Red Sox News & Notes – 11/1

Papelbon and Varitek

Day 4 off the offseason is upon us and the biggest news coming out of Red Sox Nation is that the ball from the end of the game is missing. Jason Varitek said he’d give it to the team, then says he gave it to Jonathan Papelbon. Papelbon’s agent says Paps doesn’t have the ball. The other news is that Eric Gagné applied for free agency. No big surprise there at all as he would not have been asked back. Moving forward, let’s take a look at the headlines from the Boston area media on the this first day of November.

Delcarmen a hometown hero [Boston Globe]

Varitek In Lowell’s Corner [Hartford Courant]

Beckett at home as champion ace [Boston Herald]

Red Sox are now the gold standard [Pro Jo]

The old hidden ball trick [Boston Globe]

Ball 2: This Time, It’s Missing [Hartford Courant]

Red Sox postseason report card [Boston Herald]

For more headlines and stories, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Providence Journal, and Hartford Courant websites.

Paw Prints – Blue Out

Paw Prints Blue Out

If you are heading to this Saturday night’s UConn football game vs Rutgers at Rentschler Field, you are strongly encouraged to wear something blue. The UConn football team has requested that all fans show up in blue to blue out the Rutgers Scarlet Knights

This is your chance Husky Nation to do something to help your 7-1 and Big East leading football team out. It’s going to be chilly out so make sure you wear your Husky blue winter coat and not something royal blue.

Ball-Gate 2007

Jason Varitek and Jonathan Papelbon - AP

Back in 2005, I wrote an article about what happened with the ball from the end of the 2004 World Series.

As you Red Sox fans now, Doug Mientkiewicz ended up in possession of the ball and never reliquinshed it after the game to the Red Sox. The Sox ownership has made a big stink as to who is the rightful owner of the ball. The Red Sox contend they are the rightful owners of the ball because Mientkiewicz at the time was an employee.

I think this whole thing is a crock. First off, whether or not he is the rightful owner of the ball doesnt even matter; Red Sox Nation deserves to have the ball. Mientkiewicz has said previously that he does not want to profit from the sale of the ball. When he agreed to “lend” the ball to the Red Sox for a year, he wanted to make sure the fans could see the ball. Also to be noted, all proceeds from anything the ball does goes to the Red Sox Foundation. So if your going to make that agreement with the Red Sox, why not just give them the ball. Dude, you played with the Sox for 4 months. Do you even know the significance of the ball? Every member of Red Sox Nation, except those over age 86 in 2004, have waited an entire lifetime to see the Red Sox win a World Series.

Fast forward to 2007. After Jonathan Papelbon struck out Seth Smith to win the 2007 World Series, Jason Varitek placed the ball in his back pocket before heading out to the mound to the waiting arms of the Red Sox closer. If you look at the above picture, you can clearly see the ball in his right pocket.

After the game, Varitek had this to say about the ball:

“I’ll give it back to the team,” Varitek said at Coors Field. “Maybe we won’t have a controversy this time.”

Well now no one knows where the ball is. Varitek said he gave it to Papelbon. Papelbon’s agent says Paps doesn’t have the ball. Normally after Papelbon closes out a game, if possible, Varitek always gives him the ball. So you would assume the same thing was true this time.

But who knows. All we know right now that the ball is missing. The Red Sox will look to get to the bottom of this in their upcoming organizational meetings.

Paw Prints – Women’s Roundball Rankings

SOX & Dawgs - Paw Prints

Junior co-captain Renee Montgomery and sophomore Tina Charles have been named to the preseason top 30 Wooden All-American team. The Huskies are 1 of only 5 teams to have more than one candidate.

In mid-January, the Wooden Award Committee will release the Midseason Top 20 list, followed by the official voting ballot in March consisting of approximately 15 players. In order to be considered for the National Ballot each player must be certified by their university as meeting the Award’s criteria, including making progress toward graduation, and maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Over 200 voters, comprised of sports media members and women’s college basketball experts from across the nation, will cast their votes for the five-member All-American team and Wooden Award honor as the most outstanding female collegiate basketball player in the nation.

For a complete look at the list head over to uconnhuskies.com.

The women’s preseason rankings are out and Pat Scumbucket’s Tennessee Lady Volunteers are the the number 1 team in the land (BOOOOOOOOOOOOO). Honestly, they are deserving of the ranking as they are after all, the defending National Champions. The UConn women are the #2 team in the land with Big East rival Rutgers, Maryland and LSU rounding out the top 5. The complete women’s top 25 is after the jump.

Continue reading →

The Hits Keep Coming… – World Series Wrap up at 7 PM ET Tonight

Tune in tonight as bloggers Anthony of the Oriole Post and Jason of My Baseball Bias join me for our hour long baseball show called, “The Hits Keep Coming” on Blog Talk Radio and on MVN Radio. Every week at 7PM Eastern Time (6PM Central/ 5PM Mountain/ 4PM Western/Pacific) we chat, analyze and comment about the world of Major League Baseball.

This week we wrap up the World Series!

If you’d like to call in, the phone number is 718-664-6564 or you can send us an instant message if you use AOL IM at hitskeepcoming20.

Please join us at either: http://blogtalkradio.com/oriolepost or http://mvn.com/radio/ – 7PM Eastern Time tonight!

Topics to be discussed this evening:

  • Review of the World Series, Ian’s thoughts on the 2007 Red Sox
  • A-Rod opts-out of his deal, will hit free agency
  • Joe Girardi is the new Yankee manager
  • Joe Torre is a Dodger now?
  • Mike Cameron is using
  • Free Agency period begins

You can listen to last week’s show by going over to the sidebar on the right and looking for the Blog Talk Radio section.

See you all tonight!!!

Will Papelbon Get Irish Jiggy With It?

Red Sox late night

From Extra Bases:

Red Sox dancer and closer Jonathan Papelbon will be in New York this afternoon to tape an appearance for tonight’s episode of the “Late Show with David Letterman” on WBZ-TV (Ch. 4, CBS) at 11:30 p.m. It’s unlikely that the appearance will pass without Letterman demanding that Papelbon perform his Irish jig onstage.

The Dropkick Murphys are not scheduled to appear on Letterman tonight, but actor/comedian David Spade and magician/comedians Penn and Teller are also on the docket.

On Friday night, the suddenly outspoken Manny Ramirez is slated to appear on the “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” on WHDH-TV (Ch. 7, NBC) at 11:30 p.m. The Backstreet Boys are also scheduled to appear. No word on whether Manny plans to sing or dance along with the group.

Later on Friday night, David Ortiz is scheduled to appear on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” also on Ch. 7 at 12:30 p.m. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is set to appear on the program with Big Papi.

Now America will see how crazy our closer really is.

(Channels listed are for the Boston television market)