BOSTON NATION

2006-08-04T16:33:00.000-07:00

THE JAVY LOPEZ ERA BEGINS AT FENWAY

Orioles To Red Sox:

You Can Javy

Red Sox Nation Speaks:

This is a guy who has lost about 25 lbs of syringe mass over the last 2 seasonsm but can still hit enough to justify his poor defense. Realistically, Tek is likely unavailable for most of the regular season, as knee tear/catcher don't mix well (rumor going around Fenway last night was torn meniscus, which means likely done for the season), so Javy is still better than what we have. The timing of the Sox falling behind the Yankees in the division was a blessing in disguise, as the Bombers, with a better record than the Red Sox, now follow the Olde Towne Team in the waiver order and were thus unable to claim Lopez and block the deal. Theo made the best out of a bad waiver wire situation in acquiring the veteran offensive catcher.

2006-08-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: PREGNANT WOMAN DIES AT RED SOX GAME
WTEN, Albany, NY: One Life Saved, Another Cut Short after Fenway Collapse:
"She was treated for heat exhaustion, but her husband says the heat had nothing to do with her death. 29-year-old Denise Quickenton of Schenectady was seven months pregnant with her first child. She died Saturday after collapsing at Fenway Park.
Tuesday night, her husband sat down with NEWS10's Alyssa Van Wie and shared the details of what he says really happened.
'This had nothing to do with the heat,' says Todd Quickenton, Denise's husband. 'It had to do with a pre-existing condition that we were unaware of.'"

2006-07-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

A-Rod this season has had 55 at-bats in close and late situations. He is hitting .182 with 16 strikeouts. With less than two outs and a runner on third, he’s hitting .250 with eight Ks...

The Nation Speaks:
A-Rod single handedly has made Bill James rethink the concept of "clutch." The only cure for this choking appears to be what we will call the "A-Rod Maneuver": Get him out of town, and your team will get better.

-RED SOX NATION

2006-07-24T06:44:00.000-07:00

FENWAY FRANK
Vacation to Camden Yards doesn't cost much more than Fenway foray

According to the 2006 fan cost index by Chicago-based Team Marketing Report, the full Fenway Monty costs about $288 for a family of four, including tickets, beer, sodas, hot dogs, parking, a program and a team cap. It would cost a family of four Red Sox fans only $200 more to see their team play at Camden Yards in Baltimore than it does to catch them at Fenway Park.

But for that price - about $500 - you get face-value tickets, a warm bed, a complimentary beverage and bag of peanuts on the plane, along with hot dogs, beers, sodas, a program and a souvenir at the ballpark.

Such are the stratospheric heights a day, or night, at Fenway has reached - the most expensive in the major leagues.

THE NATION SPEAKS:
On the bright side, you get more leg room on a Delta flight to Baltimore than you get in the Grandstand at Fenway Park, and once you actually get there, the seats are spacious, the sitelines fantastic, and beer, beer, beer...oh yeah, and food, is delivered directly to your spacious seat. Did I mention that they bring the beer right to your seat?

Camden Even Has Kevin

If you have the means, Cameron, I highly recommend Camden.

-Ferris Fenway

BLUE BALLS

2006-07-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

For Better or Worse:

Old Friend Shea speaks his mind, gets himself thrown out of Toronto.

"You've Got Some Big Ones, My Friend."

JUST WALK AWAY SHEA
JAYS MANAGER GIBBONS CHALLENGED HILLENBRAND TO A FIGHT; SHE REFUSES TO SIT IN THE DUGOUT IF HE ISN'T IN THE LINEUP
Hillenbrand had been upset because he felt the Blue Jays were not sensitive that he needed several days to complete the adoption of a baby girl on the West Coast over the weekend. The designated hitter and corner infielder was not in the starting lineup when he returned.
Earlier Wednesday, Hillenbrand wrote 'play for yourself' on a board the Blue Jays use to post batting practice times. He later wrote the 'ship was sinking' and Gibbons confronted him.

Shea wouldn't just sit around for the Blue Jays...

So now he can kick back and relax for the next 10 days,

as he is designated for assignment.

"Gibby called a team meeting and then he stood up and reamed me out in front of my teammates. "He challenged me to a fight, and wanted me to get up and punch him in the face...I'm very disappointed about what he did and I find it very unprofessional."-DFA JAY SHEA

"He had a chance yesterday to defend himself in front of his coaches and his teammates. He chose not to." -Jays Skipper John Gibbons

Ricciardi said he wasn't surprised by Hillenbrand's behavior: Hillenbrand once called Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein a (Quote/Slur) "Fag."

"He made some pretty disparaging remarks when he left Boston. I don't think people forgot that."-Blue Jays G.M. J.P. Ricciardi

THE NATION SPEAKS:

While it is doubtful that Ricciardi would trade Shea to a contender within the division, acquiring the versatile Hillenbrand could allow the Sox to make a move for pitching with a Kevin Youkilis, Wily Mo Pena, or the suddenly trade valued Mike Lowell. The rumored deal of Youkilis and prospects to the A's for free agent to be Barry Zito would make a lot of sense for the Sox, especially if they had Shea to play everyday at first base. Ideally, a deal involving Mike Lowell for pitching makes the most sense; A deal of Lowell, cash, and likely a prospect for Padres starter Jason Peavy, who is being well paid and has been a mild disappointment for the San Diego, is also a decent national rumor. Youkilis at 3b, Shea at 1b, and Peavy in the rotation makes the Red Sox a much improved team. More likely, the Sox would be getting Peavy and Ryan Klesko in the deal, as the Padres want to dump Klesko's salary.

-RED SOX NATION

2006-07-16T09:02:00.001-07:00

OH'>http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/07/11/shriver_celebrates_85th_at_white_house/">OH HENRY, LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONENow Go Get Your Shine Box, Johnny
Laughing off a `Monster' portraitRegardless of what Seth Mnookin wrote in his controversial new book about the Bosox, Boston Culinary bigshot Joe O'Donnell swears he's no Tony Soprano. Appearing on WEEI yesterday, O'Donnell, the tough-talking son of an Everett cop, laughed at Mnookin's portrayal of him as a made man. ``It doesn't bother me at all,' he told Gerry Callahan . ``People who know me know me.' In his book, ``Feeding the Monster,' Mnookin writes that during O'Donnell's failed negotiations to buy the Olde Towne Team, he took John Henry to the Boston waterfront -- at 1 a.m. There, according to Mnookin, O'Donnell asked that he be made managing partner if anything happened to Henry. ``That,' Henry wrote in an e - mail afterward, ``was a little scary.' O'Donnell doesn't deny he took Henry to Fan Pier -- he and Steve Karp hoped to put a new ballpark in the area -- but ridicules the suggestion that he put the arm on the Sox owner. Still, O'Donnell says he bears no ill will toward Henry, calling him a ``perfectly decent guy.' He even praised -- sort of -- the efforts of Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Tom Werner to fancy up Fenway. ``They've done a better job than I ever could have dreamed of,' O'Donnell said yesterday. ``But it's like putting a dress on a pig.' The Bosox brass haven't commented on the book but did send out an e - mail instructing Fenway folks to be ``dismissive' of its claims."RED SOX NATION SPEAKS:One should never let a fox into the hen house, even if it appears cute and cuddly and endorsed by one of your 19 ownership partners, the New York Times. As John Henry said(Paraphrased):You aren't as smart as people think you are when you are successful, nor are you as dumb as they think you are when you fail. The decision to do this book borders on moronic, Mr. Henry.

2006-07-16T09:02:00.000-07:00

OH HENRY, LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE
Now Go Get Your Shine Box, Johnny
Laughing off a `Monster' portrait
Regardless of what Seth Mnookin wrote in his controversial new book about the Bosox, Boston Culinary bigshot Joe O'Donnell swears he's no Tony Soprano. Appearing on WEEI yesterday, O'Donnell, the tough-talking son of an Everett cop, laughed at Mnookin's portrayal of him as a made man. ``It doesn't bother me at all,' he told Gerry Callahan . ``People who know me know me.' In his book, ``Feeding the Monster,' Mnookin writes that during O'Donnell's failed negotiations to buy the Olde Towne Team, he took John Henry to the Boston waterfront -- at 1 a.m. There, according to Mnookin, O'Donnell asked that he be made managing partner if anything happened to Henry. ``That,' Henry wrote in an e - mail afterward, ``was a little scary.' O'Donnell doesn't deny he took Henry to Fan Pier -- he and Steve Karp hoped to put a new ballpark in the area -- but ridicules the suggestion that he put the arm on the Sox owner. Still, O'Donnell says he bears no ill will toward Henry, calling him a ``perfectly decent guy.' He even praised -- sort of -- the efforts of Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Tom Werner to fancy up Fenway. ``They've done a better job than I ever could have dreamed of,' O'Donnell said yesterday. ``But it's like putting a dress on a pig.' The Bosox brass haven't commented on the book but did send out an e - mail instructing Fenway folks to be ``dismissive' of its claims."
RED SOX NATION SPEAKS:
One should never let a fox into the hen house, even if it appears cute and cuddly and endorsed by one of your 19 ownership partners, the New York Times. As John Henry said(Paraphrased):You aren't as smart as people think you are when you are successful, nor are you as dumb as they think you are when you fail. The decision to do this book borders on moronic, Mr. Henry.

2006-07-15T12:50:00.000-07:00

"This time, I only used 'this much' spin..."

A He Said, She Said Exerpt From Seth Mnookin's "Call Of The Monster", a finished work that was reviewed prior to being published for "misconceptions" by John Henry and Lawyer Larry Lucchino

2006-05-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

NOMAR GARCIA-ALL-STAR

No He's Not Sulking...He's Just Nomar Being Nomar...Quiet In The Clubhouse, But Loudly Crushing The Ball...He's Once Again One Of The Best Hitters In The Game

Lately, his actions are his answers. Garciaparra is the Dodgers' hottest hitter, flourishing in the No. 3 spot in the batting order and performing well at first base.In 23 games, he is batting .337 with 25 runs batted in. Half of his 30 hits have gone for extra bases. He is batting .400 with runners in scoring position, delivering memorable moments ranging from a grand slam at Houston to walk-off hits down the first base line at Dodger Stadium in consecutive games to the two-run single that provided the difference in a 3-2 victory Wednesday at Colorado.

SO GOOD, WE CAN TASTE THE GOLD GLOVE:

Nomar is the only first baseman to have handled over 100 chances without an error in 2006...

-BEST OF RED SOX NATION

2006-05-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

We'll Miss You On The Field, Flute Fly
Beloved New Englander Flutie retires:
" The fans were the ones that had no doubt in my abilities and the things I would do on the field, and they enjoyed watching me play.
-New England Nation's own Doug Flutie

2006-05-15T18:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks For The Fun Doug Flutie
A Boston Nation Icon Moves On To Life After Football

2006-05-14T08:08:00.001-07:00

Jogging Is Worse For Your Health Than A Matt Clement Start

2006-05-09T19:33:00.000-07:00

AROD ONLY FINDS ONE BALL BETWEEN HIS LEGS...

"HEY JETEEPOO: Do these pinstripes make my ass look fatter than my lips?"

-Alex THE EX-Mariner/Texas/Almost Red Sox CON MAN

AROD'S 3RD INNING ERROR OPENS THE DOOR FOR THE OPPORTUNISTIC RED SOX

2006-05-09T18:59:00.000-07:00

Quitters Never Win

Droopy Unit Should Keep His Promise And Go Away

After Lacking Potency Against The Sox Tonight

2006-05-09T12:50:00.000-07:00

I Love It When You Throw Your Big Riser

THE PULSE OF THE NATION:

OH, AUSTIN, BEHAVE!
Oh, Austin, Behave!
Drew Sawyer, the rabid Sox fan that recently paid $30,000 to play whiffle ball with slugging Sox David Ortiz later this summer, should bring in Yankee lefty specialist Mike Myers to pitch to Big Papi. His down under style will surely produce a nasty riser…Probably the only way he will ever get the Sox DH out. The bomb that Papi hit off of Powers when last they met at Fenway rose faster than anything a certain swedish device could ever hope to achieve...
-Red Sox Nation

Gator Greenwell Back In The Big Leagues

2006-05-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

PR Newswire

2006-05-05T21:44:00.000-07:00

Millar Time
Cowboy Returns As An Oriole And Fans Appropriately Give Thanks

We can't forget "The Walk" that led to pinch runner Dave Roberts and "The Steal".

"Hey Tito, I've Got Some "Poop Soup" Coming On..."

2006-05-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

Tom Verducci Says: Red Sox No Longer Offensive:
"You know something is up in Boston when the Red Sox get outscored in April -- a month in which they played 22 of their 25 games against teams that had losing records last year. The last time Boston was outscored in April was a decade ago, in 1996, when Jeff Frye, Tim Naehring and Lee Tinsley were getting regular at-bats. After leading the league in runs for three consecutive seasons -- and finishing second the year before that three-peat -- Boston ended April ranked ninth in runs. The Red Sox' runs per game for April dropped 17 percent from last year."

Hit and run expert Loretta has been a car crash so far...

THE PULSE OF THE NATION

The Red Sox stumbled upon the right formula in 2004: No, not offense, but 3 stud starting pitchers, a deep bullpen, timely hitting, and strong defense. The Sox were sans Pedro and Lowe in 2005, and thus couldn't hang with the pitching and defense White Sox. The Sox have rebuilt the bullpen, the defense, and the starting rotation is 2/3 completed with Schilling, Beckett and Roger? as a 1-2-3 postseason force. The Red Sox will make a move for a stud third piece to the rotation, be it the Rocket or an internal shuffle that moves Papelbon into the rotation, installs a rejuvinated Foulkey as closer, and a minor league man among boys in Hansen as the setup man. A healthy Coco will give them just enough offense to carry weakest link Alex Gonzalez. On the worrying front: The Sox just have to hope that they didn't make a huge blunder in giving a now 34 year old catcher a massive 4-year deal, as nagging injuries seem to be affecting his bat speed and overall production; His physique is also noticably slightened. Let's also hope that the much slimmer Trot has been dieting, rather than giving up "supplements", as he is also slimmer and missing his usual pop. If the Red Sox can get that final piece to the rotation, whether it be Rocket, Papelbon, or a Barry Zito, then 2006 could bury the jealous Yankee fans unclever "Once every 86 years" line with another tired slogan: "2 out of 3 ain't bad".

-Red Sox Nation

2006-05-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

"You complete the D.P."...Errr, "I can't quit you." Why is it that all of these romance films always have that one unforgettable signature line, but I can't remember my anniversary??

JETER OVER-RATED By GEORGE KING - New York Post
"In a Sports Illustrated poll of 470 players, Jeter was named on 9 percent of the ballots as the most over-rated. Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran was second with 7 percent and Alex Rodriguez was third with 6 percent."

As much as I enjoy a good Yankee "Monstah Bash ", this "poll" smacks of sensationalism and the other Green Monstah. It will be interesting to see, when the SI article comes out, exactly how the question was presented; Journalists certainly know how to phrase a leading line of questioning.

Jeter may be the smartest ballplayer to ever put on the uniform, and certainly embodies the "intangibles" label. To use the worn out cliche: Jeter's picture is next to the word "winner" in your Webster's published post-1996 World Series. Statistics can be spun to support just about any side of any argument, so we won't find all of the answers there. But next blog post, we will try to impartially examin the data. After all, I am a born and bred New Englander, so if anything, I my bias will skew the data against my intellectual position on Jeter. And for the record, Nomah really was better.

-Red Sox Nation

2006-05-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

A PITCHER FOR A CASE!!
Make that a RHP for 60 cases of Bud

I don't know about you, but being traded for a lot of beer certainly would raise my self esteem...As opposed to being dealt for Ramon Vasquez.

-RED SOX NATION

2006-05-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

Yankee Hater Nation

"Yo, Joey, you might wanna skip the tiramisu tonight..."

2006-05-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

Hey Johnny, Sox Fans Just Can't Quit You

We know, too easy, but like a sheep to a lonely cowboy, too hard to resist

(internet photo)

2006-05-02T05:59:00.000-07:00

Johnny On The Spot

“It was kind of sad,” Boston’s Kevin Youkilis said of the reaction to Damon. “He acknowledged the crowd (with his helmet) and they didn’t want any part of it.”

GRANDSTANDING

From section 15, it seemed like the boos drowned out the cheers initially, but the cheers overcame the "blinded by the NY" birds when Johnny brilliantly stepped back from the batter's box and tipped his helmet to each section of the park, and finally to his cheering mix of ex-teammates and Boston newcomers.

-RED SOX NATION

2006-04-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

PATRIOT NATION AND THE NFL DRAFT
Patriots Will Fill Their Defensive Holes Tomorrow

The Pats would have to be liquored
up to take an offensive player early...

The Patriots will likely make a trade to move up, as they have 11 picks and won't be drafting 11 guys. I would like to see them take a chance on BC's Mathias Kiwanuka(DE) depending on how the draft goes when the Pats pick at #21, and definitely grab him if he is still around in round 2. He is almost 6'6" tall, very fast, and solid at chasing guys down and making the open field tackle. He was tossed around a bit in the senior bowl, so he looks like a perfect candidate for Belichick to stand up and convert to outside linebacker-could develop in the LB/DE rusher role left by the departure of McGinest. A linebacker or shutdown corner needs to be picked at #21.
The Patriots can get a running back and corner later on in the draft, so this pick needs to be used to repair the damage done to the 3-4 defense by Willie's departure and Ted Johnson's retirement last season.

-Patriot Nation

2006-04-28T19:14:00.000-07:00

It's Gotta Be The Spikes Mother Foulker
Weighs In On Hall Ball: "'As far as I know, I've never heard of a team wanting the ball so badly,' Foulke said. 'It's one of those deals where I got the last out. I think that's kind of the common practice in baseball [to give the ball to the pitcher on the mound].'

Foulke said he had asked Mientkiewicz for the ball over the winter following the World Series but was turned down. Now that it's in Cooperstown, Foulke knows he has no chance to get his hands on it.

'Speaking of the Hall of Fame, do you know where my shoes are?' Foulke asked. 'I'm still looking to get back our stuff that went in after last year. We've got to find it. They said they're only keeping it for a year. I would imagine the White Sox got their display in there now. I want my stuff back.'"