batters. Game two featured the most intriguing matchup of the series, Mussina against Schilling. The Sox got to Mussina early, but failed to put him away. Jason Varitek's inability to get a big hit with the bases loaded allowed New York to climb back into the game. Mussina settled down and Schilling didn't. Schill missed his location with a few pitches and the Yankees managed to take him deep repeatedly. Game two showed New York's response to criticism from Georgie Porgie.

Game three featured textbook pitching and defense by the Sox but was an exercise in frustration at the plate. Boston left 15 men on base and left the bases loaded three times. The tying and winning runs scored when Miguel Cairo failed to hold onto a throw as Mark Loretta reached first and the two players collided. I'm sure that Loretta would have preferred to line a base hit into the outfield. Game three proved costly for New York as Hideki Matsui broke his wrist in the 1st inning, ending his consecutive games played streak.

If the rain holds off, the Sox are scheduled to play three games against the Rangers this weekend. Hopefully they can continue their 7-2 pace in the month of May.

Radio Plagiarism?

2006-05-09T08:34:00.000-04:00

I was listening to Dennis and Callahan on WEEI 850 AM this morning from 7:20 to 7:40 AM. They were discussing Barry Bonds* and whether or not race was coming into play with the way that Barry is treated by fans and the media. They made every point that I wrote about last night. If I didn't know better, I would think that those guys had read my blog earlier this morning. They talked about how Bonds* is so disliked because he's a cheater and a fraud, not because of the color of his skin. They also speculated about the treatment and scrutiny that McGwire would be facing if he were still an active player.

It's Time...

2006-05-08T22:09:00.000-04:00

...for Barry Bonds* to simply go away.

First, props to the Sox for going 5-1 on their homestand. They beat the Yanks, split two games with the Jays, and swept the O's. They have now won their last 11 games against the Orioles.

Now back to 'Roid Raging Barry. I'm sick of reading about the guy. First and foremost he's the biggest cheater that baseball has ever known. He tarnished his career, his reputation, and the game of baseball for his own personal gain. What really chaps my ass is that he was completely motivated by race. At least so say the authors of "Game of Shadows". Considering how often Bonds* plays the race card I don't find it hard to believe that he was jealous of Mark McGwire.

Why does Barry consider it racist for the media to call him a "cheater"? Steroids are regulated drugs. They are illegal without a prescription. Baseball even submitted a memo to all clubs in 1991 reminding them that steroids were illegal. To say that Bonds* or any other player was unaware of steroid rules regarding the game of baseball is to play the fool with your head in the sand. Barry is asking you to play that fool when he says that he is unfairly portrayed.

And why does Barry consider it okay to be jealous of a "white boy" when he so often hides behind the race card? Has he ever heard of "reverse racism"? In addition to McGwire, Bonds* has often talked about passing Babe Ruth on the all-time home run list. Ruth, being white, also provides extra motivation for Bonds*.

If Mark McGwire had been healthy enough to continue playing, he would be facing the same scrutiny today. McGwire was smart enough to leave the game before his joints were all bone-on-bone and before the accusations of illegal performance enhancers were too loud to ignore.

Bonds* is a child among men, a loser among legends, a cheater among those with true love for the game. It's time he went away.

This Just In - Bushwacked

2006-04-28T22:22:00.000-04:00

The Houston Texans have agreed to a deal with defensive end Mario Williams making him the number one pick in the NFL draft. As I said on Thursday, I understand the logic behind selecting Williams. I certainly hope that the Texans exhausted all possible scenarios to trade down a slot or two before agreeing to terms with Williams.

The New Orleans Saints now should definitely make a trade out of the #2 spot. I think the Jets have to give up the necessary picks to move up and select Reggie Bush. There is a very slim chance that Bush could slip to New York if the Saints were to select D'Brickashaw Ferguson (I finally spelled his name correctly with the first "a") and the Titans were to select a quarterback. I don't the Jets should take that risk. Bush would make some sense for New Orleans because Deuce McAllister hasn't been able to stay healthy the past two seasons.

My quick-fix at the top (which I said I wouldn't do - so I lied, big freakin' deal!):

1. HOU - Mario Williams, DE, N.C. State
2. NO - *trade* - NYJ - Reggie Bush, RB, USC
3. TEN - Vince Young, QB, Texas
4. NYJ - *trade* - NO - A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State
5. GB - D'Brickashaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia
6. SF - Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
7. OAK - Matt Leinart, QB, USC

Let's keep the rest the same for now...

Is It Drafty In Here?

2006-04-28T13:31:00.000-04:00

All I can say about the Sox game last night is, "Ouch, baby. Very ouch."

With the NFL draft tomorrow I have a few questions. I've included my answers. You can leave your answers in the comments sections for this post.

What position should the Patriots address in the 1st round? DB, LB, RB, WR, other?

I hope they select a DB or LB in the 1st round.

Should the Patriots trade up from #21 to get an impact player at LB or WR?

I'm comfortable sitting at #21 and keeping all 11 picks.

Should the Patriots trade for Packers WR Javon Walker, a player coming off a very serious injury? It would likely take a second round pick and more.

This is a difficult question to answer. If they can trade only a second round pick and a backup player for Walker, I would make the trade. I wouldn't trade anything more for him.

Which players would you like to see the Pats draft on the 1st day?

I would like to see LB Chad Greenway or LB Bobby Carpenter in the 1st round, DB Cedric Griffin, S Darnell Bing, or S Ko Sampson in the 2nd round, and maybe RB Brian Calhoun and WR Maurice Stovall, WR Derek Hagan, or WR Jason Avant in the 3rd round.

A Day Early, A Dollar Extra

2006-04-27T09:45:00.000-04:00

Here is my soon to be world famous NFL Draft 1st Round Prediction. I'm a day early thanks to the awful performance of the Sox last night.

1. HOU - Reggie Bush, RB, USC
Bush by all accounts is a special player. Houston cannot afford to pass on such a dynamic playmaker. After reading this Michael Smith column I do see the logic in drafting Mario Williams ahead of Bush. I don't think the Texans will pass on Bush, though.

2. NO - Mario Williams, DE, N.C. State
New Orleans seemed destined to draft Matt Leinart or Vince Young before they acquired Drew Brees in the offseason. Now the Saints are positioned to trade this pick to a team hoping to nab one of the two QBs. I don't think they will find any takers and they will be happy to select Williams.

3. TEN - Vince Young, QB, Texas
I think that Vince Young has a higher ceiling that Matt Leinart and that Young will fit the current system in Tennessee better than Leinart. Some have questioned Leinart's ability to throw the deep ball and his accuracy. Count me among them. I think the Titans are content to wait 1-2 seasons developing Young regardless of the status of Steve McNair's contract.

4. NYJ - Matt Leinart, QB, USC
Matt Leinart, who would be playing for the San Francisco 49's had he entered the draft last year, falls into the lap of the Jets. The Jets covet Leinart but aren't willing to trade up to get him. They luck out here and get a player made for the New York market. Leinart should be a good QB, if not a great one, but he'll be perfect for advertisers no matter his career path.

5. GB - D'Brickshaw Ferguson, OT, Virginia
In any other year Ferguson would be discussed as a candidate to be drafted #1 overall. Green Bay has a lot of needs and will get a solid player here. Ferguson helps an offensive line that was really hurt by free agency last year. If Ferguson is off the board, look for Green Bay to select A.J. Hawk. Either way the Packers will get an immediate upgrade at a position of need.

6. SF - Vernon Davis, TE, Maryland
The Niners have been targeting Davis as an offensive weapon to help the development of Alex Smith. Davis is a freak - 6'-3 1/4" with sub 4.4 speed - who will help define the current playmaking tight end in the NFL. He's the newest Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates will even better wheels and more upside.

7. OAK - A.J. Hawk, LB, Ohio State
Oakland takes the best player on the draft board with Hawk. By all accounts he's a smart player with great instincts. If he continues to grow his hair, he could easily fill the "Bill Romanowski Pyschopath Look" void in the NFL. He and Mario Williams will compete for Defensive Rookie of the Year.

8. BUF - *trade* - STL - Jay Cutler, QB, Vanderbilt
The Bills aren't thrilled about potentially drafting Haloti Ngata or Brodrick Bunkley here. Cutler, who theoretically could be drafted as high as #7 to Oakland or as low as #17 to Minnesota, is once again on the rise. Saint Louis is concerned that Arizona will take Cutler at #10 so they move up to grab him here.

9. DET - Michael Huff, DB, Texas
Detroit gets the player they want here. Huff is a DB with experience at cornerback and safety. Most scouts think he'll be a better utilized as a cornerback in the NFL. The Lions can't go wrong with Huff and could use him at either DB spot.

10. ARI - Jimmy Williams, CB, Virginia Tech
Dennis Green and the Cardinals are afraid that LB Ernie Sims may have a history of suffering concussions. Sims potential injury history will scare the Cardinals. Green, however, is not scared by potential character issues (see Randy Moss). Arizona takes a player with fluctuating draft stock in Williams who can help this team right away but has some character concerns.

11. STL - *trade* - BUF - Winston Justice, OT, USC
Buffalo is able to slide down a few spots and select Justice without making too big of a reach for him. Justice is yet another player with some questions about character. His performance at the Trojans workout day did improve his draft stock enough that he will be selected in the #10-15 range.

12. CLE - Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon
Cleveland is thrilled to find that Ngata falls into their lap. They would like to select Ngata or Kamerion Wimbley here. Both players will help Romeo Crennel shore up the Browns defense.

13. BAL - Santonio Holmes, WR, Ohio State
Baltimore is disappointed that Winston Justice is off the board because they hoped to trade down with Dallas or Tampa Bay. Baltimore is stuck and takes the best player who fits a need. Holmes is more polished than Chad Jackson and should help Kyle Boller more than Jackson would. That said, don't be surprised if Jackson and Holmes flip-flop positions here.

14. PHI - Chad Jackson, WR, Florida State
Philly is also disappointed to see Winston Justice gone. They will take Holmes or Jackson here, whichever player remains available. They need to try and replace the playmaking ability of Terrell Owens.

15. DEN - *trade* - NE - Chad Greenway, LB, Iowa
Denver wanted to select Holmes or Jackson here. It's too much of a reach to grab Laurence Maroney here. New England is rumored to be interested in trading up. I would be shocked if Belichick and Company selected a wide receiver or running back this high in the draft. Greenway played under head coach Kirk Ferentz at Iowa, who is a Belicheck disciple from their days with the Cleveland Browns (now Baltimore Ravens). He's a natural fit for the Patriots here.

16. MIA - Kamerion Wimbley, DE/LB, Florida State
Miami is happy to select Wimbley who can help improve an aging defense under the guidance of head coach Nick Saban. Wimbley can play defensive end or outside linebacker in a Willie McGinest or Terrell Suggs type of role.

17. MIN - Ernie Sims, LB, Florida State
Minnesota doesn't get Jay Cutler but the Vikes do get a great value selection by taking Sims here. Minnesota seems to be a franchise in disarray under its new ownership. Trading Culpepper was a stupid move. Drafting Sims is a smart move.

18. DAL - Donte Whitner, S, Ohio State
Dallas doesn't get Winston Justice by trading up and can't reach for offensive line help here. They take second best safety prospect in the draft in Whitner.

19. SD - Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Florida State
The Chargers make it three Seminoles in four picks by selecting Bunkley here. The Chargers are a very good team that should have made the playoffs last year. They have the luxury of selecting the best available player, such as Bunkley, who could be drafted in the top 10.

20. KC - Johnathan Joseph, CB, South Carolina
Herm Edwards and the Chiefs need DB help to improve their defense. Last year's top pick, linebacker Derrick Johnson, will appreciate the addition of Joseph.

21. NE - *trade* - DEN - Laurence Maroney, RB, Minnesota
Denver is able to trade down and select the running back who best fits their zone blocking scheme. Maroney is a much better value at #21 than at #15. Denver could try to trade down further with a team like Jacksonville who could lose out on a top running back by having Carolina sitting in the spot before them.

22. SF - Manny Lawson, DE, N.C. State
San Francisco got an impact player on offense in Vernon Davis at #6. They get an impact player on defense at #22 in Manny Lawson. Niner fans and coaches should be happy with the first round.

23. TB - Antonio Cromartie, CB, Florida State
Cromartie is a bit of an enigma. He hasn't played that much due to injuries but has been brilliant in flashes. He has great measurables for a cornerback. He could be drafted in the late teens so he's a great value here for Tampa Bay.

24. CIN - Jason Allen, S, Tennessee
Cincinnati is a good young team. Allen fills a need and is a great value. If Dallas selects Allen at #18, look for the Bengals to take Donte Whitner here.

25. NYG - Tye Hill, CB, Clemson
The Giants don't have many holes to fill. They could use more help at cornerback and at receiver/returner. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Giants select Sinorice Moss here, but I think he's a bit of a reach. The Giants have no pressure to reach for a player and Hill is a better value.

26. CHI - *trade* - IND - DeAngelo Williams, RB, Memphis
The Bears need a tight end. The Colts need a running back. Any TE would be a reach here. Williams is a steal. This trade makes a lot of sense for both teams. If Indy doesn't move up, they will either be forced to wait for a running back in a later round or reach for Joseph Addai.

27. CAR - LenDale White, RB, USC
White was the #2 running back in the draft until he got hurt and got fat. I still think he's a excellent prospect and would love to see him in a Pats uniform. Carolina is in need of running back help and won't let White fall to Jacksonville.

28. JAX - Ashton Youboty, CB, Ohio State
Jacksonville would love to DeAngelo Williams or LenDale White. Unfortunately they won't. They select the best available player in Youboty. Bobby Carpenter is a possibility but he won't be as valuable to the Jaguars.

29. NYJ - Nick Mangold, C, Ohio State
The Jets got a franchise QB at #4 and they get him some protection here. Mangold is a solid selection for the Jets. Marcus McNeill wouldn't surprise me, either.

30. IND - *trade* - CHI - Leonard Pope, TE, Georgia
Pope is a good value here for the Bears. He's a bit of a reach if they stay at #26. Tight end is the Bear's biggest need.

31. SEA - Kelly Jennings, CB, Miami
The Seahawks could take Sinorice Moss but elect to go with his teammate Jennings. Seattle signed Nate Burleson to help their receiving core so Jennings makes more sense here.

32. PIT - Sinorice Moss, WR, Miami
The Steelers lost a great receiver/returner in Antwaan Randle El when he signed with Washington. They take his replacement here. Moss is a deep threat receiver with return skills. I doubt he will be as effective as Randle El when running the wide receiver pass-option play, though.

Whew, that's a long post. It took me a total of about five hours to finalize my selections and do the write ups. I haven't checked ESPN in hours and I'm not making any changes from here on out. This is my best guess as of the morning of April 27th. I look forward to doing this again next year.

That Didn't Take Long

2006-04-26T08:25:00.000-04:00

Well, Francona has officially lost every ounce of goodwill that he earned at the start of the 2006 season. "Francoma" is officially back and managing once again. It was painfully obvious that Tito was trying too hard to get Schilling the win last night. Schilling would have joined elite company if he managed to go 5-0 in April - see yesterday's post. Rather than try to win the game GL2:EB (Grady Little 2: Electric Boogaloo) decided history was more important. There's no questioning the fact that GL2:EB is a player's manager. He can't, and doesn't, make the difficult decisions.

What made Francona so great at the start of the season was the number of good decisions he made. He was making appropriate offensive and defensive substitutions and he made a difficult choice to use Jonathan Papelbon as the closer. Papelbon has been GL2:EB's saving grace this year.

Last night Schilling was off just a little and the powerful Indians lineup probably had a lot to do with it. Rather than turn the game over the bullpen after getting 6 mediocre innings and 110 pitches out of Schilling, Francona sent Curt out to start the 7th. Back-to-back hits then tied the game at 5. If GL2:EB cared about history and wanted to win the game, he could have let Schilling face a single batter and then removed him.

History Lesson

2006-04-25T09:18:00.000-04:00

Tonight Curt Schilling will attempt to become only the third pitcher in Red Sox history to win five games in the month of April. He will face a tough Cleveland Indians lineup at Jacobs Field while being opposed by Jake Westbrook. Schilling has already stymied the powerful Texas Rangers' and Baltimore Orioles' lineups this season. If successful, Schilling will join Babe Ruth and Pedro Martinez in Sox lore.

I'd like to propose using "C"s instead of "K"s when Schilling pitches at home. "C" is for "Curt" and there is one in "Schilling". It would make his starts a little more unique.

I still can't believe that Papelbon won a bet and cut his hair to look like Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn. The kid has stones.

It's too bad that Coco won't be playing in this series. It would be interesting to see how he would be received by the fans in Cleveland. He was, and is, a very likeable player.

I forgot to mention this previously, but I have added the xml feed for the site to links on the right. Now you can add Digital Sox to your news feeder.

Poor Exchange Rate

2006-04-24T22:46:00.000-04:00

Well, the Sox dropped two out of three games to the Blue Jays in Toronto over the weekend. Apparently Marvin Lee Aday is inverted in Oh, Canada. The Sox have gone 2-4 against the Jays in April. Beckett imploded a bit on Friday and started serving up homeruns in the 8th. Timlin came in an promptly served up a meatball himself to Troy Glaus. If Francona had entrusted Papelbon to get the last five outs of the game, the Sox would have won the game.

On Saturday the Jays pounded Lenny DiNardo. It may be time to give Abe Alvarez or Matt Ginter a chance to fill Tubby's spot in the rotation.

Clement pitched reasonably well on Sunday. Foulke pitched two excellent innings and really gave Johnny from Burger King something to chew on. Papelbon then got his league-leading 8th save in as many chances.

Francona is starting to revert back to form. The good will from his great managing over the first 10 days of the season is almost gone. He's starting to give J.T. Snow too many at bats and he continues to sub half the team at a time. I wonder if he even realizes that Coco Crisp is injured.

The NFL draft is only five days away. I'm probably more prepared this year than ever before. I'll have my 1st round prediction posted on Friday, in plenty of time for you to copy it and try to win my 23-inch LCD HDTV from ESPN.com.

Same Old Song and Dance

2006-04-17T08:41:00.000-04:00

Wasn't feeling like myself earlier this week, but I'm back to normal and the show must go on.

Schilling won his fourth straight start to begin the young season. It's the first time he's ever been 4-0 after his first four starts. This has been incorrectly reported in some parts. After his win on Wednesday night the Sox had the best record in baseball. Let's see if ESPN's Power Rankings reflect that today. Whoever does the MLB Power Rankings is a huge Yankee kiss ass. ESPN predicts Schilling to go 43-0 this year (and yes, I stole that from Dirt Dogs).

Wakefield got screwed again last night. In his three quality starts the Red Sox have only managed a total of five runs. Scott Kazmir simply continues to baffle the Sox. I don't get it. Same with Ted Lilly. Both pitchers are mediocre at best but they dominate the Sox time and again.

I stumbled across this column earlier in the week. It's one of those, "uh-oh, I'm looking stupid and need reassurance" columns. If the columnists had the testicular fortitude to actually pick against the Yankees in the first place, they wouldn't need to write column like this. The last time I checked Georgie Porgie wasn't writing checks for ABC/ESPN. Until he does I'm pretty sure that the Bill of Rights has the back of any writer daring to boldly proclaim that the Yankees do, in fact, suck. Looks like Jayson Stark is the first columnist to cave under pressure this year.

Pedro earned win number 200 of his career this week. Jayson Stark tried to make up for his earlier column with this one. He has some pretty powerful numbers to back the argument that Pedro is the greatest pitcher of the live ball/juiced batter era. I also stumbled upon a story explaining Pedro's success.

The Sage Wisdom of Marvin Lee Aday

2006-04-17T07:51:00.000-04:00

It turns out that Marvin Lee Aday was actually referring to baseball. The artist commonly known as Meatloaf once sang that, "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad". In baseball winning two out of every three games leads to 108 wins. The Red Sox won Friday, lost Saturday, and won on Sunday. They now sit at 8-4, which ain't bad at all.

Schilling was phenomenal on Friday night. He held the Mariners to only three hits and a single run over 8 strong innings in the 2-1 victory. Schilling struck out 7, including Ichiro in the 6th inning with a runner on third base and only one out. He lowered his E.R.A. to 1.64 while improving to 3-0. Only Forrest Gump, who I'm told, is in fact a Yankees fan, could now question how effective Schilling will be this year. He is healthy, healed, and pitching better than ever. He's a bona-fide Cy Young contender again and a legitimate staff ace.

On Saturday Francona either had a brain fart or regressed to his old ways. Josh Bard is clearly an inferior offensive player when compared to Jason Varitek. Trot Nixon is nursing a sore groin (although he's expected to play today). Rather put the best available lineup on the field in support of Tim Wakefield, Francona decides to give Mr. Professional, Mark Loretta, and the Doubles Machine, Mike Lowell, the day off. So Wakefield pitches well, despite some Bard difficulties, and only allows two earned runs (3 overall) in a complete game effort. The meager Sox lineup only produces 5 hits and scores exactly as many runs as the Patriots scored points on Saturday, ZERO. Great game by Wake, unfortunately wasted by Grady Little 2, Electric Boogaloo.

Beckett became the second Sox starter to go 3-0 this year in a brilliant effort on Sunday. The Sox were able to scratch out a couple of runs in the first inning. In the third Seattle was able to tie the game thanks in part to some poor fielding. Wily Mo looks more and more like Jose Canseco every day. Alex Gonzalez drove in the winning run in the fourth, just as he drove in both runs on Friday. With a runner on 3rd with one out in the 6th inning Beckett reached back and fired... a curveball to Richie Sexson. It was a thing of beauty delivered on a 3-2 count. Sexson flailed and missed causing traffic on the Turnpike to swerve in the stiff breeze. Then Beckett fired a fastball, as fast as 98 MPH by some counts, past Adrian Beltre to end the inning. Beckett managed to maintain his league leading 1.29 E.R.A. by allowing only the one earned run in seven innings. Ace number two, and two only by nature of the rotation, is thriving so far in Boston.

Papelbon saved both one run games this weekend. He's now six-for-six in save opportunities with four saves coming in one-run games. He is holding opponents to a mere .087 batting average. He's throwing all of his pitches effectively and for strikes. He maintains a calm steady demeanor that belies the fire burning inside his eyes. I want a number 58 jersey, be it a replica, authentic, or tee-shirt. The future is now with Papelbon.

The Sox complete their four game series with the Mariners today. Today is the traditional 11:05 AM start on Patriots Day. Lenny DiNardo subs for Tubby today and will face Gil Meche. Strangely the Sox will remain home for three games with the Devil Rays before traveling to Oh, Canada for a weekend series with the Jays. If the Sox can continue to win two out of three games, it won't be bad. No, it won't be bad at all.

We're Streaking...

2006-04-14T13:33:00.000-04:00

...but it's in the wrong the direction. Matt Clement left everything up in the strike zone last night. I hope it was a singular instance of a pitcher having a bad game and not a prolonged funk. If he's planning to compete with Tubby for "most likely to be replaced in the rotation by Papelbon", he should reconsider. Tubby will probably land on the DL at some point this year so Clement should focus on trying to pitch well.

Here's hoping that the first losing streak of 2006 ends at two games with a victory tonight. Schilling is going for his third win in as many chances. I like his chances to start my weekend off on the right foot. A victory tonight could turn Good Friday into a great Friday.

I saw a link to a great article on romance and baseball that is worth a read. The author is a Blue Jays fan, so consider yourself warned. It's very well written and contains many truthful insights on relationships with one sports nut and one non-fan.

On a different note, please leave some feedback on the site. I've enabled anonymous feedback so no one needs to register. I've been able to post every day since the season started and I have no plans to stop doing so. I want to know what works and what doesn't. Should I spend a little more time on the writing to craft great metaphors and grammatically challenging sentences? Should I leave open ended questions at the end of each post? I'm thinking about adding questions next week. Do I need to start adding pictures to every post? In addition to feedback, your comments will help me to understand how much traffic I may or may not be getting. I've submitted the blog to Boston.com to be added to their list of user Red Sox blogs and their Feedster site of blog updates. Once added that should increase the traffic.

Extensions for Everyone

2006-04-13T15:28:00.000-04:00

Two great pieces of news crossed the wire just after I posted yesterday. The Red Sox signed Coco Crisp to a 3-year contract extension and the Patriots signed Richard Seymour to a 4-year contract extension.

The Crisp deal is excellent for the Red Sox. Crisp receives a $1-million signing bonus and will be paid $3.5-million in 2007, $4.75-million in 2008, and $5.75-million in 2009. There is an $8-million option for 2010. I've said all along that Crisp would outperform Johnny Damon for the entire life of Damon's 4-year deal with the Yankees. To think that Crisp will average just over $4-million per year for the next four years while Damon robs Steinbrenner of $13-million annually makes me smile.

Seymour is rumored to have signed for about $30-million over four years. He will now be one of the highest paid defensive players in the NFL. This is great news for Patriots fans. It's been a long and dark offseason so far, with an exodus of talent and no apparent influx of quality new players. The Seymour extension sheds a positive light on the Patriots heading into the NFL draft which is just over two weeks away.

So... David Wells stunk out loud yesterday. Is anyone really surprised? That fat lard needs to shut his cakehole. He shouldn't be running his mouth about being in the rotation (and wanted to be the number 2 starter?!!!) and he shouldn't be eating so much junk food. He'd be in a lot less trouble and he might actually be in a physical condition that would allow him to pitch moderately well. I hope he goes on the DL soon so he can actually try rehabbing and find the time to join Jenny Craig. His new official monicker is "Tubby".

And the envelope please....

AL MVP: Travis Hafner, 1B, Indians
Runner-up: David Ortiz, DH, Red Sox

AL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, Blue Jays
Runner-up: Josh Beckett, Red Sox

NL MVP: Albert Pujols, 1B, Cardinals
Runner-up: David Wright, 3B, Mets

NL Cy Young: Roy Oswalt, Astros
Runner-up: Jake Peavy, Padres

Great Start to Season, If Not to Game

2006-04-12T16:11:00.000-04:00

Great start for the Sox. They sit at 6-1 with a 3.0-game lead over the O's, Rays, Jays, and Yanks.

Once again Beckett struggled in the first inning, but stronger as the game wore on. He seemed to overthrow in the first. His velocity was down and his location was off. He was pretty lights out after that. If he's shakes the first inning bug, he's going to be dangerous. I'm starting to think that if he stays healthy, my prediction of 20 wins is going to be on the low side.

Awesome double play turned by Loretta-Gonzalez-Youkilis yesterday. Loretta skied to attempt to snare a liner by Molina but ended up deflecting the ball towards SS. Gonzalez alertly scooped up the ball, stepped on second, and fired to first.

Coco broke his index finger, not his pinky. I saw a picture of him with the splint.

Papelbon looks like a seasoned veteran. I'm amazed by his excellent control. He's been hitting his spots will all his pitches this year. His stare is awesome and ice cold.

I really, really like the new "Baseball Tonight" graphics. They consist of animated baseball cards arranged in a house-of-cards fashion. They also have slick matching backgrounds with a slightly older feel to them. The team logos are shown burnt onto the barrel of a baseball bat. All-in-all a very cool new set of graphics.

Good to see Big Papi tie old friend Bronson Arroyo with his second homerun yesterday.

Wily Mo was looking liking Jose Canseco yesterday with his fielding skills. At least the ball didn't bounce directly off his head and then go over the wall.

Tomorrow I'll predict the major award winners.

I've Got Good News and I've Got Bad News...

2006-04-11T09:27:00.000-04:00

Bad News:
Coco Crisp broke his left pinky finger near the base of the finger. I broke my knuckle playing hoops a couple years ago and I remember how difficult it was to bend my finger when I removed the splint. I had no range of motion and it hurt like hell to even try to move it. I hope that Coco doesn't have as much pain or as much difficulty of movement.

Good News:
Crisp has a non-displaced fracture and will be re-evaluated in 10 days. Hopefully he won't miss more than a couple of weeks. A couple of weeks would be great news considering that early reports by CBS4 indicated he could miss 6-8 weeks.

Bad News:
The home opener is at 2PM today. I can't leave work until almost 4PM at the earliest.

Good News:
I'm DVR'ing the game. I'll watch it when I get home. I'm excited to see Beckett's Fenway debut.

Bad News:
David Ortiz could have been a free agent after the season if the Red Sox bought out his 2007 option.

Good News:
The Sox and Ortiz came to terms on a new 4-year contract extension that will pay Big Papi $52 million over the next four years. This is actually great, not good, news. The Sox keep the best hitter in baseball off the market and he signs for less than market value. $12.5 million per year is quite manageable in this era of bloated contracts.

Prediction Time

2006-04-09T21:32:00.000-04:00

Once again I'll attempt to gaze into my crystal ball and see the oft-clouded future. Here are my season predictions for the key Sox personnel. Remember, I'm predicting a 98-win season and a division title.

Hitters
Crisp: .310 14 HR 61 RBI 32 SB
Loretta: .301 11 HR 78 RBI
Ortiz: .317 43 HR 141 RBI
Ramirez: .276 34 HR 118 RBI
Nixon: .272 18 HR 102 RBI
Varitek: .289 15 HR 94 RBI
Lowell: .264 23 HR 87 RBI
Youkilis: .271 12 HR 76 RBI
Gonzalez: .247 10 HR 52 RBI

Pena: .239 14 HR 34 RBI
Pedroia: .286 1 HR 18 RBI

Pitchers
Schilling: 20-7 3.62 ERA
Wakefield: 14-12 4.53 ERA
Beckett: 20-8 3.44 ERA
Clement: 16-10 3.98 ERA
Wells: 9-9 4.47 ERA
Papelbon: 7-3 3.16 ERA 14 S 1 BS
Foulke: 2-5 3.88 ERA 11 S 4 BS

Hansen: 2-1 2.74 ERA 10 S 2 BS

Party Like It's 1999

2006-04-09T16:32:00.000-04:00

We're going to party like it's 1999 because at 5-1 the Red Sox are off to their best start since 1999. The Sox completed the three game sweep of the Orioles and have completed their season-opening road trip. Josh Beckett makes his Fenway debut in the home opener on Tuesday.

I'm going with a quick-hits style post today.

- I thought Schilling got squeezed yesterday. It happened to Papelbon today. Good to see him work through it, not let it affect him, and earn his 3rd save in as many chances without allowing a run.

- Miguel Tejada is a big hypocrite. He complained (and cried) when DLowe make a crotch-related gesture after getting the final out in the series clincher against the A's in 2003. Tejada said his kids were watching and that the gesture was inappropriate. If you've ever read Tejada's lips during a game, he's one of the most foul-mouthed athletes in the game today.

- Wakefield and Bard looked much better today. What a relief. In fact Wakefield didn't allow an earned run today.

- Foulke looked great today. He's gotten better with each appearance. Personally, I hope he stays in the 8th inning set-up role and Papelbon remains the closer. I think Timlin-Foulke-Papelbon is great sequence to close out the tight games.

- Alex Gonzalez has made some great plays in the field and almost made some others. He doesn't seem quite as smooth as Orlando Cabrera or Pokey Reese but I think he has a better arm. I also feel like he's not totally in rhythm yet and that he will continue to appear more smooth and make more plays.

- Lowell has been great defensively so far. Hopefully he can hit for a respectable average with moderate power.

- Ortiz had two hits today against the defensive shift. It was a great job after struggling earlier in the series.

- Adam Stern came through today. He could be a good contributor next year for the big league club.

- Wily Mo looked awful yesterday. He chased every fastball that was high and away. So much for his supposedly improved plate discipline.

Deja Vu All Over Again

2006-04-09T01:04:00.000-04:00

Well they did it again. The Sox played a tight 2-1 game and came out victorious for the second time in a week. Once again Jonathan Papelbon secured the save. Today Schilling pitched his second gem of the season. He's definitely primed for a huge year.

Today's victory comes on the heels of an Orioles' pounding last night. The Sox had 14 at bats with the bases loaded in the win. Clement pitched very well. He gave up several hits with two down in the 7th leading to four Baltimore runs. He was unscathed through the first six innings.

Francona has done an excellent job managing the first five games of the year. He just might change my opinion of him after all. Previously, I've really felt that he was no more than Grady Little 2, Electric Boogaloo with a better playoff record. This year, however, he has made some good defensive substitutions (Sterns for Manny, Snow for Youkilis) and even offensive ones (Trot for Pena today). All this on top of using Papelbon in one-run games. I hope he continues the great job he's done this year.