Back in the Saddle

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

NFL Week 17 - Pats Prediction

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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-