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Baseball Today: Friday, June 15

IT'S OFFICIAL: With two straight losses, three in their last four games, 7 in their last 11, and 9 in their last 14, we have a verdict: The Red Sox are in a slump. And last night against the Rockies, all the signs were there. (projo.com) Their ace got bombed; they wasted opportunity after opportunity offensively; they showed almost zero signs of life once they fell behind. They even act like they're scuffling, switching their lineup around for the third straight day. (projo.com) As a result, the fans are getting a little restless (Boston Globe) even though their first-place lead is still a healthy 7 1/2 games. I'LL TAKE IT: Curt Schilling told WEEI Radio yesterday that if the Red Sox offered him a one-year extension for 2008 worth $13 million right now, he'd accept it. (Boston Herald)

When reminded that he said he wouldn't negotiate during the season if a deal wasn't done by the end of spring training, he responded ''that wouldn’t be a negotiation''. Safe to say Curt really wants to stay here, don't you think?

WHEN TROUBLE STARTS, SO DO TRADE RUMORS: An unattributed blind item in a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review notes column says the Red Sox ''might'' be trying to obtain Miguel Tejada from the Orioles.

AND POPPING UP IN MORE THAN ONE PLACE: The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports the Twins are interested in Mike Lowell, whom the Red Sox may put on the block if they go after Mark Teixiera.

BUT WHAT'S TO WORRY ABOUT? Seth Mnookin isn't concerned . . . much. (sethmnookin.com)

A YOUK SIGHTING!: Kevin Youkilis finally updated his blog. He talks in general terms and doesn't say a word about the Sox' recent dip. He does say he loves the fans, though.

HERE HE COMES: Barry Bonds arrives tonight, and it's safe to say the Boston fans won't be showing him much love (both stories Boston Globe) . . . though Dustin Pedroia, for one, thinks they should. (projo.com) Pedroia, by way of explanation, grew up in California as a Giants fan and went to Bonds' alma mater, Arizona State.

FIGHTING BACK: On the legal front, Bonds' attorneys are now telling prosecutors to back off their client (New York Daily News), and are threatening to go public with what they call evidence of potential wrongdoing by the government.

THE REAL HERO RETURNS: Also coming to town with the Giants is Dave Roberts, making his first on-field appearance at Fenway since the 2004 postseason. (He did come back for the ring ceremony in 2005.) And he's looking forward to it. ''There's very few places a person can go and all their memories are positive,'' he said. (insidebayarea.com) That's certainly true of Roberts and Boston, which will never forget the stolen base that sparked the greatest comeback in the history of baseball. (left, Journal photo by Bob Breidenbach) ''The steal, the parade, the ring ceremony, those are all things I'm going to take with me to my grave,'' he said (mlb.com) Us too, Dave.

MEANWHILE . . . June is busting out all over for the Yankees, whose hot streak has coincided with the Sox' cold one. (New York Daily News) It's not just the Yanks are hot; it's that they look invincible. ''Forget beating the Yankees,'' writes the New York Post's Mike Puma. ''First make them break a sweat.''

YOU'RE NEVER AS GOOD AS YOU LOOK WHEN YOU'RE WINNING: Writing in the New York Sun, Steven Goldman says the Yankees still have weaknesses that need to be addressed.

SCOUT'S EYE VIEW: The Associated Press found a Diamondbacks' scouting report on the Yankees on the floor of the Arizona dugout. (Newsday)

THE LAST WEAPON LEFT: Also busting out all over are "1978" cries from euphoric Yankee fans, something best explained by a poster named bmacfarlane on a Sons of Sam Horn thread: ''[They] don't have 1918 (anymore), the 26 rings thing is a burden to them because they haven't won going on seven years, so they need to hang their hats on something.''

TRAIN WRECK: To make it even better for the Yankees, they now get to play the Mets at a time when the Amazins' are struggling worse than the Red Sox. (New York Daily News)

DON'T BELIEVE IT?: Jon Heyman of si.com says ''almost no team in baseball [is] playing worse than the ultra-talented Mets.''

EXCEPT FOR . . . The Orioles, though, are a contender for that title. (Baltimore Sun)

ON SECOND GLANCE . . . Omar Minaya's offseason doesn't look all that good. (New York Post)

WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT: The blog Lion In Oil has video of the Hong-Chih Kuo bat flip that so angered the Mets the other night.

WHISPERS: Mike Maroth is being shopped by the Tigers (Detroit Free Press) . . . The Rangers are active in the trade market, but the Dallas Morning News' Evan Grant says nothing is close.

ON THE SHELF: Astros shortstop (and ex-Red Sox farmhand) Adam Everett could be sidelined for two months after breaking his leg last night. (Houston Chronicle)

OFF THE SHELF . . . MAYBE: Freddy Garcia's injury may not be as bad as the Phillies originally feared. (Philadelphia Inquirer)

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 7:09 AM | Permalink