Projo Sox Blog

But he was smiling when it began, too, as Joe McDonald reported in a ProJo Sox Blog entry soon after Ortiz arrived at McCoy. We have visual proof, as well, as Journal photographer/videographer Sandor Bodo captured some of the pregame moments -- including a priceless, on-field meeting between Ortiz, manager Ron Johnson and his temporary teammates -- on tape. (And is it me, or is Papi looking trimmer these days?) Photographer Glenn Osmundson has the entire Ortiz package in his slideshow, which includes shots from before and during the game.

A happy Ortiz usually indicates a healthy Ortiz . . . and that, more than anything, is what the Sox want to establish this weekend.

So far so good.

MOVING FORWARD: There's more to see at Pawtucket than Ortiz these days. McDonald notes the arrivals of top pitching prospect Michael Bowden, along with Portland teammates Jeff Corsaletti and Sandy Madera, in his report of last night's 15-6 win. Bowden and Corsaletti were mentioned in both the Boston Herald's Jeff Horrigan's and the Boston Globe's Amalie Benjamin's list of top Sox prospects.

AND LOOKING AHEAD . . . McDonald also has the news that the Sox have signed their No. 1 draft pick, shortstop/pitcher Casey Kelly (right). When last we heard from him two weeks ago, Kelly, reported Sean McAdam at the time, was still mulling whether or not to sign with Boston or accept a football scholarship at the University of Tennessee. There wasn't really any worry he wouldn't sign -- most people felt the Sox wouldn't have risked their top pick on a player who might leave them at the altar -- and Chad Brockoff of the Sarasota Herald Tribune says Kelly has no regrets of passing up football to play for the Red Sox. That apparently was the prevailing sentiment in Knoxville, as well, as the posters on Go Vols Xtra were remarkably calm about the whole thing and almost all of them wished Kelly good luck. (Though one of them noted: "Never know...may see him way down the road. Remember Chris Weinke?")

So the Sox get their man and there are plenty of people, like the folks at the blog Future Redbirds, who think Kelly's drafting/signing show just how good an organization the Red Sox have become. In case you missed it, here's the scouting report on Kelly from minorleaguebaseball.com.

And here, thanks to YouTube, is what he looks like in action:

LOOKING AHEAD: The second half of the season -- or at least the post-All-Star half (they passed the halfway point in games played more than three weeks ago) -- begins tonight, and the key for the Red Sox is the bullpen, writes Steven Krasner. The Globe's Nick Cafardo gets a scouting report on the entire staff from pitching coach John Farrell -- emphasis positive, of course -- and the Herald's Rob Bradford includes the 'pen in his five keys to the remainder of the year.

LOOKING BACK: The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers has J.D. Drew as the American League MVP and Jacoby Ellsbury as its Rookie of the Year in the first half of the season.

LOOKING GOOD: Foxsports.com's Tracy Ringolsby is going with the Red Sox to win the division.

YESTERDAY AND TODAY: Down in Houston there was a Jerry Trupiano sighting a few weeks back. (Houston Chronicle) The sad news: His wife Donna is battling cancer. Meanwhile, Eric McHugh of the Patriot-Ledger has a nice feature on the man who replaced him in the Red Sox radio booth, Dave O'Brien.

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS: It seems unlikely that Josh Beckett would strike up a friendship with a catcher on the Trinity, Tex., University baseball team. But ESPN The Magazine has the story of Beckett becoming buddies with Zach Fregosi off some casual throwing sessions at the school in 2006.

TWO REASONS ARE BETTER THAN ONE: When a reader asked Jim Rice why there are fewer outfield assists than there used to be, he responded that a) no one tries taking extra bases anymore and b) because they no longer take outfield practice before games, contemporary outfielders don't throw as well as their predecessors. (ask14.sullivantire.com)

READY TO GO: The Rays had a workout at Tropicana Field yesterday and say the three days off wiped away the torpor of their seven-game losing streak and has them raring for the second half to begin. (Tampa Tribune) The St. Petersburg Times' John Romano lists the five key players for the Rays in the second half.

NO PROBLEMS: Because he worked in the All-Star Game on one day's rest, Scott Kazmir's next start is being pushed back to Sunday. But Rays manager Joe Maddon doesn't blame Terry Francona for using Kazmir, even though Tampa Bay had asked that he not pitch, because of the way the game played. (Tampa Tribune)

WE CAN TALK: Uh, Rays fans? You don't want B.J. Upton? (Outs Per Swing) I'll take him.

DOESN'T ADD UP: The Daily News' Anthony McCarron analyzes the Yankees' chances and concludes: "Maybe the Yankees have to hope for one of [the teams ahead of them] to pull a Mets-like collapse. Or they could believe that the baseball ghosts some believe inhabit Yankee Stadium really want October baseball there." The headline on colleague Vic Ziegel's column says the Yanks should forget about catching the Red Sox and focus on overtaking the Rays for the wild card, though I've gone over it three times and don't see where Ziegel wrote anything of the sort; what I see is Ziegel saying it's going to be tough for the Yankees to catch either one of them. His point is that the Yanks don't have the pitching, and now, says the New York Post's Joel Sherman, neither do they have the offense to overcome bad pitching.

As old friend Bill Simmons might say, not good times in New York.

WHAT I MEANT WAS NO: Just as the Diamondbacks did last week -- saying strongly they don't want Barry Bonds after waffling for a bit -- the Yankees are now calling Bonds-to-the-Bronx reports "nonsense" (New York Daily News) Even so, the rumors persist.

BESIDES, WE JUST GOT A BIG BAT: Or at least a big guy who swings a bat. Richie Sexson is headed to the Yanks (New York Post), and the various "Sex In The City" wordplays are already tiresome.

ON THE PROWL: SI.com's Jon Heyman says the Yankees are seeking an impact bat as we speak, since they know Sexson ain't it.

WE'VE BEEN OVER THIS, HAVEN'T WE? Maybe so, but Goose Gossage -- a full-employment service for reporters these days -- wants Joba Chamberlain back in the bullpen. (New York Post)

TROUBLE BREWING? Are the Yankees about to become embroiled in the Dominican Republic kickback scandal? (New York Daily News)

HE NEEDS TO VENT: The Post's Phil Mushnick rails about MLB's switching the last regular-season game at Yankee Stadium from afternoon to night for ESPN.

LOOK AT THEM GO, TEN IN A ROW: The Mets won their 10th straight, and pulled even with the Phillies in the N.L. East, by rallying to beat the Reds. (New York Times) The Cincinnati Enquirer sees it more as a game Francisco Cordero lost more than a game the Mets won.

YOUR POINT? It's no surprise to the Daily News' John Harper, who think the Mets will win the East.

UNFAIR! Francisco Liriano's agent -- claiming the Twins are keeping his client in the minor leagues for economic rather than competitive reasons -- has approached the players' union about investigating the matter. (mlb.com) The Twins say that's ridiculous, and that Liriano is still in Rochester because everyone in Minnesota is pitching well and there's no room for him.

'PERPETUAL WEDDING DAY': The Willie Mays/Josh Hamilton incident at the All-Star Game (Dallas Morning News) is the basis for a fascinating post by Joe Posnanski -- not that most every one of his posts aren't fascinating -- in which he explains what it's like for people like Mays and Mickey Mantle, who are . . . well, "accosted" isn't the right word, but surrounded every day by those who adore them. The closest most of us ever get to that, says Joe, is our wedding day; imagine what it would be like, then, if every day was your wedding day. And then you get an idea of life in that kind of fishbowl.

AUTOPSY REPORT: The coroner's report states ex-Red Sox catcher John Marzano died of "postural asphyxia" sustained in a fall in his South Philadelphia apartment three months ago, and that contributing factors in Marzano's death were blunt-force trauma and ethanol intoxication. (Philadelphia Daily News)

LOCAL BOYS: Chris Iannetta had another big night as he led the Rockies over the Pirates (Rocky Mountain News), and Baseball Musings' David Pinto wonders: "Is his defense so bad that the Rockies can't afford to have his bat in the lineup every day?"

WELL, THAT WAS QUICK: Normally a trade has a protracted incubation period, from rumor to prolonged negotiations to completion, to the point that most deals have been talked about for so long that they surprise no one when they're finally completed. That's not the case with this one, as the Joe Blanton-to-the-Phillies whispers were just a day old when the teams pulled the trigger. (Philadelphia Inquirer) The Contra Costa Times reports the A's fan base interprets it as another sign the team isn't serious about winning in 2008; the club says that's not true (surprise!), but admits its trying to build a foundation for sustained success over the next several years. Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle tells the doubters to have faith because the A's know what they're doing. In any case, Pinto isn't a big Blanton fan and doesn't think he'll do well in Philadelphia.

TRADE TALK -- AND ACTION: The Diamondbacks have reacquired Tony Clark. (East Valley Tribune) Paul DePodesta explains it from the Padres' point of view . . . The acquisition of Blanton may not be the end of it for the Phils; they're reportedly interested in the Giants' Matt Cain. (phillyburbs.com)

HERE AND THERE: Orlando Hernandez left a rehab start after one inning and may still be hurting (New York Daily News) . . . Kip Wells will rejoin the Rockies' rotation on Monday (Rocky Mountain News) . . . The Rangers plan to move Hank Blalock back to third base when he returns to the lineup tonight. (Dallas Morning News)

OLD FRIENDS: Hideo Nomo has called it quits after a trailblazing career that saw him become MLB's first Japanese star (AP via projo.com) . . . Pedro Martinez will miss his next start because of a groin injury (New York Post) . . . The blog At Bat doesn't think Eric Gagne will ever close again.

AND FINALLY . . . What happens in Vegas winds up on Deadspin. You really should know that, Jason.

-- ART MARTONE