I really don’t want to give up on the 2012 version of the Boston Red Sox. I really don’t. But with the way this team is playing on the field, they’re making it very hard for me and probably others out there to not want to care anymore.

I know these guys are giving their all but with the money that some people spend on this team, why should they any more.

The New England Patriots kicked off the preseason, the Boston Bruins will hopefully be starting preseason camp soon and the Boston Celtics are about a month away from the preseason. Given how the Red Sox are playing why shouldn’t we turn our attention to the other sports in Boston (for the record, I’m not a Bruins fan.)

The Red Sox entered the month of August on a four-game winning streak that gave us hope, hope of better things. Then they lost four straight games before winning two to even up their record yet again. But after last night’s 5-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians that sent the local nine to their third straight loss, the postseason is looking bleaker by the minute.

Honestly, unless a miracle happens, this team will be making vacation plans in October instead of going to the playoffs. Yes anything can happen. All you need to do is look at the collapse last year. What’s to say this team doesn’t suddenly go on a huge run and instead of drowning in our sorrows, we’re celebrating a possible playoff berth.

The talent is there. But given what we’ve seen from this 2012 version of the Red Sox it’s probably not going to happen.

Felix Doubront, who had been one of the most reliable starters the Red Sox have had this season, hasn’t been quite cutting the mustard as of late. Maybe it’s the workload as he enters new territory or maybe it is his inexperience. Whatever the case may be, it’s not helpful to your bullpen when you only go 4.1 innings and walk more than you strikeout.

Doubront definitely has the makings to be a middle of the rotation guy down the line, he’s shown that this season. But right now, he may be better served by either going to the bullpen or even back into Triple-A and limiting his innings in the big leagues.

Despite the fact the Red Sox have been craptastic as of late, Adrian Gonzalez continues to swing a hot stick at the plate. He added another home run last night and now has his average back up over .300. He’s been tearing the cover off the ball lately. But when it seems like he’s the only one doing it, the Red Sox aren’t going to win too many games.

Honestly, I really don’t know what else to say about this team. I want to give up but I can’t. And honestly, it’s got nothing to do with the website. I can still talk about the Red Sox and not care what I say.

But I’m not going to do that and I’m not going to give up on this team, yet (yet is the key word in the sentence by the way). There’s still three games left in Cleveland before a day off in Baltimore. What’s to say the Red Sox can’t win the next three games and get back to .500. But if they happen to go 1-3 or, gasp, 0-4 in the Rock & Roll Capital of the World, I and probably others, will most likely give up on this team and start looking forward to other things.

We’ll be back later with today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day. So for now, let’s take a look at the overnight links from the media.

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Lowly Indians give Red Sox a beating [boston globe]

Relievers paying a toll to get by [boston globe]

Ortiz in a painful spot [boston globe]

Sox postseason quest trips out of block in Cleveland [boston herald]

Fast unraveling for laboring Felix Doubront [boston herald]

Adrian Gonzalez in swing of things [boston herald]

Justin Masterson backs Josh Beckett [boston herald]

Henry Owens moving up top prospect charts [boston herald]

Red Sox drop third straight after 5-3 loss to Tribe [csn new england]

Rare bad play by Ciriaco costs Sox [csn new england]

Signs are there that Sox are giving up on the season [csn new england]

Doubront struggles with command, possible fatigue [csn new england]

Mullen’s Minor League Notebook: August 9, 2012 [csn new england]

Sox notes: Playoff run depends on health [espn boston]

Rapid Reaction: Indians 5, Red Sox 3 [espn boston]

Another day, another shaky pitching effort [espn boston]

Closing Time: Doubront, Red Sox offense hit wall in Cleveland [full count]

Nuggetpalooza: Three disappointing nuggets on the disappointing Red Sox [full count]

Red Sox Can’t Offer Any Excuses After Another Disappointing Loss Full of Missed Chances [nesn.com]

Papi could return to lineup this weekend [redsox.com]

Bailey takes step forward, close to returning [redsox.com]

Pedroia makes first career start as designated hitter [redsox.com]

Formula for failure: Red Sox’ offense loses its way [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, be sure to head over to the Akron Beacon Journal and Cleveland Plain Dealer websites. You can also check out our Bloguin brother, Burning River Baseball.

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

photo credit: getty images

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

Update: OL Stephen Brown’s Decision To Leave The Program [desmond conner – hartford courant]

8/9 UConn alumni update [jim fuller – new haven register]

Terry Baltimore Cup Semifinals: Taylor’s fake fair catch vs. Moore’s one-handed grab [the uconn blog]

DeLeone Gets Tough With UConn Offensive Line [hartford courant]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

UConn To Host Baylor Feb. 18 [rich elliott – ct post]

Three Huskies Register Double Figures to Lift USA to 86-73 Victory Over Australia [uconnhuskies.com]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

UConn Recruit Kentan Facey Displays His Shot-Blocking Ability [dom amore – hartford courant]

Kuran Iverson and Terrence Samuel visiting [kevin duffy – ct post]

Notes/Quotes from Facey commitment: “All indication is that Kevin Ollie may be the new head coach.” [kevin duffy – ct post]

Other UConn related links

M. Golf. Hughes, Masso Named Captains [uconnhuskies.com]

W. Soccer. Women’s Soccer Hosts Northeastern in Exhibition on Friday [uconnhuskies.com]

M. Soccer. Q&A with the BIG EAST Men’s Soccer Preseason Favorites [bigeast.org]

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

With the Boston Red Sox slowly but surely falling out of the playoff race in the American League, there’s probably no one who can help this team out. Or is there?

After trading Scott Podsednik to the Arizona Diamondbacks along with Matt Albers for Craig Breslow, Podsednik was optioned to Triple-A Reno by the DBacks. But instead of taking the option, he used his right to become a free agent.

Well now, the Red Sox are bringing Podsednik back. And they aren’t bringing him back to provide depth in Triple-A Pawtucket.

Source: Podsednik back with #RedSox on major-league deal.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 10, 2012

According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, Ryan Kalish will be optioned to Triple-A to make room for Pods on the 25-man roster.

Sox signed Scott Podsednik will send Ryan Kalish back to Pawtucket. Pod signing first reported by @ken_rosenthal

— Nick Cafardo (@nickcafardo) August 10, 2012

In 19 games earlier this season with the Red Sox, Podsednik hit .387 with one home run, seven RBIs and five stolen bases.

So folks, if you were thinking about saving up some money for the 2012 MLB Playoffs, you better start. Podsednik’s coming back and he’s going to save our season. You can bet on that (actually don’t since I’m being sarcastic).

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

photo credit: ap photo

After falling 10-9 yesterday to the Texas Rangers, the Boston Red Sox take to the road for a 10 game, 11 day road trip. They’ll get it started tonight in Cleveland with the first of a four-game set with the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Indians television market, you can catch the game on SportsTime Ohio (STO). And if you don’t live in either market you’re in luck as the MLB Network will coverage of the game (outside of Red Sox and Indians television markets). If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.

Felix Doubront takes the bump for the 22nd time in 2012. In his previous 21 starts, Doubront is 10-5 with a 4.56 ERA. His lone career start against the Indians came earlier this season when he picked up the win after allowing one run in six innings of work back on May 12th. This will be his first start at Progressive Field.

Ubaldo Jimenez makes his 23rd start for struggling Indians. In his previous 22 starts, Jimenez is 8-11 with a 5.29 ERA. He took the loss in his only start of 2012 against the Red Sox after allowing seven runs in 4.1 innings of work back on May 11th. Jimenez has made two career starts against the Red Sox and is 0-1 with a 11.70 ERA (13 ER/10 IP).

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:

55-57		51-60
1. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF	1. Jason Donald	2B
2. Carl Crawford	LF	2. Asdrubal Cabrera	SS
3. Dustin Pedroia	DH	3. Shin-Soo Choo	RF
4. Adrian Gonzalez	1B	4. Carlos Santana	DH
5. Cody Ross	RF	5. Michael Brantley	CF
6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C	6. Shelley Duncan	LF
7. Will Middlebrooks	3B	7. Brent Lillibridge	3B
8. Mike Aviles	SS	8. Casey Kotchman	1B
9. Pedro Ciriaco	SS	9. Lou Marson	C
Felix Doubront	SP	Ubaldo Jimenez	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

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Thanks to starters, Red Sox will be forced to call an uncomfortable audible [rob bradford – weei.com]

Rotation set: Jon Lester on Sunday; Josh Beckett next week [clubhouse insider]

Ortiz continues to feel good, eyes Sunday return [csn new england]

Pedroia gets ‘half-day off’ as designated hitter [csn new england]

Video: What should Sox do with Beckett? [espn boston]

At 19, Bogaerts on the rise [espn boston]

Andrew Bailey hopes to achieve another rehab ‘milestone’ [extra bases]

Podcast: Where are Sox headed? [extra bases]

Bailey goes back-to-back days in Triple A [extra bases]

Andrew Bailey on returning to the majors: ‘I feel real close’ [full count]

Hot-Hitting Adrian Gonzalez, Cody Ross Power Sox into Cleveland for Start of 10-Game Road Trip [nesn.com]

Will Middlebrooks Continues to Be One of Lone Bright Spots for Red Sox During Tumultuous Season [nesn.com]

Larry Lucchino Says Bobby Valentine Has ‘Done a Good Job,’ Attributes Red Sox’ Struggles to ‘Combination of Factors’ [nesn.com]

A Series Matter: Red Sox-Indians and Origins [projo sox blog]

Confidence, mechanical tweaks have Crawford cruising [projo sox blog]

New acquisition Valencia trying to find consistency [projo sox blog]

Diminutive De La Torre mowing hitters down for PawSox [projo sox blog]

Top prospect Bogaerts promoted to Double-A Portland [projo sox blog]

Bailey throws scoreless inning, “itching to get back” [projo sox blog]

Pedroia gets the nod at DH [projo sox blog]

Ortiz could return on Sunday [projo sox blog]

Red Sox set rotation for weekend [projo sox blog]

Doubront looking to continue dominance of AL Central vs. Tribe [redsox.com]

Ranaudo’s season could be over [alex speier – weei.com]

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

photo credits: reuters pictures, getty images

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

Former UConn Quarterback Michael Nebrich Talks About Decision To Leave The Program [desmond conner – hartford courant]

Terry Baltimore Cup Semifinals: Teggart’s BCS-clinching kick vs. Hernandez’s two-point conversion [the uconn blog]

Bucs hope Orlovsky can push QB Freeman [ct post]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

2013 center Kentan Facey commits to UConn [kevin duffy – ct post]

LuHi’s Facey picks UConn, his ‘dream’ school [ny post]

Other UConn related links

M. Golf. Five Freshmen Join UConn Golf Team [uconnhuskies.com]

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

While Chandler Whitmer has been declared QB1 for the UConn Huskies football team, the competition for the backup spot has been lessened by one. Backup true sophomore QB Michael Nebrich has decided to transfer.

Here’s the release from UConn:

STORRS, Conn. (August 8, 2012) – University of Connecticut sophomore quarterback Mike Nebrich (Burke, Va.) announced that he will transfer to another school on Wednesday morning. Nebrich began UConn camp as second on the depth chart along with senior Johnny McEntee (Fullerton, Calif.).

Nebrich played in eight games last year as a true freshman and passed for 69 yards and had ten yards of rushing. He was three of eight for 60 yards in UConn’s opening win over Fordham on Sept. 3.

With Casey Cochran battling an injured wrist suffered in a non-football accident, the transfer of Neibrich leads me to believe that Cochran will most likely be redshirted this season giving him four more years, hopefully at UConn.

And if Cochran is redshirted this season, that leaves only Scott McCummings and Johnny McEntee as backups to Whitmer. McCummings figures to see a lot of action if the Huskies employ the “Wildcat” again this year like they did last year with him.

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

photo credit: tia ann chapman – hartford courant