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Projo SoxTalk with McAdam: The coming homestand »
June 29, 2007
SITTING PRETTY: After literally playing in the four corners of the United States over the last 13 days -- Boston, Atlanta, San Diego and Seattle -- the Red Sox now return home, where they'll play 18 of the next 21. Sean McAdam says the favorable schedule, the team's big A.L. East and the lack of a worthy divisional opponent ''underscores the prevailing wisdom that the Red Sox are in this race only with themselves and that only by completely self-destructing or falling victim to an onslaught of injuries can the club fail to win the division, something they haven’t done since 1995.'' (projo.com)
MORE RELIEF COMING? The Boston Herald notes the Sox' relief corps has been a major factor in the team's success so far this year. And that's happened with no contribution from Craig Hansen, who many thought would be a mainstay of the bullpen by now. But in Pawtucket, manager Ron Johnson tells us that the former No. 1 draft pick is beginning to show flashes of the talent the Sox always believed he had. ''The quality of the stuff is awesome,'' Johnson raves. (projo.com)
ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON: One of Hansen's bullpen mates, Craig Breslow, would also love to get back to Boston. But if not, says Jim Donaldson, ''he can put that Yale degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry to good use.'' (projo.com)
BACK ON TRACK: Speaking of the PawSox, they broke their four-game losing streak last night. (projo.com)
NO DEAL: Yahoo.com's Tim Brown reports the White Sox asked for Jon Lester when the Red Sox inquired about Mark Buerhle.
THE BAD OLD DAYS: Chad Finn remembers a time when the Red Sox weren't nearly as likable as they are now. (touchingallthebases.blogspot.com)
A NATION OF GEARHEADS: Roush Racing, half of which is owned by John Henry's Fenway Sports Group, is aiming to become New England's NASCAR team. ''We hope Red Sox fans watching the races in Loudon (this weekend) will support us with the same intensity as they do when watching the Red Sox,'' said Jack Roush. Their car will certainly have a familiar look. (AP Photo, above) (projo.com)
'WE ARE ALL . . . ON WATCH': Yankee GM Brian Cashman went on Michael Kay's radio show yesterday morning and told Yankee Nation that no one's job is safe. (New York Post) By doing so, says the Daily News' John Harper, he's created a high alert that adds even more urgency to a dire situation.
FINE WITH ME: The New York Sun's Steven Goldman would have no problem if those changes including the axing of Joe Torre.
FINALLY, A BREAK: The Yanks erased a 6-4 deficit with four runs in the top of the eighth inning last night in Baltimore before torrential rains called a halt to the proceedings with Derek Jeter on second base and two outs. Under the old rules, the game would have reverted back to the score of the last completed inning and the Orioles would have completed the three-game sweep, 6-4. But, under a change in policy implemented last winter, the game was suspended at the point of interruption. It will be resumed on the Yanks' next trip to Camden Yards, on July 27, with the Yankees leading, 8-6. ''It was a plus for us,'' Joe Torre said of the new rule. (New York Daily News)
GLASS IS HALF-EMPTY: The New York Post's Mike Vaccaro prefers to look at it as a night when the Yankees couldn't win for winning.
OH, YEAH? Not according to the Orioles, who were incensed the umpires didn't stop the game before Jeter singled home the tie-breaking runs. (The rain was coming down so hard at the time that puddles were forming in the infield, and pitcher Chris Ray said his grip on the ball was so wet that ''I was just trying not to throw [it] to the backstop.'') ''He just tried to make Jeter hit so [the Yankees] can score one run and they can get out of here. That's what I think," said Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora of crew chief Tim Tschida. (Baltimore Sun) Mora and Tschida got into a vicious argument after Tschida stopped the game, and the Orioles third baseman had to be physically separated from the umpires.
SHEA HEY! Shea Hillenbrand is about to join the Yankees. (Newsday)
I LIKE YOUR STYLE: Remember earlier this week, when the New York Daily News' Lisa Olson was stunned how much the Giants seemed to lust after Alex Rodriguez? According to the Sacramento Bee, the feeling is mutual.
I HATE YOURS: Joe Posnanski isn't much of a Roger Clemens fan (thesoulofbaseball.blogspot.com)
A DAY TO REMEMBER: June 28, 2007 will forever be known as the day when Craig Biggio got his 3,000th hit and Frank Thomas hit his 500th home run. (Both stories projo.com) But the Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck isn't all that impressed.
HOMETOWN DISCOUNT: That's what Torii Hunter is hinting he's willing to give the Twins. (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
WHISPERS: Include the Brewers among those interested in Akinori Otsuka. (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)
IT'S BETTER NOT TO SAY ANYTHING AT ALL: We could all take a lesson from Jim Leyland, who knows when to talk and when to keep his mouth shut. (Detroit News)
ARE YOU LISTENING, PAUL? It's something Paul LoDuca should learn. The latest bit of bizarro behavior: Calling out the media for not holding the Mets' Spanish-speaking players more accountable, saying the players duck interviews by claiming not to understand the language. ''They speak English, believe me.''. Making it stranger is that Lisa Olson says the Hispanic players are generally always available to talk to reporters. (Both stories New York Daily News)
THANKS FOR STAYING AWAY: The Los Angeles Daily News' Doug Padilla thinks Paul Konerko is the Angels' MVP, because his decision not to sign with them in 2006 forced the team to go in different directions . . . and made them better than they would have been with Konerko.
TEAM FIRST: Gary Sheffield says that for the good of the Tigers he'll drop the appeal of his three-game suspension even though he thinks he's right. (Detroit News)
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
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