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 some of the other sports. 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.

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UConn Men’s Basketball links

Bulls expected to sign Richard Hamilton [New Haven Register]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Info on announcing team for Baylor/UConn game [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

DeShields hits seven 3-pointers in win [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Top 10 Home Games During “The Streak” Of 91 [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

UConn-Hartford To Resume Series [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Samarie Walker Ready To Return [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

UConn, Hartford Renew Series [Rich Elliott – CT Post]

UConn Football links

Big East top freshmen in 2011 [Andrea Adelson – ESPN.com]

Moorhead leaving?, Navy coming and a JUCO QB [John Silver – Journal Inquirer]

UConn Quarterbacks Coach Headed For Top Job At Fordham, Sources Say [Hartford Courant]

UConn’s Moorhead to be named head coach at Fordham [The Day]

Other UConn related links

Baseball. LJ Mazzilli named to 2012 NCBWA Preseason All-America First Team [College Baseball Daily]

Baseball. Valentine To Dine At UConn Baseball Preseason Event [Hartford Courant]

Big East Newbies: Houston [Kevin Duffy – CT Post]

W. Lacrosse. Gilmartin-Dzitko Earns Study-Abroad Scholarship [UConnHuskies.com]

M. Track. Will Thomas Returns Home [UConnHuskies.com]

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It’s been a busy day for Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington his staff on Yawkey Way in Boston.

Shortly after acquiring Mark Melancon from the Houston Astros for Jed Lowrie and Kyle Weiland, Cherington dipped his feet into the free agent pool by signing Nick Punto to a two-year contract.

The contract is worth $3 million for two-years and according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com, Punto can earn an additional $500,000 in incentives.

With Lowrie gone, the Red Sox needed a utility infielder. He has also played the outfield in the past as well. He is also a much better defensive player than Lowrie having committed just three errors this past season in 63 games for the St. Louis Cardinals. Punto hit .278 with one home run and 20 RBIs for the World Series champs during the 2011 regular season.

He’ll be expected to spell Kevin Youkilis, Marco Scutaro and Dustin Pedroia on occasion and if needed be a late inning defensive replacement should that need arise.

Still no big splash in the free agent pool yet by Cherington but this is a solid signing that should be benefit the Red Sox over the next two years.

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Photo credit: Getty Images

About a week or so ago, Boston Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington told Daniel Bard to prepare as a starter for spring training. And with the move the Red Sox have reportedly made on Wednesday, it looks like that might come to fruition.

According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com via Twitter, the Red Sox have traded infielder Jed Lowrie and pitcher Kyle Weiland to the Houston Astros for closer Mark Melancon.

Melancon was a ninth round draft choice of the New York Yankees in 2006 and actually made his MLB debut against the Red Sox on April 26, 2009. In that debut, he threw two innings, allowing one hit and a walk with a strikeout. He was traded to the Astros in 2010 at the trade deadline for Lance Berkman.

He appeared in 71 games for the Astros in 2011 as he garnered an 8-4 record with a 2.78 ERA and 20 saves. He struck out 66 batters in 74.1 innings. He took over as the Astros closer in the middle of the 2011 season for former Red Sox bench coach Brad Mills.

It’s expected that Melancon will take over the closer role for the Red Sox with Jonathan Papelbon off to the Philadelphia Phillies. Many thought Bard would be given the chance to close but obviously that doesn’t look like it’s happening now.

Personally I think that Bard ends up being the closer next year for the Red Sox with Melancon setting up for him. If Bard were to falter in the role, I see them reversing roles. Of course Bard going back to closing all depends on what happens with how Cherington rounds out the Red Sox rotation.

As far including Lowrie in the deal, it looks as though the Red Sox have given up on him. He’s battled through injuries during his tenure in Boston but when he’s healthy, he’s been a valuable and productive member of the team. Given that he can play all four infield positions and rakes against lefties, I don’t quite understand the move. Hence why I think they’ve given up on him.

Weiland struggled with the Red Sox in 2011. He made seven appearances (five starts), going 0-3 with a 7.66 ERA. He more than likely would have spent the 2012 in Triple-A but now should compete for a spot in the Astros starting rotation.

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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 some of the other sports. 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 Men’s Basketball links

UConn still struggling to find footing in post-Kemba Walker era [SI.com]

UConn Football links

FUMA RB Joe Williams Commits To UConn [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

UConn Gets JUCO Honorable Mention AA QB Chandler Whitmer [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

Cheshire Acad.WR Golden And Maryland OL Dill Visiting UConn [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

UConn Huskies: 2011 Exit Survey [College Football Zealots]

Other UConn related links

Big East Newbies: Boise State [Kevin Duffy – CT Post]

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When former Boston Red Sox and current Baltimore Orioles general manager Dan Duquette stole Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe for Heathcliff Slocumb in 1997 at the trade deadline, it marked the start of the Tek’s time in the Red Sox organization. And on this day in December of 2011, it looks as though his time as a member of the Red Sox is up.

With the Red Sox signing free agent catcher Kelly Shoppach to a one year deal worth $1.35 million on Tuesday, the Red Sox will more than likely will be without their captain for the first time since 2004 when he was named just the third captain of the Red Sox in their history.

Ironically enough, the Red Sox drafted Shoppach in the second round of the 2001 MLB Draft. He made it to the big leagues with the Red Sox in 2005 for nine games before being shipped to Cleveland for Coco Crisp and Andy Marte before the 2006 season.

He spent four seasons with the Indians before playing the last two with the Tampa Bay Rays.

With Shoppach in the fold at catcher for the Red Sox as the backup to Jarrod Saltalamacchia, the presumption is that Ryan Lavarnway will start the season in Pawtucket allowing him some more time to develop his catching skills. We all know he doesn’t need to much work at the plate.

It is a bittersweet moment with Tek’s tenure in Boston likely done.

His skills have definitely eroded behind the plate as he’s gotten older and he’s not the same at the plate either. If there’s one thing good that he can still do, it’s call a game behind the plate. The part-time role the past two seasons has definitely suited him better.

But with the collapse of the team in 2011 and the reports that his leadership wasn’t the same, this Shoppach signing does not surprise me in the least. We all knew this moment was going to come some day.

I guess the big question now is this?

How will Josh Beckett react to not having his binky anymore?

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Photo credit: Reuters Pictures

The Boston Red Sox have avoided salary arbitration with Matt Albers as they’ve signed him to a one-year deal. They have also non-tendered Rich Hill. And as expected the Red Sox tendered contracts to Alfredo Aceves, Daniel Bard, Franklin Morales, Mike Aviles, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrie and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

I fully expect that Hill will be given a minor league deal by the Red Sox in the not so distant future.

Here’s the release from the Red Sox with the details:

BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox today signed right-handed pitcher Matt Albers to a one-year contract for the 2012 season, thus avoiding salary arbitration.  Terms were not disclosed.

The club also announced that it will not tender a 2012 contract to left-handed pitcher Rich Hill.  As a result, Hill will become a free agent.  The Red Sox tendered 2012 contracts to the other 23 unsigned players on their Major League roster.  Boston’s 40-man roster is now at 38.

The announcements were made by executive vice president/general manager Ben Cherington.

The 28-year-old Albers appeared in 56 games last season, all in relief, posting a 4-4 record with a 4.73 ERA (34 ER/64 2/3 IP) and 68 strikeouts in his first year with Boston.  He averaged a career-high 9.46 strikeouts per nine innings, the 15^th-highest mark among qualifying American League relievers.  Albers has appeared in 237 Major League games (23 starts) over parts of six seasons with the Astros (2006-07), Orioles (2008-10) and Red Sox (2011) and is 19-29 with a 5.04 ERA (214 ER/382 IP) and 274 strikeouts in his big league career.

Hill, 31, threw eight scoreless innings over nine appearances out of the bullpen for Boston in 2011 before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery on June 9.  The native of Milton, Mass. also pitched with Triple-A Pawtucket last season, going 1-0 with one save, a 1.13 ERA (2 ER/16 IP) and 18 strikeouts.  In 93 career Major League appearances (70 starts) between the Cubs (2005-08), Orioles (2009) and Red Sox (2010-11), Hill owns a 22-20 record with a 4.73 ERA (214 ER/407 1/3 IP) and 370 strikeouts.

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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 some of the other sports. 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 Men’s Basketball links

UConn, San Diego State Could Meet On The Court Soon [Dom Amore – Hartford Courant]

UConn-SDSU series in the planning stages [Gavin Keefe – The Day]

UConn, San Diego State agree to home-and-home [Kevin Duffy – The Day]

Alumni Profile: Rip Hamilton [UConn Huskies Basketball]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Some early thoughts about Baylor/UConn [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Other UConn related links

M. Swimming. Shumkov Competes At European Championships [UConnHuskies.com]

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If this continues weekly, there’s really no sense in posting this anymore. I kid I kid.

Here’s the release from UConn about UConn Huskies women’s basketball freshman Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis winning the Big East freshman of the week honors for the fourth straight week.

STORRS, Conn. – Freshman forward Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis has been honored as the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week as announced by the league on Monday. Mosqueda-Lewis, the 2011-12 Preseason BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, has earned the honor in each of the season’s first four weeks.

Mosqueda-Lewis averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds per game en route to leading the No. 2 Huskies to a spotless 2-0 week, which included an 81-51 victory over No. 8 Texas A&M on Tuesday. Mosqueda-Lewis scored 14 points on 6-of-15 shooting against the Aggies while dishing-out two assists and blocking a pair of shots.

She followed that performance up with a 15-point, five-rebound effort in Connecticut’s 70-37 victory at Seton Hall on Friday night.

The Anaheim Hills, Calif. native is leading the Huskies at 15.9 points per game and is second on the squad with .406 3-point field goal percentage. She has scored in double-figures seven times this season, including the last four games, and is the Huskies’ fourth-leading rebounder.

Connecticut will break for Final Exams this week and will be back in action on Sunday, December 18 when the teams travels to Waco, Texas to take on No. 1 Baylor. Game time is set for 8:30 p.m. and the contest will be televised nationally on ESPN.

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Photo credit: Richard Messina – Hartford Courant

Here’s the release from UConn about the 2011 UConn Huskies football team’s awards ceremony banquet that was held on Sunday.

STORRS, Conn. – The University of Connecticut football team held its annual awards ceremony Sunday evening when the team had a dinner at The Burton Family Football Complex, honoring 10 student-athletes for their accomplishments this season.

Senior defensive tackle Kendall Reyes (Nashua, N.H.) was named the Team Most Valuable Player and the Defensive Player of the Year. Reyes was a First Team All-BIG EAST Conference pick for the second time in a row this season. He started 42 games during his UConn career and was third on the UConn team with 13.5 tackles for loss while making 46 total tackles in 2011. For his career, he had 31.5 tackles for a loss – tenth in school history.

Freshman tailback Lyle McCombs (Staten Island, N.Y.) was named the Offensive Player of the Year. McCombs rushed for 1,115 yards this season – the ninth-highest in school single-season history and the second among freshmen at UConn. He was a Second Team All-BIG EAST Conference selection.

Senior kicker Dave Teggart (Northborough, Mass.) was the Special Teams Player of the Year. He was also a First Team All-BIG EAST pick. Teggart was a four-year standout and holds the UConn career records for field goals (74), extra points (128) and points (349). Teggart kicked a field goal in 22 of his final 25 collegiate games and had multiple field goals in eight games this year and had 11 career games with three or more field goals.

Redshirt senior wide receiver Kashif Moore (Burlington, N.J.) was honored with the Jasper T. Howard – Play-Every-Play Award, which is presented to a strong team player who best exemplifies a “battle-to-the-end” spirit during every game through every play. Moore wore Howard’s No. 6 this season in honor of the Husky player who was murdered in the fall of 2009. Moore was a four-year starter for the Huskies and was second on the team in receiving in 2011 and first in TD receptions with five.

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The Brian Kozlowski Award was given to redshirt senior defensive tackle Twyon Martin (Parkland, Fla.) This award is designated for a courageous, hard working and productive person. The award is named for the former Husky tight end, later a 13-year NFL veteran, who through relentless hard work, effort and dedication was able to have a lengthy NFL career. Martin was a four-year starter for the Huskies and had a total of 43 career starts and 26.5 career tackles for a loss.

Junior defensive end Trevardo Williams (Bridgeport, Conn.) was given the Kendall Madison Award which is presented to a strong team player whose dedication, hard work, positive attitude and outstanding citizenship best exemplifies the proud spirit of the UConn Huskies. The award is named for the former Husky who was tragically killed in the mid 1990s while being a good Samaritan in his attempt to break up an altercation. Williams was a Second Team All-BIG EAST Conference pick and led UConn with 13.5 sacks – a UConn single-season record. Williams came on strong at the end of the season as he made nine of his sacks in the final five games of the year.

The Football Alumni Award, which is given to a player who has demonstrated leadership and dedication and is the ultimate team player, was presented to redshirt junior linebacker Jory Johnson (Mobile, Ala.). Johnson led UConn in tackles this season with 97 and also had seven tackles for a loss and two interceptions.

The John L. Toner Scholar-Athlete Award was given to redshirt senior safety Harris Agbor (Mesquite, Texas). This award was designed to honor a senior member of the football program who has demonstrated outstanding academic performance and citizenship while making a significant contribution to the overall success of the team. Selected by the Football CPIA Staff, the award is named after the former UConn athletic director and football coach and NCAA President. Agbor, a finance and political science major, has a 3.452 GPA. He started in 13 games over his UConn career.

The 2011 Joseph M. Giannelli Unsung Hero Award went to redshirt junior quarterback Johnny McEntee (Fullerton, Calif.). McEntee, a walk-on, started all 12 games for UConn this year after having virtually no collegiate playing experience. McEntee was 172 of 335 in the air in 2011 for 2,110 yards with 12 TDs and eight interceptions.

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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 some of the other sports. 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 Men’s Basketball links

Kemba Walker Has A Parting Gift [Hartford Courant]

Charlotte Bobcats ink first of two 2011 lottery picks, Kemba Walker [Examiner.com]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

No renewal of Baylor/UConn series is in the works [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Trip to New York not soon to be forgotten by Baylor [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Stewart opens season with a double-double [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Matchup With Baylor Should Keep Huskies Focused This Week [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

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