June 2008 Archives

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

*Who will the Celtics take tonight with their first round selection? Who cares? Let me know when/if James Posey re-signs, and who the available veteran free-agents are. I bet more than a couple of them will take less money to play in Beantown. Talk about what a difference a year makes!

*U.S.A. Basketball hasn’t learned from previous mistakes. Sure, the organization selected a defensive stopper (Tayshaun Prince) and dead-eye outside marksman (Michael Redd), but they both play the same position as the team’s best players (LeBron, Kobe, Dwayne Wade and Carmelo Anthony), meaning one or two of those guys will have to play out of position (probably power forward) to get the best possible lineup on the court at the same time. With only one legitimate banger (Dwight Howard) and two skinny power forward/center types (Chris Bosh and Carlos Boozer), the Americans will once again be susceptible to the banging, physical play of international big men. Don’t color the American Olympic team gold just yet.

*So David Ortiz says he’s weeks away from returning to the Red Sox? Color me skeptical, but I have a bad hunch about this wrist injury. Elite hitters generally don’t come back to anything resembling what they used to be.

*Save for a hiccup on the Par-5 11th at Vesper, Phil Smith was rock steady in the final round of “The Cities” Wednesday. His 3rd consecutive title was won because he made the fewest mistakes on the “Copperfield-tricky” greens, which ate most of the other competitors alive. If 17-year old Dave Gossellin, Jr. develops the same consistency with his putting stroke, he’s going to win a few of these things himself.

That’s the view from here…how do you see things?

David Ortiz took about 25 swings this afternoon at balls on a tee and reported no discomfort. But he’s still several weeks away from returning to the Red Sox lineup.
“I think I’m another few weeks, maybe three weeks, before I start swinging (at live ptiching), Ortiz said after the workout.
“It’s just weak,” he said of his wrist, which has been immobilized since June 1 to allow a torn sheath around a tendon to heal.
He could be ready to start a rehab assignment somewhere around the All-Star break in mid-July.

The Red Sox and Diamondbacks have each won a game in this series, lost a game, and the Drew brothers have battled to a draw.
Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew, who has had an MVP-caliber June, and young brother Stephen, the Diamondbacks shortstop, are both hitless in the series. Stephen was 0-for-9 in the first two games, and J.D. was 0-for-7, although he did hit a sacrifice fly for the only Red Sox run in Monday’s 2-1 loss.
J.D. was held out of tonight’s game with lefthander Randy Johnson on the mound for the D’backs.

Kevin Youkilis, who went in for defensive purposes in the ninth inning last night in the Sox’ 5-4 win, was back in the starting lineup tonight at first base. He was wearing non-presciption sunglasses in the field to protect his black eye but not wearing them when he batted. Terry Francona said after last night’s game he was hoping to find a pair of clear glasses somewhere but apparently came up empty.
“You know the players,” he said. “They all have these Oakleys, but they’re all sunglasses.”
I guess Eric Gagne didn't leave his goggles behind in the clubhouse.

Tonight’s game featured an unusual matchup of quadragenarian starting pitchers: 44-year-old Johnson against 41-year-old Tim Wakefield. Between the two of them, they total 86 years and 252 days in age.
The oldest pitching matchup in major-league history was a stunt by the Kansas City Athletics on Sept. 25, 1965. The Red Sox’ Bill Monbouquette, a young 29 years and 45 days old, faced Satchel Paige, who came out of retirement at the age of 59 years and 81 days to make one start. Paige pitched three innings of one-hit scoreless ball. Carl Yastrzemski got the only hit, a single.
The last matchup of 40-year-olds was last year on Sept. 16 when the Red Sox’ Curt Schilling (40) faced the Yankees’ Roger Clemens (45).

Red Sox manager Terry Francona decided to hold Gold Glove first baseman Kevin Youkilis out of the lineup tonight when he reported to the clubhouse this afternoon with his right eye watering. Youkilis was hit below the eye by a one-hop throw from third baseman Mike Lowell during warmups before the fifth inning last night and suffered a contusion that forced him to leave the game.
Youkilis was also sent to see an eye specialist today.
“He still had some watering because of the swelling,” Francona said. “He’s not going to play tonight because ... I don’t want to say blurred vision ... but he’s got some watering that would make it hard to send him up there to hit.”
With Sean Casey serving the second game of a three-game suspension, Brandon Moss got his first major-league start at first base tonight. Moss made his major-league debut at the position last night, playing the last five innings in the Red Sox’ 2-1 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

DH David Ortiz, who hasn’t played since May 31 because of a torn sheath in his wrist, may begin hitting off a tee tomorrow. If so, it will the first time he’s swung a bat since going in the disabled list.

Due to severe thunderstorms, the first pitch of tonight's game between the Red Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks is scheduled to be thrown at about 7:40 p.m. EDT.
The starting lineups:
Diamondbacks
Eric Byrnes, cf
Stephen Drew, ss
Orlando Hudson, 2b
Conor Jackson, 1b
Chad Tracy, dh
Chris Young, cf
Augie Ojeda, 3b
Jeff Salazar, rf
Chris Snyder, c
Doug Davis, lhp

Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, lf
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
J.D. Drew, rf
Manny Ramirez, dh
Mike Lowell, 3b
Jason Varitek, c
Brandon Moss, 1b
Coco Crisp, cf
Julio Lugo, ss
Justin Masterson, rhp

Red Sox backup first baseman Sean Casey dropped his appeal of his three-game suspension for his role in the June 5 brawl with the Tampa Bay Rays. Casey began serving his suspension tonight. He will miss all three games of the interleague series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Casey’s timing for dropping the appeal was not fortuitous for the Red Sox. First baseman Kevin Youkilis took a one-hop throw from third baseman Mike Lowell off the right eye during warmups before the fifth inning tonight. The area around his eye immediately became discolored and swollen, and he had to leave the game. Former Lowell Spinners outfielder Brandon Moss, who began learning to play first base this spring, took over. It is Moss’ first major-league game at first base.

Coco Crisp, the instigator in the brawl, made his appeal to MLB today for a reduction of his seven-game suspension. MLB will make its ruling within the next 24-48 hours.

When David Aardsma fanned all six Cardinals he faced in back-to-back one-inning appearances on Friday and Saturday, he was the first Red Sox reliever to accomplish that feat since Dick “The Monster” Radatz did it Aug. 3 and 5, 1962.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Some thoughts to ponder while waiting for the next championship parade to roll through Boston:

Admit it. You’re bored now that the NBA season is done and we don’t have that every other night rush of Celtics adrenaline to get us through the week. If there’s anything worse than staying up past bedtime to watch a basketball playoff game, it’s falling asleep early because there’s nothing exciting on television. And no, Red Sox game aren’t must-see TV until September or unless the Yankees are in town.

Speaking of things to watch, when is the NBA Draft, anyway? Remember the days when we not only knew the date and time of the selection show, but we actually cared about the top ten prospects because one of them was going to be a Celtic.

OK, here’s my very public apology to Doc Rivers. Not that he’s the first person to do so, but the C’s head coach not only proved me wrong about his ability to coach X’s and O’s, he also showed that given enough talent, he can mold a winning team that plays the game right. He also convinced a trio of superstars to swallow their pride and suppress their egos for the greater good. That’s not as easy to do as one might think.

After the way Kevin Garnett responded to my questioning his crunch time chops, perhaps we’re just a “time to step up Zdeno Chara” column away from seeing Lord Stanley’s Cup paraded around the Garden ice next June.

If U.S.A. Basketball wants to ensure Olympic Gold for our boys this summer in Beijing, they’ll find a spot for James Posey somewhere on that roster. As one my cousins put it, “the guy does everything right.”

He hasn’t officially retired yet, but the debate about Curt Schilling’s Hall of Fame credentials is already raging. Here’s one man’s take: Every now and then, an athlete transcends sheer numbers and earns a place with the all-time greats. Schilling is one of those athletes.

The days of the 300-game winner are likely behind us, so HOF voters will have to adjust their criteria. What I’d like to see them use with the big righty is the “duck” test. If he walks like a duck, looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck. Plenty of hurlers of today’s era resemble a Hall of Fame duck, but none of them (except for Josh Beckett) ever quacked like Big Schill when it really counted…October.

Even if you take playoff dominance out of the equation, here are a few stats chew on, courtesy of ESPN’s Jayson Stark: since becoming a full-time starter in 1992, “Curt on the Car Phone” leads the majors in complete games with 83. In an era of pitch counts and innings limits, only Greg Maddux comes within 25-games of that total. And lest you think there’s not enough quality behind that quantity, only Pedro Martinez had a better strikeout per 9-innings ratio over that period and only Pedro and Maddux had a better WHIP, the best indicator of pitching dominance.

Finally, a new theory has surfaced regarding Big Brown’s Belmont blunder: seems a close-up photo shows he may have been running the third leg of the Triple Crown with a loose shoe, causing a nail to “pinch” the thundering colt’s right hind foot. Since the shoe was apparently not loose after the race, the theory goes on to say the nail may have gone back into the foot, but in a different spot.

Sounds like a lot of bull coming from the horse’s handlers, wouldn’t you say?

That's the view from here...how do you see things?

Could Red Sox reliever David Aardsma be pitching himself into a more prominent role with the club?
Used primarily in mop-up duty most of the season, Aardsma has been nearly untouchable in his last six outings and overpowering for the last month.
Aardsma struck out the side again this afternoon against the Cardinals. In two innings in this series, he has fanned all six batters he has faced. Over his last six appearances, Aardsma has allowed just two hits and one walk in 6 1/3 innings while fanning 10 without allowing a run. Over the last month he has pitched 12 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and two runs, while walking five and whiffing 16.
In 31 outings for the Red Sox this season, Aardsma is 2-1 with a 2.60 ERA. In 34 2/3 innings he has given up only 24 hits and struck out 36. He has walked 21 but has cut down on those during the last month.

Chris Smith’s ML debut was a solid, if not strong, one. The former Spinner pitched four innings of relief, allowing three hits and one run while walking no one and fanning three. He threw 45 pitches, 30 for strikes.
He retired nine Cardinals in a row after getting burned for Troy Glaus’ grand slam. After giving up a pair of singles in the fifth, he finished the inning by getting Adam Kennedy to rap into a double play.
Javier Lopez relieved Smith at the start of the sixth inning.

Righthander Chris Smith, the Red Sox’ fourth-round draft pick in 2002 who has battled injuries throughout his career, became the 35th former Lowell Spinner to play in the major leagues today when he relieved struggling starter Daisuke Matsuzaka in the second inning against the Cardinals.
Taking over with the bases loaded, nobody out, and the Cardinals already leading 4-0, Smith fanned the first batter he faced, Rick Ankiel, on three pitches, all changeups. But the next batter, Troy Glaus, jumped on a 1-and-0 curveball from Smith and lined it into the Monster Seats for a grand slam, vaulting the Cardinals into an 8-0 lead. Three of those runs were charged to Matsuaka.
Smith was with the Red Sox for a couple of days in May but did not get to pitch before being sent back to Pawtucket. He had been with the Red Sox for four days this time before finally making his debut.
Smith had made the transition from a starter/long reliever to a closer at Pawtucket this season. He was 1-2 with 8 saves and a 1.52 ERA in 22 games for the PawSox.
Smith was 3-3 with a 4.13 ERA in 14 starts for the Spinners in 2002.
Smith becomes the third ex-Spinner to make his ML debut in 2008. Jed Lowrie (2005) and Justin Masterson (2006) are the others.

Here are the lineups for today’s interleague game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Red Sox are 18-4 at Fenway in interleague games dating back to the start of the 2006 season.
Cardinals
Skip Schumaker, rf
Aaron Miles, 2b
Ryan Ludwick, lf
Rick Ankiel, cf
Troy Glaus, 3b
Chris Duncan, 1b
Jason LaRue, c
Adam Kennedy, dh
Brendan Ryan, ss
Mitchell Boggs, rhp

Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, cf
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
J.D. Drew, rf
Manny Ramirez, dh
Mike Lowell, 3b
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
Brandon Moss, lf
Jason Varitek, c
Alex Cora, ss
Daisuke Matsuzaka, rhp

The Red Sox activated Matsuzaka from the 15-day disabled list before today’s game and placed reliever Mike Timlin on the 15-day DL. Timlin has tendonitis in his left knee.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Much like Frank Sinatra, Curt Schilling did it his way.

As news broke about Schilling requiring shoulder surgery, I kept hopping to the big right-handers blog 38 Pitches to see how soon he’d comment. Didn’t take very long. But the content was rather surprising.

I expected the outspoken Schilling to give Red Sox management a big “I told you so” for not allowing him to undergo surgery during spring training, just like his doctor advised. Heck, you know I would have done so, and I‘ll bet most of you would have done the same.

On the contrary, the man never at a loss for words or too shy to give an honest opinion, Curt on the Car Phone wrote a rather reflective piece, thanking his fans for all their support and waxing poetic about his run as a big league pitcher. While leaving the door open to a comeback if all goes well, it sure read like a goodbye statement. As of 9:15pm Friday, there were already 313 comments to blog post.

If this indeed is the end, it’s a sad day for area sports fans. Love him or hate him, Schilling was a true original. He never minced words, though sometimes he probably should have. A member of the 2004 Sox, he’ll always hold a special place in my heart. He was a warrior on the mound (the bloody sock will go down in history), and arguably the best clutch pitcher of this generation. Think about it…who would you rather hand the ball to in a Game 7, with your life at stake? Maybe Josh Beckett. But that’s about it.

There’s no guarantee yet that Curt Schilling is gone, but I can guarantee you he will never be forgotten.

That’s the view from here…how do you see things? Is Schilling done? Should the Sox have gone along with his doctor’s recommendation instead of the failed rehab program? Should Schilling rip Sox management for the decision which may have in essence, ended his career?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Tiger Woods’ U.S. Open victory just became all the more remarkable with the news the world’s greatest golfer played the entire tournament with a double stress fracture in his left leg. Not just that, but Woods will also undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in the knee he originally injured 10-months ago.

Two points I want to make here: First, let’s hope Tiger didn’t do long-term harm to his leg and career, a la Kevin McHale playing on a broken ankle throughout the end of the 1987 Celtics season, right on through the NBA Finals. I’m not a doctor (I only play one on a blog), but McHale was never the same after that, and I wonder if the same will happen to Woods.

The second point I want to make is how difficult it is to stay on top of your chosen profession for a prolonged period. (ask Roger Federer) Most people have pretty much taken it for granted that Tiger will break Jack Nicklaus’ record of winning 18 Majors. While I’ve always believed there’s a good chance of that happening, I didn’t think it was a guarantee. Strange things, such as injuries, crop up, and a bad knee or bad back to a golfer is a major hurdle to overcome.

After seeing what he did this past weekend, I would never doubt Tiger doing anything he sets his mind to. But catching Nicklaus might take a bit longer than most thought. Thanks to the bad leg, there are already two Majors (2008 British Open and PGA) we know for sure Woods won’t capture.

What do you think gang? Are we seeing the beginning of Tiger Woods' physical decline? Can he bounce back from two knee surgeries in a year and recapture his dominance? In light of the news, how remarkable is what he accomplished at the U.S. Open?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

After a 22-year wait, banner #17 will finally hang from the rafters.

The Celtics not only won the NBA championship, they thoroughly humiliated a Lakers team that should be ashamed of itself for performing like that on a national stage. Sure, the Celtics were the better team, by far. Sure, they would have won anyway, probably going away. But Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant and the rest of the gang basically pulled a no-show, content to not let the Celts celebrate a title in Los Angeles. David Stern must have been so proud!

Now then, about our guys. What an effort! From KG (no doubt inspired in the first quarter by this idiot who called him out), to Captain Paul, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo (this kid is going to be a monster next year), a gutsy Kendrick Perkins, James "Does Everything Right" Posey....right on down the entire list. A total team effort. A total domination.

Other random thoughts: Love the Gatorade shower for Doc. That was a first on a basketball court, right?...So happy for Danny Ainge, who caught an awful lot of flack a few years back. Vindication is sweet...Great home crowd that helped take the Fakers out of the game in the 2nd quarter...Loved seeing KG hugging Bill Russell and saying "I have my own now" or something to that effect.

Say it loud. Say it often. The Boston Celtics are NBA Champions. All is right in the world again!!!

What are your thoughts on banner #17? And yes, feel free to take your pot shots at me for the Garnett article. I'll be more than happy to take the punishment!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

I didn’t want to write this column.

It has nothing to do with the disappointment of letting a pair of winnable games slip away. It has nothing to do with working on only 4 ½ hours of sleep because of the NBA’s ridiculously late start times. And it has nothing to do with starting to type this article a mere half hour before deadline because I made the silly decision to play in a charity golf tournament the morning after getting only 4 ½ hours of sleep because I stayed up stewing over the fact the Boston Celtics lost a winnable Game 5 that started at a ridiculously late hour.

No, the reason I didn’t want to write this column is because I’ve been hoping beyond hope that Kevin Garnett would step up and play the kind of game that would make writing this column a dumber decision than playing in that golf tournament. Unfortunately, the column now has to be written.

You see, I’ve come to understand the belief in NBA circles that Kevin Garnett doesn’t have the makeup to be “The Man” on a championship team. Not only do I understand it, I now agree with it.

It pains me to say that, because I love Kevin Garnett. He is my favorite player on the Celtics roster. He is the main reason the C’s completed a miraculous turnaround from 24-win doormat to 66-win juggernaut. Make no mistake: no KG, no chance at a championship.

And yet, as we wait for Boston to close out the Lakers, we must also admit that #5 isn’t the one who’s going to carry his team to banner #17. That task will fall to Paul Pierce. Or possibly, Ray Allen.

It’s not KG’s fault people expect a player making over $20-million a year to take the big shot with title games on the line. It’s not KG’s fault all of Boston has been waiting for him to pull a Cedric Maxwell and tell his teammates to hop on his back because he’s going to carry them to a title. And it’s certainly not KG’s fault Maxwell himself made the idiotic statement that Garnett is a better player than Larry Bird. KG is what he is: a future Hall of Famer, a frighteningly fierce competitor, a consummate teammate and a consummate professional.

What he isn’t is Larry Bird. Or Magic Johnson. Or Michael Jordan. Or Tim Duncan. Or even Dwayne Wade. All of the above WANTED the ball at crunch time. DEMANDED it. SHOT it. And more often than not, MADE it go in the hoop. They didn’t grab an offensive rebound at the side of the basket, as Garnett did in Game 7 against Atlanta, and pass it all the way out to half court so a second year point guard like Rajon Rondo could reset the offense. And they certainly didn’t miss a pair of free throws in the waning moments of a two-point game that could clinch a title.

You know what else about all those greats I mentioned? They all had a signature moment. That game you remember. That play immortalized in old highlight reels. That “hop on my back” sequence most closely associated with his team winning a title.

What’s Garnett’s signature moment? It was Paul Pierce who carried the C’s to victory over LeBron in Game 7. Pierce who led the 4th quarter comeback during the clincher in Detroit. Ray Allen who iced the magnificent Game 4 comeback over the Lakers. Heck, even James Posey, Eddie House and Leon Powe had their “moments.” KG hasn’t, and I’m afraid no matter how long we wait for it to happen, it’s just not in him.

Game 6 taps off Tuesday night at another foolish hour. It’s Kevin Garnett’s chance to make writing this column another foolish idea. I still hope he does so.

What are your thoughts about Kevin Garnett's performance during the NBA Finals and playoffs? Do you expect more? Or are you happy with what you've gotten so far?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Playing in a charity golf tournament tomorrow morning, after which I'll have to pen my weekly masterpiece...I mean...column, plus prepare for the emmy award winning online broadcast of SportsTalk Live. (Cue violin music here)

That's my way of telling you I won't get to post any immediate reaction to Game 5 between the Celtics and Lakers. So consider this your open thread to post your thoughts on what we hope will be a series clinching victory or to complain about a loss which prolonged the inevitable celebration. I'll share my thoughts on Game 5 and the series in my next column/post.

Enjoy the game....GO CELTICS!!!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Celtics 97
Lakers 91

WOW! Talk about driving a stake through the opposition's heart!

What a game! What a comeback! What a night for the Boston Celtics, coming back from 24-points down, on the road, against the best of the West. Total team effort, as Paul Pierce and Ray Allen were immense (did you realize Jesus Shuttlesworth played the entire game?). Kevin Garnett was steady, if not spectacular. Doc Rivers made the right adjustment, going with a small lineup to fuel the comeback. And what can you say about James Posey, except what my cousin Yianni says..."He does EVERYTHING right!"

For all intents and purposes, the NBA Finals are over. Whether the C's close it out Sunday in Los Angeles or next Tuesday in Boston, it's time to start embroidering banner #17. Just one short year after one of the lowest points in franchise history, the Boston Celtics are about to become NBA Champions once again.

Pinch me to make sure this is all really happening!!!

The Red Sox grounded into two more double plays in the first four innings tonight, running their total to six in the first two games of this series with the Orioles. The Red Sox are on a pace to ground into 181 double plays this season. The 1990 Red Sox set the major-league record with 174.

Red Sox players Jon Lester, Jason Varitek, and Manny Ramirez donated several items to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., before tonight’s game. Participating in the ceremonies were five Hall of Famers: Wade Boggs, Carlton Fisk, Bobby Doerr, Dennis Eckersley, and Eddie Murray.
Lester donated the spikes he wore and one of the balls used in his no-hitter on May 19. Varitek, who caught his major-league-record fourth no-hitter that night, donated his entire catcher’s regalia worn that night.
Ramirez donated his batting helmet and the lineup card from May 31, the night he hit his 500th career home run.
Earlier today Dominican Republic native David Ortiz became a U.S. citizen, one of 220 immigrants to take the citizenship oath at the John F. Kennedy Library in South Boston.

The lineups for tonight’s game between the Baltimore Orioles and Red Sox at Fenway Park. The Red Sox lead the Tampa Bay Rays by one game in the AL East standings.
Orioles
Brian Roberts, 2b
Nick Markakis, rf
Melvin Mora, 3b
Aubrey Huff, dh
Kevin Millar, 1b
Luke Scott, lf
Ramon Hernandez, c
Adam Jones, cf
Freddie Bynum, ss
Garrett Olson, lhp
Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, lf
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
J.D. Drew, rf
Manny Ramirez, dh
Mike Lowell, 3b
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
Jason Varitek, c
Coco Crisp, cf
Julio Lugo, ss
Bartolo Colon, rhp

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Celtics 81
Lakers 87

On the surface, not a lot of good came out of this one if you’re a Celtics fan. Then again, if you consider this was a MUST WIN for the Lakers and you figured to get their best shot, their best shot wasn’t all that impressive. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were awful. Rajon Rondo got hurt. And the C’s failed to capitalize on the continued foul problems of Lamar Odom and Vladimir Radmonovic.

There is reason for concern however, most notably the fact that L-A is back in the series and one game away from pulling even. The Rondo injury doesn’t help much, as without his tremendous speed and athletic ability advantage, he doesn’t bring much else to the table at this point of his career.

Game 4 is Thursday night….a big, big game. Your thoughts?

Former Lowell Spinner and current Florida Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez socked his 20th career leadoff homer tonight in Miami. Ramirez, who was the Spinners Player of the Year in 2002, is only in his third full major-league season. He has five leadoff homers this season.
The NL record for career leadoff homers is 53 by Craig Biggio. The major-league record is 81 by Rickey Henderson.

Manny Ramirez slammed his 505th career homer, a long blast over the Monster Seats in left-center in the fifth inning tonight, to break a tie with Eddie Murray and move into sole possession of 23rd place on the all-time list. Murray was at Fenway tonight and witnessed Ramirez’ homer.
The homer also gave Ramirez 1,652 RBI, tying him with Hall of Famer Tony Perez for 24th on that all-time list.

Hall of Famer Eddie Murray, the former Baltimore Oriole, was among those welcoming Manny Ramirez into the 500 Home Run Club in a pre-game ceremony last night. Since clouting his 500th in Baltimore on May 31, Ramirez has caught Murray on the all-time list. Each has 504 career homers, tied for 23rd all-time.
Red Sox owner John Henry and Chairman Tom Werner also participated in the ceremony.
Jacoby Ellsbury, limited to a pinch-running appearance during the weekend series against the Mariners because of a sprained wrist, returned to the starting lineup last night. The rookie Ellsbury leads the AL in stolen bases with 28. In fact, he has stolen more bases than the next nine AL rookies combined (26).
Over the last 16 games, the Red Sox bullpen has compiled a 1.94 ERA, lowering its ERA from 4.49 to 3.86. Overall Red Sox pitchers now have a 3.87 ERA, ranking them fifth in the AL after spending most of the first few weeks in 12th.
The Red Sox are 8-0 in one-run decisions at home. Only the Reds (9-0) have a better record in one-run home games.
The Red Sox are 14-4 against the Orioles at Fenway since the start of the 2006 season.
The Red Sox are 26-6 at Fenway this season and have won 17 of their last 19 home games.
The rotation for the remainder of the series with the Orioles:
Tomorrow: Bartolo Colon (3-1) vs. Garrett Olson (5-1).
Thursday: Jon Lester (4-3) vs. Jeremy Guthrie (3-6).

Here are the starting lineups for tonight’s game between the first-place Red Sox and the Orioles, who are in a three-way tie for third place in the AL East, seven games off the pace.
Jacoby Ellsbury returns to the lineup after missing most of the Seattle series with a sprained wrist.
Orioles
Brian Roberts, 2b
Nick Markakis, rf
Melvin Mora, 3b
Aubrey Huff, dh
Kevin Millar, 1b
Luke Scott, lf
Ramon Hernandez, c
Adam Jones, cf
Freddie Bynum, ss
Daniel Cabrera, rhp
Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, lf
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
J.D. Drew, rf
Manny Ramirez, dh
Mike Lowell, 3b
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
Jason Varitek, c
Coco Crisp, cf
Alex Cora, ss
Josh Beckett, rhp

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Jim Mckay Obituary

ESPN claims to be the home of the “X” games, but if you grew up with “Wide World of Sports,” you know better. Forget the skateboards, snowboards and bicycle tricks. There’s nothing more Xtreme than cliff diving in Acapulco. Barrel jumping on ice skates was pretty fascinating, too, at least when the longtime voice and face of ABC Sports was introducing it to America.

McKay was the consummate television sportscaster, proof you could be both entertainer and journalist. His handling of the hostage crisis at the ’72 Olympics in Munich not only serves as a “how to” manual for sportscasters, but most newscasters could learn a thing or two by studying those tapes as well.

Celtics fans have every right to be downright giddy at the moment. However, they’d also be wise to remember the 2006 Dallas Mavericks, who jumped out to a 2-games-to-none lead over the Miami Heat, only to end up losing the Finals in 6-games. I still like the C’s in seven, if not six. But am I the only one thinking the officiating gods will exact revenge at some point for the fact Leon Powe shot more free throws than the entire Lakers team in Game 2?

Had the pleasure of attending that game as a fan. The “New Gaaahhhden” was electric Sunday night. It’s great to see that after all these years absent from meaningful June contests, Boston hoops fans still know how to make a difference. Heck, they don’t even need the dancing girls and scoreboard to tell them when to do so. But there is something that needs to stop. If you were one of the yahoos booing images of Lakers personnel on the scoreboard during the national anthem, shame on you.

Look, I’m not that much of a stick in the mud. I think it’s kind of neat when the noise level rises to deafening levels near the end of the song. I also realize it might be too much to ask some people to remove their hats and stand at attention while facing the flag. (Drip, drip, drip went the sarcasm!) But alternating boos and cheers depending on the image shown on the video board is a total sign of disrespect to those who the anthem means something to. Shame on the Celtics, too, for allowing their video production crew to egg these bozos on.

Unless Big Brown turns into Mr. Ed and starts talking all of a sudden, I doubt we’ll ever know for sure why a horse that normally responds like it has rocket boosters attached to the saddle when the jockey asks for a bust of speed didn’t, or couldn’t, run like himself at the Belmont Stakes. It doesn’t appear the Triple Crown hopeful suffered a serious injury, except of course, for that crack already in his hoof. Then again, I guess a crack in the hoof is a rather serious problem when you have to, you know, run fast.

In retrospect, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised. Take a thoroughbred with an injury, take that thoroughbred off steroids for the first time in his career in the toughest race of his career, and the result becomes rather predictable. Unless you allow your heart to guide your thinking, which most of us did.

Thankfully, Big Brown survived the race and the disappointment intact. I wonder if thoroughbred racing will be able to say the same.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Lakers 102
Celtics 108

Yes, I'm excited. And yes, I'm cautiously optimistic my prediction of Celtics in seven might have been too conservative. Celtics in 6 looks a heck of a lot better, and if the Lakers don't snap out of it, Celts in 5 could very well happen.

Of course, the key word words are "cautiously optimistic." Wasn't that far back that the Dallas Mavericks took a 2-0 lead over the Heat, only to head to Miami, blow a 20-point lead, and ultimately lose the NBA Finals. So word of warning to the masses...there's still a lot of work to be done.

Other than that: great, great performances by Leon Powe (where did that come from?) and Rajon Rondo (all he neeeds is a little more consistency, especially on the road, and you have an All-Star point guard)...gutsy effort from Paul Pierce, who's hurting big time but didn't play like it...and good work by Ray Allen and James Posey to make Kobe work for his points.

Two more to go!

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said Paul Pierce (strained knee) is fine and should be all set for tonight's Game 2 of the NBA Finals. Kendrick Perkins (sprained ankle) will warm up and see how his ankle feels and they will make a decision from there.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Think you know sports? If you do, you won’t want to miss Monday night’s SportsTalk Live broadcast.

From 7-8pm, we’ll be asking sports trivia questions and if you give the correct answer, you’ll be eligible to win Lowell Spinners tickets to an upcoming game at LeLacheur Park. Simple as that! To participate, dial (978)364-8255. You can also watch the broadcast live by clicking on the SunTalk Live link at lowellsun.com.

And who knows…if we get enough of you calling in, maybe we’ll give away multiple prizes!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

A few things for you to ponder and debate heading into a busy sports weekend:

1) The Manny-Youk dust-up was apparently over Kevin Youkilis’ habit of throwing tantrums in the dugout. If the ESPN report is to be believed, the behavior has been a sore spot in the past and has been addressed before…never so publicly, of course.

I’d be a lot more worried about this if I thought it signaled some kind of dugout dissension. However, Manny and Youk spent much of the offseason working out together in Arizona, so I’m assuming they’re relatively close. For now, we’ll chalk it up to “heat of the moment” and move on. Hopefully, the team can do the same.

2) Big Brown stands one win away from ending a 30-year Triple Crown drought. Interestingly enough, the horse Brown is most often compared to, Secretariat, ended a 25-year drought. Up till then, that was the longest time between Crown winners.

I’ve said it before…I’ll say it again. The sport of Thoroughbred Racing REALLY needs this shot in the arm. I think Big Brown is the horse to do it, though we’ve thought this before, especially after Smarty Jones won the 2004 Preakness by 11 ½ lengths, only to come up just short in the Belmont. However, Smarty Jones was nowhere near the explosive horse this thing is.

(By the way, the above photo is from the classic stretch duel betwen Affirmed and Alydar, the two horses who battled neck and neck throughout all three Triple Crown races. Affirmed was the last horse to turn the trick)

3) Lots of local high school teams involved in state tournament action this weekend. Congrats to any of you with an alma mater still going strong. I hope you get on out and support your team.

As for the rest of you in the Merrimack Valley, I hope you’re able to put aside any petty conference rivalries and get out and root on a local team. I hate hearing people who root against a local team just because it’s not THEIR team. (Believe me, you hear a lot of that at the college and high school level) It’s a great story when a Merrimack Valley team wins a state title, regardless of town or conference.

4) Oh yeah, we also have this little thing called the NBA Finals going on. I’m sure you can find something to say about that.

That’s the view from here…how do you see things?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Final Score
Lakers 88
Celtics 98

Great scene last night, huh?

Not too much time to post all my thoughts right now. Things looked bleak when Paul Pierce was carried off the court and placed on a wheelchair to get his knee checked out. But the C's persevered...KG was huge in the first half (if not invisible in the second)...the captain shook off the "pop" he heard in his knee to post 16-second half points...and the Green defense kept Kobe Bryant in check throughout.

All in all, a great "welcome back" to the NBA Finals. Feel free to post your thoughts on Game 1 and anything else Finals related.

Last night former Haverhill High and Northeastern University star Carlos Pena was hit by a Justin Masterson pitch in the first inning. The Red Sox thought he swung at the pitch and shouldn’t be awarded first base, but the umpires disagreed. Pena later smashed a double in the fourth, a home run in the sixth, and was robbed of a single in the seventh when he hit into the shift and second baseman Dustin Pedroia made a terrific play on the ball.
After the game it was discovered that Pena’s left index finger had been fractured by Masterson’s pitch. The Rays placed him on the 15-day disabled list before tonight’s game.
Manny Ramirez takes a nine-game hitting streak into the game. Only one of Ramirez’ 12 homers this season has been hit off a lefthander.
Jonathan Papelbon’s 17th save of the season last night was the 89th of his brief career, moving him past Jeff Reardon into fourth place on the Red Sox’ all-time saves list. Bob Stanley (132), Dick Radatz (104) and Ellis Kinder (91) are ahead of him.
Terry Francona’s 414th win with the Red Sox last night tied him with Don Zimmer for sixth on the club’s all-time victory list for managers. He should also pass Jimy Williams (414) and Jimmy Collins (455) before the year is over. Joe Cronin tops the list with 1,071 victories.

The tarp was still on the field at 6 p.m., but the rain had stopped. The forecast is for light showers throughout the evening, and the Red Sox anticipated starting the game on time at 7:05.
The lineups for tonight’s battle for first place in the AL East between the Rays and Red Sox:
Rays
Akinori Iwamura, 2b
Carl Crawford, lf
B.J. Upton, cf
Cliff Floyd, dh
Evan Longoria, 3b
Dioner Navarro, c
Eric Hinske, 1b
Gabe Gross, rf
Jason Barlett, ss
Edwin Jackson, rhp
Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, lf
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
J.D. Drew, rf
Manny Ramirez, dh
Mike Lowell, 3b
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
Jason Varitek, c
Coco Crisp, cf
Julio Lugo, ss
Josh Beckett, rhp

Former Lowell Spinner Jacoby Ellsbury swiped his league-leading 28th base of the season in the third inning tonight. That’s the second-highest total by a Red Sox rookie in club history. Amby McConnell stole 31 bases 100 years ago to set the current record.
Ellsbury is now more than halfway to the club record of 54, set by Tommy Harper back in 1973. Harper is Ellsbury’s baserunning mentor.
“We’ve got to slow him down!” Harper joked earlier this evening about the threat to his 35-year-old record. “It’s not even the All-Star break yet!”

With another sellout crowd of 37,823 tonight at Fenway Park, the Red Sox went over the one million mark (1,015,091) for the earliest time in club history. The million mark was hit in their 27th home date, one date earlier than last season. The Red Sox are on a pace to draw 3 million fans for the first time in their history.

Former Lowell Spinner Jacoby Ellsbury swiped his league-leading 28th base in the third inning tonight. That’s the second-highest total by a Red Sox rookie in club history. Amby McConnell stole 31 bases 100 years ago to set the current record.
Ellsbury is now more than halfway to the club record of 54, set by Tommy Harper back in 1973. Harper is Ellsbury’s baserunning mentor.
“We’ve got to slow him down!” Harper joked earlier this evening about the threat to his 35-year-old record. “It’s not even the All-Star break yet!”

Owning the last draft pick in the first round, the Red Sox know they’re not going to get the creme de la creme of the amateur player crop in baseball’s annual draft that begins on Thursday.
In fact, they barely scout those players.
“It’s our job to scout the country as well as we can,” said Sox scouting director Jason McLeod today. “But it usually doesn’t do us any good to look at the guys who are going to be in the first five or 10 picks. But once we’re out of the top 10 or 15, we get as many looks at guys as we can.”
As usual, the Red Sox will not draft to fill weak areas in the organization.
“The best strategy is to take the best player available on the board,” said GM Theo Epstein.
The Red Sox have drafted extremely well in recent years, and Epstein sees that trend continuing, regardless of how low they are in the draft order.
“Four or five years ago, when we were all new at this, we were all trying to get on the same page,” he said. “Now we have a lot of guys who have been together for a few years, so there is a consistency that makes the process go a lot more smoothly for us.”

The starting lineups for tonight’s showdown with the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, whom the Red Sox trail by 1 1/2 games in the AL East standings:
Rays
Akinori Iwamura, 2b
Dioner Navarro, c
B.J. Upton, cf
Carlos Pena, 1b
Evan Longoria, 3b
Cliff Floyd, dh
Eric Hinske, lf
Gabe Gross, rf
Jason Bartlett, ss
Matt Garza, rhp
Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, lf
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
Manny Ramirez, dh
Mike Lowell, 3b
J.D. Drew, rf
Jason Varitek, c
Coco Crisp, cf
Julio Lugo, ss
Justin Masterson, rhp

The Red Sox placed David Ortiz on the 15-day disabled list today. Ortiz has a partially torn sheath around the tendon in his left wrist that doctors do not believe will require surgery to repair.
For those Red Sox fans with excellent memories, Nomar Garciaparra had a similar problem back in 2000-01 that cost him most of of the 2001 season.
Garciaparra had been playing with a torn sheath that irritated and frayed the tendon, and the primary injury was a split tendon in his wrist that year. When the tendon was surgically repaired, doctors also repaired the sheath. But the sheath was a secondary issue to the tendon itself. Garciaparra played only 27 games in 2001.
Terry Francona said surgery for Ortiz is not in the picture, at least for the present.
“I don’t think the doctors think that’s going to happen,” the manager said. “I know they’re aren’t going to tell me something they don’t believe.”
The Red Sox called up first baseman-outfielder Chris Carter from Pawtucket to replace Ortiz on the roster. Carter was hitting .310-10-35 at Pawtucket and has been on a hot streak.
“We thought we would reward him,” Francona said. “He might help us win a couple games.”
Brandon Moss, who has had two stints with the Red Sox this year and hit three homers in a game for Pawtucket on Sunday, was also an option.
“Chris was really swinging the bat well, and so was Mossie,” Francona said. “But he’s just come back from an appendectomy, and we weren’t sure what the opportunity would be for him to play here every day. We want him to keep playing.”
Jeff Bailey was optioned back to the PawSox today.
With Ortiz out of the lineup, Manny Ramirez takes over as the designated hitter ... at least temporarily.
“He doesn’t want to be a full-time DH,” Francona said. “But we have guys who can really go get ‘em in the lineup.”
Francona was referring to flyhawks Jacoby Ellsbury, Coco Crisp, and J.D. Drew.
There is no good time to lose one of the most productive players in the American League. But if it had to happen, now is about as good a time as any for the Red Sox. They have nine interleague games on the road in June in which no DH is used. Ortiz has played first base in the past during most games in NL parks.
“If you’re not going to have David Ortiz, then that would be the time,” Francona said.

Red Sox Hall of Famer Bill Monbouquette, who won 20 games and pitched a no-hitter for the Sox in 1962, is seriously ill with leukemia. He needs a blood stem cell transplant to survive the battle.
The Dana Farber Cancer Institute is holding a bone marrow donor drive this Saturday, June 7, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Tuft's University's Cousens Gymnasium (161 College Ave., Medford, Mass.).
To donate you only need to be between the ages of 18 and 60, be willing to donate to any patient in need of bone marrow, and meet specified health guidelines spelled out at www.dfci.org/nmdp. More information can be obtained by calling 1-866-875-3324.
The popular Monbo is a Medford native who spent a half-century in the game as a pitcher, scout, and coach. He was rehired by the Red Sox for a day last summer so he could retire as a member of the organization. The retirement ceremony was held at Lowell's LeLacheur Park, where Monbo was a frequent visitor over the years.
Of all the people I've met in my 36 years involved with Major League Baseball, Monbo is among my favorites. He's a terrific storyteller, and he's never pulled any punches in his evaluations of players.
One of my favorite Monbo stories is his account of his start for the American League in the 1960 All-Star Game.
"The first batter of the game is Willie Mays, and I throw him a nasty pitch on the outside corner that he hits down the right-field line for a triple. He scores on a single by Bob Skinner. Then Ernie Banks comes up, and I try to pitch him high and tight. But the ball catches too much of the plate, and he hits into the seats for a home run.
"In the second inning, I face Del Crandall. Everybody tells me this guy can't hit a curveball. So I throw him a curve, I hang it, and he hits it out for another home run. That's it for me. We lose the game 5-3, and I get the loss.
"After the game everybody asks me what happened. I said: 'Aw, Yogi (Berra) called all the wrong pitches."

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Twenty-one years. That’s how long it’s been since the Celtics last played in the NBA Finals.

For a dog, it’s only three years. For Abraham Lincoln, one score and one year ago. For those of us waiting to see banner #17 hang in the rafters, it seems like a lifetime.

However you measure, it’s been long enough for a generation of fans to grow up without pro basketball as part of the local sports landscape, and long enough for those who lived through the golden years to lose touch with the modern day NBA.

I can’t tell you how many people have forgotten home court advantage is no longer based on the 2-2-1-1-1 format, where the team with the better record gets to play games 1, 2, 5 & 7 on familiar hardwood. Instead, the Finals are now contested in the 2-3-2 format, which is much friendlier for the squad hosting the middle three games.

Ironically, the league switched to that schedule because of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry of the 1980’s. At the time, purists cringed because the team with the inferior record would get to host the fifth game, which is considered the most crucial in any series. Sure enough in 1985, the first year of the new scheme, the Celtics evened the Finals at two games apiece thanks to a Dennis Johnson buzzer beater, only to stay out west and play Game 5 at the Forum. The home crowd helped lift the Magic, Kareem and company to a win and eventual series victory.

The league’s rationale for the change was that the new format made cross-country travel much easier, since you only had to make the trek twice instead of four times in a potential seven game set. Of course, the brain surgeons in charge then went ahead and started scheduling shorter turnarounds following the cross-country flights. Check out the schedule this year:

Boston and L.A. play Game 2 at the Garden Sunday, three days after Thursday’s Game 1. They then hop on a plane to La-La Land for Game 3 Tuesday, with just one day’s rest. To compound the mistake, Games 4 & 5 are played Thursday and Sunday, before the series returns to Boston for Game 6 Tuesday, again with only one day off after the long flight.

Cue the Bud Lite “Real Men of Genius” commercial and kiss home court advantage goodbye.

The other difference NBA fans returning from their Celtics induced slumber will notice is how bad the officiating has become. We always complained about the refs, but nowadays, they really are horrible. At least Tim Donaghy had reason to make stupid calls. He had gambling money at stake. What possesses Bennett Salvatore to make some of his mind-boggling decisions is beyond comprehension. Yet there he was, wearing a striped shirt last Saturday. Except unlike Donaghy’s prison garb, Salvatore wore his uniform to work the deciding game of a conference championship. Who’s the real criminal?

Other changes you’ll notice since the original Big Three roamed the original Garden: the pre-game introductions last longer than most Hollywood marriages…the words “traveling” and “palming” only exist for rookies… and pro basketball defenders get away with more contact than an NFL secondary.

Otherwise, the next two weeks are a throwback to the 60’s and 80’s. The NBA Finals have finally come back to Boston, and from the looks of things, not much has changed.
League supremacy is at stake. The green and white of the Celtics vs. the Lakers’ purple and gold. Rabid fans on both coasts. The rest of the country will tune in. And Jack Nicholson still looks like a bum.

Twenty-one years. Celtics fans have hit blackjack once again.