Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Remember the old joke about going to a fight and having a hockey game break out? Well, Monday night, Carmine Frongillo and I went to a debate and a pep rally broke out!

We’d come up with the idea of doing a SunTalk Live show asking who was the best athlete ever to come out of the Merrimack Valley. On the surface, the debate seemed rather simple.

When you have Tom Glavine, a 300-game/2-time Cy Young winner who hails from Billerica, Westford native Pat Bradley, who is one of only 25-women ever inducted into the LPGA Hall of Fame, and a world class boxer from Lowell named Micky Ward, who will soon have Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg portraying him in an upcoming flick, you wouldn’t think there’d be much room for others to enter the discussion.

The first hint that the topic created a buzz came Sunday, when wedding goers at my church stopped to offer the their suggestions before going on to greet the bride and groom in the receiving line. Thankfully for the bride’s sake, her new hubby wasn’t one of them. It continued Monday, when names I hadn’t even considered were thrown out during a golf outing. (Poor Tom Fitzgerald gets overlooked on two counts: once for being from Billerica, which we all know is the new legal first name of Billerica’s Tom Glavine, and once for not winning two Stanley Cups, something Acton-Boxboro legend Tom Barrasso accomplished)

Yet the fun really began once we opened up the phone lines Monday night. (You can watch the broadcast by visiting the SunTalk Live link at lowellsun.com) One lady made a passionate case for a boxer whose existence I’ve yet to verify. Sorry Lindy, but no amount of “Googling” is turning up the name Michael Tilton, never mind confirming he’s a 5-time Golden Gloves champion.

One chap brought back memories by voting for Dwayne Artis. The caller’s name? None other than Dwayne Artis himself. Sorry Dwayne, but while a 5-foot-9 high schooler who could dunk in games when dunking was still a big deal is quite impressive, you weren’t even the best player on your team. We’ll give that honor to Tracey Mitchell, who almost made the Celtics roster in the days when a guy named Bird presided over training camp at Hellenic College.

As Carmine and I continued to banter about all the locals who’ve gone on to athletic greatness, the discussion became more of a celebration. It’s safe to say both of us, already fully aware of the area’s rich sporting history, ended up truly amazed at just how deep the region’s talent pool is.

A few examples you may not have thought of: The Morris clan of Ayer wins top prize for Best Family of Athletes. It’s easy to recall Joe winning a Super Bowl with the New York Giants, but how many of you realize brother Jamie, besides being a champion sprinter, is also the University of Michigan’s career receptions leader for running backs, not to mention holder of the NFL record for carries in a single game by lugging the pigskin 45-times for the Redskins on December 17, 1988?

How about the contributions from the ice wars, where the aforementioned Fitzgerald and Barrasso are joined by Chelmsford’s Phil Bourque (another 2-time Cup winner) and Keith Aucoin. Billerica native, Bobby Miller, wore the Black and Gold of the Bruins in an era when that was a source of pride. Heck, you can even include Craig MacTavish in the discussion, even though he only played in Lowell rather than being born here.

There are others, too many to list here. What we’ve done however, is set up other avenues for those of you who missed out on Monday’s broadcast to chime in and tell us about your favorite. You can post comments here, as always. There’s a pretty good debate taking place on topix.net. Just type in “MVC best athlete” to find that one. And of course, you can let your thoughts be known on the online version of this article.

So let the debate begin…or should I say, continue!

The combined no-hitter by Oneonta pitchers David Stokes, Anthony Shawler, and Tyler Stohr Monday night was the first suffered by the Lowell Spinners in their 13-year, 918-game history. It was the first no-hitter thrown against a Lowell minor-league team since 1915 when the Lowell Tigers were no-hit in both games of a doubleheader in Portland, Me.
Oscar Tuero of the Portland Duffs fired a nine-inning no-hitter in the first game of the doubleheader on Aug. 7, 1915, winning 5-0. By mutual agreement so the Tigers could catch a boat back to Boston, the second game would be limited to five innings.
Otto Rettig held the Tigers hitless in the abbreviated game, too, although the Tigers were able to pull out a 1-1 tie.
Oneonta’s no-hitter was the fourth thrown against a Lowell team in a minor-league history that dates back to 1887. The only other no-hitter was tossed by Joe Sline of the Lawrence Colts on June 29, 1909. The Colts beat the Tigers 7-0 at Spalding Park, now Lowell's Stoklosa/Alumni Field.
That game is otherwise notable because it was the professional debut for Lowell pitcher Lefty Tyler, then a 19-year-old kid from Derry, N.H. Tyler would go on to star for the Boston Braves and Chicago Cubs in the major leagues, winning 127 games — including 30 shutouts — from 1910-21. Tyler pitched in two World Series, in 1914 when the Braves beat the Philadelphia A’s, and in 1918 when the Red Sox beat the Cubs. He also ended the New York Giants’ major-league record 26-game winning streak in 1916.
Tyler died in Lowell in 1953.

Red Sox outfielder Bobby Kielty, who finishes up his rehab assignment with the Spinners tonight, never played in the New York-Penn League or any other league below full-season Class A ball after being signed as a free agent by the Minnesota Twins in 1999. But he does know Spinners general manager Tim Bawmann.
Bawmann was the GM of the Quad City Bandits of the Class A Midwest League in 1999 when Kielty began his professional career there. They have been reunited in Lowell after nine years.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Four observations to carry you into the Fourth of July holiday:

1) Monday, in response to news that Willie Andrews had been arrested for allegedly pointing a handgun at his girlfriend’s head, the New England Patriots released a statement declaring they “take the conduct of our players very seriously.”

Tuesday, the team issued another press release, consisting of 3 paragraphs. The first announced the signing of 6th round draft pick Bo Rudd and the release of Willie Andrews. Paragraphs 2 & 3 highlighted the background and career of Rudd. No another mention was made of Andrews. The silence was deafening.

Andrews, by the way, was supposed to address local students as part of his plea bargain for the marijuana arrest in Lowell back in February. Not so sure that’s going to happen anymore, or that it should. If true, the new charges are serious enough where the defensive back/special-teamer should only address a cellmate.

2) Brett Favre…how can we miss you, when we won’t go away?

Honestly, I think the guy is coming off like a big baby in all this. This whole retirement thing is proving to be nothing more than an insecurity thing, where the record-setting QB didn’t feel “wanted” by the Packers, so he supposedly retired in an effort to make them beg for his return, only GM Ted Thompson wouldn’t drop to his knees.

So Favre goes through this tear-jerker of a goodbye press conference, but never officially submits his retirement papers. Seeing that Green Bay didn’t beg for the interception machine’s return, Favre then swallowed his pride in May and contacted them about a return. Thompson reportedly won’t even answer the agent’s calls. Too funny!

Hey Brett, whatever it is you really want, just come out and ask for it. Don’t play these childish games. If the Packers don’t want you back, it’s for a reason. They’re ready to move on. You should be, too.

3) What happened to the poor people of Seattle is a crime. Basically, the NBA sat back and allowed someone to steal their basketball team, just as it acquired the potential superstar (Kevin Durant) that could have returned a very loyal and rabid fan base to the glory days. And because of what? Because the taxpayers refused to fund a new arena so that a billionaire owner could make an even bigger profit.

Say what you will about Tom Finneran, and I was never a fan of his, but the one thing I did agree with him on was his steadfast refusal to contribute taxpayer funds toward a new Foxboro Stadium. I’m all for government improving roads and infrastructure, but putting even a penny into the construction of a new stadium for professional sports owners is borderline criminal.

4) The Rays aren’t going away, and the Yankees have barely begun their patented second half surge. Not saying they’re definitely not going to make it (starting to lean that way, however), but your Boston Red Sox are not going to waltz into the playoffs this October. There’s something missing this year, and I’m not talking solely about David Ortiz’ bat.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!!!

Three former Lowell Spinners were selected today for the All-Star teams.
Former Spinners Player of the Year Kevin Youkilis (2001) of the Red Sox was elected by the fans to start at first base for the American League in the All-Star Game that will be played at Yankee Stadium on July 15. Youkilis collected 2,858,130 votes from the fans and beat Minnesota's Justin Morneau, a former AL MVP, by less than 57,000 votes.
Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez, the Spinners Player of the Year in 2002, drew 2,326,285 votes from fans, beating Milwaukee's J.J. Hardy by 119,000 votes. He will start for the National League.
Red Sox closer and former Spinner Jonathan Papelbon (2003) was selected by a panel of managers, coaches, and executives as one of the relief pitchers for the AL team.
It is the third All-Star selection for Papelbon. Youkilis and Ramirez will be making their first All-Star appearances.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Washing the mind while wondering why has-been pop stars don’t entertain late night visits from sportswriters:

What a strange bird this A-Rod character is. Great baseball player, but strange. Not to delve too far into the soap opera aspects of this episode, but either he really is as cold as he’s being accused of being, or he fakes “cool under fire” pretty darned well. Both scenarios are kind of troubling.

Is “Kabbalah” ancient Hebrew for “I’m about to lose half a fortune in divorce but I can still walk around with this goofy, not a care in the world look on my face?”

Haven’t quite put my finger on it yet, but something’s missing from this Red Sox team, something I fear not even the return of David Ortiz can cure. The sum of the parts just doesn’t seem to equal the whole. Maybe the eye of the tiger is gone. Maybe Father Time has caught up with too many key contributors. Maybe it’s the traveling secretary’s fault. Something. Let you know as soon as I’ve figured it out.

You won’t get much debate about James Posey being option number one for the Celtics this offseason. But if Big Game James is destined to move on to greater riches, Cory Maggette isn’t a bad 1A. I’ll take a 28-year old who averaged more than 22-points per game last year as a fallback option.

Even if his defensive game isn’t up to Posey’s high standards, being on the same practice court as Kevin Garnett will elevate Maggette’s level of play. All you need to do is check out game tape of Paul Pierce and Ray Allen laying down the “D” to see what effect a little effort and motivation can have on that side of the court. The area we don’t know about, and won’t until he’s tested under fire, is how the former Duke star performs when the money’s on the line. In that regard, Posey doesn’t have many peers. And that’s a skill set you can’t teach. You either have it, or you don’t.

Ben Coates certainly earned his place in the Patriots Hall of Fame. Very nice tight end, with some eye popping numbers in his prime. Best tight end in Patriots history? Not even close. Russ Francis holds that distinction. Had he played in a passing era, the player Howard Cossell dubbed “All-World” would have easily matched Big Ben’s reception numbers. Not just that, but many in the know say he was the second best blocker on those 70’s Patriots squads, ranking right behind a guy by the name of Hannah.

The reason that magnificent Federer-Nadal Wimbledon final won’t lead to a tennis resurgence here in the States is because neither one of them is American. That’s too bad, but as a sporting nation, we tend to ignore accomplishments unless they come from one of our own.

And what once seemed like an inevitable march to career Grand Slam records for Roger Federer and Tiger Woods doesn’t seem like such a foregone conclusion now, does it? In the case of the Swedish racket star, Rafael Nadal’s emergence has slowed the assault on Pete Sampras’ record of 14 (Federer has 12). As for Tiger, injury seems to be the biggest stumbling block. How Woods knee responds to the latest surgery could go a long way in determining how close he gets to Jack Nicklaus’ 18-majors (needs four more to tie).

Me? I’m still waiting to write my first winning column. And for that late-night invitation from Debbie Gibson.

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

Here are the starting lineups for tonight’s game between the Twins and the Red Sox:
Twins
Carlos Gomez, cf
Alexi Casilla, 2b
Joe Mauer, c
Justin Morneau, 1b
Craig Monroe, dh
Delmon Young, lf
Brendan Harris, 3b
Nick Punto, ss
Denard Span, rf
Nick Blackburn, 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
Julio Lugo, ss
Kevin Cash, c
Jon Lester, lhp

It’s good to be home. The Red Sox have lost 14 consecutive one-run games on the road since beating Oakland on Apr. 1. The last time they lost that many one-run road games in a row was from Sept. 24, 1988 through June 27, 1989. The Sox are only 2-14 in one-run road games this season.
At home, however, the Red Sox are 10-2 in one-run games, including last night’s 1-0 win over the Twins. Overall, the Red Sox have lost 13 of their last 17 one-run games, a major reason they trail Tampa Bay by four games in the standings.

The Red Sox have announced the signing of their seventh-round pick in last month’s draft, University of North Carolina catcher Tim Federowicz, and assigned him to the Lowell Spinners.
Federowicz was late to sign because the Tarheels were playing in the College World Series.
The Spinners are hoping Federowicz can add some punch to the New York-Penn League’s weakest lineup. Spinners catchers Rafael Gil and Matt Cooney are hitting a combined .058 (4-for-69) with no extra-base hits and 5 RBI.
Federowicz, who has been working out with the Spinners while his contract was approved and he passed his medical, could be behind the plate tomorrow night when the Spinners begin a six-game road trip in Batavia, N.Y.

How's this for irony? The Spinners, the NY-PL's worst-hitting team with a .208 average, now boast the league's best hitter. Outfielder Mitch Dening took over the batting lead last night with a .373 average.

Former Lowell Spinners outfielder Matt Murton (2003) was one of the four players traded today by the Chicago Cubs to the Oakland Athletics for pitchers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin.
Murton, righthanded pitcher Sean Gallagher, catcher Josh Donaldson, and infielder Eric Patterson were in the package received by the Athletics.
Murton has been back and forth between the Cubs and Class AAA Iowa this season. He was with Chicago at the time of the trade but has played only sparingly for the NL Central Division leaders.
Murton was hitting .250 with no homers and 6 RBI in 19 games for the Cubs. He was hitting .298 with 1 homer and 15 RBI and a .397 on-base percentage at Iowa.
Murton is a .294 lifetime hitter in the majors with 28 homers and 104 RBI in 308 games.
He was the Red Sox' second pick after David Murphy in the 2003 draft.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

So I was wondering...when the Yankees played Tampa this week, who did you root for?

Logic dictates you root for the Yankees, who with their victories over the surprising Rays allowed the Red Sox to inch closer in the American League East. Yet if you're like me, you found yourself pulling like heck for the upstarts from the Sunshine State.

First of all, I can't ever root for the Bombers, unless their victory is necessary for the Sox to maintain mathematical life in any way, shape or form. Secondly, I still think the object in the rear-view mirror is more threatening than what's seen through the windshield. Like a skilled NASCAR driver in second place during the Daytona 500 (just wait...this analogy's gonna get good...and you didn't think I knew anything about auto racing!) realizing the car currently leading the race is gonna blow a tire or run out of gas at some point, I'm more concerned about Jeff Gordon's car closing in behind me. (Ha! See, I told you I've watched a race or two!)

So that's how I spent my week...disappointed that the 3rd place Gordons, I mean Yankees, beat up on the first place Rays. What was your view?

The lineups for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Red Sox:
Orioles
Brian Roberts, 2b
Adam Jones, cf
Nick Markakis, rf
Aubrey Huff, dh
Melvin Mora, 3b
Kevin Millar, 1b
Luke Scott, lf
Ramon Hernandez, c
Brandon Fahey, ss
Brian Burres, lhp

Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, cf
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
Manny Ramirez, lf
Mike Lowell, 3b
Sean Casey, dh
Jason Varitek, c
Brandon Moss, rf
Julio Lugo, ss
Clay Buchholz, rhp

The next save for Jonathan Papelbon will be the 100th of his major-league career. He will become only the third Red Sox reliever to reach that milestone. Bob Stanley had 132 saves, and Dick Radatz had 104.
The Orioles have never scored a run off Papelbon. He has 17 2/3 scoreless innings in 19 career appearances against them.
The Red Sox today called up righthander Clay Buchholz from Pawtucket, where he was 4-2 with a 2.47 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 43 innings. Outfielder Jeff Bailey was optioned to Pawtucket to make room on the roster for Buchholz, who starts tonight against the Orioles.
Buchholz no-hit the Orioles in his second career major-league start last September.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Presenting more sports pageantry while hoping to avoid any Miss USA-like pratfalls (back to back tumbles by the American beauties? What, we can’t find one that can walk and smile at the same time?):

The real beauty of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game is normally in the ceremonies that take place before the actual first pitch is thrown. Perhaps I’m just turning into an old fuddy-duddy, but the game itself has really lost its luster since some of those classic battles of my 70’s childhood. This year, I can’t even get excited about the pre-game spectacle. Celebrate Yankee Stadium? Hah! I wouldn’t shed a tear if they blew the damn thing up as part of the festivities! (And to think, I’m a lot less bitter since 2004 happened. Really, I am. Ask my therapist)

Speaking of stadium situations, I wish these Spinners lease negotiations would take place where they belong…behind closed doors. We all know a deal is going to get done. It’s a win-win for both sides, unless one side or the other is interested in killing the golden goose. But while we hear an awful lot about the riches Drew Weber and company have amassed since beginning play at LeLacheur Park, we haven’t heard as much about the money Lowell’s Single-A entry has poured into facility upgrades, upgrades for a building they don’t own but others benefit from. A couple of examples:

The new clubhouse and existing clubhouse improvements completed before the start of the 2008 season cost the Spinners six-figures out of pocket. And when I say six figures, I’m not talking just clearing the hurdle…the first of the six numbers was a lot closer to two than one.

Remember those handicap improvements necessitated by a lawsuit brought against the team, the city and the architect? The Spinners had to pitch in on those. That newly spruced up field surface high school and college teams also get to play on? Yup, that’s a regular Spinners expense. And that fancy video board in the outfield, the one the kids from Lowell and Chelmsford High were watching Jon Lester’s no-hitter on after their Spinners World Series games? You guessed it.

The point isn’t to take one side over the other. It’s to illustrate that we’re all on the same side here. The Spinners greatly benefit from Lowell and the Merrimack Valley. Lowell and the Merrimack Valley greatly benefit from the Spinners. Both parties are no doubt aware of this and will get a deal done in short order, one that’s fair to all. In the meantime, let’s enjoy seeing the next generation of Red Sox in action right here in our own backyard.

Patriots training camp opens in a week and a half. Two things I’ll be watching for: the team’s psyche after losing the only game that matters in a one-loss season. The other item of interest on this end is the backup Quarterback battle. Something tells me Matt Cassel has taken his last snap in a Flying Elvis helmet. Not that he took that many to begin with.

Maybe Brett “I need to further destroy my legacy before moving on” Favre is willing to fill the void. The way I see it, it’s the interception machine’s best chance at winning another Super Bowl ring.

That’s how I see things…how do you see them?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Can’t believe I’m about to say this because last year at this time, I would have made the trade in a heartbeat. But I would NOT trade Kevin Youkilis in any deal for Mark Teixeira.

The deal, as reported by ESPN’s Peter Gammons would bring the slugging first baseman to Beantown in exchange for The Greek God of Walks and the Relief Pitching God of Gopher Balls, Craig Hanson. Frankly, I’d trade Hanson for Mark Twain right about now, never mind Mark Teixeira.

Youk, on the other hand, I don’t think so, especially not now that he’s exhibiting the ability to hit for power. Sure, he’ll never live up to Teixeira’s power numbers, but he’s going to be a much cheaper option than the free agent to be from Atlanta. If the Sox really want Teixeira, they can just wait till the offseason and use Manny Ramirez’ dollars for him, move Youkilis to left field and get younger in the process. Assuming, of course, you think it's wise to move a Gold Glove 1st Baseman to a new position.

You know me…I’m the first to unload prospects for established stars. Except in this case, The Greek God of Walks is closer to the stars than the prospects!

That’s the view from here…how do you see things? Would you make this trade, or something similar? Would you pull the trigger if you could keep Youkilis and unload prospects instead? I think I would!

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

James Posey will not return to Boston to help the Celtics defend their NBA title. The free agent is about to sign a 4-year deal with the New Orleans Hornets, worth about $25-million.

Quite frankly, I'm surprised by the development. I figured with all the time that's passed, no other team was going to give the valuable 6th man the fourth year he was looking for and that he'd end up coming back for 3-years. Can't blame Posey for taking the better deal...this is likely his last big contract, and it's not like he's been making Garnett-Pierce money anyway. I wish him luck and thank him for the amazingly clutch contributions.

Not sure why the C's were so reluctant here. Luxury tax concerns? I'm sure they could have made up the dough somehow. Worried about what Posey would be able to contribute in Year 3 and 4? They should probably be more worried about who is going to fill that role next year, because the options remaining are simply not that attractive.

So unless a trade for a player we don't know about yet is in the offing, or unless the C's know something about a potential free agent who'd like to sign here next year or 2010 (the LeBron year), this is a bad day for the 2008-09 boston Celtics. Oh well...at least they did with that title, which really softens the blow.

That's the view from here...what do you think? Mistake on Danny Ainge's part? Good move with an eye toward the future?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

Even as I type this, a storybook tale is unfolding. With 20 holes left to play in the 2008 British Open (the final round plus 17&18 in the 3rd round), Greg Norman sits atop the leaderboard at +3.

Never mind that cold temps and whipping winds have reduced the Major Championship to a survival test. Should Norman, who hasn’t won a tournament in 10-years, never mind a Major, hold his position, this will be one of the top sports stories of the year, ranking right up there with Tiger’s Wounded Knee win at the U.S. Open.

As someone who always rooted for him and cringed through a Greek Easter Sunday as Norman blew a 7-shot, final round lead at the 1996 Masters, I’ll be pulling extra hard for the man dubbed The Shark. He apparently has it all in life…money, his own clothing line and wine label, even a brand new wife in the famous Chris Everett. What the 53-year old doesn’t have is a storybook victory to cement his place among golf’s all-time greats.

Everybody raise a glass of Greg Norman Shiraz now…Here’s hoping Norman gets that victory tomorrow!

(Update: Norman is at +2, holding a 2-stroke lead over Padraig Harrington and K.J. Choi at the completion of the 3rd round)

What do you think? Can the Shark hold on? Would this be a more improbable victory than a 46-year old Nicklaus winning the Masters?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

It’s comforting to know that despite military strife throughout the planet, skyrocketing gas prices and apocalyptic words of warning from environmentalists, all is still right with the world. How can I be so sure? Because after ten years out of the spotlight, Greg Norman still knows how to blow a final round lead in a major championship better than any golfer who’s ever played the game, proving the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Actually, it’s kind of difficult to get on The Shark’s case for this one. When you’re 53-years old, boast your own clothing line and wine label, and haven’t really played much competitive golf over the last decade, you’re not supposed to sit atop the leaderboard heading into Sunday play at the most obscure golf tournament, never mind the oldest Major.

Yet there Norman was, 18-holes away from supplanting Jack Nicklaus’ Masters green jacket at the age of 46 as the most improbable victory by an older golfer. And you can’t help but feel that if the old gunslinger did what most of us hacks should also do on the links, put away the darn driver, he might have just pulled it off. Oh well, let’s raise a glass of Shiraz and toast Norman for providing some semblance of weekend drama in a Tiger-less tournament.

Think the fruit basket Tom & Giselle sent The Tuna has arrived yet? Reportedly, Bill Parcells was none too pleased that his ace defender, Jason Taylor, spent more offseason time Dancing with the Stars than getting in step with a new coaching staff, which ultimately led to Taylor’s trade to Washington. As a result, it’s hard to imagine any quarterback as happy to see the Dolphins defensive end waltz out of the AFC East as our own Tom Brady. And I bet Giselle Bundchen is doing a cha-cha of her own in anticipation of less bumps and bruises on her beau after the Miami game.

Lowell Spinners ace Brock Huntzinger has an Earned Run Average of 0.49 in 37-innings pitched, which is roughly the same Grade Point Average carried by Delta House’s Kent “Flounder” Dorfman in Animal House. While fat, dumb and stupid is still no way to go through life, young, cannon-armed and excelling at LeLacheur Park is a surefire way to end up on the fast track to Fenway. I’m putting my money on the 20-year old righty being the first representative of the 2008 Spinners to follow the Buchholz-Ellsbury-Masterson two year plan from Lowell to Boston.

How about a big shout out to the Callary Park A’s. The Little Leaguers, comprised of kids 10-12 year old, captured their third consecutive city championship Friday night with a victory over the Shedd Park Giants. Helping Head Coach Sean Riley turn the rare trick were Nick Powers, Gabriel Morales and Calvin Riley, who played on all three championship squads. They may be too young to realize it now, but 60-years from now, all the A’s will get to tell the grandchildren some pretty neat tales.

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

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

...both to Fenway Park and in the standings!

While the Rays still cling to a 1/2 game lead in the American League East, I think we all pretty much know the division race (and probably the wild card berth) will come down to Boston and New York. After their usual, horrible start, the Bronx Bombers have caught fire and pulled to withing 3 1/2 games of first, only 3 behind the Sox.

Interesting that the games are taking place during Folk Festival weekend here in Lowell. You remember what happened last time the Evil Empire visited Friendly Fenway on Folk Fest Saturday? (Hint-hint...the photo says it all)

So what do you think gang? Is this series as big as I think it is? Have the Yanks re-established themselves as a threat in the East? How bad of a razzing do you think A-Rod is going to get?

Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez, still complaining of a sore knee, was not in the starting lineup tonight for the first game of a three-game series with the Yankees. Ramirez has 55 career homers and 160 career RBI against the Yankees.
David Ortiz is, however, back in the lineup and batting third.
The starting lineups:
Yankees
Johnny Damon, dh
Derek Jeter, ss
Bobby Abreu, rf
Alex Rodriguez, 3b
Jason Giambi, 1b
Robinson Cano, 2b
Melky Cabrera, cf
Jose Molina, c
Brett Gardner, lf
Joba Chamberlain, rhp
Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, lf
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
David Ortiz, dh
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
Mike Lowell, 3b
J.D. Drew, rf
Jed Lowrie, ss
Jason Varitek, c
Coco Crisp, cf
Josh Beckett, rhp

The Yankees, who have clawed their way back into the thick of the AL East race, bolstered themselves for the stretch run last night by trading righthanded reliever Ross Ohlendorf and three minor-leaguers to the Pirates in exchange for outfielder Xavier Nady and lefthanded reliever Damaso Marte, according to MLB.com.
Nady was hitting .330 with 13 homers and 57 RBI for the Pirates while Marte was 4-0 with a 3.47 ERA in 47 relief appearances.
In addition to Ohlendorf, the Yankees parted with highly-touted outfielder prospect Jose Tabata and two pitchers, righthander George Kontos and lefthander Phil Coke.
The Yankees, who recently signed slump-ridden first baseman Richie Sexson after he was released by the Mariners, needed Nady because regular left fielder Hideki Matsui is likely lost for the season with a knee injury.

With rumors flying around Fenway Park that Manny Ramirez was facing a suspension if he didn’t get back into the lineup, the enigmatic outfielder was back in left field and in his customary cleanup spot for today’s nationally-televised game against the Yankees.
Some reports had the Red Sox telling Ramirez yesterday afternoon that if the MRI on his allegedly ailing knees came back negative, he would face disciplinary action for refusing to play in what turned out to be a 1-0 loss.
Red Sox manager Terry Francona said earlier today that he wasn’t comfortable talking about disciplinary actions contemplated or taken by the team, suggesting that some punishment was at least under consideration.
Ramirez had missed two games with what he claimed were sore knees.
The starting lineups for today’s game:
Yankees
Johnny Damon, dh
Derek Jeter, ss
Bobby Abreu, rf
Alex Rodriguez, 3b
Jason Giambi, 1b
Robinson Cano, 2b
Xavier Nady, lf
Melky Cabrera, cf
Jose Molina, c
Andy Pettitte, lhp
Red Sox
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
David Ortiz, dh
Manny Ramirez, lf
Mike Lowell, 3b
J.D. Drew, rf
Jed Lowrie, ss
Coco Crisp, cf
Kevin Cash, c
Tim Wakefield, rhp

The Yankees rushed Xavier Nady, whom they acquired in a trade with the Pirates last night, right into the lineup in left field. Nady was hitting .330 with 13 homers and 57 RBI in 89 games for the Pirates. He was riding a 13-game hitting streak at the time of the trade.

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

Keeping with the theme of the last three years, the Chicago Bandits visit to the New England Riptide was interrupted by rain.

Rain forced the rescheduling of tonight's game, originally scheduled for 5 p.m. at Martin Softball Field in Lowell. The contest will now be played as part of a double header tomorrow (Monday) at 4 p.m. prior to the regularly scheduled game at 7:05.

The Bandits (20-14) have won the first two games of the series against the Riptide (15-19).

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The New England Riptide continue to prove that the statistics alone aren’t the important thing, it’s a matter of the timing.

The Riptide managed to outscore opponents by 22 runs (124 runs compared to 102 runs) and collect 24 more hits (232 to 208) through 34 games. Three Riptide hitters (Lyndsey Angus, third; Lisa Modglin, fifth; Jackie Pasquerella, seventh) rank in top seven of the league leaders coming into Monday.

Opponents have made their runs and hits count more as New England enters today’s double header with a record of 15-19.

While nine of the Riptide’s 15 wins have been by four runs or more, they’ve lost 16 games by three runs or less including 10 one-run games.

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

When a television show reaches the point where the writers start concocting ridiculous storylines to help revive sagging ratings, the show is deemed to have “jumped the shark.”

The reference dates back to a Happy Days episode where Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli, clad in a leather jacket no less, literally jumped over a shark while water skiing. Scenes like that are a sure sign the program is on its last legs and that the audience has grown tired of the storyline.

Well, I’m here to tell you that as of July 28, 2008, the soap opera involving Manny Ramirez and the Boston Red Sox officially “jumped the shark” in this Sox fan’s eyes.

After going underground for about a week, buried deep in a Folk Festival work bunker, I emerged Monday morning to catch up on all the latest happenings involving Boston’s Boys of Summer. But instead of game recaps, my backlog of reading material consisted mainly of stories involving the on again-off again love affair between Manny Ramirez and the Boston Red Sox.

Does Manny still love Boston? Are John Henry and Theo Epstein looking to dump Manny for a more attractive, low maintenance slugger? Will they end up in an Alexis/Krystal-style catfight? Who shot J.R.? Blah, blah, blah-blah, blah! I’m so tired of all the drama!

I love Manny. I love the Red Sox. But it’s obvious the two of them can’t be together any longer. I feel like a friend caught in the middle of a bad relationship between two college buddies who got married and are now openly feuding on couple’s night out. For the love of God, people! Break up once and for all or keep your fights behind closed doors so you don’t ruin dinner!

The only thing this public squabbling accomplishes is to scare off potential suitors. Think about it: You’re an ex-husband saddled with sky high alimony payments. Do you want to trash the former misses to the guy she’s currently dating or do you want to build her up in hopes the poor sap marries her and frees you of the financial burden? So why then would the Red Sox let stories leak out about Ramirez faking a knee injury and being threatened with suspension if he didn’t get back in the lineup pronto?

Of course, if you’re the ex-wife looking for true love and happiness elsewhere, it’s probably not the best idea to act out publicly. Kind of scares off the suitors, if you know what I’m saying Manny. You want some other team to trade for you and show you the money? Then stop being such a pain in the you know what!

The strange thing is, Manny and the Red Sox were made for each other. The first seven years of marriage may have been tumultuous, but they produced a couple of beautiful children in the World Series trophies of 2004 and 2007. As currently constituted, the Sox aren’t championship caliber without Ramirez. Manny, on the other hand, isn’t going to get $20-million dollars a year to play any place else. They need each other and use each other, baseball’s version of friends with benefits.

Too bad the non-stop bickering is causing more and more of us to tune this long-running soap opera out. The Manny being Manny storyline has jumped the shark and I, for one, could care less how it all plays out in the end. Unless, of course, I see Theo Epstein in a leather jacket and water skis, preparing to soar over Manny’s agent, Scott Boras.

HEYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

How about you, gang? You as tired of this long-running soap opera as I am? How would you like to see it all end?

Posted By Lynn Worthy, Sun Staff

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim added Mark Teixeira to the best team in baseball Tuesday night, and then they proceeded to put a beating on the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Angels general manager Tony Reagins wouldn't go so far as to proclaim Los Angeles the "team to beat" after the deal, saying during a conference call, “What it means is we’re committed to try to bring a championship to Southern California.”

The Angels sent infielder Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Steve Marek to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Teixeira.

Kotchman had hit .284 with 12 home runs and 54 RBI for Los Angeles. Teixeira, who is slated to be a free agent at the end of the season, hit .283 with 20 home runs and 78 RBI at the time fo the trade.

Teixera said during the conference call that he plans to be in Boston in time for Wednesday night's game.

"Mark is going to bring a lot of things," Angels manager Mike Scoscia said. "He's a presence for sure. When he's hitting in the middle of the lineup it can make guys around him better. He's a terrific defensive first baseman. We'll see what he brings, but I can't image it not being part of our foundation in the middle of the lineup here as we move forward this season."

Reagins added that while he felt that they‘ve been a quality team, and a team that plays hard and plays the right way, other teams "will have to respect what we do.”

Between the deals and the on-field display, the Angels definitely got Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia’s endorsement.

“Both of their guys (Kotchman and Teixeira) weren’t here and they still whooped on us,” he said. “It gives them a middle of the order bat, another middle of the order bat. They’re an elite team. What can I say. They want to go to the World Series and win the World Series.”

Click on the Comments link below to weigh in on what the trade means for the Angels, the Red Sox, and/or the rest of the American League.

Righthander Brock Huntzinger, the ace of the Lowell Spinners’ staff and a two-time New York-Penn League Pitcher of the Week, was promoted to Greenville of the Class A South Atlantic League today.
Huntzinger was 5-0 with a league-leading 0.64 earned run average. He recently had an 18-inning scoreless streak for the Spinners.
The 20-year-old Huntzinger was a third-round pick by the Red Sox in last year's draft.

The Yankees, who have climbed back into the AL East race since the All-Star break, continue to make trades in a bid to regain the division title they lost to the Red Sox last season.
With catcher Jorge Posada out for the year as he undergoes shoulder surgery, the Yankees picked up future Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez from the Tigers yesterday. The Yankees didn't have to give up any prospects this time, surrendering only reliever Kyle Farnsworth.
Rodriguez, who can be a free agent after the season, isn't the offensive force he once was. But he still represents a huge improvement over Jose Molina, who inherited the job by default after Posada was injured.
The Yankees picked up outfielder Xavier Nady and lefthanded reliever Damaso Marte from the Pirates last week.
It was only a couple of weeks ago that the Yankees had said they were planning to stick to their plan of developing prospects and no longer chasing high-priced talent from other clubs. But their prospects haven't developed as quickly as the Yankees hoped, and now they may be losing faith in their ability to replenish their roster from within their system.
"It's about taking chances this year," Yankees GM Brian Cashman told MLB.com after the Rodriguez deal was announced. "We want to be able to cross the finish line when this is all said and done. That's why we have to make these tough decisions on the run."

First baseman Mark Teixeira, traded from the Braves to the Angels last night, arrived at Fenway Park in time to be in tonight's starting lineup. Teixeira is batting third and playing first base.
The lineups for tonight's game between the Red Sox and Angels:
Angels
Chone Figgins, 3b
Maicer Izturis, ss
Mark Teixeira, 1b
Vladimir Guerrero, dh
Torii Hunter, cf
Garrett Anderson, lf
Howie Kendrick, 2b
Gary Matthews, rf
Jeff Mathis, c
Joe Saunders, lhp
Red Sox
Dustin Pedroia, 2b
Kevin Youkilis, 1b
David Ortiz, dh
Manny Ramirez, lf
Mike Lowell 3b
J.D. Drew, rf
Jed Lowrie, ss
Jason Varitek, c
Coco Crisp, cf
Josh Beckett, rhp

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staff

While waiting to see if the Manny Ramirez trade rumors come to fruition, it struck me just how pathetic an organization the Boston Bruins have become.

While the Red Sox are dominating sports talk in New England, the Patriots are about to embark on another Super Bowl chase with a Quarterback dating a world famous supermodel and the Celtics still basking in the glow of the area’s most recent championship, the Bruins are doing absolutely nothing to ensure that New England’s longest title drought doesn’t continue.

Seriously….Michael Ryder is the only transaction that even matters. That would be Michael, I scored a whopping total of 14-goals last year, Ryder. Yeah, yeah, yeah…I know…he scored 30-goals in back-to-back seasons before that. I’ve already heard that argument, too. Do me a favor though…check out his plus-minus in those two seasons: -5 in 2005/06 and -25 in 2006-07.

THAT’S RIGHT…..MINUS 25!!!!

I guess we could hope Patrice Bergeron doesn’t take another hard hit for the rest of his career (right…that never happens in hockey) or that Phil Kessel and others will really take it up a notch. Of course, this assumes an already porous defense won’t further deteriorate and that “Mediocre Manny” Fernandez can be the true #1 goalie that Tim Thomas simply doesn’t have it in him to be.

Of course, we’ve been waiting for all these scenarios to work out for the better since 1972, and they haven’t yet. Will 2008/09 be any different? Doubt it!

What do you think of the Bruins offseason dealings, or lack thereof?

Posted by Teddy Panos, Sun Staf

With the clock ticking down on today's 4pm trade deadline, the Red Sox finally unloaded Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers and got back Pittsburgh's Jason Bay. The Sox also sent Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss to the Pirates.

I think Theo Epstein did about as well as he could here. Bay is a good player, who if he adjusts to American League pitching, will not only help this year, but end up giving Boston more production going forward than an aging and sulking Manny might have. After what's transpired, there was no going back. Scott Boras had Manny's ear and was spoon-feeding him lines to shoot his way out of town and out of that contract, so that Boras could collect the commission. The big risk is that Bay takes too long to adjust to American League pitching, a la J.D. Drew.

I'll give Theo and the Sox two thumbs up here for not only making the best of a bad situation, but possibly improving the team in the future.

That's my take...what's yours?