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.

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

It’s game day for the UConn Huskies football team as they’ll play their annual Blue-White Spring Game this afternoon at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, CT. There is no television for the game and the game is being broadcast on WTIC 1080-AM as soon as the Boston Red Sox game is over. If you’re not listening on the radio, you can hear the game on WTIC.com.

UConn Football links

UConn Spring Game rosters [UConnHuskies.com]

QB battle at heart of UConn spring game [CT Post]

UConn Ready For Blue-White Spring Game [Hartford Courant]

What To Look for Saturday In UConn’s Spring Game [Hartford Courant]

All eyes on quarterbacks at Blue-White Spring Game [New Haven Register]

Blue-White game a chance to put coach’s strategy on display [Norwich Bulletin]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Moore, Walker Win Kinsman Awards From CPIA [UConnHuskies.com]

Kemba Walker Signs With Excel Sports For Representation [Business Insider]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Moore, Walker Win Kinsman Awards From CPIA [UConnHuskies.com]

Other UConn related links

UConn Club. Matt Addington To Receive Red O’Neill Award [UConnHuskies.com]

Softball. Softball To Host Pittsburgh In Three-Game Set [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. Huskies’ Dominate Villanova 7-1 [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. UConn Takes Second Game of DH 10-0 [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. UConn/Villanova Series Finale Sunday at 1:15 p.m. [UConnHuskies.com]

Apparently the two days off did nothing for the Boston Red Sox as they were roughed up last night in a 7-6 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Today, they’ll try to get back on the winning side of things yet again (I feel like a broken record) in game two of a four-game set at Fenway Park.

Today’s first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Blue Jays television market, you can catch the game on SNET. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.

Commander Kicka$$ Josh Beckett looks to right the ship and get the Red Sox going in his third start of 2011. He is coming off of a dominant performance against the New York Yankees that got his record to 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA. Beckett faced the Jays twice last year and was 0-1 with a 9.90 ERA (11 ER/10 IP). He’s had a rough go of things in 14 career starts against the Blue Jays as he is 3-6 with a 7.03 ERA.

Jo-Jo Reyes looks for his first win of the 2011 season in his third start. In his previous two outings, he is 0-1 with a 5.23 ERA. He has never faced the Red Sox in his career.

Click on the read more button below to see tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are this afternoon’s lineups:

7-6		2-10
1. Yunel Escobar	SS	1. Jed Lowrie	SS
2. Corey Patterson	CF	2. Dustin Pedroia	2B
3. Jose Bautista	RF	3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
4. Adam Lind	1B	4. Kevin Youkilis	3B
5. Aaron Hill	2B	5. David Ortiz	DH
6. Travis Snider	RF	6. Mike Cameron	RF
7. Jayson Nix	DH	7. Jason Varitek	C
8. Jose Molina	C	8. Darnell McDonald	LF
9. John McDonald	3B	9. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
Jo-Jo Reyes	SP	Josh Beckett	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared in their careers against this afternoon’s starting pitchers:

Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

The hits keep on (not) coming for Carl Crawford [Alex Speier – WEEI.com]

Red Sox sunk in seventh [Boston Globe]

Crawford’s breaking bad [Boston Globe]

Lineup balance will be tested [Boston Globe]

Gonzalez extension done [Boston Globe]

Red Sox in a Blue state with 2-10 mark [Boston Herald]

Carl Crawford’s hearing it [Boston Herald]

Red Sox show the money [Boston Herald]

Clay Buchholz never finds a comfort zone [Boston Herald]

Adrian Gonzalez signs extension [Boston Herald]

Adrian Gonzalez says he’s game for form-fitting bat grip [Boston Herald]

‘Stormy’ times for Red Sox, idle Carl Crawford [Clubhouse Insider]

More of the same as Sox’ late rally falls short, 7-6 [CSNNE.com]

Command issues haunt Red Sox [CSNNE.com]

Rapid reaction: Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 6 [ESPN Boston]

Jenks: “I just flat-out stunk” [ESPN Boston]

Tito on Salty’s throws: “Little bit in and out” [ESPN Boston]

For Crawford, now come the boos [ESPN Boston]

Struggling Crawford gets day off Saturday [ESPN Boston]

Francona sticks Lowrie at top of lineup [ESPN Boston]

Carl Crawford gets a day off [Extra Bases]

Closing Time: Blue Jays 7, Red Sox 6 [Full Count]

Bobby Jenks: ‘All I can say is I stunk’ [Full Count]

Larry Lucchino Encouraged by Adrian Gonzalez Extension, Red Sox Continue to Secure Team’s Core Players [NESN.com]

Carl Crawford Faces Another Possible Lineup Change As He Continues to Struggle With Red Sox [NESN.com]

Bobby Jenks His Own Worst Critic After Losing Effort Against Blue Jays [NESN.com]

Adrian Gonzalez Can Turn Sole Focus to Baseball Now That He’s Secured Contract With Red Sox [NESN.com]

Overturned Home Run Call in Blue Jays-Red Sox Game Raises Questions About Pesky Pole Foul Line at Fenway Park [NESN.com]

For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE,  ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.

And if you must check out the enemy papers, head over to the Toronto Star, Toronto Sun and the Globe and Mail websites.

Photo credits:  AP Photo, Getty Images

It looks as though UConn Huskies men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun will be looking for a new assistant coach as Andre LaFleur looks like he’s heading to the Providence Friars to become the associate head coach.

From GoLocalProv:

Providence College men’s basketball coach Ed Cooley has been searching for an African-American coach who is a good recruiter to join his staff at PC. After identifying and speaking to a few candidates, Cooley has settled on UConn’s Andre LaFleur.

GoLocalProv.com has learned that LaFleur will be named Cooley’s associate head coach at PC sometime next week, possibly as early as Monday.

  to Jeff Jacobs of the Hartford Courant

After having the last two days off, one due to a rainout, the Boston Red Sox will get back on the diamond tonight when they kickoff a four-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park.

Tonight’s first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Blue Jays television market, you can catch the game on SNET. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2011 Red Sox Radio Network.

Clay Buchholz will make his third start of the season and first since signing his contract extension. In his first two starts, he is 0-2 with a 7.20 ERA. He dominated the Blue Jays in 2010 as he was 3-0 with a 0.41 ERA in three starts. He’s had good success against them in his 10 career appearances (nine starts) as he is 6-3 with a 2.50 ERA.

Brett Cecil will make the start for the Toronto Blue Jays in John Farrell’s managerial debut at Fenway Park. In two starts this season, Cecil is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA. He made three starts against the Red Sox in 2010 and was 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA. In five career starts against the Red Sox, Cecil is 2-3 with a 6.51 ERA. Three of those five starts have come at Fenway Park where he is 2-1 with a 7.79 ERA.

Click on the read more button below to see tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day if you’re on the home page.

Here are tonight’s lineups:

6-6		2-9
1. Yunel Escobar	SS	1. Carl Crawford	LF
2. Corey Patterson	CF	2. Dustin Pedroia	2B
3. Jose Bautista	RF	3. Adrian Gonzalez	1B
4. Adam Lind	1B	4. Kevin Youkilis	3B
5. Aaron Hill	2B	5. David Ortiz	DH
6. J. P. Arencibia	C	6. J.D. Drew	RF
7. Travis Snider	RF	7. Jarrod Saltalamacchia	C
8. Juan Rivera	DH	8. Marco Scutaro	SS
9. Jayson Nix	3B	9. Jacoby Ellsbury	CF
Brett Cecil	SP	Clay Buchholz	SP

And here is how the hitters have fared against tonight’s starting pitchers:

Check back and/or refresh often as more links will be added if/when they become available before game time.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Jon Lester Doesn’t Know Clay Buchholz All That Well [SOX & Dawgs]

A look at how the deal got done between Red Sox, Adrian Gonzalez [Clubhouse Insider]

Theo: Gonzalez ‘demonstrates a lot of leadership’ for Red Sox [Clubhouse Insider]

Series preview: Red Sox vs. Blue Jays [CSNNE.com]

Gonzalez ‘grateful’ and ‘excited’ to sign with Sox [CSNNE.com]

Pregame notes: No rest for the lefties [CSNNE.com]

Tracking the other side of A-Gon deal [ESPN Boston]

Gonzalez’s Monster potential … and why we’ve yet to see it [ESPN Boston]

Schilling: Why Dice-K is getting hit hard [ESPN Boston]

Theo: Big contracts don’t signal change [ESPN Boston]

Page 2 has some fun with Manny [ESPN Boston]

Long-term deals in place for Red Sox [Extra Bases]

Gonzalez: ‘Really excited about being able to play here’ [Extra Bases]

Eloquent words from Francona on Robinson [Extra Bases]

Gonzalez’ deal in context: Where slugger’s contract ranks in MLB history [Full Count]

Why Adrian Gonzalez’ agent nearly ‘aged a hundred years’ [Full Count]

Adrian Gonzalez praised as a Red Sox leader [Full Count]

Do You Still Believe the Red Sox Can Win the World Series? [NESN.com]

Coco Crisp Debuts New Afro Hairstyle With Oakland Athletics [NESN.com]

Adrian Gonzalez: ‘We’re Going to Make the Playoffs’ [NESN.com]

Watch Adrian Gonzalez’s News Conference in Its Entirety [NESN.com]

Appreciation for Adrian Gonzalez Has Only Grown for Theo Epstein, Red Sox [NESN.com]

Nuggetpalooza: Friday Baseball Nuggets [Nuggetpalooza]

With lefties looming, Francona waiting to juggle lineup [Projo Sox Blog]

Gonzalez still confident in Red Sox turnaround [Projo Sox Blog]

Epstein, Red Sox confident in betting on Gonzalez [Projo Sox Blog]

Farrell excited to face old team [Projo Sox Blog]

NESN Presents: The Adventures of Ellsbury ‘n’ Elf, Episode 64-B, “Because Nothing Heals Like Beer” [Surviving Grady]

Solutions limited for Epstein, Francona [Tony Massarotti – Boston Globe]

Photo credits: AP Photo, Getty Images

For the last two days, the Boston Red Sox have not lost any games. Of course they haven’t played any either. A rainout on Wednesday night and Thursday’s scheduled off day allowed the Red Sox to regroup and Red Sox Nation a chance to relax.

Tonight, though the Red Sox will get back to the grind of baseball as old friend John Farrell brings his young Toronto Blue Jays squad to Fenway Park for four games. And for us and them, we hope it’s on to the winning side of things. They currently sit at 2-9 which happens to the be worst record in all of Major League Baseball. The Tampa Bay Rays (4-8), Minnesota Twins (4-8), Seattle Mariners (4-9), New York Mets (4-9) and Houston Astros (4-9) are next on the list.

There is news this morning out of Boston as it was learned that Adrian Gonzalez will sign a seven-year, $154 million contract extension this afternoon. This will keep Gonzalez in a Red Sox uniform through the 2018 season. With their two prized signings, Carl Crawford, being the other, they now have given out $296 million to two players. Plus with the pitching staff locked up for the foreseeable future as well as Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis, the Red Sox should be able to compete for the coming years.

But right now, the Red Sox want to avoid the losing column as much as they can.

A four-game sweep of the Blue Jays or at least taking 3-of-4 from them this weekend, will go a long way in helping the Red Sox realize their dream of another World Series title.

We’ll be back later with tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links for the day. But for now, enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Time to get down to business [Boston Globe]

Pitching change works out well [Boston Globe]

Curt Young not restless [Boston Herald]

Numbers are Lack-ing [Boston Herald]

Sox pitching coach Curt Young takes slump personally [CSNNE.com]

A unique perspective from the CITGO sign [ESPN Boston]

Who’s to blame for Dice-K’s struggles? [ESPN Boston]

Video: Jayson Stark talks Sox [ESPN Boston]

Epstein on the Red Sox: ‘You don’t want to dig a hole you can’t climb out of’ [Extra Bases]

Yankees sign Red Sox castoff Place [Extra Bases]

A reminder why the Red Sox waited to lock up Adrian Gonzalez [Full Count]

Josh Beckett has a message: Jason Varitek is great, but stop with the personal catcher talk [Full Count]

Sign ’em up, Sox [Inside Track]

Calhoun’s Red Sox Fandom Kept Him Out of Yankees Stadium [NBC Connecticut]

Clay Buchholz Believes Carl Crawford’s Success Is Key for Red Sox Improvement [NESN.com]

Jason Varitek Spends Off Day Playing Wiffle Ball With Local Kids to Benefit Good Sports [NESN.com]

Red Sox to have four of first 40 draft picks [Projo Sox Blog]

A Series Matter: Red Sox-Blue Jays and “The Lefties Are Coming!” [Projo Sox Blog]

For Carl Crawford, learning the wall is a Monster challenge [Providence Journal]

Resurgence will depend on starting rotation [RedSox.com]

Buchholz surprises fans with free tickets [RedSox.com]

For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, CSNNE,  ESPN Boston, NESN, Providence Journal, RedSox.com and WEEI websites.

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.

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

Former UConn Star Jeff Adrien Earns Award As D-League ‘Impact’ Player [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Drummond sticking with 2012, his coach says [Neill Ostrout – CT Post]

UConn Victory Parade Saved [UConn Huskies Basketball]

UConn’s recruiting benefits from national title may not show up soon [CT Post]

Eye Contact: Huskies In Houston – UConn’s 2011 National Championship [Hartford Courant]

Calhoun’s Red Sox Fandom Kept Him Out of Yankees Stadium [NBC Connecticut]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Maya Moore Signs With Lynx; Terms Not Disclosed [Hartford Courant]

UConn Football links

What We’ve Learned At Spring Practice: QB Spot Still Up In Air [Hartford Courant]

UConn’s Young Receivers Making Veterans Take Notice [Hartford Courant]

Other UConn related links

UConn Club. Oleksiws To Be Honored By The UConn Club [UConnHuskies.com]

W. Lacrosse. Huskies Travel To Notre Dame For Saturday Contest [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. Huskies Down Brown 6-2 [UConnHuskies.com]

Baseball. Baseball Schedule Changes for the Weekend [UConnHuskies.com]

Destination Red Sox Nation is our look at how the minor league teams of the Boston Red Sox fare each night. Game story and box score links as well as links to team rosters, team stats and league standings can be found by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

If you would like to listen to any of the Red Sox minor league affiliates’ games, MiLB.com offers them for free.

To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click

Q&A with Kyle Weiland [SoxProspects.com]

Pawtucket Red Sox

The PawSox were swept in their doubleheader by the Syracuse Chiefs, losing 3-2 and 4-1.

Chiefs sweep struggling PawSox [PawSox.com]

Syracuse sweeps doubleheader [Providence Journal]

Pawtucket Red Sox @ Syracuse Chiefs 4.14.11 Game 1 box score [MiLB.com]

Pawtucket Red Sox @ Syracuse Chiefs 4.14.11 Game 2 box score [MiLB.com]

Pawtucket 2011 Roster

Pawtucket Red Sox stats

International League standings

Pawtucket Red Sox website

Portland Sea Dogs:

The Sea Dogs fell behind early and couldn’t recover in a 6-2 loss to the New Britain Rock Cats.

Twins’ prospect continues to impress [Portland Press Herald]

Sea Dogs Come Up Short in New Britain 6-2 [OurSports Central]

Sea Dogs Partner with Country Kitchen to Donate Tickets to Youth [OurSports Central]

Portland Sea Dogs @ New Britain Rock Cats 4.14.11 box score [MiLB.com]

Portland 2011 Roster

Portland Sea Dogs stats

Eastern League Standings

Portland Sea Dogs website

Salem Red Sox:

Chris Hernandez was solid as he helped Salem to a sweep of the Lynchburg Hillcats.

Salem Red Sox pitchers continue to bamboozle Hillcats, league [Roanoke Times]

Boston darns Salem Red Sox to fit stadium [Roanoke Times]

Red Sox Down Hillcats 3-1 To Win Fourth Straight [OurSports Central]

Lynchburg Hillcats @ Salem Red Sox 4.14.11 box score [MiLB.com]

Salem 2011 Roster

Salem Red Sox stats

Carolina League standings

Salem Red Sox official blog

Salem Red Sox website

Greenville Drive:

The Drive picked up a 3-0 shutout win over the Charleston RiverDogs behind solid pitchng from Anthony Ranaudo, Garrett Rau and Tyler Lockwood.

Drive Cap Homestand with Third Shutout [OurSports Central]

Charleston RiverDogs @ Greenville Drive 4.14.11 box score [MiLB.com]

Greenville 2011 Roster

Greenvillle Drive stats

South Atlantic League standings

Greenville Drive website

Lowell Spinners:

The Lowell Spinners will begin their season on June 17th at home against the Connecticut Tigers.

Lowell Spinners 2010 Roster

Lowell Spinners stats

NY-Penn League Standings

Lowell Spinners Blog

Spinners website

Gulf Coast League Red Sox

The GCL Red Sox will begin their season on June 20th on the road against the GCL Rays.

GCL Red Sox 2010 Roster

GCL Red Sox stats

Gulf Coast League Standings

Gulf Coast Red Sox website

According to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com, the Boston Red Sox and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez have finally come to terms on a contract extension that will keep Gonzalez in Boston for seven more years.

The deal is reportedly for seven years, $154 million which is the exact same figure that it was rumored to be months ago.

Update: Gonzalez will get a $6 million signing bonus and will make $21 milllion from 2012-2016 and then will get $21.5 million over the final two years of the deal according to ESPN.