Remember if you’re near the UConn campus in Storrs this afternoon, the UConn Huskies men’s basketball Husky Run will start at 3 PM near the East Entrance of Gampel Pavilion. There is a fun run before hand that starts at 2 PM. The first 500 people to sign up will receive a free t-shirt.

Chip Malafronte of the New Haven Register, Neill Ostrout of the Connecticut Post, Desmond Conner of the Hartford Courant, Joe Perez of the Norwich Bulletin and John Silver of the Journal Inquirer all have somes from Randy Edsall’s press conference yesterday.

Rob Lunn checked in about the game over at Thoughts From a Fat White Guy.

Donald Brown is ready for the game in his home state.

The Huskies still have questions at QB and defense.

UConn vs Rutgers is not only a women’s basketball rivalry but is now turning into a football rivalry for some.

The UConn defense must limit the number of big plays against it.

The Huskies got healthy somewhat during the bye week.

Brian Bennett of ESPN.com has his UConn Huskies midseason review.

In the latest graduation success rates released by the NCAA, the Huskies were the top team in the Big East with a graduation rate of 77% of it’s football players.

UConn men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun was in good form at his season kickoff.

The UConn men’s basketball team is ready to go but is Nate Miles?

David Gillett has some video of former Husky Rudy Gay playing above the rim in the NBA.

Are you ready for some UConn women’s basketball?

The UConn men’s soccer team takes on Dartmouth tonight at 7 PM at Morrone Stadium.

You’ll have to excuse me if there’s a lack of posting from me today as I am feeling a little bit under the weather. I’m just sick to my stomach after watching the performance of the Boston Red Sox last night in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Being a Red Sox fan and trying to find a positive for them from last night’s game is nearly impossible. It’s unthinkable because before your favorite team even bats, they are already trailing 3-0 and they have to face a pitcher in Andy Sonnanstine who hadn’t given up a run against the Red Sox in 2008. And he just did what he did all season, shut down the Red Sox. By the time the Red Sox had scored 3 runs off of Sonnanstine, it was a little too late.

It also doesn’t help when they are trailing 6-1 and maybe, just maybe still have a chance that Manny Delcarmen decides to have another Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde performance and the game becomes out of reach.

If you really want to know why the Red Sox are in this predicament, just take a look at these numbers from the last 3 starts (Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Tim Wakefield). The trio has combined to give up 23 hits and 19 runs (17 earned) in just 12 2/3 innings. And that folks is why the Red Sox trail the Rays 3-1 in the ALCS.

If you’re thinking of giving up on this team, recent history dictates that you don’t. Think back to 2004 when the Red Sox were trailing the Yankees. I think you know what happened that year. Think back to last year when the Red Sox were trailing the Cleveland Indians 3-1 and they had to face C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona. I think you know what happened then too. Plus, a real fan never gives up.

The Red Sox do have the right three pitchers lined up to get out of this hole they are in. Of course, two of them are partially responsible for this deficit. They will need Daisuke Matsuzaka to once again throw the game of his life on Thursday night and then hope for either Lester or Beckett to return to form on Saturday night in a potential Game 6 and the other of the two who doesn’t pitch Game 6 to get it done in a potential Game 7 on Sunday.

Can the Red Sox do it? The Red Sox think so as this was seen on the dry erase board in the clubhouse after the game:

“Come Packed on Thursday, Oct. 16, 08,”

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The Tampa Bay Rays got 3 early home runs off of Tim Wakefield and just continued the pounding as they annihilated the Boston Red Sox 13-4 in front of another  38,133 stunned fans at Fenway Park. The win for the Rays gives them a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 ALCS.

Tim Wakefield was brutal tonight, just absolutely brutal.

Wakefield just didn’t have it tonight. He lasted only 2 2/3 innings and gave up 5 runs on 6 hits while walking 2 and fanning 2. Justin Masterson came in and settled things down for a bit as he went 2 1/3 innings allowing a run on 2 hits and a walk while striking out 4.

Things took a turn for the worse when Manny Delcarmen came in as he gave up 5 runs on 2 hits and 3 walks in just 1/3 of an inning. Javier Lopez worked 1 2/3 innings allowing 2 hits while Mike Timlin mopped up the final two innings, giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk.

The Red Sox managed just 7 hits in the game as the really didn’t have an answer for Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine. Kevin Youkilis knocked in 2 runs with his hit and Kevin Cash drove in one with a home run. Dustin Pedroia brought in the other run for the local nine.

The night for Wakefield started with a strikeout of Akinori Iwamura. He then issued a walk to B.J. Upton and he stole second with Carlos Peña at the plate but it wouldn’t matter as Peña took a high knuckleball the opposite way into the Green Monster seats. Evan Longoria followed with a solo home run and just like that it was 4-0 Rays. Carl Crawford had the first of his 5 hits on the night, a double, and then stole third with Willy Aybar at the plate. Wakefield struck out Aybar, walked Dioner Navarro and finally ended the inning when Fernando Perez fouled out to Kotsay at first.

The Red Sox went quietly in the 1st inning and Wakefield has appeared to settle down in the 2nd as he set the side down in order. The Red Sox then had a big chance to get back into the game in the bottom of the 2nd but failed to do so.

After Youk flew out to center, Jason Bay reached on error by Longoria and went to second on a throwing error by Longoria. Mark Kotsay lined a single to center as Bay stopped at third. Sonnanstine escaped any damage when he got Coco Crisp to ground into a 4-6-3 inning-ending twin killing.

Wakefield got the first two outs of the third inning before Crawford beat out an infield single. With Aybar at the plate Crawford stole second but it didn’t matter once again as he came into score on Aybar’s two run blast into the Fenway faithful sitting on top of the Green Monster to make it 5-0 Rays. Navarro chased Wakefield from the game with a single and young Masterson ended the inning by striking out Perez.

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The Boston Red Sox will look to end a 3-game home losing streak to the Tampa Bay Rays tonight in Game 4 of the ALCS. The Red Sox had won the first 7 games of 2008 against the Rays at the Fens before dropping the final 2 in the regular season series and Game 3 last night.

For the Red Sox, a loss tonight could be devastating to their chances of returning to the World Series as they trail 2-1. While recent history dictates, the Red Sox can come back from any deficit, given their lack of success at Tropicana Field this season, Games 4 and 5 are must win games before heading back to Tampa for a potential Game 6 and 7. I’m pretty sure the Red Sox would rather be up 3-2 rather than down 3-2. No matter what though, the Red Sox will have to win this series at the Trop.

If the Red Sox are to tie this series up tonight, it will have to come on the knuckleball of Tim Wakefield. While Wake has had a great career against the Rays (19-5, 3.32 ERA in 41 games, 31 starts), the results haven’t so great as of late. In 2008, he is 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA in 3 starts and was knocked around for 6 runs on 6 hits in 2 1/3 innings in his last start against the Rays.

Andy Sonnanstine gets the ball for the Rays as he looks to give Joe Maddon’s squad a commanding 3-1 lead. Sonnanstine has faced the Red Sox twice this season and has not given up an earned run or received a decision in 13 innings of work. The 13 innings without an earned run is most for a starter against the Red Sox this season. He has faced the Red Sox 6 times in his career and is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA.

Mike Lowell is officially done for the 2008 season as he will undergo surgery to repair the torn labrum in his hip. Lowell

Adam Kilgore of the Boston Globe gives us a history lesson about being down in a playoff series.

The Rays will increase capacity for the remaining games at Tropicana Field by removing the tarps at the top of the stadium.

Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com stopped by WEEI to talk about race and the Red Sox.

If you missed the chat over at Boston.com with Tony Massarotti, don’t forget to check out the transcript.

Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe has his Game 4 video preview.

Extra Bases has the pregame press conference transcripts.

Lineups and batter/pitcher matchups after the jump.

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While I’m out taking care of some personal business, I thought I’d pass this information along to you.

The original Dirt Dog Trot Nixon will be throwing out tonight’s ceremonial first pitch. That’s all.

And oh yeah, Kevin Millar wants to remind you, the series isn’t over just yet.

After 7 months of talks and 3 weeks of formal negotiations, the Boston Red Sox and the city of Sarasota were unable to come to an agreement about a proposal for the Red Sox to move their spring training operations to Sarasota.

“It seems like we have been at this for a while,” said Susan Goodenow, spokeswoman with the Boston Red Sox. “From the beginning there was a lot of enthusiasm and good faith effort.

“After an evaluation of everything the talks had not progressed to a point to where in the time frame allowed an understanding could be reached,” Goodenow added. “We were unable to reach terms that met the criteria of all the parties involved.”

“From the outset our goal has been to explore the different options to address the long term needs of the players and fans, and explore all of those options,” Goodenow said.

Given the nature of today’s economy, I’m not surprised they couldn’t reach an agreement. I find it hard to believe that the city of Sarasota would have had an easy time getting the loan that was needed to secure the funding to make a new stadium possible.

Agreement to end talks was mutual [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Red Sox unable to reach deal with Sarasota on spring-training move [ProJo SoxBlog]

Join the Red Sox at Fenway Park for Game 5 of the American League Championship Series

NetRaffle.org offers fans the chance to win Red Sox Playoff Tickets

(Andover, MA) – October 14, 2008 –Celebrities for Charities offers you the chance to be there for pivotal game 5 of the ALCS. Two tickets in the State Street Pavilion are being raffled off at www.netRaffle.org. One grand prize winner will be there to cheer on the Red Sox as they look to take the series back to Tampa Bay.

• Winner and a Guest will receive two State Street Pavilion Club Tickets to the Thursday, October 16, 2008, Game 5 of the ALCS between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays.
• Winner will also receive a cash prize in the amount of $239.39 to mitigate the Winner’s tax liability that results from winning the raffle. This prize is withheld and paid, on behalf of the Winner, directly to the IRS ($197.84) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ($41.55)

The online raffle will take place at www.netraffle.org with tickets costing $2.00 each and a minimum purchase of 5 tickets. This gives every fan a chance to win this amazing prize. The raffle closes on Wednesday, October 16 2008 at 9:00 a.m. EDT.

About Celebrities for Charity Foundation:
The Celebrities for Charity Foundation was established in 1997 to assist charities in obtaining celebrity support for their organizations fund raising and charitable purposes. It was also established to support celebrities in fulfilling their philanthropic aspirations. CFC is professionally managed by volunteers and provides celebrities with advice, fulfillment services, state of the art technology and a 501 (c) (3) public charity vehicle from which they can conduct their charitable work. Over the past 11 years Celebrities for Charity has donated over $2 million of memorabilia and funds to over 1,000 different causes. www.celebritiesforcharity.org