Projo Sox Blog

That's the question Sean McAdam raises as he recounts yesterday's 6-3 triumph in Seattle, a victory marked by some stout relief pitching in general and a sterling effort (2 2/3 perfect innings) from Justin Masterson in particular. (It certainly must have pleased Jim Rice, who earlier expressed the hope Masterson would choke off the need to trade for bullpen help, since relievers "are such an unknown commodity.") The Boston Herald's Tony Massarotti -- noting that last year's Eric Gagne deal "polluted everyone's soul like a childhood trauma" -- looks deeper into the relief issue and comes to the same conclusion McAdam reached on Tuesday and reiterated yesterday: The cost is so prohibitive that the Sox -- even though relief help is being pitched to them by other teams (this Sons of Sam Horn post says Peter Gammons indicates Boston is one of three teams the A's have contacted about Huston Street) -- are unlikely to make a move in this year's market.

That being the case, Masterson's performance yesterday -- looked at a bit more closely by Jeff Goldberg of the Hartford Courant -- may be the real reason things are looking up for the Sox.

'HELP IS ON THE WAY': Also brightening the skies hereabouts is tomorrow's anticipated return of David Ortiz. McAdam talks to Kevin Youkilis, J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell about the impact he'll have on the lineup, with Drew calling it "like making a big deal at the [trade] deadline." Ortiz told reporters in Portland, where he completed his rehab assignment last night, that his wrist is close to, but isn't quite, 100 percent, and that's probably as good as it'll be for the rest of the season. (projo.com) "Sometimes you feel weak," he said, "because it's not an easy injury to deal with. But other than that, I feel fine. I think I am where I'd like to be."

BEYOND THE BASEBALL: Chad Finn recounts Big Papi's three days in Maine -- in which he talked to fans (left) and made himself accessible -- on his Touching All The Bases blog and concludes Ortiz "is a true rarity among the modern famous: he's a genuine superstar who possesses a man-of-the-people grace."

JUST IN TIME: Ortiz' return coincides with the weekend arrival of the Yankees, and you know that will always get Dan Shaughnessy's blood pumping. One of the Globe's general columnists, Kevin Cullen, urges fans to give up the "Yankees Suck" chant, calling it "an embarrassment . . . [which] makes us look like a bunch of local yokels . . . [and] says a lot more about you than the team you think you're insulting."

WELCOME TO THE CLUB Mike Lowell, who delivered the game-winning hit yesterday, is getting hot. (Boston Herald) Dustin Pedroia, sliding home in the third inning yesterday (top), remains hot. (projo.com)

LOOKING FOR INFIELD HELP? CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler says the Red Sox "are deep in conversations with the White Sox" over a trade that would bring Juan Uribe to Boston. On his Hacks With Haggs blog, Joe Haggerty wonders if Alex Cora would be going to Chicago in return, since Cora still thinks he can play regularly and the handing of the shortstop job to Jed Lowrie sends him a clear message that the Red Sox don't.

JUAN WHO?? The blogs YFSF, Fire Brand of the American League and Sox&Dawgs aren't too keen on the idea.

GIVE HIM A BREAK: Rice thinks the slumping Jacoby Ellsbury is tired and needs a rest.

NUMBER 46 IN YOUR PROGRAM, NUMBER 4 ON THIS LIST: John Dewan's Stat Of The Week concerns baserunning, and it lists Ellsbury (right) as the fourth-best runner in baseball this year. (actasports.com)

THE GRUDS: You'll have to click the link to find out what Joe Posnanski means by The Gruds, but here's a hint: When Josh Beckett is pitching, try to limit his exposure to Ty Wigginton. And make sure you get Mike Lowell into the lineup against Mike Mussina, Dustin Pedroia in against Scott Kazmir, and Sean Casey in against Cliff Lee. Oh, and you'll also find out just why Bronson Arroyo doesn't want to leave Cincinnati.

BUT HE IS ON THE MORNING SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN, AND WE ARE ON THE TWILIGHT SIDE OF THE HILLS: The Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice says Brad Ausmus is a player who'd "get the appreciation he deserves" in Boston, because Red Sox fans "understand the game."

FLINTSTONES, MEET THE FLINTSTONES, THEY'RE THE MODERN STONE-AGE FAMILY: Yesterday it was Twins GM Bill Smith saying he'd take the guy with 16 wins and a 7.10 ERA over the guy with 10 wins and a 2.80 ERA any time. Today it's Mariners manager Jim Riggelman saying he's not looking for 25 or 30 homers and 100 RBI out of his DH, but instead wants "some contact in that spot, and maybe be able to move some runners and hit and run and that kind of stuff." (mlb.com) Craig Calcaterra has the understated reaction (ShysterBall) while Fire Joe Morgan, naturally, gets a little more, ah, excitable.

MORE STAT GEEKERY: That's what Smith and Riggelman and their ilk no doubt will be saying when they hear The Hardball Times has concluded it "can't find any evidence . . . to support the idea that experienced players handle pressure better than young players do."

SOMETHING TO REMEMBER ME BY: Ben Zobrist knew a demotion to Durham was in the offing since Jason Bartlett is ready to come off the disabled list. So he made his last game -- for now -- with the Rays one for the books, homering in the fifth and adding an RBI single in the seventh as Tampa Bay held off Oakland, 4-3. (St. Petersburg Times)

DIFFERENT TIMES CALL FOR DIFFERENT MEASURES: Normally the Rays approach the trade deadline as a seller. This year, of course, they're buyers . . . but the St. Petersburg Times' Gary Shelton warns "what is left of the season depends on whether their core players begin to hit," not on whoever they acquire between now and July 31. Jonny Gomes isn't exactly one of the core players, but he thinks he can do the job against left-handers if they give him the chance. (St. Petersburg Times) Looking at it from the opposite angle, the blog Rays Index lists the players Tampa Bay is most likely to trade away.

HERE THEY COME: The Yankees arrive in Boston with a full head of steam, as yesterday's 5-1 win over the Twins was their sixth in a row. (New York Daily News) And the winning pitcher was, once again, Mike Mussina, whom the New York Post's Mike Vaccaro says might be the Yanks' MVP this year.

THE PROPOSAL: Peter Abraham says the Yankees can have Jarrod Washburn and Jose Vidro from Seattle for Kei Igawa, a B-level prospect and $7.1 million (which is the difference between Igawa's contract and the contracts of Washburn and Vidro). (LoHud Yankees Blog) The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports Washburn has a no-trade clause to New York and while he'd welcome a deal to a contender, "it's not clear if the Yankees are his cup of tea."

BACK TO THE WELL: If they acquire Washburn and Vidro, they would become the second and third ex-Mariners to join the Yankees in the last week. The first was Richie Sexson, and the Yanks think he's "awesome" . . . defensively that is, at first base. (New York Post) Of course, compared to Jason Giambi, who wouldn't be?

OTHER THAN THAT, IT'S A GOOD IDEA: Jorge Posada confirmed yesterday that he's eschewing surgery for rehab in the hopes of getting back in the lineup as a first baseman or DH later in the season. The Daily News' Bill Madden says the move "smacks of selfishness and short-sightedness on both sides."

'I LEARNED A LESSON': The Yankees called Melky Cabrera in on the carpet for waving to the Bleacher Creatures while the ball was in play Tuesday -- leading to an error -- and he says he won't do it again. (New York Daily News)

BASEBALL? WHAT IS THIS BASEBALL OF WHICH YOU SPEAK? The New York Times' Harvey Araton found former Yankee shortstop Tony Kubek at his summer retreat in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and discovers Kubek hasn't followed baseball since walking away from his Yankee broadcasting job in 1994 and doesn't miss it a bit. Nor does he sound like he's mellowed from the day in 1995 when he told the Daily News' Bob Raissman that George Steinbrenner "is a loser . . . I don't care how much money he throws at people or charities, you don't balance the scale by treating people like crap."

REMEMBER WHEN? Today is the 25th anniversary of the Pine Tar Game. Tyler Kepner of the New York Times takes us back.

McCREADY IN REHAB: The New York Daily News reports the pressure of her involvement in the Roger Clemens investigation led to Mindy McCready suffering a nervous breakdown last week and she's now in rehab.

I WAS WRONG: Mets president Fred Wilpon now admits "I screwed up" Willie Randolph's firing and says he shouldn't have let Omar Minaya announce it via e-mail at 3 in the morning. (New York Daily News)

BASEBALL LIKE IT OUGHTA BE: Billy Wagner was back in the ninth inning and this time the Mets held on to beat the Phillies. (New York Daily News)

EASY FOR YOU TO SAY; YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH HIM: Dugout Central's John Paciorek is the latest to decry Barry Bonds' continuing unemployment. But Bonds' old college coach, Bobby Winkles, has very little use for him. "[He's] not the nicest person in the world," said Winkles in explaining why he wouldn't cast a Hall of Fame vote for Bonds. "I know that shouldn't have anything to do with it, but he's just so aloof and acts like he's above the game. I just don't think that's what baseball is all about." (mydesert.com)

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? In the midst of a post in which he tries to convince the Royals to make Tony Pena Jr. a pitcher, Posnanski tells us, in great detail, just how bad Joe Blanton is going to be in Philadelphia.

COSTLY VICTORY: Both Chipper Jones and Tim Hudson were hurt in the Braves' win over the Marlins last night. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Francisco Liriano turned in another dominating minor-league performance Tuesday night and the blog The Prospect Corner can't find a single reason why he's not in Minnesota.

LOCAL BOYS: In another sign of progress during his recovery, Rocco Baldelli played the outfield for Montgomery last night (Rays Index) . . . White Sox fans are booing Paul Konerko. (Chicago Sun-Times)

TRADE TALK: Not surprisingly, the Yankees are now said to be in the market for a catcher (nj.com) . . . The Pirates have dropped their asking price for Xavier Nady (si.com) . . . The Rockies may have to do the same with Brian Fuentes, as the Denver Post reports teams -- including the Red Sox -- are backing off because they're demanding too much in return . . . Foxsports.com's Ken Rosenthal says the White Sox offered Orlando Cabrera to the Dodgers.

HERE AND THERE: The Reds' Josh Fogg may miss his next start after he was hit in face by a batted ball during batting practice and needed 30 stitches to close the cut on his upper lip (Cincinnati Enquirer) . . . Kerry Wood's blister may force him to the DL (Chicago Tribune) . . . Five groups are left in the Cubs' sale process (Chicago Sun-Times) . . . CC Sabathia is now 3-0 as a Brewer after his complete-game, three-hit shutout of the Cardinals. (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

OLD FRIENDS: Our sympathy to Pedro Martinez, whose father died after a long battle with brain cancer (New York Daily News) . . . Doug Mientkiewicz helped the Pirates complete a sweep of the Astros. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

-- ART MARTONE