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Talk Red Sox baseball today with Joe McDonald »
March 14, 2008
AP Photo
GOOD NEWS OR BAD NEWS? Word that the Red Sox had released Doug Mirabelli (above) could be taken one of two ways: That the Sox were cutting ties with an experienced veteran and simultaneously taking Tim Wakefield out of his comfort zone, or that they had a younger, better player ready to step into that role. After internal discussions, we went with Plan B. Joe McDonald talked with Kevin Cash, the Sox' new No. 2 catcher, as the thrust of the main story. Not that Cash is a hot stud young prospect, but Mirabelli -- who, as I wrote today, ''hasn’t hit higher than .228 since 2005 . . . [hasn't] had more hits than strikeouts in a season since 2003 . . . fanned in about one of every three plate appearances [last year] . . . [and the] piano he’s been lugging on his back around the bases has turned into a Steinway Grand'' -- had degenerated into near-uselessness. Wakefield declined comment yesterday, and I'm sure we'll hear the obligatory hate-to-see-Dougie-go testimonials from him and others today. The fans, judging by the reactions we're hearing, aren't so broken up.
LOOKS LIKE THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CAN BREATHE A LITTLE EASIER: The blog Dirty Watah ran into Mirabelli -- "just as cocky in person as he sounds in the papers'' -- last Sunday in Vero Beach. They quoted him as offering up the following self-appraisal: ''Looking real fit. I fear for the American League this season!''
TALKING ABOUT LOOKING FIT . . . Bartolo Colon may not seem like he's in shape, but his arm is better than the Sox thought it was. McDonald reports they're optimistic after yesterday's two-inning stint against the Rays.
SEE YOU IN SIXTY: At least that's what Curt Schilling's hoping after the Sox placed him on the 60-day disabled list. (projo.com)
CHATTERBOX: After eschewing the media for lo these many years, suddenly Manny Ramirez is feeling talkative. Both Sean McAdam and Joe McDonald say that Ramirez is more accessible this year -- Joe, in fact, got a great story from Ramirez about his giving a watch to Dustin Pedroia for winning the Rookie of the Year award -- and in the last two days Manny has given interviews to Maureen Mullen of MLB.com and Howard Ulman of the Associated Press. (projo.com)
A CONVERSATION WITH . . . Chris Carter, via Joe Haggerty's Hacks with Haggs blog.
DIFFERENT COAST, DIFFERENT WORLD: After some lean times in San Diego, Tom Werner is enjoying life in Fat City, a.k.a. Boston. (AP via projo.com)
DEAL OR NO DEAL The Sox' brass had a sitdown with Coco Crisp yesterday, "largely to ensure that the club and player were on the same page," said the Boston Herald. Fox Sports.com's Ken Rosenthal thinks the Cubs, one of Crisp's rumored trade destinations, should forget about him and stick with Felix Pie in center field.
SCOUTS' HONOR: The Red Sox have a few players in scouts' evaluations of players with the best physical tools. (mlb.com)
GRUMBLE, GRUMBLE: An apparent point of contention between the Red Sox and A's has been settled in Boston's favor with the news that the teams' April 2 game in Oakland will begin at 12:35 p.m. Pacific time. (San Francisco Chronicle) The A's wanted it to be a night game, and all their schedules list it as such, but the Sox -- who will have flown from Florida to Japan and then from Japan back to California in the previous two weeks -- were facing yet another cross-continent flight after the April 2 game, this one to Toronto, and didn't want to be making it in the overnight hours. The A's, judging by the comments in the story, aren't too happy since they've already sold tickets for it as a 7:05 start. But the Red Sox presumably dug in their heels -- in fact, I remember Larry Lucchino telling reporters weeks ago that MLB had been accommodating on the schedule and specifically mentioning that this getaway game in Oakland would be played in the afternoon -- and you know who's winning that fight in the commissioner's office.
PET SOUNDS: As the Boston Herald reported yesterday, and was duly noted on this very blog, Clay Buchholz is dating 2008 Penthouse Pet of the Year Erica Ellyson. (AOL Sports Fanhouse)
MAYBE BUCHHOLZ CAN HELP YOU OUT, DEREK: When asked by a female reporter on a conference call hyping the Yankees-Virginia Tech exhibition game if he'd "finally be able to find a girlfriend here," Derek Jeter responded: "If you have anyone in mind . . . let me know." (LoHud Yankees Blog)
THE FALLOUT: The New York Daily News reports that both Yankee manager Joe Girardi and Rays manager Joe Maddon may be suspended for Opening Day because of the teams' brawl on Wednesday.
COOL IT: Some of the veteran Yankees are telling Shelley Duncan to tone done his act. (New York Post)
MR. THURSDAY AFTERNOON: Billy Crystal enjoyed his moment in the sun as the Yankee leadoff hitter, even though he struck out. (New York Daily News) The Daily News' Bill Madden thinks baseball's first owner-showman, Bill Veeck, ''is roaring with laughter . . . at what he would consider the hypocrisy of the lordly Yankees for conceiving such a stunt.'' Our friend Steve Silva is having plenty of laughs himself. (bostondirtdogs.com)
OH, YEAH, THE GAME: Mike Mussina threw five perfect innings. (New York Daily News) But that's not a good thing, says the New York Observer's Howard Megdal.
POSITION BY POSITION: Projo.com's own fantasy writer, Michael Salfino, looks at the Yankee lineup. (web.sny.tv)
I'M GOOD: The New York Post's Kevin Kernan tracked down Dwight Gooden, who was rumored to have fallen back into the drug-and-alcohol abyss. But Gooden says he's clean and sober, and has dropped out of the baseball world because he needed to spend time with his six children and grandson.
SAD NEWS: Joe McDonald gets reaction from Maddon and ex-Ray Julio Lugo on the illness of Rocco Baldelli.
WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN? Rotoauthority.com looks at spring stats and tries to glean some insights into the upcoming season. On sportingnews.com, David Pinto looks at team records and tries to do the same thing.
WHAT?? The blog Seamheads.com has uncovered a 1984 quote in which Bill James seems to support decisions over which statheads are skewering Dusty Baker.
IT'S OBP, STUPID: New Royals manager Trey Hillman calls on-base percentage ''a no-brainer'' in evaluating a player. (Kansas City Star)
LET THE STARS SHINE: According to the New York Post, the Mets may host the 2013 All-Star Game in their new stadium.
SILENCE IS GOLDEN: The Indians call Travis Hafner their silent assassin. (espn.com)
BEST PLAYER IN BASEBALL? One scout thinks it might be the newest Ranger, Josh Hamilton. (sportsline.com)
GET WELL SOON: Former Cubs star and current ESPN analyst Rick Sutcliffe has been diagnosed with what's being called ''a treatable and curable form of colon cancer.'' (espn.com)
HERE AND THERE: As was speculated after Joel Piniero began experiencing arm problems, the Cardinals signed Kyle Lohse (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) . . . The Giants are reportedly interested in Brandon Inge (San Francisco Chronicle) . . . The Reds may be the latest team to make Arizona their spring home (Dayton Daily News) . . . The Marlins will be without Sergio Mitre until about late May (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) . . . Woody Williams may be the odd man out in the battle for a spot in the Astros' rotation (Houston Chronicle) . . . Scott Kazmir may pitch Sunday for the Rays (Tampa Tribune) . . . The Tigers don't expect Fernando Rodney to be ready by Opening Day. (mlb.com)
OLD FRIENDS: Gabe Kapler is having a good spring with the Brewers (rotoworld.com) . . . Not so Byung -Hyun Kim with the Pirates (rotoworld.com) . . . The Nationals' Wily Mo Pena has a strained oblique muscle (Washington Post) . . . Freddy Sanchez should be back playing for the Pirates next week. (mlb.com)
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
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