Derek Jeter & His Agent Are Delirious!

I had to post this blurb from the Boston Globe, my favorite newspaper. This is recent, very recent...

"Derek Jeter started contract negotiations with the Yankees by asking for a six-year, $150 million deal, the New York Daily News reported yesterday. Jeter, who has won five World Series titles in 16 years with the Yankees, is standing firm on $25 million per year, according to the newspaper, citing an unidentified person familiar with the negotiations. The Yankees originally offered the 11-time All-Star a three-year, $45 million deal that would make Jeter, 36, the game’s highest-paid shortstop."

Did you laugh as I did? Twenty five million per season?? I think the Boston Red Sox should make him an offer higher than the pin-stripers offer (by one dollar) but no higher. New York tensions will mount. Doom will be on the horizon for the Yankee front office. He-he. But we don't want it to backfire and end up with Jeter. Hey, he can still swing the bat but he is the face of the New York Yankees. He's a competent shortstop but his last three Gold Gloves were absolutely farcical. It was like George was voting from the grave. And so, my little story will end like this. Jeter will end up with the Yankees for three years at $15 million per year. Or he'll be playing for the Boston Red Sox for $15 million and one dollar per year. I'll even kick in the buck.

That was my Tuesday light-hearted post to you. I hope your day will be a great one and please click on this post's title for more from the NY rags. As always, BE WELL. And let's be careful out there.

Leslie Nielson 1926-2010

And don't call me Shirley. That was one of Leslie's laugh-out-loud lines from his break the mold (at least for him) movie, AIRPLANE. He continued that genre of a bumbling but competent fool until his death. I remember that he was always here in the greater Hartford area for the celebrity pro-am round of the Greater Hartford Open. I even ran into him in West Hartford Center as he was on his way with friends to a great restaurant. He even made a joke then.

Heaven just became a much funnier place. Leslie Nelson, I will miss you and I want to thank you for all the laughs, most of them belly laughs. And I'm not the only one. You were an American treasure. To my Constant Readers, click on this post's title for more on Leslie and some video of the man himself. Thanks. Leslie, I always knew one day you'd make me cry. Well, that day is today. Rest in peace, funny man. You will never be forgotten.

Red Sox Actively Looking For Bullpen Arms

Hello and good Monday morning. Yes, it's back to reality after the long weekend. I hope those four days treated you well. I wanted to post this blurb from an unnamed major league source. Here you go...

"According to a major league source, the Red Sox have shown interest in free agent relief pitcher Matt Guerrier. The right-hander, who has spent his entire seven-season major league career with the Twins, went 5-7 with a 3.17 ERA in 74 games with Minnesota in 2010. In the previous two seasons he led the American League in appearances with 76 and 79, respectively. The 32-year-old had been classified as a ‘Type A’ free agent, but the Twins failed to offer him arbitration thereby not costing any team that would sign the righty a draft pick. Primarily a ground-ball pitcher, Guerrier’s best pitch is a slider, which helped limit right-handed batters to a .210 batting average in ’10. He also walked just 22 in 71 innings last season."

Other than Bard and Papelbon, the bullpen is a question mark. New Red Sox pitching coach Curt Young has his hands full but I have faith in him.

Leslie Nielson passed yesterday and the post above this one conveys my thoughts. I'm going to cut this post short because I'm sad. As always, BE WELL. Read my other Monday post if you can. Thanks.

UCONN Women Win 83rd Straight

The UCONN women's national championship basketball team did it again for the 83rd straight game. They defeated Lehigh by a lopsided score of 81-38. The best player in the world, UCONN's Maya Moore, scored 24 of her 29 points in the first half to give her team a tremendous kick start. Their super coach and coach of the US National team that will compete for their country in the 2012 Olympics spoke after the game of the importance of Maya. He was speaking tounge-in-cheekly, as he is liable to do at any moment. Hey, he's from Philly! Here you go..

"Coaching is really easy, provided you've got the kind of player no one else has. And as long as we've got that, I think we've got a chance to win every single game we play. If I call timeout, it's give Maya the ball as many times as we can and see where it takes us."

He does a lot more than that. Believe me! But Maya Moore brings an added dimension to his very young (5 freshman!) team. They've won every gosh darn game since 2008 and they are just five games away from tying the immortal John Wooden's UCLA teams, a bunch of guys who won 88 times in a row. That was a record thought never to be broken. Maybe it won't, you never know. Muffet McGraw, the coach of the Notre Dame women's team, said she would not have believed the streak if it didn't unfold right in front of her eyes. When (not if) they get to 89 victories, after a celebration of EPIC proportions here in Farmington, I'll tail off on their coverage here because this is a baseball blog. But the UCONN women are a team of my heart, exactly like the Boston Red Sox, and I never miss a game all season long. Every game here is either nationally televised or aired on Connecticut Public Television, in Hi Def, too! UCONN plays the final game of this three game World Vision Championship today against the 4-3 LSU. Win number 84, here we come.

I hope every one of you has a great Sunday. I have no plans as of yet but sometimes on a Sunday that's a good thing. I know I'll be in front of the television watching UCONN hoops at 4:30pm EST. Other than that, nada. Click on this post's title for more sports news and as always and forever, BE WELL. If you're on the roads, be careful out there.

VMart On His Detroit Tigers (And His Former Team, The Boston Red Sox)

Victor Martinez, the newest member of the Detroit Tigers after spending a year and a half with the Boston Red Sox, seems to be a happy and content man. You see, he wants a ring. I'll let him tell you himself...

“I would like to thank the Red Sox to give me the opportunity, they brought me in last year at the end of the year, and this year. I really want to thank them very much. It was a great opportunity. It was a great experience. I can’t thank them enough for giving me that opportunity. On the other hand, I was really, really looking forward to come here to Detroit. Me and my family were really excited when Detroit was interested in myself and we were just finding a way to get it done. I know this organization. I played in the AL Central for pretty much my whole career. I played against you guys [Tigers] a lot. I can see the improvement you guys made. You guys are always trying to improve the team. Make the team better, competitive, and that’s something that I really liked. I was looking for a place to give me a great chance to put a ring on my finger. It couldn’t be better than the Detroit Tigers. I’m really happy to be here and I’m just anxious and ready to get spring training started.”

Good luck to you, Victor. You played well. I think the Sox wanted a higher level of defense. We'll see what happens with Salty and 'Tek. And stay tuned to the escalating hot stove shenanigans to come. In some ways, it's the most exciting time of the year (except for October play).

In women's NCAA college basketball, the University of Connecticut improved to 4-0 this season and have won an astounding 82 games in a row. They're looking to tie and then break the record of straight 88 wins that is held by John Wooden's UCLA teams. The final score last night was UCONN 86, Howard 25. As the score tells you, it was a mismatch.

I thank you for stopping in to my corner of the "blue nowhere" (the internet). It's Saturday so enjoy it! You can click on this post's title for more on the UCONN game and as always, BE WELL.

Pass The Salt(y) & Pepper, Please

Hello on this post-Thanksgiving Friday, a day dedicated to digestion and more relaxation. I hope you had a terrific family-filled holiday and I also hope that you have the day off today. It's Black Friday and the shoppers are out there. In fact, some of them have been waiting in the cold drizzle in central Connecticut since midnight. The area WALMARTS seem to be the most populated, followed by Westfarms mall (Macys is a mob scene) and right across the street from it, BEST BUY. But I'm here to talk about the Boston Red Sox and our new, first string catcher (or so it seems), Jarrod Saltalamacchia. When the Sox jettisoned Victor Martinez because they had concerns about his defense, well, I'll let Jarrod tell you. Needless to say, he'll be ready. Here's he is...

“This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for. I’m glad Victor got what he wanted, but now I need to run with this. I've followed the developments closely. Nothing is set in stone but it looks like I could have an opportunity to earn a spot in the lineup. Obviously it makes me feel great that the organization has confidence in me."

It looks like Jason Varitek will be the backup guy behind the plate and that's not only good for Salty, it's good for the entire pitching staff. Salty on 'Tek's return...

"That would benefit everybody. In the two months I was in Boston, I saw how much trust and respect the pitchers had with 'Tek. That's the guy I want to learn from. If I'm with him, I know I'll be getting all the right information. His presence in the clubhouse is huge."

Invaluable. Varitek should thrive catching every third or fourth game and his knowledge of the opposing teams' hitters is astonishing, all over the American League. Talks of his retirement are premature, to say the least. But let's not forget one important thing. Jarrod Saltalamacchia must prove to Red Sox Nation that he can do the job, both at the plate and behind it. Keep the faith.

Thanks for stopping in today and again I hope you had a great Thanksgiving Thursday. You can click on this post's title for more on the game of baseball and as always, BE WELL. Anyone for a turkey sandwich?

Thanksgiving Day 2010

I remember when I was a little kid in the 1800's (just kidding) and it was Thanksgiving Day morning. The smell of turkey had made its way up to the second floor and I was hypnotically hooked. I went downstairs to the kitchen and found my mom there, basting the huge bird and preparing the stuffing. It must have been 6am but it was a big bird that wasn't crispy on the outside skin, at least not yet. My mom had her own way to retain all those wonderful white meat juices and enclosed them within a golden brown crust. MMM, my mouth is watering even though it's not even 6am yet. If I listen really closely, I can hear her, right now, telling me to go upstairs and wash my face and brush my teeth. I used to run up at what I thought was supersonic speed (it's a bird, it's a plane, it's little Petey) to do just that and I came back and plopped down into one of the chairs at the kitchen table to watch her do her magic, sometimes with the help of her mom, my beloved Nanny. I miss those days and I miss my mom. She's alive but that evil disease Alzheimer's has robbed her of most of her memories. On a good day I'll visit her at the Hebrew Home and Hospital, a wonderful place that she's lived in for five years, and SHE'LL REMEMBER ME! But more often than not, she cannot. So I want to dedicate MY Thanksgiving to my mom, the most selfless person I have ever met. I love you mom. I miss you. I always try to do my best, just like you did.

That''s enough of my memories. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day 2010. Treasure your family while you still have them. I wish every one of you the best Thanksgiving Day ever...family, food, fun, maybe a parade or a football game, definitely full stomachs. That goes without saying. Maybe a little basketball. But the Patriots are playing Detroit and I'll be tuned into that pigskin contest. Eat what you want, drive safely and as always, BE WELL. Thanks for stopping in and I'll see you tomorrow, bright and (too) early. If you're on the roads, watch out for the "other guy." He doesn't know what he's doing in SO many cases. Click on this post's title for something a little extra (with sound) and as always, BE HEALTHY, BE WELL. See you tomorrow.

More Steinbrenner Yankee BS

This is from Yahoo Sports. I'm not surprised by the Yankees. All or nothing always. Here you go...

"An industry source said Monday the Yankees have offered Cliff Lee nearly $140 million over six years, but Lee continues to hold out for a seventh year. Neither Lee’s camp nor the Yankees would confirm those numbers."

No comment from me. Am I dreaming? That kind of money? SEVEN YEARS!! Take that, Jeter. They must love you SO much.

Jeter Told By Yanks To Test Market

The New York Yankees have remained firm in their negotiations with Derek Jeter and his agent, Casey Close. The team, most notably Brian Cashman, told Jeter and Close to shop his value around the major leagues. They are said to have offered Jeter a three year deal worth $15 million per year, certainly not the kind of money the player or his agent were looking for. Cashman has said he was clearly stung by the recent statement of Jeter's agent, Casey Close, who was quoted in Sunday's New York Daily News as saying he was "baffled" by the team's negotiating strategy. Not too smart, Casey. Here's Brian Cashman on the current state of negotiations...

"We understand his contributions to the franchise and our offer has taken them into account," Cashman told ESPNNewYork.com. "We've encouraged him to test the market and see if there's something he would prefer other than this. If he can, fine. That's the way it works. We've made an offer and we hope they strongly consider it. But there are things we have concerns with -- his recent performance over the last few years, and his age. We believe that Derek Jeter is the best person to play shortstop for this franchise moving forward. Do we want to lose Derek Jeter? No. Do we want to treat Derek Jeter fair? Absolutely. Do we want to be treated fair at the same time? No question about it. We're going to do evd. We feel Derek Jeter gives us the best chance to win. But we're not dealing with Derek alone. We're dealing with our closer, we're trying to add to our club, and if putting all our eggs into one basket takes away from our ability to add to our club, I ain't gonna do it. We're going to do everything we possibly can to put the best winning team on the field."

I think the pin stripers will go as hard as they can to add pitcher Cliff Lee to their star-studded rotation. Eventually, unless he is simply blown away by another team's offer, we'll see Jeter back with NY for $50 million for three years of "labor." NY is his home and I don't expect him to go anywhere else. I applaud the Yankee front office for putting their foot down and making their terms familiar to the "aging" veteran. I know I've dedicated more than a few posts to Jeter's "plight" but I find this entire scenario so very interesting. A soap opera with cleats. And don't worry. The Boston Red Sox wouldn't touch Jeter with a fifty foot pole. No way, no how. To be continued...

Today marks the start of the Thanksgiving Day weekend. If you're driving, watch out for the other guy. If you're flying, do what the TSA agents tell you to do. Remember, you have a choice. You can have that rude and invasive pat down procedure or undergo a harmless and painless scan that will zip you right along and reduce the waiting time for your fellow passengers. If I was flying, that's the route I'd take. No doubt about it.

Click on this post's title for sports news from one of the New York City rags, enjoy the holiday and as always, BE WELL. Spend time with your family and loved ones and don't forget to eat. Be happy.

Victor Martinez Detroit Bound

Yes, our Boston Red Sox catcher is going to the Motor City. Here is the just released blurb from ESPN Boston...

"Free-agent catcher Victor Martinez is bolting the Boston Red Sox to sign with the Detroit Tigers, according to multiple media reports on Tuesday. Two weeks ago, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein expressed his strong interest in re-signing Martinez and third baseman Adrian Beltre. But he acknowledged competition for the players. "It always comes down to dollars and years," Epstein said.
Martinez will receive a four-year deal for $50 million, according to Venezuelan reporter Ignacio Serrano of El Nacional, who first reported the agreement. Martinez made $7.7 million last season. The Red Sox offered Martinez a choice of a three-year, $36 million deal or a four-year contract for $42 million, according to a major league source. The source said the Red Sox had not been informed of Martinez's decision, but the team was not surprised to hear that he would play elsewhere. The Orioles and White Sox were also outbid, according to the El Nacional report."

$8,000,000.00? Wow, that's chump change for Mr. Henry. But, and a BIG but, VMart must have wanted to leave Boston. If the Sox were ready to offer ANYONE a 4 year $42 million deal, they were deadly serious. Adrian Beltre? Who knows. This is too bad but we'll survive.Oh yes, we will. Better than ever.

Boston Red Sox Q & A's

Ian Browne, a sportswriter from mlb dot com, had his monthly (bi-weekly?) question and answer column over at the MLB website.
I wanted to list a few of the questions, his answers and then my comments. Of course, they all have to do with that baseball team that plays at cozy Fenway Park, the land of the Monster. Here we go...

1) Will Jonathan Papelbon be the closer after an off year?
-- Scott W., Milwaukee

Ian.."Unless there is a drastic dropoff in Papelbon's stuff come Spring Training, I believe he will be the closer come Opening Day. Papelbon has earned the right to prove the job should still be his. And it would not surprise me one bit to see him have a bounceback season."

Me.. I agree. It's Papelbon's role to lose. If he can bring down that blown save number and become more efficient with his pitches, it'll be Bard in the eighth and Paps to close it down. I hope it stays that way.

2) Is there a chance that Crawford could land in Boston?
-- Shawn R., West Warwick, R.I.

Ian.."Sure, the Red Sox will be in the mix for Crawford. It's unclear at this point what type of contract he will get, but given his skill set, I'm sure it will be a lot of years and a lot of dollars. For months now, we've been hearing about the Angels as a possible landing spot for Crawford, so you can be sure they will one of the teams that make a substantial offer."

Me.. He would be a plus for the Boston outfield but my focus is on first base and adding another couple members of the bullpen.

3) What are the chances the Red Sox will make a run at Cliff Lee?
-- Bennett W., Arlington, Va.

Ian.."The Red Sox -- out of due diligence -- will talk to Lee just like they spoke to CC Sabathia two winters ago. However, with two aces already in the fold -- Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz -- and two pitchers who are prime candidates to bounce back from off years (Josh Beckett and John Lackey), I don't think the Red Sox will break their bank to make the type of investment that will be needed to outbid the Yankees, Rangers and other teams for Lee."

Me..Don't hold your breath. With six viable starters, Theo would be wise to use the money elsewhere, say first base (see below).

4) Tim Wakefield is my favorite Red Sox pitcher. As such, I would hope the Red Sox would do their very best to give him enough starts so that he can get closer to his goal of either attaining the same number of wins as Roger Clemens and Cy Young or surpassing it. What do you think?"
-- Carole P., Medford, Mass.

Ian.."It would be great to see Wakefield get that record or tie it, but the Red Sox can't prioritize the importance of an individual milestone over doing their very best to try to win. Maybe at the end of the day, Boston's best team for 2011 is one that has Wakefield taking a turn in the rotation every fifth day. But that is still unfolding as general manager Theo Epstein evaluates the free-agent market."

Me..I've always loved Tim Wakefield. He's a good person off the field helping so many in need and between the lines when his knuckleball is working, he's tough. Will he pitch every fifth day or as needed? That question will answer itself in time.

5) Do you think that Beckett has a chance to bounce back after a season of back woes?
-- Rosie C., Wellesley, Mass.

Ian.."If Beckett is healthy, I think he will be one of the top candidates for the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award. The last time Beckett had such a subpar season was 2006. And in 2007, he responded with a career year. Don't be shocked if a similar story unfolds this time. Beckett is one of the better competitors around, so you know that he will do everything in his power to make up for 2010."

Me.. I totally agree. There's nothing wrong with him right now. Last year it was a case of a series of nagging injuries which made his fastball less reliable. I fully expect him, barring any more injuries, to be close to 18 wins. Josh Beckett is Josh Beckett. He's had a couple off years but this year, I hope, will be different. Fingers crossed right and left, up and down.

6) Epstein has stated numerous times that he is perfectly comfortable with shifting Youkilis across the diamond to third base. Do you see the Red Sox offering a one-year, Beltre-type deal to a first baseman like Paul Konerko?
-- Kevin K., North Haven, Conn.

Ian.."I don't see any way that Paul Konerko will sign a one-year deal. Remember, Beltre was coming off the worst offensive season of his career when he signed that contract. Konerko had a monster year in 2010, finishing with 39 homers and 111 RBIs. He has put himself in position to land a nice contract, whether it is a return trip to the White Sox or with a new team."

Me..Ian is correct. 39 taters and 11 RBIs translates to huge cash. Save the money and spent a ton of it on a power hitting monster who plays first base, preferably a lefty. Oh, look at that! I just described Adrian Gonzalez. I want him in a Boston Red Sox uniform. Kevin Youkilis is perfectly effective playing the hot corner. What an infield that would be!

OK, that's it from me now. Whenever Ian Brown has a Q & A column like the one above, I do the same thing with my post. Click on the title of this missive for more Sox news and as always, BE WELL.

Boston Bullpen Help Bit By Bit

The Boston Red Sox are trying to improve their bullpen little by little, piece by piece. The first two pieces are now in place and with some work, righty Taylor Buchholz and lefty Andrew Miller, a former first round pick and a "can't miss" miss type of guy who landed with the Marlins but because of control problems probably linked to mechanics, they will prove to be valuable until the game gets to the Bard/Papelbon moment. Remember his name. Andrew Miller. A good lefty coming out of the 'pen to retire a couple lefty hitters is invaluable.

Piece number two has a very familiar last name. Yes, that would be Taylor Buchholz. He's coming off Tommy John surgery and did not pitch in 2009 and the first half of 2010. Before the surgery, his numbers were impressive. He had a 2.17 ERA for the Rockies in '08 in a late inning setup role. Setup men are essential for a team that wants to play through October. Here's an unidentified AL scout...

“I saw him a couple years ago before he got hurt, and I really liked him. He really took off under Rockies pitching coach Bob Apodaca in the bullpen. He was repeating his delivery. Great curveball. Good fastball. And he pitched aggressively out of the ’pen, where he didn’t do so earlier in his career as a starter.”

Sounds good to me. It will be these little pieces that Theo is collecting that will determine so very much in the coming season. These are just the first two steps. Expect more to come, and some won't be little. One might be mega. Have a great weekend, click on this post's title for more on baseball and as always, BE WELL. See ya.

A Tale Of Jeter & His Trainer

I read an article that was up on ESPN New York this morning and in it I met Jason Riley, who was the one responsible for getting Derek Jeter in super shape for the 2009 season. We all know what happened. The pinstripers won it all and Derek Jeter looked about 27 years old. Not so in 2010. Now Jeter, his agent and the Yankees are embroiled in contract talk that would enable him to play until 2017, and play at a high level, whether it be as the Yankee shortstop or the DH later down the road. Can he play that long? Here's his trainer...

"Yeah, I think it's very realistic. The desire to be the greatest can never be turned down by Father Time. Derek had one of his best statistical years in 2009 so if people are judging him on maybe his worst statistical year (2010), I think that's blowing in the wind. It's short-minded. You're just changing your thought process without remembering what Derek did the year before. I don't think anything can hold Derek back other than himself. If he decides to hang it up before [he turns 43], then that will be his decision. If Derek decides at 41 he's already given his best years, then that's where it will end. But if he decides to go until he's 43, he'll do everything in his power to play the game at a high level and help the team through that time. I think there's so much determination inside of Derek that he can do it."

So we can all watch him disintegrate little by little, year by year and piece by piece. The errors will increase and his range, limited already, will continue to shrink. My Constant Readers, do you know what that's called? It's called the natural aging process. It's a combination of gravity and slow cell breakdown. I wish him the best because he's a human being, the same as every one of us on this blue marble called the Earth. We're all the same no matter what our skin color is or wherever we are. People are exactly the same but with different beliefs. Our inner workings are almost identical. Worldwide. Maybe universe-wide. But that's another post.

The Boston Red Sox news is still percolating, also slowly. I'm just going to say have a great Sunday as we're about to begin the very short Thanksgiving week. And then the shopping madness (not by me) begins. Off to the races! You can click on this post's title for any and all of the Red Sox news and as always, BE WELL. I mean it.

Yanks First Offer To Poor Baby Jeter...Boston's Focuses

The NY Yankees are apparently ready to submit their first (not last, you can be sure) offer to team captain and aging shortstop Derek Jeter. The offer is said to be three years for a total of $45 million over that span. I saw this over at si dot com...

"The Yankees are making their initial offer to Derek Jeter very soon, and it will be for three years and about $45 million.
Jeter has yet to name his asking price, but he's believed to seek more than that. It's hard to imagine the sides not coming together eventually."

I agree with the author's last thought. The team and the player will compromise and bring that dollar figure up but I'm very uncertain NY will increase the length of the deal. Maybe, just maybe they'll agree on a fourth year team option but no more. In an earlier post, I wrote that Jetes will be seeking a four to five year contract. Frankly, I don't know about that and would seriously doubt he'll get it. Put it this way, Derek ain't going anywhere if he still has his wits about him. He's the pinstriped putz who plays the six hole.

Nothing was done in the just concluded meetings except to establish the ground work between the Red Sox and other teams that will be followed later this winter when things get serious and decisions become crucial. Let me go through a few of them, if I may. First up are Boston's own free agents, Victor Marinez and Adrian Beltre. The club wants both of 'em back but just getting one would be a huge victory. Then there are the unaffiliated with Boston free agents. I'll run the trio down...

1. Carl Crawford. Speed, speed and more speed. Great outfield defense (he'll play left). A quick bat and a terrific addition to anyone's outfield.

2. Jason Werth. His agent is Scott Boras so he won't come cheaply or quickly. He had his weaknesses last year batting only a paltry .186 with runners in scoring position and an even worse .139 with less than two outs and runners in scoring position. THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, Theo. Spend the money elsewhere.

4. Justin Upton, a new name for a few of you. He's only 23 but he's a multitalented veteran already. Only injuries can stand in his way. The shoulder problems he experienced last year HAVE to be a one-time occurrence and nothing I've heard tells me otherwise. There will be many teams scrambling to get this future superstar. He's the real deal.

That's the Red Sox free agent thinking that has been released to the public. If the Sox cannot resign Beltre, they'll HAVE TO sign a powerful offensive player who can man the leather at first base while Youkilis slides over to the hot corner. Only Adrian Gonzalez fills my every first base wish. A tall order? Yes, oh yes. And don't forget the two (three) arms needed to shore up the bullpen. Theo, your work is cut out for you but I'm fairly certain you'll get the green light from the "powers that be" with the loot, the cash, el dinero. Just say "SHOW ME THE MONEY!"

I hope your weekend will be fantastic and the short week ahead of us will zoom into Thanksgiving before any of us know it. I thank you for making this one of your daily "Sox stops" and I hope you come back. Please click on this post's title for more baseball comings and goings and as always, BE WELL.

Tom Werner's View Of The Red Sox And Available 2011 Free Agents

Adrian Beltre, Carl Crawford, Jayson Werth, Justin Upton and Victor Martinez are the five free agents that the Boston Red Sox are focusing on to bolster their anemic offense. The Arizona Diamondbacks will demand at least four players, two on the major league roster (Bard & Ellsbury have been mentioned) to part with their young superstar, Justin Upton. And don't forget the two or three arms needed in the bullpen. Sometimes it seems all too overwhelming but this year will not be dedicated to "building a bridge" to the future. Too many current players will be gone after next year. One of the team owners, Tom Werner, was optimistic after the meetings were over that Boston will accomplish what they set out to do. And that is to acquire the missing pieces so play will continue through October next year and for many years to come. Here's Tom...

“I think that we are going to sign, I won’t promise, we are going to sign a significant free agent. We are going to make a trade to improve ourselves. I want to assure everyone that there is no bridge year here this year. In 2011, we’re committed to win."

"A" significant free agent? More than one would be nice but as long as third base is covered, either by Youkilis and a brand new first baseman (AGonz?) or by Adrian Beltre or someone equivalent, leaving Youk to play first, all will be well. I don't know what Theo has up his sleeve but it better be something major, hopefully not a dead rabbit. I think he'll surprise us all.

That's a quickie post for this Friday, November 19th. I hope every one of you has a great day and a terrific weekend. Each day brings more winter chill with fewer warmer respites but 'tis the season, I guess. If you'd like, simply click on the title of this post for more on the Red Sox from si dot com and as always, BE WELL. See you soon.

A Papi Fund For The Children

This Is for Papi...

"The David Ortiz Children’s Fund has just launched an online auction in conjunction with the upcoming David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic. The auction features a host of great items --- perfect holiday gifts for the baseball fan! Some of the items include a fielding lesson from American League MVP Dustin Pedroia, a legendary experience with Bobby Orr, the chance to throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park, a golf vacation in paradise and much more.
The David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic online auction benefits the David Ortiz Children’s Fund, a non-profit organization that provides critical care services to children in need. The auction can be found at http://davidortizchildrensfund.org/ and will be open until 11:59 p.m. ET on December 3, 2010.
The online auction is one part of the 3rd Annual David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic which takes place December 2-5, 2010 at Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic. Expected to attend this star-studded event are David’s Red Sox teammates and coaches, including Terry Francona, Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, John Lackey, Daniel Bard, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, as well as other MLB players Andre Ethier, Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Howard, and Robinson Cano, among others. The event will also feature sports legends Bill Russell, Luis Tiant, John Havlicek, and actors Mike O’Malley, Jeffrey Donovan, Adam Rodriguez, Sam Page, Anthony Anderson, Horatio Sanz and others.
Proceeds from the star-studded event and the auction will benefit the David Ortiz Children’s Fund, a non-profit organization that provides critical care services to children in need. The fund began in 2006 as a way for David to help children in his home country of the Dominican Republic. In 2009, the Fund expanded its life-saving mission to New England, helping to bring critical care services to children in need through a partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital."

The full press release is below.

Bid on Once-in-a-Lifetime Experiences in the
David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic Auction

Online Event Open Until December 3, 2010

Boston, MA – November 15, 2010 - Can’t quite make it to the Dominican Republic for the David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic this year? You can still pitch in and help raise money for children in need through the online auction.
The David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic online auction benefits the David Ortiz Children’s Fund, a non-profit organization that provides critical care services to children in need. The auction features a host of once-in a life time experiences, including the opportunity to learn to pitch from Red Sox Ace Clay Buchholz, a fielding lesson from American League MVP Dustin Pedroia, a legendary experience with Bobby Orr, a golf vacation in paradise and much more. The auction can be found at http://davidortizchildrensfund.org/ and will be open until 11:59 p.m. ET on December 3, 2010 where items will then move live to the event. On-line bidders will be represented by proxy on-site at the event.
The online auction is one part of the 3rd Annual David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic which takes place December 2-5, 2010 at Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic, one of the most spectacular resort communities in the world. Expected to attend this star-studded event are David’s Red Sox teammates and coaches, including Terry Francona, Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, John Lackey, Daniel Bard, Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, as well as other MLB players Andre Ethier, Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Howard, and Robinson Cano, among others. The event will also feature sports legends Bill Russell, Luis Tiant, John Havlicek, and actors Mike O’Malley, Jeffrey Donovan, Adam Rodriguez, Sam Page, Anthony Anderson, Horatio Sanz and others.
Proceeds from the star-studded event will benefit the Children’s Fund which began in 2006 as a way for David to help children in his home country of the Dominican Republic. In 2009, the Fund expanded its life-saving mission to New England, helping to bring critical care services to children in need through a partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital.
Some of the fabulous items in this year’s auction include:
David Ortiz Jersey Signed by 2010 Boston Red Sox Players & Coaches
David Ortiz jersey signed by Big Papi himself along with Red Sox players Daniel Bard, Marco Scutaro, Jon Lester, Mike Cameron, Kevin Youkilis, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Victor Martinez, Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, Ryan Kalish, and others.

A legendary evening with Boston Bruins icon, #4, Bobby Orr…
You and 9 friends will attend a Boston Bruins game and be hosted in a luxury suite by Bobby Orr, one of the greatest hockey players of all time. There you can talk hockey with Bobby, a 2-time Stanley Cup Champion (scoring the clinching goal both times), a 3-time winner of the Hart Trophy (NHL MVP), and the only defensemen in league history to lead the NHL in scoring not once but twice. Like a true MVP, Bobby will also throw in food and beverages for the evening! Whether you are a hockey lover or just a sports fan, it’ll be a night you’ll never forget!

Golf Vacation in Paradise
Not going to make the David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic? Here is your chance to experience this luxurious resort. This package includes a five night stay for four at the 5-star Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic and two rounds of golf at the Punta Espada Golf Club.

Watch Big Papi in Batting Practice
The ultimate pre-game experience! Visit batting practice and tour the stadium prior to a Red Sox game. You’ll meet David Ortiz before watching the game.

Dine like a Star at Big Papi’s Grille, with Big Papi
Experience the world of a VIP as you dine with David Ortiz at Big Papi’s Grille. You’ll sit at the famous Table 34 and enjoy all of the amazing food and drinks the restaurant has to offer. Throw a party for your child or take your friends out for a great night - the guest list is up to you.

The Ultimate Bruins Bruiser with Shawn Thornton
Everyone has a role to play and you’ll get to know the Bruins enforcer Shawn Thornton with this Bruins Bruiser package. The winner will receive two tickets to a Bruins Game + a meet and greet with Shawn Thornton.

The Ultimate NASCAR Experience
Enjoy the race as if you were part of the team! This package includes 2 pit passes to a 2011 Sprint Cup Series race with a garage tour and an autographed picture from a Roush Fenway driver.

Honorary Bat Boy/Girl
Even Santa can’t do better than this. Watch your child’s dream come true as they hand a bat to their favorite player in their role as Honorary Bat Boy or Girl. This package also includes four tickets to a Boston Red Sox home game.

Custom Callaway Golf Bag with Red Sox Logo Signed by Red Sox
A customized Tour Golf Bag from Callaway containing the Red Sox logo and signatures from the 2010 Red Sox roster.

Fielding Lesson from Dustin Pedroia
Have you ever wanted to take a lesson from an American League MVP? Win this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and get fielding tips from Dustin Pedroia, the Red Sox second baseman. You’ll get a fielding lesson and two tickets to a Boston Red Sox home game at Fenway Park.

Throw out the First Pitch at Fenway!!
Do something most people only dream of doing! You will hear the crowd cheer as you throw out the first pitch at historic Fenway Park. Then sit back with three friends and watch the Red Sox finish the job!

MVP level sponsors for the 2010 David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Tournament include JetBlue, vitaminwater, and Reebok. Media partners include WEEI and NESN. For more information about all sponsorship levels and opportunities for the David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic, please contact Michele Lasky at michelelasky@company20.com.

About the David Ortiz Children’s Fund
The David Ortiz Children’s Fund (DOCF) is committed to helping children in New England and the Dominican Republic that do not have access to the critical pediatric services they need. The DOCF is proud to partner with Massachusetts General Hospital to fulfill its mission in New England and with the International Hospital for Children to fulfill its mission in the Dominican Republic. These organizations are committed to healing as many children as possible by providing critical pediatric healthcare. Working together, these organizations are increasing the number of children that will receive lifesaving services. For more information on the David Ortiz Children’s Fund, please visit http://www.davidortizchildrensfund.org/.

This is Peter and that was for you. Help the kids, and thank you for stopping in.

Early Bidding On Beltre... And Then There's Jeter

Good morning on this warmish (42 degrees) Thursday morning here in north central Connecticut. The bidding has begun and somewhere I found that the Oakland A's have made third baseman Adrian Beltre a five year offer. What's his agent asking for? Aye, that the rub...

"SI.com's Jon Heyman hears that Beltre's camp is using Torii Hunter's five year, $90MM contract as a comparable for their expectation. Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes tweets that Oakland offered Beltre five years and $64MM."

Hmm, Boston doesn't like to offer five year contracts to anyone no matter what money that contract would be worth. But $90,000,000.00? $18,000,000 per season? Good luck, Adrian. Boston will make their offer, make no mistake about it. Maybe a three year $54,000,000 deal? That's the same yearly rate and the Red Sox wouldn't mind the three year length of the contract. Theo knows what he's doing and soon, before Christmas, we will too. I hope what HE wants, WE get.

There is a disagreement in the Yankees camp over how much to pay the "elderly" captain, Derek Jeter. The team would love to resign him for three years at $21,000,000.00 PER YEAR. Jeez. But Jeter seems to be stuck on a four, five or six year deal. Hey Derek, you're not a spring chicken anymore. Sure, every ball you can get to is an almost automatic out but your range continues to shrink. I think you can survive on $21 million a year. After taxes, that's roughly $15 million. EVERY YEAR. If you can't live on that, poor baby, you're completely nuts. Hey, you wear pinstripes. That's nuts enough. Read this from the Yankee's Randy Levine...

"Derek Jeter is a great Yankee and he's a great player. With that said and done, now is a different negotiation than 10 years ago."

Sorry for the ramble but Jeter boils my blood. That ain't good. Be tough, Yankee front office. Be tough. Hey, thanks for stopping in and, as always, you can click on this post's title for more sports news. And remember, BE WELL.

Red Sox Draw The Line

I just spied this from the Boston Globe's EXTRA BASES. I'll have a comment after you read this...


ORLANDO - "One major league source indicated last night that the Sox will go no more than four years, $52 million for Adrian Beltre. And they appear to be on the same type of path with Victor Martinez.
Beltre's agent, Scott Boras, is here at the meetings and is likely to check in with Theo Epstein if he hasn't already on Beltre and Jayson Werth."

I'd love for Boston to land both Martinez and Beltre with the extra hitter, Jason Werth, in the mix, too. All three? We're talking fairy tales. But I can dream, can't I? While I'm at it, hmmm, what to do about that bullpen? To be continued...

#1 UCONN Vs. #2 Baylor...80 Straight Wins For Connecticut

The University of Connecticut women Huskies, who started this 2010-2011 season with 78 straight victories, had a tough foe last night at the XL Center in Hartford. UCONN, with five (!!) freshman, had to defeat the number two team in the nation, Baylor, who in Brittney Griner have a 6'8" center. 6'8"? OMG. Here's one of two super rookies the Huskies have, Samarie Walker, who will be a great one soon...

"I had never seen a 6-8 female person before in my life."

There aren't many females that tall in the world as we know it but UCONN found a way to win and push their winning streak to an unbelievable 80 games. That's unbelievable. The final nail biting score was 65-64 UCONN. Their coach, the incomparable Geno Auriemma, had this to say after his team's thrilling win...

"I didn't think they had it in them because they've never had to do something like this before. And I don't think they knew they had it in them either."

Geno is coach of the USA women's basketball team and will be the upcoming coach of the 2012 Olympic team. Yes, you will all know his "ugly" mug by then. Sports Illustrated has made him one of the nominees for SI's SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR award. Not bad for a guy from Philadelphia. We love him. Here's the best women's player in the nation, Maya Moore, shortly after last night's wow win...

"There was a time when I began to think, 'Well, we've never been here (in a spot like this) before. Can we do it? Well, the answer was beautiful."

80 wins in a row. Who ever dreamed ANY sports team could accomplish anything like it. Eight more will tie John Wooden's all-time record of 88 straight wins with his UCLA team of teams. But right now we here in Connecticut have OUR team, and we love them.

Click on this post's title for more on last night's heartrending but happy game in Hartford and as always, BE WELL. I mean it. 80. My goodness!

Boston Baseball News

Boston Red Sox news, just now...

"The Red Sox have expressed interest in trading for Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton, multiple major-league sources told FOXSports.com on Tuesday. Discussions between the clubs are not far advanced, according to one person in the industry. The general managers of the respective clubs — Kevin Towers in Arizona, Theo Epstein in Boston — are close friendsThe Red Sox remain active on many fronts in their search for a hitter. They have interest in free agents Jayson Werth, Carl Crawford, Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre. The Diamondbacks are listening to offers on Upton, sources say, but Towers would need a “big” return to move him. Upton, 23, is signed to a reasonable contract that will pay him $49.5 million through the 2015 season.
Upton has a limited no-trade clause that is believed to include only five teams. He would appeal to a wide number of clubs, including the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Angels, both of whom have a number of intriguing young pitchers to include in an offer. The fact that the Diamondbacks are willing to at least entertain moving Upton should give the Red Sox added leverage in discussions with agent Scott Boras, who represents Werth and Beltre. Arizona would likely want three players for Upton — a backend reliever, a starter and a bat. But it’s not clear if there is a good match on players between the clubs."

I'll see you soon.

Rookie Of The Year Awards Bestowed...Beatles Soon (NOW!) Are Available On ITUNES..FINALLY!

Yes, it that time of the off season. Yesterday, the National League and American League unveiled its two rookie of the year winners. In the NL, playing for the world champion San Francisco Giants, is catcher Buster Posey. Posey, who we all saw play in the 2010 World Series, hit a robust .305 with 18 taters and 67 RBIs. He homered eight (!!) times after September 1st to help his team go all the way. Congratulations, Buster. You have a great name for a catcher. Here's the SF general manager, Bill Neukom...

"How rare and amazing it is to have a rookie catcher lead a team to a World Series championship."

Over in the junior circuit, Texas Rangers closer Neftali Feliz took home the bacon. He set a rookie record last year with 40 saves. He has a rocket arm and a very bright future. Here he is with a few syllables...

"I hope it's not a fluke. I hope I have a better season next year."

Great job, Neftali. You have a long future ahead of you.


The Beatles might be releasing their entire catalog to sell on ITUNES. I'm a CD type of guy so this doesn't affect me but to millions of others, it's a different story. Here's the morning news blub...

"After years of speculation about when The Beatles music catalog would finally be offered on iTunes, that day may soon arrive.
London's Telegraph reported on Saturday that former Beatle Paul McCartney has agreed to release the band's music catalog to Apple for as much as $600 million.
Is this finally the end of the on-again, off-again courtship between Apple and Apple Corps? The latter is the media corporation that oversees The Beatles' music and other copyright materials. Rumors that The Beatles' music would be available for download on iTunes have circulated for years, but this time they carry some weight. Besides the Telegraph the British publication the Daily Mail also reported a similar story.
No release date has been set, according to the papers."

I'll keep you posted on this one. Well, I can do that RIGHT now at 2:25pm EST. Here you go, from Apple ITUNES, the afternoon bombshell...

"Tomorrow is just another day. That you'll never forget," promises a dramatic note posted on Apple's website yesterday. "Check back here tomorrow for an exciting announcement from iTunes." The note is accompanied by clocks indicating specific times for the big news: in New York's time zone, it's 10 a.m.
Well, at 9:15 a.m. Eastern this morning, the Amplifier noticed something: typing "Beatles" into the iTunes store kind of gives away the big surprise. Apple (accidentally?) pre-loaded the long-awaited Fab Four catalog into the iTunes store early, confirming what must be the most overdue news in digital music history: The Beatles, their record label Apple Corps and its parent company EMI have finally decided to embrace the MP3 era by allowing the Fab Four's remastered catalog to be sold as downloads on iTunes. Questions about whether the band's music would be sold as individual tracks or only as full albums seem to have been answered, too: We see all the Beatles tracks available for $1.29 apiece. Full albums are $12.99; double disc are priced at $19.99. All of the band's studio albums are available, along with the Red and Blue Greatest Hits sets. The full catalog is up for sale for a reasonable $149. You can watch the band's first-ever U.S. show, the 1964 Washington Coliseum concert, on iTunes, and it comes as a free download with purchase of the $149 set."

And so, it's official. I have the entire Beatles catalogue, audio and video, so ITUNES isn't for me. But enjoy! From me to you. Click on this post's title for more on baseball, have a great Tuesday and as always, BE WELL.

Fox Sports Network's Ken Rosenthal On Scott Boras & His Fairy Tale Buildups

Yes, B.S. (that's bull shit) Boras is up to his old tricks once again. He exaggerates the value of two of his clients. No surprise to me. I guess it's his method of operating, or modes operandi.. Please get a load of this...

"Agent Scott Boras created a stir last week when he said his client, free-agent third baseman Adrian Beltre, performed at levels “commensurate” with Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt, George Brett and Paul Molitor from ages 25 to 31.
Hey, it's that time of year.
As the general managers meetings begin Monday in Orlando, with trade and free-agent discussions growing in intensity, the sales pitches will only grow stronger. Well, my favorite sales pitch is coming not from an agent, but from the similarity scores at baseball-reference.com. The player to whom Carl Crawford was most similar to statistically — through ages 26, 27 and 28 — is none other than Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente.
The scores, introduced by Bill James, reveal a player's closest statistical twin. James' system is point-based — and no gimmick. Crawford's slash line through age 28 is indeed quite similar to Clemente's.

Clemente: .303/.337/.439
Crawford: .296/.337/.444

Such comparisons are never perfect. Clemente's numbers are more impressive considering he competed in a less offensive era. He also played right field and had a much stronger arm than Crawford, who plays left. Crawford, on the other hand, is a far more accomplished base stealer. The next Clemente? That might be a stretch. But Crawford's at least in the discussion, and that's a start."

Crawford and Beltre are great players. It'd be great to have them back in Boston in 2011. That's all, folks!

Sandy Alderson's Dad Hit & Killed By Car

Adam Rubin from ESPN New York has reported that the father of the new NY Mets general manager Sandy Alderson was struck and killed by a car driven by a 21 year old in Florida. Here's Rubin's report...

"John Alderson, a veteran of three wars and the father of New York Mets GM Sandy Alderson, died as the result of injuries suffered when he was struck as a pedestrian, according to St. Petersburg Police.
"Our entire family is devastated by his loss. He was a beloved father and grandfather who will be deeply missed by all of us," Sandy Alderson said in a statement. "He and I shared many baseball experiences over the years and he was excited about spring training and Opening Day at Citi Field. I am terribly saddened that we will not be able to share those new experiences together."
Alderson, 87, was crossing in the middle of the 3600 block of 4th St. North in St. Petersburg, Fla., at 11:54 p.m. Saturday when he was struck by a 21-year-old driver, according to the authorities. Alderson was transported to Bayfront Medical Center and was pronounced dead 45 minutes later."

John Alderson was an American hero who needlessly lost his life. Our prayers go out to his family and loved ones.

In lieu of any hard Boston Red Sox news, I bid you adieu. I hope your Monday will be a terrific one and as always, BE WELL. I'll see you soon.

Thumbs Down For Jeter

Hello and good morning on this 29 degree Sunday AM. I came across this article in this morning's Boston Herald and I wanted to share it with you. After all, every one of us shares a deep "affection" for Derek Jeter. Or is it an "infection"? Just kidding. Michael Silverman, sports reporter and writer for the Boston Herald, seems to share the view that many of us have...Derek Jeter's Gold Glove award is a complete joke. Read this short blub that will familiarize you with a new (to me) stat, UZR. Here you go (thanks Michael)...



"Managers and coaches vote for Gold Gloves and they clearly goofed when they awarded one to Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter last week. The fact that he led all other shortstops with a league-low six errors and a league-high .989 fielding percentage must have swayed voters, but another metric, UZR, had him ranked in negative territory -- a middling seventh, even worse than the Red Sox’ Marco Scutaro. UZR actually relies on videotaped analysis of plays a fielder should be able to make, rather than old-fashioned metrics that reward someone with good hands but no range."

********************


2010 UZR RANKINGS FOR AL SHORTSTOP

Player Team UZR


Alexei Ramirez White Sox 10.8
Cliff Pennington A’s 9.9
Cesar Izturis O’s 5.1
Elvis Andrus Rangers 0.1
Erick Aybar Angels -2.0
Marco Scutaro Red Sox -2.9
Derek Jeter Yankees -4.7

*********************

Ha!! His range is limited but if Jeter can get to the ball, it's usually an out. I mean, my goodness, six errors all season. That's pretty darn good. But the above numbers don't lie, and either do I. Take that, Derek!

Enjoy your Sunday, my Constant Readers. The University of Connecticut women Huskies play their first game of the 2010-2011 season this afternoon at 2pm EST and will try to nab their 79th straight victory. They will win easily but coming up Tuesday, just two days from now, #2 Baylor comes into town. For a team with five freshmen members, that will be a test. As always, BE WELL. As Spock would say, live long and prosper.

NOWHERE BOY DVD Release

Nowhere Boy, a film about John Lennon's youth, will be released on Blu Ray DVD and standard DVD January 25, 2011. I pre-ordered a Blu Ray copy from Amazon dot com. I included the correct Amazon link that will enable you to order a standard definition DVD. Simply click on this post's title. BFW, that one was for you. Enjoy.

Theo Epstein On...

Good morning on this cold Saturday, the pre-dawn darkness cloaking Farmington, Connecticut like a black blanket, obscuring everything. I came across this Red Sox news blurb from the Boston Globe's EXTRA BASES. My thanks go out to them. Theo Epstein outlined some of the options his club will pursue in this, the 2010-2011 off season of buying and selling baseball stars. Here you go...

• "In strong terms, he said the Red Sox want Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez back and are pursuing them. Epstein said media reports portraying anything else are inaccurate.
• The rehab news on Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury is positive. Ellsbury no longer has symptoms and is working out at API in Arizona. The Sox are sending some staff members to Georgia to work Cameron out later this month. Pedroia is out of his boot and a recent CT scan showed the expected healing. He'll be in Boston in December to get cleared.
• Epstein said he feels the rotation is settled and the main needs are elsewhere. He expects to add at least one reliever, if not two, via trade or free agency."

It would be SO great to have both VMart and Beltre back but I'm doubtful Boston can retain both, if even one. I sure am hoping they can. Just as I said in yesterday's post, the rotation will stand but relievers are needed. Other than Bard in the eighth and Papelbon in the ninth, nothing in the 'pen is cemented in stone. Theo will also add a couple potent bats (Beltre and VMart?). It's an exciting time of the year. Enjoy it with a one-stop visit right here.

Have a great weekend, click on this post's title for more on the Sox and as always, BE WELL.

Hot Stove Doings...Yankee Fan's Parody...Beltre Wins Silver Slugger

This is from Chad Finn's TOUCHING ALL THE BASES column that appears in the Boston Globe. The Boston Red Sox are said to be interested in Phillies slugger Jayson Werth as well as speedster and incomparable (defensively) left fielder Carl Crawford. Werth would make a great middle-of-the-lineup (#5) hitter and Crawford would be a tremendous lead off guy. He has speed, he's only 29 and last year had personal highs in adjusted OPS (134), homers (19), RBIs (90), slugging (.495), and OPS (.851). As I said in an earlier post, it would be an utter joy to watch him play the Green Monster and use his cannon arm to nail runners trying to stretch a wall ball into a double. Who's the best I've ever seen doing exactly that? No contest. CARL YAZSTREZEMSKI. It ain't even close. Here's a National League scout on Werth and Crawford. Who to choose...

“To me, if I’m fortunate to be on a team that has the money to be looking at one of those two guys, it’s a can’t-lose. Both guys are star players.”

I hope the Red Sox are lucky enough to bid smartly and end up with one of them.The 2011 Boston team will need more hitting pizzaz and a shored up bullpen. I think they'll go with the six starters (five plus Wakefield) they had last year. Time will tell. It always does.

Adrian Beltre was awarded the AL Silver Slugger Award for the amazing year he had at the plate. His 28 homers were the most for a Red Sox third baseman since Butch Hobson belted 30 in 1977. His 102 RBIs were 10th in the AL and tied with David Ortiz for the team lead. Beltre was fourth in the Majors with 79 extra-base hits -- a record for a Boston third baseman, surpassing Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, who had 70 in '87. With all of his production, Beltre proved to be a pure hitter as well, batting .321.

The following represents a typical NY Yankees fan approach to the hot stove market...

"We'll get Werth, and Carl Crawford, and Cliff Lee, and Adrian Beltre, and Victor Martinez, and re-sign Mo, and GIVE JETER EVERYTHING HE WANTS BECAUSE HE'S THE CAPTAIN AND THE TRUEST YANKEE OF THEM ALL AND PITCHERS FEAR HIS INTANGIBLES AND THERE'S NO WAY HE'S DECLINING AT AGE 36 AND HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PLAY SHORTSTOP AS LONG AS HE WANTS AND HE HIT .270 AND HIS ARM IS STRONG AND SUPPLE!!!"

The fact that Derek Jeter, only an average defensive shortstop, won the Gold Glove Award is a complete joke to me and many other members of Red Sox Nation. The Gold Glove is an award for DEFENSIVE EXCELLENCE, not a popularity contest. My goodness!

Thanks for stopping by and please click on this post's title for more on the Boston Red Sox. Have a wonderfully terrific Friday and as always, BE WELL.

Boston Red Sox Buck Up...Veterans Day

Gordon Edes, who writes for ESPN Boston, among others, has the scoop on who the Boston Red Sox will seek just in case their catcher, Victor Martinez, lands with another club via the free agency route. Here is the release...


BOSTON -- "The Red Sox are expected to be aggressive in their pursuit of free-agent catcher John Buck in the likely event that Victor Martinez signs elsewhere, according to two baseball sources.
The Red Sox, according to one of the sources, expect the Detroit Tigers to make a major push for Martinez, who could share catching duties with second-year man Alex Avila while also sharing first-base and DH duties with Miguel Cabrera. The Baltimore Orioles also have significant interest, and the Texas Rangers are expected to be among the bidders, too.
Buck, 30, was an All-Star for the first time this past season for the Blue Jays, with whom he signed a one-year, $2 million free-agent deal last winter. Buck hit 20 home runs, tying Martinez for third-most among big league catchers, and he was one of eight catchers (minimum 300 plate appearances) with an OPS of .800 or better. Buck, who batted .266, walked just 16 times."


It was nice while Victor was around. He was a clutch hitter who cemented the middle of an injury-plagued lineup and was more than capable behind the plate. Let's hope John Buck can be as good. His stats look good. Come to think of it, Theo should visit Carl Crawford. He's a left fielder with no peers and can steal a base with the best of them. You see, JD Drew can become a free agent after this season. Having Carl playing the Green Monster would be a dream to witness.

I want to thank all the brave souls who served their country with dedication and selflessness. Some came home, some came back draped in the American flag. We owe you SO much. It's Veteran's Day and we honor you. Thank you for your sacrifices, your hardships and your love of country, the greatest in the world. God Bless. To my Constant Readers, click on this post's title for a Veteran's Day salute. It's about the soldiers in Iraq COMING HOME. I cried. Click on this post's title and put your sound on and maybe grab a couple pieces of Kleenex. As always, be well.

O Come All Ye Padres

Let me start this Wednesday Hump Day post bluntly...Adrian Gonzalez ain't going to come cheaply but he is by far the best solution for the Beltre-less Boston Red Sox. Putting Adrian at his Gold Glove position, first base, and sliding the versatile Kevin Youkilis over to the hot corner replaces the power void left by the departure of Adrian Beltre. Gonzalez is signed to the Padres though next season for a paltry $6.2 million per year. Wow, will his salary go through the roof! Last year he hit .298 with a .393 on-base percentage, 31 home runs and 101 RBIs. Staggering numbers. It is said by his agent, John Boggs, that Gonzalez will be seeking a contract much like Mark Teixeira's, about eight years for (gulp) $180 million. I don't know if Boston has ever paid such a sum for ANYONE (they haven't) but Adrian is just too perfect a fit to be ignored. Here's Boggs...

“It’s a situation where Jed and the Padres obviously know his value. The question is, what are we going to seek. We’re going to seek market value for Adrian Gonzalez. Obviously, I don’t think the Padres will dedicate that much of their salary structure to one player.’’

And here's the Padres GM, who is also a friend of Theo Epstein, with some of his thoughts...

“All along, I felt like the most likely thing is that we’re going to have him as our first baseman and No. 3 hitter next year, and that’s a great thing. If something comes up that I feel like is absolutely in the best interests of the franchise, we have to talk about it, but my expectation is that we try to do even better than 90 wins next year and we bring back our first baseman and see how that goes.’’

Let me put it another way... as the Godfather said, the Red Sox will have to make San Diego "an offer they can't refuse." Can they do it? Monetarily, yes, oh yes. Do they want to? Let me put it this way. If they want another world championship in this, the second decade of the 21st centutry, they'd better think long and hard about this one.

What do you think about Gonzalez? Please leave a comment and I'll answer every one. Should the Sox shell out all that money? Do you agree Gonzalez, along with Teixeira and Youkilis, are the best first baggers out there? I'd love to know. Please click on this post's title for more on the Sox and as always, BE WELL. See ya.

ESPN Breaks Up Sunday Night Baseball Voices..George Steinbrenner On Hall Of Fame Ballot

In a big move, Jon Miller and Joe Morgan will not be the announcers of Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN any longer. Norby Williamson, executive VP of Bristol, Ct. based ESPN, explains...

“We’ve decided to make a change and introduce new voices and new perspective. Twenty one years is an eternity in this business. And today is about acknowledging the contributions they made to the franchise.”

Norby, it was twenty one years of continued excellence although Joe Morgan never let any of us forget that he was a member of Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine." I think Jon Miller is THE voice of baseball. ESPN asked him to hang on and do the radio broadcasts but he belongs on both. You hear his voice, you think baseball, even if he's reading the phone book. I mean it!

Former NY Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who did SO much to boost the popularity of baseball when it needed it most, will be on this year's Hall of Fame ballot. In my mind, HE SHOULD BE VOTED IN. This year. Most Boston Red Sox fans have hated him, like his team, for decades, myself included. But as he aged, my view of him grew less sharp. The edges dulled to a grudging admiration. Here's the commissioner of MLB, Bud Selig...

"Do I think George should be in the Hall of Fame? Of course I do. The sport has never been as popular as it is today. I give George a lot of credit for that. He changed the sport in a lot of ways."

You know, he's right. In my opinion, Mr. Steinbrenner will be a Hall of Famer on the very next ballot. Deservedly so.

I hope your Tuesday will be a great one. Please click on this post's title for more on the Red Sox and as always, BE WELL. Thanks for stopping in once again. You make me proud.

A Beautiful Family Slaughtered...Justice Served Today Part 1

This in just now from the AP...


"NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) _ A Connecticut man was condemned to death Monday for a night of terror inside a suburban home in which a woman was strangled and her two daughters tied to their beds, doused in gasoline and left to die in a fire. Jurors in New Haven Superior Court voted unanimously to send Steven Hayes to death row after deliberating over the span of four days. The judge will impose the sentence on Dec. 2. Hayes looked straight ahead and had no obvious reaction as the jury’s sentence was announced. He will join nine other men on Connecticut’s death row. Komisarjevsky (the co-muderer) will be tried next year. Authorities said Hayes and Komisarjevsky broke into the house, beat Dr. William Petit, and forced his wife, Jennifer Hawke-Petit, to withdraw money from a bank while the rest of her family remained under hostage at home. Hayes then sexually assaulted and strangled her, authorities said. Komisarjevsky, who will be tried next year, is charged with sexually assaulting their 11-year-old daughter, Michaela. Michaela and her 17-year-old sister, Hayley, were tied to their beds and doused in gasoline before the men set the house on fire, according to testimony. The girls died of smoke inhalation."


Burned alive. My skin still crawls. One of the most terrible crimes anyone could imagine. One monster down, one monster to go. Straight to Hell. Click on this post's title for all about this hideous story. As the Petit family knows, in John Lennon's words, "life is what happens to you when you are busy making other plans." So true. God bless the Petit family, in heaven and on this good Earth.

The Yankees Make A Phone Call

The NY York Yankees, those who wear the dreaded pinstripes, have made a call to try and reach out to pitcher Cliff Lee. After winning only 12 of 29 games in September and slipping into the wild card card slot, GM Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenner hermanos have decided that pitching is the key. Here is Mr. Cashman...

"It's all about pitching. Pitching, pitching, pitching. Pitching is the key to the kingdom, which is why you try to collect as much of it as you can. Our starting rotation fell apart, got hurt, underperformed, that kind of stuff," he said. "I think that's more indicative of our record than anything else. Obviously what we started the season with in the rotation and what we finished with were radically different. We're not going into this with a peashooter."

No, Brian, you're going into this with a FAT FAT wallet with plenty of cash to spend inside it. I hope the Yankees exhaust most of their cash on hand to land Lee so that the road to Adrian Gonzalez (thanks JQ) with be at least one team less crowded. Gonzalez would be a perfect fit for the Boston Red Sox, as I explained in my Sunday post, but there are many other MLB teams that covet him. Just like Adrian is a natural at first base, gold gloves and all, Kevin Youkilis is just at home at the hot corner. With him, what an infield it would be. Gold Glover Adrian Gonzalez at first, another Gold Glover, Dustin Pedey Pedroia, manning second, another Gold Glover (at first) at third, Kevin Youkilis, and Macro Scooter Scutaro at shortstop would be a dream quartet. Let's hope that particular foursome can play the same outfield...together as one.

I sincerely hope your Monday will be a great one. I linked the title of this post to the Boston Red Sox team site. Simply click on it and you'll be zapped there at the speed of light. As always, be careful out there and as always, BE WELL.

Speaking Of Adrian Gonzalez...

In the middle of all the Adrian Gonzalez "wishful thinking" talk before the 2010 season began for the Boston Red Sox, the following still rings truer than ever. The Boston Red Sox would be a perfect fit for the gold glove first baseman. With the possible departure of another Adrian (Beltre), the acquisition of Gonzales becomes near crucial. The GM of the San Diego Padres, Jed Hoyer, who has been and will be Gonzalez' employer for this last year, says he won't even make him a free agent offer next year. And the Padres are getting what might be the best bargain in all of major league baseball. They're paying him only (don't laugh) a microscopic $6.2 million for this, his option year. That's like going to be best steak restaurant in town and getting a New York strip steak (medium rare, please) with all the extras and adult beverage for $2.99. Here is Adrian's agent, John Boggs (no relation)...

“It’s a situation where Jed Hoyer and the Padres obviously know his value. The question is, what are we (he and Adrian) going to seek? We’re going to seek market value for Adrian Gonzalez. Obviously I don’t think the Padres will dedicate that much of their salary structure to one player ((no way, Jose). It makes no sense in making offers that don’t come close to what his desires are. Nothing that’s happened is unexpected. He’s had a fantastic career and he wants to test out the free agent market and see if he gets that franchise-player contract he’s been working toward. To his credit, he signed a deal that has worked out very well for the club and he’s never said a word about it. There’s always been a desire to see what’s on the free agent market for him.”

Hey John, the Red Sox are on the free agent market. All the Sox would have do is move Youk to third, one of his two "natural" positions. and let Adrian Gonzalez work his magic on the right side of the diamond with fellow gold glover Pedey Pedroia. Oh, what an infield! Make it so, Adrian, Theo and John. It would be a huge step for that team from Boston and Red Sox Nation worldwide.

This has been a nice early morning Sunday daydream which I think WILL COME TRUE. It's like it's laready happened, for some strange and psychic reason. Spooky but I hope true.

Have a great Sunday, enjoy the football games if you wish and just enjoy yourselves. Click on the post's title for more on yeasterday's sports and as always, take care of yourselves and BE WELL. Thanks.

Jill Clayburgh Dead At 66

We lost an incredible actor today, Jill Clayburgh. She was only 66 years old. This is from the AP...

"Two-time Oscar nominee Jill Clayburgh died Friday at her home in Connecticut of complications from chronic leukemia, the New York Times reports. The 66-year-old struggled with the disease for more than two decades. Her husband, playwright David Rabe, said she faced her illness with courage, turning it into "an opportunity for her children to grow and be human." She is reportedly survived by three children. Clayburgh, alongside such peers as Anne Bancroft, Shirley MacLaine and Jane Fonda, helped to usher in a new era for actresses in Hollywood by playing women who were confident and capable yet not completely flawless. Her dramatic turn as a divorcee exploring her sexuality after 16 years of marriage in "An Unmarried Woman" earned Clayburgh her first Oscar nod."

Jill, rest in peace. You will be missed.

Four Boston Red Sox Players Ready To Test Free Agency Waters..Adrian Gonzalez Rumbles

Well, it's finally the weekend. Today, Saturday, November 5, 2010 brings the realization that four of Boston's best players are ready to become fee agents and go to the teams with the highest bids. They are Jason Varitek, Bill Hall, Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez. Beltre is the least likely to re-sign with the Boston club and the most desirable of the quartet with VMart running a very close second. Here's the general manager, Theo Epstein...

"We’re continuing to have dialogue with the representatives for our free agents. But realistically, you don’t see too many deals done one or two days away from free agency beginning in earnest, so I’ll kind of answer the question the same way I answered it the day after our season ended, which is, we value these guys. We’d like to find a way to bring some or all of them back if we could, but free agency is something that players work long and hard to get. It’s a right that they earn and often look forward to exploring. If the Red Sox are the best fit in the end, we’d love to bring these guys back, but they certainly have the right to explore all opportunities. I’m sure we’ll be in great touch with all these guys in the next couple of months.”

If I were a member of the Boston powers-that-be, I'd pull out all the stops to snag Adrian and Victor. Who knows? Maybe the Yankees will spend most of their available money on Cliff Lee. My goodness, they've been know to covet starting pitchers. Who wouldn't want one of the best in the game? And if you think his two World Series appearances brought his value down, you couldn't be more wrong. He'll go for top dollar.

I'll have more on something Sox tomorrow. Until then, have a terrific Saturday and a great weekend and as always and forever, BE WELL. Thanks. Oh, click on this post's title for more Sox news, slim as it is.

If Beltre bolts and Adrian Beltre becomes a free agent, Youk COULD move to third while Adrian Gonzalez and his Gold Glove mans first. That would be nice. Here, read the from the Boston Globe's Extra Bases...


"Padres GM Jed Hoyer had a meeting with John Boggs, the agent for first baseman Adrian Gonzalez on Wednesday. Earlier today Hoyer acknowledged that Gonzalez is headed for free agency after the 2011 season — unless he is traded first.
"With a year away from free agency, Adrian's desire is to go out and go after a franchise-player contract," Hoyer told a San Diego radio station. XX 1090 AM. "At this point, I think it's a near certainty that he at least explores free agency."
The idea of a long-term deal in San Diego seems remote. Hoyer said he believes Gonzalez will be on the Opening Day roster, although he would listen to offers."I anticipate him being our first baseman next year,'' Hoyer said. "I certainly hope he finishes the season with us. That means we'd have a good season.''
Two things to keep in mind:
• It will take prime-time, cost-controlled talent to land Gonzalez. In terms of the Red Sox think Casey Kelly, Jose Iglesias, Anthony Rizzo, guys like that.
• Gonzalez is going to want a deal commensurate with what Mark Teixeira (eight years, $180 million) or Ryan Howard (five years, $125 million). It would make little sense to trade for him unless he comes signed."


An expensive option for Boston but an option nonetheless. It would solve many problems. We shall see. Click on this post's title and as always, BE WELL.

Big Papi NOT Happy But He Stays In Boston...Sparky Anderson Passes At 76

Boston Red Sox slugger Big Papi David Ortiz is probably not a completely happy person. He wanted more than just a one year $12.5 million option from his club but that's exactly what he got.Theo was succinct about not extending those numbers. Here he is...

“Well, we explored it and it just didn’t work out in the end. Both sides thought it made sense to fall back on the one-year solution. We would never say never; things always come up that cause you to turn in a new direction. But I think at this point, the feeling is that we’ve explored it, it didn’t work out. Both sides, for a lot of reasons, were fine going to the one-year solution that was already built into the contract and moving forward and focusing on 2011.”

Theo, you don't mince words, do you? Papi is one of our most beloved players. I hope David doesn't over-react and bolt to free free agency. If that happened, there'd be zero winners on both sides of the controversy. You can be sure there'll be more on this later but it looks right now like our Big Papi will be the 2011 Boston Red Sox DH. And that's just fine with me.

On a much more somber note, major league baseball has lost one of their heros, Sparky Anderson. He was only 76 years old and was famous for his fiery onfield disposition. His Reds teams beat the Red Sox in 1975 and the Yankees in 1976. His plaque reads...

“Revered and treasured by his players for his humility, humanity, eternal optimism and knowledge of the game.

Pitcher Jack Morris chocked up during his comments...

“Wow. He died way too young. I got phone a lot of calls yesterday about the hospice and the dementia, neither of which I knew about. I wasn’t prepared for this. I don’t know what to say. I’m kind of shocked. He was a big part of my life, for sure. He had a lot to do with molding me professionally and taught me a lot about perseverance. He was a good guy,” he said. “Baseball will have very few people like Sparky. He was a unique individual. He was a character with a great passion and love for the game.”

Rest in peace, Sparky. You will be missed. I hope every one of you has a great Friday and a terrific weekend. I'll be back tomorrow morning or as events warrant. As always, BE WELL. Thanks.

BELTRE Declines Red Sox Option & Is A Free Agent...Curt Young Becomes New Boston Pitching Coach

Adrian Beltre has decided to decline Boston's option and become a free agent. Though Boston has exclusive negotiation rights until Saturday, the writing is on the wall. With the year he had last season, he will command pounds and pounds of cold hard cash. He deserves it, too. Here's Boston GM Theo Epstein on the upcoming free stove market...

"I think it will be an active market. Adrian is a really good player. He did an incredible job for us this year. It was everything we could have hoped for and more. The toughness that he showed, playing through some injuries, the consistency that he showed offensively and bringing his usual great defense to the table was really impressive. We're not the only one who saw that. Everyone else saw that, too. Free agency is a right that players work long and hard to get."

The Sox have until midnight Friday morning to pick up David Ortiz' $12.5 million player option. I think deep down in my heart that Papi wants to stay if he gets a multi-year contract. How about two years, Mr. Epstein? Once the World Series concluded, things start happening fast and furiously. Papi proved to everyone in 2010 that even after a slow start, he's still got "it." We need that "it" on the team. We need a lot of them.

Boston pitching coach supreme John Farrell is moving to Canada to become the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. Before he headed north he and Red Sox skipper Terry Francona searched for his possible replacement and one name stood above all the others. He is former Oakland A's pitching coach Curt Young. Here's Curt..

“Knowing Terry, and the respect you have for him across the field, what a great job he does, it was definitely something that I could not pass on,’’ Young said.

And the skipper, Tito Francona...

“This is an exciting time for us. We really caught a break. We got a really good pitching coach.’’

Young spent parts of 23 seasons with Oakland — 12 as a player, four as a minor league coach, and seven as pitching coach. Oakland had the lowest earned run average in the American League (4.03) during his tenure, while allowing the lowest batting average (.257) and fewest home runs. This past season, Oakland had the lowest ERA in the AL (3.56) and led the league with 17 shutouts. So he's the real deal and will have plenty to work with. Let's hope his successful ways continue. The talent is there in Boston and he will provide the crucial guidance. Good luck, Curt. We lost a great one in Farrell and we know you can seamlessly take his place. Now if Beckett, Lackey and Matsuzaka can get their acts together and Buchholz and Lester continue their dominance over the rest of the league, the sky's the limit for the Boston Red Sox providing that the injury epidemic stays away, WAY AWAY.

Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to click on this post's title for more than 200 pictures from the SF Giants victory parade. I found them on the SF Chronicle website. You'll see so many happy people. Just click away. Have a great Thursday as we slide towards the weekend and as always, BE WELL. I'll see you soon.

Curt Young New BoSox Pitching Coach

Can Boston Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell ever be replaced? Well, the Boston powers-that-be think that former Oakland A's pitching coach Curt Young is right for the job. Here's the Boston skipper Tito Francona...

“We had internal and external candidates. Curt was the No. 1 choice. I just didn’t know if it was realistic.

And here's Curt Young...

“Knowing Terry, and the respect you have for him across the field, what a great job he does, it was definitely something that I could not pass on,’’ Young said.

I'll have much more on Young in tomorrow's post. Good luck, Curt. You have so many pitchers to work your magic with. Make it happen.

A San Francisco Celebration..Red Sox Holes

The San Francisco celebration parade commences this morning at 11am PDT. That's 2pm eastern time.My congratulations go out to the team and their long suffering fans who have waited forever to say "we're number one" and be right about it. This time they're as right as can be. Here's all you need to know...

SAN FRANCISCO — "San Francisco is The City that Knows How to celebrate — and now it will party with the boys of summer during a World Series victory parade up Market Street on Wednesday.
Bruce Bochy and the crew will be honored with a ticker-tape parade along Market Street following the same route taken by the Giants when they first came to San Francisco from New York in 1958.
If Monday night is any indication of the party’s magnitude, it won’t be an earthquake, but the streets will still be
rocking.
It will be Champagne, not gel in Mayor Gavin Newsom’s hair Wednesday afternoon when he presents the the underdogs that pulverized Texas with the key to The City.
Hundreds of thousands are expected to crowd the streets, so allow for transit and traffic delays and show up early."

Celebrate the boys of summer

WHAT: Ticker-tape parade and celebration honoring the San Francisco Giants’ World Series win
WHEN: Wednesday, 11 a.m.
WHERE: The parade will start at Montgomery and Washington streets, travel west up Market Street and finish at Civic Center. A celebration will follow at Civic Center Plaza."

Let's hope nobody or nothing rains on their parade.

On to a little Red Sox stuff. This is expected to be a busier than normal off season for Theo Epstein. The needs of the team are obvious and there are a handful of guys already on the team that Epstein must make a decision on, most notably a multi-year (2 is fine with me) David Ortiz signing. Papi recently said he wants more than one year. After last season, GIVE IT TO HIM! Here's Theo...

"I think it's always complex, because there are always holes to fill. You always have to balance the present and the future, and make sure you do things that make next year's club as good as it can possibly be without compromising the direction the organization's headed, and making sure you keep the organization in a place where it can be very competitive year in and year out. So this year, there are probably more moving parts than most and more variables than most. It just means it's always a puzzle, but it might be a little bit bigger puzzle, more pieces in the puzzle this year, so unfortunately we have a head start [after not making the postseason] and we'll put that time to good use and try to line ourselves up to be in a position to get the best possible answers."

To add to the mixture, Victor Martinez and Adrian Beltre (what would we have done without both of them?) are to become free agents. So Theo, make the Boston Red Sox a better team. MUCH better.

To my Constant Readers, have a wonderful post-election day. Here in Connecticut we know who our new US Senator is but the governor's race is still too close to call. I think that's amazing. Click on this post's title for something Red Sox and as always, BE WELL.

The World Champion San Francisco Giants Are Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay

The SF Giants defeated the Texas Rangers by a score of 3-1 and are bringing the World Series trophy home to California for the first time since they moved there in 1958. Rookie catcher Buster (great name for a catcher) Posey put it this way...

"It's crazy to think with all the great baseball players who have come through San Francisco, there hasn't been a World Series championship. The beautiful thing about the organization is, you've got guys like Will Clark here. You've got J.T. Snow here. You've got Shawon Dunston here. When we get back to San Francisco, we'll have Willie Mays and Willie McCovey and Gaylord Perry. The list goes on and on. It's so humbling to have won the first World Series in San Francisco. It's unbelievable."

Perfectly said, Buster. Tim Lincecum went 8 full and tamed those "hot and heavy" Texas bats allowing that one run on three hits while striking out ten. He was immense. The MVP of the series was shortstop Edgar Renteria, who hit the game winning tater off loser Cliff Lee, who really only made one mistake...to Renteria. He even called it. Here's SF outfielder Aaron Rowland...

"He (Renteria) told Andres he was going to hit one and he did it. He Babe Ruth-ed it, I guess."

Matt Cain is the longest tenured member of the world champions and he said this...

"Wow, this is sick. We're the World Series champions of 2010."

Get used to it, Matt. I can only imagine the utter joy when the team comes back home. The parade has already been scheduled for tomorrow. Here is the official blurb from the San Francisco Chronicle...

"The Giants' victory parade will start at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Montgomery and Washington streets and go southbound on Montgomery to Market Street before continuing west on Market to Civic Center Plaza. After the parade, Mayor Gavin Newsom will present the team with the key to the city on the steps of City Hall. The parade will replicate the route taken by the team when they came to San Francisco from New York in 1958."

And so the 2010 Major League season comes to an end. For us Red Sox fans, injuries and more injuries became the lead story day after day after endless day. It was a great year, a coming out year, for Clay Buchholz, another good one for Jon Lester and the season became a showcase for all the young Boston talent who we'll see in the years to come. Injuries, at least that many of them, are unfair but they're part of the game. There is nothing anyone can do now except make sure everyone comes back 100%. Good things will follow, that I promise.

It's been fun and I want to make sure you realize I'm not going anywhere in the off season. Daily posts will still (God willing) be the rule. Click on this post's title for all the coverage from the San Francisco Chronicle. I look forward to an injury free 2011. As always, take care of yourselves and BE WELL. My friends, I'll see you.

The Giants Put A Stranglehold On The Rangers 4-0...They're Up 3 Games To 0

The SF Giants starter, Madison Bumgarner, was certainly no bum last night in Rangers Stadium. The Giants whitewashed the Texas Rangers by a score of 4-0 behinds Bumgarner's eight inning gem. He allowed zero runs, three hits , walked two and whiffed six. He's a lefty who doesn't have a high top end but he put the ball on the corners and baffled the heavy hitting Rangers. Aubrey Huff and Buster Posey contributed with taters and that was all she wrote. Here's Mr. Huff himself...

"With a win, I usually sleep pretty good in the playoffs, with a loss pretty shaky. Hopefully we sleep good tonight. We've got a big challenge tomorrow with Cliff Lee. We got him last game, but you know he's going to come out and really want to get us."

It's like you slept on a Gold Bond mattress and box spring (my company's bedding brand) last night, wasn't it, Aubrey? I'm sure it was. So the Giants lead the series 3-1 and Texas must win 'em all to become world champions. The odds are against them, even with Cliff Lee going tonight for the lawmen. Here are the particulars of game 5...

Cliff Lee (12-9, 3.18 ERA) vs. Tim Lincecum (16-10, 3.43), 4:57 p.m. Wed.

Both guys should perform much better than their game one outings but the orange and gold are just a game away from their first world championship since they moved from Brooklyn. If they do win, the Texas fans will have to watch them celebrate in their own stadium. That's always tough. Heartrending.

For more on last night's game 4, simply click on the title. I'm feeling good these days (I just knocked on wood. Please do the same for me) and all I have to do is give a little blood for bloodwork at 8am EDT. I can handle that. Hey, as always, stay and BE well. It's SO important. I'll see you. Game last tonight? We'll see.