Saturday, November 15, 2008

Yankees Say You Shouldn't Cheer For Your Team at Yankee Stadium

In defending a lawsuit filed by a Red Sox fan that was beaten at Yankee Stadium, the Yankees said that they are not to blame, the fan is. From the NY Post:

"A Red Sox fan who got pummeled for cheering on his team at Yankee Stadium should have known to keep his mouth shut, the Bombers said in court papers.

Charles Hillios, who is suing the Yanks for the beat-down, "assumed the risk of foreseeable injury based on his own conduct," according to a federal court filing....

Shawn Sellick, 27, and Daniel Benjamin, 24, attacked Hillios after he cheered for a Sox home run. They followed him to a concession stand where they tossed him to the ground and kicked him.

Hillios, who needed eye surgery after the assault."

Teams need to provide basic security for all fans no matter who they cheer for. I can speak for experience after having been escorted out of Yankee Stadium after an annoying Yankee fan tried to get into a scuffle with the group I was with in the 90s. I had to leave a game because some a-hole Yankee fan had a few too many beers and Yankee security did nothing about it. If a fan is being overly annoying to those around them then they should be removed by security, but if they are just cheering for their team they should be protected.

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Friday, November 14, 2008

Has Manny Just Left the Best Offer on the Table?

Manny Ramirez did everything he had to do with the Dodgers this season. Teams know that he can make a big instant impact but will they be willing to spend for it? The Dodgers have withdrawn their offer to Manny, a 2 year $45 million deal with a $15 million option for a third year. With the current state of the economy will teams throw more money than that after an aging slugger? The Yankees showed they can still burn money with their offer to Sabathia today, but can any other team go that big? Boras may have overplayed his hand on this one but he did get the Dodgers to agree to a two year $36.2 million deal for Andruw Jones, so anything is possible.

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Red Sox Blogger Roundtable

The Red Sox Blogger Roundtable is up at Fire Brand of the A.L. This week's question:
Out of all the catchers that may be available through trade or free agency, which player do you want starting for the Sox and why?


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Pudge's Legacy Goes to the Dogs

In 1975 he hit the greatest home run in team, perhaps league history, and in 2008 he waited on dogs as part of an Alpo Dog Food promotion. From the Boston Globe:

Alpo is renting space for its pop-up restaurant for today and tomorrow at 167 Newbury St., where plans call for dog-lover Fisk to be a pooch garcon. (Fisk will be serving up dog food today only.)

Plans call for Fisk, who knows a thing or two about pitching, to pitch the Alpo line from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. today; the grill will be also open for those same hours tomorrow, though sans Fisk, Alpo said. After its two-day run, this temporary restaurant will close up shop.

Does Fisk need the money that bad? At least do it in Chicago, but to do it in Boston is just plain sad.

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Sox Still Interested in Teixeira

MLB.com Red Sox reporter Ian Browne believes the Sox are still interested in Mark Teixeira as insurance in case Lowell does not recover well from hip surgery.

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Thursday, November 13, 2008

More Hardware For Caballito

Dustin Pedroia has won the American League Silver Slugger Award for the best offensive second baseman. Below is the list for the rest of the positions:

American League
1B -- Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
3B -- Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
SS -- Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
OF-- Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers
OF -- Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox
OF -- Grady Sizemore, Cleveland Indians
C -- Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
DH -- Aubrey Huff, Baltimore Orioles

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Bowl For Charity With Manny Delcarmen This Saturday

What is it with Red Sox pitchers and bowling? Not to be outdone by the Beckett Bowl, Manny Delcarmen is having his Bowlin' Strikes for Schools this Saturday. For more information visit Manny's website or the flyer below.

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Hot Stove Update

A few items of note this morning:

The Red Sox are looking at adding some starting pitching and have talked with Boras about D-Lowe and are talking with the Padres about Jake Peavy.

Add Miguel Montero to the list of possible options behind the plate for the Sox.

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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

How Will the Economy Impact the Hot Stove?

Scott Boras might have a difficult time with his sales pitch in this economic environment. No player wants to be the poster boy for greed while unemployment numbers are creeping up. As people's discretionary spending drops teams may feel a pinch by the time spring training rolls around. A sign of how things might be going was evident today when the Red Sox announced they were freezing ticket prices. With less money coming in will salaries keep going up? Manny was not happy with his $20 million option in Boston and was looking for a long term deal but so far it looks like the best he can do is 2 years with an option for a third by the Dodgers.

The economic uncertainty can slow up the Hot Stove with owners hesitant to spend big bucks while players think the market is still what it was last season, just like homeowners that still think their homes prices are going up. Theo and Sox ownership may look to cut spending by going for younger players and avoid the big price free agents, it may also make sense for them to wait it out in case prices fall.

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Red Sox Show Interest in Chris Iannetta


Add another catcher into the mix. The Seattle PI is reporting that the Red Sox may make a run at Rockies Catcher and Rhode Island native Chris Iannetta.

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Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Big Papi Plays GM

Ortiz talks about what the Sox need to get back to the promised land. Watch below:

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David Ortiz: Parrothead


David Ortiz was spotted in the crowd yesterday enjoying the Jimmy Buffett concert at Margaritaville Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.

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Monday, November 10, 2008

My Father is a Yankee Fan

Despite growing up about 50 miles southwest of Fenway Park, my father is a Yankee fan. (Hmmmmm..... maybe that's why we never went to many Sox games!) He was born in 1918 and missed the 1st Sox Dynasty of 1903-1918. By the time he was a young boy playing sandlot ball, it was Yankees, this and Yankees that, and Babe Ruth hitting 60 HR’s! He played 2B for his high school team and hit about .285. He wanted to keep playing, but his father wouldn’t let him play during his senior year. (Oh, was the coach pissed off!) The Great Depression was still a recent memory, and he was needed to work in the family business, thus ending any potential career in baseball. (The broken leg didn’t help, either.)

But this post isn’t about baseball.

My father served in the Army (Ozark 102nd Division) in WWII in France and Germany. He was a Lieutenant, and was promoted to Captain upon his discharge. He’s not a doctor, but because of his degree, he was the adjunct to the Captain in his medical unit. I recall seeing some of the schwag he brought back from Europe when I was young, including a parachute, a Nazi flag, and maybe even his side arm, but I have no idea what happened to any of that. (I do have his baseball bat, though.) Maybe it was the broken leg that kept him from the front lines, but I can only imagine that he must have seen some horrific injuries serving in a medical unit. He never spoke much about his time in the Army when I was younger, never even suggested that I serve, most likely due to what he witnessed while there. (The draft was over before I was 18.)

A couple of years ago, he finally opened up a bit and started to talk a little bit about his time in the military. I told him that he should write all this down. Well, he finally did start writing, and just recently gave me the book for me to blog it to the rest of the family. I have not read it yet.

While I am very left leaning, I never went to any ant-Viet Nam war protests. I never spit upon or disrespected any of the returning soldiers in any way. I never served in the military, but I never was much into socio-economics and politics when I was a teenager. Hell, for all I know, I may not have even been tall enough to qualify. While I may question the administrations and the policies that put our great (but not perfect) country in war, I harbor no resentment nor disrespect towards the men and women who have been sent there, as well as the ones who are in the military, but have not had to endure that hell.

My band mate and best friend served in The Marines in Viet Nam. He came back OK. My ex-father-in-law served in the Coast Guard in Nam and saw his best friends face blow up in front of him. He’s messed up. I even have Sawxheads ‘friends’ whom I have yet to meet in person who were in the military.

So what is the point of this blog? Respect Veterans. After all that they have been through, they get pitiful health care when they get back here. I see it with my father and my band mate. They fought so that I can write ‘Bush sucks!’ and not have to worry about it. Many of them enlisted before they ever had a clue that they would be sent overseas to fight in misguided war. (I can write that because of them.) Many had absolutely ZERO desire to be there. But they went. Protest the war and bitch at the politicians that send troops there, but respect the men and women who are Veterans, and those who will be Veterans.

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Buchholz for Teagarden?

Let's just say there is a team out there that is willing to pay the Scott Boras asking price for Tek and the Sox are left without their captain and with Cash as the guy behind the plate. Kevin Cash is not a bad player but is he good enough to be a starting catcher in the majors? He probably is but but the Red Sox need somebody that is going to add some power to the order and Taylor Teagarden could be that guy. Boston has been looking at getting him since July and are still negotiating with the Rangers. The asking price is steep and starts with a top pitching prospect like Buchholz, Bowden, or possible Masterson. I for one have never been that high on Buchholz; I know he has great stuff and potential but he has not been able to get it all going. There is a chance he could come around like Lester did and become a top of the line pitcher but it is not a guarantee.

I think the Red Sox sould take a risk and trade ClayBuchholz for Teagarden; it may hurt to see a player develop into a superstar after they have been traded (Handley Ramirez comes to mind) but a trade could end up paying big rewards. (Josh Beckett and the 2007 World Series) The Red Sox could have a powerhitting catcher behind the plate, somebody that could easily develop into an All-Star if they are willing to part with one of the guys they have been in love with for the last few years. If Buchholz can't get it going this season his trade value will be next to nothing so now is the time to make the deal.

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Tito May Lose His Right Hand Man


Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills is interviewing for the Mariner's manager job in Seattle today. Mills was Terry Francona's college roommate and has coached with him in Philly and Boston. I'm sure Tito is wishing Mills well but he will also miss him greatly if he lands the job.

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Sunday, November 9, 2008

Where's Your Beer Money Going?

There is some shadiness going on with beer sales at Fenway. State Sen. Dianne Wilkerson was arrested by the FBI for allegedly taking bribes in return for issuing liquor licenses, she also oversees beer sales at Fenway Park. Is it possible for her to be skimming a little off of the top? The Boston Herald notes that there is reason for concern:

By an amazing coincidence, her brother Richie runs a security firm that watches over the beer vendors at Fenway. Keeping it all in the family, as it were.

When asked if there wasn’t a conflict of interest even when she was on the state liquor board, Richie answered, “You can’t deprive me of an income because of a job she does the right thing on.”

That means recusing herself. By the way, Richie wouldn’t starve if he had to give up the Fenway job. He’s the register of probate in Suffolk County - the same job that John “Keep the Change” Buonomo had in Middlesex. Richie makes $110,000 a year.

I'm sure once all of the corruption is gone, beer prices at Fenway will fall....and if you believe that then I've got a great real estate deal for you.

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