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 Women’s Basketball links

Gillom Says USA Basketball Is Ready To Work [john altavilla – hartford courant]

Olympic sendoff for Tina Charles, Asjha Jones [jim fuller – new haven register]

Jen Gillom has high praise for Breanna Stewart [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Andre Drummond Signs With Pistons; Turns In Solid Summer League Performance [dom amore – hartford courant]

Previous UConn recruiting classes [kevin duffy – ct post]

Big East Breakouts: Connecticut’s DeAndre Daniels [rant sports]

Other UConn related links

W. Track. Crevoiserat Captures Ninth At IAAF World Junior Championships [uconnhuskies.com]

Baseball. Peabody’s Ruotolo commits to UConn [salem news]

Baseball. UConn offer ‘too good’ for Ruotolo to decline [espn boston]

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

While the rest of his Boston Red Sox teammates were enjoying some R&R, David Ortiz was busy watching his American League teammates get their butts kicked by the National League 8-0 in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game last night.

The AL All-Stars managed just six hits in the game and Big Papi was responsible for one of them as he went 1-for-2. His single came in the 5th inning off of last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw.

There’s not much I really can talk about right now as regards to the first half of the season. Steve did a pretty good job of that in a post yesterday.

As far as the second half of the season, the Red Sox really need to put things together. It’s not that they didn’t in the first half, they just weren’t consistent.

They really need to put together a good run where they win at least seven games in a row and then not lose a bunch of games in a row to lose that momentum. If that can happen, good things can happen to the Red Sox.

It appears that they’ll get Jacoby Ellsbury back in the lineup and that will help matters some. Clay Buchholz is slated to come back and if he pitches like he did before getting sick and going on the DL, that’s one part of the rotation that can be counted on. If Josh Beckett and Jon Lester can find their ways on the mound, the Red Sox will be in good shape.

But that’s all speculation. They are the ones who need to make it happen.

To see the links from the overnight, please click on the read more button below.

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

Harper and Trout are fans of Middlebrooks [boston globe]

Negative Sox train of thought [boston globe]

Fellow pitchers pulling for Sox’ Daniel Bard [boston herald]

Red Sox looking up at Rangers and Yankees [boston herald]

Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey floats Tim Wakefield’s name [boston herald]

Robinson Cano boos echo loudly [boston herald]

Why the All-Star Game still hasn’t found it’s way [rob bradford – weei.com]

Bradford: Valentine not at fault for documentary [csn new england]

Red Sox 2012 first-half review [csn new england]

Ortiz continues to cherish All-Star Game appearances [csn new england]

All-Star pitchers taking note of Bard’s control problems [csn new england]

Bradley making strides [espn boston]

Papelbon: Tito’s exit sealed Phils’ signing [espn boston]

Ortiz 1-for-2 in AL’s All-Star Game loss [espn boston]

Boston Red Sox’s Andrew Miller can commiserate with Daniel Bard, who’s still struggling in Triple-A Pawtucket [espn boston]

No surprise: Astros All-Star Jose Altuve looks up to Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia [full count]

Video: Viewing the Home Run Derby through the eyes of David Ortiz [full count]

Frank Thomas on David Ortiz and the DH market: ‘That’s just the way they treat DHs’ [full count]

C.J. Wilson offers Daniel Bard an offseason invitation [full count]

Jerry Remy on D&C: Don’t sleep on Jon Lester [full count]

Touching ’em all … [tony massarotti – boston globe]

David Ortiz Hopes He Can Finish Career in Boston Playing in Front of ‘Greatest Fans of All Time’ (Video) [nesn.com]

Carl Crawford Has Tough Decision to Make With Injuries But Shouldn’t Be Shy About Playing for Future [nesn.com]

Ben Cherington, Red Sox Nearing Decision Time As Club Should Know Where It Stands Very Soon [nesn.com]

Reports: Jacoby Ellsbury Expected to Return to Red Sox Lineup on Friday [nesn.com]

How the construction of the 40-man roster will influence Cherington at the trade deadline [projo sox blog]

To gregarious Papi, All-Star Game never gets old [redsox.com]

After .500 first half, return to health could buoy Sox [redsox.com]

Lack of star power keeping 2012 Red Sox mired in mediocrity [alex speier – weei.com]

Podcast: Conversation with the Eck [touching all the bases]

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.

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

photo credit: ap photo

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

Griffin Named To Mackey Award Watch List [uconnhuskies.com]

#52 UConn Huskies: College Football 77 in 77 [the sports bank]

Beach Channel football star commits to UConn [ny post]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Breanna Stewart Tabbed Gatorade Female High School Athlete Of The Year [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Andre Drummond Struggles In 2nd NBA Summer League Game [dom amore – hartford courant]

Recruiting Spotlight: Stephen Zimmerman [kevin duffy – ct post]

He May Get ‘Heat’ for This, But Ray Will Always be a Husky to Me! [st. augustine news]

Other UConn related links

M. Ice Hockey. Seven Huskies Earn AHA All-Academic Honors [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Ice Hockey. Brant Harris Selected To Attend Washington Capitals Development Camp [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Ice Hockey. Men’s Hockey Announces 2012 Incoming Recruits [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Track. Crevoiserat Set For IAAF World Junior Championships [uconnhuskies.com]

Baseball. UConn Baseball Summer Notebook [uconnhuskies.com]

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

we are in the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star break, I figured it would be a good time to take a look at Boston Red Sox and their performance by the numbers in through the first 86 games of the season.

As we now the team sits at .500 a mere 43-43 at the break with a sub .500 home record of 22-24 at Fenway Park, while on the road they are 21-19.

So what are the teams issues.  Well first off it’s injuries.  We all know they’ve had 20 different players make a total of 23 trips to the disabled list.  So far we have yet to even see LF Carl Crawford, P John Lackey and closer Andrew Bailey, while we only saw a small sample of 7 games of 2011 AL MVP runner up Jacoby Ellsbury.  Couple that with DL trips by Daisuke Matsuzaka, Clay Buchholz, Josh Beckett, Dustin Pedroia, Cody Ross, Ryan Sweeney, Scott Podsednik and about a dozen games lost for 3B Will Middlebrooks it’s been a very difficult first half for first year manager Bobby Valentine.

How important exactly is Ellsbury to the Red Sox?  Well when you take into account the center fielders have hit a mere .243 with an on base percentage of .279 and a slugging percentage of .325 with 12 doubles, 1 triple, 4 HR and 30 RBI it’s not hard to see why the offense has sputtered.

Meanwhile out of Ellsbury’s lead off spot the team has generated 24 doubles, no triples, 9 HR and 52 RBI while the leadoff hitters have just hit .258 with a .309 OBP and SLG of .397.  Compared to even Ellsbury’s career numbers which are .299 BA .354 OBP and .450 SLG that is a significant drop off in production.  When you put up his remarkable 2011 season of .321 BA with a .376 OBP and .552 SLG with 32 HR and 105 RBI you can see why the team has dropped off.

Then add in no Crawford, an oft injured Pedroia, who is hitting a mere .266 with an OBP of .326 and a .400 SLG with 19 doubles, 2 triples, 6 HR and 33 RBI, and a powerless Adrian Gonzalez that’s about all you need to know regarding the Boston offense in the first half of 2012.

While the bullpen has very good since mid to late April the starting staff has been a major concern.  Matsuzaka returned from Tommy John surgery and to me it seemed like he was rushed to help fill a rotation hole, and he has been well what he has always been.  He has made five starts he is 0-3, he averages just 80 pitches per game and has a WHIP of 1.35 and a 6.65 ERA.

To continue reading, please click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

The two “aces” of the staff have been non-existent.  Josh Beckett, when not on the golf course, is 4-7 with a 1.20 WHIP and a 4.43 ERA and Jon Lester is 5-6 with a 1.35 WHIP and a 4.49 ERA.  No where near what you need or expect from the two big guns in the rotation of a team expected to contend for a World Series title.

Clay Buchholz at times looks like he is about to find himself and to his credit before his latest DL sting, he pitched well overall he is 8-2 but a rough start to the year has elevated his WHIP to 1.54 and his ERA to 5.53.

Then there’s the case of Felix Doubront, who at times has been the teams best starter, but at 24 years of age is severely overmatched as a MLB starter at this time.  Doubront would have been better served to have had this year in the bullpen or at worse the first half season in Pawtucket with a midseason call up.  Valentine and pitching coach Bob McClure were really kind of forced to use this kid in the rotation after Bailey came up lame near the end of spring training.  That took Aceves out of the running for a starting spot and put Valentine in the position of going with two unknown starters in Doubront and Daniel Bard, who is a whole entire post on his own.

Doubront, while being the recipient of the most run support in the majors has a 9-4 record and leads the team in wins but has a WHIP of 1.38 and a 4.41 ERA.  He has made 17 starts and pitched 96 innings, which means he doesn’t even make it through 6 innings and yet throws an average of 98 pitches per start.

It’s a bit unfair to be hard on Doubront when he has the best starter ERA on the team that features some historically good pitchers but what he does need is to be more efficient with his pitches.  He consistently has 50+ pitches thrown in the first three innings and it leads to very early exits.  Luckily for “Doubie” the bullpen has done a wonderful job in picking him up.

So what is in store for this team in the second half of 2012?  Well first they need to get healthy and that starts this weekend with the return of Middlebrooks, Buchholz and Ellsbury.  Shortly after that Pedroia will be back and so will Crawford and hopefully by the last 25-30 games we will finally have Bailey in the pen and hold your breath but the target return for Lackey is September as well.

After they get healthy then they need to play to their capabilities.  It’s hard to be upset with Valentine when he has been forced to play a lineup of castoffs and Triple A players but I guess it’s remarkable that the team is at .500 and still in striking distance of an American League playoff berth.

Follow Steve on Twitter @SteveMichaelsII

photo credit: getty images

The American and National League All-Stars will do battle tonight to see who gets home field advantage for the World Series in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO.

First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on FOX. If you can’t watch the game, you can always listen to it on your local ESPN Radio affiliate.

Five times an All-Star, Justin Verlander will make his first All-Star start for the American League. In 18 starts for the Detroit Tigers this season, Verlander is 9-5 with a 2.58 ERA. In his four previous All-Star games, he’s made two appearances and has allowed one run in two innings of work.

An All-Star for third time, Matt Cain will make his first All-Star start for the National League. In 17 starts for the San Francisco Giants, Cain is 9-3 with a 2.62 ERA. While being named to two previous All-Star teams, this will mark his first appearance in the Midsummer Classic.

Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, the Boston Red Sox and All-Star links from the overnight if you’re on the home page.

Here are today’s lineups:

1. Carlos Gonzalez	DH	1. Derek Jeter	SS
2. Melky Cabrera	CF	2. Robinson Cano	2B
3. Ryan Braun	LF	3. Josh Hamilton	LF
4. Joey Votto	1B	4. Jose Bautista	RF
5. Carlos Beltran	RF	5. Prince Fielder	1B
6. Buster Posey	C	6. Adrian Beltre	3B
7. Pablo Sandoval	3B	7. David Ortiz	DH
8. Dan Uggla	2B	8. Mike Napoli	C
9. Rafael Furcal	SS	9. Curtis Granderson	CF
Matt Cain	SP	Justin Verlander	SP

 

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

Valentine film delivers heat [boston globe]

Going deep [boston globe]

Papelbon has no regrets [boston globe]

For Red Sox, it’s time to sell, sell, sell [boston herald]

Papelbon says his Sox exit was hastened once Francona left [boston herald]

David Ortiz: Master of DH universe [boston herald]

Lost causes: Red Sox season and Carl Crawford [boston herald]

Red Sox troubles all too familiar to Papelbon with Phillies [csn new england]

Ortiz hits K.C. as the Red Sox’ lone All-Star representative [csn new england]

Ciriaco’s leadership at young age allows for brothers’ success [csn new england]

State of the Sox Notebook: July 10, 2012 [csn new england]

Red Sox Report Card: All-Star Break [csn new england]

How many does it take to play a half? 44! [espn boston]

Video: Red Sox midseason report [espn boston]

For All-Star Ortiz, one is loneliest number [espn boston]

Video: Nick Cafardo on Red Sox’ outlook after All-Star break [extra bases]

Adam Dunn: ‘Change of scenery obviously kind of helped’ Kevin Youkilis [full count]

Michael Bourn: Carl Crawford ‘still one of the best out there’ [full count]

David Ortiz has no regrets about not entering Home Run Derby [full count]

Jonathan Papelbon on Daniel Bard: ‘I really do think he’s going to be fine’ [full count]

Clay Buchholz Scheduled to Return, Make Start Saturday Against Rays [nesn.com]

Vote: What Grade Would You Give the Red Sox for Their Performance in First Half? [nesn.com]

Jacoby Ellsbury, Carl Crawford’s Return May Not Guarantee Red Sox Spot in Playoffs (Video) [nesn.com]

Pizza, Air Guitar and Dancing Make NESN’s Jerry Remy One of Best Broadcasters in Sports [nesn.com]

Best Living Red Sox Alums Put Head-to-Head by WEEI Personality, Sox Spanish Broadcaster [nesn.com]

Clay Buchholz Learns Firsthand How Other Factors Can Sideline Major League Pitchers [nesn.com]

Ex-Red Sox backstop offers observations, critiques of Lavarnway, Saltalamacchia [pawtucket times]

Papelbon runs gamut on Red Sox topics [redsox.com]

Flying solo, Papi still makes All-Star splash [redsox.com]

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.

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

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 media day player list [andrea adelson – espn.com]

DC answered some questions in his mailbag [desmond conner – hartford courant]

UConn Gets Commitment Today From CB Thomas Lucas (Paint Branch, Md.) [desmond conner – hartford courant]

UConn Also Gets Commitment From Folorunso Fatukasi, DT From NYC [desmond conner – hartford courant]

UConn Football Adds Another: DT Lance Burlingame Dean (MA) JC [desmond conner – hartford courant]

Commitments are starting to roll in [jim fuller – new haven register]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Hartley Named To USA Basketball National 3×3 Team [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Andre Drummond (8 Points) Starts For Pistons In Summer League Opener [dom amore – hartford courant]

Huskies on the Move: Tracking UConn alumni in the NBA [kevin duffy – ct post]

Andre Drummond Airball Free Throw (Summer League) [uconn huskies basketball]

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

.500, two games below .500 at home (22-24) but two games above .500 on the road (21-19).

If you thought this is where the Boston Red Sox would be at the 2012 All-Star break, you would be a genius. As fans of the team, we hold them to a higher standard and for the most part, we know they do to. But sometimes it just doesn’t show.

The Red Sox had a good opportunity this weekend to make up ground on the New York Yankees in the AL East standings. Instead, they found the Bronx Bombers take three-of-four games. And if we were to place blame on anyone, it has to lie with the starting pitching.

Friday night, Josh Beckett gave up five runs in the 1st inning (loss). Saturday afternoon, Franklin Morales gave up four runs in the 1st inning (loss). After Felix Doubront gave up three runs in the 1st in the nightcap, the Red Sox did rally back for the win.

It was the same old story on Sunday night as Jon Lester gave up two runs in the 1st inning. You could possibly put a little bit of the blame on Mauro Gomez who had a bad throw that allowed Nick Swisher to reach on a fielder’s choice and a run to score. But then again, how can you blame Gomez when he’s playing a position he hasn’t played since 2009 in the Single-A California League.

And he’s only there because Will Middlebrooks is battling a hamstring problem that cropped up just after Kevin Youkilis was traded to the Chicago White Sox.

The problem is Lester didn’t really get any better as the game went on. This is the same pitcher who was given the Opening Day start this year and was supposed to the team’s ace pitcher. Right now, he’s far from that.

The offense couldn’t get much done against Ivan Nova. They managed a run in the 1st when Derek Jeter made an error that allowed Pedro Ciriaco to score. They added another in the 3rd when Ciriaco scored from first on a double from David Ortiz.

When you go back to the top (waits for you to scroll up and come back down) and look at the record again, it really could be worse. Sure we want to say Bobby Valentine is a horrible manager but can we really?

He’s doing the best with what’s he been given. Jacoby Ellsbury has played only nine games, Carl Crawford hasn’t seen the field, Cody Ross saw the DL, Ryan Sweeney has been on the DL twice, Josh Beckett has been on the DL, Clay Buchholz, and the list goes on.

If it weren’t for the callups, Middlebrooks, Daniel Nava, Rich Hill before he got hurt, Scott Podsednik before he got sent done, Aaron Cook  and that list goes on as well, the Red Sox might not be even anywhere close to the .500 mark. Instead of being tied for the last place in the AL East, they could be in the last place 10-20 games under .500 and gutting the team with the trade deadline coming up in 22 days.

Instead, they now need to make a decision whether or not to go for it. The second wild card spot makes that decision all the more harder. They are just 2.5 games out of that spot and five back for the top spot in the wild card standings.

Decisions, decisions, decisions. I’m just glad I don’t have to make them in regards to this situation.

The Red Sox are off for the All-Star break until Friday when they return with a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, FL. So for now, let’s take at look at the overnight links from the media by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

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

Low and away [boston globe]

Young Sox ready to look ahead [boston globe]

Once again, trouble showed up early [boston globe]

Teixeira swings back, calls Padilla’s comments ‘crazy’ [boston globe]

Bronx Bombers feel no remorse [boston herald]

Carl Crawford: Surgery can wait [boston herald]

Sox off to take needed break [boston herald]

Clay Buchholz rested, ready [boston herald]

Jon Lester’s woes continue [boston herald]

Yankees take three of four in Fenway, beat Sox, 7-3 [csn new england]

Valentine ‘surprised’ Gonzalez’s illness got best of him [csn new england]

Lester, Sox at a loss as first half of season ends [csn new england]

Ortiz has answer for first-half woes: Injuries [csn new england]

Sox stagger into much-needed break [espn boston]

Boston Red Sox need Jon Lester, Josh Beckett to be much better in second half of season [espn boston]

Carl Crawford wants to play through the pain, Bobby V on the first half and other Red Sox notes [full count]

Closing Time: Jon Lester and the .500 Red Sox conclude first half with a whimper [full count]

Jon Lester: ‘[Expletive] first half’ represents ‘uncharted waters for me’ [full count]

As he arrives on big stage of All-Star Futures Game, Matt Barnes driven by first taste of failure [full count]

Derek Jeter on Red Sox in second half: ‘I’m sure they’ll be fine’ [full count]

Time for Red Sox to put Josh Beckett and Jon Lester on the trading block [tony massarotti – boston globe]

Mark Teixeira Calls Vicente Padilla’s Assertions ‘Completely Erroneous,’ Jokes That Women’s Boxing Is Tough [nesn.com]

Carl Crawford Likely to Need Tommy John Surgery, But Will Attempt to Play This Season [nesn.com]

Pedro Ciriaco, Will Middlebrooks Among Young Stars Providing Hope for Red Sox’ Second Half (Video) [nesn.com]

Red Sox’ First Inning Troubles Continue to Spell Doom for Club [nesn.com]

Red Sox Dig Themselves Into Tough Hole After Dropping Three of Four to the Yankees [nesn.com]

Adrian Gonzalez Battles Undisclosed Illness, Was Sick Enough To Leave Game, Sacrifice Hitting Streak [nesn.com]

Red Sox’ Issues Still Start With Starting Pitching and Other Thoughts From Baseball’s First Half [nesn.com]

Crawford says he’ll eventually need surgery [redsox.com]

After rehab outing, Buchholz eyes Saturday return [redsox.com]

Adrian exits with illness, hitting streak ends [redsox.com]

Bogaerts, Barnes enjoy Futures Game experience [redsox.com]

Padilla, Teixeira continue war of words [redsox.com]

Why Red Sox prospect Xander Bogaerts would love to follow in Derek Jeter’s footsteps [alex speier – weei.com]

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 ESPN New York, New York Daily News, New York Post, New York Times and The Journal News websites. You can also check out our Bloguin brother, NYY Stadium Insider.

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

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 all-time winningest coaches [andrea adelson – espn.com]

UConn Gets Commitment From Big OT….From Belgium Andreas Knappe [desmond conner – hartford courant]

McCombs Named to Maxwell Watch List; Williams on Bednarik Watch List [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Hartley Named To U.S. 3×3 Team; Chong Shortens List [rich elliott – ct post]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Greater Hartford Pro-Am is Up and Running [david borges – new haven register]

Jim Calhoun Looks Ahead to 2012-13 Season [david borges – new haven register]

To Boo or not to Boo [uconn huskies basketball]

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

After splitting their doubleheader yesterday, the Boston Red Sox look for a split of their four-game set tonight with the New York Yankees at historic Fenway Park in the final game before the All-Star break.

First pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. You can also watch the game online at ESPN3.com or with the WatchESPN app. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Jon Lester looks to put together a solid outing in his 18th start of 2012. In his previous 17 starts, Lester is 5-5 with a 4.33 ERA. He has not faced the Yankees in 2012 and was 2-2 with a 6.66 ERA in five starts in 2011. He’s made 17 career starts against the Evil Empire and is 8-3 with a 4.15 ERA. Seven of those starts have come at the Fens where he is 2-1 with a 4.76 ERA.

Ivan Nova looks to widen the gap betweent the Yankees and Red Sox in his 17th start of 2012. In his previous 16 starts, Nova is 9-3 with a 4.05 ERA. He picked up the win in his only start of 2012 against the local nine when he allowed two runs in six innings of work on April 20th. Nova has made five career appearances (four starts) agaisnt the Red Sox and is 1-2 with a 5.70 ERA. Three of those appearances (two starts) have come at the Fens where he is 1-1 with a 4.97 ERA.

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:

51-33		43-42
1. Derek Jeter	SS	1. Daniel Nava	LF
2. Curtis Granderson	CF	2. Pedro Ciriaco	2B
3. Mark Teixeira	1B	3. David Ortiz	DH
4. Alex Rodriguez	3B	4. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
5. Robinson Cano	DH	5. Cody Ross	RF
6. Nick Swisher	RF	6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C
7. Andruw Jones	LF	7. Ryan Sweeney	CF
8. Jayson Nix	2B	8. Mauro Gomez	3B
9. Chris Stewart	C	9. Mike Aviles	SS
Ivan Nova	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

A matter of give and take for Sox [boston herald]

Carl Crawford likely needs Tommy John surgery [boston herald]

Crawford on elbow: “At some point it’s going to blow out” [clubhouse insider]

Clay Buchholz tosses 2-1/3 scoreless innings in Triple-A tuneup [clubhouse insider]

Buchholz impresses in rehab start at Pawtucket [csn new england]

Padilla: Texeira might ‘be better off playing a woman’s sport’ [csn new england]

Buchholz calls his start ‘mediocre’ . . . but the results weren’t [csn new england]

More rehab: Ellsbury gets a hit, Bard is a hit [csn new england]

Crawford admits surgery for elbow possible at some point [csn new england]

Buchholz rehab solid, set to return Saturday [espn boston]

Middlebrooks feels good, but still sitting out [espn boston]

Ellsbury likely to return before Crawford [espn boston]

Lester to get long break [espn boston]

Crawford “thought” about elbow surgery, held off [espn boston]

Clay Buchholz throws scoreless rehab start for Pawtucket [extra bases]

Offseason surgery likely for Carl Crawford [extra bases]

Will Middlebrooks, Jacoby Ellsbury close to returning [extra bases]

Mark Teixeira calls Vicente Padilla’s comments ‘crazy’ [extra bases]

Red Sox at the All-Star Futures Game [full count]

Do the Red Sox Have a Better Chance Now of Making the Playoffs Than They Did on Opening Day? [nesn.com]

Pedro Ciriaco Makes Case to Start for Red Sox, Although Not Necessarily at Shortstop [nesn.com]

Red Sox Prospect Ryan Westmoreland Works Way Back From Brain Surgery (Video) [nesn.com]

Vicente Padilla Doesn’t Budge From Stance, Says Mark Teixeira Cries About Everything [nesn.com]

Buchholz to return Saturday against Rays [mike petraglia – weei.com]

Crawford: Elbow will ‘blow out on me’ [mike petraglia – weei.com]

Bobby V: Yankees are ‘catchable’ [mike petraglia – weei.com]

The last PawSox All-Star left at Triple-A, Lavarnway still biding his time [projo sox blog]

Buchholz throws 43 pitches in rehab start for PawSox [projo sox blog]

Bard bounces back from erratic outing with 1-2-3 inning [projo sox blog]

Crawford admits elbow surgery “probably” inevitable [projo sox blog]

Middlebrooks should be 100 percent in Tampa [projo sox blog]

Rotation not set after break [projo sox blog]

Lester looks to end up-and-down first half with win [redsox.com]

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

photo credits: ap photo, getty images

As they did with Tim Wakefield after he retired, the Boston Red Sox will honor their former catcher Jason Varitek with a “Thanks, Tek Day” on July 21st.

Here’s the release from the Red Sox:

BOSTON, MA — The Boston Red Sox will honor Jason Varitek July 21 with ‘Thanks, Tek Day’ at Fenway Park. The club plays the Toronto Blue Jays at 7:10 p.m. A pre-game ceremony tribute is expected to begin at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Named the 18^th full-time captain in Red Sox history on December 24, 2004, Varitek was behind the plate in a club-record 1,488 contests.  He appeared in 15 seasons with the club, the fourth-longest tenured Red Sox ever who never played for another Major League team behind Carl Yastrzemski (23), Ted Williams (19) and Jim Rice (16).  Varitek announced his retirement March 1, 2012, at the Red Sox’ new Spring Training site, JetBlue Park at Fenway South in Lee County, Florida.

A three-time All-Star (2003, 2005 and 2008), Varitek was named the Red Sox Rookie of the Year in 1998 and won the club’s MVP Award in 2003.  The switch-hitter became the first Boston catcher ever to win a Silver Slugger Award when he received the honor in 2005, the same year he was also honored with a Rawlings Gold Glove Award.

Varitek won World Series Championships with Boston in 2004 and 2007 and is the club’s all-time postseason leader in games (63) and at-bats (228).  He also ranks second among Red Sox postseason leaders in runs (37), hits (54), doubles (12) and home runs (tied, 11), and is third in RBI (33).  Varitek is third in all-time postseason starts (58) and games at catcher (62), behind Jorge Posada (106, 119) and Yogi Berra (61, 63).

The 1999 winner of the Jackie Jensen Hustle Award from the Boston Chapter of the BBWAA and 2006 recipient of the Red Sox Heart and Hustle Award, Varitek has been an active participant in the Red Sox community outreach.  Through his Tek’s 33s ticket program, he invited patients from Children’s Hospital Boston to games throughout the season and met with the groups during batting practice.  He hosted an annual celebrity putt-putt event, which recently benefitted Journey Forward, a non-profit organization that aims to better the lives of those with spinal injuries, and often auctioned off specially designed game-worn catcher’s gear with proceeds going to Boston-area non-profit organizations.

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

photo credit: reuters pictures