Paw Prints – The Daily Roundup – 7/15

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 are after the jump.

Continue reading →

Maybe Bud Is a Fan After All

Bud Selig - (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

When Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez was able to go on a rehab assignment 40 days into his 50 day suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, there was an outcry on the various social networks and in the media. Many stated that he shouldn’t be able to do this and that he should serve his 50 games without being allowed to play in the minors.

While this is good for the minor league affiliates who receive these players, it’s really not good for the game at all. Why should someone who is suspended be allowed to go “rehab” to get back into shape. Isn’t that what the player should be doing while he’s suspended without pay.

Well the commish, Bud Selig, has spoken about it and he wants to see a rule change that doesn’t allow rehab assignments for suspended players.

“I believe that should be changed in the next labor negotiations,” Selig said. (Serve) Fifty games and then you do what you got to do,” Selig said.

Bud won’t be able to do anything about it until 2011 when the current labor contract expires. And he doesn’t want to do anything about it now either. He’ll wait and bring it up when they start to negotiate the next contract.

If Bud can get this done when the contract expires, this might be the only good thing he’s done for the game.

Selig wants rehab for suspended players eliminated [Extra Bases]

Boston Red Sox News & Notes – All-Star Tuesday

American League's Josh Beckett of the Boston Red Sox is seen in the outfield during batting practice for the MLB All-Star baseball game in St. Louis, Monday, July 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

After wasting our time last night watching the Home Run Derby and having to listen to the awful antics of Chris Berman, Joe Morgan and Steve Phillips, the 2009 MLB All-Star Game is upon us today. Of course that means the announcing won’t be any better with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver on the call for the game.

But we’ll watch because our favorite team will have some players there and we want to see how they do. For us fans in Red Sox Nation, we have five representatives there in Tim Wakefield, Josh Beckett, Jonathan Papelbon, Jason Bay and Kevin Youkilis. Dustin Pedroia was selected as the starting second baseman for the AL but decided to pass to be back in Boston with his wife Kelli.

It will be most intriguing tonight to watch Wakefield pitch in his first All-Star Game as it’ll either be Joe Mauer or Victor Martinez catching him. Mauer has caught a knuckleball before from R.A. Dickey but his is nothing like Wake’s. Wake gave the best advice yesterday when asked how to catch his knuckleball saying to “call George Kottaras.”

Remember Kottaras is catching Wake for the first time this year. How’s that for high praise for the young rookie catcher.

Wakefield all aflutter [Boston Globe]

Wakefield Still Unique After All These Years [Hartford Courant]

First-time All-Star Wakefield is reveling in the moment [Providence Journal]

No urgency in Red Sox’ talks with Jason Bay [Boston Herald]

Smart money is on a short stint [Boston Globe]

Sox’ dominance of the Yankees was the top story from a memorable first half [Providence Journal]

Glove story for Tim Wakefield [Boston Herald]

Return flight for this Jay? [Boston Globe]

Listen closer to Jonathan Papelbon [Boston Herald]

Motives behind Buchholz’s start may not be so innocent [NESN.com]

A most valuable player – on and off the field [Boston Herald]

Pop Mart: An All-Star Look at Where the Sox Might Shop for Power [Alex Speier – WEEI.com]

Cinco With Cinco: The MJ Edition [Jonathan Papelbon – Wicked Good Sports]

Ortiz on their minds [Boston Herald]

Papelbon Already Eyeing The Hall [Rob Bradford – WEEI.com]

Buchholz vs. Halladay on Friday; what does this really mean? [Batter-up With Bruno]

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

Paw Prints – The Daily Roundup – 7/14

Paw Prints The Daily Roundup

UConn Football links

Notre Dame bullies UConn with new football contract [Rob Lunn – NESN.com]

UConn Women’s Basketball links

Mama Parker Draws Line At Daughter Playing For UConn [Hartford Courant]

UConn Men’s Basketball links

Dyson hot late in Pro-Am; Team Loses to Mickell Gladness’ Team [Mike Anthony – Hartford Courant]

Thabeet’s Debut [UConn Huskies Basketball]

UConn eyes major recruit [Connecticut Post]

UConn’s Hasheem Thabeet Finding NBA Transition Daunting [Hartford Courant]

Calhoun, UConn Staff In Recruiting High Gear [Hartford Courant]

Kevin Ollie’s Excellent Adventures (part one) [Celtics Central]

Other UConn related links

Robert Lunn Leaves Austria With His Dignity (Mostly) Intact [Deadspin]

Destination Red Sox Nation – 7/14

Destination Red Sox Nation

Continue reading →

American League & National League Starting Lineups For The 2009 MLB All-Star Game

2009 MLB All-Star Game

During the press conference this morning for the 2009 MLB All-Star Game, Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon and Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel announced their starting lineups and starting pitchers for the game tomorrow night.

Maddon selected Roy Halladay from the Toronto Blue Jays as his starter while Manuel chose Tim Lincecum from the San Francisco Giants.


1. Ichiro Suzuki, RF	Mariners	1. Hanley Ramirez, SS	Marlins
2. Derek Jeter, SS	Yankees	2. Chase Utley, 2B	Phillies
3. Joe Mauer, C	Twins	3. Albert Pujols, 1B	Cardinals
4. Mark Teixeira, 1B	Yankees	4. Ryan Braun, RF	Brewers
5. Jason Bay, LF	Red Sox	5. Raul Ibanez, LF	Phillies
6. Josh Hamilton, CF	Rangers	6. David Wright, 3B	Mets
7. Michael Young, 3B	Rangers	7. Shane Victorino, CF	Phillies
8. Aaron Hill, 2B	Blue Jays	8. Yadier Molina, C	Cardinals
9. Roy Halladay, P	Blue Jays	9. Tim Lincecum	Giants
SP — Roy Halladay	Blue Jays	SP — Tim Lincecum	Giants

To see the full 2009 MLB All-Star Rosters, click here.

Boston Red Sox News & Notes – 7/13

Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett, left, taps catcher Jason Varitek on the helmet after Beckett and the Red Sox defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-0 in a baseball game, Sunday, July 12, 2009, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Josh Beckett made sure that the Boston Red Sox would head into the All-Star break on a high note as he fired a complete game 3-hit shutout at the Kansas City Royals yesterday afternoon.

It was vintage Beckett yesterday afternoon as he was in complete control of all of his pitches. He was also very economical as he only needed 93 pitches to get the job done. I think we all had a feeling after watching the bullpen fail on Saturday night that Beckett was going to take matter into his own hands.

It was the 100th career win for Beckett as well. He joins his friend and teammate Brad Penny who did it this year as well in a Red Sox uniform.

Dustin Pedroia, who will miss the All-Star game to be with his pregnant wife Kelli, continues to swing a hot stick as does Kevin Youkilis. Both had been slumping but that now things to be a thing of the past.

After the game yesterday, Terry Francona made an announcement that may have come as a surprise to many. Francona gave his plans for the post All-Star break rotation and stated that Clay Buchholz will come up from Pawtucket to start the game on Friday and then be sent right back down.

What’s intriguing to me about this is the Buchholz has been mentioned in the trade rumors for the Blue Jays’ Roy Halladay. The Jays had two scouts in attendance at his start yesterday and oh by the way, the Red Sox play the Jays on Friday night in Toronto. The probable starter for the Jays just happens to be Halladay.

As for me, I’m still not sure we need Halladay. I really think the Red Sox need a left-handed power bat to come off the bench. But a top 3 in the rotation of Beckett, Lester and Halladay wouldn’t be so bad either. It’s definitely going to be interesting to hear the rumors over the next 18 days or so as the July 31st trade deadline approaches.

Continue reading →