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July 12, 2007

Projo Sports Chat transcript

Here's the transcript from today's chat. We will not have a chat Friday, but we'll be back with more next week.

Art Martone: Howdy, everyone. Welcome back!

mclaughling: Why are there no photos for the all state relay runners in the 4x100 and 4x800 metres? I know the 4x800m athletes took photos but they were never posted online. ALSO, WHY ARE THERE NO 3RD TEAM ALL CLASS AND ALL DIVISION ATHLETES FOR TRACK THIS YEAR? If you come in third in class and division championships you are considered all class and all division.

Art Martone: The missing pictures are online now; I'm told it was an oversight. I don't know about third team track. I'll try to find out.

Bob in exile in Chicago: Hi Art: Thanks for all your writing! When can we expect Jon Lester in Boston?

Art Martone: Hi, Bob. Thanks for the kind words! I believe the Sox are waiting for two things from Lester -- the stamina to break past the 100-pitch barrier, and the command to ensure than he can get through more than five innings with those 100 pitches. He pitched well in his last start, showing signs of both, and if that continues we may see Lester sooner rather than later.

Corkie G: Mike Foran, is this you? When are you going to learn to capitalize your name?!?!? BTW, you'll NEVER guess who this is.

Art Martone: Sorry, Corkie, Mike's on vacation.

SoxFanatic456: What is the latest on the Celtics, and what 35+ year old are they trying to land now?

Art Martone: Well, let's just say *32* year old. My Celtics connection is on vacation, so I haven't heard much recently. I think it's safe to say they'll do something, though, since they've all but come out and said this team is incomplete.

Warren: Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays tonight...Not exactly the Langley Tippy Tap Dance school...Clearly this is a test for us...We need to beat up on the Jays tonight and thru the weekend to serve notice to the league for the second half...don't ya think ?

Art Martone: Langley Tippy Tap Dance School??? What league do *they* play in??

Warren: the Bruins released their 2007-2008 schedule yesterday...I am pumped...do you know when tickets go on sale...

Art Martone: Whenever you call and say you want to buy them.

SoxFanatic456: Art, will we ever see Bryan Corey in a Red Sox uniform again? I was impressed by his ability to get left handed batter out last year.

Art Martone: I liked him, too. But his numbers in Pawtucket are mezza-mezz, and his name hasn't come up in any conversations I've heard.

Warren: the papers in New York are saying that the yanks are going against their long standing policy of talking contract and in the next few days will be meeting with A-Rod's agent to talk contract extension...if the yanks do re-sign A-rod....does this change the sox plans on what they will do with Lowell ?

Art Martone: My understanding is they've softened a bit on Lowell, in that they'd be willing to talk short-term deal for less money than he's making now. (Before, there seemed no chance he'd be returning.) I don't know that the A-Rod situation will have any impact on their decision to Lowell, other than to say that if A-Rod becomes available they'll probably go after him.

Warren: Art...did you see on HBO last night ...the Ghosts of Flatbush....What did you think ? I thought it was terrific...it really got into what the Dodgers meant to Brooklyn...and nicely explained what happened that led to them abandoning Brooklyn for California....The video and stills were also terrific....

Art Martone: I did see it, Warren, and I loved it every bit as much as you did. HBO did a terrific job. The Dodgers were part of the fabric of Brooklyn even more than the Red Sox are in New England, and it showed how the borough was shattered, in many ways, when they were removed. It also pointed out that Robert Moses, and not Walter O'Malley, was the real villain in Brooklyn's losing the team, even though many of the Brooklynites interviewed for the show continue to demonstrate a visceral hatred of O'Malley. Ebbets Field was clearly on its last legs; it was tiny and decaying, it only had enough parking for 700 cars, and the neighborhood was deteriorating, making people wary to go to night games in particular. O'Malley had a plan to build a new, domed stadium in Brooklyn -- remember, this is 1955 or so -- at a place where the subways and the Long Island Railroad converged, making it possible for both city-dwellers and the new suburbanites, most of whom had moved to Long Island, to get to the games via public transit. Moses refused to give them the land and instead wanted them to build their stadium in Queens, where Shea Stadium is now. The Queens Dodgers are not the Brooklyn Dodgers, so it became impossible for the Dodgers to stay in Brooklyn. In swooped Los Angeles, making O'Malley an offer -- free land, tax breaks -- he'd have been insane to refuse. One of the L.A. council people who was instrumental in the deal still shakes her head at Moses, more than 50 years later, saying it was insanity they let the Dodgers walk away when it would have taken so little to keep them in New York. A great show, and I recommend it highly.

Warren: Art...have we any health news about Ortiz and the rest of our slightly banged up but playing redsox ?

Art Martone: Stay tuned. We'll know more this afternoon.

SoxFanatic456: Art, in your opinion, what would it take to land Brad Lidge from Houston?

Art Martone: Most people you talk to think it will be difficult for any of the sellers, even in a sellers' market, to get major-league ready or near-major-league ready talent for anyone this trading season. The Astros would probably hold out for second-tier prospects like Jed Lowrie, but I wonder if the Sox should pay that price for a reliever when they have other needs (starting pitching, another bat) that may be more pressing.

SoxFanatic456: I read this morning that Jason Jennings of Houston is available? Maybe we can package him and Lidge for prospects and Wily Mo Pena.

Art Martone: Houston might not be a bad landing spot for Pena. It'd be a good ballpark for him, and the Astros can afford to let him play and suffer through his growing pains. It might be work pursuing.

Warren: Art....is the organization high on Josh Papelbon...I know he is in the early stages of his minor league career but I liked what I saw of him last summer...

Art Martone: I don't get the sense they think he's a Grade A prospect.

Warren: makes ya wonder Art...had O'Malley got his way...the Dodgers might have become bigger in popularity and more powerful money wise than the evil empire yanks are today..

Art Martone: More likely they'd have kept the underdog, people's-choice role that eventually fell to the Red Sox.

Warren: Art...I keep thinking about Ortiz knee...if he has has problems with it for as long as he has...why has he not said anything earlier and what is he doing running on pitches and attempting to steal bases or take the extra base on hits...Shouldn't he somewhere have started to nurse the knee...

Art Martone: I think we, the public, are seeing this as a bigger problem then it actually may be. Not that his knee doesn't hurt, or that it isn't hampering him, but as we said yesterday, plenty of people can play with knees that need minor surgery with minimal discomfort. Ortiz certainly doesn't look like he's hobbling around -- he's no slower than he ever was -- and, unless it's more than he said it was, I think he can stay in the lineup.

SoxFanatic456: Art, when does it seem as if Curt Schilling will return?

Art Martone: Sean McAdam heard last week that Aug. 1 would be the earliest return date. Nothing we've heard since then would lead us to believe that's changed.

Warren: Ebbets Field sure looked like a great little cozy place to play in and watch a game in....didn't it.

Art Martone: It sure did. A little cramped, perhaps -- I couldn't believe they went from 25,000 seats to 32,000 simply by jamming more chairs into existing areas -- but it looked like you got a great, close-up view of the field from anywhere in the park.

Warren: Art...since we are on the subject about the Dodgers and it's affect on Brooklyn...if for some reason the sox left Boston and New England for that matter wouldn't the affect on fans in New England be even more devastating than it was in Brooklyn

Art Martone: It might not have have the same economic and social effect as it did on Brooklyn, but the emotional and psychic scars might never heal. But I have to say, the Sox aren't going anywhere, at least not in any of our lifetimes. Teams would kill to have what the Red Sox have in terms of fan loyalty and revenue potential.

SoxFanatic456: Latest on Pinerio and Donnelly?

Art Martone: Piniero pitched an inning last night in Lowell, a scoreless inning. Donnelly, I believe, is getting ready to throw off the mound.

Warren: are things progressing according to plan with the Dunk or have new setbacks developed ?

Art Martone: There are cost overruns galore, but the work is progressing on schedule.

Warren: Art....has Francona ever said someday he might write a book after he leaves the game about his days in Boston...I gotta believe it will be very interesting to say the least.

Art Martone: He's never said, but I would think it's a possibility. I know enough to know it would be *very* interesting!

ash: Art.....is there any logical reason that a game like the All-Stars can't start earlier? and for that matter the WS games, MLB needs to KNOWS that kids are the future viewers/purchasers of MLB stuff and having their mid-summer classic's 1st pitch not being thrown out till 9pm just seems rediculous. Between their move of the WS to different days (less weekend games as i understand AND going up against MNF) and the WS games and All star games starting so late, well I just don't get it. Do they just not care?

Art Martone: Don't forget, 9 p.m. Eastern is 8 p.m. Central, 7 p.m. Mountain and 6 p.m. Pacific. You start it any earlier and folks on the West Coast would still be at work. To have the entire country watching in more or less prime time, 9 p.m. is about the earliest you can start it in the East.

Warren: Art...why does it seem everytime MLB honors a past hero...Ted Williams and Willie Mays as an example ,Derek Jeter is front and center during the activities...is it a coincidence or I am missing something....

Art Martone: It's a coincidence.

Warren: can you see the day where everyday baseball fans might have some say in some way as to who gets into the Hall of Fame ?

Art Martone: It makes sense, and it wouldn't be hard to do -- Bill James once designed a plan in which everyone, and not just baseball writers, could participate in HOF voting -- but I don't get the sense the Hall of Fame is dissatisfied with the present system and is looking to make a change. Nor do I fear there's any real widespread grumbling among fans that the voting system should be changed.

ash: In your opinion, is the HR derby becoming the Slam Dunk Contest? Both seem to lack the excitement anymore, especially in recent years.

Art Martone: Exactly, ash, exactly. It drags on forever and most of the players don't particularly want to participate. I think it's here to stay, though, since it gives ESPN ready-made programming and keeps baseball in the spotlight on what used to be an off day.

SoxFanatic456: Could Youkilis go to DL today?

Art Martone: I would think that if he's still ready to play today, the DL is a possibility. The Sox have said all along, however, that this isn't a long-term thing, so we'll see when the players arrive today around 3:30.

Warren: Art....assuming the yanks don't want Clemens back next year for his rookie league like season ( in length)...is that the end of Clemens career ?

Art Martone: Never say never, Warren. Especially with this guy.

ash: Art don't forget the HR Derby gives Chris Berman more air time. just what america needs/wants!!! sarcasm alert

Art Martone: Absolutely!

Warren: Art...I know it's not sports related but....they say ya can't bring back the good ole days and yet it's happening in New York today....WCBS-FM is coming back ! The fans have spoken ! A lesson for us all...never give up the fight...

Art Martone: I'm happy for you, Warren, but I can't say I'd ever heard of WCBS-FM until today.

Warren: Art....I am curious....what are the territorial rights for major league teams....meaning if someone wanted to bring a team to somewhere in New England or the New York metro area....how close can they get before encroaching on say the mets, yanks or sox turf ?

Art Martone: I'm not sure what the exact distance is, but each time has an exclusive territorial area except in the five areas (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco/Oakland, Baltimore/Washington) where the leagues share the market. For anyone to move into it, the existing team has to be compensated, with the amount agreed upon by MLB and the team involved.

Warren: Better Berman than Sterling !

Art Martone: A day without Warren railing against John Sterling is like a day without sunshine.

Warren: Aside from more comfortable seats....is there anything you'd like to see change at Fenway Park ?

Art Martone: Just more comfortable seats. That would do it for me.

Posted by Mike McDermott at 1:14 PM | Permalink

July 12, 2007

Projo Sports Chat transcript

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