June 2006 Archives

Friday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com sports pages take us into the weekend on a high note.

Carmine Frongillo introduces us to new Bruins coach, Dave Lewis. Frongillo also checks in with a feature on Dracut’s Matt Lawlor, who’s now using his catcher’s tools for Lowell’s American Legion entry. Meanwhile, Barry Scanlon heads over to LeLacheur Park for a look at the Spinners 3-1 loss to Oneonta.

In other news, the New England Riptide pull through in extra innings. Chelmsford’s Tim Rich, heading into his junior year, just returned from a 4th place finish in a national wrestling competition. The D-14 Little League All-Star Tournament gets underway tonight. You can also catch up on the rest of the Summer League Baseball action. And Rick Harrison has some final thoughts on the City Golf Tournament.

Final Score
Mets 2
Red Sox 4

Picture Tells the Story: You know how play-by-play announcers sometimes go silent during a big moment of the game, preferring to let the pictures tell the story?

Well, that’s what I’m going to do regarding Coco Crisp’s catch last night. No need to describe it…simply a fantastic catch at a huge point in the game.

The Sox have now won 12-in a row and have gone 16-consecutive games without an error, tying a major league record. Along with making the routine plays, Boston’s Boys of Summer are routinely making spectacular plays, and it’s really helping the pitching staff out. You have to go back to the 1975 team to recall one that’s so good defensively, and this one might be better because Rick Burleson couldn’t hold a candle to Alex Gonzalez.

What are your thoughts on the current winning and errorless streaks? How huge was that play by Crisp? Did the momentum from that catch lead directly to David Ortiz’ insurance home run?

For the 2nd time, Phil Smith is the City Golf Tournament Champion and Thursday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com are all over that story and the rest of the sports news.

Rick Harrison covers yesterday’s final round at Vesper Country Club. The entire scorecard is here. Chaz Scoggins took LeLacheur Park duty as the Spinners eek out a win over Tri-City. On the hardcourts, Lynn Worthy recaps the Celtics draft. Lynn was also blogging fast and furious last night, keeping up with all of Danny Ainge’s moves.

In other news, the New England Riptide fall short against Akron while Lowell Legion prevails in their contest. And Carmine Frongillo gets you caught up on Pedro Martinez' short night of work at Fenway Park.

It’s been a while since I’ve answered mail. Then again, you guys haven’t been very inquisitive lately, so please forgive my laziness. Anyway, the envelopes please:

Bob C. wants to know; “O.K. sports guy…who got the only hit off Petey in the 17k game in the Bronx?‿

Chili Davis was the lone Yankee to luck out that night, my friend. And I do mean luck out, because I remember seeing a picture that showed Davis with his eyes closed as he swung and made contact on the home run.

That’s how great Pedro was that night…a team in the midst of its dynasty couldn’t touch him on its home field, and only blind luck prevented that from being universally acclaimed as the greatest pitching performance of all time. (Many of us will argue that’s already the case, but a no-no would have cinched it)

T2 asks; “Where’s GeorgeHR been? In hiding as I predicted?‿

Gotta agree with you here T2. (Gee, it feels strange to say that!) You rarely hear from NY fans when things aren’t going their way…they’re the most notorious front-runners in sports.

But hey, they sure didn’t waste much time giving A-Rod a standing “O‿ after that game-wining home run yesterday, did they? Very touching stuff, especially after all the “choker‿ chants and boos he’s been hearing in his own backyard. Too bad he’s not more like that hero, Jason Giambi, they keep summoning for curtain calls. There’s a guy you can really root for, right New York?

Finally, T2 wants me to come out and take a curtain call; “Where are the happy Teddy comments on this (Telfair) trade? I'm already committed to buying the paper, so let him post already!"

Every now and then, a blind squirrel finds a nut. Of all the trade rumors out there, the Telfair one made the most sense when you took into account Ainge’s fascination with him out of high school. He’s a penetrating, pass-first point guard, something the C’s desperately need. Now they can bring Delonte West off the bench as a combo guard, which is what I believe he’s better suited for given his ability and injury history.

That said, how about the masterful job Ainge did getting what he wanted out of this draft. You can argue Telfair vs. Foye all you want, but when the C’s Director of Basketball Ops wants something, he knows how to maneuver and get it.

Supposedly, Rajon Rondo was the point guard who most impressed him, so Ainge found a way to get him with a later pick. Giving up Cleveland’s first rounder is nothing….LeBron and company will be deep in the playoffs for the foreseeable future. Now Rondo can develop behind Telfair and either West or Iverson.

Yes, I mean Iverson. That deal still has some legs to it. The guessing here…if it only costs West and Wally Szczerbiak, it’ll get done. Boston might even be willing to throw in Gerald Green. I think they draw a line in the sand at Al Jefferson, and they should. The only way I trade him is if Kevin Garnett comes in return!

And how about a curtain call from "Danny Boy" for getting those supposedly untradeable contracts of Mark “Bow-wow‿ Blount and Raef LaFrentz off the books!

Final Score
Mets 2
Red Sox 10

Arms Wide Open: Well, the Fenway Faithful welcomed back Pedro Martinez once again…and the former Sox ace responded by welcoming Boston hitters with open arms.

I’ll give Martinez a personal mulligan, but if I’m the Mets, I’m mighty ticked off. Pedro’s mind clearly wasn’t on the task at hand…winning for his current team. He was more interested in soaking up the atmosphere of his return to the place he called home for seven years. The brain fart on David Ortiz’ comebacker in the first inning was exhibit A.

Did you see the look on Willie Randolph’s face? He knew his stud pitcher was thinking more about the Fenway lovefest than how to retire Red Sox batters, and to his credit, yanked him after only 3-innings. He must have been been breathing fire listening to the post-game press conference, where Pedro talked about how “happy� he was and how much he enjoyed the experience. No kidding….so did the Red Sox!

On the other end of the spectrum was Josh Beckett. Despite his struggles at times this year, he came with a reputation for being at his best when the pressure was on. Pitching at Fenway in Pedro’s return qualifies as a “spotlight� game, and Boston’s baby ace delivered. That’s a very heartening sign should there be post-season baseball on the menu.

Was anyone else disappointed in Martinez? Or were you just happy the stinker came against the Sox?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

A Boston fan's three-step draft night:

1. The Boston Celtics acquired guard Sebastian Telfair, center Theo Ratliff and Portland's 2008 second round Draft pick in exchange for forward Raef LaFrentz, guard Dan Dickau and the seventh overall selection in the 2006 NBA Draft.

2. Celtics acquired University of Kentucky guard Rajon Rondo and veteran forward Brian Grant from the Phoenix Suns (the Celtics have Grant's contract, but Executive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said the team is not counting on him as part of their roster). In return, the Suns will acquire a future first round pick the Celtics acquired from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for swingman Jiri Welsch.

3. Celtics acquired the draft rights to University of California forward Leon Powe from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a future second round draft pick.

Local connection

The Detroit Piston selected Boston-native Will Blalock with the 60th pick in the draft.

Blalock (6-foot, 205 pounds), the number 22 on the Iowa State all-time scoring list, is regarded as an athletic guard with good vision and decent leaping ability for his size.

His sister Marsha Blalock played point guard at UMass Lowell from 1995-99. She ranks second all-time in 3-pointers made (132), and tops the career assits list (429), career steals list (304), and holds the record for most assists in a season (140) back in the 1996-97 campaign.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Sebastian Telfair, the latest and greatest basketball pride of Brooklyn, is on his was to Boston after two seasons in Portland. Last season he averaged 9.5 points per game and 3.6 assists in 24.1 minutes per game over 68 games.

The thirteenth pick in the 2004 draft out of high school, as a senior he was the subject of the ESPN Documentary Through the Fire.

He spoke to members of the Boston-area media via a conference call during the draft. Here are some of the things he had to say.

On what he brings: “My style of play is an up-tempo style of play. They got some good players over there that I can help make a little better by getting open shots like Paul and Wally and the rest of those guys.�

On being surprised: “Yes I was. I was surprised. I didn’t really know it was coming. I heard rumors, but when the deal was done and finalized I was really happy that it went through.�

On getting out of Portland: “I wasn’t exactly happy (in Portland), but to play for a team that is running up and down -- I felt that that was a better fit for me.�

On his first conversation with Doc Rivers: “I spoke to him and he said he liked my game. He said he’d been watching me for a long time. He said he spoke to Paul about it and Paul said give him the ball. I’m here and he said one of my key thing is going to be being able to bring my penetration, and I hope that’s going to be a key factor for us to win some games.�

On expecting to start, or not: “Whatever position coach put me in, that’s the position I’m going to take. I’m going to work hard to be a starter of course. That’s one of my goals, but whatever it’s going to be to win some games. I’m going into my third season. I haven’t been in the playoffs. I would like to reach the playoffs.�

On why it didn’t work in Portland: “I played two season. My first season we had two veteran point guards Nick Van Exel and Damon Stoudamire, so I didn’t get an opportunity to play much. My second season, you know, didn’t play as well as I would like. We went with a different style, we didn’t run the pick and roll that much. I got injured and there were a couple of minor things and it didn’t work out.�

On the Celtics possibly drafting him last year: “I heard that talk around the draft time and I was excited then. To be on the East Coast is one thing, but to play for the Boston Celtics that’s another great thing. I’m honored to be part of the Boston Celtics.�

On playing with Paul Pierce: “That was one of my main reasons for being excited about the trade. He is an All-Star and when you play with an All-Star it makes your job a lot easier. Playing against him he has that fight in him that he wants to go out every night and win, and that’s the type of person I want to play with.�

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

ESPN and WEEI radio have reported that the Boston Celtics have traded the number seven overall pick in tonight's draft along with Raef LaFrentz and Dan Dickau to the Portland Trailbrazers for Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and Portland's second round pick in 2008.

The Celtics had not confirmed the deal as of 7:15, but league rules prevent any trade made after 2 p.m. from being officially announced before the draft begins.

Be sure to check back for more on the NBA Draft and grab tomorrow's Lowell Sun for more on the Celtics.

Admittedly, I’m biased.

Let me get that part out of the way first. I love Pedro Martinez. He’s my binky. He’s my favorite Red Sox player of all-time. He has a spot reserved on my Mount Rushmore of Boston professional athletes (the ones I’ve seen in my lifetime) along with Bobby Orr, Larry Bird and Tom Brady. He is a legend. And he is probably the greatest pitcher of all-time.

Most of you will view that last statement as ridiculous…just another bit of lunacy from the same keypad that wrote Kobe would win a title before Shaq. Except this time, I have the numbers on my side...no, not overall numbers taken from different eras or accumulated over many years of big league work. I’m talking numbers so dominant for their period they transcend generations.

The comparison was done years ago, when Martinez possessed the combination of Greg Maddux finesse and Randy Johnson power that no other pitcher in major league history other than Sandy Koufax possessed. When you took Petey’s numbers from the 1999-2000 seasons and compared them to the norm for other pitchers during that time period, there wasn’t a better statistical performance in history, be it the dead ball and higher mound eras, to the days when ballparks were pastures and Babe Ruth hit more home runs than every other team combined.

I mention 1999-2000 because those were the two that stand out. Really, you could count his entire career up to now, but what he did those two years was from another world. Pedro drove a stake through the heart of the "Juice Era."

23-4, 2.07 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with 313 K’s in 213 innings in 1999. The strikeouts were down (284 in 217 IP) and the record wasn’t as good (18-6) in 2000, but the ERA and WHIP dropped to 1.74 and 0.74 respectively.

Think about those numbers for a minute. Take some more time to digest them. Then feel free to compare them to any single year from any pitcher of this era and you’d be shocked by how much Pedro Martinez blows them all away. Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux…you name him, Pedro’s stats bury him. Then notice how even Pedro’s worst years fit right in with the rest of those guys and any one-year wonder you’d like to bring up.

But numbers alone aren’t why I love Pedro Martinez. What the Red Sox are today can be directly traced back to the day Dan Duquette traded for the National League Cy Young winner (for the Montreal Expos, no less).

When Pedro pitched, Fenway was packed. (Hard for you Johnny Come Lately’s to understand, but they didn’t always sell out that crap hole of a ballpark) When Pedro pitched, you went to the bathroom when the Red Sox were at bat. When Pedro pitched, the Boston Globe produced an entire page in Spanish. In short, a Pedro Martinez start was an event…something not to be missed for fear of losing out on a piece of history.

The highlights are too many to list, so I’ll give you my personal favorites;

17-K’s and one hit allowed at Yankee Stadium late in 1999, the game that served notice the Red Sox were a legitimate threat to the New York dynasty. It took another 5-years to finally beat them. But Joe Torre will tell you from that night on he always feared the Red Sox most, because they had Pedro Martinez.

The injured ace coming out of the bullpen in the deciding Game 5 of the 1999 playoffs. That he no-hit the Cleveland Indians over the final 6-innings, even though he was hurt and only throwing about 88-89 mph wasn’t what impressed me. It was how defeated and pathetic the potent Cleveland hitters looked as soon as he trotted in from the pen. Check out the game next time it’s on ESPN Classic. I swear they were striking out on purpose in the 9th inning just to get it over with.

Game-3 of the ALCS the same year…the only game the Sox won. Pedro baffled the Yankees while Roger Clemens shriveled like a prune and was taunted off the mound. Undoubtedly, Dan Duquette’s greatest day as GM.

The All-Star game at Fenway when Pedro destroyed the best the National League had to offer. Larkin, Larry Walker, Bagwell, McGwire, Sosa (some at their steroid induced peaks)…all reduced to little leaguers flailing away helplessly.

Game-5, 2004 ALCS…Pedro brushes back Hideki Matsui, who to that point was killing the Sox. Godzilla is not heard from again in the series.

Game-3, 2004 World Series…7 shutout innings in his first World Series appearance. After threatening in the 1st inning, the Cardinals had no shot. They looked more beaten than the ’99 NL All-Stars.

The above performances, along with the many serious and goofy moments in between are why I love Pedro Martinez. And apparently, so does the majority of Red Sox Nation.

I can’t tell you how happy I was to see the standing ovation given to him between innings Tuesday night. After what happened with Johnny Damon, I was a bit nervous. Red Sox fans are mocked nationally for their inferiority complex and for eating their stars alive. The Damon incident was embarrassing to me because it validated the belief that Boston fans hate the Yankees more than they love the Sox. Had they booed Pedro, too, a new low would have been reached.

Luckily, we don’t have to worry about that now. We can sit back, watch the master at work, and root like hell for another Red Sox victory tonight….1-nothing…9th inning HR by David Ortiz…off Billy Wagner.

Welcome back Pedro. And thank you for a lifetime of memories!

What are your thoughts on Pedro’s return to Fenway? Favorite memories? Bad ones?

Final Score
Mets 4
Red Sox 9

The Beat Goes On: 10 in a row…all of them coming against the National League East…the latest an impressive romp over the NL’s best team, the Mets.

This one was overshadowed a bit by Pedro’s return to Fenway (more on that in my next post) and the fact it was a matchup of rookies, Jon Lester and Alay Soler. The Pedro-Beckett and Glavine-Schilling matchups will generate much more excitement the next two days.

Still, it was nice to see Lester hang tough despite struggling against a very good team. He never lost his composure and wouldn’t allow the New Yorkers that one big inning to get them back in the game. Sure, he’ll need to pitch better, but it’s comforting to know he can survive without his “A’ game.

Also, that batting order that looked so anemic early in the season is really picking up steam at home. Other than David Ortiz (he does enough, don’t you think?), the top five hitters in the lineup are all over .300 now, as is Mike Lowell in the 7-spot. Having Kevin Youkilis getting on base so much and Mark Loretta return to form really makes them dangerous. Give Papi and Manny RBI chances and those two will put numbers on the board more often than not.

Are you surprised at how well the Sox are playing lately? I know I am. I didn’t think they had the pitching to run off ten in a row, regardless of the competition.

The NBA draft is just a day away and the trade winds that normally howl during this time of year are reaching hurricane levels, with your Boston Celtics right in the eye of the storm.

Right now, there are a ton of rumors out there, many involving big names, and many involving the Green. I’ll give you a couple I’ve seen, along with my take on them and the probability of them going down. Of course with Danny Ainge running the ship, expect the unexpected. It won’t shock me at all if the trade that does occur comes out of nowhere and not from this list.

I will say this however; I think the Celtics will make a major move in the next day or so. The best guess here is it will involve the number-7 pick in the draft, and will bring back a “name‿ player who can immediately step in and start, probably at point guard.

The juiciest rumor involves Allen Iverson coming to Boston in a trade sending the number-7 pick to Philadelphia and Wally Szczerbiak to Utah. As intriguing as this one sounds, I don’t think it will happen…and it shouldn’t.

Yes, Iverson would instantly make the C’s a playoff team. But there just aren’t enough basketballs for “The Answer‿ and “The Truth‿ to handle. The only way this deal works is if it’s followed by a Paul Pierce trade. If you ask me, the devil you know is better than the one you don’t. Iverson may be better, but Pierce is younger, stronger and in line for a much longer career from this point on. This deal only makes sense if the C’s are on the verge of a title, which they’re not at this time.

Another rumor gathering steam is Boston sending the #7 pick to Chicago for Chris Duhon and the #16 selection. I’d say this one is much more probable than the AI deal. It doesn’t make as big a splash, but it makes a lot more sense.

Duhon isn’t a potential stud, but he is a solid point guard who could instantly help. He’s probably better than any of the options available at that position in the draft other than Brandon Roy, who’s expected to be gobbled up before Ainge gets to choose. The Bulls already have Kirk Hinrich, so Duhon is expendable if they have their eyes on a particular player at seven. (Remember, they already have the second pick in the draft thanks to Isiah Thomas’ idiocy)

If a better option doesn’t become available, I think the C’s take this deal in a heartbeat (Ainge would still likely come up with a pretty good player at #16). However, late word out of Chicago has a Bulls source denying this one will happen. We’ll see.

The final deal gaining momentum involves the #7 pick and Dan Dickau going to Portland for PG Sebastian Telfair. This is the one (other than a possible Kevin Garnett trade) that really gets me excited.

Ainge made no secret of his interest in Telfair before the 2004 draft. Some say that’s why the Trail Blazers took him so high (#13) despite the kid jumping to the NBA straight out of high school. He’s not a great shooter and he is kind of small, but Telfair has great instincts for the position. I, for one, would love to see the Celtics with a point guard who thinks pass first. He’s just 21 and should be ready to bust out in this, his 3rd year in the league.

Why is he possibly available? Well, because word is he’s going to leave Portland anyway when his rookie contract expires. Plus, the man who drafted him higher than a lot of “experts‿ thought he should go was John Nash, who was relieved of his duties this off-season.

Ultimately, I think this is the deal that gets done. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking on my part, but I believe it’s a steal for the Celts. Even if Portland demands something else, I believe Ainge will jump at the opportunity to add a young “veteran‿ at the position his team has the greatest need at.

Now then, if Garnett becomes available, all bets are off! What do you say Kevin McHale? Care to help your old team out?

What are your thoughts on the NBA draft? What should the Celtics do? Do any of the rumored trades excite you? Have you heard any others? Which ones would make you cancel your season ticket subscription? If the C’s do keep the pick who should they select?

In Tuesday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com, Carmine Frongillo spotlights Patriots coach Bill Belichick, the guest speaker at Lowell High’s Alumni Golf Tournament. Sticking with the golf theme, Rick Harrison previews tomorrow’s final round of the Lowell City Tournament.

Elsewhere, the Bruins trade defenseman Nick Boynton. Chaz Scoggins has details of the Spinners loss to Tri-City. And you can catch up on all the summer league baseball action.

Final Score
Phillies 7
Red Sox 8

Time to Take a Walk: What else can be said about David Ortiz in the clutch that already hasn’t been said?

It’s almost getting boring. The only surprise yesterday was that he didn’t end it in the 9th inning. It’s gotten to that point. So what I’d like to ask of you is this; is it time to give Ortiz the Bonds treatment and walk him whenever he comes up late in the game, no matter the situation?

I bring this up because the Phillies had an interesting dilemma yesterday. It goes against all baseball wisdom to walk a guy and move the winning run up to 3rd base. It doesn’t make much sense.

Then again, what Big Papi is doing doesn’t make sense. He’s that good in game-winning situations. Managers used to walk Barry Bonds a few years back in similar situations, even giving him a free pass with the bases juiced. (Like the choice of words there?) Has David Ortiz reached that point?

With Manny Ramirez batting behind him, I’d say no. (I hope the anti-Manny forces appreciate what his presence means) You have to take your chances, no matter what Papi’s previous record in the clutch is. But it’s something worth considering, and something I have a feeling we’re going to see if Ortiz’ game-winning ways continue.

How about it amateur managers? Would you have walked Ortiz to load the bases in the 12th? Even if you don’t think it is sound strategy, do you think we’ll start seeing it in the near future?

The Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com are all over the City Golf Tournament. David Pevear has the story of Phil Smith holding a two stroke edge over Dean Demitropoulos, with 10-time champ Doug Parigian lurking just three shots off the pace. Meanwhile, Rick Harrison focuses on Mt. Pleasant’s Mark Lammond, the “old man� of the tournament.

In other sports news, the St. Louis Blues selected Westford resident Matthew McCollem in the 6th round of the NHL Draft. England and Portugal advance in the World Cup.

On the diamonds, former Lowell Spinner Anibal Sanchez was impressive in his major league debut with the Marlins. The Lowell All-Americans drop a decision to Concord, while the New England Riptide emerge victorious in their softball game against the Canadian National Team. And you can also catch up on the rest of the summer league baseball action.

OK Sports Talk readers…time to add another entry to your summer reading list.

In case you haven’t noticed, TheSunBlog.com has a new feature…a political blog called The Sun Community Forum, hosted by Jim Campanini, Editor of the paper. I know you guys and gals live and die with sports, but an entire other world exists outside the sports realm, and Jim does an excellent job bringing it to you.

Not only does the new blog give you a chance to chime in on local issues like Lowell’s City Manager search or the riff between the School Committee and the city’s State House delegation, but it also touches on national and international issues sure to get your blood boiling. Check out today’s entry about The Da Vinci Code and radical Islam for an example of what I’m talking about.

So as part of your daily routine, make sure to visit The Sun Community Forum (after you’ve finished with Sports Talk, of course!). It’s well worth the time!

Oh…and don’t go easy on Jim. He can take it!

We’ve reached the final week of our Spinners Trivia contest. Thank you to all those who've participated. The response was greater than we could have imagined.

The answer to last week’s question; who was the first Lowell Spinners player to appear in Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game? Shea Hillenbrand, of the 2002 Boston Red Sox.

Congratulations to our winner, William Sheehan of Lowell. You've won a pair of tickets to an upcoming game at LeLacheur Park.

This week’s question; who is the first Lowell Spinners player to record a save in the major leagues?

Good luck!

There hasn’t been a bigger critic of the Boston Bruins than yours truly. Since the early ‘90’s, I’ve stopped rooting for the team I grew up loving because I figure if they don’t care about winning, why should I.

That said, it’s time to officially declare a cease-fire and move forward. It appears the B’s have, hiring a new GM in Peter Chiarelli and beginning the process of phasing Harry Sinden out. If only Jeremy Jacobs would unload the team, I might just fall back in love with them instead of approaching this new phase of our relationship with a wary eye.

I thought yesterday’s NHL draft was a good first step. Instead of trading out of the #5 spot or making a safe defensive pick, Boston chose the best player available in University of Minnesota center, Phil Kessel. Kessel’s strengths are speed and scoring ability and he’s been compared to Pat LaFontaine…not a bad thing if you ask me. The 18-year old has tremendous “upside� and was considered by many to be the top player before his freshman season in college.

You know what I like best? His nickname. Kessel is known as “The Thrill,� which is what I hope he puts back into being a Bruins fan.

The other move worth noting; Boston traded 2003-04 Rookie of the Year Andrew Raycroft to Toronto for Tuukka Rask. The young goaltender was the 21st overall pick in the 2005 draft and will most likely spend some time in the minors, where he’ll hopefully remove the extra “u� and “k� from his name.

I don’t think trading Raycroft will come back to haunt the B’s. While he did have a good rookie year, I never thought he was a championship caliber netminder. He just happened to play on a defensive minded team with the Eastern Conference’s best record. While he can’t be faulted for the defeat, he certainly didn’t stand on his head during the playoff loss to the Canadiens or do anything to carry his team like many other goalies do when the games count for real.

It’s a new era in Bruins hockey. The turnaround won’t happen overnight, but I’m willing to be patient as long as the team’s moving in the right direction. The salary cap will help as long as Chiarelli is a shrewd talent evaluator. Let’s give him the benefit of the doubt…for now.

What did you think of the Bruins draft? Should Boston have taken one of the many trade offers they got? What about dealing Raycroft? Will we regret it?

It’s kind of a slow day, what with the Red Sox rain-out and all. I guess I could do a thorough analysis of the World Cup Quarterfinals, but watching the spinning ceiling fans at my folks restaurant is a bit more entertaining right now. (When do the hooligans start burning down Germany, anyway?)

So instead, my daily contribution consists of a link from the Heat’s championship parade in Miami, in case you missed it. Not only does Pat Riley dance up a storm, he actually gets spanked by Shaquille O’Neal.

So much for dignity!

Final Score
Phillies 3
Red Sox 5

Tell Me You’re Not Surprised: It’s not like we haven’t come to expect such things of David Ortiz anyway. But combine a 10th inning at bat for Big Papi with Tom Gordon on the mound, and I’m sure more than a few of the Fenway Faithful were gathering their belongings and had the car keys firmly in hand.

Other than that, not much else to say about Mr. Ortiz…he may never win an MVP award because of his DH status, but he’ll continue to be the most feared hitter in the game during the late innings…Curt Schilling was great again, showing he knows how to pitch. That’s what I was talking about earlier in the year when I mentioned how some guys survive even when off to a bad start or struggling…Hope Mark Loretta isn’t hurt too badly. He’s really starting to tear the cover off the ball…and Jonathan Papelbon displayed a new trick yesterday, shutting the Phillies down for 2 1/3 innings. Is there anything this kid can’t do right now?

Final Score
Phillies 2
Red Sox 10

Let’s Switch Leagues: Any Red Sox fans out there who still hate the concept of inter-league play? I didn’t think so!

I love the concept anyway, whether the Sox are winning or losing. But the way Boston’s Boys of Summer are feasting on the NL’s poor stepchildren, if they ever do away with it, I say let’s switch leagues. We’d win 120-games a year….easy!

The Red Sox made it 7-wins in a row overall…7 in a row over National League squads…and a 9-1 record against their friends from across the aisle. Granted, Boston isn’t alone in its NL mastery (even the Devil Rays are beating them up), but no other team has made as much hay since interleague play began.

Other highlights included Josh Beckett taking a perfect game into the 6th…Manny Ramirez with 2 more homers and 5 ribbies…Alex Gonzalez grabbing 2 hits to up his average to .260…and a club record 11th consecutive game without an error.

News Flash: The NHL names former Bruins captain Joe Thornton its Most Valuable Player. Thornton was traded from Boston to San Jose earlier in the season and went on to lead the NHL in scoring, which earned him the Ross Trophy to go along with the Hart Trophy for MVP.

Teddy’s Take: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Here’s another kick in the groin for Bruins fans…Jumbo Joe becomes the first player to win the MVP after being traded in the middle of the season. I can't tell you how happy I am for Thornton and for the added embarrassment to the B's front office.

Thanks Mike O’Connell! Oh, and thank you, too, Harry Sinden and Jeremy Jacobs for allowing a guy you were thinking of firing to make the trade in the first place! Look on the bright side Peter Chiarelli...there's no place to go but up!

Any thoughts out there? Or has bashing the Bruins become boring?

In 1775, the shot heard ‘round the world kicked off America’s Revolutionary War. 231 years later, the shots heard ‘round the world booted the United States out of the World Cup Soccer tournament.

A 2-1 loss to Ghana eliminated the Yanks from competition and touched off a round questions and debate that will rage on over the next four years. Did Bruce Arena’s strategy handcuff the team? Which players left off the squad should have been there? Should we give more immigrants citizenship to help the 2010 collection?

I’ll let the experts debate those points. What I want to know is; 4 shots on goal in 3 games…are you kidding me? With 4 years to prepare, that’s the best we can do? With hundreds of years of evolution, that’s the best the sport of soccer can do?

Look, I’ll be the first to admit what passes for soccer in the States pales in comparison to what’s played in Brazil, Argentina and Europe. But there is something inherently wrong with a sport where one of the top ranked international teams (as flawed as that ranking system must be) can only manage 4 shots on goal in 3 games.

Let me repeat that in case you missed it; 4 SHOTS ON GOAL IN 3 FREAKIN’ GAMES!!!

Soccer nuts wondering why the sport doesn’t catch on in the U.S. need look no further than that statement. How can a sport allowing such a performance be developed? Sure the Americans stink, but so do the Kansas City Royals, and they manage to get at least 4 or 5 hits per game.

Think of the worst baseball, hockey, basketball or football teams around. Even at their most pathetic, they generate scoring opportunities. That’s because those sports realize there are two sides of the ball, offense and defense. And it’s offense (also known as skill) that puts fannies in the seats and in front of television sets.

So those sports develop rules and systems where skill shines through and offensive opportunities abound. (Unless you want to talk about the pre-lockout NHL…that’s an entirely different story)

Please don’t hit me with the “Soccer is the most played and popular sport in the world� argument. Of course it is. What are the other options in Ghana and the Ivory Coast? You think they have to shut down the theater district in Iran when the national team plays? Take away soccer and the English would be forced to riot after every Prince Charles tumble off the polo pony.

“Football� is the only sport these nations have known for centuries, so they have no choice but to become fanatics. Give them 300 years of top level American football or basketball, and a new generation of hooligans would be born. You can see it already in Europe and South America. Basketball is now #2 and rising fast. Think it won’t ever overtake soccer? That’s what the old stogies who ran baseball thought about American football, too.

The reason is simple; action. Soccer simply doesn’t have enough of it, and the video game/computer generation demands it. As the rest of the world catches up to the United States technologically and culturally, kids will gravitate toward the same things American kids do; entertainment and excitement.

We may not see it in our lifetime, but rest assured, there will come a day when international soccer goes the way of American baseball. It will still be the national pastime. It just won’t be the favorite sport.

Where did the USA go wrong in this World Cup? What are your thoughts on soccer? Is it destined to go the way of baseball? Is it just fine as is?

Friday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com pages load up on local sports coverage.

Barry Scanlon talks to Chelmsford’s Keith Aucoin about being part of a Stanley Cup Champion. Scanlon also has more on the Lowell Devils new logo. Carmine Frongillo took in Joshua Papelbon’s impressive debut for the Spinners. Paul Daley has his weekly horse racing column. And Rick Harrison previews the Lowell City Golf Tournament teeing off this weekend.

Remember the scene in Anchorman where Champ Kind feels abandoned by Ron Burgundy and begins rambling on about missing him, only to go too far and embarrass himself? What was it Brian Fantana said to him? “Why don’t you stop talking for a while Champ,� or something like that?

Well, why don’t you stop talking for a while Ozzie?

Ozzie Guillen is in trouble again. The latest controversy involves the White Sox manager calling Chicago Sun Times columnist Jay Mariotti a “fag.� The incident is the latest in a long list of times Guillen has shot his mouth off. Adding to the manager’s woes, he’s just been suspended one game for a beanball incident, just a few days after throwing a nutty on pitcher Sean Tracey, who refused to drill an opposing batter and was sent to the minors immediately afterward.

Let’s get one thing straight. In a nation that trumpets free speech, Guillen has every right to say what he did. Also, the reporter in question is regarded by many who know him as a first class jerk and he hasn’t exactly covered himself in glory with his reaction to the incident. In fact, he’s come across as a coward, which is what the linguistically-challenged Guillen was trying to insinuate with his comment.

However, someone in Ozzie’s position should know better. You don’t go running your mouth off whenever something pops into your mind, especially when you’re constantly surrounded by cameras and microphones. When you represent a team, an organization…heck, an entire city…you sometimes have to pick and choose your words carefully.

Where Guillen was once a breath of fresh air, he’s now become a caricature; a loudmouth blowhard who won’t hesitate to rip any one, any place, any time, including his own players. Eventually, that will catch up to him in the clubhouse. His words, however, will get him even sooner.

Just as Guillen has a right to say what he wants, within the law of course, the White Sox have the right to demand their employees and representatives behave in a manner representative of the entire organization. While Ozzie may have been the face of the team during its World Series run, I suspect ownership wishes that face, and mouth, would go into hiding. I’m guessing the topic has already been addressed behind closed doors.

Take Brian Fantana’s advice and stop talking for a while Ozzie. You’re too good of a manager to have your career short-circuited because you couldn’t manage to keep your mouth shut.

What’s your take on the latest Ozzie Guillen controversy? Should he be left alone or should the White Sox and/or Major League Baseball take disciplinary action?

In the sports pages of Thursday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com, Chaz Scoggins has more on the Red Sox sweep of the Nationals. The 5th and final excerpt from Scoggins’ book Game of My Life: Memorable Stories of Red Sox Baseball focuses on Mike Greenwell. Lynn Worthy and Mike Davidson square off in an interleague play edition of Sparring Partners.

Locally, Barry Scanlon recaps the Spinners 4-1 loss to Vermont. You can also get scores from the area’s summer baseball league action. David Pevear spotlights defending City Golf Tournament champion, Ken Gys. Carmine Frongillo focuses on Chelmsford’s Dave Welsh, a participant in tomorrow’s Shriners Football Classic. Thom Ring has all the auto racing news in this week’s Around the Track. And registration is underway for the Bay State Games.

u>Final Score
Nationals 3
Red Sox 9

The Kid is OK: Maybe all the hype was worth it, after all.

Jon Lester not only showed he belongs in the majors, he showed he can dominate in them when his stuff is working. I know it’s just the Nationals, but 10-strikeouts is still 10-strikeouts. These are major league hitters, and if you can fool that many of them or get that many to swing and miss, you have a chance to be a very good pitcher.

I’ll be curious to see how the kid responds to the iron of the league. He was only so-so against Texas, but that was his debut. Each start has been progressively better, culminating in last night’s impressive performance against the pesky Nats.

Elsewhere, the acquisition of Jason Johnson isn’t that big a deal, other than it provides another arm and another option to Matt Clement and David Wells. He’s not as bad as he’s pitched for Cleveland, but then again, when the struggling Indians have no use for a pitcher, how good can he be?

We’ll soon find out.

How impressed were you with young Mr. Lester? Is it too early to say he’s the real deal? Or will he start Game 4 of the playoffs?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Before Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger bounced off a windshield while riding his motorcycle, Jay Williams was the posterchild for pro careers put at risk.

Monday and Tuesday Williams was in Waltham for a free agent workout with the Boston Celtics three years after what looked like a career-ending injury.

Williams, a point guard who led Duke University to a national championship in 2001, played in 75 games for the Chicago Bulls as a rookie in the 2002-03 season averaging 9.5 points and 4.7 assists per game.

In 2003 Williams, the second pick in the 2002 draft, hit a telephone pole on his motorcycle and severed a main nerve in his leg, fractured his pelvis and tore ligaments in his left knee. He has not played in an NBA game since the accident.

"Somebody's going to have to take a chance on me, and for the last two years I've been hearing about what I can't do, which is fine, because that drives me with the motivation to prove everybody wrong," Williams told Celtics.com.

Several draft eligible guards have been brought in for workouts by the Celtics including Kentucky’s Rajon Rondo, Iowa State's Will Blalock, Boston College's Louis Hinnant, Villanova’s Randy Foye, Temple’s Mardy Collins, Iowa State’s Curtis Stinson, UConn’s Marcus Williams, Northeastern's Jose Juan Berea, Rutgers' Quincy Douby, and Michigan State's Shannon Brown.

The Celtics are looking to get pointed in the right direction.

What do you think about the Celtics point guard situation?

Wednesday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com are all over the Spinners season opener. Chaz Scoggins has the game story, which includes a look at pitcher Dustin Richardson, who struck out 5 of the 6-batters he faced. David Pevear chimes in with a feature on Zach Daegas, a Red Sox draft pick straight out of “Moneyball.�

Elsewhere, you can find another excerpt from Scoggins’ book Game of My Life: Memorable Stories of Red Sox baseball. Today’s chapter is Dave Henderson, who recalls the nightmare Game-6 of the ’86 World Series. The Lowell All-Americans are set to host a “Heroes Night� at Alumni Field tomorrow. Jackie Graham is Lowell High’s recipient of the Mary Mullen Award.

On the links, Billerica’s Geoff Sisk has the lead heading into the final 18-holes of the Mass. Open. Long Meadow and Mount Pleasant have their teams set for the Lowell Women’s City Golf Tournament. And UMass-Lowell’s track stars earn academic honors.

Final Score
Nationals 3
Red Sox 11

Heating Up: Boston’s Boys of Summer are heating up faster than the weather. The win streak is now at five…Tim Wakefield looked solid yet again…and for once, the bats finally gave him some support.

Oh yeah…that Livan Hernandez trade possibility that I thought might be worth a try? Not if last night is any indication of how he’s going to react to the American League, though it’s not exactly like he’s dominating National Leaguers either. I’ll take my chances with Lester or someone else.

Youth Movement: The big news coming out of Fenway was Terry Francona’s pre-game meeting with his young guns…Lester, Delcarmen, Hansen and Lopez. The manager indicated he’s ready for a youth movement and I say it’s about time. Let’s see what they’ve got.

Granted, Hansen looked shaky last night. But at this point in their careers, Huston Street and Chad Cordero were already closers. Hansen was just as highly thought of as those guys coming out of college, and he doesn’t even have to be the 9th inning guy. I say cut him loose and let’s see what we’ve got.

What are your thoughts on the youth movement? Will it work or is Boston the wrong town for inexperienced pitchers to enter a pennant race?

OK Shaq lovers...here’s your chance to rejoice and hit me with all the I told you so’s. But when you do, remember to send a thank you note to Dwyane Wade for carrying the big fella to another title.

A few other quick thoughts on the NBA Finals;

1)Wade has now stepped up to the “Basketball God� level, that region above superstar occupied by a very select few and requiring a championship to enter. It was more than the over 34-points per game average in the Finals…the ice water running through the veins during crunch time is what sets him apart from other superstars, like Kevin Garnett and Dirk Nowitzky.

2) Speaking of the big German, shame on Cedric Maxwell for saying he’s better than Larry Bird. If anyone should know better, it's Maxwell.

Bird never, EVER, turned into a “female cat� in the 4th quarter of a must-win game. Nowitzky couldn’t get the ball out of his hands quick enough when Miami turned up the heat on defense. Trying to pass the ball to a moving and out of position Eric Dampier in the game’s final moments? Please! If I’m Larry Legend, I call Max and tell him to get off the crack!

3)I’ll give Shaq his due as the 2nd most important part of Miami’s title team. To say Wade doesn’t win a title without O’Neal is accurate. But it’s also accurate to say Shaq doesn’t advance past the 2nd round of the playoffs without “Flash.�

It was kinda funny to hear the big fella admit he took a secondary role when he got to South Beach. Why wouldn’t he do that in LA? Probably because of Kobe’s arrogance and the fact the Lakers wouldn’t give him the monster contract extension the Heat did.

4) Alonzo Mourning was the best center on the court last night.

5) I hated seeing slimeball Pat Riley get his hands on that trophy, though I was happy for Antoine Walker. Just lose the prone wiggle next time ‘Toine. Bench players shouldn’t be so arrogant. And while you’re at it, instead of bashing Danny Ainge, thank him for being the first Celtic to publicly admit you’re nothing more than a good complimentary player and sending you on the career path that led to your first ring.

6) Enjoy the title Miami. Dallas, you have maybe one more year to get it done. After that, it’s LeBron time and the road to Titletown goes through Cleveland from 2008 on…if not sooner!

Your thoughts on the NBA Finals?

There’s nothing like opening day at a baseball game, be it in the majors or minors. (Heck, even a tee-ball opener is a big deal to the kids and parents) So it should come as no surprise I packed up the laptop and carried it on down to LeLacheur Park for the first game of the Lowell Spinners 2006 Season.

For those not here, the game is being televised live on public access television. (No truth to the rumor Wayne and Garth are being bumped from the schedule) But one thing TV can’t capture is the “Spinners Experience,‿ the action that takes place when the baseball action takes a break. And no team, at any level, is better than Lowell’s NY-Penn League entry at making minor league baseball a family event.

With that as a backdrop, here’s a minute-by-minute view of the zaniness that is the Lowell Spinners 2006 season opener:

6:20 Your faithful blogger arrives as the ballpark.

6:25 Your fat blogger devours his first Italian sausage of the season. Rest assured, it won’t be the last.

6:44 Being opening day and all, the pre-game ceremonies begin early. Naturally, where there’s a crowd, you’ll find politicians and the locals are out in full force. City Manager John Cox, Mayor Bill Martin and Councilors James Millinazo, Bud Caulfield, Rita Mercier, Kevin Broderick and George Ramirez are introduced to the crowd.

The manager keeps a safe distance from the councilors. What? You thought they’d be all huggy-kissy or something?

6:55 The loudest cheer during player introductions goes to Spinners pitcher Joshua Papelbon. Apparently, Mill City baseball fans are trying to make up for the fact they didn’t recognize his brother’s greatness while he was here in 2003.

7:08 The big moment arrives. Director of Corporate Communications, Jon Goode, has been promising a MAJOR pre-game announcement. The press box is buzzing with speculation over what that might be. (OK, not exactly buzzing. It’s just Sun Writer David Pevear and I joking that with the Spinners penchant for wackiness it could be almost anything) Needless to say, they don’t disappoint.

GM Tim Bawmann, microphone in hand, runs onto the field with the Canaligator and frantically asks if there’s a veterinarian in the house. Soon, a helicopter arrives and out runs someone wearing blue scrubs. They all head to the kids’ area, and a minute later Canaligator and his new bride Allie-Gator walk out with their just delivered baby, Millie-Gator, in a stroller.

(I swear, I’m not making any of this up! Even more troubling, I predicted it, half-jokingly, off course. But you should have seen Jon Goode’s face when I said it to him before the game!)

You’ll recall, Canaligator and Allie-Gator married in May during a much publicized and well-attended event at the ballpark. I’m not sure the gestation period for alligators, but the joke in the press box is that it was obviously a shotgun wedding.

7:26 Spinners lefty Mario Pena records the final out in the top of the 1st as the crowd comes to its feet. No, not to cheer the pitcher, but because it’s time for the first between-innings attraction…the T-Shirt toss. You’d be amazed what people will do for anything free!

7:27 The first boos of the season are heard. An error? No. Because the gun shooting the freebie shirts into the back rows misfires, causing one to land harmlessly in the infield. The lesson; never mess with people’s free stuff!

7:36 Jon Goode enters the press box and asks how I knew what the big secret was. “Lucky guess‿ I say, assuring him no one spilled the beans. My “inside source‿ at the concession stand gets to keep her job a bit longer. (Just kidding, Jon!)

Jon also informs me a typical gator pregnancy lasts 45-days, so the event was timed perfectly to coincide with the wedding. No shotguns necessary. Somewhere, Jerry Falwell and the moral majority are smiling.

8:09 My favorite between innings contest; the base race begins. This is the one where Canaligator races a little kid around the bases. Tonight’s challenger is a young boy named Zach. He touches home plate first, keeping the poor mascot’s losing streak intact. I think he’s now something like 0-for-1,324.

I’ve always been curious what would happen if one of these nights, the person in the costume decides enough is enough and actually wins the race. Picture it now…some poor 5-year old gets beat in front of 5,000 people…is traumatized for life and has to undergo counseling for losing to an alligator. Oh the humanity!

Aren’t you glad I don’t run a minor league franchise?

8:15 The Spinners introduce their newest between-innings entry…Dancing with the Gators. Fans are asked to call a number and vote for Meghan or Ashley, who are about to bust a few moves with the mascots. Unfortunately, Ashley is shy and saves her fancy footwork for the next school dance.

8:17 The phone next to me in the press box starts ringing off the hook. It’s a landslide for Meghan, and a new hit promotion for the Spinners. Let’s just hope a Fear Factor promo isn’t in the planning stages.

8:21 The promos are coming fast and furious. The “Spinnerama,‿ where contestants place their forehead on a bat and spin around 10-times before trying to run toward Canaligator, once again leads to someone wiping out on the infield. This is always a fun event for the spectators. However, if I’m in the stands and a member of the Spinners staff approaches me about entering, I’m making a b-line for the men’s room.

8:30 My second favorite contest, the Sumo Challenge, begins. If it weren’t muggy and about 110-degrees in the shade, I might actually get a kick out of putting on one of those costumes. For the record, the guy in the red “diaper‿ is kicking butt.

8:40 Lightning has them ooh-ing and ah-ing in the stands.

8:41 Thunder has them heading for the exits.

8:45 The umps clear the field while the grounds crew breaks out the tarp. Nothing elicits more groans in press row than a rain delay. By the time this one’s finished, there may be more of us than spectators.

9:15 Still raining…

9:17 A couple of computers down from me, Jon Goode logs onto TheSunBlog.com to see exactly why I’ve been tying up his phone line for the last 3 hours.

9:27 Whew! Jon says he won’t revoke my credential. He probably doesn't want to lose out on the money I spend at the food stands.

9:29 The grounds crew returns to remove the tarp, led by General Manager Bawmann who’s lifting tires and helping out the process. Think Theo Epstein has to do that?

9:41 Another round of free T-shirts for those who braved the weather and stuck around. There isn’t a better run business, in any industry, than the Spinners. They know how to treat a customer.

9:53 The game finally resumes, after a 1-hour 8-minute rain delay.

Your friendly blogger on the other hand, is calling it a night. There’s an NBA Finals game to watch and a big, bald center to root against.

I’ll be back again and again over the summer. I am invited, right Jon?

News Flash: Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is fined $250,000 for “several acts of misconduct� during Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Cuban walked onto the court to berate an official at the conclusion of the game, and the Miami Herald reported he also screamed obscenities at Commissioner David Stern. Cuban vehemently denies saying anything to Stern.

Teddy’s Take: You gotta love a team owner who maintains his own blog and even finds time to update it during a championship game!

On a more serious note, I would be a bit irate if I were Cuban. As much as I dislike his antics and think he exhibits an amazing lack of class for someone of his stature, he’s right on in his criticism of the officiating.

Heading into Game 5, the Mavericks were already shorthanded thanks to the suspension of Jerry Stackhouse for committing a flagrant foul on Shaquille O’Neal. Forget for a moment that the contact on the play was no more severe than any time Shaq buries his shoulder into a defender. Suspending a player one game for a hard foul during the Finals, when on two occasions you’ve handed out the same punishment for a punch to the nuts, is a joke.

Also during the 5th game, Miami took 49 free throws to Dallas’ 25. (For the series, the Heat have shot 38 more FT’s) Heck, Dwyane Wade took as many as the Mavericks did all by himself. I understand the time honored tradition of giving the superstar the call should he even catch a whiff of a defenders breath, but there are 2 superstars in this series. You give Wade those calls, you have to give them to Dirk Nowitzky.

Instead, Nowitzky gets bumped and held each time he even tries to free himself to catch a pass, while Wade gets to decide the game from the foul line on a play with minimal contact. It’s understood that officials do not decide championships. If you’re going to call a foul with 2 seconds remaining in a one point game, there had better be blood. At the very least, the player driving the lane should be bumped off course more than an inch and a half.

So yes, Mark Cuban is a pain in the butt. But if he’s trying to say the officiating in this series is awful and slanted against his team, he’s 100% on the money!

That’s my take…what’s yours? Are the Heat getting helped by the officiating? Are Cuban and I imagining it? What do you think of the finals themselves? Can Dallas come back?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

When the Spinners toss out the first pitch on the 2006 season tonight there will be a familiar name in the Lowell dugout. Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon (top) leads the majors in saves and could very well find himself in the Boston starting rotation one day. Whether closing or starting, he's made himself one of the most popular pitchers on the Red Sox staff.

This season the Red Sox drafted Josh Papelbon in the 48th round and assigned him to Lowell where his older brother Jonathan started his pro career in 2003.

Josh and his twin brother Jeremy pitched in Lowell last summer on the New England Collegiate Baseball League's Mill City All-Americans (now the Lowell All-Americans).

In published reports right after the draft Jonathan had made mention of the fact that in a way he wished his brother wasn't in the same organization because of the endless comparisons and pressure, but before last night's Sox game he acknowledged some advatages the situation does lend itself to.

Red Sox Closer Jonathan Papelbon:

(On discussions with his brother) "We talk a lot, not just about baseball, but about life and everything that goes on. But lately we've been talking a lot about baseball and what to expect and how to approach hitters on the next level and how to go out there and he able to get hitters out now with a wooden bat. You know, it's going to be a whole new animal for him to face. He's really excited and he's looking forward to it. He's just like me. When a challenge is in front of him, we love to go out there and challenge ourselves."

(On their being any advantages to coming up through the same system) "Oh yeah, definitely. I know how the system works and I know what to expect and I can relay that information to him. Another thing is the fact that being my brother, he's going to have a lot of eyes on him and expectations and I told him that and he understands that. He's the kind of guy that nothing else matters but baseball to him. He keeps telling me the fact that now he just concentrate on baseball and 'I don't have to worry about school or nothing like that.' So he can just go out there and lay it on the line and compete."

(On Josh starting in Lowell) "I figured he'd go to Lowell. That's a good starting point for kids that came out of college and he came out of college. I figured that's where they would send him. That's where they sent me and that's a great place, a first professional team to go to play, and he'll have a lot of fun with it.

What do you think? Would Josh Papelbon have been better off in another organization? Or are you voting for the Red Sox to get as many Papelbons as possible?

In today’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com, Lynn Worthy recaps Kyle Snyder’s successful debut with the Red Sox. Former Lock Monster Cam Ward is the MVP of the Stanley Cup Finals. Dracut High Catcher Matt Lawlor earns MVP honors in the Eastern Mass. All-Star Game. Several local golfers are in contention at the Mass. Open Golf Tournament.

And you can also read an excerpt from Chaz Scoggins’ new book, Game of My Life: Memorable Stories of Red Sox Baseball. Today’s chapter; the thrill and grace of Fred Lynn.

Final Score
Nationals 3
Red Sox 6

Déjà vu on the Mound: Those of you longing for the days of Bronson Arroyo may have a new hero in Kyle Snyder.

Was it me or did Snyder remind you of Arroyo on the mound? Even better than the looks, Snyder pitched much like Arroyo used to, never really dominating, but pitching well enough to give his team a chance to win. Ironically enough, the tall righty’s Boston debut came on the same night Bronson won his 9th game for the Reds. (We may have to re-visit that Pena/Arroyo trade debate at some point in the future)

Let’s not go getting too excited just yet. Snyder has never shown the ability to maintain good form over the long haul and the Nationals aren’t exactly sporting a murderer’s row of a batting order, but for one night anyway, this was just what the doctor ordered.

Let me also give a shout out to the much-maligned bullpen, which shut down Washington over 4-innings despite Jonathan Papelbon getting the night off. The Sox are now 2-games ahead of the Yankees, as the teams continue to trade the division lead. Let’s see if we can get some separation this time.

What did you think of Kyle Snyder’s debut? One hit wonder or long-term replacement?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Red Sox announced at Terry Francona's 4 p.m. meeting with the press today that veteran first baseman J.T. Snow (pictured) was designated for assignment in a move to make room on the roster for tonight’s starting pitcher Kyle Snyder.

Red Sox executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein said the decision was made to designate Snow because of the stress put on the bullpen lately. He also said more transactions would be coming in the next 24 hours.

Francona acknowledged that the Snow’s limited time on the field this year was a result of the performance so far from Kevin Youkilis.

“Because of the way Youk has taken this job and made it his job, I think J.T. was certainly hoping for more at bats when he came in here and that’s not the case and won’t be -- or wouldn’t be.�

The Kap attack is back
Gabe Kapler will make his first start since returning to the Red Sox on Friday after rehabbing a ruptured left Achilles’ tendon for the early portion of the season. Trot Nixon will get the day off in right field and will most likely be back in the lineup tomorrow as the Red Sox give catcher Jason Varitek a day off.

On Saturday, Kapler singled in his first at bat since September last year. He hit .282 with 1 home run and 9 RBI, seeing action in 36 games last season for the Red Sox after spending the first part of the season with the Yomiuri Giants in Japan.

Pitching staff rehabbing slowly
Kyle Snyder, a 6-foot-8 right-hander with a 22.5 ERA in the majors this season, gets what even the Red Sox called a “spot start� tonight, but the injured arms in their rotation may be set to miss quite a bit of time. Matt Clement, who went on the 15-day DL this weekend, saw a specialist today and so far things look well according to Francona. The expectation is that his rehab will take a little longer than that of Mike Timlin.

Quickly becoming a stable on the disabled list, 43-year-old lefthander David Wells is currently rehabbing in San Diego. The Red Sox say he has not yet progressed to the point in his rehab program that he needs to be with the team, Epstein said when he is that point they’ll bring him back out and get him working back out of his delivery.

“We just can’t pinpoint a date until his knee starts feeling better,� Epstein said.

Final Score
Red Sox 10
Braves 7

Sweeping Changes: What a difference 3-days and one ice cold opponent make. Fresh of getting swept in Minnesota, the Red Sox returned the favor to Atlanta, finishing off the Braves in dramatic fashion Sunday night.

The turning point, a 6-run rally with 2-outs in the eighth after Rudy Seanez helped cough up a lead in the 7th. Amazingly enough, the rally started after David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez struck out to start the inning, and was punctuated by a Kevin Youkilis home run.

The Braves still had one more rally in them, but Jonathan Papelbon came on to tomahawk chop those hopes in the 8th, before slamming the door shut in the 9th. By the way, did you check out the look on the kid’s face as he was bearing down and looking in for the signs? Papelbon already has the look of a killer down pat.

I know I’ve said it a hundred times, but what he’s doing is simply amazing. It’s unfair to compare him to Mariano Rivera, but even the great Yankees closer never had a dominant stretch like this in the regular season. (Unfortunately, he has done it a few times in the playoffs) Papelbon’s ERA is now so miniscule, his next shutout inning won’t even lower it. (Because of a rounding technicality, but still, impressive!)

The Sox send Kyle Snyder to the mound tonight against Washington. This is the same Kyle Snyder that got released by the horrible Kansas City Royals. Let’s hope the bats make some noise.

Baseball is a funny game. Try explaining the rules to someone who’s never seen it before and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

Pretty much every year of my childhood, some relative from Greece was visiting and staying at the Panagiotopoulos home in Dracut. Since we only had one television set and I controlled what was on, these poor people were stuck watching any and all sports with the obnoxious kid who changed channels so often the dial invariably broke. Eventually, the remote channel changer came along, though that led to a new set of control issues; mainly, it always has to be under my control!

Our guests were often intrigued by, and sometimes even enjoyed, “American� sports. After a few days and some instruction, they would catch on to the rules and objectives. Hockey was by far the easiest to understand for residents of a soccer crazed nation. Basketball was also relatively simple. Even football, they’d eventually get, though I think they were enthralled by the sheer brutality of it more than anything else.

Baseball on the other hand, was like speaking another language, which we actually were. If you think the concept of balls and strikes is foreign, try coming up with words to describe a “bowl� and a “strah-kee� in a language that has no use for the word.

Needless to say, why a foul is a strike in one instance but not another, or when must you touch the base for an out versus tagging the runner, were unanswered questions they took back across the Atlantic. Those, and why did the “pudgy guy� adjust his cup and spit after every single pitch?

Left out of the tutorials were a few of baseball’s zaniest rules and traditions because, well, how could I expect them to understand when I didn’t, and still don’t to this day. Perhaps it’s because I never played organized baseball. Or perhaps there simply is no logical reason for the way the game evolved. Either way, I don’t get it.

That’s why I’m asking those of you who played or coached to help out. If you know the answers to these three questions, enlighten me:

1)Why does a game called due to weather after the 5th inning resume from where it left off, while a game called before the end of the 5th completely disappears from the books as if it never existed?

2) Why is it illegal for a defensive player to block a runner at any base except the most valuable property of them all, home plate?

3) Why does baseball’s “code� allow a pitcher to drill a batter after giving up consecutive home runs, but a batter can’t charge the mound after consecutive strikeouts?

Any help with these questions or any other nonsensical baseball rules you can come up with is greatly appreciated. I’ll even forward the answers to my relatives in Greece, though I’m guessing they don’t really care now that they’re safely away from me.

Trivial Matters: The answer to last week’s Spinners trivia question; Who was the first Lowell Spinners player to win a World Series championship? David Eckstein, with the 2002 Anaheim Angels.

Congratulations to our contest winner, Melvin Cartagena from Lowell, who’s won a pair of free tickets to an upcoming game at LeLacheur Park.

This week’s question; Who was the first Lowell Spinners player to appear in Major League Baseball’s All-Star game?

Good luck!

Final Score
Red Sox 5
Braves 3

Leading Off in Style: Count me as one vote for the “Kevin Youkilis should bat leadoff� camp.

The Greek God of Walks continues to thrive in the role, starting off yesterday’s game with a home run. That’s 8-home runs now, to go with a .318 average and a .434 on base percentage.

Sure, Coco Crisp has the speed you’d ideally want in a number-1 batter. However, the old saying “you can’t steal first base� rings true for our new centerfielder. And it’s not just the .262 avg. or the .307 OBP. Crisp isn’t as patient at the plate as Youk, which gives opposing pitchers a break before the meat of the order comes up.

Youkilis is similar to Johnny Damon in terms of working a count. With his high OBP and lack of speed, he actually reminds me a lot of Wade Boggs in style as a leadoff batter, without the .380 average off course.

Did Terry Francona make the right move re-inserting Kevin Youkilis into the leadoff spot? Should it be a permanent move or should Crisp eventually return to the role when/if he gets hot?

Final Score
Red Sox 4
Braves 1

A Child Shall Lead Them: Well, that was a welcomed sight…and a much needed one, too!

Riding a 4-game losing streak, the Red Sox turned to Jon Lester and the rookie didn’t disappoint, helping end the season high skid and winning his first major league game in the process.

Lester gave the good guys all he had on a muggy night, holding the Braves to one run in 6-innings. The middle innings were a struggle, but the 22-year old lefty battled and kept the damage to a minimum. Rudy Seanez, Mike Timlin and Jonathan Papelbon fired off a scoreless inning apiece, and Boston’s Boys of Summer got back in the win column.

More importantly, Lester provided hope that he might be ready for the majors after all. I know one or two starts don’t really prove anything, but if the other option is Matt Clement or trading for another team’s failure (Kyle Lohse or Jeff Weaver), I’ll take my chances with the rook.

Now all eyes turn to Josh Beckett in hopes the big righty can get himself turned around. With Lance Cormier taking the hill for Atlanta, I’d say the Sox are in good position for a second consecutive win…wouldn’t you? And wouldn’t you rather see Lester get a shot than some re-tread starting pitcher?

Those preaching the end of the world being near saw two clear signs of the apocalypse from the sports world Friday.

At the U.S. Open, Tiger Woods missed the cut and will not participate in Saturday or Sunday’s rounds. With Tiger making his first tournament appearance since the death of his father, an off performance was to be expected.

But missing the cut? I don’t know anyone who expected that. Tiger has never before missed a cut at a major…until yesterday’s second consecutive round of 6-over par. Needless to say, the golfing community is stunned.

Note to staffers at NBC Sports; go to the corporate offices and remove all ropes, belts, shoe laces and other objects that can be tied into a noose!

Sign two of the end of the world came from the world of Soccer. Argentina beat Serbia & Montenegro 6-0. Forget for a moment that the descendants of Maradonna beat two opponents. (Serbia & Montenegro…get it?) Six goals in a World Cup Soccer match is ridiculous. The United States might not score that many in the next three World Cup tournaments combined, never mind in one game.

What does it all add up to? Well, Tiger shoots a +6 and a +6…Argentina scores 6-goals. That’s 666 for those of you keeping score at home and on the street corners of New York City.

Coming just 10-days after the calendar date June 6, 2006, aka 6/6//6, I’d say the doomsayers may have a point!

What are your thoughts on Tiger Woods missing the cut for the first time in a major? Did he come back too early? Should he have returned sooner so the tough track at Winged Foot wouldn’t be his first competitive experience? And what about the World Cup? How do the Serbs and Montes give up six goals?

It looks like a hot, muggy weekend, so stay cool and be sure to get your fill of the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com.

Friday’s sports pages feature a recap of the Red Sox getting swept away in Minnesota. The Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks are now even at 2-2 in the NBA Finals. Tiger Woods is among the big names struggling at the U.S. Open. And World Cup Soccer action is getting hot and heavy.

Locally, the high schools are well-covered. UMass-Lowell Men’s Hockey is well-represented on the Hockey East All-Academic squad. A trio of local ballplayers will take the diamond in the Eastern Mass All-Star Game. Billerica's Geoffrey Sisk leads the New England Pro Golf Tour's Vermont National Open. And Paul Daley recaps the storylines in horse racing’s Triple Crown.

Have a great weekend!

Final Score
Red Sox 3
Twins 5

Sweeping Thoughts: Getting swept by the lowly Twins has to be the low point of the season thus far, though I have a hunch we’re in for a few more before all is said and done. I don’t know if the Sox are questioning themselves, but I have a few unpleasant thoughts running through my mind:

If they can’t win for him while he’s pitching solidly, what’s going to happen to poor Tim Wakefield when he goes through one of those horrible stretches he’s known for?

Done in by Carlos “ERA in the mid-7’s� Silva and Jason “did I really just homer in 3-straight games� Kubel? I’d say Boston is in a major slump, offensively and pitching-wise.

That stadium is a crap hole! When a light, or speaker, or some other thing that doesn’t belong anywhere near fair territory in a major league ballpark interferes with play, it’s a disgrace to baseball. A home run is a home run. Don’t reward the home team for playing in a tin can!

We’re fast approaching put up or shut up time for Boston’s front office. I’ve suspected the Red Sox are in the middle of a rebuilding year since they started the process of trimming payroll, they just can’t tell you that since they’re charging the highest price in baseball. (For those of you who don’t get it yet, “payroll flexibility� is gibberish for “cutting payroll�)

Let’s see if Theo and the Trio, or whatever they call themselves these days, pay the price to help turn things around. David Riske for Javier Lopez isn’t enough. More drastic measures are needed, and frankly, I don’t think you’ll see any major upgrades coming in since it appears the current philosophy is "build for the future."

So how about it…is it panic time yet? Is it drawing closer? Are the Red Sox trying to win now or in the future?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Red Sox have completed a deal sending relief pitcher David Riske to the Chicago White Sox for Triple-A pitcher Javier Lopez.

Lopez, a lefthander, is expected to be in uniform and to be available out of the Red Sox bullpen tonight in Minnesota wearing number 48.

Riske (pictured) was 0-1 with an earned run average of 3.72, appearing in eight games for Boston this season. Over his career he has pitched 372 innings, recording 323 strikeouts while allowing 273 hits. His career ERA is 3.55.

Lopez, a 28-year-old is 2-1 with 12 saves this season 26 strikeouts in 33 innings with an ERA of 0.55 in 26 games with the White Sox minor league affiliate Charlotte Knights. He was signed as a minor-league free agent on December 20, 2005 with an invitation to spring training.

He has pitched in 171 major league games with Colorado and Arizona, is tied for fourth in the International League in saves and is tied for eighth in appearances.

This season Lopez has held lefthanded hitters to a .171 (6-35) batting average and has a groundball/flyball ratio of 64/25 (72%), the latter ranking second best in the International League and fourth best in all of professional baseball (MLB and minors) among pitchers with at least 30 innings pitched.

Lopez has not allowed a run in his last 9.1 innings over eight appearances with the Knights beginning May 25 and has earned saves in his last five and six of seven appearances.

What are your thoughts on the Sox bullpen situation?

Final Score
Red Sox 1
Twins 8

End of an Error?: Is this it? Is this how it ends? Did we see the end of the Matt Clement Era in Boston last night in Minnesota?

Maybe I’m jumping the gun, but there’s something fishy going on with this situation. For weeks, we’ve been dancing around this “is he hurt?� routine with the struggling right-hander. They kept trotting him out there every 5-days, even though the results were embarrassing and he’d sometimes leave games at weird times, including with his manager and trainer on the mound.

Over the last week, the Sox held him back a few extra days so he could work on some “things� and also to take care of “minor� arm issues. Just yesterday morning, Terry Francona sounded downright positive Clement was healthy and about to bust out a streak similar to the one he opened the 2005 season with. Then last night he leaves after another brutal performance (5 walks against the pathetic Twins…are you kidding me?) and it’s announced he’s flying back to Boston to have his arm looked at.

Now, if Clement was injured all this time, the Red Sox did him a major injustice not making the news public. If nothing else, the verbal beating this guy’s taken is painful, never mind any physical problems he might have. The injury should have been discovered sooner and he should have been disabled ASAP…it’s not like he was helping the team with his performance.

However, I’m not sure an injury is all there is to it. I think this guy might be done in Boston. Call me crazy. Call me anything you want. I don’t have any inside info or proof. But I believe this is a way of getting Clement out of the rotation for the time being, if not for good. And to me, Clement looks like a guy who no longer wants any part of this team, its media or its fan base.

His signing was a mistake to begin with. It’s time to end the Matt Clement Era for the good of both sides!

Your thoughts? Is Clement really hurt? Will he be back in the Sox rotation or have we seen the last of him?

Say one thing for the Patriots and their players…even when engaged in the dirty “business��? of sports, they still manage to do things in the right way.

The big news out of Pats mini-camp this week is the absence of wide receiver Deion Branch. It’s assumed the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX is upset about the lack of progress in his contract negotiations, so this is his way of giving the process a bit of a kick-start, much like Richard Seymour did during his holdout last year.

I say “assume��? because neither Branch, his agent, nor the Patriots are talking. And that’s what sticks out in this day and age of acrimonious contract battles. There’s no negotiating in the media…no threat of holding out for the season…no inflammatory words. Just two sides with a difference of opinions.

You’ll recall Seymour’s silent protest last year involved missing mini-camp. But the defensive lineman did show up for the Super Bowl ring ceremony at Bob Kraft’s house, kept his mouth shut and ultimately got a deal done that satisfied both sides. My best guess is the Branch situation will follow a similar path, minus the ring ceremony off course.

I would like to offer one word of warning; Branch is not Seymour. I think by now it’s obvious how much Bill Belichick values defensive lineman and how replaceable he believes wide receivers are. There is a chance Deion will tick off the Pats boss and this thing could spill over into training camp and even the regular season.

It’s generally not the way New England does business. But since nobody’s talking, there’s no way of knowing for sure whether the situation is a minor bump in the road or a major pot hole that could derail a Patriots offensive machine sorely lacking in proven wideouts.

We shall see.

What are your thoughts on Deion Branch missing mini-camp? Should he be there? Will a deal get done or will it lead to a holdout?

Final Score
Red Sox 2
Twins 5

A Call to Arms: Fantastic ballgame last night in the Twin Cities. It would have been much nicer had the Red Sox won, of course.

Curt Schilling and Johan Santana put on a mound clinic, handing over a 1-1 game to the bullpens. Unfortunately for the good guys, the Twins unit held up better in the 12th inning. There’s really not much else to say about the game itself, except when you get a pitcher’s duel like this, it’s a shame either side has to lose.

What I do want to touch on for a minute is the state of the Sox pitching staff. Right now, Terry Francona only has 5-arms he can count on…Schilling, Beckett, Wakefield, Timlin and Papelbon. (Yes, Beckett belongs in that group!) That’s simply not enough to survive 162-games in the American League East.

Theo Epstein needs to get re-enforcements and he needs them now before the heat and long schedule start to take their toll on even the guys we can count on. Timlin has already made one trip to the DL. Another won’t be out of the question if that old arm continues to be overworked.

The needs are everywhere…4th and 5th starters that can give Francona at least 6-innings…long relief for those occasions when they don’t…and middle reliever/set-up guys who can make Julian Tavarez and Rudy Seanez obsolete.

That’s my wish list…what’s yours? Can the Sox survive the season without more pitching help?

The sports action in the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com is as hot as the weather on this hump day.

It’s another North Sectional title for the Lowell High softball squad. Carmine Frongillo has the story of last night’s 9-4 win over Peabody. Lynn Worthy crosses state lines to report on Bishop Guertin’s heartbreaking title game loss to Manchester Memorial.

Elsewhere, the Lowell All-Americans improve to 2-0 in NECBL play. The Red Sox drop a tough one against Minnesota in extra innings. Miami pulls within a game of Dallas in the NBA Finals. World Cup Soccer action heats up. And the local golf scene is set in this week’s Golf Roundup.

I’m not sure who had a worse day Monday…Ben Roethlisberger or U.S.A. Soccer. I’m going with the “footballers,� because the Steelers quarterback at least has a chance to recover.

Look, I’m no big soccer expert…never claimed to be…never really want to be. But much like when the Olympics come around every 4-years, I root-root-root for the home team to do well. A 3-nil loss in which the opening goal was scored 5-minutes into the match isn't exactly going to promote national pride.

Those who do love the game know the only way it will truly take off in this country is if the Americans make a serious bid at one of these World Cups. I’m not talking about a “hey, they played great…made it to the quarterfinals and gave Germany a scare� bid, but a legitimate title run that results in either a championship or championship game loss. Short of that, I’m afraid our soccer friends will have to settle for secondary sports status, somewhere between ice hockey and women’s softball.

I could go into a litany of reasons why this is so…lack of scoring, lack of action, ridiculously ancient rules…but I’ll save that for another time. For now all you need to know about soccer in the U.S. is that on the day the national team made its 2006 World Cup debut, a motorcycle accident involving the cement-headed QB of the defending Super Bowl champions was the top story. Enough said!

Speaking about cement-heads, any Pittsburgh folk out there care to explain how the near death of your star player leads to a hospital vigil complete with tailgate parties and such? And when did Whoopi Goldberg become a Steelers fan?

How about you soccer moms and dads…will the sport ever catch on beyond the high school and kiddie level? What will it take?

The sun has shown up two days in a row, which constitutes a winning streak this month. Luckily for you, the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com always provide a winning sports page.

Tuesday’s edition is loaded with high school tournament action. Carmine Frongillo recaps Ayer High’s loss in the Central Mass baseball final while James Albert has Concord-Carlisle upending Tewksbury in Division 2 North softball action. The rest of the high school slate is also well-covered.

On the national front, the Carolina Hurricanes and all their former Lock Monsters stand one victory away from the Stanley Cup. The Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat gear up for Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Preparations are underway for this week’s U.S. Open Golf Championships. You can also read the frightening details of Ben Roethlisberger’s motorcycle accident and catch up on the lowlights of the U.S.A.’s 3-0 opening loss in World Cup Soccer action.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Just because the Red Sox were off last night doesn’t mean there wasn’t baseball being played. The Lowell All-Americans of the New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) started their season with a victory in their home opener last night at Stoklosa Alumni Field.

Started in 1994, the NECBL is a twelve team league that plays in all six New England states and recruits players college players from across the country. The players must have have completed one year of athletic eligibility and have at least one year of eligibility remaining. The League starts play in June and plays an eight-week 42 game schedule.

Several players who will be playing haven’t reported to their teams yet because of the quick turnaround between the end of their college seasons and the beginning of the NECBL season. Lowell manager Ken Connerty, who is also the Tyngsboro High School baseball coach, was just a couple weeks removed from the end of the high school season when the All-Americans tossed the first pitch last night.

Connerty, a long-time assistant coach at UMass Lowell under Jim Stone and a member of the, coached the Concord Quarry Dogs of the NECBL last summer.

He’s not the only local participant familiar with the league as UMaine’s Bobby Brown, a Chelmsford resident, played last year for the All-Americans.

“The first game is always exciting because you get to see what everybody can do, and everyone did real good today,� said Brown, who ended his college season about a week and a half ago. “We got Jake [Hale] from Ohio State who I think just came in today actually and pitched real good. The first day is a fun day. The first week or so is fun because you get to know everybody and everybody is having fun.�

For guys like Hale, making their first go-round is an almost entirely new situation. After last night’s game he said he really wasn’t sure what to expect when he drove in from Ohio.

“I didn’t know a whole lot about anything about this, but I have played against wood bats before. So it wasn’t anything new with the wood bats, and it also helped me that none of these people from other teams have ever seen me, � Hale said after getting the win last night. “At Ohio State you have people scouting. Coming here nobody had seen me so your stuff is going to be even better.�

Local players featured on the All-Americans roster are Brown, infielder Anthony Santos (UMass Amherst) of Chelmsford, pitcher Pete Nickerson (UMass Lowell) of Dracut, shortstop Sean Patno (UMass Lowell) of Chelmsford, and UMass Lowell outfielder Tim Manton.

Also, last night’s starting pitcher Adam Cole (Harvard University) played his high school baseball at Lincoln-Sudbury competing against local Dual County League teams such as Acton-Boxboro, Concord-Carlisle, and Westford.

News Flash: David Stern says he’s appalled at the development system for American basketball players. The NBA Commissioner believes the way things currently work, with sneaker companies and AAU teams dominating the process, is putting the focus on flash over fundamentals.

Teddy’s Take: The leader of the NBA complaining about a lack of fundamentals is kind of like Osama Bin Laden complaining the New York City skyline isn’t as beautiful as it used to be.

Perhaps Mr. Stern should take a long, close look in the mirror. He might find nothing has contributed more to the demise of American basketball than the style of play the NBA has glorified and promoted the last 20-years.

Question Mr. Commissioner: How on earth do you expect kids to learn the importance of fundamentals when for the better part of two decades you’ve allowed your league to completely disregard them?

Why should a young hoop star focus on developing a jump shot when an NBA star is allowed to palm the ball or travel at will on the way to the hoop? Why should he bother learning to move without the ball when your league destroys that concept by allowing defenders to clutch and grab like an offensive lineman during a goal-line play? And for heaven’s sake, why would he want to play a team game when you and your television partners promote individual players till we refer to them only by their first names?

Are hoop players today better athletes than their predecessors? You betcha! Are they better players? Maybe? Is the game better? Not a chance!!!

You’re right about one thing Mr. Commissioner; the Europeans and South Americans are doing a better job of teaching fundamentals. You know why? Because in their pro leagues, fundamentals (also known as the way the game SHOULD be played) actually matter. That’s how they’ve managed to embarrass your so-called “Dream Teams� at the most recent World Championships and Olympics. They’re no longer in awe of your players. They’re laughing at them!

Oh…one more thing for you to fix. Ask the Europeans how they manage to shoot free throws like your stars of yesteryear did. Perhaps then you could teach the face of your league the last 10-years (Shaq) to hit at least 50% of his in the playoffs!

Awww…never mind. You wouldn’t want to jeopardize all the corporate money you’ve made off of him, would you? Letting the audience know the magician’s tricks begin and end with plowing through defenders and dunking over them is bad business, isn’t it?

Oh well. At least he doesn’t palm the ball on his way there!

Trivia Time: Tremendous response to our Lowell Spinners trivia contest, with answers coming in from all over the country.

The correct answer to last week’s question; who was the first Lowell Spinner to play in the major leagues? Wilton Veras, who played for the “Baby Sox� in 1996 and got called up to the parent club July 1, 1999.

Congratualations to our winner; Richard Paquette from Saint Joseph, Missouri, who plans on giving the tickets to his brother here in Lowell.

Now on to this week’s question; Who was the first Lowell Spinners player to win a World Series championship?

Good luck!

What are your thoughts on the current state of the NBA? Who's to blame for the lack of fundamentals the David Stern is talking about? Is the league going to rebound or continue its downward spiral?

While admiring the sun on this beautiful Monday, check out the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com sports pages.

Chaz Scoggins has more on the Red Sox doubleheader split against Texas. The Dallas Mavericks take a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals. Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals is on tap tonight in Edmonton, while World Cup Soccer action heats up across the pond.

Closer to home, Carmine Frongillo has Tewksbury on the way to the Division 2 North Softball finals. You can also catch up on the rest of the high school slate. And the New England Riptide split their twinbill against Chicago.

Final Score
Rangers 4
Red Sox 5

Final Score
Rangers 13
Red Sox 6

Papi & Pitching: Yet again, the saying about momentum only being as good as the next day’s starting pitcher is proven correct. Unfortunately, the Red Sox only had to wait a couple of hours to have it confirmed.

It was hoped David Ortiz’ walk-off blast (stop me if you’ve heard that before) could propel the Sox to a doubleheader sweep of the Rangers. Too bad David Pauley couldn’t build on it, getting slapped around in the nightcap, so much so that John “Way Back� Wasdin actually got a win. Also, can someone explain to me exactly why Keith Foulke wasn’t placed on the disabled list?

Oh well, let’s not focus on the negative. A doubleheader sweep would have been nice, but in reality, Boston’s Boys of Summer were lucky not to be on the working end of the broom. For that we can thank Big Papi, who came through with a great at bat against Texas closer Akinori Otsuka.

Ortiz had fallen in the hole, battled back and just barely fouled off what would have been strike three. Once that happened, you almost got the feeling a blast was coming (I know I did) and sure enough, the best clutch hitter in the game delivered in style.

Anyone really surprised Ortiz went yard in that situation? Can you think of another player you’d want at the plate in that situation? What is it about Big Papi that allows him to continuously pull off those last game heroics?

Final Score
Rangers 7
Red Sox 4

Test Results; Incomplete: Those hoping for a definitive answer to whether Jon Lester could solve the Red Sox starting pitching woes sometime soon will have to wait a bit longer.

Lester looked decent at times…struggled at others…and in the end turned in a totally mediocre performance for the short time he was out there…In other words, exactly what you’d expect of a 22-year old kid who was rushed to the majors.

My assessment, for the little it’s worth; Lester has pretty good stuff, but he’s too inexperienced to trust it and know how to use it properly at this point. That’s why he threw 102-pitches in only 4 1/3 innings while walking four. Perhaps the Rangers weren’t the ideal offense to throw him in against, but it was probably a better alternative than starting him at Yankee Stadium.

Whether it’s Lester or David Pauley who sticks from this point on is the interesting question. My take…go with Pauley and let your better prospect develop in the minors where he belongs, away from the glare of the spotlight and the pressure of a pennant race.

What are your thoughts on Jon Lester’s debut? Pleased? Disappointed? Should the Sox go with Lester or Pauley as a 5th starter? Or should they keep both and put Matt Clement out of his misery?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

She plays, she coaches, she doesn't leap tall buildings in a single bound, but she might be able to design one. Enjoli Edwards, a senior at UMass Lowell will be profiled NCAA On Campus on Fox Sports New England Monday, June 12, at 3:00.

The feature follows Edwards' senior year. This past school year (2005-06) Edwards was a women’s basketball assistant coach following a four-year playing career, and was a very successful thrower in both indoor and outdoor track and field, all while majoring in civil engineering.

Seeded 17th at the NCAA Track and Field Championship two weeks ago, Edwards placed second with a career-best throw of 48 feet, 8.0 inches to earn All-American honors. A two-year starter and captain on the women’s basketball team, Edwards capped her career ranking among UML’s top 10 leaders in field goal accuracy (fourth, .495) and steals (fifth, 190). In 2002-03, she helped UML to a 23-8 record, the Northeast-10 Tournament final as well as the NCAA Tournament.

NCAA On Campus will air again on Friday, June 16 at 1:30, also on FSNE.

Oh my God! They killed Luciano Pavarotti…you bastards!!!

Pardon the South Park humor and I would never take delight in a human being's death, but I simply can’t muster any feelings other than joy at this barbarian’s death. The world is a better place today without Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi!

Now then...tell me he doesn't look like Pavarotti in this picture. I dare you!

Final Score
Rangers 3
Red Sox 4

Papelbon is no Nadia Comaneci: Seems our closer isn’t a perfect ten after all. I say we start a nationwide search for a new arm to finish out games!

On a more serious note, I think I was even more impressed with the way young Mr. Papelbon handled his first blown save than any of the previous ones he got. Rather than fall apart, like countless other relief pitchers do after giving up a lead, the 25-year old “rookie� hunkered down and got out of the 8th. Then all he did after being given another lead is strike out three Rangers to slam the door shut in the 9th.

Better yet, Papelbon looked downright angry after blowing the save and came back with even filthier stuff in the final frame. The temperament he displayed and the way he responded bode well for the future.

Editor’s note: You may have noticed an error message when trying to respond to previous posts. The problem is on our end, so don’t go taking a sledgehammer to those hard drives just yet. Rest assured, we’ll have things back up and running ASAP.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Boston Celtics will have a familiar face helping to guide the development of their young players. That face belongs to former Celtics guard Dennis Johnson.

The NBA announced on Thursday the affiliation system with the clubs in the NBA’s Developmental League (D-League) and starting next year the Celtics players assigned to the D-League will play for the Austin Toros who are coached by Johnson.

Johnson, a guard acquired by the Celtics in a trade with the Phoenix Suns, played in Boston from 1983 until 1990. His Celtic career included NBA titles in 1984 and 1986. He averaged 12.6 points per game 6.4 assists per game with the Celtics in seven seasons. Those numbers went up to 16.5 points per game and 6.8 assists per game in the playoffs.

The San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets will also continue their previous affiliations with the Toros next season.

NBA teams can assign players to the D-League during their first two seasons. Nineteen teams assigned 29 players to D-League squads last season, including the Boston Celtics 18th overall selection Gerald Green as well as forward/center Dwayne Jones acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the seven-player trade involving Ricky Davis, Mark Blount, and Wally Szczerbiak.

Last season the Celtics sent players to both the Fayetteville Patriots and the Florida Flame.

While wondering if we’ll ever see the sun again, keep in mind that the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com always make an appearance.

Friday’s edition is heavy on horse racing. Paul Daley provides his Belmont picks and talks with trainer Rick Violette, a ULowell graduate saddling High Finance in tomorrow’s race. Violette also handicaps the field for those interested in placing a little wager.

Elsewhere, the Lowell All-Americans prepare for the start of another NECB baseball season…The Way We Were tracks the Lowell Sun’s pages through the years…and a weather abbreviated high school slate is also recapped.

Have a great weekend!

Final Score
Red Sox 9
Yankees 3

Definition of “Stopper�: "Stopper" is a term that doesn’t seem to be used as much as it used to. For the most part, it’s been replaced by “Ace.�

I used it here because what Curt Schilling did last night was exactly what a “stopper� is supposed to do. When your team isn’t playing well…when the momentum and breaks are going against you…a “stopper� climbs the hill and puts an end to it, even when he doesn’t necessarily have his “A� game.

Schilling continued to give up the long ball (3 to be exact), but was nearly flawless besides that. It only took him 96-pitches to get through 8-innings (don’t for a second underestimate the importance of that with a boatload of games coming up over the weekend) and kept the Yankees in check until the Sox bats finally awakened in the clutch.

There were many occasions where I thought to myself; “self, what would Josh Beckett do if so-and-so happened?� Chances are the results would have been much different because Beckett simply doesn’t have Schilling’s know-how on the mound. That’s why a young guy with electric stuff has so many bad outings, while a veteran with fading stuff can be 9-3 and still be called a “Stopper.�

Hope Beckett was paying attention in class!

What are your thoughts on Curt Schilling’s performance last night? Is he still the “Ace� or “Stopper� of this staff? Will Josh Beckett ever reach that level?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Yankees will be without their nine-time all-star right fielder at least until September according to reports out today.

Sheffield, who was batting .309 through the first 30 games, will have surgery to repair a torn ligament in his wrist, but Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told the Associated Press that Sheffield is not expected to miss the rest of the season.

New York is also without left fielder Hideki Matsui who injured his wrist against the Red Sox back on May 11.

Rookie Melky Cabrera and Bernie Williams have been filling in the open spots in the outfield for the Yankees.

Cabrera comes into tonight’s game hitting .286 with 12 RBI in 25 games. Williams, who was a designated hitter for a large portion of the season prior to the injuries, is batting .265 and has 26 RBI through 50 games. The latest on Sheffield

Once more, the high schools take center stage in the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com. And once more, Mother Nature wreaks havoc with the tournament schedule.

Elsewhere, David Pevear pitches in with a story on Billerica native Steve Richard, selected in the 8th round of major league baseball’s draft by the Seattle Mariners. Dennis Whitton chimes in with an overrated/underrated column. Joe McCreedy shoots for victory number-6 at the Mohegan Sun boxing ring. And Thom Ring checks in with all the auto racing news in this week’s Around the Tracks.

Suddenly, major league baseball isn’t laughing at its joke of a steroid testing policy.

The loophole that allows players to use Human Growth Hormone (HGH) will be sewn shut in the very near future thanks to the arrest of Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Jason Grimsley and the fact he sang like a bad American Idol contestant.

In just released affidavits, Grimsley gave federal authorities names of other players who’ve used performance enhancing drugs in the past and admitted he switched to HGH after baseball enacted its new drug testing policy because it does not include testing for HGH. (You don’t think he’s the only one, do you?)

One reason pro sports teams do not screen for the substance is because there is not currently a reliable way to test that does not involve examining blood. As we all know, the powerful players unions are loathe to allow any blood testing whatsoever. Now, they won’t have a choice.

As with the previous steroid testing agreement, the driving force will be the federal government. Congressional hearings forced the union to accept steroid testing last year and Donald Fehr and company will have no choice but to comply with demands for more stringent rules once the government forces them to. As arrogant as the players are, they’re smart enough to know which battles they can and can’t win.

But they are not the only guilty party. Grimsley’s admissions to prosecutors about the use of “greenies� and the fact they were distributed in clubhouse coffee containers marked “leaded� or “unleaded� is affirmation that players, ownership, management and training staff all turned a blind eye to the situation. It was exactly as Jose Canseco said in his book, and you can bet steroid use was just another dirty little secret everyone in the game knew about.

It’s easy to vilify Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Palmeiro and the rest of the gang. Just remember, they were only part of a massive culture that not only didn’t do anything to stop the bastardization of baseball’s cherished history, but in many ways encouraged it. Baseball apologists have been quick to praise today’s game as undergoing a rebirth now that the steroid situation has been taken care of. On the contrary, it’s just beginning.

Rest assured, “Grimsley� will be an even bigger blow to the game than BALCO. Once those black marks in the affidavits are removed, it will create more black eyes for a sport reeling from years of internal neglect.

Sleep well Mr. Giambi!

What’s your take on the Grimsley arrest? Can the players union possibly maintain its anti-blood testing stance when the dust settles from this situation? How much of a joke is Bud Selig for not taking a stand against steroid and HGH use from the beginning?

Final Score
Red Sox 1
Yankees 2

Pauley Wanna Cracker: Couldn’t resist using that one!

In all seriousness, what the David Pauley did last night was almost heroic. Not only did he pitch great, but he saved the bullpen. No wonder Terry Francona looked like he wanted to adopt the kid right there on the spot.

I know it was a loss, but in many ways, last night felt like a “W�. That was one we assumed was in the loss column to begin with, and Boston’s Boys of Summer almost pulled it off. Were it not for Melky Cabrera, they might have. (Betcha Hideki Matsui doesn’t make that play!)

Pauley certainly earned another start, and possibly a more long-term spot in the rotation. David Wells might be done…Matt Clement should be…who knows what Jon Lester will give them…and I don’t foresee any big names on the trade horizon…so Pauley may be here for a while.

Now I have to give the Yankees their due. They’re winning despite a ton of injuries. That said, their fans are acting like this is the end of the run. Every meaningless home run is an invitation for some aging slugger to come back out of the dugout for a bow. To quote a certain football coach who made his bones in New Jersey; “Act like you’ve been there before!�

What’s with all the curtain calls? Are they at a ballgame or the opera? And what exactly are you cheering Giambi for? For admitting he was a cheat or for finding a way to beat the system again?

Sad news to report on the Jennie Finch front:

The biggest name in softball will not be making the trip to the Mill City with her Chicago Bandits teammates. Finch, who recently gave birth to a baby, was advised by doctors not to travel due to health concerns.

Wait…the news gets worse. The 4-game series against the Riptide is the only time Finch and the Bandits are scheduled to play in Lowell.

Sigh!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Day one of the MLB Draft has concluded and several baseball players who made stops in LeLacheur Park this past season.

The Northeast-10 Conference provided several first-day draft picks for Major League Baseball organizations.

Regular season NE-10 champions Franklin Pierce (UMass Lowell won the tournament title) had three players selected, the most in the program’s history.

Junior All-American Garrett Olson was selected fourth round (126th overall) by the Minnesota Twins (the highest draft pick in program history). Shawn Hayes was selected in the fifth round (142nd overall) in the 2005 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals.

The Arizona Diamondbacks drafted junior right-hander Daniel Fournier in the 11th round (327 overall), marking the two highest picks in the same year in program history. Another junior right-hander, Shane Presutti made it a record three picks on day one (and overall) when he was selected by the Oakland A’s in the 12th round (368 overall).

The three picks surpasses Franklin Pierce’s previous best of two selections in one season last year when Hayes and relief pitcher Matt Fisher (15th round, Tampa Bay) were both taken on day one.

The Ravens nine picks since 2001 are tied with the University of Connecticut for second among New England Colleges and Universities behind Boston College (15).

Pace University also had a pair of pitchers selected on the draft’s first day in junior left-hander David Qualben and junior right-hander Bryan Hallberg. The Houston Astros used their 7th round pick (219th overall) to take Qualben and their 12th round pick (369th overall) to take Hallberg.

Qualben landed on the Northeast-10 Conference 2nd Team after posting a 7-3 record with a 2.37 earned-run-average. He finished the year with 80 strikeouts in 68.1 innings pitched while holding opponents to just 51 hits.

During the regular season he posted 14-strikeout performances in wins over UMass Lowell and American International. He also passed teammate Matt Reilly in career strikeouts, taking over the top spot with 196 in three seasons. Against NE-10 teams, Qualben was 3-2, including three consecutive wins, with a 1.64 ERA.

Hallberg was a Northeast-10 Conference All Academic 1st Team selection after posting a 6-3 record with a 2.53 ERA while striking out 78 batters over 78.1 innings pitched and holding teams to 29 runs on 52 hits. Among the NE-10 leaders, Hallberg ranked 4th in opponent's batting average (.183), 7th in batters struck out looking (20), tied for 3rd in games started (11), 6th in innings pitched, and 4th in strikeouts.

The sports news flies in hot & heavy in today’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com.

If you want to torture yourself, you can relive last night’s Red Sox loss in New York. More bad news regarding former UMass-Lowell goalie Dwayne Roloson, now out of the Stanley Cup finals with a knee injury. U.S. Open qualifying provides disappointment for Michelle Wie as well, though the 16-year old gave it a pretty good run.

On the school front, David Pevear catches up with Central Catholic hurdler Zac Camacho, fresh off his 2nd place finish in the state championships. If you want to know how the rest of the high school athletes fared, we’ve got you covered right here.

It’s not too often you get a press release with a picture attached. Then again, it’s not too often you get a sporting event featuring someone as photogenic as Jennie Finch.

Softball’s most popular player makes her New England debut this week when the New England Riptide host Finch and the Chicago Bandits in a 4-game series at Martin Field in Lowell, beginning Thursday night. And the Riptide front office and P.R. staff is doing it’s best to cash in on Finch’s star appeal.

Jennie won’t be very hard to find. She’ll be the one everyone(especially the boys) is looking at and talking about. When she’s not busy being the face of women’s softball, she'll also pitche and play 1st base for the Bandits. She’s pretty good at it to boot.

Check out these impressive credentials: 14-0, 0.88 ERA, .309 AVG, 6-HR and 22-RBI’s for Chicago in 2005. U.S. Olympic gold medal winner in 2004. 2-Time college Player of the Year. 3-time All-America. Holder of an NCAA record 60-consecutive wins and University of Arizona all-time home run leader with 50.

In a sad indictment of the male species, those stats have nothing to do with why the Riptide can expect their largest attendance figures ever this week and why I will be making an appearance at Thursday’s game to bring you a taste of what’s sure to be an electric atmosphere for a women’s pro softball game.

However, I will tell you that I’ve actually done a feature on the Riptide in the past, and the softball action itself is amazing. This is no slow-pitch beer league that some of you play in. While checking out Finch, try to imagine yourself at the plate as she, or any of the other hurlers, fires the ball at you from such a close distance. It’s scary, but it’s also a pretty good event to take in and at a pretty reasonable price.

Check it out this week and don’t forget to support the home team. Who knows, you might even go back for seconds after Jennie Finch has left town!

For more info, visit www.neriptide.com

Anybody out there planning to attend the games this weekend? If so, be honest…is it because of Jennie Finch’s presence? Have any of you been to a Riptide game in the past? If so, what did you think?

Final Score
Red Sox 5
Yankees 13

Quick, Call an Exorcist: I think the devil in Matt Clement has taken over Josh Beckett’s body!

Not to insinuate Beckett is as bad as Clement…somewhere in that body lies a good pitcher. Heck, it was only a couple of weeks ago he was an early season Cy Young frontrunner, as ridiculous as those types of discussions can be in May. I’m sure he’ll have a lot more good than bad performances over the rest of the year, especially when he starts facing the Royals of the world.

But what I find very surprising is how bad he can look when he’s off. Most good pitchers can at least minimize the damage when they’re struggling and if not keep their team in the game, at least save the bullpen by scuffling for 5-6 innings.

Not this kid…when he’s bad, he’s very bad! How he could basically pitch batting practice to a decimated Yankees lineup is beyond me. I know he’s young and all, but by this point in his career he should at least know how to pitch when he doesn’t have his best stuff. With David Pauley on the mound tonight, it would have been nice if Beckett could have at least sucked it up, given Terry Francona 5-innings and saved a relief pitcher or two for the next game.

Oh well, I guess we’re finding out why he’s never been able to put it together for an entire season. Like I said, the 5.27 ERA will get better, but I’m not so sure this big Texan is the top of rotation material we thought he’d be.

OK Yankee fans…here’s your chance to gloat. Let us have it!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The most recent cause for uneasiness in these parts is the shaky state of the Red Sox starting rotation.

What is the plan of attack? Who is the next guy to shoulder the hopes of a rabid fan base? Has the time finally come for “potential� and “talent� to cease being buzz words and actually take shape?

A Nation waits with bated breath, the anticipation and anxiety leaving fans with just enough strength to dial sports radio and provide their own answers.

The most talked about arms since Hulk Hogan’s 24-inch pythons are being sheltered in the minor leagues and folks are salivating over the idea that Red Sox pitching prospects Jon Lester (pictured) and Craig Hansen could finally be gearing up for their big-league debuts.

David Pauley made the jump from Double-A Portland last week against the Toronto Blue Jays, giving up 11 hits and six runs over 4 1/3 innings. He’ll get another shot in Yankee Stadium on tonight, but as far as Red Sox Nation is concerned, he’s holding up the show.

The clock has been ticking since the word got out that the Red Sox were looking to stretch out minor league reliever Craig Hansen, last year’s highly-touted draft pick. The implication being that the Red Sox may have eyes on Hansen as a starter now that Jon Papelbon has set up camp in the bullpen.

On the other hand, for a while Lester has been talked about as a guy that the Red Sox want to end up in their rotation sooner than later. This season he is 3-4 with a 2.70 earned run average and 43 strikeouts. He's allowed 43 hits and 14 earned runs in 46.2 innings with Pawtucket.

Reports indicate that Lester’s pitching schedule has been adjusted so as to allow him to pitch last night and presumably be ready for a Red Sox doubleheader on Saturday against the Texas Rangers. He pitched four scoreless innings against the Indianapolis Indians last night.

It also appears that David Wells may be ready to make a return from the disabled list and start a game next week. So it could be a one shot deal for Lester, Hansen, or whoever makes a start this weekend.

In the meantime, the Yankees junior varsity lineup without Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, or Gary Sheffield completely ate up the number two guy in the rotation, Josh Beckett. The Yankees scored 8 runs and launched two homers in 1 1/3 innings against Beckett with Red Sox pitchers gave up a total of 13 runs on 11 hits and walked 10 batters.

And tonight they’re trotting out the rookie from Double-A?

If nothing else Sox fans will be able to count on at least one positive coming away from the recent pitching woes: At least one of the prized minor leaguer pitchers will remain untainted.

What are your thoughts? Should the Red Sox have gone to their top-flight young pitchers sooner? Which guy in the minors do you think could make the biggest impact?

I’ve been a real jerk.

Since starting at TheSunBlog.com, I’ve lambasted everyone from the Red Sox and the Patriots to Barbara Streisand and Anna Nicole Smith.

In my Tuesday column alone, I’ve insulted moms and dads, Tiger Woods, politicians, Blanche from the Club Diner, marathon runners, auto racing fans, animal lovers, myself, and pretty much every other species known to inhabit the earth.

So what follows may shock you. I’m actually going to do something nice for a change. Well, make that my friends at the Lowell Sun and I are going to do something nice.

Beginning today and running each week through the end of June, we’re going to give one lucky person two tickets to the hottest show in the Merrimack Valley…the Lowell Spinners.

And you want to know the best part? It won’t cost you a thing! All it takes is access to the internet and a little bit of effort. Here’s what you have to do:

Log onto TheSunBlog.com where you will see the homepage for Sports Talk with Teddy Panos. (Hint: it’s the page containing a picture of the goofy looking guy in a Red Sox hat. If you're already here, chances are you've seen it)

Underneath it is a link for the Spinners Tickets Giveaway, a snazzy looking logo put together by the hard working folks in the internet department. (I had to give them a plug…you have no idea what they put up with dealing with me!) Click on that link and an entry form pops up.

Here’s where you really have to work hard (wink, wink). Fill in the blanks with your contact info (don’t worry…we won’t stalk you) and in the box that says “Answer,� answer the trivia question relating to the Spinners at the top of the form.

Each Monday, we’ll gather all the correct answers, randomly select a winner and announce his or her name in Tuesday’s Lowell Sun. Then, we’ll start the process over again with a new question and give you a week to send us your answer.

Now I know they say "beware of Greeks bearing gifts," but trust me, it really is that simple!

O.K. then! Are you ready? We start off with an easy one. Here’s this week’s Spinners trivia question:

Who was the first Lowell Spinner to play in the major leagues?

Head back to TheSunBlog homepage to enter.

Good luck!

News Flash: The Patriots trade wide receiver Bethel Johnson to the Saints for defensive lineman Johnathan Sullivan. New Orleans selected Sullivan with the #6 overall pick in the 2003 draft.

Teddy’s Take: This is the classic “maybe a change of scenery will do them good� trade for both sides.

While occasionally making some spectacular plays, the speedy Johnson never really lived up to his potential and always seemed to be in Bill Belichick’s doghouse. Anyone surprised by his departure simply hasn’t been paying attention.

The Saints were just as frustrated with the 6-foot-3, 315-pound Sullivan, especially after trading two first-rounders to move up and draft him. Last year, he had 34-tackles and one sack, which gave him a whopping 1 ½ sacks for his career.

Still, one thing Bill Belichick knows about is defensive linemen, so if Sullivan is ever going to live up to his draft status, this is the place to do it. Considering all they gave up was a receiver who wasn’t in the plans, it’s a pretty good gamble.

That’s my take…what’s yours? Sad to see Bethel go? Does anyone think he’ll flourish in another place and system?

The school boys and girls pretty much take control of the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com sports pages this Monday.

Carmine Frongillo hits another home run with Lowell High’s softball, focusing on the Hebert sisters who’ve pitched the Red Raiders into the North Sectional quarterfinals.

Other featured matchups include Lowell Catholic also advancing in softball play...Billerica knocking Beverly out of the boy’s lacrosse tourney… top-seeded Concord-Carlisle advancing in boy’s tennis action…Lowell and Andover prepping for a showdown on the girls’ courts…and Bishop Guertin baseball advancing in Class L action across state lines. The rest of the high school slate is covered here.

Finally, Lynn Worthy rates a front page story with his look at Chelmsford's Keith Aucoin, a former Lowell Lock Monster and current member of the Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup roster.

Final Score
Red Sox 8
Tigers 3

Power Surge: Boston’s booming bats (like the alliteration?) carried the Sox through the Tigers and back into first place. Alex Gonzalez, David Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis and Manny Ramirez cleared the fences and Matt Clement turned in a solid outing.

Of course, the enigmatic righty couldn’t make it a completely positive day, pulling himself out of the ballgame in the middle of an at bat with his manager and trainer out there looking at him. Something’s up with this guy, but I can’t quite get a handle on it yet. I’m willing to bet this situation comes to a boil at some point in the very near future…whether it’s an injury, personality clash, whatever it is…this inconsistency or drama can’t continue much longer.

Anyway, it’s on to the Bronx and four games against a banged-up Evil Empire. No Sheffield…no Matsui…Jeter very questionable after getting hit in the hand yesterday…Rivera missing the entire weekend with a bad back…Posada and Damon hurting.

It would behoove the Red Sox to play well and try to put some distance between them in case the Yanks get healthy. Then again with such an old roster, perhaps the very real possibility exists the Bombers won’t ever be completely healthy until they infuse their roster with a lot of youth. Either way, having them hover so close in the standings is an uncomfortable feeling.

What do you think gang? Can one team take 3-of-4 or are we looking at a split and a continuation of the Sox-Yankees splitting their season series evenly?

There’ll be a first time champion in the NBA this year. The finals are now set, not only with a pair of teams that haven’t won a title before, but two that have never even made it to the final round.

Astute readers of this site will recall my saying Kobe would win another championship before Shaq. Right now, that proclamation is looking shakier than President Bush’s “mission accomplished� vow on the aircraft carrier.

While O’Neal is still a force to be reckoned with, Dwyane Wade is really the engine that drives Miami. He was incredible in that Pistons series, consistently knocking down shots while being knocked down, battered and bruised by a Pistons team that simply had no other answer for the fast-rising superstar.

Dallas has a mega-star of it’s own in Dirk Nowitsky. The David Hasselhoff fan willed his team to victory over San Antonio and Phoenix, and now must legitimately be included in any “best player in the game� discussion. As much as I love what Paul Pierce has become, it still makes me cringe to think the big German almost slipped down to the Celtics, getting scooped up just one pick before the Green were up.

Other interesting angles include Pat Riley (I really would hate to see him celebrate another title, but you have to give the devil his due), Mark Cuban (another guy that’s tough to root for but who rebuilt the Mavs from soft to tough on the fly), and Antoine Walker (was sometimes a pain in the behind but was always very likeable).

My initial gut was Miami in six. Then I saw the Vegas line that has Dallas as a pretty good favorite (the oddsmakers are usually right on about this kind of stuff), remembered that it’s actually the Mavericks with the home court advantage (tied the Spurs for overall best record) and quickly changed course.

The pick is now Dallas in seven, though don’t go taking out a second mortgage on it. Either way, it should be a great conclusion to what has been an outstanding NBA post-season, the best I can remember since the Celtics, Lakers and Sixers used to rule the league.

That’s my take…what’s yours? Who will win? Who’s the best player in this series? Who are you rooting for? Who are you rooting against?

Final Score
Red Sox 2
Tigers 6

Hard Luck Loser: If he’s so inclined to visit them, Tim Wakefield might want to stay out of the casinos for a little while.

The Sox knuckleballer can’t catch a break, losing yet again despite pitching another strong ballgame. Wakefield surrendered only 3-runs in 7-innings of work, but the offense again failed to help him out. As a result, Wake drops to 4-7 on the season and appears destined to post a losing record due to lack of support.

Sunday’s game against the Tigers marks game 54, officially the 1/3 point of the season. Boston’s Boys of Summer are now ½ game behind New York in the AL East, with a 4-game set coming up in the Bronx.

One other note; The Sox top pitching prospect, Jon Lester, is lined up to make his major league debut during Saturday’s doubleheader against Texas. Do you think the 22-year old lefty is being rushed?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Workouts continued in Waltham this week for potential draft picks. Today the Celtics brought in several post players, including Duke forward Sheldon Williams, a 6’9� 250-pound forward from Forest Park, Oklahoma. He averaged 18.4 points per game for the Blue Devils as a senior and he was the National Defensive Player of the Year in 2004-05. Friday NC State's Cedric Simmons, Clemson's Akin Akingbala, Notre Dame's Torin Francis, and Boston University's Kevin Gardner made visits. Last week the Celtics brought in UConn point guard Marcus Williams who some tout as the best point guard prospect in the draft. He missed the early part of this past season (his junior year) after a suspension related to an off-court incident including the theft of laptop computers.

Perking up after surgery
Boston Celtics center Kendrick Perkins had arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder on Tuesday. Perkins dislocated his shoulder during off-season workouts in Waltham last Thursday. He did speak with members of the press this week. The third-year man missed several games after a similar shoulder injury in February this past season. Perkins played in 68 games for the Celtics in 2005-06 (40 starts) and averaged 5.2 points per game, 5.9 rebounds per game and 1.54 blocks per game. His injury along with Al Jefferson’s ankle injury paved the way for rookie Ryan Gomes out of Providence College to get on the court and earn a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Hot fun in the summer time for five vets
When the Toshiba Vegas Summer League gets into swing from July 6-14, Gerald Green, Orien Greene, Ryan Gomes, Al Jefferson and Dwayne Jones will be among the participants. Other teams slated to appear in Vegas this summer include the Minnesota Timberwolves, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers.

Why can’t we get guys like these
The Miami Heat won the Eastern Conference title with a victory last night over the Detroit Pistons, which means former Celtic Antoine Walker will be jacking up three-pointers in the NBA Finals. The Celtic green may just be his good luck charm. The past six NBA champions have featured a former Celtic between Bruce Bowen (Spurs 2002-03 and 2004-05), Chauncey Billups (Pistons 2003-04), and Rick Fox (Lakers 1999-00, 2000-01, and 2001-02).

Final Score
Red Sox 3
Tigers 2

Mythology: Let me dispel a popular myth first. A lot of my Greek brethren are under the impression Kevin Youkilis is Greek. He’s not. Despite the Hellenic sounding name, he’s actually Jewish. A lot of the confusion comes from the book Moneyball where Youkilis was referred to as the “Greek God of Walks.�

With that out of the way, I don’t care what he is as long as he keeps hitting the way he is. The game-winning homer last night was the latest example, but Youk has been doing it all year long. Whether batting leadoff, cleanup, 6th, 7th, wherever, he gets on base and makes consistent contact with the ball. The power that was lacking in previous years is also starting to surface. You can’t ask for more in the former Lowell Spinner’s first full year as a starter. Let’s just hope he keeps it up.

Otherwise, another great victory over a good baseball club…Curt Schilling was very strong…Jonathan Papelbon was lights out (watching Todd Jones cough one up makes you appreciate having a dominant closer all the more)…Mike Lowell kept the 9th inning alive with 2-outs to set up Youkilis’s dramatic shot…Contributions from different guys each night…the true mark of a winner!

What are your thoughts on Kevin Youkilis? Meeting expectations? Exceeding them? Is 1st base covered for the next decade?

The 2006 Stanley Cup Finals are set, and while your Boston Bruins will be spectators for the 16th consecutive season (they haven’t won in 32-years, but hey, who’s counting!), there are still plenty of angles to keep area Hockey Krishnas interested.

Let the torture begin with a little history lesson. The Edmonton Oilers are appearing in their first Cup Finals since 1990 when they beat…yup…the Bruins. The Carolina Hurricanes, who used to be the B’s playoff whipping boys when they were known as the Hartford Whalers, will be making their 2nd appearance in the last four finals. Digest that one for a second. 2-of-4 Finals for the former Whalers…0-of-16 for the storied Bruins.

Barf!!!

On to the Boston connections; Edmonton features a face quite familiar to fans of the Black and Gold; Sergei Samsonov. The Russian has helped Canada’s cause with 3-playoff goals and 11-assists.

Carolina isn’t lacking in Bruins connections either. Start with Head Coach Peter Laviolette, who was an assistant for the B’s back in 2000-01. He also coached the Providence Bruins, winning AHL Coach of the Year honors in 1998-99. On the blue line, the ‘Canes feature Glen Wesley, who’s backhand miss at a wide open net in 1990 cost the Bruins the triple overtime Game 1. Wesley, by the way, has only 2-assists in the post-season, but Carolina's opponents have yet to light the red lamp while the red-headed defenseman’s been on the ice.

Thoroughly depressed yet? Let’s give you some things to cheer for. You can root for any of the above mentioned to get their name engraved on the coolest trophy in all of sports, or you can pull for one of the many players with local connections.

Start with a Carolina roster loaded with former Lock Monsters, the most prominent being forward Eric Staal and goaltender Cam Ward. Staal leads all playoff scorers with 20-points, while Ward ranks 2nd among netminder with a 2.07 goals against average. And let’s not forget Chelmsford’s Keith Aucoin, who played in 7-games with the big club and unless I’m mistaken, will also have his name immortalized.

Meanwhile, Hockey East aficionados will very well remember a pair of Edmonton netminders. UMass-Lowell alum Dwayne Roloson ranks third in playoff GAA and first in victories with 12. One of his backups is Ty Conklin, who manned the nets for the University of New Hampshire before becoming Edmonton property.

And here's a name that combines both the Bruins and Lowell angles; Oilers coach Craig MacTavish, the then ULowell Chiefs legend who also played for the Black and Gold.

So you see; no Bruins participation, but plenty of Boston accent and local flavor to this Stanley Cup series.

Teddy’s Take: Carolina in Six. The shame is, now that Lowell will no longer be an affiliate of the Hurricanes, we probably won’t get to see the Stanley Cup in the Mill City.

What's your take on the Stanley Cup Finals? Oilers or Hurricanes? When will it be the Bruins turn?

High School tournament action is underway on the diamonds and Friday’s Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com are right in the thick of the action.

Barry Scanlon pitches in with the story of Lowell High’s preliminary round victory over Newton South. Meanwhile, Carmine Frongillo takes a turn at bat with the defending state champion Lowell girl softball squad. The rest of the school slate is also covered.

And before you put your paper down or log off the internet, make sure to scan David Perry’s front page story about the Red Sox and Patriots standing as the most expensive game day in all of baseball and football.

Have a great weekend!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Roger Clemens won‘t be coming to Beantown, so we can chalk that one up among the many potential moves that garnered much talk, but never happened.

Sounds like the time to reflect at some of the moves that were made in the past year. Specifically, guys who now wear the uniforms of other teams, but once fueled the unforgiving and emotional speculation machine that is Red Sox Nation.

Here are how some of last year's Sox were doing coming into Thursday night:

Edgar Renteria, shortstop Atlanta Braves Batting Average: .324 Home runs: 5 RBI: 21 SB: 5

Hanley Ramirez, shortstop Florida Marlins Batting Average: .314 HR: 2 RBI: 18 SB: 16

Josh Bard, catcher San Diego Padres Batting Average: .359 HR: 5 RBI: 15 SB: 0

Bill Mueller, third base Los Angeles Dodgers Batting Average: .252 HR: 3 RBI: 15 SB: 1

Kevin Millar, right field Baltimore Orioles Batting Average: .236 HR: 3 RBI: 17 SB: 0

Johnny Damon, center field New York Yankees Batting Average: .282 HR: 6 RBI: 27 SB: 11

Bronson Arroyo, pitcher Cincinnati Reds Record: 6-2 ERA: 2.58 Innings: 76.2 Hits: 68 Strikeouts: 59

I know! I know! I’m starting to get repetitive with this Laurence Maroney stuff.

Can’t help it, though...I haven’t been this excited about a Patriots draft pick since Drew Bledsoe. I can’t read enough positive comments about the kid, and lord knows, there are enough of them out there.

The latest; Denver coach Mike Shanahan says the Broncos probably would have drafted Maroney at #15 had they not traded up to get QB Jay Cutler. It’s only a tiny paragraph in a larger Rocky Mountain News article about RB Tatum Bell. Regardless, it marks the 2nd time an AFC power has in some way indicated the Patriots drafted a guy they were interested in. You’ll remember Peyton Manning telling Tom Brady the Pats “stole our guy.�

Not that any of this ensures a long productive career for Maroney, but I think the Colts and Broncos are a couple of teams that know a thing or two about offense, wouldn’t you say?

Thursday’s weather is hot, and so is the sports coverage in the Lowell Sun and LowellSun.com.

Red Sox fans can read the game story from last night’s gut-check victory in Toronto. NBA playoff lovers will want to check out the Pistons Game-5 win over the Heat. In the NHL playoffs, Carolina and Buffalo face off in a deciding Game 7. Thom Ring takes us Around the Tracks in his weekly auto racing column.

Closer to home, Barry Scanlon has the story of UMass-Lowell hockey coach Blaise MacDonald interviewing for the Athletic Director’s post at Niagara. The high schools are also covered, as is the golf scene in this week’s Area Golf Roundup.

Stay cool!

Final Score
Red Sox 8
Blue Jays 6

One to Look Back on: Baseball people always tell you the season is a marathon, that one game doesn’t make or break a season, that momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher.

All of that is true. Still, last night’s win in Toronto was big. VERY BIG!

Against a pitcher (Ted Lilly) who’s owned them…starting a pitcher (David Pauley) who has no business in the majors right now…the Red Sox beat a team that’s absolutely tormented them. In the process, they remained tied with the Yankees and kept the Blue Jays in the 3rd place hole for a bit longer.

The 4 home runs were nice, but the real reason the Sox won was their defense, keeping the Jays from busting open a big inning while Pauley was loading bases like a dock worker. The brightest star; Alex Gonzalez, who continues to wow us with the glove.

A-Gone turned a double play that was amazing in how effortless he made an impossible play look. Most other shortstops, the ball’s in the outfield, at least 2-runs are home, and Toronto is off and running. Instead, he reached back to corral an errant throw from the mound (when Pauley should have gone home with the ball)…tagged 2nd base…and somehow managed to make a perfect throw to first while falling…in time to get the runner, of course.

Just give him the gold glove right now. If Jeter or anyone else wins it, they might as well abolish that already phony award. (Phony because Rafael Palmeiro won it one year while playing almost exclusively at DH)

Am I wrong, or was last night’s win the kind you remember as the season wears on? And that play by Gonzalez, were you as wowed by it as I was?