Red Sox News & Notes – 9/1

Providence Journal Photo

The Red Sox were expecting Tim Wakefield to take the mound to stop the bleeding from the sweep in New York. But the Red Sox got bad news when Wake arrived at the ballpark with a tight back. With Wake unable to pitch,Julian Tavarez was pushed up a day to start. Yo-Yo pitched decently for the first 3 innings but came unraveled in the 4th. With the Orioles coming having lost 9 straight, it was expected the Red Sox would win. That was not the case as the Orioles pounded Yo-Yo and Mike Timlin enroute to a 9-8 win. Clay Buchholz got the call to start tonight for the Sox but before he does, let’s take a look at the headlines from the Boston and Baltimore area media on this beautiful Saturday in Red Sox Nation.

Painful defeat for Sox [Boston Globe]

Bullpen Offers Relief [Washington Post]

Wake-Up Call For Orioles [Hartford Courant]

Orioles exhale, end skid [Baltimore Sun]

New foe, same woe [Boston Herald]

This one really hurt [Pro Jo]

Orioles Workers to Protest Pay [Washington Post]

Ramirez’s status is oblique [Boston Globe]

Bedard’s status is uncertain [Baltimore Sun]

Tito: Can’t rush Manny Obliques need time [Boston Herald]

Trachsel says goodbye to ‘fun’ clubhouse [Baltimore Sun]

Growing Pains [Hartford Courant]

Wakefield’s back inflicts more pain on injury woes [Pro Jo]

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

Saturday Salute To Bloggers

Salute thisSuper Sexy Texy from Center Field has a look at Eric Gagné’s new hair cut.

Yankees Chick is not a fan of Mike Mussina.

The fine girls over at Babes Love Baseball added a Spankees fan to their lineup.

Awful Announcing tells us TBS hired Bon Jovi to do it’s baseball commercials for the playoffs.

Richie Rich from Home Run Derby has a look at a minor league baseball fight.

Kevin Youkilis says the Sox are ready for September.

Anthony of the Oriole Post tells us he used to like wrestling at one point.

Ladies… has a look at a new show on CMT called “I want to look like a high school cheerleader again”.

Dan from Red Sox Monster has video of the squirrel on the foul pole during the Red Sox/Yanks game on Tuesday night.

Kissing Suzy Kolber has a look at 500 things you don’t want to hear.

PostmanR at We Are the Postmen has a look at high school in Florida that installed luxury boxes at it’s football stadium.

Larry Brown Sports tells us Charles Barkley called the Celtic’s team of the 1980’s, “the ugliest team in NBA history”.

You Been Blinded has a video that might help the Mets win.

There was no video from Fitzy this week over at TownieNews.com, so instead I’d like to make a special announcement.

After a long dragged out, knock down, punches throwing discussion, we here at SOX & Dawgs are throwing their votes behind Jerry Remy for President of Red Sox Nation. So we are asking for your votes to make RemDawg the leader of RSN. He is currently the interim president and would like to stay on. He has said that when he picks a running mate, that person will get the spoils. So head over to redsox.com and put your votes in for the RemDawg.

Here is RemDawg’s campaign statement.

You Have to Love Kevin Millar

Back when he played in Boston, Kevin Millar was always a fan favorite. During last night’s Red Sox/Orioles game, he showed why.

On a 1-1 count in the 7th, Eric Hinske hit a ball down the 1st base line that was going towards the stands. Millar and Brian Roberts were both running to the ball and Roberts was able to reach into the seats and get his glove on the ball. Unfortunately for Roberts, a fan knocked the ball out of his glove. Both Roberts and Millar looked at umpire Joe West and wanted fan interference to be called. He didn’t as the ball was clearly in the seats. As Millar walked away, he went over and gave props to the two fans for knocking the ball out of Roberts glove.

Here is the video.

 

That folks is why he was a fan favorite in Boston.

Sox Rally Falls Short in 9-8 Loss to Baltimore

 

On this last day of August, the Red Sox expected Tim Wakefield to take the ball and go for what could be a MLB leading 17th win. Instead, we as the members of Red Sox Nation were forced to watch sucktastic performances by Julian “Yo-Yo” Tavarez and Mike Timlin. Unfortunately for those two, the Red Sox rally fell short as the Orioles ended a 9-game losing streak in a 9-8 win over the Sox.

Wakefield was scratched from the game with a tight back and will miss just this one start. Since he can pretty much pitch whenever, Yo-Yo got the ball tonight instead of tomorrow night. He might be wishing, he pitched tomorrow night. Clay Buchholz will be called up and start for the Red Sox on Saturday night. He was scheduled to start in Pawtucket tomorrow.

Big PapiThe local nine got things going in the 1st inning off of O’s starter Radhames Liz. After Liz got the first two outs of the inning, David Ortiz came through with his 26th home run of the season to give the Sox a 1-0 lead. Mike Lowell followed that up with a single but he was thrown out on a strong throw by Jay Payton trying to stretch out for a double.

In the bottom of the 2nd, the Sox struck for another run as they made a walk by Liz hurt. After J.D. Drew flew out to left, Liz issued a free pass to Covelli Crisp. Eric Hinske, who would end up with 4 RBIs on the night, delivered his first with a double as Coco used his speed to score all the way from first for a 2-0 lead. Unfortunately for the local nine, they couldn’t bring Hinske home as Liz retired Julio Lugo and Kevin Cash. Cash was starting so he could catch Wake but was kept in the lineup anyways.

I have to be honest with you, Yo-Yo didn’t pitch that bad in the first three innings. Through the first 3 innings, he had only allowed 2 hits. It was the 4th inning which would do him in.

Dave Trembley and Joe WestNick Markakis led off the inning with a double under the diving glove of Bobby Kielty. Kielty had come into replace Drew, who left the game after fouling a ball off his foot during his at-bat in the 2nd. Miguel Tejada then put a Yo-Yo offering into the Green Monster seats to tie the game at 2. Kevin Millar then received a free pass to first from Yo-Yo. Aubrey Huff moved Millar over to third with a single and Millar would come around to score on a Melvin Mora single. Ramon Hernandez kept up the hit parade as he singled in Huff from second making it 4-2 O’s. Yo-Yo finally got an out as Jay Payton grounded into a fielder’s choice in which Mike Lowell threw home and then they got Mora in a rundown. Mora was eventually tagged out and then Cash threw the ball off of the glove of Lugo trying to get Hernandez at third. As the ball got away, Lugo was in the way of Hernandez so he couldn’t advance home. O’s skipper Dave Trembley came out to argue the non-call and was eventually tossed by umpire Joe West. Replays showed that Hernandez probably would have been out at home if the ball was thrown because Kielty had been backing up the play. While this was going on, Terry Francona went to the bullpen for Javier Lopez. Lopez came in and induced a ground ball to Lowell who threw home and virtually the same play happened as Hernandez would be tagged out in a rundown. The inning finally ended as Lopez got Corey Patterson to ground out.

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Harrison To Be Suspended By NFL For HGH Admission

Probably not a good idea for a photo shoot in hindsight, eh RodneyNew England Patriots safety Rodney Harrison will be suspended for four games after being linked to Human Growth Hormone (HGH).

According to sources Harrison admitted to federal investigators that he acquired HGH through an internet pharmaceutical ring that the federal government and New York state officials investigated for two years.

Although the admission by Harrison has never been made public he is believed to be among several athletes in various sports to be involved in purchasing HGH and other performance enhancers.

Harrison had a meeting in New York City with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Friday sources told ESPN. The Patriots could announce the suspension as soon as Saturday.

An NFL spokesman had no comment on Harrison, who along with the Patriots could not be reached for reaction to the report.

Harrison would miss games in New York against the Jets, home games against the San Diego Chargers and the Buffalo Bills and a Monday night game in Cincinnati against the Bengals.  He would return in Week 5 for a game against the Cleveland Browns in Foxboro.

Update: This is the same investigation that netted the 10 WWE wrestlers earlier this week.

Harrison’s Statement is after the jump.

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Fun With Billboards

Dallas Stars marketing

Since most people in the country don’t even know that hockey exists anymore, an Austin, TX ad agency, Door Number 3 and the Dallas Star have teamed up to make some pretty darn funny billboards supporting the Stars. Plus I’d have to think with the Cowboys and Mavericks plus the Rangers, the Stars might not be the strongest attraction in the Dallas area. So they came up with some creative marketing.

The billboards were aimed to be humorous but also to go with their “Come into the cold” marketing campaign. The best of the bunch were “The only thing our refs shave is the ice” and “One game a week? Is the N in NFL for Nancy?”

Dallas Stars marketing campaign

Dallas Stars marketing campaign

Even Mark Cuban the Dallas Mavericks owner, with whom the Stars share the American Airlines Center with, liked the campaign.

“I think it’s hysterical,” Cuban said. “Good for them. It’s a fun ad.”

The Stars even took a shot at their owner Tom Hicks, who also owns the Texas Rangers, with the “Maybe baseball should stop using the word sacrifice” billboard.

Dallas Stars Marketing Campaign

To me this is a brilliant campaign. There is no number to call. Just the DallasStars.com website address. A nice use of “viral” marketing.

A look at the rest of the billboards after the jump.

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Joba Suspended

Joba Chamberlain of the New York Yankees was suspended 2 games and fined an undisclosed amount for what MLB termed “inappropriate actions.” If you saw the game yesterday, you saw Joba send two pitches over Kevin Youkilis’ head. Here is a look at the video courtesy of Texy from Center Field.

This suspension really doesn’t hurt Joba at all. As I just said in comment:

Like his suspension really matters. According to the Joba rules, since he pitched two innings (well 1 1/3), he would have sat out tonight and tomorrow anyways. The fine and two game loss of pay might hurt a little even though he’s making a prorated salary from the MLB minimum of $380,000.

I could be the only Red Sox fan who thinks it wasn’t intentional. I do know there’s going to be some serious fireworks in two weeks up at Fenway.

[Hat tip to Sam and Texy for the tip]

In The Red Zone – The Hunt For Patriots Tickets

 Being a New England Patriots football fan the last 7 seasons have been good for the many long suffering fans of the team. And really this started prior to the last seven seasons it goes back to the Kraft family’s purchase of the team and the hiring of former coach Bill Parcells. It took a little dip in the Pete Carroll era but came back strong when the Patriots hired Bill Belichick as head coach 8 seasons ago and teamed him with Scott Pioli.

With the a cohesive front office, better talent, improved on field play, a new stadium and of course the 3 Super Bowl Titles the demand for tickets to see the team has soared to all-time heights. It is now very difficult to get tickets to see the Patriots play. As a New England sports fan we love our teams but over the last few years it has been increasingly difficult to see the Pats or the Red Sox at face value.

Red Sox fans, frozen out of sold out Fenway Park, have taken to the road to see the club play. Many Patriots fans have done the same.

The Patriots offer 4 price points for seats at Gillette Stadium. The prices are: $59, $75, $89 and $125. Lower Level seating is $89 and $125, Mezzanine seating is $89 and Upper Level seating is $59 and $75.

The Patriots also offer a limited amount of Standing Room Only tickets for each home game at $49 each.

Doing a quick check of Ticket Master in search of Patriots tickets for the 2007 season I put in for 2 tickets at any price and best location in Gillette Stadium or any of the road games and this is the results I got as of August 31, 2007.

All of the Patriots home games are SOLD OUT for both regular seating in all levels and for Standing Room tickets. These are the tickets that are available through Ticket Master. I’m sure you can find tickets through an agency, broker or private third party.

As for seeing the Patriots on the road every game except one is SOLD OUT. The only game with available tickets at this point is against the Dolphins in Miami. Once again those are through Ticket Master. As I said earlier, if you’re willing to spend the money you can find tickets through an agency or a broker service.

Also a lot of times tickets are released within 48 hours or game time. These are tickets that were generally held for the opposition, the league, sponsors, groups, etc that haven’t been sold and are returned to the team. So it’s best to try Ticket Master again in the final 48 hours prior to kickoff.

Happy searching.

Paw Prints – UCONN Football @ Duke

Logo

This Week

UCONN travels to Durham, NC to open up the 2007 campaign against the Duke Blue Devils at 2 pm in Wallace Wade Stadium.

Tickets

Tickets to game, if available, may be purchased through Duke’s website. You can check the availability here.

Note: As of this posting there are some tickets still available.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Television

There is no television this week. However if you’d like to watch the game, it is available thru ACC Select. You can purchase a one-game pass for $4.95.

Radio

The game will be carried on the WTIC/UCONN Football Radio Network on it’s flagship station, WTIC 1080 AM in Hartford, CT. Joe D’Ambrosio handles the play-by-play, Wayne Norman does the color commentary, and Kevin Nathan and Bob Joyce handle the sideline duties.

The pregame show kicks off at 12:30 p.m. tomorrow. The game is also available online at WTIC.com. For the complete list of stations on the WTIC/UCONN Football Radio Network, click here.

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