Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Football links

Big East and the Orange Bowl [andrea adelson – espn.com]

OLine Help On Way: Big Andreas Knappe A Go For UConn This Season [desmond conner – hartford courant]

How does NCAA 13 think UConn will do this year? [the uconn blog]

Four Huskies Named to Seven Preseason Award Watch Lists [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Augustis, Taurasi Lead U.S. Past Turkey In Exhibition Finale [rich elliott – ct post]

Auriemma, Taurasi Comment Following Win Over Turkey [rich elliott – ct post]

Team USA Completes Exhibition Play With 5-0 Record [uconnhuskies.com]

Tiffany Hayes’ Basketball Camp packs excitement [newschief.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

A few bad pitches by Aaron Cook ended up costing the Boston Red Sox last night in a 7-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Today, the Red Sox look to salvage the finale of a three-game series at historic Fenway Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Blue Jays television market, you can watch the game on Rogers SportsNet. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Jon Lester looks to help the Red Sox get back on track in his 20th start of 2012. In his previous 19 starts, Lester is 5-7 with a 4.80 ERA. He’s made two starts against the Jays this season and is 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA (7 ER/15 IP). Lester has made 20 career starts against the Blue Jays and is 11-5 with a 3.20 ERA. He’s had success against them in eight career Fenway starts as he is 5-1 with a 2.98 ERA.

Henderson Alvarez will try to help his team complete the weekend sweep in his 19th start of 2012. In his previous 18 starts, Alvarez is 5-7 with a 4.29 ERA. He’s made three starts against the Red Sox this season and is 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA. Overall in his career, Alvarez has made four starts against the Red Sox and is 1-1 with a 4.09 ERA. He picked up the win in his only career start at the Fens after allowing five runs (three earned) in 5.1 innings of work back on June 25th.

Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are today’s lineups:

47-47		48-47
1. Brett Lawrie	3B	1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
2. Yunel Escobar	SS	2. Daniel Nava	LF
3. Colby Rasmus	CF	3. Dustin Pedroia	2B
4. Edwin Encarnacion	1B	4. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
5. J.P. Arencibia	DH	5. Cody Ross	DH
6. Rajai Davis	RF	6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C
7. Travis Snider	LF	7. Ryan Sweeney	RF
8. Jeff Mathis	C	8. Mike Aviles	SS
9. Omar Vizquel	LF	9. Nick Punto	3B
Henderson Alvarez	SP	Jon Lester	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:

NOTES:

REFRESH OR CHECK BACK OFTEN AS MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Cody Ross Diary: Walk-off magic [cody ross – espn.com]

Ross gives his side of story [boston globe]

Varitek receives some high praise [boston globe]

Supply not matching up with the demand [boston globe]

Their aces need a change in plans [boston globe]

Another step back for frustrating Sox [boston herald]

Don’t expect ‘bold’ face in Sox trades [boston herald]

Two pitches spoil Aaron Cook’s recipe [boston herald]

Lester looking for luck [boston herald]

Pumpsie Green reflects on historic day in ’59 [boston herald]

Tek to Beckett, Lester: Stop dwelling on negative [csn new england]

Offensive outage continues to plague Sox [csn new england]

Salty credits success to Varitek’s support [csn new england]

Jays belt Cook’s two mistakes [csn new england]

Blue Jays Cook Red Sox, 7-3 [csn new england]

Varitek overwhelmed by “surreal” tribute [csn new england]

Lester still searching for groove [csn new england]

Sox honor Varitek in pregame ceremony [espn boston]

Ells, Aviles sit out; Ortiz, Dice-K on mend [espn boston]

Rapid Reaction: Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 3 [espn boston]

If Boston Red Sox’s starting rotation doesn’t shape up soon, changes must be made [espn boston]

Closing Time: Cookie crumbles as Red Sox lose to Blue Jays [full count]

Jason Varitek: ‘Quit looking at their faults’ and ‘get behind’ Josh Beckett and Jon Lester [full count]

David Ortiz ‘Proud’ of Jason Varitek as Red Sox Honor Legendary Catcher at Fenway [nesn.com]

Jason Varitek Enjoying His Newfound Health in Retirement, Amazed by Pregame Ceremony at Fenway [nesn.com]

Aaron Cook Cites Two Bad Pitches for Loss, But Approved of Performance Otherwise [nesn.com]

Jarrod Saltalamacchia Snaps Slump, Steps Up in Presence of Iconic Red Sox Catchers [nesn.com]

Jason Varitek’s One-Team Career Admired by Matt Stairs, Who Played for 13 Clubs (Video) [nesn.com]

Aaron Cook Yields Two Bad Pitches on a Night That Demanded Perfection [nesn.com]

Warmup routine may be behind Beckett’s struggles [redsox.com]

Saltalamacchia returns from break [redsox.com]

Ellsbury gets a break; Aviles nicked up [redsox.com]

Varitek honored by Red Sox Nation one last time [redsox.com]

Lester seeks rebound in finale against Jays [redsox.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

photo credits: getty images, getty images

Paw Prints is our daily look at the happenings for the UConn Huskies football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball teams as well as the other sports the student-athletes engage in. We will do our best to bring you the links from all of the media that covers the Huskies on a daily basis. As always, links can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Thank you for stopping by and making SOX & Dawgs your home for UConn Huskies news.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

UConn Football links

UConn commit leads team to 7-on-7 title [jim fuller – new haven register]

QB Richard Lagow still sold on UConn [espn.com]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Fowles Scores 15, Bird Returns As U.S. Crushes Croatia 109-55 [rich elliott – ct post]

Comments From Auriemma, Taurasi After Win Over Croatia [rich elliott – ct post]

Sun duo ready for Games [norwich bulletin]

Olympians, Eastern Connecticut fans have bond [norwich bulletin]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Olander, At Pro-Am, Shows An Assertive Side [hartford courant]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

After falling last night 6-1, the Boston Red Sox look to even up the series tonight in the middle game of a three-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays at historic Fenway Park.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Blue Jays television market, you can watch the game on Rogers SportsNet. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Don’t forget, Jason Varitek will be honored before the game. The ceremony to honor Tek starts at 6:30 p.m. on NESN. I’ll do my best to get the video posted tonight but I can’t promise you anything. I can tell you it will get up at some point.

The sinkerballer Aaron Cook will make his 6th start of 2012 for the Red Sox. In his previous five starts, Cook is 2-2 with a 3.07 ERA. He has not faced the Blue Jays since the 2007 season as a member of the Colorado Rockies when he took the loss after allowing eight runs (six earned) in 5.1 innings of work. He’s made two career starts against them and is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA (8 ER/10.2 IP).

Carlos Villanueva will make just his fourth start (26th appearance) for former Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell. In his previous 25 appearances (three starts), Villanueva is 4-0 with a 2.68 ERA. His lone appearance against the Red Sox back on June 2nd when he allowed one run in one inning of work. Overall in his career, Villanueva has made six appearances (one start) and is 1-1 with a 4.63 ERA. He’s made two appearances (one start) at the Fens and is 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA (5 ER/7 IP).

Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are today’s lineups:

46-47		48-46
1. Anthony Gose	RF	1. Daniel Nava	RF
2. Brett Lawrie	3B	2. Carl Crawford	LF
3. Colby Rasmus	CF	3. Dustin Pedroia	2B
4. Edwin Encarnacion	1B	4. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
5. Adam Lind	DH	5. Cody Ross	DH
6. J.P. Arencibia	C	6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C
7. Kelly Johnson	2B	7. Will Middlebrooks	3B
8. Yunel Escobar	SS	8. Ryan Sweeney	CF
9. Travis Snider	LF	9. Pedro Ciriaco	SS
Carlos Villanueva	SP	Aaron Cook	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:

NOTES:

REFRESH OR CHECK BACK OFTEN AS MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Could Josh Beckett’s pregame routine be causing 1st-inning trouble? [clubhouse insider]

Valentine: Things are looking up for Sox [espn boston]

Varitek’s career by the numbers [espn boston]

Gordon Edes pays tribute to Tek [espn boston]

Jason Varitek in his own words [espn boston]

Sox honor Tek tonight at Fenway [espn boston]

Valentine thinks Sox ‘are coming together’ [espn boston]

Sox try to rebound vs. Jays [espn boston]

A ‘planned’ day off for Jacoby Ellsbury [extra bases]

How Many Home Runs Will Cody Ross Hit This Season? [nesn.com]

Adrian Gonzalez, Cody Ross Among Hottest Red Sox Hitters Going Against Toronto [nesn.com]

Josh Beckett Contemplates Tweaking Pregame Routine To Improve On First Inning Struggles [nesn.com]

Aviles out with turf toe [mike petraglia – weei.com]

Valentine on Beckett’s pregame warmups: ‘This is a dog that is hard to teach a new trick to’ [projo sox blog]

Kelly Shoppach crushes lefties — especially lefties he once caught [projo sox blog]

Planned day off for Ellsbury [projo sox blog]

Cook riding wave of success into start vs. Toronto [redsox.com]

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

photo credits: ap photo, ap photo

If Josh Beckett can’t figure out how to get through the first inning of a game without giving up any runs, it could turn out to be a long second half of the season for him and the Boston Red Sox.

Despite assurances from manager Bobby Valentine that Beckett would get through that first inning without incident, it still happened. In fact, he gave up four runs in the first two innings and his team never recovered in a 6-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.

If Beckett needs to figure anything out, it’s how to be consistent on the mound. He shows it at times as evidenced by the seven strikeouts but then he doesn’t when he leaves pitches out over the plate as evidenced by the laser shots by Colby Rasmus and Yunel Escobar earlier in the game.

Of course it doesn’t help when the offense can’t do anything against journeyman pitcher Aaron Laffey. They had no answers for him at all. And of course this is the second time he’s done this against the Red Sox this season as he has now not allowed a run against them in 13 innings.

The bright spots offensively were Kelly Shoppach, who was making his third straight start, as he went 2-for-3. Will Middlebrooks also had two singles and probably should have had a third if Kelly Johnson had not been shifted over to the middle.

I really thought the momentum from Cody Ross‘ walkoff home run on Thursday night and the great start from Clay Buchholz would have carried over in to Friday’s game. Instead, we essentially watched the same thing we do everytime Beckett has made a start lately.

There are some out there that thinks the Red Sox should trade Beckett. That probably won’t happen. And even if they did want to trade him, Beckett has veto power over any trade because he has “10 and 5” rights as a veteran. If you don’t know what that means, it’s simple. He’s played at least 10 years in the big leagues and has spent at least five of those with the Red Sox.

However, it does make things interesting with the trade deadline coming up. Both Jon Lester and Beckett have the same number of wins this season as Daniel Bard does. And don’t forget, Bard is in Triple-A trying to regain his confidence.

But with some quality pitchers available, GM Ben Cherington may have to pull the trigger on one of them especially if the Red Sox are going for it this year.

Either way, Beckett really needs to figure things out. And pretty dang quickly.

We’ll be back later with today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day.

For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSN New England,  ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.

And if you must check out the enemy news, head over to the Toronto Star and Toronto Sun websites.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.

photo credit: ap photo