The Boston Red Sox awoke this morning to find themselves 2.5 games out of first place as the New York Yankees beat the Oakland A’s last night. The Red Sox had come out of the All-Star Break with a 3-game lead but a 7-game winning streak by the Yanks coupled by a 5-game losing for the Sox gave the Yanks the lead.

The Red Sox offense is about one foot from being 6 feet under right now. They hit a combined .192 on the 6-game road trip that saw them go 1-5. Just about everyone on the team isn’t hitting the ball well or at all for that matter. Hopefully the friendly confines of Fenway Park changes that scenario.

Smoltz not throwing in towel [Boston Globe]

Captain Carl, Jim Ed were kindred spirits [Boston Globe]

Strong, silent type [Boston Globe]

Elite company [Boston Globe]

Stand pat, or swing another deal? [Extra Bases]

Taking advantage of the day off [Extra Bases]

Francona On Leadership [Extra Bases]

SLUMP-A-PALOOZA ! [Nuggetpalooza]

Red Sox Independence Day: Remembering a Brawl, a Walk-Off and a Championship [Alex Speier – WEEI.com]

Relax, bro, Red Sox will hit [Boston Herald]

Jim Rice’s Hall journey a measure of the man himself [Boston Herald]

No vacancy for Adam LaRoche [Boston Herald]

Friendly Fenway, please [Boston Herald]

Jonathan Papelbon- Best Ever? [More Hardball]

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

And if you want to check out the enemy papers, head over to the Baltimore Sun and Annapolis Capital websites.

UConn Football links

Former UConn LB Lansanah Ready For Packers’ Camp [Hartford Courant]

UConn football to allow spectators at three practices [New London Day]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

U.S. loses opener [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

UConn’s Fab Five to be reunited? [Jim Fuller – New Haven Register]

Wow! Sue Bird drives a Range Rover. Didn’t know that [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Storm’s Swin Cash overcomes gruesome back injury [Seattle Times]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Player Profile: Jerome Dyson [UConn Huskies Basketball]

Marcus Williams, Grizzlies [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Stanley Robinson Show [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Aaron Jackson and A.J. Price [Hartford Courant]

One More Thing On A.J. Price and Aaron Jackson [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Darius Smith Can Play [David Borges – New Haven Register]

Chris Smith: From Bridgeport & Back [Hartford Courant]

Brookline High School 21st Century Fund names honorees for gala [Wicked Local Brookline]

Other UConn related links

Oberg spells relief [Lowell Sun]

Friday, July 24^th @ 7:10 PM

Brad Bergesen (R) (6-4, 3.51) vs Brad Penny (R) (6-4, 5.02)

TV: NESN, MLB.tv

Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Game Day Audio

Saturday, July 25^th @ 7:10 PM

Jeremy Guthrie (R) (7-8, 5.12) vs Jon Lester (L) (8-7, 3.87)

TV:NESN, MLB.tv

Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Game Day Audio

Sunday, July 26^th @ 1:35 PM

David Hernandez (R) (2-2, 3.55) vs John Smoltz (R) (1-3, 6.31)

TV: NESN, MLB.tv

Radio: Red Sox Radio Network, MLB Game Day Audio

STORRS, Conn. – The University of Connecticut football game at Ohio University on Sat., September 5 will be available to view on ESPN360.com — ESPN’s signature broadband sports network. The game will begin at 7:00 p.m.

ESPN360.com is available at no cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection from an affiliated service provider and is currently available in nearly 25 million homes nationwide. It is available via dozens of Internet Service Providers nationwide and in early August it will add more than 15 million Comcast households nationwide, making it available in nearly 41 million households – a majority of US broadband homes. It is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks.

The Boston Red Sox were hoping last night that Clay Buchholz would help them put to the 4-game losing streak to bed with a win. Unfortunately though, the bats decided to stay on their vacation and didn’t give Buchholz or the bullpen any runs to work with in the 3-1 loss to the Texas Rangers.

The losing streak for the Red Sox is now at 5 games and they find themselves two back of the New York Yankees in the AL East standings. The Tampa Bay Rays are now just 3.5 games behind the Red Sox. If it’s any consolation, the Red Sox lead the wild card standings by 2.5 games over the Rangers.

The starting pitchers have taken the losses during the 5-game losing streak but you can’t really place the blame entirely on them. Sure Brad Penny and John Smoltz are struggling but when the offense isn’t giving you any run support, you aren’t going to win games.

The bullpen which was struggling before the All-Star break hasn’t allowed a run in 14 IP.

Just about everyone on the Red Sox is in a funk right now. During the 1-5 road trip, the team hit just .192. When you’re hitting just .192, you aren’t going to win ballgames unless the starting pitching is absolutely perfect. They scored just 13 runs, 4 of them coming in the only win of the trip.

While the trade for Adam LaRoche could help the Red Sox out, after thinking about it, I don’t see him as the answer to the problems. Victor Martinez could be an answer but the Red Sox have already ruled out a trade for him as the Indians asked for Buchholz. Maybe the Red Sox can move someone to the Washington Nationals for Adam Dunn or Nick Johnson. Who knows?

I can say this. It’s going to be an interesting 8 days up here in Red Sox Nation. Let’s just hope this off day and the return to Fenway Park snaps the team out of it. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long summer (can i call it summer when it’s rained and barely been sunny).

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UConn Football links

Looking back at the ’06 Big East recruiting classes [Big East Blog – ESPN.com]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

time rushes by, memories fade, dreams never do… [Alysa Auriemma]

Tina Charles is No. 1 [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Taurasi case continued to Aug. 21 [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

UConn season to start against Northeastern on Nov. 14 [John Altavilla – Hartford Courant]

Taurasi’s court date postponed [Connecticut Post]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Mailbag Question, 7/22 [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Stanley Robinson’s Neighborhood [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Ryan Gomes at Pro-Am; Majok, Okwandu, Smith tonight [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Charlie Villanueva on Detroit [UConn Huskies Basketball]

Caron Butler Earns The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce’s Role Model of the Year Award [UConnHuskies.com]

Vols to play UConn – in men’s basketball [Go Vols Extra]

Other UConn related links

Your Fat White Guy Moment Of The Week [Thoughts From a Fat White Guy]

Baseball: Glynn Named to 2009 Cape Cod All-Star Game [UConnHuskies.com]

Bobby Doerr (1), Joe Cronin (4), Johnny Pesky (6), Carl Yastrzemski (8), Ted Williams (9), Carlton Fisk (27), Jackie Robinson (42).

Fresh off his Baseball Hall of Fame induction this Sunday in Cooperstown, NY, Jim Rice will have his No. 14 retired by the Boston Red Sox on in a pre-game ceremony on Tuesday night before the game against the Oakland A’s.

Here is the press release from the Red Sox:

BOSTON, MA — The Boston Red Sox today announced plans to retire Hall of Famer Jim Rice’s uniform number 14 as a tribute to his exceptional career in a Red Sox uniform and in honor of his induction into The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. The ceremony will take place prior to the Red Sox-Athletics game at Fenway Park on Tuesday, July 28.

“As a fan of the game and a steward of this great franchise, it is an honor to be a part of the Red Sox during this special moment in the team’s history. On behalf of our partners and the entire organization, we want to congratulate Jim Rice on his upcoming induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and finally taking his rightful place among the greatest players in the game,” said John Henry, Principal Owner. “The retirement of his number will be a fitting way to honor one of the most dominant hitters to ever wear a Red Sox uniform.”

It will be the seventh number to be retired by the franchise, joining Bobby Doerr (#1), Joe Cronin (#4), Johnny Pesky (#6), Carl Yastrzemski (#8), Ted Williams (#9), and Carlton Fisk (#27). The number of Jackie Robinson (#42) has been retired by all teams in Major League Baseball.

Jim Rice was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York on January 12, 2009, becoming one of 32 Red Sox players to receive the honor. He is the 48th electee to spend his entire career with one team and just the fourth to do so with Boston, joining Bobby Doerr, Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski. He will be enshrined in Cooperstown on Sunday, July 26 along with former outfielder Rickey Henderson who spent the 2002 season in a Red Sox uniform.

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After seeing their ace take a loss last night, the Boston Red Sox now pin their hopes on winning the finale of the series with the Texas Rangers on the right arm of Clay Buchholz.

The game tonight will start at 8:05 PM EDT and will be televised in the Red Sox television market on NESN. If you live in the Rangers television market, you can catch the game on FOX Sports Southwest. If you don’t live in either market, you’re in luck as tonight’s game will be broadcast on ESPN. And if the television isn’t your cup of tea, you can catch the game on one of the many affiliates of the Red Sox Radio Network.

Buchholz has made for start this season, last Friday in Toronto, and is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA. He does have one career start against the Rangers back on April 21, 2008. In that start, he picked up the win by throwing 6 scoreless innings. This will be his first start in his home state of Texas.

Dustin Nippert fills in for a sick Vincente Padilla and looks to give the Rangers a sweep for manager Ron Washington. Nippert has made 4 appearances (2 starts) this season and is 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA. He has made 3 career appearances out of the bullpen against the Red Sox, all in 2008. In those 3 appearances, he is 0-1 with an 11.05 ERA.

In case you hadn’t heard the good news, the Julio Lugo era is officially over in Beantown as he was shipped to the St. Louis Cardinals for spare parts and a bag of baseballs. All kidding aside, the Red Sox actually received Chris Duncan and the famous PTBNL or cash.

Also, the Red Sox traded two minor leaguers to their farm team in the National League, the Pittsburgh Pirates for first baseman Andy LaRoche. The Red Sox don’t have to remove anyone from the 40-man because Argenis Diaz, who was involved in the trade, was on it. LaRoche will report to the Red Sox on Friday and a corresponding roster move will be made then.

LaRoche trade synopsis [Extra Bases]

Epstein on trade [Extra Bases]

LaRoche reaction [Extra Bases]

Henry: ‘Don’t expect blockbuster(s)’ [Extra Bases]

Theo on the LaRoche trade [Clubhouse Insider]

Terry Francona on Dale and Holley [Full Count]

The LaRoche Press Release [Full Count]

Epstein: ‘We’re a good offensive club in a horrific slump’ [Full Count]

Baseball Prospectus scouting report: Adam LaRoche [Projo Sox Blog]

Mike Lowell reacts to trade [Projo Sox Blog]

Mark Kotsay reacts to trade [Projo Sox Blog]

Jason Bay reacts to trade [Projo Sox Blog]

Reasons to doubt, reasons to believe [Tony Mazz]

What the LaRoche acquisition means for the Red Sox [Tony Mazz]

Rockies Tapped? Colorado May Sign Timlin [NESN.com]

Notes on LaRoche and Halladay [Peter Gammons]

Rice Heading to Hall With One Career Save [NESN.com]

Boston Red Sox clothing by Victoria’s Secret [Victoria’s Secret]

What can LaRoche do for Boston? [Batter-up with Bruno]

Here are the lineups for tonight’s game:

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