Peter's Red Sox Forever

Yes, it's Sunday and a lack of Red Sox news combined with the need for a rare Sunday day off compels me to actually do it! This will never happen during the baseball season. That's a promise. Enjoy your football-less Sunday as we slowly gear up for the Super Bowl. After that, players and managers, not to mention the "truck," will be heading South. With the type of weather we've been experiencing here in the northeast, I'm fairly certain they're happy to be doing so. IT'S JUST TOO COLD HERE! I'll be back first thing Monday morning or sooner if the Sox news demands it. Thanks for popping in once again.

It's another cold and too early a morning here in Farmington, CT. What can I do? I know! Sleep later, Peter. But I could not. Here's a little more about the 2011 Red Sox schedule with my thanks to the Boston Globe...

"We're all for any evidence that baseball season is getting closer, and so we bring you this reason for optimism: The Red Sox announced the starting times for their games at Fenway Park this season. All weeknight and Saturday night games at Fenway are scheduled to begin at 7:10 p.m., while Sunday day games are slated for a 1:35 start.
With a reminder that the general sale for regular-season tickets begins Saturday at 10 a.m., here are some other highlights from the home schedule: Renewing the rivalry: The first pitch of the new season at Fenway will be delivered at roughly 2:05 p.m. on Friday, April 8, when the Sox host Yankees right out of the gate. That will air on NESN, with the next two on national TV: A 1:10 p.m. start on Saturday, April 9 on Fox and an 8:05 p.m. contest the following night on ESPN. Saturday in the park:The Red Sox will play six Saturday day games at Fenway. In addition to the home opener, Boston has eight weekday afternoon contests scheduled, including the traditional Patriots Day game on Monday, April 8 against the Blue Jays. First pitch is set for 11:05 a.m. A visit from the Cubs: The Red Sox will host their (former?) kindred spirits from the National League during interleague play when the Cubs visit for a weekend series May 20-22. The Friday and Saturday games will begin at 7:10 p.m., with Saturday’s contest being televised on Fox. The series finale will be featured on ESPN’s "Sunday Night Baseball" beginning at 8:05 p.m."

I'm ready...are you? Have a great weekend. BE SAFE.

At a fundraiser in mid-Manhatten for prostate cancer, Yankee GM Brian Cashman, while bar tending, had some enlightening words on the status of Andy Pettitte, a pitcher the Yankees REALLY need this year. Here are some of his revealing words...

"He's made a decision to retire. He's decided not to play. If he decides to play, I think that's the rub. The only thing is, I'm left to constantly talk about it because I have to fill a void in the rotation. The obvious area to ask about is Andy Pettitte. He's not delaying anything, he's not pushing us back, he's not hurting us," Cashman said. "He was honest up front from the very beginning. Of course we'd like him to play. He cares deeply about this franchise, whether it's in 2011 or 2020. He wants us to always win and be successful. He knows he'll always be a Yankee, but whether he decides to pitch again is what's at issue. He has, at this stage, decided not to pitch."

Fun and family in Texas may just seem more inviting to Andy now. We wish him the best (off the ball field). You can click on this post's title for something about our Red Sox. There's news...Boston landed another pitcher. Click on this post's title and look to the right side of screen. As always, BE WELL.

Yankees GM Brian Cashman, when asked how he was at a recent event, said that he'd be much better with another starter on his pitching roster. Well, look who he dragged in the door...

"The New York Yankees are taking a chance on Bartolo Colon in their quest for another quality arm in the starting rotation. The team said it has signed the right-hander to a one-year, minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. He could earn $900,000 if he makes the big league roster. Colon, 37, didn't pitch in the majors last season. He last appeared in the majors in 12 games for the White Sox in 2009, going 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA."

Bartolo was effective during his younger years but his volatile temper got him in trouble. If he's in shape (and that's a BIG if), he would make a palatable 5th starter. But with Bartolo, you never know.

The Boston Red Sox news has been scarce lately but as always, things will pick up supersonically at the Super Bowl. Let's hope so. We had another snowstorm last night that I'm just waking up to. It's hard to believe that another 14 inches are on the ground (and on my roof). I'll keep you posted. Thanks and as always, BE WELL.

Rocco Baldelli, only 29 years old, will announce his retirement from the Tampa Bay Rays today and I think it's a shame an illness can cut down a man in his prime. The most prominent example was the greatest, Lou Gehrig. Rocco said this...

"I don't anticipate ever playing baseball again. I'm retired. The paperwork will be filed. And you know what. The only time I feel like it's good to retire is when you're happy to retire. And I'm happy."

Baldelli became a star with the Rays after his 2003 rookie season. His playing time and ability were interrupted by a strange condition that sapped his energy.

"I don't regret anything. You know what's sad is that I love to play, and I really didn't get a chance to do it as much as I wanted to. But I don't live angrily; I live kind of happy. Why would I look at the negative aspects of everything that I've been through and live the rest of my life talking about those things that aren't the important things to me? The important things to me were all the wonderful things I got to do."

Wow, Rocco, you put that perfectly, straight from your heart. I'm sure you're all familiar with Rocco Baldelli. And I'm sure every one of us wishes him well. Thanks. And thank you Mark Topkin from the St. Petersburg Times.

This is from NBC Sports dot com...

"WFAN’s Mike Francesca arrived late, turned to Cashman and said ”How are you?” Cashman said “I’d be better if I could get a starter.” He thinks that Derek Jeter will be moved off shortstop during his current contract period, probably to the outfield.
Cashman said that that the New York media coverage can wear a guy out. That sound you hear is Bill Madden re-jiggering his “Cashman wants to be a small market GM” column with some extra “I told you so’s.”
Cashman was asked, once again, about Joba Chamberlain starting. He said that Chamberlain hasn’t been the same pitcher since his injury that occurred in Texas back in 2008. This has been suspected, but I believe it’s the first time that the Yankees have publicly acknowledged that Chamberlain’s injury was a big deal.
Cashman said that the Red Sox are the better team today, but that the Yankees have a better bullpen. He said that the Yankees are one starter away from being a World Series contender.
He called Mariano Rivera “The best Yankee I’ve ever seen.” With apologies to Derek Jeter, I’d probably agree with that assessment. I’m not talking about value in some statistical sense — he’s still a closer — but in terms of the awe he inspires, I don’t think any Yankee of the current era comes close to Mo."

Hey Brian, is there another available starter out there who would make YOU the better team? Clark Kent or SUPERMAN? Just asking. Take your time.

I came across this article in the Boston Globe dated this past Saturday. You might have seen it but if not...

"The Red Sox considered trading closer Jonathan Papelbon to the Athletics or White Sox, Sports Illustrated reported yesterday.
Oakland instead signed Brian Fuentes and Grant Balfour. The White Sox elected to give Jesse Crain a deal. Papelbon’s arbitration number — $12 million — likely scared some teams off, and he had a rocky year in 2010 with eight blown saves.
Had the Sox traded Papelbon, they would have made a play for Rafael Soriano, according to the SI report. Soriano signed with the Yankees for three years and $35 million to set up Mariano Rivera. Soriano had 45 saves for the Rays last season.
Papelbon will be a free agent after the season and the Sox have an abundance of bullpen arms. If Bobby Jenks and Daniel Bard look good and Dan Wheeler is productive, Papelbon could be shopped at the trading deadline."

I can look at this two ways. WAY NUMBER ONE : Keep Papelbon. He wants a great 2011 season to add to his free agent value. He also must cut down on those blown saves. WAY NUMBER TWO : I do not see that trading a reliever for a reliever when the back end of the Red Sox bullpen is just fine makes sense, thank you. Not now. Can you say trading deadline?

This was a good non-move. Stay warm out there, my friends. See you sooner rather than later.

I remember when I was a REALLY little kid watching the one and only Jack LaLanne preach to all of us (well, not to me...I was too young) the benefits of exercise and good nutrition. It worked for him until the age of 96. This is part of the news bulb addressing his death...

LOS ANGELES -- "Jack LaLanne, the fitness guru who inspired television viewers to trim down, eat well and pump iron for decades before diet and exercise became a national obsession, died Sunday. He was 96. LaLanne died of respiratory failure due to pneumonia Sunday afternoon at his home in Morro Bay on California's central coast, his longtime agent Rick Hersh said. Lalanne ate healthy and exercised every day of his life up until the end, Hersh said.
"I have not only lost my husband and a great American icon, but the best friend and most loving partner anyone could ever hope for," Elaine LaLanne, Lalanne's wife of 51 years and a frequent partner in his television appearances, said in a written statement."

Thanks Jack. You helped SO many people stay fit while smiling with you. Rest in peace. Click on the title of this post for the entire
article. Sports, namely baseball, will be back here soon. That's a promise.

It's four degrees below zero here in north central Connecticut but because of the miracle of natural gas heating, inside it's a balmy 68. Peter King from Sports Illustrated has made his feelings known about the two NFL conference championship games. The first is Green Bay at Chicago. Here is an excerpt of his thoughts...


No. 6 Green Bay Packers at No. 2 Chicago Bears

"You were expecting an air show? Doubt it. In September at Soldier Field, Chicago beat Green Bay 20-17. Three weeks ago at Lambeau, Green Bay won, 10-3. Two games, four offensive touchdowns. I say it comes down to a two-minute-warning game in a championship game for the ages."


Peter here. His prediction? 17-16 Green Bay. I told you it would be a SMALL part of his comments. I'll leave the link embedded on the post title but first...first, game two, the second game of our Sunday, courtesy of SI...



No. 6 New York Jets at No. 2 Pittsburgh Steelers

"Odd game when the Jets won 22-17 in December. The Jets had the best rushing day against Pittsburgh of any team in football this season -- 27 carries, 106 yards -- which tells how incredibly well the Steelers played the run all year.
I'll tell you who the rematch sets up perfectly for: Ben Roethlisberger. Though he's never said it, I've always thought Roethlisberger has felt dissed by those who: a.) didn't vote him MVP of the Super Bowl two years ago; and b.) don't include him in the Brady-Manning-Brees discussion of the best quarterbacks currently playing, despite his two Super Bowl wins at such a young age."


His prediction? 23-17 Steelers. That's your abbreviated look at the the exciting NFL games televised today. Me, I'd take a Red Sox game but for those of you who love it, well, LOVE IT! Have a great Sunday and as always, BE WELL. Click on the title of this post for breakdowns of both pigskin games. BE SAFE.

Keith Olbermann said his final (?) goodbye on his MSNBC show just less than ten hours ago. That would be around 9pm last night, Friday. I always enjoyed his wit, his way with words and on-screen presence. I'd like you to click on this post's title after turning on your computer sound and watch his heartfelt goodbye. Here you go..

Thanks, Keith. You did it right. You really did.

The New York Yankees added an outfielder to their team yesterday. His name is a familiar one. Andruw Jones, who blossomed and became a star years ago while playing with the "always in the playoffs" Atlanta Braves. Here is a blurb announcing the acquisition from Sports Illustrated dot com...

"The Yankees have reached an agreement with veteran outfielder Andruw Jones on a one-year deal worth $2 million plus $1.2 million in performance bonuses. The deal is pending a physical.
Jones, 33, is a veteran of 15 seasons in which he has made five All-Star teams and won 10 Gold Glove awards. Jones spent the first 12 years of his career with the Braves and has since spent one year each with the Dodgers, Rangers and White Sox. He batted .230 with 19 home runs and 48 RBIs for Chicago in 2010."

In the four years before that starting with 2009 and ending with 2006, he batted .214, .158, .214 and .262. Clearly his glory days are behind him. To tell you the truth, if I were the Yankees I would have chosen Johnny Damon. A lefty at the Stadium? Bingo. But the pin-stripers are not at a loss for power at the plate, with or without Jones. They needed a dependable outfield glove. Looks like they got it, too.

Guess what? It's snowing again here in southern New England and this storm, due to wrap up in about four to five hours (it's 5:10am est now) will add six more inches of the white stuff. As the low pressure system passes us to the east over Cape Cod, the coldest air in the last ten or fifteen years will settle in place. I can see my natural gas heating bill already! OY. Winter is getting old really quickly for this aging nice guy who still looks great. Thanks for stopping in, take care of yourselves and BE WELL. Have a great weekend.

My post two down from this very one, ONE PLAYER MAKES YANKEES FAVORITES IN AL EAST, is absurd and I said so in that particular post AND afterwards. This discourse on Brian Cashman was penned by Danny Knobler of cbssports dot com. Believe me, it makes a ton more sense than Wallace Mathews' idiocy. The holy and great Brian Cashman is human and can make mistakes? Oh yes. Read this if you have time and I'll be back with a few syllables...

Did Lee damage Yankees -- and front office?
________________________________

"It's no surprise to hear someone say the Yankees overpaid for a free agent.
But it sure is a little strange when that someone is the general manager of the Yankees.
That would be the same general manager of the Yankees who joked to reporters just six weeks ago that his real title should be "director of spending." Of course, that was before Cliff Lee said no. What's going on here? Did Lee really do that much damage to this Yankee winter -- or to the Yankee front office? It may be that he did, and it may be that what we heard from Brian Cashman on Wednesday is the surest sign that he did. While it's not at all unusual for a general manager to get overruled by his owner, it is highly unusual for a GM to air the disagreement publicly. And that's exactly what Cashman did.
He admitted that he didn't want to sign Rafael Soriano as a setup man for Mariano Rivera -- not for $35 million over three years, anyway. He admitted that he took no part in Soriano negotiations, leaving that to club president Randy Levine. He even strongly suggested that Soriano was signed in large part to appease fans and sell tickets.
Asked if the Yankees felt the need to respond to what the Red Sox had done this winter, Cashman said, "I think [owner Hal Steinbrenner] felt we needed to do something regardless. We were not going to go into spring training without doing something big."
Cashman said he spoke out Wednesday only because he wanted to be "transparent." But some people who know him believe his strong comments were a sign of larger disputes within the Yankee front office. It's hard to say whether pushing the pace would have helped the Yankees, because some people who know Lee believe that he had no interest at all in coming to New York. But had the Yankees known earlier about Lee, perhaps they would have tried to spend their money on Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth -- rather than on Soriano. And, of course, had Cashman found a way to sign Lee, then there never would have been a discussion on whether to sign Soriano.
Cashman agreed Wednesday that the late Lee decision had left the Yankees few options on the free-agent market. He also admitted that signing Soriano made them a better team in 2011. And that's exactly why his strong public opposition to the move made so little sense.
These are the Yankees, after all. Even with the Soriano signing (and after the expected signing of Andruw Jones as a fourth outfielder), they're well below their payroll budget. They'll be under-budget even if Andy Pettitte decides to pitch (and Cashman said again Wednesday that Pettitte is "not in play").
Who cares that $35 million is a lot to pay for someone to pitch the eighth inning? Well, Cashman cares, and he was willing to say it. Some people who know him believe it's because Cashman wants people in the game to say he makes smart baseball moves, rather than just spend the most money. They point to his friendship with A's general manager Billy Beane. "He wants to be the guy the book is written about," one baseball official who knows Cashman well said Wednesday. He doesn't want to simply be the "director of spending. And he didn't want to spend all that money on Rafael Soriano."


OK, I'm back after that enjoyable read. I have nothing against Brian Cashman except for the company he works for. He tried to land Cliff Lee but was unable to do so. So the Steinbrenners (Hal in particular) ordered the opening of the purse strings and purchased the services of Rafael Soriano. Yes, he's a great bullpen pitcher and will step in to be closer when Mo Rivera retires. But the Boston Red Sox added three bullpen arms for late game action leading up to Papelbon time, Jenks & Wheeler as well as hot and heavy bats Adrian Gonzalez and speedster Carl Crawford. Don't forget the fallen. Youk, Pedey and Ellsbury, everyday players, all will be back. Add it up and what the pinstripers acheived was next to nothing. Hey Brian, when you put ALL your eggs in only one basket, this kind of thing will happen and usually does. Hats off to Theo Epstein. The NY Yankees favorites to win the AL East? Poppycock.

That's it for me on this Thursday, January 20, 2011. You can click on this post's title for more Red Sox comings and goings and as always, BE WELL. I'll be back during the snow tomorrow morning. Yes, more snow. Can you believe it?

Jonathon Papelbon, who is probably in his final year of arbitration, agreed to one final offer from the Boston Red Sox valued at $12 million. The arbitration record is $15.5 million for Prince Fielder. That is followed by $12.5 million for Mark Teixeieira and $12.4 million for Carlos Zambrano. Paps, being on his last year before a multitude of moolah comes his way when he arrives at the magical free agent time should strive to put up magical stats. Not only would he help his team acheive greatness but it also would help his cash intake for next year...and beyond. The Red Sox, don't forget, have Wheeler and Jenx to take his place should he latch on to another team. That's preparation! As for Jacoby Ellsbury, the speedster who is finally completely healthy (as long as he doesn't "bump" into Adrian Beltre), he signed for $2.4 milion. Here is the entire team listed in numerically correct order in terms of dollars allocated. The bottom line is $162.65 million for the entire roster of team players. Read on...


Josh Beckett $15.75 million
John Lackey: $15.25 million
Jonathan Papelbon: $12 million
Daisuke Matsuzaka: $10 million
Bobby Jenks: $6 million
Jon Lester: $5.75 million
Dan Wheeler: $3 million
Tim Wakefield: $2 million
Hideki Okajima: $1.75 million
Scott Atchison: $450,000
Matt Albers: $400,000 (guaranteed, would make $875,000 if he makes the team)

Total:$72.35 million

Position players
Carl Crawford: $20 million (including bonus)
J.D. Drew: $14 million
David Ortiz: $12.5 million
Kevin Youkilis: $12 million
Mike Cameron: $7.25 million
Adrian Gonzalez: $6.3 million
Dustin Pedroia: $5.5 million
Marco Scutaro: $5 million
Jacoby Ellsbury: $2.4 million
Jason Varitek: $2 million
Jarrod Saltalamacchia: $750,000

Total: $87.7 million

0-3 service time players
(salary determined by team)
Clay Buchholz
Daniel Bard
Jed Lowrie
Darnell McDonald

Those four players would combine to make no more than $2.50 million.

Total: $162.65 million.
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So there you go. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, in strictly money terms, there you have your 2011 Boston Red Sox. Now we wait for that magic week in February when everything gets in gear, seemingly at a supersonic rate. A little more than one month until nirvana descends upon us. Have a great Hump Day Wednesday, click on this post's title for more on the Sox and as always and forever, BE WELL. Buckle up and bundle up. The temperatures are going to zoom down by the end of the day here in north central Connecticut and I'd like to tell you this...I'M GETTING SICK OF THE BONE-SEIZING FRIGIDITY. It must be age but that 10 yard walk to my garage to get my Audi has been getting downright painful with the temperature at 8 degrees F and a wind blowing in my face steadily at fifteen MPH. Brrr. What warms a guy's heart unlike nothing else? That's right. BASEBALL. I'll be back tomorrow morning or sooner if the unexpected becomes the expected.

ESPN NEW YORK usually makes a lot more sense than this article does. Read this excerpt and remember that it was only ONE PLAYER the Yankees acquired that made all all the difference in the world to Mathews. Now they're the AL East favorites? Total BS from Wallace Mathews and espn north dot com. Here you go, edited for space...

"If it were possible to win a division in January, then the Yankees would be American League East champions today. That's how good a pickup Rafael Soriano looks like from the vantage point of a mid-winter's day, before a single pitch has been thrown or a single game has been played. Obviously, there is a long way to go between now and Opening Day 2011, and even longer between then and the crowning of baseball's next world champion. Already, the dynamic of the AL East -- baseball's most competitive division -- has been greatly altered from last year. The 2010 champion Tampa Bay Rays have been significantly weakened by the loss of Carl Crawford and now Soriano. The Boston Red Sox, also-rans last year, are back in the mix with the addition of Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez, plus the presumed return to health of the squadron of players that went down last year. But no team addressed a key weakness as effectively as the Yankees did with the signing of Soriano, who not only solves an immediate problem -- who will pitch the eighth inning in 2011? -- but might also solve an even bigger one in the future: namely, who will pitch the ninth after Mariano Rivera says farewell?"

The Boston Red Sox have already thought of that. Jonathon Papelbon has TWO guys who can step in already on the staff. So it seems Mr. Mathews has had his head in the sand. This has been a quick example showing who's thinking and who's not. The answer here is obvious.

Have a great Monday and a good week. As always, BE WELL. I'll see you sooner rather than later.

The title of this post consists of a question that has no answer...not yet. The original article was in the Thursday Boston Herald. In it, the search was on to find pitchers in their thirties who posted ERAs over 5.75 while pitching more than 125 innings over the course of a season. Sound familiar? Yes, Josh Beckett had such a season last year and all of Red Sox Nation is awaiting his 2011 resurgence. When the Herald finalized their search, 66 different pitchers fit that bill. Of those 66 hurlers, only THREE managed to regain their form in a starter's role. Three! I say this. Everybody is different and I have faith that Josh CAN turn it around and win fifteen plus games. The 2011 Boston Red Sox will score a ton of runs over the course of the season and they'll also flash a lot of defensive ability. If anyone can do it with the nine guys surrounding him in the lineup, Mr. Beckett will with a little help from his friends. My thanks go out to the Boston Herald for their intriguing and informative article.

I'd like to mention Red Sox first year and starting catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who will handle the behind-the-plate duties with team captain Jason Varitek, the veteran, the teacher, the mentor of this team. A former teammate of Salty had this to say recently...

“If it’s going to happen for him (Jarrod), it going to happen now. He’s gone through his rough spots, had his injury issues and problems, and now he seems to be over everything and on a good team where he doesn’t have to feel the pressure. I think you’re going to see whatever it is Salty is going to become this year. The Red Sox may have timed this whole thing perfectly, but I know Salty has worked really hard and he wants to be what everyone thought he should be. The fact he hasn’t yet, I’m sure eats at him because he’s so competitive and cares so much. So now we’re going to see.’’

I hope whoever that was will be proven correct. If so, 'Tek will start roughly two out of every five games with Satalamacchia handling the other three. Jarrod knows he has to show the Sox fans that he can DO the job and do it well. I have faith. What else is new? I'm an optimistic guy when it comes to that MLB team from beloved Boston. No two ways about it, that's for sure.

If you have time, click on this post's title for more on that HUGE NFL playoff game between the NY Jets and their very much hated division rivals, the New England Patriots. Final score? I don't know but I'll throw out 28-10 Pats. The 14-2 Patriots face the 11-5 Jets and the tilt will be televised by CBS and CBS HD commencing at 4:30pm. There will be a pre-game show beginning around 4pm EST. Have fun. GO PATS!! This will be a game chock full of hatred between the two head coaches, mainly stemming from Jets coach Rex Ryan, who didn't take kindly to the 46-3 thrashing Belichick and his team rammed down their throats. Hey Rex, SHUT UP AND PLAY BALL! You've got a BIG MOUTH. The whole country will be watching.

To my Constant Readers, thank you for stopping by and have a great Sunday. As always, BE WELL. GO PATS.

Hello on this 4 degree below zero early morning Saturday. As we approach the halfway mark of this, the first month of the year, the Boston Red Sox have two different guys who can play a mean shortstop...Jed Lowrie or Marco Scutaro. Scutaro hit .275 with 11 home runs, a .333 on-base percentage and 56 RBIs over 150 games last season. Lowrie hit .287 with nine homers and 24 RBIs in 55 games. He had a .381 OPB. It will be Scutaro's job to lose unless something extremely drastic happens. We'll see Lowrie as a fill-in at second base and a spot stint or three at the hot corner in addition to his play at shortstop. Is he the odd man out of the quartet? No and yes. Here's the man with all the answers who essentially did what he had to do to enable the Red Sox to come out of the starting blocks as the number one team in the AL East. Speak up, Theo Epstein...

“I think we have two really talented shortstops on the roster at different phases of their career and they’ll both end up helping this club win. How it shakes out in terms of playing time will be up to Terry Francona and ultimately the players will determine their own roles. Scutaro signed here to be a shortstop and he should be healthy when he comes to camp and he’s going to play a lot of shortstop. Jed Lowrie is someone who can play a good shortstop and can play a number of positions to help this team win. I’m sure he’s going to see some time at shortstop. Marco was our shortstop last year and until something changes, that’s how it’s going to be. I’m just making the point that we believe in both guys.”

I feel the exact same way. If Scutaro (God forbid) goes down with an injury of some kind, Jed Lowrie will be right there to play his heart out at shortstop. Scutaro and Lowrie will have similiar offensive stats and that's just fine with me. Last year, Lowrie showed flashes of power at the plate. To have him "waiting in the wings" is a blessing indeed. One of the signs of a great team is its built-in redundancy factor. If one guy goes down, for any reason at all, someone is there to fill the injury gap smoothly, seamlessly and faultlessly. What a wonderful thing.

Click on this post's title for more Red Sox news from somewhere and as always, BE WELL. Live long and prosper, as Spock said. Have a great Saturday and a wonderful weekend. GO PATRIOTS. Beat the stuffing out of those big-mouthed and utterly foul NY Jets. The game at Foxboro will be televised nationally Sunday afternoon. I'll be back with any and all late breaking news.

"This is from the Boston Globe's Extra Bases. I'll be back with a comment after you read this...

"The Yankees may not have a great rotation, but they should have a heck of a bullpen. They have agreed to terms with Rafael Soriano on a three-year deal worth $35 million, an outrageous amount for a set-up man. The catch is that Soriano can opt out after either of the first two seasons. He is set to make $11.5 million this season and $10 million in 2012. In Soriano and Mariano Rivera, the Yankees have $26.5 million invested in their closer and set-up man for this season. It was only a few days ago that Brian Cashman said he wouldn't give up a first-round pick on Soriano. With David Robertson back and lefty Pedro Feliciano having been added, the Yankees have four very good relievers. Joba Chamberlain has fallen off the map in the Bronx."

The Yankees couldn't get the starter(s) they wanted and with the Andy Pettitte "no-show", they loaded up their bullpen, soon to be a tired bunch of guys. The pin-stripers will score a ton of runs but they'll also give up a bunch.

Bullpen...Edge Red Sox (by a hair)

I'll keep this selective rating process going between the Yanks and the Red Sox. Have a great Friday and as always, BE WELL. Click on this post's title for an intriguing article from the Boston Herald that encapsulates the never ending back and forth between the NY Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. I really enjoyed reading it and I guarantee you will, too. Thanks. Stay warm. Here in north central Connecticut, the high temperature today will approach twenty degrees with lows tonight down to ten below zero. OUCH!

Brain Cashman cleared up many questions that have surrounded Andy Pettitte and the Yankees Wednesday at the baseball owner's quarterly meetings. Cashman said that Andy Pettitte told him this when it came down to starting the 2011 season as a member of the New York starting five...

"Don't count on me."

Short but simple. Cashman went on...

"I don't think he's determined if he's officially finished or not, but he's chosen at this stage at least not to start in 2011, If that ever changes he'll call us. We're not going to hound him or bother him. Andy's been very communicative on these issues and right now he's not in play, and if he does decide to play he'll play for us. He's a Yankee from start to finish."

Brian, maybe he IS finished. Or maybe he'll go the Rodger Clemens half season routine. That doesn't leave you with much of a starting rotation, Brian and the Steinbrenner boys. Boston's is better and power-wise, I'd take my chances with Boston's 1-9 lineup. Right now, the feeling is sweet, sweetness filled with hope, for Red Sox Nation. But the players must perform and the injuries MUST STAY AWAY. If so, the Boston Red Sox have a hell of a chance in 2011.

One last note about the Tuesday night/Wednesday afternoon snowstorm here in the northeast. In all, we had 25 inches in 24 hours (actually 15!!) and that made the storm the strongest snow-dumper since they started keeping records in the late 1800's. It poured snow, as advertised. It did what a properly placed Nor'easter should do with the correct weather conditions in place. FINALLY. The state of Connecticut was virtually closed and there are plenty of delays this morning for schools and places of work. Take it easy out there, click on this post's title for way more than 100 pictures of the dumping and as always, BE WELL.

Max Ramirez, catcher for the Boston Red Sox. Gone. Read this from MLB dot com...

"The Cubs added some catching depth on Monday, claiming Max Ramirez off waivers from the Red Sox. Ramirez, who is out of Minor League options, is on the move again after he was just claimed by the Red Sox off waivers from the Rangers on Jan. 5. The Venezuelan backstop split last season between Texas and Triple-A Oklahoma City. Ramirez, 26, batted .217 with two homers in 69 at-bats in the Majors. With Oklahoma City, he batted .286 with three homers and 29 RBIs in 56 games."

So it's up to Salty and 'Tek. That's OK with me.

P.S. Still snowing blindly and approaching two feet. I love it.

That's right. It's Thursday very early morning here in north central Connecticut. It's also 4:44am and for the last three and a half hours, IT'S BEEN SNOWING, as forecast. So far, and get this, there are ten or eleven inches of the white stuff on the ground. That means the hourly snow rates are up to three inches per hour, an insane number. I can't wait to see this heavy snow after first sunlight graces us. To see the live and in motion national radar, simply click on this post's title. Pan right using the bottom blue bar so the east coast is on your screen and use the blue bar on the right of your screen to orient it correctly north to south. The radar view I selected is an "in motion" one. Enjoy and I'll be back once the sun shows itself. Thanks.

Rich Gedman is officially back with the Boston Red Sox organization. He'll be the hitting coach for the Lowell Spinners. I've always liked Rich and to know that he's a part of Red Sox Nation makes me feel good indeed, mighty good. Here's part of what he had to say...

“It’s nice to be back with the Red Sox after spending so much of my youth there. I’ve been in contact with the organization over the years about potential openings and job opportunities and this was the time it worked for them. I didn’t invent anything but I can pass on the things I learned from people like Walt Hriniak when I played. Baseball is a way to keep young. But that comes with success and how you handle pressure helps you have that success. Lowell seems like a good fit but I would have been happy to go anywhere. However I can help the Red Sox is fine with me. I haven’t thought about the future beyond this season.”

It's great to have you back, Geddy. Another guy who will be back, this time with the big club, is Hideki Okajima. He and the Boston Red Sox have finalized a $1.75 million, one-year contract. Okie had some tough times in 2010 and I'm hoping he can reverse them

Now as for winter, we are in the path of a real gullywhomper. For the uninitiated, a gullywhomper was the phrase made popular here by Hilton Kaderli, a television meteorologist much loved by his viewers fifteen or so years ago. Whad does it mean? It means a storm packed with winds and precipitation, in tomorrow's case, SNOW. More than a foot and quite possibly 20 inches are forecast for north central Connecticut. The grocery stores will be mobbed and I'll be just one guy in the middle of that mob later today. Willingly. Why? Travel will be next to impossible all day Wednesday so food and beer has to be in abundance before then. I'll be happy as long as we do not lose our electricity. Anything but that.

Well, that's a wrap for Tuesday, the calm before the storm. My next post, which will be transferred from my brain to this blog early Wednesday morning, will be written while the snow falls. I'll have much more on this developing weather big deal. And yes, it is a big deal. Click on this post's title for more and as always, BE WELL. Thanks for stopping in. See you soon.

This was taken from Yahoo news dot com today...

TUCSON, Ariz. – "Christina Taylor Green's patriotism was inspired by a tragedy on her birth date — Sept. 11, 2001. Another national tragedy took the third-grader's life. Christina was shot and killed Saturday, along with five other people killed outside a supermarket where a neighbor had taken her to meet Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
"She was all about helping people and being involved. It's so tragic," Roxanne Green told the Arizona Daily Star. "She went to learn ... and then someone with so much hatred in their heart took the lives of innocent people."
The brown-eyed athletic 9-year-old girl was an aspiring politician and had just been elected to the student council at Tucson's Mesa Verde Elementary School. She loved to swim with her 11-year-old brother Dallas, her only sibling. Her mother, Roxanna Green, told the newspaper that Christina loved animals, singing, dancing and gymnastics. She also had hopes of being the first woman to play major league baseball. She was featured in a book called "Faces of Hope" that chronicled one baby from each state born on the day terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people. The author, Christine Naman of Monroeville, Pa., said Sunday that Christina playing a role in both events was "somehow particularly tragic."

"I can't believe how a beautiful young life was taken in such an awful, awful way," Naman said."


The author is right. What a cruel and inhuman turn of events. Rest is peace, Christina.You WILL be remembered. By all of us.

This is from the Boston Globe on this black Monday morning...

"Dave Sisler, the Red Sox Rookie of the Year in 1956, died yesterday at 79. His son, David G., said Mr. Sisler died of complications from prostate cancer.
David M. Sisler was the last surviving child of Baseball Hall of Famer George Sisler. He grew up playing sports, first in high school and later at Princeton. He went on to pitch from 1956 to 1962 for the Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators, and Cincinnati Reds.Mr. Sisler, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound righthander, went 9-8 in his first season and was rewarded by sportswriters in Boston as the winner of the Harry Agganis Award, given to Boston’s top rookie. He pitched three full seasons with the Red Sox, primarily as a starter, and wrapped up his major league career in 1962 with Cincinnati. His career high for wins came during his rookie season. He posted his best ERA (2.48) in 1960 with Detroit, when he made 41 appearances, all in relief."

Rest in peace, Dave. Your name is familiar to me but that's about all. I'll fix that today by reading up on you and your career. Thanks for what you did.

Good news for the Boston Red Sox and their loyal fans. The fire is burning brighter than ever. This is from the Boston Red Sox...

"The Boston Red Sox sold more than 29,000 tickets during the first day of 2011 Spring Training ticket sales, with approximately 2,450 purchased at the City of Palms Park Ticket Office windows. Sales started this morning at 10 a.m. Today's window sales were the highest in six years, and, as of 7 p.m. the number of tickets sold was the third highest one-day total in team history. The record one-day total of 32,000 tickets sold was set in 2006 for the 2007 season.
2011 Red Sox Spring Training tickets are still available, and can be purchased online at www.redsox.com, by phone at 888-REDSOX6, and at the City of Palms Ticket Office Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m."

Wow! The many members of Red Sox Nation must sense that there's something different about this 2011 team. I don't know exactly what (everything!) but they look damn good to me. It's a good feeling to know, as the group POCO wrote and sang back in the 70s.

Where is Joe Torre, ex Yankess and Dodgers manager, heading next? The answer can be found by simply clicking on this post's title, just above the writing. I think that would be great for him because his baseball mind should stay in some facet in baseball. Clickaway, please, and have a great Sunday. As always, BE WELL. Let's be careful out there if you're on the flyways and byways. I'll see you tomorrow morning, if not sooner.

Flash to Deer Point, Texas. Andy Pettitte shuffles to the door when someone knocks and it turns out to be a New York Post reporter wondering if he will participate in the 2011 season as a player for the New York Yankees. The Yankees would sure love to know. Here's part of what he had to say...

"I'm just chilling out, hanging. I'm relaxing. If I had something, y'all would know. If I knew exactly what I was doing, y'all would know. I don't want to be a story. I really don't want the Yankees to worry about me. I just want them to go, just go on."

Just go, go on. Well, it sounds to me that he's gong to make his own decision on own his terms in his own time frame. Let's hope it's by February. Please, Andy. Oh, the Boston Red Sox have NO similiar worries. And that's a good thing. Here is the entire Boston Red Sox spring training game lineup. ALL GAMES go on sale today, so get out those credit cards, then go down to Florida and have fun! May the Sox win, especially the games you picked out. And don't forget, before or after the game (both??), to partake of some of the BEST BABY BACK RIBS I've ever had anywhere at Michelbobs. They have a place in Naples and a bigger one in Ft. Myers, not far from where the Red Sox play. And speaking of spring training & the Boston Red Sox, here is the full 2011 spring schedule....

Home Spring Schedule-Ft. Myers, FLA.
Date Opponent Time
Sat, Feb 26 Boston College Eagles 1:05 pm
Sat, Feb 26 Northeastern University Huskies 6:00 pm
Mon, Feb 28 Minnesota Twins 1:05 pm
Wed, Mar 2 Atlanta Braves 1:05 pm
Thu, Mar 3 Philadelphia Phillies 1:05 pm
Sat, Mar 5 Florida Marlins 1:05 pm
Mon, Mar 7 Baltimore Orioles 1:05 pm
Wed, Mar 9 Baltimore Orioles 7:05 pm
Sat, Mar 12 Florida Marlins 1:05 pm
Mon, Mar 14 New York Yankees 7:05 pm
Thu, Mar 17 New York Mets 1:05 pm
Fri, Mar 18 Detroit Tigers 1:05 pm
Sun, Mar 20 St. Louis Cardinals 1:05 pm
Tue, Mar 22 Tampa Bay Rays 7:05 pm
Fri, Mar 25 Toronto Blue Jays 7:05 pm
Sat, Mar 26 Minnesota Twins 7:05 pm
Tue, Mar 29 Tampa Bay Rays 1:05 pm

My mouth is watering and it's only 5:38am on a Saturday. YUMMMMMM, though. The unwritten rule is this...if you're lucky enough to have tickets for any spring training Red Sox games in your pockets, before the game (or after), try Michelbobs. You'd instantly become a happier person.

Hey, have a great Saturday and a wonderful weekend. You can click on this post's title to be zapped somewhere that has more about the homeless man with the "voice from God." He DOES have a magic voice. As always, BE WELL and let's be careful out there. See ya.

The Boston Red Sox have added yet another player to their roster. His name is Max Ramirez. The Sox tried to acquire him in a trade for Mike Lowell. That didn't work out but he's Boston-bound now anyways. He'll start the season in the minor leagues as the Red Sox are set (for now, tenuously) with Salty and 'Tek. The following points-of-fact were "borrorowed" from Red Sox dot com...

"Max Ramirez, 26, split the 2010 season between the Rangers and Texas' Triple-A Oklahoma City club. A right-handed batter, he hit .286 (54-for-189) with nine doubles, three home runs, 29 RBI, 24 runs and 27 walks in 56 games with Oklahoma City, including tallying a .317 clip (38-for-120) in his 34 games at catcher. He appeared in 26 games behind the plate for the Rangers, including 22 starts, and went 15-for-69 (.217) with three doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, eight runs and 12 walks in 28 games overall with Texas. Ramirez also hit .286 (53-for-185) with nine doubles, two home runs, 19 RBI, 22 runs and 25 walks in 53 games with Tiburones de La Guaira of the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason."

This marks another great job by Boston GM Theo Epstein. It'll be a gas to see what the Mighty Max can do. If his name sounds familiar, well, it should, as Boston tried to acquire him in a trade for Mikey Lowell. This is just another case of Theo getting his man, by hook or by crook. Whatever it takes. Right now on this Thursday, January 6th, 2011, the club we love to love looks fantastic, ready to begin spring training. But there's no hurry, none whatsoever. Let's take it slow and with determination as we approach the actual year of 2011. We'll be ready. Will they?

Thanks for stopping in to my little corner of the blue nowhere. I appreciate every one of you. You can click on this post's title to be zapped somewhere Soxish and as always, BE WELL. Thanks. Live long and prosper, as Mr. Spock was fond of saying.

Tony Pena, Jr., the son of former Boston catcher Tony Pena, became a pitcher for Kansas City in 2009 after playing shortstop with the Atlanta Braves and the Royals. Last season he was in the San Francisco Giants system where he pitched in 53 games, all in relief, at Double-A Richmond, where he had a 2.35 ERA, and Triple-A Fresno, where his ERA was 6.60.

This agreement was first reported by ESPN.com. The Red Sox announced two other moves, claiming catcher Max Ramirez on waivers from Texas and designating righty reliever Matt Fox for assignment.

THEO IS STILL filling in the little missing team pieces to the best of his ability. I'll be back before noon my time (EST) with a fill wrap of the minor but maybe important moves of today, Wednesday January 6, 2011. As always, BE WELL. Hey Theo, great job. One cannot do it overnight. But by spring training? The possibilities are endless and your work almost done.

Here's the latest from the Hall of Fame induction vote, straight from the Associated Press...

NEW YORK (AP) -- "Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven became Hall of Famers on Wednesday, the two-time World Series champions easily elected after narrow misses last season. Sluggers Rafael Palmeiro, Mark McGwire, Jeff Bagwell and Juan Gonzalez came nowhere close. Hall voters, for now, seem intent to prevent the cloud of the Steroids Era from covering Cooperstown."

No clouds, no clouds in sight. Congratulations to Bert and Sandy. Welcome, men. As for Mark McGwire, you have an infinite time awaiting you, impossible to calculate on this Earth. Serves you right. IDIOT.

This interesting piece of news just came over the AP wires. I'll give it to you in full...

"All-Star third baseman Adrian Beltre and the AL champion Texas Rangers reached a preliminary agreement on a $96 million, six-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity late Tuesday night because the agreement was pending a physical. A news conference was planned for Wednesday. Texas will have the ability to void the final season of the contract and $16 million if Beltre fails to reach plate appearance levels specified for 2014 and 2014-15. Beltre became a free agent after turning down a $10 million player option to stay with Boston. A two-time Gold Glove winner, Beltre hit .321 with 28 homers, 102 RBIs and 49 doubles in 154 games during his only season with Red Sox. He was an All-Star for the first time in his 13-season career."

Good for him! Boy, did he work his tail off last season for Boston and some of his "one knee on the ground" line drive home runs were majestic in their beauty and flight plan. He will be a tremendous edition to an already strong Rangers team. Yo Adrian. Good luck to you and I'm sure the welcome you'll receive when Texas invades Fenway will be memorable indeed. I'll be watching. Many of us will. Guaranteed.

Old friend forever Billy Buckner will spend much of the summer here in New England as the manager of the Brockton Rox. We miss you, Billy. Here he is with a quote from last night...

“I’m excited to spend the summer back in Massachusetts with the Rox. I’ve been looking forward to getting back into baseball, and it should be a good season.”

Let's hope it is, Billy. Lets hope it is for the Boston Red Sox and for you and for the Rox. Constant Readers, I thank you for popping in on this cold and dark Wednesday morning. Click on this post's title for more on the Red Sox and as always, BE WELL. Thanks.

Hello. It's Tuesday, January 4th, 2011. I'm sorry about yesterday's early morning post. I wrote it but I posted it incorrectly. My fault. It was quickly eaten by the "blue nowhere' and is now "somewhere out there." If I go look for it, I might never come back. Gone without a trace of evidence. There is an article that I found on red sox dot com that I found intriguingly interesting. It poses this question. In the 2011 scheme of things, how will Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford fit in and contibute to their new team? I think IMMENSELY. But I'm a Boston fan, wall to wall, through and through, from head to toe. Only time will give us the answer to that one. But I do like our chances to play Philadelphia in the 2011 World Series of Baseball. I look forward to watching the games. The Phillies have one of the most mesmerizing five man starting pitching rotations ever assembled. Hey, Boston's ain't too bad, either. A HUGE if is this...will Andy Pettitte come back to the Yankees for 2011 or will he go his own way. That's his choice but it would make the AL a very competitive place, to say the least. Let's face it, we're in for pure baseball excitement, like it or not.

If you click on this post's very own title, you'll be zapped somewhere, somehow to a nice Boston Red Sox feature. I hope your Tuesday turns out to be a great one and as always, BE WELL. Be careful out there. I'm feeling much better as the hours speed by. My four day hospital stay is receding into the past, where it belongs. SHOO!!

P.S. I like it here at home MUCH better. I'll talk to you tomorrow morning, first thing. That makes me smile. See you bright and early on Wednesday, if not sooner. Be good, y'hear? I reckon you will. I reckon.

Randy Edsall, the highly regarded coach of the University of Connecticut's mens football team, has decided to leave UCONN starting next season. He will coach here no more. Ths news was just released and here is the blurb from espn dot com news services...

"ESPN.com news services...
Randy Edsall, who built a fledgling Connecticut program into a Big East champion and BCS bowl team, has been hired by Maryland to succeed Ralph Friedgen, sources told ESPN's Joe Schad on Sunday. Edsall, whose team lost to Oklahoma in Saturday night's Tostistos Fiesta Bowl, did not return Sunday to Connecticut on the UConn charter flight. Instead of flying home with the team after a Fiesta Bowl loss, Connecticut's Randy Edsall was to fly to Maryland to meet with school officials, sources say.
Instead, said ESPN.com sources, he and his family were to fly from Phoenix to Maryland to meet with Terrapin school officials.
Instead, Maryland targeted the well-regarded Edsall, who in his 12 seasons at Storrs led UConn from Football Bowl Subdivision infancy in 2002 to a league championship and a BCS bowl in 2010."

This news will rocket around the state with fans in disbelief because of the suddenness of the switch. I'll have more on this tomorrow. Thanks. Go back to your Sunday afternoon, please.

I came across an article penned by sportswriter Eric Ortiz of NESN. The title says it all. "2011 Red Sox Will Challenge 1927 Yankees for Title of Greatest Team in Major League History" Eric, that's saying a lot but for my constant readers I want to go over his news opinion story point by point, player by player. OK? Here we go...

Oddsmakers, according to Ortiz, have made Boston a 9-2 pick to WIN the 2011 World Series. Only the Philadelphia Phillies, whose odds are 7-2, are bigger favorites. Here is their projected 20112 lineup...

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Carl Crawford, LF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
David Ortiz, DH
J.D. Drew, RF
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Marco Scutaro/Jed Lowrie, SS

Spots 1-7 have no holes. OPPOSING pitchers have to beware or the score might get uncontrollable after a couple of innings. They have power. They have speed and they have the all-important plate discipline.The BoSox bench has plenty of options. Mike Cameron, Darnell MacDonald, the shortstop NOT used that day, be it Scutaro or Jed Lowrie and Jason Varitek give manager Terry Tito Francona plenty of room to work his maneuverable magic. That's the beauty of this team to be. As for the bullpen, no problemas. In addition to Jonathon Papelbon and Danny Bard, the lefty Felix Dubount will be back to hone his talent and grey matter into a reliever-only mindset. Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler are there, ready to go. With the starting five the Red Sox are in great shape. Here they are...

Jon Lester, LHP
Josh Beckett, RHP
John Lackey, RHP
Clay Buchholz, RHP
Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP

Some people, have said that Daisuke is the best number five guy out there. That's a comment I can only echo, not agree with. Lester is ready to win a Cy Young award. And with little bit of luck, he'll have another no-hitter before he finally hangs up his cleats. I will go over the 2011 (oops, i just typed in 2010) team with a fine tooth comb soon. As we get closer and closer to play in Florida, my spirits soar. Hey, we have a great team. Enjoy your Sunday, a gray and silent day here in the middle of Connecticut. As always, BE WELL.

Hello. I'm back and as constant reader BFW deduced, I WAS in the hospital. I had a hernia located near the belly button, making an "inny" an "outy. Tuesday early afternoon, the pressure kept building inside my body. Suddenly I felt like an over-inflated tire, ready to burst. I had to call 911, and I did. After x-rays, tests and finally a sonogram, it was determined very quickly that the hernia had sucked up some of my upper intestines, shutting down my intestinal system to some extent. I was in surgery the very next day for a laprascopic (unsure of spelling) procedure which was easier on my body and the liver. I spent 1 1/2 more days at St. Francias Hospital lying on my back, peeing in a bottle and waiting for that intestinal system to get active again with disgestion, etc. and came home Friday noontime. To make a long story short, it worked. And now I'm typing to you, sore but grateful to be doing it. To all of you who wrote blog comments to convey their concern, thank you. To the one idiot who dissed just about everything about me and Nadia and my blog, here are your nonsensical comments for ALL to see...

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Anonymous said...
you are butt ass fucking ugly. u and that hideous dog of a wife. (husband??)Nevalettinghimgoagain


Anonymous said...
why the fuck do u think anyone cares about how ur feeling on this bitter cold tuesday morning!! oh my god. get a real life. "as always...be well and let's be careful out there!" go fucking drown in ur septic tank, u stank ass white trash.
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Nice, you anonymous idiot. I HAVE a life and I have four words for you. I'll put them in capital letters so you can understand them better. GO BACK TO SCOOL. There's no name calling when it comes to me, at least not in my blog (unless it has something to do with the Yankees), so I'm going to leave it at that. In final, thanks again.

Hideki Okajima, the Darkman who had a tough season in 2010 is back with a one year agreement, keeping him with the team who was on a search for a left-handed reliever. Well, they got him and he'll join the competition with Felix Dubront, Rich Hill, Lenny Dinardo (no!) and Andrew Miller.The selection process will commence in earnest in spring training. Good luck to them all, especially OKIE.

I'll be back in the swing of things more each day. I hope your New Years Day will be great and your 2011 the best ever. You can click on this post's title for more Sox news and as always, BE WELL. Remember, one's health is the most important thing on his or her list of living well. I'll see you tomorrow, if not sooner.