Don't Do It, Jason Bay

You know I say this not as a Red Sox fan, but just as a baseball fan in general: if I had two offers on the table, one from the Mets and a lower offer from the Red Sox*, I would choose the Red Sox every time. The Mets are just a black hole for talented ball players. I can’t think of any team I would rather play for less than the Mets. Really, I can't. Well, maybe the Blue Jays.

*Yes, I realize the Red Sox offer isn't on the table any more, but it was.

Not My Forté

For a website I am building. I'm thinking about outsourcing the graphic design.

















For the record, I could do a slightly better job with it, but I really don't want to.

How About Them Nationals?

Eight in a row! Go Nats! I love that Ryan Zimmerman too. Whatta player.

Great Stuff

http://www.mensjournal.com/brian-cashman

Best quote:

He’s sort of like the Democratic Party in that he has managed to convince his fans that he was actually against deals he voted for/was in on from the beginning, and vice versa.

Joe Torre's a Whorre

You can always count on David Wells for a memorable quote.

David Wells calls Torre a male prostitute?

When I heard early this morning that Wells had said Torre was a punk, I thought it was odd, generally a punk is young person something which Joe Torre is certainly not. Then I noticed the above article/post/whatever and learned that a punk can also mean a male prostitute. I guess that's what David Wells meant*, but it still seems a little odd.

Whats wrong with just plain A-hole, Boomer?

As a sidenote, I think all this controversy about Joe Torre's book is awesome. Anything that humiliates the Yankees is great fun.

*I know that's not what he really meant, its just that punk is a pretty silly name to call a 70 year old man.

This Is It

The last chance for Jim Rice to get voted into the Hall of Fame because it is his 15th and last year of eligibility. Yeah, I know the veteran's committee can vote him in, but they almost never vote anyone in.

The past few years I have lamented the fact that he has been denied entrance into the Hall, but this year I have changed my mind. I don't think he deserves it, and my sincere hope is that he does not receive enough votes in this, his final year on the ballot. The baseball writers know best because they are smart, articulate and truly care about baseball. They are the Guardians of our National Pastime. And they have a real flair for web design (caution: retinal damage may occur). Who are we to question Them?

Update: HE GOT IN! My pseudo-reverse psychology worked!

The Angels

I was never worried about this series. They won a hundred games playing against the likes of Seattle (61-101), Oakland (75-86) and Texas (79-83).

Admittedly, I am not able to watch many regular season games, but I had no idea that Jon Lester could throw so hard. I pegged him as a typical curveball chucking, 91 mph "heater" lefty.

Wow

I don't watch much basketball, or maybe I should say I haven't watched any basketball since Reggie Lewis died until these NBA finals. Man. What a great series it was. I'm glad I was caught up in it. I think that I would have regretted it forever if I hadn't watched.

Oh sure, it wasn't like watching the '04 Sox, but I never jumped off that bandwagon. Ever. If you are a die hard Celtics fan, don't hate me for being fair weather, I never judged you for not knowing who the Red Sox opening day starter was in 1997.

I Hate Roger Clemens

Yeah, yeah, I know. If you ask my kids, "hate" is a bad word, but this is a blog, and I don't have to be pretend not to hate things.

Here's an article I just discovered, take it with a grain of salt.

My two other favorite anti-Clemens articles ever:

Rocket failure: I love it

Is Clemens the Anti-Christ

I've always considered printing those two articles out and framing them. I think it's time to get off my duff and do it.

Why am I so concerned with Clemens all of a sudden? No reason. It's just a very slow off season.

Because Baseball Writers Know Best

Whatever.

Why is it the BBWAA 'tards are the only people who get to vote on who gets into the Hall of Fame?

Yes. Jim Rice did not make it in again. He was 16 votes shy of the 75% that he needed.

Oh, check out the BBWAA website. You'll love it. Very cutting edge.

Friends are friends and pals are pals

So Clemens and Pettitte stuck it in each others bums. Steroid needles that is.

Can we let it go now? Moving forward, test and punish the guilty, but going back in time seems like, well, a waste of time.

MASN

I watched an Orioles game on this god forsaken sports network last night. Anybody ever seen the Somersworth High School Toppers on Channel 12? Thats about the same quality of telecast as MASN.

Heaven help me.

Hey, guess what though? The Red Sox are on ESPN Sunday and there is NO danger of it getting blacked out here. Thank goodness its not Tavarez pitching.

Baseball

I am involved with not one, not two, but three fantasy baseball leagues this year. In previous years, I could get a lot of my lineup shuffling and free agent picking up during lunch or breaks at work. This year I can't and I am questioning whether or not I made a good decision in joining three leagues, one of which I paid $65 bucks to join (the winner gets 50%, 2nd gets 25%, 3rd gets 15%, and 4th gets 10%).

Anyway, it's a little weird being away from the Red Sox for the first time in my life. Even though I didn't have NESN for the past couple of years, at least I had the local news and AM radio, but now that's centered on the Nationals and the Orioles and the AAA Braves.

I would consider signing up for the Extra Innings packing from Comcast but since that is moving to DirectTV, well, I dunno if I want to go in that direction. There's a certain convenience that goes along with cable, plus I like to pay basic cable rates and see what kind of extra channels I can get for free, which to date has been significant. All of the major networks, and Discovery (Planet Earth rocks, except for Sigourney Weaver telling me from her crystal Hollywood palace that the reason the polar bear has to walk through slush is becuase my Dakota only gets 18 mpg).

I'm watching the Angels vs. the Rangers on ESPN right now. Its weird to hear Sean McDonough, former voice of the Red Sox, doing other work. Why was he fired again? I don't know. I don't think anyone else does either, except for those who did the sacking.

Pork Fried Rice

I can't believe they dogged him again this year. I hate the world.

Awww, How Cute

And I pledge to promise to do my best To do my duty to God and my country, To help other people, and To obey the Law of the Pack.

I am glad they are getting along now. Seeing as howing The Big Redneck doesn't have any choice now. What a dick.

A lot of you might not remember. but last season ARod and Sheffield started off the same way (cue flashback music)...

In Spring Training they realized they had a lot in common and their relationship blossomed:



















By April their relationship had grown to the point where they were afraid they might attract the attention of Steinbrenner and the New York Media, so they were trying keep it quiet:












May, however, saw them throw caution to the wind and proclaim their love on the field as you can see here. ARod, ever the bitch, tries to resist, but its futile. Their love is consummated:

















Unfortunately, after this incident, Jeter found out and was obviously angry about being cheated on. (I always new he would fight like a girl):














June, unfortunately, brought a fight between ARod and Sheffield like none other. Which reportedly started because ARod was tired of being the submissive one. Actually he was tired of being the dominant one. No, the submissive one. Or was it the dominant one. Oh well, only ARod knows for sure:















After which Sheffield realized that Jeter was the one for him and he and Jeter made up the next day (actually they made up three times):





















However, Derek lived to regret the rekindling of the flame when he was hit with the infamous "what are you thinking about?" question a few weeks later:
























And being intimidated by ARod for "messing with his man":



















All worked out for the best though because by the end of the season during the last series with Boston they all put aside their differences and decided to make the best of it. Here they are after who knows what went on behind the Green Monster:



















Awww, I love a happy ending.

Bag of Dirt

Yeah, that's YOU

I knew it all along

and this just proves it. Sammy Sosa is a big fat crybaby.

Good bye.

I'm sure he will be elected to the Hall of Fame, I just hope it isn't on the first ballot.

Very Interesting...

I never played in a league where we were named after real teams, only things like "Davidson Rubber", "D.F. Richard", "Merchants Bank" or "Elks", so I can't say for sure how devastated I would have been by having to be on the "Yankees". Although, if I reach down deep and examine my heart, I probably would have made fun of any friends who were unlucky enough to be on the "Yankees".

This will be a tough sell in Connect-A-Cut as they are very divided in their loyalties.

Jim Rice

Denied again for the Hall of Fame. Is there no justice in this world?

I also think, putting aside my hatred for the MFYs, Goose Gossage should be in the Hall of Fame too.

My favorite Red Sox players when I was a kid were Jim Rice and Todd Benzinger. Nah, just kidding about Benzinger, but definitely Rice.