Made the trade, but...

It does not matter if Julio Lugo is still playing shortstop. I am not sure what to call what he just did...some sort of half-slide/dive that allowed 2 runs to score. Then Beckett broke everything in the dugout. I guess they do not plan on having a lead to hold until after Gagne gets there. I will write more about this trade later...but I am happy about it.

Just a little update...after Wily Mo Pena actually walked Lugo hit into a double play. Loved the trade, made the team better...remember that...made the team better.

More updates...Lugo strikes out looking with the bases loaded and two out, on a low pitch. Was it borderline...yes. But with 2 strikes and you always swing at anything close. This guy is pathetic. And he just made what should be an error. $9 Million...wow. Way to go on that one Theo. Atleast you got Gagne!

This guy continues to lead off and he has a .291 On base percentage. Ya know what? I do not even blame Lugo for being so awful...I blame Francona continues to hit him lead off. If I were him I would want my first 2 hitters to get on base at a high percentage so that Papi and Manny have someone to hit in. I would suggest hitting Pedroia first, .391 OBP and Youk second, .403 OBP. More runs would score because more men would be on base for the big 2. That would make sense though and one would not want to do that.

5-3 loss and now the lead is back to 7. The Sox had runners on 1st and 2nd with one out and up came Lugo. He just barely missed grounding into a double play and the game ended on the next pitch. The Sox had 4 hits and Papi had 3 of them...2 for homeruns. Oh well. It was good to see Papi hit for some more power at Fenway today. 7 games is still the biggest lead. I believe it would be larger without the WORST EVERYDAY PLAYER IN BASEBALL...JULIO LUGO.

KG to my Celts...and what it means for my Sox

I was gone most of yesterday and had no idea what was going on in the sports world. I believed it to be a slow day because my Sox were not playing and what could possibly happen. So you have to imagine my surpise as I turned on the computer and went to boston.com/sports and saw that is slow day had really turned into what could be a huge trade for the basketball franchise I have always cheered for, but has been awful for the longest time. Kevin Garnett was coming to play in Boston? I still cannot believe it. 3 all-stars, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and KG, on one team? I was not sure how to feel about this at first, but then I thought about it some more and came to this conclusion...bring on the NBA season. I am not sure if I have even thought that since the early 90's. My next thought was very simple...Kevin McHale was always my favorite player on the Celtics when I was growing up. I loved the way he played and I loved the size of his heart. Now, he is my favorite GM. I cannot believe he would give up such a talented player for nothing...but I won't go into this because Bill Simmons already has. Instead I will link this is some way, as I probably always will, to my beloved Red Sox and what this means as the trade deadline fast approaches.
This next sentence is going to sound completley and utterly ridiculous...Theo Epstien could learn from Danny Ainge right now. Before you stop reading because you think I have lost my mind let me make my argument and then you can tell me how stupid I am. Trading for KG will do one of two things, make the Celts a Contender or do absolutely nothing and they will continue to be medicore. I believe this will make them a contender, but mostly because the East, especially the Atlantic Division, is awful. BUT no matter what happens to the Celts in the end, this was a trade that Ainge needed to complete and he knew it. Most of the players he gave up were awful, but he did give up a future star in Al Jefferson. Most people, especially baseball people, are very much against the idea of giving up young, promising stars for known commidities. This why the Mets never got Manny because they were afraid to give up players that MIGHT become all-stars. This has never made any sense to me. I am not saying that one should mortage their future for an aging star, but does it not make sense to trade for something you know will work and all you are giving up is something that could possibly work? Danny Ainge has done this. For better or for worse he has put his job in the line and my respect for him as GM increased. In 2004 my respect for Theo Epstein as a GM was at the highest point it could possibly be and this is not because that was the year the Red Sox pulled off the greatest comeback in the history sports and went in the win the World Series. It is because he put his job on the line and made one of the toughest trades you could possibly make. I remember driving in the car with Amy as it was announced the Sox had traded Nomar, the face of the franchise. I was so angry I turned off the radio before we even heard who the Sox had gotten back. Eventually I heard about the 3 players the Red Sox had gotten, OC, Mienkvetasdaz and Dave Roberts. None of them were all-stars, but as I looked at the 3 players I felt a little better about what had happened. Theo did not know these 3 players would help the Sox win, but he did not feel they could win with type of team they currently had. The facts are the facts, the Sox did went on to win the World Series and they would not have without these 3 players. Theo took a chance, put his job on the line and helped the Sox twin the Series. Now he sits back in his cushy office, on his chair made of money, wearing that ridiculous Gorilla suit and makes lots of phone calls with little action. The Sox have been liked to both Jermaine Dye and Eric Gagne, but nothing has actually happened. I think he needs to sit down and look at the options and pull the trigger. Dye would give the Sox a righthanded hitting outfielder, who is a pull hitter-perfect for Fenway, that can spell Drew, Crisp, Youk, Lowell, Manny and Papi. He would help them not miss a beat when he is in the game and give the Red Sox a much better bench. Gagne would help turn every Red Sox game into a 6 inning game. Whether or not he is the closer the Red Sox could pitch Okijima, Paps and Gagne at the end of the games. This would be mean that almost every lead would be safe. Theo has to do this, he just has to. Make guys like Ellsbury and Buchholz untouchable, but after that do not be afraid to give up unknowns for knowns. Go get the guys that have done it in the past and WILL do it for you in the future. Take a page on out Ainges brand new play book and take a chance. And if you does not work, you can take your chair made of money and gorilla suit with you to another team.

Shut your MOUTH, Steve Phillips

Right now Amy and I are watching the Red Sox v. Indians games on ESPN. This is unfortunate because if we could watch it on NESN then we could listen to Jerry Remy actually analyze a game. Instead we are forced to listen to the bumbling fool, Steve Phillips. Let me give a little bit of an introduction to why it is the World Wide Leader in Sports would hire this man as an analyst. Steve Phillips was a Career minor leaguer who never, ever showed any promise. In 1997 the New York Mets foolishly hired him as General Manager and he went to throw tons of money at Mo Vaughn who played a total of 166 games with 29 Homeruns and and 87 RBI. I believe they are still paying that ridiculous contract. Pretty much Phillips has never excelled at ANYTHING in his baseball life.
Ok, now that we got that out of the way let me tell you some of what the genious analysis has given out tonight. Early in the game Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia grounded out and he seen angrily talking to himself because he had gotten out. Steve Phillips goes on to give us this nugget, "This is why Pedroia is a great major league hitter, because he yells at himself and he is angry." He continued to tell us why a player who yells at himself is better. WHAT!?!?!? It has nothing to do with the fact that Pedroia has a great batters eye, who hits to all fields, who practices at his craft and who at every level as hit???? No, my friends, it is because he yells at himself.
Later in games Manny Ramirez thought he had a Homerun and did not run it out and ended up with deep single. This would lead to JD Drew hitting into a double play. Did Manny make a mistake? You bet he did. BUT is it something that should be talked about 3 innings later? I am going to go with HECK NO! Does a double with noone out mean an automatic run? You do have a good chance of scoring, but it does not automatically mean you will score. Well our resident mastermind thinks so, "Manny being Manny(by the way noone says this anymore except the four letter network) strikes again. By not hustling there he did two things. Cost them a run and creates problems in the clubhouse. He would have scored there and now noone wants to talk to him at all. (Cameras show dugout as Manny jokes with several players). That is not Championship Caliber baseball." Unless Manny was going to hit an inside the park homerun he did not cost them a run. What he did was stupid but he did NOT cost them a run! How does this cause problems in the clubhouse? Do players really care about this stuff? I am going to go with not so much. By how much the players were talking to him and joking with him right after the play and 3 innings later, I am going to guess they do not care about this stuff as much as Phillips, a former professional farm hand, swears they do. Also, Manny does not play "Championship Caliber Baseball"???? REALLY?!?!? REALLY!?!?! The ring on his finger and the World Series MVP trophy on his mantle tell me and every other knowledgable baseball that he does.
There are many more stupid things that Phillips has said in this game and will say throughout his illustrious career and I give you my word that I will keep you updated on his nauseating remarks.

And Scene...

As of today both Amy and I have finished the final Harry Potter. It was fantastic. Soon I plan of writing all of my opinions about what took place, but I know that many people are not done yet. If you are not done, you will love it. If you have not read any of them start now. They are all great and this final installment is in a word...magical.

Now I will retire to my study...

Book 7 is here!! Book 7 is here! That is right the final Harry Potter has arrived and I am ready to read! Am I huge dork? yes! Do I care?? NO!!!! Time to read!

Live from Fenway...

Or my house...JD Drew just hit a 3 run homerun that the Umps decided was not a homerun. It was tough call, sure, but this is what you get paid to do. In the real world you get fired for being this incompetent. Oh well, it is just 1-0 instead of 3-0. Why do I love sports?

One inning later the ChiSox Jim Thome hit a 3 run homerun...3-1. Should be 3-3. I love being a Red Sox fan.

And the Red Sox win 10-3. Should have been 12-3, stupid umps! Nice win. Hopefully something happened to get them going.

And Breathe...

That feels much better. I am not so angry today, but that might just be because the Red Sox have not played yet today. But for now cooler heads have prevailed, ie. my wife, and I am breathing again. Don't get me wrong I still think this team stinks, but I am not going to to explode because of it right now...

Stat of the Day
$103.1 Million, 14 Pitches-12 for balls
That is how much the Red Sox paid for Dice-K, the Japenese phenom to walk 3 batters on one of the most impatient teams on the league. The ChiSox have a .319 On base percentage as a Team...that 25th our of 30 teams! OK, so I am still alittle angry.

Remember...Go Sox(I really do cheer for them) and Rah, Rah Carolina, lina

So angry that I cannot even come up with a title...

At this point I have no idea how the Red Sox game will end, but I have had it. This team is pathetic. From top to bottom, they are pathetic. Sure many of players are having fantastic years, sure they will be still be up atleast 7 games...but they are awful, dreadful and (in the spirit of the last Harry Potter book coming out) GHASTLY! I cannot believe it. A $160 million payroll and not one player with who plays with any fire. In April and May they seemed to care and their play showed it. Best record in the majors and an seemingly insurmountable lead. They even had me praising Terry Francona's amazing coaching ability. Now you will not hear a word of praise. I written it on this page before and I will write again...THIS TEAM CANNOT AND WILL NOT WIN A WORLD SERIES AS PRESENTLY CONSTITUTED. They need to make a change, ruffle some feathers...do something. Something like Theo Epstein had the guts to do in 2004. Now he is so afraid of his own shadow that he signs the likes of JD Drew and Julio Lugo. Ever since he stormed out with his blanky in one hand and rattle in the other and got what he wanted, gained more control over operations, the team has been awful to watch. I have never been a fan of Larry Lucchino (like most Sox fans), but ever since Theo gained more of Larry's power the team has gone to pot. Lucchino is the one who said it was time to get rid of Pedro and Damon...not Theo. Theo pushed for deals signing Carl Pavano and Javier Vazquez and was bailed out time and time again by the Yankees Brain Cashmen. Wonder Boy? How about Dunder Boy? I am not even sure if that makes sense, but I am so angry that it will have to make sense for now. Am I saying that in order for the Red Sox to turn around 2007 they will have to fire Theo...NO I am not. Firing the GM will not change the direction of a team. What I am saying is make a move before the trade deadline. Do something BIG. The Sox need more than a better bench...they need more pitching and hitting. They need to address the holes and FIX THEM ALL. Have some guts...make a change. I know the Sox won the Series in 2004 and I know there is grace period, but I cannot take it anymore. I am so angry...Can you tell?

Annika Jumps IN

Here is another video of one of my nieces jumping off the diving board. Annika is 3 and does NOT do a belly flop! This was great though because it took her a few days to have the courage to do it...but once she did she could not stop!! It was fantastic!!
Right now I am too frustrated with the Red Sox right now to write anything about sports, but it is boiling inside of me and about to come out. Soon I will be writing a long post about the FranCOMA, clutch hitting and how this team will NOT win the World Series this year. Anyway...

Remember...Lets Go Sox and Rah Rah Carolina, Lina

Ginny Flops and so do my Sox

This is my little niece, Ginny. This is one of the funniest things that I have ever seen. I think you all enjoy wathing her attempt at a dive!
Opinion of the Day
Watching the Red Sox split a home series with a not very good Blue Jays team has me very worried. I know they are still up 9 games to the Yanks and I know that many of the Red Sox are starting to play better, but what is going on is too reminiscent of last seasons disaster. Papi, Youk, and Tek are all banged up. Schill is also hurt and because of that 2/5ths of the rotation is Taverez and Kason Gabbard. Early on the Sox were winning close games and now they keep finding ways to lose winnable 1 run ball games. In yesterdays tough 2-1 loss to the Jays, the Sox had 11 hits! 11 HITS and ONE RUN!! WHAT IS THAT!?!?!? This worries me...which is what makes me a Red Sox fan. I even woke up the morning after the World Series victory and was convinced it was not really over. We shall see. Oh the life of Red Sox fan!

Remember...Lets Go Red Sox and Rah Rah Carolina Lina

New Jersey Days

So we have been in Jersey for a a week and are having a great time. There is nothing more important than family. It has been nice to relax, swim and enoying each others company. Good times.

Stat of the Day:
Even after the Red Sox disappointing loss last night, I can still find joy in Yankees signing of Roger Clemens. In fact, I think that is why I have a blog.
This is his line for the season so far:
2-4, 4.20 ERA, 8 starts, 9 games pitched...The Yankees are 3-5 in games he starts and 3-6 in games he pitches in. I know he pitched well against the Twins and Angles, both good teams and very impressive preformances, but last night he ATTEMPTED to pitch against the AAAA Devil Dogs. And once again got hammered. $840,000 a start for this????? WOW. Congrats to the Yankees for making sure the Sox did not make the same mistake. (Just like they did with Jose Contreras, Javier Vazquez and Carl Pavano...that Brian Cashman sure knows how to evaulate pitching, huh?)
Anyway, one day I will clue you all in to why I dislike Clemens so much.

Remember...Go Sox and Rah Rah Carolina, lina

Here is the clip...

Amazing...Gotta Love those Yankee Announcers

This may just be my favorite clip of Suyzn Waldman freaking out when Rawger Clemens announced his comeback. Classic. They have lost 7 games in the standing since that day. He is without a doubt worth being carried in just like that by his teammates. In fact I believe that Pettite and Jeter did that before his first game.

STAT OF THE DAY:
5-6, 1 HR, 5 RBI.
That is the line for Red Sox ALL-STAR third baseman Mike Lowell. It was his fourth 5 RBI game and first 5 Hit game in his career. Congrats to him, he deserves it.
Also a big Congrats to Hideki Okijima who was voted onto the All-Star team. I do not always agree that middle inning relievers should be in the mid summer classic, but he has been one of the most valuable players on the team with the best record in baseball.

Remember Go SOX and Rah, Rah, Carolina, lina

Future Dwight

This is one of the most classic pranks by Jim on Dwight from the Office. I am telling you...watch this show and get addicted. You will thank me later.

In North Carolina

We are finally in North Carolina in our spacious new apartment. It is awesome. We love it, except the fact that we do not have any of your stuff. The moving company will not be here until friday night at the earliest. Luckily my parents were here for the first few days, so we are doing just fine. Grace has adjusted really well and is growing really fast. She is fantastic.

STAT OF THE DAY:
So it has been a long time since I have giving you all a stat of the day, so todays is loaded...
0, June 14th, 66 and 12

First the number 0. That is the amount of strikeouts that the Rocket had against one of the greatest hitting teams in baseball this year...the Orioles! WOW! I know he was very impressive aganist the Twins this week, but 0 strikeouts against the O's. 880,000 a start is really worth it.
Second, the date June 14th. That was the last time the Red Sox 9 million dollar shortstop, Julio Lugo, had gotten a hit until he singled in two runs on July 3rd! In the meantime Orlando Cabrera is hitting .330 and picking up clutch hit after clutch hit. Whoops.
66-The number of hot dogs that american Joey Chestnut ate in 12 minutes to win the Coney Island hot dog eating contest. This is the first time that an american has one in 6 years and it was huge. AND REALLY GROSS. I do not think I have eaten 66 hot dogs in the last 10 years and I am not sure if I will ever eat one again now.
And lastly, 12. The number of games the the Yankees are out first place on the day that Murray Chass said they would pass the Red Sox. And guess what...he is still harping on it today. This is the text that I received from my dad yesterday..."So who was the the ny writer that said the yankees would be in 1st today and now their twelve back? Life is good." Yes life is good. Let's just hope it gets better.

Remember Go Sox and Rah Rah Carolina, lina