New Year's Eve Day, and Night.

This is to be sung in your mind or outloud, maybe after a couple drinks of your choice, to the tune of HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS. I will be back with some thoughts for the coming year, but first this, thanks to my buddy Terry in the windy city.........

"Have yourself a merry little new years
Drink yourself half blind
Don't be sad to leave 2005 behind...

Have yourself a merry little new years
Make your whole night gay,
With each sip your faculties will fade away...

Pee the rug as in olden days
In that drunken haze of yours
Faithful friends who are dear to you
Will say "Cheers!" to you, and pour...

On new years you can't keep it together
If the fates get ploughed,
Pass out nude, you're gonna muddle through somehow...

Just have yourself a merry little new years now."

........and remember, my friends, to stay away from the driver's side of the car if you do have a couple. Think of it this way. Handcuffs and having a good time do NOT mix. I know.

Johnny's Departure...The Fans Comment.

Jere's stance that Johnny Damon will get little respect in New York because of his Sox background was the exact subject of 2 letters to the editor here in Hartford. Here they are, Jere, and my scores (yeah right) of other readers...."As a lifelong Yankee fan and Connecticut resident, I disagree with the Dec. 22 Courant editorial that claims the Johnny Damon trade caused scarcely a ripple here in this New York/Boston-divided state.

When I read of the trade, my heart sank as I envisioned this "self-proclaimed `idiot'" in the same pinstripes worn by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The thought of Damon patrolling the centerfield graced by Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle and Bernie Williams makes my hair stand on end.
Dismayed? Yes. Surprised? No.
Just as priests yearn to be bishop and politicians dream of the White House, so do Major League Baseball players long to don the pinstripes and call Yankee Stadium home.
Johnny Damon will have to do much more than clean up his appearance to earn the respect of Yankee fans. Love them or hate them, the New York Yankees represent to the world the best of the sport. Just consult the record books."

Noël K. Higgins
Durham
******and*********
"For all his talk about hometown discounts or never playing for the Yankees, Johnny Damon committed the sports equivalent of treason.
Make no mistake about it. This is disloyalty. And why? Because Johnny Damon is interested in only one thing - promoting Johnny Damon.
This is why he left Oakland and the media basement of playing on the West Coast. This is why he came to Boston; to be a part of one of the elite franchises in baseball. And this is why he is a Yankee now, and in so doing, turned down a five-year deal so that he can become a free agent again at age 36 instead of 37. He's probably already thinking of the next cap he will wear in 2010.
Except that now, Damon will never match the idol status he cherished in Boston because even if he could grow hair down to his wallet, he will always be third fiddle behind Derek Jeter and A-Rod. As big as Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz are with the Red Sox, neither matched the cult-figure persona of Damon.
Damon will get endorsements in New York, but not like the kind he would have received in Boston. Who would you rather hear promote a product, Manny or Damon? As a promoter, who would you rather hire for an ad, Derek or Johnny? How many cups of coffee or books do you think Johnny will sell in New York?
No matter how the media in New York or Boston portray this, the bottom line is that Damon left the Red Sox for the enemy because the enemy offered more money. He will be booed upon each return he makes to Fenway, just as he is booed in Kansas City and Oakland, and deservedly so."

James M. Conderino
Manchester
**** This is me again, dear readers. I'd love to hear your comments. And have a Happy New Year, although I shall be back before then.

Serious Sirius Sweetness Part Two.

My wish, after reading the unlabeled as such part one? I wish I had proofread it more than once. I might have caught the 2 (or so) spelling errors. I hope I have not added to them in this part 2. Bye, for now. Be good.

Serious Sirius Sweetness

Well, I finally bought a Sirius sat. radio, mostly because I will be able to listen to Howard Stern when he starts on Jan. 9th. I'm a big enough fan to pay 40 cents a day for his show, not to mention the other music and talk stations available. But it's 99% Howard that is the reason I bought it to begin with. Now, I have many trees in the front and backyard, and it seems like the signal is coming through the barren branches of winter just fine. In April most every year, the leaves start their life cycle, and good reception might be an iffy thing. If so, it'll be like a great radio that's only going to work for 4 months. But they do give you a 30 foot cord that I'm not using that might have to be used to find another sweet spot for the radio's antenna. I think those sweet spots are going to be few and far between, but if you knew me you'd know that if there's a way, I WILL FIND IT. At the worst, Sirius comes through great through the computer, and with an inexpensive FM transmitter, which is built in to the radio, by the way (Howard on all floors), things will be back to where they are now and I'll have a barely used surplus radio in great shape. I hope the leaf-blockeage doesn't happen. I really do. I wish I could go forward through this blog to find out, but then this wouldn't be a blog, it would be a Twilight Zone type of time machine. Whoa....don't need that. Please, I have my hands full with the present, thank you.

Will Johnny Damon Be Liked? I Think So.

I was over at Jere's blog site (www.letsgosox.blogspot.com) and he seems to think that the Yankee fans will find it hard to actually like and accept Johnny Damon, the reason being that he will forever be considered an ex- Red Sox and never a "true" Yankee. Stop over at Jere's...he might even put a poll up but at least read his post on the subject. To me , this is a slam dunk 4 of a kind (Aces) easy question to answer. Johnny, as we Sox fans know all too well, is a nice guy who people look at, guys AND ladies, and sorta fall in love with. His soft spoken ways and his quickness to compliment his teamates rather than take the spotlight make him easy to like, if not darnright love, in a guy way. I can't tell you how many times I've said a silent thank you to the powers that be whenever his shining moments happened. He was full of shining moments while playing for Boston. I'm truly sad that he's gone and am steadfast in my belief that as a few months, or years, go down the pike, upper Sox management will be to blame for what WILL be known as a complete and utter fiasco resulting in him wearing pinstripes. And you know what? Henry and company will have no excuse as to why they did what they did. I know that it was confusion and wrong decision making, in other words, NOT BEING ON THE BALL. But it's all been said, here and other places. It just has not sunk in to many of us, even those who think it has. Wait until his first trot out to center field in the home opener for the Yanks. You will see and hear a growing roar of standing people yelling their heads off. And when he laces the second pitch into the right centerfield gap for a double, or he works the pitcher for an eleven pitch walk, people there will go nuts, just as they will all year as their love for him grows. And when he makes a tremendous running catch in left center to rob someone of an extra base hit, the same thing will happen. He's a nice guy through and through, and everyone will pick up on that, Yankee fans or just us regular human beings. I'll miss you, Mr. Damon, centerfielder and leadoff man for the New York Yankess. And may you do well, unless you're playing us.

Millwood-less Is A Good Thing.......

Just a quick addendum to my last post. Signing Millwood for more than 3 years would not have been a smart thing, what with his fragile health status. We don't need a banged up guy breaking down halfway through his first year. But the holes are still there, and there, and there.

Money To Spend, But No Smarts On How To Do It.

Yes, that is the state of the Red Sox upper management, who lose out again, this time in trying to obtain the services of Kevin Millwood. It seems it all came down to a fourth year, which sounds a little familiar, doesn't it? Lucchino and company are well on their way to do 2 things. One is to solidify and cement the Red Sox 3rd place (if that) position in the AL East for 2006. And two, they are rapidly diminishing my interest in what has become an error filled off season, an off season that makes Edgar Rentaria's defensive season last year look positively brilliant. I'm getting sick of Luccino's antics and destructive, at least for the Sox, behavior. Who would want to deal with such an effing dolt? Not me. My unflagging patriotism for my team is turning rapidly into disinterest, with an idle curiousity to stick by them and monitor and report the news just to see how much lower they can sink. Good job LL. And to owner "Buck" Henry, how do you sit by and let this destuctiveness happen? It seems all you do is write emails when you should at least be the overseer of what is wrong and right with your, yes, your club. YOU SUCK! This ride into 2006 has all the markings of an ending like that of Pan Am Flight 800, a crash and burn into diminishing flakes of acrid dust, that which was once human flesh and bones.

Happy Christmas (War Is Over If You Want It)

So this is xmas
And what have you done
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is xmas
I hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry xmas
And a happy new year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

And so this is xmas
For weak and for strong
For rich and the poor ones
The world is so wrong
And so happy xmas
For black and for white
For yellow and red ones
Let’s stop all the fight

A very merry xmas
And a happy new year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear

And so this is xmas
And what have we done
Another year over
A new one just begun
And so happy xmas
We hope you have fun
The near and the dear one
The old and the young

A very merry xmas
And a happy new year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear
War is over, if you want it
War is over now

Happy xmas
*****Words and music by John Lennon.******

Santa Came to New York First

Hello and I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy Christmas, Chanuka and New Year's Day. And I'd also like to include a quote from Johnny Damon, who, while donning his new uniform and being photographed hundreds if not thousands of times, said this to a reporter, name unknown and unimportant. “How could this happen?” he asked. “Can you believe this? I told them (the Red Sox) more than a week ago that it looked like another team was getting close. It didn’t matter. They didn’t believe me.” Johnny, we believe you now. And I for one cannot believe how clueless the Sox brass were at this so important time. One hand should know what the other is doing. In this case, I think one hand didn't even know the other hand existed.
Thank you for stopping by, readers. I treasure each and every one of you.

And In The End............

After the ugliness of yesterday, all the, "Johhny, you're dead to me," and "Johnny, I hope you break a leg," or even things about Steinbrenner dying, I've seen enough. My goodness, the man took the best offer out there, an offer which the Red Sox brass did not come close to matching. I still say that if the 2 offers (there might have been more) had been close, Damon would have stayed. But no more of this back and forth here. Now it's time to watch and see if the mismanagement that runs the Red Sox these days, fools that they are, can fix this. Yankee fans are in their glory as they gleefully watch and listen to the Sox fans, who should love one another, rip each other to shreds. We've come to this?? NOT ME.
I became a Sox fan in 1967, and even went to a game of that year's classic World Series, as a kid. I don't remember much, except for a Petrocelli home run over the Monster. I was lucky enough to go to the first 2 games of the '75 heartbreaking World Series. In the first game, with seats in the first row behind first base, I was mesmerized, as were the Reds, by Loo-ie as he spun a shutout. And in game 2, when the spaceman Bill Lee's attempt to make it 2-0 was spoiled by a rain delay. He didn't have it after that, and the Sox lost. I saw Bruce Hurst, the ultimate lefty craftsman that year, win one in the '86 World Series. But the name calling and backstabbing of yesterday, mere hours ago, has soured those memories, at least for a couple days, but no longer. People, BE NICE. IT'S A GAME. I hate the Yankees as much as anyone, and this move doesn't help them nearly as much as it hurts our team's chances this year. Let's keep this ugliness at bay. There are people dying out there. Nuff said.

Back to Johnny.......

In the man's owns words, here is a definition of the Sox' problem. The problem is not players who want to leave, at least in this case. The bigwigs are to blame. Speak, Johnny Damon, Yankee leadoff hitter and center fielder. “It was a very tough decision, but, you know, New York came after me aggressively and that’s what sealed the deal,” Damon said. “They showed that they really wanted me. I tried with Boston (to get) them to try to step up, but unfortunately they didn’t." Me here again. If Theo had verbally expressed his feelings a little more, you would have heard much the same. So let us put the blame in the proper place, and not wish ill will on anyone with an active part, at least on the field active, in the game of baseball and dollars. Our upper management team (read Lucchino et. al.) has no clue how to deal with players and treat them like the human beings they are. But boy, sometime soon are we in for a TRADE of mammoth proportions. I hope they (upper management) get their shit together before they compound our myriad problems.

And In Manny's OWN Words.......

*****FLASH****** This might not have been reported anywhere, but a source inside the Red Sox organization says that, in Manny's own words...'I'm not going anywhere." And for once I'm serious. Maybe he read my letter from yesterday. So today has started with a bang, and the sun ain't even up yet!

Souls of the Departed

It is early morning, well before dawn here in 8 degree Farmington Ct. I woke up half an hour before usual. My alarm hadn't sounded. Something was amiss. So as usual, I put on the radio to wait for the 5 to 5:30 news and sports show on a local station. That half hour slot is my time to scrunch under the covers and be informed before adding movement to my day. The news guy started to say that Johnny Damon had agreed to a contract with........it was here that he took a breath, seemingly stretching the moment for the early risers who might have been a little groggy. And then he said those 3 words...the New York Yankees. I let out a loud gasp that would have woken anybody sleeping next to me, maybe even the next room or two. As it was, only my cat, bless his heart, looked up to make sure I was OK. But for that moment, I was NOT OK. I tuned to ESPN sports radio in time to hear Johnny's interview ith WBZ. You see, all this happened after I went to sleep. Well, just to hear him refer to the Yankees as "we" made any more sleep impossible.
We'll miss you, we'll miss your speed on the basepaths as much as your smile in the clubhouse. Back to bed, not happy, not sad, just totally disappointed. $13 million was your price? Well, the dollar won again.

Seanez In for the Pen...Signing Official

Well, the signing is official. Another arm for the troubled bullpen, giving more credence to the soon to be sure notion that Jon Papelbon will be a member of the starting rotation, just like Theo envisioned before his rather stunning departure. Pitch well and prosper, Rudy.

The Manny Auction and A Letter To Sir Manny Himself.

So I hear Manny is auctioning off some of his memorabilia from his Red Sox days, which I still believe are not over. I hope he soon realizes this. In fact, I'll speak directly to him, in that I know from a friend of a friend's first cousin's best friend's father that he does read this blog, or its sister Spanish language cousin. "Manny, I hope this greeting finds you healthy and well. We know you are wealthy. Oh, and you're batting fourth and playing left field on the 2006, yes 2006 Red Sox team. We will applaud you. We will yell and scream and drink and fornicate...well, scratch the fornication. We will ADORE YOU. Just stay. We can't get shit in equal value in a trade, so stay in warm sunny Fenway, where the faithful will embrace you while giving you your private space which is so important to you and your family. Dr. Big Papi will be there, getting on base for you to drive in runs torridly throughout the season, the season that we shall call from now on THE SEASON OF LOVE. With love and faith in my heart Manny, Peter N., a fan forever." (cc to Reb..where are ye girl?) You see, readers, when you end things with a mention of Reb, good things start to happen.

Speeding Ticket Part 2...and the News is GOOD.

For those of you who did not read part 1, please go back to Dec. 12. Thanks.
Now, it seems the whole problem was caused by the West Hartford police officer who pulled me over for going 54 in a 40 zone. It seems like he was having a brain fart when he wrote the ticket, deserving as I was of the infraction. Here is what he did wrong. I guess he wouldn't have made this mistake if I had been going slower, so it's my fault, but in the space where he wrote in my plate number, he wrote PETER, state of Connecticut. My goodness, how one letter can make such a difference. You see, my plate is PETE N, my name, or as Jere would say P-10. The guy whose plate reads PETER is in deep doo doo, with outstanding charges that make speeding seem like being the manager of the K.C. Royals, for example. I in no way am him, and I'm glad of it. So it looks like this can be corrected by my lawyer seeing the prosecuter with a copy of my registration, showing that my plate reads Pete N. Case closed. I just thumped the table with an imaginary hammer. There is another thing I'd like to do with that hammer, but the police are out there for our safety, and you have to love that. So my hammer will remain at arm's length.
There is no Fenway news to report right now. So I'm going to sit back and enjoy feeling the relief that washed over me when I was appraised of the whole ticket situation. I hope you all had a great weekend, and spring training cannot come soon enough.

Oh Come All Ye Faithful....or Something Like that

Please copy and paste my Christmas link to you. It takes a while to load on dial-up connections, but for others it's quick and the wait is worth it. http://www.comeallyefaithful.co.uk/

Nomar Officially A Dodger Blue.

I just heard that the deal to bring Nomar to La La Land is official. How appropriate. It seems Nomar has been in La La Land for a number of years mentally, but I wish him a year of GOOD HEALTH. The rest will come naturally with his athletic gifts. We'll miss you, but staying in the National League is just fine with me. Maybe see you in late Ocober. That would be sweet.

Dr. Papi and the Patriots' Defense...It's Getting Better All the Time.

Not much in the way of Sox news other than this. It was reported over the weekend somewhere that our own David Ortiz is working on soothing the savage beast. In other words, he is trying to cool Manny's 'I have to get out of here" feelings. If he is successful, we should pronounce him Dr. Big Papi. You go big guy.
The Patriots are undergoing a defensive transformation that would make Dr. Frankenstein proud. After all, he was a loyal Sox and Pats fan, as I'm sure most of you were unaware, as well as having the talent to bring the dead to life. And the defense IS alive! As of now, they can beat anyone in the NFC. I truly believe that. But the road to the Super Bowl this year runs through Peyton Manning land, and that's where our defense and its last 3 games come in. The Jets, then the Bills. Sure, those teams suck and we were supposed to throttle them. Behead them, even. And so it went. Yesterday the division leading (they are tied) Bucs came to town. The result...a shutout that was complete in every way. The Bucs were not only beheaded, but the Pats defense used that head for a game of HORSE after the game. Time is getting short, and just think how good it would be to beat the Colts on their home turf. There is work to be done, but when you have the best quarterback in the game, and we do, and then the defense starts to regain their confidence, good things should follow.
So for the esteemed Dr. Papi and the Pats defense, I say have a great Sunday. Come back tomorrow for more sneaky entertainment.

A Cartoon Must-See, People. After All, It Is Saturday!

Here is the latest Jib Jab cartoon. Just click on the box in the center that says 205. Please wait for the Sprint add to finish. Laughs will follow. Brought to you by me, Peter, king of entertainment small and even smaller. http://www.jibjab.com/Home.aspx

Rocket and Nomar..Yes There Is a Difference.

I would welcome back Rocket Roger with open arms and a bear hug. The crowd would stand and cheer, for minutes, while he walked to the mound. You know why? He was forced to leave the club by Ducquette and his cronies who thought, rather comically, that he was washed up. Well, that gave him the impetus to get into better shape and take the pitching world by storm while throwing for the North Birds. A real FU to Ducquette. And then he went to the Yankees,. which some Red Sox fans will never get over. C'mon people, this is professional sports we're talking here.
Now, Nomar, cancer that he was. Chained to the dugout of his own choosing in a game at the Stadium. On the team bus in 2003 after tieing the series with 2 straight wins over the A's, and actually questioning his teamates as to why go back out to California for the final game, they were just going to lose anyways. Now these actions say OUTLOUD at ear-splitting volume that the doofus who used to be Nomar had quit on his team, and quit on them when they needed him the most. To me he was just like a hopelessly infected limb that unless cut off, would cause the rest of the body to turn green, smell, and eventually suffer a pus-filled painfull death. What do the doctors do in such a situation? THEY AMPUTATE! That is why he will never wear a Sox uniform again. That is why if and when he appears at Fenway as a member of another team, there will be a chorus of booing and a smattering of cheers. Compare that to the standing O that Roger will get.
As the Yankees pile up set-up type of relievers and we sit on our asses, the hot stove talk is cool. As of now, Manny WILL bat 4th, and David Welles WILL be our number 3or 4 starter. As Billy Joel said, 'And so it goes."
Have a great weekend. I'll be back here to confuse and amuse you soon.

Howard's Last Parade (for now).

I just finished watching Howard Stern's last broadcast ceremony on Yahoo (good job Yahoo!) and really enjoyed it. Of course, he's going over to Sirius satellight radio in 3 weeks, and I'm hoping the trees and the desolate landscape here in Conecticut do not force me to listen in my car. Seriously, there are a couple trees that I'd like to buzzsaw, because I KNOW when they sprout their leaves in warmer times, I'll be left high and dry. Just a feeling. Imagine buying a sat. radio now and have it stop receiving the signal in the spring. Stay tuned, because you'll hear about it right here if it does happen. Or if it doesn't.
As for the Sox, there is much news, but nothing definitive. Johnny's going here, listening to them, meeting with those folks, all well and good if he just remains with us, maybe with a 4 year dollar plan with an option for year number 5. And that year 5 is a stretch, knowing that common sense with our team only goes so far. Good job. Manny looks like he's staying put, and David Welles and his fate and future destination still remain a mystery, as does Mr. Martes' elbow. As Bruce Springsteen said in 1975, I'm going to "stand back and let it all be." But I'll be here for my reactions, you can be sure of that. And that's why I thank you for stopping by, and maybe even for being a regular reader. I'll be regular if you will. Think of it- a veritabe laxative fest!
Take care.

So Much Time and So Little to Say.

And I'm good at it too. I can write for an hour and say nothing. Think of it. A blog about nothing. It worked for Jerry Seinfeld.
First of all, good luck and good health to our 2003-2005 infield MVP Billy Mueller. You will be missed. And I'm pretty sure many people don't realize just how much. And a maybe hello to hurler Seanez. If last year was any indication, you would be an invaluable addition to our bullpen. C'mon to Boston and have a good time.
Now to more serious matters. Hmmmm.I don't have any more serious matters. Reb, I hope your move went well. Jere, as you said, stay warm. To everyone, try to limit your shopping to be close to what you can afford, Christmas or not. The bills start in January. I'm currently awaiting my natural gas bill. Oh what fun! I keep the themostat at 68, and back it down to 63 at night. A down comforter and a warm body work wonders for warmth, and that's true for a feline body or a female human one. My cat doesn't snore, though, but a female human has its advantages too. I'll have a post a little later when my toes thaw fully, and the links to my favorite places are another day closer.
I've run out of thoughts. Wow, I hope it's not permanent. It happens from time to time, though not often, so I will say goodbye, for now.

Minus Eight Degress Fahrenheit Is Too Damn Cold!

That's right. I wake up and shower to begin the day. Every day. Most days, but clearly not all (thank goodness), shaving is also involved. Going downstairs to inch up the thermostat to a daytime warmth of 68. I head to the themometer which in addition to inside temperature, also displays the outdoor temp. The sensor is mounted on a wooden post, facing North and 6 feet from the snow-covered ground. And it said minus eight point five degrees Fahrenheit (-8.5). Now that's too cold for this time of year. With any wind, a deadly combination that we call wind chill rears its ugly head. We won't go there.
Sparse Sox news that can be called new, so I'll check in later as something gets my fingers on these keys again.

Nomar In Pinstripes...Is That The New Fashion Statement For 2006?

Well. I just heard on the radio that the pinstripes have offered Nomar and his agent some type of deal to play first base for their team, thus moving Giambi's mediocre to awful glove to a place in the dugout while he becomes the fulltime (?) D.H. What do I think. How about a BIG what-if? What if Nomar stays free of injuries? Now that's a huge what-if, because for some reason, streroids or just bad luck (yeah right), he has become injury prone, attracting them like a magnet seeks out iron. He is a dangerous hitter when healthy, and his glove is great. It was his throwing that was more suspect in his later years with the Sox. This move should take care of that. Now it's time for the Boston rags....maybe I'll see the news there, or maybe I won't. But I am getting a little antsy with the holes at SS and CF. C'mon GM's. Johnny for 4 WILL happen. For SS, consult your local fortune teller, or dial 1-800-fortune. I guess that IS someone's number.

A Simple Speeding Ticket?

There is no such thing. Upon getting my mail Saturday morning, my birthday morning no less, I received a letter from the Superior Court, state of Connecticut. Hmmm...is this addressed to me? I checked, and yes, it was. Ripping open the envelope on what was supposed to be a CAREFREE day, I read the official looking document that said, in effect, that I am to report to SUPERIOR Court on Thursday Jan. 5, 2006. Other than the summons # and docket #, there was nothing else.
Flash to this morning, after spending the weekend worrying/thinking about it. Great way to spend a weekend. My bank told me the check for $201 had cleared. By the way, I was going 54 in a 40 MPH zone, but what the hell, they had cashed the check uneventfully. So why did I have to go to court? I called the clerk for Superior Court, who nicely told me that the speeding ticket had triggered something that resulted in it being transfered to Superior Court for reasons that she did not have. To find out what, if anything, I was accused of, I would have to report to the prosecuter's office on Jan. 5th. FUCK THAT!!!! I wasn't going to wait 4 weeks to find out what my supposed offense was. I think I would REMEMBER getting arrested. Long story short, I sent a copy of the cashed check and the notification to appear in court to my personal and business lawyer, who told me not to worry, it was probably a clerical error. I hope so. Now I can file it more towards the back of my mind, where I am less likely to self destruct with worry.
Other than that it's been a great start to the week. Hey, it could have been worse. At least they cashed the check and it cleared, so the speeding ticket (first in 4 years) is in the past.

Maybe a Change of Heart.....

The Orioles owner Peter Angelos was quoted as saying ''I'd find it difficult to justify a $20 million salary per year for anybody. ''The economics of the game don't support that type of salary for any player."
WELL. You know what this says to me. Money can't buy me love, but if the Sox pitch in to help bring down Manny's cost per year for the O's, well then, we might have a trade that would not only be beneficial to BOTH clubs, it would be DAMN FANTASTIC!!! Time will tell, as it does with everything. But when I read what Angelos said, there was a clear implication that money was the most important issue for him, and money is what the Sox have. Who knows what will transpire? The Shadow knows. I certainly don't, but hopes are high.

RIP Richard Pryor

It was while getting ready to go out to dinner last night that the news of the death of one of my all time favorite funny men was announced. Richard Pryor dead of a heart attack at 65. In some ways this is a blessing for him. He doesn't have to deal with his battered and non functioning body any more. He will be missed.
One recommendation for those of you who have only seen snippets of his stand up comic prowess. This "double feature' DVD will give you an idea of what he was all about...http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000803BPS/qid=1134307672/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-2008319-6832825?s=dvd&v=glance&n=130......It's a long copy and paste, but you can do it!
Another favorite comic film for me is SILVER STREAK, where he teamed with Gene Wilder aboard a train trying to catch the bad guys. It's a film you should see...give it a rent.
Thank you Richard. I know some people say your physical problems were for the most part your own fault. To a degree, yeah. But not the MS that curtailed and dimmed your comic genius in such a tragic way. Thanks for the laughs, funnyman.

Get Back

The Boston Globe reports on their web site the following....."Sox work on return of Epstein."......Evidently this will be in some advisory role, but we all know that would be just pure wordage preceding more formal terms, such as................HE'S Efing BACK! More hope on what has been up until now a quiet celebration of my birth. I'll make up for the quiet part tonight.

Female Orgasm-Male Orgasm....Viva La Difference

Copy n paste this......
http://viral.lycos.co.uk/attachments/3939/Orgasmic_Simulator2.htm
Bringing a smile to you every day every way.

You Say It's Your Birthday? It's My Birthday, Too!

At least it's not snowing. We ended up with 12.5 inches, and that's a lot for 7 hours of snow. And speaking of the Boston bullpen.....it doesn't matter how many position players we have or will replace. The bullpen is still an unproven wastleland of craters and radioactive ruins. On the bright side, it can only get better.
It's 7 AM and I'm already looking forward to a mini-celebration dinner downtown tonight, and you all know how hopping it can get on a Saturday night in Hartford. All kidding aside, there are so many great restaurants and clubs here, it's surprising. You're all invited.

Now They Know How Many Holes It Takes To Fill The Albert Hall.

The biggest hole we have to fill RIGHT now is the SS hole. We WILL fill it in, maybe so the disapointment and futility that defines the one year Red Sox career of Edgar will be erased from our minds. The Sox are looking to the future while marvelously improving the team for next year WHILE keeping the under-thirty year old arms that will portend a glorious future. Wow-too long a sentence. But from my seat, before any newspaper sports page reading (Globe, Herald, already read the Courant because it's plopped on my doorstep with the Times), and after going through my fav. blogs (12/8, Jere, GYS, the absent Reb, who is busy busy busy and good for her}, and keeping one eye on the snow to my right, it's a good morning.
And, in keeping with my technical expertise, I humbly apologise to the bloggers who are so important and special to me whose links do not appear here. My nephew will be home mid-month and he'll show me in-person how to have them up here, where they belong. It seems I need someone sitting right next to me who knows what he or she is doing to able to convey that info to my grey matter. I feel badly about this, but I hope I'm forgiven. A soothing comment here or there to that effect would help to assuage my savage doubts that anyone reads me. I sure hope so, because I aim for a smile as well as baseball info everytime I sit in front of this Apple desktop in this divided territory called Connecticut. And that's divided as to baseball loyalty, blue pin stripes or smart red tones.

8 Hours of Snow Equals 11 Inches on the Ground.

No, no Sox talk in this post. The Fenway green has been replaced by virgin white (and a new infield). Just a quickie weather note while waiting for the morning light to let me savor the outside beauty. Wake up and smell the beer........er coffee.

Nomah?? Say It Ain't So.

THis is a poll on Dirt Dogs...not by favorite place, but the results as of now of this poll amazed me. And the winner is......Nomah!? Please puhleeeze, no, no way. Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!
Who should the Red Sox acquire to play shortstop next season?
Nomar Garciaparra
Alex Gonzalez
Royce Clayton
Pokey Reese
Julio Lugo (in a trade)
No one ... the job should go to Alex Cora
No one ... the job should go to Dustin Pedroia (he played SS in college)

Hello Goodbye

Well, Edgah, and the E is for error, is gone. God only knows who will be next season's shortstop, but I do know that he'll have a much bigger glove. 3rd base PROSPECT Marte is a Sox guy now, so to find the new shortstop, Lucchino and company will probably go the free agent route. Time will tell. This IS a little bizarre, but I think it's like the New England weather....wait a minute and it will change. So on this somber, at least for me, day, I will keep one eye on the wires and be in touch. Imagine.

Watching The Wheels (Go Round and Round).

Wow, so many things going on at the meetings, so many that won't get done. But a select few WILL get done. It's just that I or any "normal" fan have no idea which ones will ring true. That is also true of upper management, at least at 11:46 EST. Which is RIGHT now.
Sooo, on that note, I will say "hasta manana", with a tilde over the second "N". For those of you who do not know what a tilde is, leave a comment and I will tell you. Use the code word BOSS. That is my pin code for just about everything that has nothing to do with money. As always, thanks for reading. I hope a few of you, my friends, do read this, but the counter thing that a blogger should know how to install still eludes me. Parts of life elude me, but I get high...er...by with a little help from my friends. That sounds so familiar. I'd better go now.

John Lennon. An Open Letter to a Hero of Mine 25 Years After That Night in New York City.

******This Thursday marks the 25th anniversary of the death of John Lennon. Here is my open letter to John, who was shot 4 times
in the back, severing all the major blood vessels
leading to and from the heart. There was nothing the
Doctors could do on that night 25 years ago, December
8th 1980. He was 40 years old.********

Dear John. Wow it's been 25 years. Hard to
believe, huh. You were walking into your apartment at
the Dakota in New York City when a crazed idiot
stepped out behind you, and while you were walking
away from him, shot at you 5 times, hitting you 4
times in the back. I hope you didn't feel much pain,
but I know better. When the 2 policeman put you in
their car (An ambulance would have made no difference.
The damage was done even if the shooting happened in a
21st century trauma room), one of them asked you if
you knew who you were, and you nodded and sputtered
out the word yes. You suffered and died quickly. In
fact the last word you said was YES in response to the
cop's question.
Oh how you meant so much to me. I was mesmerized by the Beatles
music. You gave me so much joy. It was always the music that helped me
through my awkward years of 11-16, some of them which
were not happy ones. And this was 10 years after the Beatles stopped being the Beatles. And then in the 70's, at least
the first 5 years, your music still flowed while it
seemed everyone clamored for a Beatles reunion. And
then in late '79, when your newly born son was a
little older and your doting period ended, you came
back to your music, music more alive and vibrant than
it had been in the past decade. And then that night.
It was a Monday. I remember because I was watching
Monday night football, and Cosell said that he had
just learned of a terrible thing, and he announced to
the country the few facts known about your violent
death. I cried, called my parents and friends, and was
stunned. As I write this, I feel exactly the same way.
But your music will live forever. You said, in a
song named INSTANT KARMA...
And we all shine on
Like the moon and the stars and the sun
Yes we all shine on
On and on and on and on.....
When I looked up in the sky last night, I knew you
were right. You were so right in so many things. The
world would have been a different place with you, at
65, still demanding peace. I miss you John. I love
you. As you said, "Come together, give peace a chance,
all you need is love." We should have listened.
Peter Naboicheck. I'll never forget you.

Johnny Wants Back......Or So His Agent Says As the Centerfielder Was in Town.

Well, on this snowy Sunday morning, it is my understanding that the Johnny Damon camp had meetings with Red Sox brass this weekend. Although it is too premature for anything concrete to come out of these mind meldings (think Spock), I am hopeful that he will return, although I can perfectly understand that no team in their right minds would give him a 7 year deal. After 5 years his arm just might be able to handle the strain of throwing popcorn kernels into his sleeping wife's open mouth. Couldn't resist that one. But for the next 3, maybe 4 years, it would be a joy to see him on patrol somewhere in OUR outfield.
The winter meetings beginning in a matter of hours should be unique in that the players that we WILL aquire shall not be free agents. They will be gotten the old fashioned way-the trade. What a concept! We have 2 players that say they will not report should a trade elsewhere not develop. In fact, Boomer Wells has been the more vocal of the pair, with Manny being silent Manny. We shall see this week. Our GM by commitee seems to be working seamlessly. KEEP IT THAT WAY, for now at least. It ain't broke, not as the club heads into what will be a team-changing experience. The Marlins bonanza was just the icing on a cake yet to be baked. Yummmm.
On a personal note, nada much. A Nor'easter for Monday night into Tuesday might or might not happen. Even if the storm forms in the correct place off the coast of Virginia and takes the perfect snow path just to the east of Cape Cod will we be buried, because it will be a fast mover with only moderate moisture to fall as snow. This path is by no means carved in anything, so wait a day. Also a favorite blogger of mine remains silent, with a busy month of December coming up for her in every way. I wish her well.
That's it, kids! Be good, or Santa or the Chanuka king will know about it!

That's My Ball. No, It's Mine! And Another Yankee Heads to a Better Place.

Well, it's getting down and dirty. What is? The "debate" over the ownership of the baseball that was the last one utilized in the 4th and final game of the 2004 season, an unforgetable one to all of us. Is it Dougie M ? Or the Boston Red Sox? Or do the courts and just about everyone else have more important life and death issues to deal with? YES YES YES. By the way, I think I'm going to sue for rightful ownership of the baseball that in Little League I hit out for a home run to win a game. That ball meant everything to me, now that I've had a few decades to think about it. You know, when they say it's best to take your time instead of coming to a snap decision, now I see the point.
In other real-life news, it looks like another pinstriper is about to become an ex-pinstiper. Tom Gordon, I salute you and wish you well closing for the Phils. And in this I am sincere. He's a nice guy. I guess the girl that loves him, who is probably in her early 20s now, will have to relocate. You remember...Stephen King's tome THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON. Too bad that mere weeks after it was published Flash's career was put on hold by injury. If you haven't read it, it's an enjoyably quick and harmless read that I would recommend. On that note, until next time, take care. I love every one of you, but I hope there are more than one.

Mix Bobby Abreu into the Brew.

Not to mention that the Phillies also have stepped up in the Manny sweepstakes. We'll see. I still hope nothing happens, but Manny would be homeless if that's what happens and his Suite at the Ritz is sold. Oh the horror..perish the thought.

Two Teams.....Only One Manny...Good Stuff Will Happen No Matter How This Turns Out. Byline: Larry Fine (Kidding)

Konerko is staying put. Good for him, bad for the Angels. Now it is a 2 team war to gain the services of our quirky Manny. And that's only if we must. I want him to sit down with our powers that be and tell them how he feels. He is the best fit to bat behind Big Papi, the ONLY fit that I can see. To part with him and his invincible protection of Papi's bat will be hard if not darn impossible to replace. To get 2 or 3 position players for him, everyday starting players on any club, will not help out in this regard. That's why a face to face is so neccesary. None of us want to see the dreaded intentional walk statistic go ballistic next season.
And yes, I'm still chuckling from the logic the reporter used in the previous post. As you can tell from the title of this one.