May 2006 Archives

Wednesday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com shine the spotlight on the local high school scene.

Dave Pevear snares MIAA Lacrosse tournament duty, focusing on Chelmsford High and their top scorer, Jack Curtis. Carmine Frongillo enters the dugout for a chat with Lowell High infielder Myles Lenzi. Recaps of all the varsity action can be found here. Plus the New England Riptide are ready for their season opener Thursday, and we run down the roster for you.

The “suspense thriller� that’s kept Major League Baseball on the edge of its seat all year long is finally solved…Roger Clemens is staying in Houston.

To quote Gomer Pyle; Surprise, Surprise!

No sense rehashing the scenarios again. Lynn Worthy’s post yesterday includes the Newsday story that first reported what anyone with common sense already knew. And if you want to know my take on it, just click on my Rocket Re-Entry post from early February. My opinion never changed, and it was proven correct.

What I do want to discuss is Peter Gammons' appearance on ESPN last night. Despite the obvious, Gammons still tried to insinuate there was some doubt as to where the Rocket’s re-entry would take place. He even mentioned a conversation with a couple of Red Sox “insiders� last week. When Gammons said to them that Clemens-to-Houston looked like a done deal, they said something to the effect of; “is it? We’ll see.� The clear implication; the Red Sox still believed they were going to land the Rocket and they knew something the rest of the world didn't.

Please! If they knew all along but just wanted to give Boston fans false hope, shame on Red Sox Nation for falling for it. If the Red Sox really bought the Texas Con Man’s act, shame on them! They’re not as smart as they’d like us to believe.

Perhaps next time, they can reserve all the hotel rooms in Katy, Texas!

So tell me Sox fans, you didn’t really fall for the “Clemens wants to return to Boston� act, did you?

Final Score
Red Sox 5
Blue Jays 8

We Got the Wrong Guy: It’s Vernon, not David Wells that can still play!

Toronto’s version of the surname blasted 3-more home runs last night, bringing his yearly total against the Red Sox to eight. Amazing! 8-of his 15-HR’s have come against the Sox. Haven’t seen one guy do this much damage to Boston since Albert DiSalvo roamed the streets.

We’re Not in Kansas Anymore, Toto: More proof the National League is a magic Land of Oz for pitchers:

Josh Beckett has now allowed 14-HR’s in 68 2/3 innings. That matches his total from last year, which took 178 2/3 innings to accomplish. Surprisingly, none of roundtrippers have come at Fenway. How odd is that?

NoteWorthy Answer: Since it’s not kosher for a blogger to post comments on the home site, I’ll give my answer to Lynn Worthy’s David Pauley post right here;

For as much fun as we like to poke at the Yankees, the bottom of their rotation (Chacon, Small and Wright) would be an improvement over what the Sox are trotting out there right now. Something has to change, but I pray those Kyle Lohse rumors I’m reading aren’t true.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Rise and shine.

Get ready David Pauley, it’s going to be a big day. You make your first Major League start.

Today, you erase the line in your profile reading “no major league experience.‿ There’s no telling what you’re going to replace it with, but one way or another it will be filled.

You can be sure, win or lose, you will be the topic of discussion across Red Sox Nation. Not that one performance defines a career.

David Pauley Games Started (Portland): 10 Record: 2-3 Innings: 60.1 Hits: 54 Runs: 20 Opponent: Toronto Blue Jays Record: 29-22 Batting Average: .300 Runs: 287 Home Runs: 75

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

New York's Newsday reported this afternoon that Roger Clemens has reached an agreement to pitch this season for the Houston Astros. Clemens, 43, would earn $3.5 million per month with the new deal, according to the report.

Hold it. Don't throw away your copy of the Roger's Greatest Hits video just yet Sox fans.

ESPN is reporting that the Newsday story was premature. Again, ESPN is citing Astros general manager Tim Purpura as well as Clemens' agent Randy Hendricks as sources confirming that no deal has been officially completed.

For months the Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, and Astros have been reportedly vying for his services.

Stay tuned. This one isn't over yet.

From ESPN.com report:

"We've had no conduct with Roger's people today," said Purpura, adding that the last time he talked to Hendricks was Sunday.

Purpura said he was told then that "Roger was still in the mode of trying to decide what he wants to do." So essentially, Purpura said, "We're just awaiting his decision."

The end of May is upon us, and you fantasy geeks know what that means. We’re 1/3 of the way through the baseball season. (I break it down into months, not games, the season consisting of April-May, June-July & August-September) With that in mind, we’ve seen enough games to uncover some trends.

In our latest installment of Fantasy Island we’ll take a look at 5 early season surprises who won’t be able to maintain the pace, 5 disappointments who can’t possibly be as bad as they’ve looked and 5 former studs, who while they might be available on the waiver wire, should be avoided like the bird flu:

Ti-i-i-i-i-mber!
Casey Blake-Yeah, right! He’ll keep hitting .329. Sure!
Brandon Phillips-Reds revolving door will get him eventually
Tom Glavine-No way he’s the 2nd best pitcher in baseball over a full season
Bronson Arroyo-Simply not this good, regardless of shift to NL
Kenny Rogers-Only Matt Clement is worse when the pressure’s on

Elevator up!
Todd Helton-3-HR & 16-RBI in Coors Field? Only one way to go
Victor Martinez-Check out last year’s 2nd half splits
Aubrey Huff-Not a stud, but trade to contender will only help the .158 AVG.
Andy Pettitte-Simply too good for 5.76 ERA & 1.63 WHIP
Brad Radke-See Pettitte, only substitute 7.01 & 1.80 figures

Flu Shot, Please!
Barry Bonds-Fear factor is gone. Teams don’t even walk him anymore
Mike Piazza-More “Dunn� than Reds slugger Adam
Adrian Beltre-Lucky for him he had a contract year for the ages.
John Garland-2005 All-Star game seems like ages ago, doesn’t it?
A.J. Burnett-Elbow’s more fragile than cheap china

If you have one of the first five, see what you can get. The middle group you should try to sucker one of your opponents into giving up for cheap. The last group…well…don’t say I didn’t warn you!

All right fantasy phanatics…who else belongs on these lists? Who doesn’t?

With Memorial Day weekend gone and the unofficial start of summer upon us, the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com are hard at work bringing you all the sports news that’s fit to print.

The Red Sox lose a tough one in Toronto as a former BoSox and Lowell Spinners player delivers the knockout blow. Closer to home, Lynn Worthy sets sail with Dracut’s Nicky Gavel, a member of the Radcliffe crew team. The high schools also come into focus as do the Sun Stars of the Week.

And if you missed out on any of the holiday weekend excitement, you can catch up on all the goings on right here.

Final Score
Red Sox 6
Blue Jays 7

Time to Pull the Plug: O.K…O.K! Enough already. Wave the white flag. We surrender!

The time has come my friends, to end the Matt Clement experiment. It’s not going to happen for him, and if by some miracle it does, it won’t be here in Boston. The guy just doesn’t have “it,� whatever “it� is.

Watch his face when Terry Francona goes to take him out of the game. “Welcome Matt� won’t even look his manager in the eye. He can’t. Not after mouthing off about being skipped in the rotation against the Yankees a few weeks back. Also, watch his face the minute a baserunner gets on against him. It’s like he’s scared out there. It’s getting pathetic, and it’s getting downright disastrous for a team that is fighting hard for a World Series.

To the Red Sox credit, they hung tough and almost made a remarkable comeback against a Cy Young winner and a team that’s given them fits all year. Last night very nearly turned into a joyous comeback. But the 6-Love hole their starting pitcher put them in was just too much for Boston’s Boys of Summer to overcome in the end.

Perhaps it’s too soon to rush the minor leaguers. Maybe the veteran options available in trade right now aren’t very attractive or would cost too much to acquire. But the Sox can’t continue to trot this guy out there every 5th day. Not if they want to make a serious run at the playoffs in the ultra-competitive American League.

What do YOU think? Time to pull the plug on Mr. Clement? What are our options?

Vroom! Vroom! Turn Left. Throw back a cold one. Vroom! Vroom! Turn Left. Throw back a cold one.

That’s my imitation of an auto racing fan watching this past weekend’s Indy 500.

Vroom! Vroom! Turn left. “Honey, where’s the aspirin?� Vroom! Vroom! Turn left. ZZZZzzzz…

That’s my imitation of a sports fan watching the Indy 500.

For those of you who don’t get the joke, I’ll spell it out. Real sports fans don’t watch auto racing. You know why? Because it’s not a real sport!

NASCAR Nation might be thinking; “Dang, that Teddy Panos is doggone crazy. Why’s that boy messin’ with us car racing folk? Don’t he know how many of us are out there? Let’s bombard his blog with thousands of hate letters and teach him a lesson.� (Please pardon my Loudon accent)

But I’m not worried, because I don’t really think that many of you exist. Not here in Massachusetts where we actually have better things to do with our time than watch a bunch of guys named Rusty, Junior or “Buckshot� race circles for hours.

Am I totally out of my mind? Maybe. But behind every inflammatory and sarcastic comment, there’s a valid point. Motor heads may have a point, too. But when they wear their #8 hats, you can’t see it.

Let’s address the “car racing as sport� argument first. I don’t care how hot it gets in the car. I don’t care how much “stamina� it takes to sit in a bucket seat for 3-hours. Race car drivers are not athletes!

The real stars of the show are the automobiles themselves. As in thoroughbred racing, horsepower is what counts. Only at Churchill Downs, they give the animal the blanket of roses, not the jockey. How come at the Brickyard, the driver gets to drink the milk? Shouldn’t they celebrate by giving the jet-propelled engine a swig of motor oil instead?

As for the “auto racing is the most attended sporting event in America� argument…yeah right! That’s only because they count the audience at all the bush-league races run over an entire weekend. (And yes, I meant bush-league, not Busch League) What they fail to tell you is that the same 100,000 yahoos attend all the races.

Bob Bahr, owner of New Hampshire International Speedway once told me 95% of the spectators at his track come from out-of-state. Think about that for a minute. Only 5,000 of the 100,000 or so in attendance are actually from the state the race is held in. No wonder parking in the RV lot is tougher to come by than a spot in the proposed Jackson-Appleton Mills complex. The positive news for the good folk of the Granite State is they do account for 58% of the 175,000 teeth in the audience.

You really want to test auto racing’s popularity? Take beer out of the equation. I’m quite sure Fenway Park, Gillette stadium and The Garden would still be packed if turned into dry facilities. Minus the “Clydesdales� factor, Loudon would be less populated on race day than downtown Lawrence after dark.

Back in 1999, my boss sent me to get the dreaded “man on the street� interviews after the Red Sox beat Cleveland in the playoffs. He recommended a bar in Derry, NH. The first guy I approached wasn’t a baseball fan. He liked NASCAR. The second said he hadn’t seen the clinching game because he watched pro wrestling instead.

Guess which was the better interview?

What are your thoughts on the Indy 500 and auto racing in general?

Final Score
Rays 4
Red Sox 5

Too Close for Comfort: Well, that was certainly an…Ahem!…exciting finish.

A game the Red Sox had in the bag almost turned into a nightmare as a bullpen minus Mike Timlin and Jonathan Papelbon nearly imploded. With Timlin on the DL and Papelbon needing a rest after pitching 3-consecutive days (Keith Foulke apparently also needed a breather), Terry Francona turned to Rudy Seanez and Julian Tavarez to protect a 5-0 lead in the ninth.

Next thing you know, Seanez loads the bases with 2-outs…Tavarez gets a strikeout, only to have Doug Mirabelli misplay the ball (and you thought catching a knuckleball was tough)…Tavarez walks in two more runs making it 5-3…and Carl Crawford singles to left scoring one more and sending the speedy Joey Gathright hurtling toward the plate with the tying run….

Thankfully, Willie Harris woke us out of the bad dream with a rifle to home that got Gathright by 2-steps and preserved the victory for Tim Wakefield. Wake gets the much deserved win after tossing 8-shutout frames and saving most of the bullpen on a day they really needed the rest.

The Sox have now won 4 in a row and hold a 2-game lead over the Yankees. They now head north of the border to face the pesky Blue Jays who stand just 3 ½ back in the East.

Was anyone besides me ready to hurl something at the TV as Seanez and Tavarez did their best to give this one away? Should we be worried without Timlin there to bridge the gap between the starters and Papelbon? Is Foulke up to the task? (Yes, I know Christo…he’s D-O-N-E)

Final ScoreRays 4
Red Sox 6

Milestone for Schilling: Curt Schilling notched his 200th career victory as Boston’s Boys of Summer took their 3rd straight over Tampa. The big righty went 7-strong innings, improving his record to 8-2. The Sox go for the sweep today as Tim Wakefield takes the mound.

Injury Carousel: Lots of comings and goings from the disabled list, so break out your scorecard and pencils.

Wily Mo Pena heads to the DL with a sore wrist as Coco Crisp returns a day earlier than planned to replace him in center. You never like to lose a player to injury, but this transaction still makes the Sox stronger. And for now, it will quiet the ridiculous “we have to find a spot for Wily Mo Pena� talk. Sorry to disappoint John Meterperel, but it looks like the Red Sox still need Manny.

The other injury has no silver lining. Mike Timlin heads to the 15-day DL with a sore shoulder. Manny Delcarmen returns from Pawtucket to take his spot on the roster, but it’s Keith Foulke who’ll have to fill Timlin’s set-up shoes. Julian Tavarez and Rudy Seanez will also have to step it up. Timlin’s been outstanding this season, so let’s hope this is just a case of needing some rest.

Here's an interesting topic for you to ponder...With what he's accomplished so far, is Curt Schilling worthy of the Hall of Fame? I say not yet, but what do you think?

News Flash: The Boston Bruins hire Peter Chiarelli to be the club’s 7th General Manager. The Ottawa Senators Assistant GM (notice I didn’t say “former� Assistant GM) will be formally introduced at a press conference next week, though he can’t start on the job until July 15th.

Teddy’s Take: This is too easy. Dumping on the Bruins isn’t even fun anymore. It’s like shooting monkeys in a barrel.

To illustrate how much of a joke the Black and Gold have become, let me throw out a couple of important dates for you; June 24th=NHL Draft & July 1st=NHL free agency begins. Yes, that’s right Bruins fans. Your new GM, the man who will lead this team into its next era, won’t be on the job until after the draft and the first two weeks of free agency have already gone by. If that isn’t a formula for a successful off-season, I don’t know what is!

Exactly how did the Bruins end up in this mess? Well, for starters, the man they wanted and thought they had for the job, Ray Shero, decided to go work for the Penguins. Reportedly, Shero wanted more money than the B’s were willing to pay. He signed with Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins for $4-million over 5-years. Those are the same Penguins who’ve been battling bankruptcy for over a decade. And still, they’re willing to pay more than one of the most profitable franchises in all of sports.

Jeremy Jacobs and his son Charles then turned their attention to Chiarelli, who played his college hockey at Harvard. Only it appears they never got permission from the Senators to speak to their employee. Now, no one will come right out and say so, but it doesn’t take a genius to read between the lines.

Jacobs admits the final process involved a grueling hearing with the NHL. Seeing as how teams generally don’t stand in the way of front office types in line for promotions, one can only guess there was tampering involved and Boston is being punished. Why else would the Bruins have to wait for their new hockey “el jeffe� until the middle of July?

Oh wait…it gets better. The B’s also have to give Ottawa compensation, with some reports indicating it could be as high as a 2nd round draft choice.

I don’t know if Chiarelli is the right man for the job. I hope he is. He can’t be worse than Harry Sinden and Mike O’Connell. But what I do know is that he wasn’t the first guy offered the position, and the way he got it means he’s already behind the 8-ball in rebuilding a team in dire need of a face lift.

The hits just keep coming Bruins fans. Only it isn’t Cam Neely delivering them!

What are your thoughts on the Bruins General Manager search and hiring? Can Chiarelli possibly turn this team around with such bumbling ownership? How long will it take? Is there a way to get Jacobs to sell the team to someone who’ll run it properly? HELP!!!

Final Score
Rays 4
Red Sox 8

All’s Not Wells: Looks like this is going to be one of those years for David Wells.

The Sox lefty, just back from his 2nd trip to the disabled list, appears headed back for a 3rd go-around after taking a line drive off the right knee. That’s the same right knee he had off-season surgery on and struggled with throughout spring training and the early part of this campaign.

I’m not a big fan of the big fella. Just type in David Wells in the “search� box of this blog and you’ll find more than a few swipes I’ve taken at him. But I felt really bad for him last night. He’s talked openly about giving the game up if his knee didn’t improve. He put a lot of effort into rehab, and just when he finally started to feel up to par and was pitching well, this unfortunate incident takes place.

When it happened and I saw where the ball hit him on the replay, I immediately thought; broken knee cap, career over. It didn’t look very promising as he flailed around on the ground and had to be helped off the field. I’m glad to say as of right now it’s only a deep bruise, though more tests are scheduled. Still, you have to wonder how much more that knee can take.

Either way, the end of the road is near for David Wells. But despite him not being one of my faves, I hope he gets to go out on his terms, and not because of a run of bad luck.

The Good News: Other than that, great game by the Sox. They solve the Scott Kazmir puzzle…David Ortiz comes up huge…Mike Lowell continues to tear the cover off the ball (I’ll have to get into his resurgence in a bit more detail at some point)...and Jonathan Papelbon sets a rookie record with 17 consecutive saves to start a season.

Curt Schilling takes the mound Saturday in search of win #8. We’ll talk about it when the game’s over.

Any thoughts on David Wells? Is this the final straw in a long, frustrating season for the 43-year old left-hander?

An alert reader of this blog (bet you didn’t think such thing existed, did you?) just called our attention to this interesting little tidbit. Lock Monsters Who? writes;

“Has anybody looked at the Lock Monsters web site recently? Typing in http://www.lockmonsters.com redirects you to http://lowelldevilshockey.com. Coincidence? A sign of things to come? Stay Tuned...�

Sure enough, I went there and it’s a brand new site called Lowell Hockey. It's still under construction but the address is indeed lowelldevilshockey.com.

On the heels of the romantic mascot wedding between Allie Gator and Canaligator, it looks like Louie the Lock Monster is about to bite the dust. And while the preceding sentence was just the latest in my feeble attempts at humor, there is a touch of sadness at the thought the Lock Monsters are no more.

Now, there’s been no official announcement. They’ve even prepared us for the possibility that new ownership would change the name of the team. But to actually see the process beginning is a bit of a shock to someone like me who’s a sucker for tradition, even if that tradition is built to a large degree on an empty arena.

I have no doubt whatsoever that the New Jersey Devils will make their Lowell AHL entry a success at the gate. I’ve stated previously, having management in place that knows the business of hockey inside-out can only be a plus for this struggling franchise. Changing the name from Lock Monsters to Devils, or whatever, ultimately makes little difference if the team is run right and succeeds.

Yet still, at least in this space, the Lock Monsters will be missed. Rest in Peace!

Now then…what are your thoughts on the apparent demise of the Lock Monsters name? Sad to see it go? Might as well blow it up and start from scratch? And how about a new mascot? What will it be called?

Might I suggest the new mascot be named after avid Sports Talk poster Louis Cypher? At least it matches the Devils theme!

The Holiday weekend is finally upon us, as is a nice stretch of good weather. As you make your holiday plans, make sure to check out the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com for all your updates. And hey...if you're going away, make sure to pack the laptop!

Today’s sports section features all the high school action as the athletic seasons wind down. Barry Scanlon plays 10 Questions with Burlington High coach Jim Curtain, who’s been at it since the Eisenhower administration. And Paul Daley looks back at a century of racing at Rockingham Park as the old horse track turns 100-years old.

We’ll keep you posted on any breaking news. If you’re plain bored and just want to chat, we’ll have lots of topics for you to chime in on. Have a great holiday!

Final Score
Rays 1
Red Sox 4

Settling In: Josh Beckett is getting quite comfortable in his new environment. The ace right-hander has now won four starts in a row, improving to 7-1 on the season and getting that ERA down to 3.80.

Of more interest to me is that sterling 1.09 WHIP, which means American Leaguers are having a very hard time getting on base against him. Very rarely will you find an AL starter with a WHIP that low. Heck, that’s great in the NL. If he continues at this rate, 20-wins are a lock and a Cy Young award is a very real possibility.

That is, if Jonathan Papelbon doesn’t beat him to it…LOL!

Dueling Lefties: David Wells returns from his 2nd DL stint tonight. He and Boston’s bats have a very tough matchup against Scott Kazmir. The fireballing lefty has pretty much owned the Sox, even before he put it all together this year. Just 22-years old, Kazmir has 7-wins (pitching for Tampa, remember) and averages more than a strikeout per inning.

Any Mets fans out there want to chime in on the genius of trading him for Victor Zambrano 2-years ago? I didn’t think so. Let’s hear from the rest of you instead!

(You didn't think I could let this pass without getting in my two cents, did you?)

The most anticipated matchup Wednesday night did not involve Red Sox-Yankees, Mavericks-Suns or Hurricanes-Sabres. Instead, that honor went to the American Idol final between Taylor Hicks and Katherine McPhee.

Now admittedly, I watched very little of the show, or the entire series for that matter. My opinions are based solely on brief observations and the barrage of news reports that breathlessly followed this phenomenon known as "American Idol.� Besides, we know what they say about opinions.

That said, this “competition� has about as much legitimacy as a Don King Fight card. However, in boxing the competitor who’s gonna get screwed at least has a chance to knock out his/her opponent before the judges put the wood to them.

Taylor Hicks should get on his knees and thank Simon, Paula and Randy for basically brainwashing the American public into voting for him. I won’t even say the majority of the public, because the “vote early and often� system used by Idol would make Democratic politicians blush.

I’ll go on record as saying Katherine McPhee’s incredible voice will sell more records than Hicks’ purple Barney jacket wearing, cheesy dancing, couldn’t hit a difficult note if you gave him a baseball bat, act. To put it mildly, he no more deserves a million dollar recording contract than the thousands of frustrated karaoke singers lining lounges throughout the country. They can pour as much money as they want into promoting him. I’m telling you right now, Taylor Hicks’ future lies in singing duets with Kathy Lee Gifford on carnival cruise ships.

PT Barnum once said; “You can never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public.� Hopefully, they’ll get it right next time.

O.K. sports lovers…let's hear your "Idol" thoughts!

Another great day of weather...another great day of sports coverage from the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com.

Dave Pevear has the lowlights of Matt Clement’s performance as the Red Sox drop another to the Yankees. Barry Scanlon has the college beat, touching on the UMass-Lowell baseball recruiting class as well as some interesting tidbits about former River Hawks netminder Dwayne Roloson. You can also click into all the high school happenings. And Carmine Frongillo soars with Burlington high jumper Greg Nelson, a junior who’s already cleared the bar at 6-9.

Final Score
Yankees 8
Red Sox 6

Open Mouth, Insert Foot: “Clement is usually good for at least one hot streak per year and he might just be ready to embark on it right now.�

Guess which donkey recently wrote that phrase? If you guessed Teddy Panos, step up and claim your prize!

That’s what I get for complimenting him! Next time, I’ll peek at the schedule, see that Clement is penciled in to face the Yankees next, and realize he’ll shrink from the challenge like cheap cotton in the permanent press cycle.

I refuse to waste any more of my time trying to figure out why a guy with so much talent can’t take it to the next level. For him, “next level� means climbing out of the gutter, because there’s no place for a 6.31 ERA on a team as good as the Red Sox. No more excuses. Forget the line drives to the head. Forget the shot off the leg last night. Plain and simple…this guy can’t get the job done, and it would be wise of the Red Sox to not waste much more time with him. Lord knows they’ve already wasted enough money!

Which reminds me…how’s the “value� working out in not paying Pedro? Please don’t hit me with the “Pedro wanted out� garbage. Had they “overpaid� for him like they OVERPAID for Clement, he’d still be here giving us a 1-2-3 in the rotation of Pedro, Schilling and Beckett. I'd go to war with that any day of the week.

Oh, that’s right…I forgot. We need to worry about what’s going to happen in “year four.� May I please have another cup of Kool-Aid?

There! Got that off my chest. I feel much better now. How about you? What are your thoughts on Mr. Clement?

All the sports news that’s fit to print can be found in the “Hump Day� editions of the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com.

Red Sox-Yankees duty falls to Dave Pevear, who has some words of warning for Sox fans thinking the “Empire� is dead. In the NHL playoffs, former UMass-Lowell goalie Dwayne Roloson and the Edmonton Oilers are one game away from the Stanley Cup finals. Over in the NBA, the Celtics will draft #7 thanks to another fruitless trip to the lottery.

Locally Jillian Cardillo recaps the inaugural Spinners Cup. My old stomping ground, Dracut High, is featured prominently in the Merrimack Valley Conference’s Player and Coach of the Year honors. And the entire high school slate can be found here.

Finally, Dave Pevear checks back in with the must-read story of Mike LaBrie, a 17-year old Dracut resident who refuses to take no for an answer.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The ping pong balls produced the number seven pick overall for the Celtics. Boston Celtics Director of Special Projects JoJo White, who represented the team at the NBA Draft Lottery last night, cut right to the chase as far as the Celtics needs. White said the team is looking for a point guard and a "go-to guy at the power forward spot." Click here to read his comments.

WORKOUTS BEGIN
Potential draft picks have started rolling into Waltham this week with workouts on Monday and Tuesday and more are ahead. Monday saw several backcourt players come to town including Villanova's Wooden Award Finalist Randy Foye, Temple point man Mardy Collins, and the Iowa State guard combo of Curtis Stinson and Will Blalock.

LOCAL FLAVOR TO WORKOUTS
Aside from Blalock, a Boston native, the Celtics have also brought in Boston College's Louis Hinnant as well as Bryant University's point guard John Williams (pictured) a Springfield native who shared Northeast-10 Conference Co-Player of the Year honors with UMass Lowell senior forward Stacey Moragne. Univesity of Connecticut point guard Marcus Williams is also slated to be among the players due in for workouts in the next week or so.

HERE AND THERE
As the first draft without high school players approaches, the last high school player drafted by the Celtics, rookie Gerald Green's one-handed jam against the Toronto Raptors was selected as the NBA.com Dunk of the Year. This offseason also marks the first step in making the Celtics Dancers a reality. With auditions in the coming weeks, the Celtics will become the last team to add a dance team.

Final Score
Yankees 7
Red Sox 5

Ghost of Josh Bard: Is it too late to send a police escort to Logan Airport for Josh Bard? Just kidding! Don’t go getting all sensitive and calling me a hypocrite!

We should have known last night wasn’t meant to be. The signs were everywhere. Johnny Damon leading off the game with a home run…A-Rod blasting a 3-run shot he thought was a pop-up…Doug Mirabelli flailing away at Tim Wakefield’s knuckler like Mr. Miyagi trying to catch flies with chopsticks. Just an ugly, ugly night for Boston’s Boys of Summer, yet still, they had a chance to pull it out in the end.

2 quick notes;

1) Alex Gonzalez is about to become Pokey Reese…a late inning vacuum cleaner of a defensive replacement. I never thought I’d utter these words, but Alex Cora is an upgrade at the plate. (did I really just write that?)

2) I think it’s safe to say Manny Ramirez is back. With Coco Crisp and the warm weather soon returning as well, the Sox are going to start lighting up the scoreboard like they have the last couple of years. Mark Loretta’s and Mike Lowell’s re-emergence really gives that batting order some depth.

Next up; Matt Clement vs. Randy Johnson…has all the makings of a 9-8 affair, but watch it turn into a 2-1 pitcher’s duel instead.

Are we finally gonna hear from our Yankee fans today? Did last night’s victory let you crawl back out of the cubby hole you’ve been hiding in? Louis Cypher? GeorgeHR? Hello! Are you there?

The Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com have the sports news covered for you on this Tuesday.

Chaz Scoggins reports from Fenway on the Red Sox latest thrashing of their arch nemesis, the Yankees. The NHL playoffs come into focus as Carolina, with help from some former Lock Monsters, evens their series against Buffalo. The NBA post-season featured a pair of Game-7’s that saw the Mavericks and Suns advance to the Western Conference Finals. High School action also figures prominently, as it does every day in The Sun.

Unfortunately, the sporting world interacts with the crime world far too often these days. A story from Jack Minch and Robert Mills indicates boxer Dick Eklund was questioned by Lowell police about the incident outside a bar early Saturday morning that led to the death of a 28-year old man.

Final Score
Yankees 5
Red Sox 9

“Not-So� Evil Empire: The Yankees sure don’t look like a good baseball team right now, do they?

The Red Sox took their 4th game in 5-tries against the Bronx Bombers last night at Fenway. More stunning was the ease with which they did it. Don’t let the final score fool you. Only Keith Foulke stinking out the joint made it even this close.

Joe Torre’s troops don’t have the guns right now to compete with Boston. Getting Gary Sheffield back will help, but New York has bigger problems; namely, they desperately need an infusion of young blood in the pitching staff. I know it’s a long season and I fully expect a battle down to the wire, but at this moment, the Yankees just aren’t in the Red Sox class. That they’re even this close in the standings is surprising to me.

Meanwhile, the future couldn’t look rosier for the crimson stockings. A few examples:

*Manny homer last night could be the beginning of a patented tear. You just know he’s going to start pounding the ball at some point.

*Curt Schilling looked like he did in April. Better yet, he was very efficient, getting through 8-innings with only 99-pitches.

*The walking wounded are on the verge of returning. Coco Crisp is finally swinging a bat and running, and should begin a rehab assignment within a week. David Wells is on track to start Friday. You know I’m not the biggest “Boomer Booster� out there, but even I have to acknowledge he’s an upgrade over Lenny DiNardo.

Game 2 of the series is tonight; Tim Wakefield vs. Jaret Wright…advantage Red Sox.

Where are my Yankee fans? You’ve been strangely quiet the last few weeks. Is it because you’re realizing your $200-million plus team isn’t as good as it should be for that kind of money? Red Sox fans, are you sensing this is the year we finally break the Yanks stranglehold on the American League East?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Lottery is tonight and here is the skinny on the guys who were in to workout for the Celtics on Monday.

His list of accolades include: Wooden Award Finalist, a NABC First Team All-American, NCBWA First Team All-American, Sporting News First Team All-American, Bayer Advantage Senior CLASS First Team Member, Big East Player of the Year, and Big East First Team All-Conference.

Temple’s Mardy Collins, ran the point for the Owls and John Cheney, and was nearly as prolific in college dishing the ball of as he was scoring. During the summer he averaged 7.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game while playing for USA Basketball U21 FIBA World Championship Team. For his career, he has 1,897 points to rank fourth on the Temple all-time list. He also ranks second at Temple with 292 career steals.

He also was selected to the 2006 Atlantic 10 All-Tournament team and finished the season as the team leader in scoring (16.6 ppg.), assists (122) and steals (86). He is a two-time first team All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection and has named to the USBWA First Team All-District team as well as the NABC Second Team All-District Team.

Curtis Stinson, and his backcourt mate Will Blalock, a Boston native, were also in.

Stinson was a Sporting News & Wooden Award Preseason All-American in 2005,Big 12 All-Defense Team in 2005, and defense was one of the areas of concern for the Celtics this offseason.

Stinson’s resume includes: Iowa State MVP (2004, 2005), First-Team all-Big 12 (AP); Second-Team all-Big 12 (Coaches), ranked in the top-35 nationally in three categories: steals (No. 24, 2.4), assists (No. 24, 5.6) and scoring (No. 33, 19.4), the only player in the nation ranked in the top-50 in those three categories, he became just the third player in Big 12 history to record 1,500 points, 400 rebounds, 400 assists and 200 steals (Kirk Hinrich, Kansas; Cookie Belcher, Nebraska)...Stinson was the first to do it in three seasons and the first to achieve the feat in school history, led the team and was third in the Big 12 in scoring at 19.4 ppg, his 73 steals this season was the third-best mark in school history, and he finished as No. 11 on ISU’s career scoring chart (1,651).

Blalock, the hometown boy, is a guy who added 35 pounds since the beginning of his freshman season and has improved as time went on. Let’s not forget, Ryan Gomes was a guy who grew up not far, hailing from Connecticut and going to Providence College.

Blalock’s resume: Third-Team all-Big 12 (AP & Coaches), First-Team all-District (USBWA), averaged 15.4 points, ranking ninth in the Big 12, averaged 16.9 ppg in Big 12 play, scoring 20 points in 8 of 16 league games, has 1,078 career points, becoming the 25th member of the ISU 1,000-point club on a first half dunk vs. OSU (2-22)...ranks 22nd on the career scoring list, was second in the Big 12 and 10th nationally in assists (6.1 apg), his 184 season assists ranks fifth in school history, ranked fourth in the Big 12 and 52nd nationally in steals (2.2, 65), has a 2.06 assist/turnover ratio (184/89), ranking second in the Big 12, and No. 5 on ISU’s career assist chart (464)...ninth in Big 12 career assists.

I have issues...serious issues.

Not the kind politicians debate until they’ve bored half the population into not voting. Not the backlog of Sports Illustrated magazines I’ve yet to read. Not the 4th album by the rock band KoRn.

These are serious, deep-rooted, psychological, take the “T� out of tissues, issues.

The realization hit me a little after 6pm Saturday. While a hush fell over Pimlico Race Course mere seconds into the running of the Preakness, my first thought was; Damn! There goes that money down the toilet!

Not that there are any guarantees in gambling. That’s why they call it gambling. If it was a sure thing, they’d call it a Boston College point shaving scandal. And it’s not like it involved a ton of cash. Just two $5 bets of Barbaro paired with Bernardini and Like Now. That Bernardini went on to win in a time so pedestrian Barbaro might have crossed the finish line ahead of the pack had he continued to run on three legs only exacerbated things.

This isn’t the first time it’s happened to me either. The same thoughts crossed my mind 20-years ago as my 15-1 shot at Rockingham Park collapsed with less than a furlong to go in a race he led by at least ten lengths. That $10 ticket got shredded faster than Hillary Clinton’s Whitewater records.

However, the sick-to-the-stomach feeling when they brought out the green curtain and put that poor horse to sleep right on the spot stayed with me a long time. So did the memory of Ruffian, the undefeated filly who broke down on TV during a 1975 match race against Foolish Pleasure.

That’s why I was so disappointed in my initial reaction Saturday night. So when the race ended and the camera focused on Barbaro and his badly injured back leg, efforts to make amends began immediately, as if rooting for the horse to survive could somehow ease the guilt.

Much of Saturday night was spent scanning the news for the Kentucky Derby winner’s prognosis. Sunday, I sat glued to the internet awaiting results of the surgery. My thirst for info got so frantic I even visited chat rooms, those places on the internet where teenagers, lonely adults and troubled individuals search for someone to talk to. Yup…I’d sunk to a new low!

I’m happy to say Barbaro pulled through the 5-hour procedure that saw steel plates and 23-screws inserted into his leg. Dr. Dean Richardson says the thoroughbred has a 50-50 chance of survival and it’ll take months before we know for sure. But right now, the horse is responding as well as can be expected. According to the surgeon, he’s even been eyeing a few of the mares in the ICU unit. Guess some behavior never changes, regardless of species.

As for me, I’d planned on writing about Barbaro all weekend. But as I drove to work Monday, I heard the beginnings of a discussion about which Red Sox pitcher is more deserving of Cy Young consideration; Josh Beckett or Jonathan Papelbon. It’s the kind of meaningless debate that drives sports talk on television, radio, newspapers and the internet. For a few moments, I thought I’d found an easier way out for my weekly column.

Then I remembered the crying spectators, the horse’s owner hugging the jockey on the track, the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach, and the thoughts of a badly wounded animal checking out the ladies in the hospital.

See, there’s hope for Barbaro. And for me, too!

What are your thoughts on Barbaro's injury in the Preakness? Was it just a fluke or should he have been pulled from the race after acting up at the starting gate? Are the efforts to save him worth it?

What a difference a week makes! It’s a beautiful spring day and the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com have all the sports news that’s fit to print.

Barry Scanlon checks in with all the local hockey talk, including former Lock Monsters goalie Cam Ward as he tries to lead Carolina to the Stanley Cup. You can also read details of Barbaro’s surgery.

The high schools are getting caught up after a week of washouts. Lynn Worthy profiles Chelmsford High volleyball player Josh Mark as he returns from a head injury. And find out which other individual athletes are shining in the Sun Stars of the Week.

Final Score
Red Sox 5
Phillies 10

Can’t Win ‘Em All: Especially the ones where Lenny DiNardo is your starting pitcher.

Rather than dwell too much on one loss (Geez! That almost sounds rational. I’d better cut it out!), I’m going to instead touch on a successful road trip that saw Boston’s Boys of Summer go 4-2 and build their lead over the Yankees to a game and a half (2 in the loss column). The Sox played very well away from Fenway. They had a chance to win both games they lost (yes, even yesterday’s was winnable). And now they come back home to face the Yankees 3-more times and Tampa for four.

In closing, let me toss out this interesting little question I heard on the radio this morning. If the Cy Young voting took place today, would Jonathan Papelbon be the winner? As silly as that notion might have sounded coming out of spring training, it’s a very real possibility should the Sox closer continue the pace he’s going at.

What do you think about Papelbon as a legit Cy contender? How about the upcoming series against the Evil Empire?

Final Score
Red Sox 8
Phillies 4

The Josh Beckett Show: (Drum roll please) And now, here’s you host for the show….Josh Beckett! (Cue the Johnny Carson music)

Beckett did it all last night; Driving in the tying run with an RBI single in the 6th…scoring the game-winner on a David Ortiz sacrifice fly…even hitting a solo home run, the first by a Red Sox pitcher since Marty Pattin in 1972. Oh yeah, he also pitched a heck of a ballgame.

The Sox future (present?) ace has righted the ship after some rough sailing a few weeks back. He’s now 6-1 on the season and has held a couple of very good offenses (Yankees & Phillies) in check during his latest run. More importantly, the blister scare from his start in Baltimore seems to be a non-issue at this point.

Overall, Boston’s Boys of Summer are 25-15…have won 10-of-13…lead the Yankees by a game…and are playing their best baseball of the season. Oh, I almost forgot. The Yanks come to town tomorrow.

News Flash: Barry Bonds belts home run #714 to tie Babe Ruth for 2nd place on Major League Baseball’s all-time list. The blast came in the top of the 2nd inning off Oakland starter Brad Halsey and it followed a string of 9-games and 29-at bats between home runs for the once feared slugger. Bonds was greeted with a hug at home plate from his son Nikolai.

Teddy’s Take: Oh well…we knew it would happen at some point. Let’s hope for baseball’s sake, Bonds gets nowhere near Hank Aaron’s 755.

As for the title of this post, I’m not referring to Stuart Scott’s famous and overused ESPN exclamation. Instead, it’s a not-so subtle swipe at the fans in attendance.

Bonds was booed before the game and as he strode to the batter’s box, despite the game being played in the Bay area where the majority of people still loyal to him reside. Of course, showing that fans are just as big, if not bigger, hypocrites than the athletes they jeer, the A’s crowd quickly did an about face and gave the controversial slugger a 90-second standing ovation.

The reaction reminded me of a still shot I saw from ESPN's telecast of a game in which Bonds homered at Philadelphia. The “Philly fanatics� had been bashing the slugger all weekend. But a still photo an instant after Bonds made contact on what would be a home run showed most spectators near the plate with their arms raised cheering and mouths open in awe.

I guess the reaction wherever Bonds goes kind of speaks to the conflicting feelings for him. I think the fans in Oakland realized they had just seen a piece of American history and could brag about “being there� to their family and friends.

My problem is with the hypocrisy of it all. That belated standing “O� might send Bonds the signal that a good portion of the sporting public will one day forgive and forget what he’s done to the integrity of baseball’s greatest accomplishments. And that’s something we should never do!

So now that Barry Bonds has finally tied the Babe, are you folks ready to forgive and forget? Is anyone rooting for him to reach Hammerin’ Hank’s mark? Does anyone think he can stay healthy enough to do it?

Final Score
Red Sox 5
Phillies 3

Good Clement Shows Up: Matt Clement continued his personal good cop/bad cop routine last night in the City of Brotherly Love, shutting down the Phillies and leading the Red Sox to a 5-3 victory.

This was a particularly impressive performance by the much maligned righty, as the “Fightin’ Phils� have been one of the hottest teams in baseball this month. They have a very good lineup with lots of potent bats, and Clement had them off balance from the get-go. Fatigue and Foulke combined to make the game close in the 7th, but Mike Timlin and Jonathan Papelbon slammed the door shut (stop me if you’ve heard that one before) and Boston’s Boys of Summer had their 9th win in 12-tries.

Clement is usually good for at least one hot streak per year and he might just be ready to embark on it right now. He had an impressive performance against the Blue Jays back on May 4th and was skipped in the rotation because of off days. He didn’t take the mound again until May 12th when he got shellacked by the Rangers. Clement was a bit miffed at the long time between starts, but responded well to another long layover (7-days) leading up to last night. With a more regular rotation looming, he could put together a nice little streak here.

What do you think? Is Clement ready to go on a roll? Can he maintain it or is he doomed to be the ultimate “tease� his entire career?

Anyone who’s attended Bill Belichick press conferences can tell you Simon praises American Idol contestants more often than the Patriots coach passes out compliments about his own players. Ask him about the upcoming opponent, and every player is Jim Brown or Gale Sayers. His own? “They do some good things...they do lots of bad. They’re coming along� is about the best you’re going to get.

So I found this article in the St. Paul Pioneer Press very interesting. (Don’t go there yet…finish my blog first!)

I don’t imagine Belichick will be very happy with University of Minnesota offensive coordinator Mitch Browning for sharing what I’m sure was intended as a private conversation. But it’s revealing nonetheless.

Coach Bill appears very pleased thus far with #1 draft pick Laurence Maroney. Though we can’t be sure till they strap on the shoulder pads for real in the fall, the running back appears to not only be the future for New England, he might very well play a big role in the present. Remember, this is the same RB Peyton Manning told Tom Brady the Patriots “stole� from Indy.

(OK…you can go click on the link now…thank you for your attention!)

So what about it gang…you getting as pumped as I am about the Pats #1 pick? Is Corey Dillon even going to last THIS year as New England’s starting RB?

Apparently, NBA no longer stands for National Basketball Association. Judging by the new trend in this year’s playoffs, David Stern should change the name to “National Ball-punching Association. At least he wouldn’t have to chance the acronym.

The latest “jewel hater� is Dallas Mavericks star Jason Terry. Terry felt the need to sucker punch the Spurs Michael Finley during a last second scramble in San Antonio’s Game 5 victory. For his actions, Terry was suspended for the pivotal Game 6 of that series. The penalty matches the punishment handed out to Denver’s Reggie Evans for his low blow on the Clippers’ Chris Kaman.

If you remember (if you don’t, here’s the link), the penalty I called for in that instance was rather stiff and said in a half-joking manner. Not surprisingly, the Commissioner didn’t pay attention to my suggestion, opting for a mild slap on the wrist. I was pretty sure at the time it wouldn’t be much of a deterrent, though I didn’t think anyone would be stupid enough to try something like that so soon. Silly me for underestimating the intelligence, or decency, of the modern NBA player!

Any thoughts on the latest groin punching incident? Is a one game suspension enough punishment? Is this just another example of why the NBA, despite an amazing number of great athletes, just can’t seem to capture the national spotlight it used to? Or am I just making too big a deal out of it?

A busy weekend of sports kicks off in the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com.

Besides the Red Sox taking on the Phillies in inter-league play, the other big story is Barbaro’s quest for the 2nd jewel in the Triple Crown. Sun Racing writer Paul Daley analyzes the race and gives you his picks. You might be surprised at who he likes.

UMass-Lowell continues its ride through the NCAA Baseball tournament. Chaz Scoggins checks in from Rindge, NH with the story of the River Hawks win over Southern Connecticut. And the high schools are back at it in full force. All the game stories and scores can be found right here.

Have a great weekend!

The last couple of days have been hectic for me, so please forgive the delay in posting my thoughts about the Russ Springer-Barry Bonds incident from Tuesday night.

By now it’s safe to assume regular readers of this blog know my feelings about Bonds, so I won’t bother repeating them other than to say I hope he never reaches Hank Aaron’s sacred record. Heck, if he ends up stuck just one behind Babe Ruth, I’d consider it poetic justice.

That said, the “Jerry‿ Springer-like performance Tuesday night was a disgrace to baseball and sports in general. Springer’s intent in that at-bat was clear…no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Every single pitch was inside and could very easily have hit Bonds. One went behind him, and one that ended up hitting the bat could very easily have hit his hands. Houston fans went on to give the hometown pitcher a standing ovation after he got tossed. I’ll forgive them because they’re still stupid enough to consider Roger Clemens a hero!

As for Mr. Springer, if you don’t want a batter to make history against you, walk him. Throw 4-pitches in the dirt…throw four high and away…whatever. You could also act like a man and actually try to get him out because you’re an athlete and that’s what you’re supposed to do. Unfortunately, Russ Springer chose neither. He chose the coward’s way out. That it took 5-tries kind of tells you all you need to know about Springer as a pitcher.

I also think Phil Garner is to blame here. It was very clear from the first pitch what was happening and if Garner had any respect for the game, he would have walked out and told his pitcher to knock it off. Felipe Alou, Bonds and the Giants took the high road and didn’t retaliate Tuesday or Wednesday. Some might argue that’s more an indication what his own team thinks of Bonds. I don’t think so, no matter how much of a bad teammate he is. Baseball players are more inclined to follow the game’s “code‿ and circle the wagons around their own.

But mark my words; somewhere down the line, the Giants will retaliate. The two teams have yet to re-schedule a couple of rained out games in the Bay area, but when they get around to playing them, some Houston Astro is going to get drilled. If it escalates from there, the Astros have no one to thank but Russ Springer…and Phil Garner, too!

What are your thoughts on the Springer-Bonds episode? Did anyone see it? Should the umpire have acted sooner? Should Major League Baseball suspend the pitcher and his manager? Is Bonds just getting what he deserves?

With the flood waters receeding, a flip through Thursday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com reveals an action packed slate of local sports action.

Dave Pevear previews UMass-Lowell’s afternoon baseball playoff against Southern Connecticut. The high schools get busy trying to make up for lost time, and we have extensive coverage here. Auto Racing writer Thom Ring has his look Around the Tracks. And Carmine Frongillo squares off against Chaz Scoggins in a Sparring Partners debate about Hank Aaron.

Final Score
Red Sox 3
Orioles 4

Birds Steal One: The win streak against the Orioles is over, but not before some 9th inning dramatics.

Pinch runner Willie Harris was out stealing on a very close play at 2nd base. This after a David Ortiz 2-run homer pulled the Sox within a run. Despite the loss, it was still a pretty good night for Boston. Tim Wakefield was strong on the mound again and it took a great pitching performance by Erik Bedard, a guy who’s been very tough at home, to beat them. Sometimes, you just tip your cap to the opponent and move on. 8-out-of-9 wins allows you to be gracious.

Snow Falling Out of Favor: Reports indicate J.T. Snow has asked the Red Sox to trade him to a team that will play him more. Yup…bet they’re ringing Theo Epstein’s phone off the hook!

You would think an old washed-up first baseman would just be happy he has a job. There isn’t a single contender he can play for and lousy teams use their roster spots on young players they can develop. The only place he can find regular playing time is in Japan. Wouldn’t it just make sense for Snow to finish out the year in Boston with a legit chance at a championship?

Personally, I’d have released him weeks ago and brought up Hee-Seop Choi, a younger, better player at this point in their careers. Sayonara J.T.!!!

So 38-games in, the Sox are tied atop the East with the Yankees. They begin an inter-league series in Philadelphia, then welcome the Evil Empire to Fenway next week.

Has the season gone about as you’d expect so far? Personally, I’m pleasantly surprised at the record, considering they haven’t had Coco Crisp’s services since the opening week. What are your thoughts?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Okay, so I know that making a case why Paul Pierce should have been on the All-NBA first team almost assures me of “homer‿ classification, but come on.

They can’t be serious. Is this the NBA’s idea of a delayed April Fool’s joke? Sure, Pierce didn’t get his team to the playoffs, I get that. I also get that Carmello Anthony is not nearly as important a player to his team as Pierce, his numbers weren’t as good, and he had a lot more support around him than Pierce did.

While Pierce was busy playing elder statesman, go-to guy, and team leader, Mello was just scoring. Oh, and Pierce even edged him out in that category.

Carmelo Anthony Points per game: 26.5 Rebounds per game: 4.9 Assists per game: 2.7 All-NBA points: 97

Paul Pierce Points per game: 26.8 Rebounds per game: 6.7 Assists per game: 4.7 All-NBA points: 29

The Truth accounted for 27 percent of the Celtics total scoring output, and was also the team leader in assists per game, rebounds per game, and steals per game. He was also just one of four players on the Celtics to average more than 10 points per game.

One the other hand, Mello had Andre Miller to initiate the offense for him at the point, he also had 2004 All-Star Kenyon Martin and two-time All-Defensive Team selection Marcus Camby crashing the boards and holding down the fort. In Denver he was just one of seven players scoring in double digits and he got away with shooting less than 25 percent from 3-point range.

So what happened?

Well, this time you can blame it on the media. The voting is done by a 126-member voting panel of writers and broadcasters who voted for All-NBA First, Second and Third Teams by position with points awarded on a 5-3-1 basis.

The All-NBA Team

What do you think? Did Pierce get snubbed? Or are folks in the Boston area overrating him because he’s so much further along than anyone else on his team?

At last! The sun re-entered our lives today. (No, I don’t count yesterday’s 3-second peek-a-boo as legitimate sunlight!) So for the first time since last Monday, you can have the sun and "The Sun."

Fortunately for you, the print edition of the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com have been there every day, every step of the way, providing great coverage of the weather and flooding. Unfortunately, the fun and games department isn’t immune to Mother Nature’s fury. Rick Harrison has the story of the rising waters wreaking havoc with Greater Lowell Tech’s athletic facilities.

Elsewhere, the Lock Monsters sale to the Devils (as reported here first) has been approved by the AHL. Lynn Worthy serves up the story of the undefeated Lowell High Girl’s Tennis team.
Finally, Chaz Scoggins focuses on Abe Alvarez, the Pawtucket Red Sox lefty who many people might not realize actually has a World Series ring from his time with the big club in 2004.

Final Score
Red Sox 6
Orioles 5

Ho-Hum: Another game…another win over the Orioles. Stop me if you’ve heard that one before.

Not much else to say that won’t sound repetitive. The offense came up big when it had to. Mike Timlin and Jonathan Papelbon were unhittable over the last 3-innings. It’s scary, but I’m starting to take it for granted that the game is over once Papelbon enters with a lead. Craig Hanson is now starting in Pawtucket, which should give you an indication that the Sox have no intention of removing their new closer from that role anytime this year…if ever!

About the only negative was Curt Schilling giving up 3-homers and a 4-0 lead. Right now, Schilling is a far cry from the dominant ace he was over the first month of the season, yet he still improved to 6-2. It’s tough to be hard on him because how much can you expect from a guy at this stage of his career. Besides, if you listened to him talk after the game or on WEEI this morning, no one can possibly be tougher on him than he is on himself.

John Dennis tried in many different ways to get him to admit to not being the same pitcher since he was left in to throw 133-pitches that night in Cleveland. Schilling’s explanation is that it has nothing to do with his current struggles, though he clearly admits he’s struggling right now. As honorable as it is to not throw his manager under the bus, here are Schill’s stats since that game; 2-2, 6.46 ERA.

The prosecution rests!

What do you think…can Schilling regain his early season form or is he simply too old to be counted on as a full-season ace? Are his recent struggles related to being overworked against the Indians? Who’s to blame for Schilling being allowed to throw that many pitches…Francona or the pitcher himself?

A more intriguing question…will the Orioles win a game against the Sox this year?

Doug Flutie officially retired yesterday.

A 43-year old backup QB calling it quits may not send shock waves through the rest of the country, but for those of us who experienced “Flutie Magic� up close, football just became a lot less fun.

Don’t misunderstand. There was a whole lot more to Doug Flutie than just a guy who enjoyed playing and made any game he played in enjoyable to watch. He was a great college quarterback, a great Canadian Football League quarterback, and a good National Football League quarterback. Most importantly, he was a winner, with a capital “W.�

Flutie was always a lighting rod for debate over his ability to play in the NFL. I found it incredible that in a league where winning is the only thing that matters…where coaches are often fired two, sometimes one, year into their term…there were so many who couldn’t see past the 5’-9� listing next to height, couldn’t see past the relatively low completion percentage, couldn’t see past the unconventional way of doing things…long enough to realize that Doug Flutie won more games than he lost. A lot more!

His NFL record as a starting QB is 23-9. That record was accumulated with the “pre-dynasty� Patriots, the “post-dynasty� Chicago Bears, the “barely playoff qualifying� Buffalo Bills, and the “no prayer� San Diego Chargers. Call it luck. Call it whatever you want. He found a way for his team to win more often than it lost.

Too bad his coaches preferred style over substance. On two occasions, Flutie stepped in for injured starters on teams going nowhere, helped turn them into playoff contenders, only to be benched with his team on the verge of a playoff berth.

In 1988, Doug took over for Steve Grogan and Tom Ramsey and led the 1-3 Patriots to 7-wins in 10-games before being replaced by Tony Eason, who hadn’t played all year due to injury. Raymond Berry explained that he thought Eason gave his team the best chance to win. One win and one loss later, the Patriots failed to make the playoffs, and didn’t get a sniff of them again until Bill Parcells and Drew Bledsoe took them there in 1994. Oh, by the way, when Berry made the decision, Flutie had never lost a game at Foxboro Stadium…pro or college.

In 1999, he again relinquished his job to a player known more for his “skirt wearing� than his leadership. After losing Rob Johnson to injury and the season opener 31-14 to the Colts, the Bills turned to Flutie to lead the charge. Despite producing a 10-4 record and a playoff berth, Wade Phillips replaced Flutie with Johnson for the season finale and a post-season game in Tennessee. The Bills lost on the famous “Music City Miracle� trick play as time ran out. The Bills have yet to play a post-season game since that day. Seems God was a Flute fan, too!

I won’t argue the case anymore other than to say it would be naïve to think Flutie crossing the picket line to play for the Patriots didn’t have at least something to do with the strong negative feelings against him from the “good ole boys network.�

Instead, the fan in me chooses to remember the kid from Natick who won a Heisman Trophy while playing for Boston College (talk about miracles!), upended defending national champ Miami by throwing the most famous “Hail Mary� of all time, dominated the CFL, and made otherwise meaningless NFL games fun to watch. And all the while he provided a lot of fun, and a lot of wins.

His final play on the gridiron was typical Flutie; a dropkick executed to perfection followed by a joyous celebration that even the normally stoic Bill Belichick joined in on.

Thanx Doug! You will be missed!

What are your thoughts on Doug Flutie? What is your favorite memory?

In Tuesday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com, Carmine Frongillo examines the havoc Mother Nature has wreaked on the high school sports calendar. Results of the few sporting events that have gone on can be found here.

In other local news, UMass-Lowell comes into focus as the men’s baseball team prepares for the playoffs while the women’s softball season comes to a close with a tournament loss. And finally, you can read up on the goings on from the River Hawks track and field squads.

Final Score
Red Sox 11
Orioles 1

Bird Bath: For the 7th time in 7-tries, the Red Sox cleaned up against the Orioles. Coupled with the Yankees loss against Texas, Boston’s Boys of Summer moved back into first place in the AL East.

The bats were potent and well balanced, but the story of the night was the dominant performance of Josh Beckett. The righty completely dominated the birds, giving up only a Miguel Tejada home run and a bloop single by Javy Lopez in 7-easy innings of work.

Beckett seems to have recovered from his meltdown against the Blue Jays and that horrific showing in Cleveland. 2 straight solid outings, including the one last week at Yankee Stadium have him at 5-1. Last night’s performance served as a reminder of how good he can be when he has it all working on the mound…body and mind.

Let’s hope that little slip on the mound last night doesn’t lead to any physical problems so that we can finally see that prolonged run of dominance this kid is capable of!

Other than that, it was great to see the Sox back on the field. It seems like forever since they last played, and if nothing else, it serves as a diversion from this miserable stretch of weather.

So how about it Red Sox Nation…is Josh Beckett ready to go on a tear? Will he ever be able to put it all together? How bad are the Orioles? Are they going to finish below Tampa in the standings?

Monday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com are loaded with sports news. With the Red Sox inactive over the weekend, Chaz Scoggins checks on the Yankees and how Hideki Matsui’s injury makes the Bronx Bombers less frightful. Chaz also chimes in from the ice rinks with a look at UMass-Lowell’s Men’s Hockey recruits as well as other local pucksters making news.

Elsewhere, you can catch how some former Lock Monsters stars helped Carolina knock New Jersey out of the NHL playoffs. Kind of ironic that the future parent team got eliminated thanks to the kids who got their start with the Hurricanes in Lowell. You can also find details of the Lowell Spinners Road Race, plus catch up with the Sun Stars of the Week.

Enjoy and stay dry!

Forgive me for being a bit cranky. That’s what more than a week without the sun will do to me. What’s worse is what it’ll do to you.

You see, with the Red Sox rained out all weekend and the golf courses flooded, my demented brain had nothing to keep it occupied. And that’s when I’m at my most dangerous; a troubled mind with nothing to do but come up with something stupid to write about.

So in the midst of this stormy weather, I came up with this brainstorm; to build an ark, pair up the sports animals, and try to recreate the athletic wonderland of my youth.

I know it sounds stupid and you can stop reading at any point. But then again, what are your options? Go down to the banks of the Merrimack and take your life into your hands just so you can ooh and aah at the river? Face it. As long as we’re stuck with this weather and rising river, we’re stuck with each other!

My ark isn’t made of wood, but of hypotheticals. Some accounts say it took Noah 120-years to build his. Mine took barely 120-minutes. I didn’t have the luxury of time the biblical shipbuilder had. The cost of health care for a guy in his 120’s would have killed me long before that, anyway.

Not that I don’t want to have at least one thing in common with the original luxury liner. I am a stickler for tradition, so in that regard, my choice to captain the ship was simple; Joaquim Noah. The name’s perfect and the University of Florida star can steer my ship anytime.

Roger Clemens, on the other hand, isn’t welcomed. You think I want a guy who ended up in Toronto because he wanted to be closer to his Texas home anywhere near the navigation controls?

The first pair allowed to board will be Bobby Orr and LeBron James. The word phenom is thrown around far too often nowadays, but these two define the word. In terms of skill, they’re so superior to any other team sport athlete they couldn’t possibly be paired with anyone else. Plus, if any of Orr’s class rubs off, King James will one day rule the sports world.

I also have to reserve a spot for my other sports icon growing up; Larry Bird. No other athlete with such individual ability ever understood the importance of “team� like Bird did. We’ll pair him with Tom Brady, who may fall short of Larry Legend in the talent department, but lacks nothing when it comes to putting team goals above his own.

Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick get to share a bunk. They’re not as different as you, or they, would like to think. Besides, if David Halberstam’s book about Belichick is any indication, their squabbles would provide quality entertainment for the rest of the passengers.

Matt Leinart and Paris Hilton get an invite. They’re already a pair, and Hilton’s long history with Greek shipping magnates would give me first dibs should that relationship sour. (Side note: too bad for Aristotle Onassis he was born in the wrong time period)

Other pairings include Rodney Harrison-Terry O’Reilly (definition of heart & soul), Ray Bourque-John Havlicek (reminders of the right way to do things), Barry Bonds-Mark McGwire (the wrong way to go about them), and Carl Yastrzemski-Barbaro (the last Triple Crown winner still alive and hopefully the next).

I could go on and on, but this is where you come in. What are your suggestions? It might earn you a spot in next week’s Lowell Sun. Or at the very least, a spot on my ark.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The folks in Minnesota and Kansas City are probably dumbfounded at the idea that people in New York could be at a loss over what to do with just one All-Star outfielder as opposed to three.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman isn’t at a loss, he knows the pitching mound is going to be the miracle cure-all for his baseball team while Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield are on the shelf.

"To shoot our bullets for a bat doesn't make sense," Cashman told the New York newspaper Newsday. "We've got to be judicious. Even without [Hideki] Matsui, I can't say our offense is a big need."

Right on cue, New York's ace pitcher Randy Johnson followed up Cashman’s sentiments by allowing two home runs today in Oakland, losing his fourth game of the season. Johnson allowed eight hits and four runs in six innings.

The Yankees also placed reliever and Worcester-native Tanyon Sturtze on the 15-day disabled list yesterday. Former Red Sox farmhand Carl Pavano also made a rehab start at Double-A for the Yankees. He reportedly experienced some tightness during that game, but Yankees manager Joe Torre was not worried.

Do you think there is there a move that the Yankees could make at this point in the season that would spell doom for Red Sox Nation? Perhaps landing a Rocket?

Once you finish building your ark, there won’t be too many outdoor options for you this soggy Saturday. But consider yourself lucky. I’ll bet Noah wished he had internet access like you do to check out all the sports going on in the Lowell Sun and on LowellSun.com.

Chaz Scoggins dons his rain gear to bring you a Red Sox recap from a very damp Fenway Park. Dave Pevear stays closer to home to report on a happier diamond ending; UMass-Lowell’s Northeast-10 Conference championship. Barry Scanlon slides over to the frozen water to tell us about the River Hawks signing a top hockey prospect from Billerica. Barry also goes bowling with Pelham resident, Joseph Scott, back on the lanes after major health problems.

You can catch all the local high school action as well as a preview of Irish Joe McCreedy’s fight at the Garden tonight. And history buffs might want to check out The Way We Were, a weekly feature catching up on all the local goings on from 10, 25, and even 50 years ago.

Enjoy your weekend…stay dry…and Happy Mother’s Day to my mom and all the other mothers out there!

Final Score
Rangers 6
Red Sox 0

Rain, Rain Go Away: Or at least next time, come before the 5th inning!

Mother Nature shortened Friday night’s game to a 5 ½ inning affair. Seeing the miserable weather, I think everyone knew there was no way they’d play nine. It was just a matter of who’d be ahead when the rain got so bad they’d call it. Unfortunately, with Matt Clement being Matt Clement, it was the Rangers who had a more than comfortable lead, making the umpires decision quite easy once it became an official game.

There’s really not much else to say. It was a miserable night for Red Sox fans in attendance, and only slightly better for those who watched on TV. The Yankees won, so there’s another tie atop the East. And with this weather, I wouldn’t count on seeing baseball from Fenway Saturday night.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The UMass Lowell baseball team squeeked out another 9th-inning thriller in the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament at LeLacheur Park.

The River Hawks took down top-seeded Franklin Pierce this morning, 2-1, earning their way into this afternoon’s championship game.

Be sure to check out tomorrow’s Lowell Sun for a full recap on the conference title bid of Ken Harring’s ball team.

UML Notes: Just when you already thought plastic surgery was getting out of control, now even the River Hawk is having some work done.

UMass Lowell has officially unveiled the new-look logo that will take over in 2006-07.

Click here to see the full release from the athletic department and to view the new variations of the River Hawk.

Taking one more swipe at our favorite targets, we bring you this week's humorous video from YouTube.com.

I think it shows there are some truly creative people out there. It also shows there are some truly sick people out there with way too much time on their hands. Still, it's worth a few chuckles!

So sit back and enjoy, "Chokeback Mountain."

It’s “Day 4 of the sun held hostage,� but thankfully, the Lowell Sun staff is taking no prisoners in its coverage of the local sports scene.

Barry Scanlon and Dave Pevear duke it out in an NHL playoffs edition of Sparring Partners. Who gets the decision on your judge’s scorecard?

Elsewhere, Chaz Scoggins gets a turn at bat with the UMass-Lowell baseball nine which barely advanced in the Northeast-10 Conference tournament. We also catch up the River Hawks softball squad and all the high school action Mother Nature couldn’t dampen. Finally, Horse Racing writer Paul Daley has a remembrance of Dominic Angelini, an ardent follower of the “Sport of Kings� who passed away 3 days before the Kentucky Derby.

If you don’t want to wait for your print edition, you can catch all those stories at LowellSun.com

Have a great weekend!

Final Score
Red Sox 5
Yankees 3

Playoffs in May: Well, that was fun! I know the calendar only says May, but last night’s game sure felt like a playoff tussle, didn’t it? The end of game celebration certainly showed this was more than just another night on the diamond!

Both managers treated it as such, Joe Torre using 4-pitchers in the 6th inning alone, then bringing in Mariano Rivera in the 9th despite trailing by a run. Terry Francona countered by going to Jonathan Papelbon in the 8th. Before that there were numerous great plays in the field, plenty of wasted opportunities and some great work on the mound by both staffs to get out of trouble.

A couple of quick thoughts; the Yankees lineup doesn’t look so scary anymore, not with Sheffield and Matsui both out of action…Tim Wakefield just looks so much more at ease with Doug Mirabelli behind the plate. Sure the Yankees stole some bases, but there’s no longer any of that 4-wild pitch/passed balls per game nonsense.

My final observation is that this series confirmed what I believed before the start of the season. The Sox are better equipped to win a short series against the Evil Empire than vice versa. That’s not to say they’re a better club over 162…that remains to be seen.

Boston now has a great chance to put some distance between the two clubs in the standings, especially once Coco Crisp gets back. We know Matsui’s out about 3-months, but I also think this Sheffield situation is worse than just the couple of weeks they’re saying. Remember, he can’t go to “Balco� for any more of those magic creams he was using to help the body recover a few years ago. Or at least he shouldn’t be able to. I just hope he doesn’t discover the same “workout routine� that helped Jason Giambi return to form.

What did you folks think of the series? Did it change any minds about what’s going to happen long-term? Re-affirm beliefs? Or did it just plain entertain you, just like every Sox-Yankees get-together?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Associated Press is reporting that the injury which took starting Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui out of tonight's game is a broken wrist. Matsui was attempting to make a play on a ball hit into left field by Mark Loretta when the injury occurred.

Matsui had played in 518 consecutive games for New York and 1,250 consecutive games while playing in Japan. He is set to have surgery on Friday, according to the Associated Press report.

Bernie Williams replaced Matsui in the lineup tonight, playing in left field as Bubba Crosby shifted from right to left field. New York All-Star right fielder Gary Sheffield is already currently on the Disabled List.

There’s plenty of great local sports coverage in Thursday’s edition of the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com.

Barry Scanlon reports on UMass-Lowell Men’s Hockey goalie Peter Vetri's decision to transfer out of the school, leaving a gaping hole in the River Hawks net. Lynn Worthy checks in with the Doughboy Wrestling Club and how it’s grown to more than 100-members.

Elsewhere, Marie Donavan hits the surf with Westford’s Josh Harde, who travels the world to kiteboard. And as always, you can catch up on all the high school action.

Final Score
Red Sox 3
Yankees 7

Take This Job & Shove It: That’s what Alex Rodriguez appeared to tell “The Boss� Wednesday night.

After George Steinbrenner specifically named the Yankees 3rd baseman when calling out his team’s poor play Tuesday, A-Rod responded by hitting the go-ahead home run against his nemesis, Curt Schilling. The solo shot came in the 5th inning and was followed by Jorge Posada’s 2-run blast to make it 6-3.

Now I know sometime in late September when they’re debating MVP awards people will point to all sorts of stats about batting average and RBI’s after the 7th inning, but I’ll bet very few people remember A-Rod’s homer in the 5th last night as a clutch hit. Those of us who watched the game will know better, however.

Dueling Aces: Mike Mussina got the best of Schilling in a battle of 5-1 starters. “Moose� moved to an American League best 6-wins with the victory.

More importantly for the Bombers, Mussina continued his impressive comeback season. The popular theory is that the Yankees starting pitching can’t compete with Boston’s, and on paper, it can’t. Problem is, they play the games on the field and right now, New York’s staff ERA is 3.88 compared to Boston’s 4.52.

In a short series, the Schilling and Beckett ace combo probably trumps what the Evil Empire holds right now. But in the regular season, depth counts, and I’d say the Yankees are at least equal, if not deeper than the Red Sox.

O.K. Yankee fans…here’s your chance to crow. You’ve finally gotten on the board against the Sox, so let’s hear it! And Red Sox fans, here’s your chance to rip into me for suggesting Alex Rodriguez actually does get important hits and that the Red Sox pitching isn’t as superior to the Yankees as we’ve been led to believe.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

I’ve interrupted your regularly-scheduled Red Sox discourse for a special public service announcement:

The NBA Playoffs are underway.

I thought it was necessary to make sure folks were aware.

Yes, I did get the memo informing me that “this is not your father’s NBA,� and I respond by saying maybe it’s time for Pops to sit down in the other room and listen to some old 45s if he can’t get with today’s NBA.

It hit me the other day while I was out trying to regain my own jump shot, I realized the gripes I kept going back to with the NBA game are slowly starting to fade away. It also hit me that Craig Kilborn was right when he said having a jump shot is like having a girlfriend, leave either one alone for long enough and you don’t have it anymore.

Anyway, one of the signs of the new NBA becoming more like the old NBA is that the sort of hate-hate rivalries developing between teams that gave us the Kurt Rambis takedown, the Kevin McHale clothesline, and the Detroit Pistons of the 1980s A.K.A. “The Bad Boys.� The emotion and hard fouls are starting to re-emerge in series like the Suns-Lakers, Spurs-Mavs, and anyone versus the Pistons.

At the same time the new era of the NBA is starting to distinguish itself with its own set of names and legacies, and not a moment too soon. It’s overdue for the seemingly endless stream of the guys dubbed “ the next Jordan� to do their own thing. Hopefully they’ll all be smart enough to know they can’t hit a curveball.

Oh yeah, and that flood of unproven and unpolished high school players coming straight to the NBA actually ended up producing some pretty talented ballers like All-Stars LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Jermaine O’Neal.

Most of all, the encouraging sign of where the NBA is going is that the team game has actually scratched and clawed it’s way back to the forefront. Just look at the last three NBA Finals Champions, the Pistons in 2003-04 and Spurs in 2002-03 and 2004-05. Playing unselfish basketball, playing team defense, and not relying solely on the skills of one main scoring threat are the common threads.

After all, Chauncey Billups became an NBA Finals MVP and a candidate for this year’s regular season MVP because of the way he manages the game on the court. Both he and MVP Steve Nash averaged less than 20 points per game this season.

Ben Wallace has made a name for himself, even getting on the cover of video games, all because of his ability to play defense and grab rebounds. He scores less than 10 points per game and he didn’t even have to get his entire body covered in tattoos and piercing or marry Carmen Electra to garner attention. Though he does have one of the wildest afros in pro sports.

Ah, the NBA today. Sure it’s not you’re father’s NBA, but then again, I dare anyone to tell me that Major League Baseball hasn’t changed just as much as the NBA. And nobody is accusing Michael Jordan of having inflated his numbers through steroids.

Weigh in with your thoughts on the state of the NBA, this year’s playoffs or tell us why the NBA trails behind sports like football and baseball in many parts of the country.

The sun’s been MIA for a couple of days now and isn’t expected to return till at least Mother’s Day. But the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com have been more than busy catching you up with all the local sports happenings.

Today’s edition fires up all the high school action that wasn’t cancelled due to rain. There’s also a little blurb about qualifying for the U.S. Open Golf tournament. And if the rain isn’t enough to depress you, there’s a feature on the Bruins and their on-ice struggles while the Jacobs family rakes in the cash off-ice.

Final Score
Red Sox 14
Yankees 3

WWII Turns into the Boston Massacre: The Patriots used 2 Tom Brady touchdown passes and a stingy defense that only allowed a field goal to hold back the Giants, 14-3 Tuesday night in New York. What’s that? This was a baseball game? Oh, sorry! The final score kind of got me confused!

While my little intro might not be funny, last night’s contest was a laugher. The second game of the season-long war between the Sox and Yanks ended just like the first, only this one was over sooner. How bad of a rout was it? Alex Gonzalez…Alex “Freakin� Gonzalez…hit a 3-run homer. AAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

And yes ROG, Yankee Stadium certainly does empty mighty quickly when the Bombers are getting bombed. Why do you think I’m so hard on Sox fans some times? I don’t want us turning into that bunch of front-runners!

Long Night for the Big Unit: There’s been some ongoing debate on this blog about pitchers being D-O-N-E. Christo seems to think Keith Foulke is. I’m of the belief 43-year old David Wells is. After last night, I think we can safely add another 40-something to the “cooked� list.

Randy Johnson is pitching like a 42-year old and is nowhere near the intimidating figure he used to be on the hill. He looks old, tired and pathetic when he tries to reach back and fire with the same velocity that used to come so effortlessly to him. Nowadays, he’s just as likely to hit the backstop as the catcher’s mitt.

I have to admit to some mixed feelings over this. Don’t get me wrong. He’s a Yankee and I’ll root for him to flop as long as he wears those pinstripes. (Especially when he’s pitching against my fantasy team) But for a guy who provided us with such great memories in the past, it’s sad to see. Remember, he almost single-handedly eliminated New York from the 1995 playoffs when he played for Seattle. And I’ll always be grateful for what he did in 2001, helping end the dynasty by winning 3-games in the World Series and pitching in relief the night after he started Game-6.

To see it come to a close this way, with Yankee fans booing him off the mound is not the way it should end for a Hall of Fame pitcher. Then again, that’s what he gets for demanding a trade to the “Bit Rotten Apple� in the first place!

Beckett Calms Fears: I got a bit concerned watching Josh Beckett fall into a 2-0 hole in the first inning despite consistently hitting 96-98 on the radar gun.

Perhaps it was that offensive firepower behind him. Maybe it was getting a chance to clear his head while the Big Unit and A-Rod blew the lead. Whatever it was, the kid settled down quite nicely and showed that he can handle the big stage. I don’t know what happens to him in those so-called meaningless games, but Beckett seems to bring his “A� game when the entire nation, not just Red Sox Nation, is watching.

The Sox are back in first and all is well in the world…at least for one night! Let’s hear what you think!

With the Red Sox set to take on the Yankees in a 3-game series in the Bronx, I thought I'd dig up this old favorite to help set the mood. If this kid is any indication, the rivalry can only get more intense in the future.

On tap tonight; Josh Beckett vs. Randy Johnson in what should be an electric matchup, no matter how much those guys have struggled of late. There's nothing like a "Nation" vs. "Empire" showdown to bring out the best in great athletes.

Enjoy the game and be sure to get online with your thoughts. Sox fans, don't let those obnoxious New Yorkers dominate this board. Help T2 fight off Louis Cypher and GeorgeHR.

News Flash: The Denver Broncos are set to sign wide receiver Javon Walker to a 5-year contract extension. The deal is reportedly worth $40-million with $15-million in signing bonuses.

Teddy’s Take: The Patriots signed linebackers Barry Gardner and Jeremy Loyd yesterday, but the Walker deal in Denver will have greater long-term implications. Whereas Gardner and Loyd will be fortunate to crack the 53-man roster and contribute on special teams, a closer look at Walker’s signing might bode well for the Deion Branch negotiations.

Quite frankly, Walker can’t carry Branch’s jock strap. If the money Denver shelled out for an injured, one-time Pro Bowler was real, it would cost the Pats a heck of a lot more to secure their Super Bowl MVP’s services long-term. Thankfully, Mike Shanahan hasn’t gone completely bonkers.

In reality, Walker’s deal barely contains any guaranteed money. The signing bonus is broken down into a $10-million option in 2007 and another $5-mil in 2008. His actual salary for 2006 is barely over $2-mil, and he’ll be lucky to see a fraction of that bonus money in the future. More than likely, his contract will be re-negotiated depending on how he performs this year.

Branch would almost certainly command a salary greater than Walker’s. The thinking is he’s willing to sign for a bit less than market value to stay in Foxboro. As long as that market value doesn’t get ridiculous, the Patriots should be more than willing to get a deal done and very likely will.

What’s the thinking out there? Will a Branch deal get done before he gets to free agency? Should he be paid as one of the top receiver’s in the league? Has anyone ever heard about the 2 linebackers the Pats signed before yesterday?

A rainy Tuesday is the perfect day to catch up on the latest sports news in the Lowell Sun or on LowellSun.com.

Dave Pevear catches up with Mark Deschenes, the Dracut native hoping his strong performance at Pawtucket will earn him that long-awaited big league call-up. Elsewhere, you can read about all the UMass-Lowell Softball, high school softball, baseball, boy's lacrosse and volleyball action.

“It’s the end of the world as we know it.�

The music world may have learned about it from the R.E.M. song back in 1987, but it wasn’t until 19-years later that the apocalypse hit the sports world.

You probably missed it in all the excitement. Maybe Red Sox fans booing Johnny Damon out of Fenway Park re-affirmed your belief that good triumphs over evil, or at least the “Evil Empire.� Perhaps you were lulled into a false sense of security by Steve Nash slaying the “Kobe Monster� in the NBA playoffs. Or maybe it was the way the Pistons spanked man-child LeBron James in Game 1 that made you think everything was in order.

It isn’t. It’s the end of the world as we know it. And for that you can thank a mere child.

Buried deep in most sports reports over the weekend was this little tidbit; Michelle Wie made the cut at the SK Telecom Open.

Sure, the golfing community has been under attack before. A black man is the game’s dominant player, and the sport still survived Tiger Woods. Heck, golf even flourished despite Casey Martin and the court-mandated use of carts on tour. This isn’t a game for wussies, you know. Golf and its “keepers at the gate� are tough enough to survive anything.

Except this. This is the last straw. There is no way the golf world can survive a woman on an even par with men. It’s unimaginable. There hasn’t been this much panic in the clubhouse since Bill Clinton threatened to raise the capital gains tax.

This isn’t “Militant Martha� Burke trying to gain access to Augusta National. This isn’t female members trying to get weekend morning tee times at the local country club. This is a female playing with the big boys and holding her own. And then some.

That’s what makes this so earth shattering. Wie isn’t getting any special treatment. She isn’t hitting from the “red tees.� She isn’t even riding a golf cart. She’s a girl, a 16-year old no less, driving the ball an average of 280-yards, often 300 plus. What’s scarier is she’s only going to get older, which also means bigger, stronger, smarter and ultimately, better.

If this were any other sport, it wouldn’t create such fear. We men are secure in the knowledge you’re more likely to see a successful Hollywood marriage than a woman playing major league baseball, football, basketball or hockey. Even if the unthinkable were to occur (and I’m not talking about the Hollywood marriage), I think most male athletes would welcome the opposite sex and recognize her accomplishments just getting to that level.

But golfers are different. Remember the outcry when Anika Sorenstam dared compete in a PGA tournament? The public argument was “she’s taking away a spot that a more capable man would get.� Behind closed doors it was more like “she should stay where she belongs.�

What’s funny is that golf is the one sport where women CAN compete with men. 61-years ago, Babe Zaharias stuck around long enough to play the final two rounds of the Tucson Open. As sure as I’m writing this, the day will come again where a female golfer not only makes a PGA cut, but wins the tournament as well. That woman might very well be the 16-year old girl making history right before our very eyes.

What was that next line Michael Stipe and R.E.M. sang? “It’s the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine!�

What are your thoughts on Michelle Wie making the cut on the men's tour? Does anyone else foresee the day a woman wins a PGA event?

Besides the daily Red Sox coverage, Monday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com feature plenty of other local diamond action. Dave Pevear does double duty on the college front with the story of the UMass-Lowell River Hawks gearing up for tournament play and a look at former Tyngsboro High standout Ryan Halloran who now stars at Stonehill. You can also catch up with the River Hawks softball squad as well as all the high school action. And Lynn Worthy dodges blog duty to report on the Westford Road Race.

Be sure to pick up a paper at your local newsstand, or since you’re already here, visit us online at LowellSun.com.

Final Score
Orioles 3
Red Sox 10

Bring on the Yankees…Again!: Now that the Red Sox have disposed of the minor league Orioles, we take a day off before resume the holy war that is Red Sox-Yankees.

Boston’s Boys of Summer did what they had to. There’s an old baseball axiom about playing .500 against the good teams and beating up on the weaklings. The Sox followed that formula to a “T’, even getting the first career win from Lenny DiNardo. Jason Varitek’s 1st inning grand slam gave DiNardo some breathing room, and the lefty pitched pretty well after that.

Next up; a 3-game set in the Bronx. You have to love Terry Francona. Instead of pretending this is just another series, the Sox manager fiddled with the rotation to make sure the Big-3 of Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield take the mound at Yankee stadium. With Boston and New York tied atop the American League East and likely to stay tight throughout the summer, it’s good to see Francona realizes how important every game is, especially those against the Evil Empire.

Any predictions for the upcoming series? Sox or Yankees to win the best-of-three? Any chance of a sweep?

Final Score
Orioles 3
Red Sox 9

Building “Mo�-mentum: Another game against the Orioles…another victory. It’s a shame we can’t play them more than 19-times. It’s an even bigger shame what’s become of this once proud franchise. How soon before “Miggy� Tejada asks out again?

The story I’d like to focus on from Saturday is Wily Mo Pena, who very quietly is making the adjustments necessary to become a long-term productive hitter instead of the Dominican Rob Deer. The 2-4 performance raised Pena’s batting average to .328. What I’m liking even more is how he’s willing to listen to advice and becoming much more selective at the plate.

Hey, he’ll never become Wade Boggs, but he’s a better hitter today than he was when he first arrived from Cincinnati. Even though the home runs aren’t coming in bunches right now, if he continues on this path, the day will come when this improved plate discipline combines with the raw power to create a monster player. Remember, he’s only 24-years old, younger than a lot of prospects still in the minor leagues.

It’s worth repeating. I’m happy for Bronson Arroyo’s success in Cincy. I think he’s stupid for trusting the Red Sox. But I would make that trade again any day of the week and twice on Sunday. 3-years from now, it will be an “Auerbachian� steal!

Those of you who didn't like the Pena-Arroyo trade...feeling better about it now? Is it possible that it's a win-win for both teams?

Final Score
Orioles 3
Red Sox 6

Birds of a Different Feather: While the Red Sox wouldn’t mind it if the Blue Jays became extinct, they would certainly favor placing the Orioles on the protected list…wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to them, you know.

Boston’s Boys of Summer continued to feast on Baltimore’s birds, soaring over them for the 4th time in 4-tries this season. Dave Pevear files the game story from Fenway, with a focus on Mike Lowell, whose bat may not be so slow after all.

Other than Lowell, it was the Sox stars carrying them. Curt Schilling, strong on the mound again, improved to 5-1 while Big Papi delivered a bases-clearing double in the 6th inning to account for the 6-3 margin. Mike Timlin and Jonathan Papelbon slammed the door shut out of the bullpen, and the Sox stayed even with the Yankees atop the American League East.

Cheers From and For the Nation: I gave the Fenway Faithful a razzing for the treatment of Johnny Damon in his return. It's only fair I give them props for their welcome back to Kevin Millar.

The "Cowboy" received a warm standing ovation in his first plate appearance. Millar, who heard more than his fair share of boos as he struggled at the plate last year acknowldged the crowd reaction and looked genuinely touched. He's always spoken fondly of his time in Beantown...never made excuses for poor play...and was a terrific teammate and leader.

Welcome back Kevin! And congrats to Red Sox Nation for last night's performance. I'll be curious to see the response when Pedro Martinez returns! Won't you be?

In a recent posting, our good buddy Greek Thunder writes;

“The answer to your question, Lucipher, is that overpaying for Damon while we pay a guy 1/3 the money (Coco) for almost the same production and better D, is not Bellicheckian. It's dumb. Just like your question. Pats rule! And so does this Kool-Aid!�

The problem with that argument is that last time I checked, Crisp isn’t even playing, so it’s kind of hard to say he’s giving you the same production as Johnny Damon. And let’s not forget the fact that even when healthy, he’s never been the player Damon is. What we’re paying Coco for right now is “potential.� Which reminds me of this joke that should tell you what I think of prospects versus proven commodities;

One night at the dinner table, a 10-year old son asks; “Dad, what’s the difference between potential and reality?�

The father turns to his 18-year old daughter and says; “Stephanie, would you sleep with a total stranger for a million dollars?� “For a million dollars? You’d better believe it� replies the daughter.

The father then turns to his 16-year old daughter and asks; “How about you Jennifer?� “Well, a million dollars is a lot of money, so I’m sure I would� replies Jennifer. “How about you?� says the father turning to his wife. “Without giving it a second thought� says the Mrs.

The father turns back to the boy and says; “There you have it son. We have the potential to earn 3-million dollars. But in reality, we’re living with 3 whores!�

Don’t drink the Kool-Aid…it’ll cloud your mind!

In Friday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com, Carmine Frongillo heads out to Tyngsboro to bring you the rundown on Notre Dame Academy’s record breaking track star, Rae McArdle, who's mother Jill was also well known around the Mill City track ovals. Don’t forget to check out all the high school happenings. And Paul Daley climbs in the saddle to give you his pick for the Kentucky Derby. As an added bonus, Daley also gives you the Trifecta and a pair of long shots to keep an eye on.

Final Score
Blue Jays 4
Red Sox 7

Dr. Jeckyll/Mr. Hyde: its performances like last night’s that make people crazy about Matt Clement…good and bad crazy, that is.

Despite 4-walks, Clement held the Blue Jays to one run and helped temporarily derail Toronto’s mastery of the Red Sox. The Sox righty puts out a performance like this often enough, and even strings together a few in a row, to make him a tantalizing pitcher. That’s why he got such a big contract.

The downside is, he leaves you wondering why on earth he can’t do this consistently. He’s been in the league long enough. He has tremendous stuff. The tools are there for a very good starting pitcher. And still, that Dr. Jeckyll/Mr. Hyde thing…..

What are your thoughts on Matt Clement? Is there hope of him one day becoming a consistent starter? Will it ever happen here in Boston or does he need a smaller stage? What should the Sox do with him?

There…I bet that got your attention!

Before you go ballistic on me, I’m not criticizing the Patriots boss or calling him a criminal. I’m actually complimenting him on what I’ve already characterized as a great move.

Tom Brady met the New England media during a break from the off-season conditioning program in Foxboro. During his chat, the Pats QB mentioned he had spoken with Peyton Manning since the NFL Draft, and that Manning told him the Patriots had stolen the Colts running back in the draft, Laurence Maroney.

Not that we need confirmation from Indy that Maroney was a highly thought of prospect. But the fact we messed up their draft plans and made them go with their second choice has to make Patriots followers smile a bit more.

Now then, haven’t heard much chatter about the Patriots draft…you folks happy with what they did? (I’m ecstatic, to be honest!) How soon will Maroney push Corey Dillon out of town…2006? 2007? And how about the rest of the picks….surprised they didn’t focus more on defense?

Let’s go Patriots fans…MAKE SOME NOISE!!!

Thursday in the Lowell Sun and on LowellSun.com, Chaz Scoggins recaps the Red Sox 7-6 loss against Toronto and touches on Josh Beckett’s struggles on the mound. Barry Scanlon pulls double duty, taking a look at the sale of Green Meadow Golf Club in Hudson and what it means to local golfers. Scanlon also profiles Dracut High pitching standout Derek Anderson.

Staying on the mound, Rick Harrison’s high school baseball notebook introduces us to Tewksbury Freshman John Jamieson and looks at the rest of the diamond scene. You can catch all the High School results here. Sun Motorsports writer Thom Ring doesn't like the changes in NASCAR. And Sun Horse Racing Writer Paul Daley writes about Suffolk Downs opening just in time for Saturday’s running of the Kentucky Derby.

I know most New Englanders aren’t enamored with the NBA or NHL playoffs, which is too bad. This post-season has been downright riveting, even if the Celtics and Bruins are nowhere to be found.

In the NBA, the Kobe-Nash MVP feud was taken up a notch by the entry of a new combatant…Raja Bell. Bell’s clothesline of Bryant wasn’t only reminiscent of Kevin McHale’s takedown of Kurt Rambis, it was far dirtier.

As exciting as that series has been, it can’t touch the Cleveland-Washington matchup. LeBron James is living up to the hype in his first post-season appearance, averaging 36.4 points per game. He notched a triple-double in Game 1, then hit the game-winners in Games 3 and 5. What’s amazing is that the Wizards Gilbert Arenas is matching King James almost stride for stride. For those who say the modern day NBA is boring, I submit this high scoring series and the following fact; in Wednesday’s Game 5, LeBron and Gilbert combined to hi 27-of-28 free throws. If that isn’t a throwback to the “good old days,� nothing is.

On the frozen rinks, chew on this shocker; the Western Conference’s top four seeds, all with home ice advantage, have now been eliminated in their first round matchups. That’s never happened since the NHL went to a conference playoff format.

Adding insult to injury for fans of the Black and Gold, the following 2nd round matchup is set; Edmonton vs. San Jose…Sergei Samsonov vs. Joe Thornton. You’ll have to forgive local Hockey Krishnas if they feel a bit like Kevin Bacon pledging for the “Omegas� in the movie Animal House. You remember the scene…Bacon’s character bent over, getting paddle-whacked on his bare behind and saying; “Thank you sir, may I please have another.�

Here's a tip; take yourself off double-secret probation and catch as much of the hockey and basketball playoffs as you can. It might rekindle your interest in two very exciting sports. You can even throw a toga party if you wish!

Are any of you watching? Who do you like to win the NBA title? How about the NHL? Are you rooting for Thornton or Samsonov to advance? How about Kobe…did more than a few of you cheer for Bell’s vicious takedown?

Final Score
Blue Jays 7
Red Sox 6

Call the Vice-President: The Sox may want to try some bird hunting lessons with Dick Cheney, because right now, the birds are killing them. Boston’s Boys of Summer drop to 2-5 on the season against the Blue Jays thanks to last night’s 7-6 loss at a damp and rainy Fenway Park.

The game was a back and forth affair, with starters Josh Beckett and Roy Halladay off their “A� games. The bullpens weren’t much better, with even Jonathan Papelbon surrendering his first run of the season. The good news is, he’s human after all. I did like the way he bounced back to strand runners on 2nd and 3rd after giving up the go-ahead run, so I’m not too worried about he youngster going Calvin Schiraldi on us.

Why are the Blue Jays such a tough matchup for the Sox, not just this year, but last year as well?

This is Patriots 5th round draft choice, Ryan O'Callaghan, from the University of California. Don't know your thoughts, but I'm guessing this guy has the mentality it take to play in the NFL.

I would give anything, however, to be a fly on the wall in the locker room the day the rookie has to explain this picture to his veteran teammates.

The Sox and Yanks may have been rained out last night, but that didn’t keep the Lowell Sun sports staff from collecting a few hits at the ballpark. The following articles appear in today’s paper and online at LowellSun.com:

Dave Pevear has more from Johnny Damon on the rude welcome the former Boston idol received in his return to not-so friendly Fenway. Chaz Scoggins files some Game Notes and has a nice feature on Jonathan Papelbon, who Lowell Spinners fans had a chance to see up close and personal in 2003.

Elsewhere in the Sun, Lynn Worthy showcases the Bentley Rugby team’s march to a national championship, led by Chelmsford native Jeff Parks. …Rick Harrison checks in with a look at other locals making a name for themselves at the college level…And as always, you can catch all the area’s high school action.

Final Score
Yankees 3
Red Sox 7

World War I: Amazing how a game on the first night in May takes on a playoff-like atmosphere, isn’t it? The Red Sox win the first battle in their season long war with the Evil Empire and move back into first place in the process. Check out Chaz Scoggins’ game story in today’s Lowell Sun.

Three thoughts stick out in my mind;

1)Shame on the majority of fans who booed Johnny Damon last night. You paid your money…you have the right to do as you wish. I’ve made my comments clear beforehand. All I’ll say is congratulations…you are now officially no better than the obnoxious Yankees fans you claim to be better than.

Here's a quote from Joe Torre; “I guess we should feel proud. Evidently wearing a Yankee uniform overrides winning a World Series and busting your tail for years. Without Johnny here, they may have been working on 89 or 90 years [without a championship]. It’s too bad they don’t appreciate that more so than they dislike the fact that he’s wearing our uniform.�

2)I wish the wind wasn’t blowing in like it was, because I would have liked to have seen where Big Papi’s 8th inning blast ended up on a calm night. That ball was crushed…it had to be to get out after seeing Manny’s, Pena’s and Mirabelli’s balls get knocked down. If the Yankees paid Mike Myers solely for the purpose of facing Big Papi, they may want to head back to the drawing board.

3)Only in Boston could a backup catcher receive a police escort from Logan Airport to Fenway. It was reminiscent of Mariano Rivera’s journey to Yankee Stadium after a funeral a few years back. Except he’s Mariano Rivera, not Doug Mirabelli.

Someone’s also gonna have to explain to me how they could make that ride in 12-minutes. I also would like to know what was going through those “Statie’s� minds as they sped through the Hub’s crowded streets with a buck-naked Mirabelli in the back seat. They’ll be re-telling that story 50-years from now!

Let’s hope Mother Nature behaves and allows tonight’s game to go on as scheduled. I can’t wait to see Josh Beckett face the Bombers again!

What are your thoughts on baseball’s WWI? Did the Fenway faithful make you proud? Have you seen a harder hit ball than Big Papi’s? And finally, how long do you think it would take you to get from Logan to Fenway at 7pm?

I heard a story this weekend that makes me laugh every time I think about it. I have to laugh, because it reminds me how pathetic some alleged “grown ups� have become when it comes to sports.

The sad part is, you don’t have to turn on your television set or read the Lowell Sun to see it. If you want to know why NBA players are grabbing opponents private parts, why juicing up no longer means squeezing an orange, or why even minor leaguers treat umpires like Liza Minelli treats her husbands, just go to your local park, hockey rink or basketball court.

You’ll soon realize this behavior isn’t something athletes are born with. They’re taught it. Most of the time by adults, the same adults who are supposed to ensure that sports and competition are fun.

Example are everywhere, from parents attacking referees, to a tee-ball coach bribing a 7-year old to hit his autistic teammate with a pitch so the kid won’t have to play in a game. And who could ever forget the case of Thomas Junta, the Reading man sentenced to 6-10 years in prison for killing another parent in a fight over rough play at a hockey practice.

Sure, these cases are extreme, but the behavior that leads to them isn’t rare. Go to any kids sporting event and take notice how many moms and dads get carried away. Talk to any high school or JV coach and you might be surprised how many parents harass them because their child isn’t getting enough playing time or exposure.

What used to be fun is now often serious business. How is “little Johnny� going to get that scholarship when “Coach Knownothing� lets the kids who “stink� touch the ball? Who doesn’t know parents trying re-live their “careers� vicariously through their youngsters? “I could have made it if only…� is a theme far too common among folks sure their little tyke is that one in a million athlete destined for the professional greatness they failed to achieve.

Hey, I’m as competitive as the next person. No one loves sports more than I do and no one hates to lose more than I do. But there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about competition. Maybe it’s the Greek in me, but I believe my ancestors had it right when they emphasized sportsmanship as much, if not more than, winning and losing.

“Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser� might be a great saying for professional athletes to live by. To a child, it emphasizes that winning is the only thing that matters. Considering 99.9% of the world’s population eventually loses more than it wins, perhaps it’s better if we just let them have fun and learn about teamwork and discipline.

So back to my story; seems my 4-year old godson had a soccer “match� last Saturday. Forget for a moment the silly notion of a 4-year old actually being interested in “organized� sports. You’d have more success getting an applicant interested in Lowell’s City Manager’s job.

Well, it seems that midway through the game, a train happened to chug on by the soccer field. My godson absolutely loves trains. So he did what any normal 4-year old would do…he stopped playing, turned his back to the field and watched the “choo-choo� go by. All of it. “The longest train I’ve ever seen� said his father.

I’m proud of you George! Don’t ever grow up!

News Flash: Los Angeles Clippers center Chris Kaman accuses Denver Nuggets forward Reggie Evans of grabbing his testicles and pulling hard during a playoff game. Kaman was assessed a flagrant foul for pushing Evans after the alleged incident.

Teddy’s Take: Is nothing sacred anymore? We’ve heard horror stories about what happens at the bottom of the pile during a football game, but right out in the open court?

“I told [the NBA] in complete detail what happened,� Kaman said. “The three refs also knew what happened. One of the refs said he would have knocked [him] out. It was crazy.� Ya think? TV replays showed Evans putting his hands up Kaman’s shorts during a battle for a rebound.

I’ll be curious to see what punishment, if any, Evans faces for his actions. I’m thinking a crime against someone’s genital area deserves the stiffest penalty possible, no pun intended. Mister Evans needs to be taught you don’t mess around with people’s privates, playoffs or no playoffs.

What would I do? You ever hear how rodeos get bulls to go crazy by binding their testicles? While that’s a myth put out there by animal rights loonies, it sounds like a fair punishment to me. Make Reggie Evans play the rest of the playoffs (probably only 1-more game) and the first 10-games of next season with a tight little noose around his friends.

Bet he never tries that again, nor will anyone else for that matter. Mrs. Evans might not appreciate the punishment, but then again, if her hubby’s going around grabbing other guy’s privates, she might have another problem on her hands.

If you were NBA Commissioner, how would you punish Reggie Evans?

News Flash: The Red Sox re-acquire Doug Mirabelli from the San Diego Padres in exchange for Josh Bard, relief pitcher Cla Meredith and cash. Mirabelli will be in the lineup tonight to catch Tim Wakefield against the Yankees.

Teddy’s Take: So much for the “Don’t Blame Josh Bard� theory. It sure didn’t take the Red Sox long to reach the same conclusion I, and a bunch of other “panicky� types reached, did it?

Perhaps my dose of Kool-Aid wasn’t as potent as the stuff most other members of Red Sox Nation drank this off-season, but you have to be a complete yahoo not to realize the Sox were at a serious disadvantage every time Tim Wakefield took the mound. If nothing else, we now have peace of mind realizing every pitch isn’t an invitation for a runner to stroll to the next base. And if I remember correctly, Mirabelli can also hit left-handed pitching, another area Boston is sorely lacking in. If they refuse to allow Jason Varitek to catch Wake’s knuckler and give him a day off elsewhere, this is the best possible solution.

Thank you for listening Theo. Now about David Wells, I think you should…..

What’s your take on Mirabelli’s return? And if one of you writes that this is a bad move, I’m gonna bar you from this blog!