On Thursday afternoon, it was thought that former UConn Huskies defensive end Lindsey Witten would be joining the Hartford Colonials of the UFL after his release from the Pittsburgh Steelers the day before. They even sent out a press release stating that they had signed Witten.

Apparently that’s not the case though as Witten hasn’t even signed a contract, let alone received one.

Here’s the details from Neill Ostrout of the CT Post:

That’s not exactly true, according to a source close to Witten. The 6-foot-4, 250-pounder has not signed with Hartford. In fact, the source says, he hasn’t even received a contract to sign.

Witten has been added to the Colonials’ roster and the team does own his UFL rights, a spokesman for the team confirmed Friday night. However, Witten is still free to pursue his NFL options.

Witten was briefly with the Pittsburgh Steelers but did not catch on.

It may be a moot point for some, and Witten is very likely to end up playing in Hartford this year. Still, the Cleveland native is apparently holding out hope that his NFL dreams can still come true.

Like Ostrout, I think Witten ends up playing for the Colonials. But pretty interesting that the Colonials would “jump the gun” on announcing a signing that hasn’t happened yet.

Photo credit: Hartford Courant

Boston Red Sox @ New York Yankees 7:05 p.m Yankee Stadium SP: Clay Buchholz vs Javier Vazquez TV: NESN, MY9, MLB Network, MLB.tv Radio: Red Sox Radio Network

Afternoon Red Sox Delight – 8/6 [SOX & Dawgs]

The Boston Red Sox kickoff a ten-game road trip tonight with a visit to the Big Apple to take on the New York Yankees in a four-game set at Yankee Stadium.

This evening’s game will start at 7:05 p.m. and will be shown on NESN in the Red Sox television market. The game can be seen in the Yankees television market on MY9. If you don’t live in either market you are in luck as the game will also be shown on the MLB Network. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to the game on the 2010 Red Sox radio network.

Proud new papa Clay Buchholz will make his 19th start of the season for Terry Francona and the Red Sox. His wife Lindsay Clubine gave birth to their first child, a daughter Colbi Dawn, on August 4th. In his previous 18 starts, Buchholz is 11-5 with a 2.68 ERA. He’s made one start against the Yankees in 2010 taking the loss back on May 8th when he allowed six runs over five innings. Overall in his career, he is 0-2 with a 6.53 ERA against the Yankees in four starts. Buchholz has made two starts at Yankee Stadium and is 0-1 with a 8.38 ERA (9 ER/9.2 IP)

Javier Vazquez makes his 21st appearance (20th start) in 2010 for Joe Girardi’s Yankees. In his previous 20 appearances (19 starts), he is 9-7 with a 4.61 ERA. He’s made one appearance out of the bullpen against the Red Sox in 2010, picking up the win on May 17th when he retired the only batter he faced. The Yankees walked off with an 11-9 win the next inning. Vazquez had made 12 appearances (10 starts) against the Red Sox in his career and is 3-7 with a 4.21 ERA.

Lineups, batter/pitcher matchups, and links after the jump.

And here is how hitters have fared against this afternoon’s starting pitchers:

Hideki Okajima was placed on the disabled list with a calf strain. Felix Doubront has been recalled from the Pawtucket Red Sox to take Okajima’s place on the 25-man roster.

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

Doubront called up; Okajima headed to DL [Clubhouse Insider]

Pregame notes: Delgado works out for Red Sox & more [Clubhouse Insider]

Youkilis surgery ‘100 percent successful’ [Clubhouse Insider]

Sox place Okajima on DL, recall Doubront [CSN New England]

Sox Notes: Okajima the latest Sox player to hit disabled list [CSN New England]

Sox kick off big series in Bronx [ESPN Boston]

Boston Red Sox place Hideki Okajima on DL with left calf strain, recall Felix Doubront [ESPN Boston]

Carlos Delgado works out for the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, according to a source [ESPN Boston]

Audio: Francona on New York radio [ESPN Boston]

Girardi: Despite injuries, Sox ‘dangerous’ [ESPN Boston]

Okajima to the DL; Doubront recalled [Extra Bases]

Sox work out Delgado [Extra Bases]

Owner: Battered Red Sox Need “Miracle” [Fanhouse]

Saltalamacchia prepared for ‘fresh start’ [Full Count]

Red Sox close to signing sixth-rounder Kendrick Perkins [Full Count]

Pedroia: ‘I’m upset till I can play’ [Full Count]

Beltre Notes [Hit and Run with Dan Roche]

Yankees Keeping Eye on World Series Repeat, Regardless of Regular-Season Finish [NESN.com]

After Split With Indians, Red Sox Likely Wishing They Had Justin Masterson Back [NESN.com]

Daisuke Matsuzaka Lifts Red Sox Over Indians, Earns Amica Pitcher of the Week Honors [NESN.com]

Pitching Edge Gives Red Sox Chance to Turn Things Around in New York [NESN.com]

Felix Doubront Forced Into Relief Role, But Red Sox Confident He Has What It Takes [NESN.com]

On the road again [Projo Sox Blog]

Okajima to DL; Doubront called up from Pawtucket [Projo Sox Blog]

Red Sox eager to make statement in Bronx [RedSox.com]

Okajima lands on DL with hamstring strain [RedSox.com]

Even if Red Sox fade, there are still reasons to watch [Tony Massarotti – Boston Globe]

Photo credits: Getty Images, Getty Images

I swear that you probably have a better chance of winning the lottery than you do when Daisuke Matsuzaka takes the mound for the Boston Red Sox. Seriously, it’s gotten to that point and last night was a perfect example.

After picking up two straight no decisions after a few great outings, Dice-K once again showed us a flash of what he can be. You know the pitcher who likes to attack and pound the strike zone with fastballs while mixing in his secondary pitches to keep the hitters at bay.

When he challenges hitters like he did last night against the Cleveland Indians, good things happen. The only bad pitch he really made was put into the center field seats by Shin-Soo Choo in the first inning. Usually Dice-K gets a little unnerved when he allows runs in the first inning but that wasn’t the case last night.

He ended up picking his 8th win of 2010 while striking out six, walking two and allowing five hits. But more importantly, he helped the Red Sox to a win that they do desperately needed.

If Matsuzaka can continue to pitch like this every five days and Jon Lester can return to form, the Red Sox won’t go quietly down the stretch.

They will have to play down the stretch run though without the services of Kevin Youkilis. It was learned on Thursday that Youk will miss the rest of the season after he undergoes surgery on thumb today in Cleveland.

Youk’s been one of the constant catalysts of the Red Sox offense and defense all season long so it won’t be easy to replace him. Mike Lowell and Jed Lowrie should fill in for him over at first but the Red Sox are working out Carlos Delgado who’s been out all season after undergoing two hip surgeries.

Delgado last played in the big leagues in 2010 with the New York Mets where he appeared in 28 games. He had one surgery during the season and returned to play ball in the Puerto Rican winter league but ended up needing another surgery. Delgado’s agent said if he does sign with a team, he’ll probably need two weeks in the minors to get his timing back.

While Youk’s been a driving force behind the Red Sox offense all season where would they be without Adrian Beltre. Sure Beltre was signed somewhat for his defense, which hasn’t been all that great considering he’s won two Gold Gloves, but he’s playing himself into a nice contract for the coming years.

Coming into last night’s game, Beltre had been up with the bases loaded 22 times and had only two hits and driven in five runs. He came up in the 4th inning with the bases full and put those numbers behind him as he cleared the bases to put the Red Sox out front.

All Beltre has done this season is hit a team-leading .336 with 19 home runs and a team-leading 75 RBIs. His OBP is .372 and he’s slugging a robust .570. Not too shabby for the man they signed for his glove.

Now the Red Sox are in New York to take on the Yankees who they are chasing in the AL East and the AL Wild Card standings. While a sweep of the Evil Empire would be ideal, if they could go 3-1 that would allow them to pick up two games on the Yanks and trail them by four games. And if you’re doing the math, a sweep would put them two games behind.

It won’t be easy and this four-game series can easily define whether or not the Red Sox are contenders, pretenders or spoilers the rest of the way out.

We’ll be back later with tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups, any news and links from the day but for now enjoy the overnight links after the jump.

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

Video: Red Sox Teammates Gang Up To Touch Beltre’s Head [SOX & Dawgs]

Red Sox convert the split [Boston Globe]

Youkilis is lost for the season [Boston Globe]

Yankees not very bossy [Boston Globe]

Lowell will get the first look at first base [Boston Globe]

Matsuzaka gets revenge, victory [Boston Globe]

A full plate of talent at the catcher position [Boston Globe]

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

And if you must read the enemy papers, check out the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Akron Beacon Journal websites.

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 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 and by 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

Most painful losses for Big East teams [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

House of Pain: Your thoughts [Brian Bennett – ESPN.com]

For Those Charter And Cox Subscribers Not Getting SNY [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

UConn AD, Football And Mens Hoop Coaches On SNY Deal [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

Official Release: Witten To Colonials [Desmond Conner – Hartford Courant]

UConn-SNY…Huskies mainline into NYC [John Silver – Journal Inquirer]

NYC UConn’s town? [John Silver – Journal Inquirer]

Greg Lloyd to redshirt [John Silver – Journal Inquirer]

Lloyd to redshirt [Neill Ostrout – CT Post]

UConn, SNY announce three-year contract [CT Post]

Knee injury forces UConn LB Lloyd to redshirt [CT Post]

Witten becomes sixth Husky to join Colonials [New Haven Register]

UConn football has arrived; Now when’s the BC game? [The Day]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

That’s Right, Stefanie Dolson Will Wear No. 31 [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

They’re Playin’ Wichita … [David Borges – New Haven Register]

Jim Calhoun’s APR Data [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

The EA SPORTS Maui Invitational Hosted by Chaminade University Announces Official 2010 Bracket [UConnHuskies.com]

Another phase for Moore [Journal Inquirer]

Calhoun coaching tree growing [New Haven Register]

Calhoun scores low in NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate [Norwich Bulletin]

Moore starting anew [The Day]

Other UConn related links

Baseball: Springer’s Grand Slam Lifts USA over Japan 4-2 [UConnHuskies.com]