Happy St Patrick's Day

In honor of St Patrick's Day we present Dropkick Murphy's singing

I have been ignoring Spring Training

I used to love "pitchers and catchers" reporting but spring training has become nothing but a media circus the past few years.

I will be blogging once they actually start playing games in Florida this weekend.


But only in Boston can Manny be late but actually early reporting.

Thanks Keith

Word comes this morning that Keith Foulke will retire.

We wish him well.

This would not have happened without him

More Truck Day coverage

TRUCK DAY PHOTOS

The truck has left for Florida

WBZ-TV Video

We may have the biggest snowstorm of the year heading towards Boston but we don't care.

THE TRUCK HAS LEFT FENWAY!!!!

49 Days to Opening Day in Kansas City

another Saturday gone to hell (but I got tickets)

I was so excited when I "won" the email lottery to buy Opening Day or Yankees tickets...........................

So far all I have won is an hour of the Virtual Waiting Room

It would be so much easier being a Royals fan

OK 1:36 PM I'm in sort of

We're sorry, we were unable to process your request due to high transaction volumes. Please try to submit your request again by clicking the CONTINUE button. (21799-13)

and finally Pavillion Box for Opening Day at 90 bucks a pop plus $4 convenience fee on each ticket plus $7 shipping.

CONVENIENCE FEE FOR WHO??????????????

this will warm your hearts

In what has become a sure sign that spring is just around the corner in Boston, "Truck Day" will finally arrive on Monday.

The Red Sox confirmed today that the team's equipment truck will leave Fenway Monday at approximately 1:00 p.m. to begin the 1,480-mile journey to the team's spring training facility in Fort Myers, Fla.

According to the Sox press release today, the truck will depart from Fenway Park at the players’ parking lot entrance on Van Ness St. The truck will be followed in procession by Fenway ambassadors, Red Sox staff, and Wally the Green Monster tossing gifts to fans from a flat-bed truck.

Francona speaks

from Nick Carfardo's blog at boston.com

Red Sox manager Terry Francona addressed the media at Fenway Park this afternoon. Here are a few tidbits:


The manager thinks the team will have to work out the language barrier that exists with Daisuke Matsuzaka, particularly pitching coach John Farrell and catcher Jason Varitek.

Francona knows this much: "When I go out there he's coming out of the game. John and Jason have to work on it a little bit." Francona said he was pleased with Farrell's visit to the West Coast to meet with Matsuzaka. Francona said he's also communicated with Matsuzaka through e-mail, which has been translated to the pitcher, greeting him to the team.


Francona thought it was a "long shot" that Jonathan Papelbon would return to the closer role, though he hasn't ruled it out completely: "I don't see that happening. ... If I had my druthers he'd be our closer but we have to respect the medical people's advice. Unless that changes it's not going to happen ... even for it to happen we'd have to have a bullpen that struggles."


On the closer situation, Francona said he would sit with the four righthanders in the bullpen -- Mike Timlin, Brendan Donnelly, Joel Pineiro, and Julian Tavarez -- in an effort to explain to them that they will get their innings but to be careful about over-extending themselves: "I have some ideas on how it will unfold," Francona said.


Francona made a point that young reliever Craig Hansen hasn't pitched a lot of minor league innings. "This kid needs to pitch a little," Francona said. However, he added, "If we were convinced he could do it [close] -- and I hope we do reach that decision -- that we would have a heck of a decision to make. I hope that happens."


Is Manny Ramirez ready to happily rejoin the team? "I think he's OK," said Francona, who also indicated he hasn't talked to Ramirez since December. Francona said Ramirez has spoken to a couple of the clubhouse attendants.


Francona said pitcher Matt Clement is doing very well after extensive shoulder surgery, but has not yet started his throwing program. Francona said Clement will be in spring training working out with the other pitchers, but "he'll be on his own throwing program."


Francona said once everyone is assembled in Fort Myers, the trainers, Francona, John Farrell, and Jon Lester will all sit to discuss a program for the young lefthander. Francona said he's mentioned to Lester that he would like to go cautious and slow but Lester "didn't want any part of it." Francona said the team would do what's in Lester's best interest: "We don't want to hold him back ... baseball players aren't the best self-evaluators."


Francona said that recent rumors that Tavarez had been injured in a winter league game were exaggerated: "He got nicked on the ankle. He's fine."


On placing a call to Mike Lowell amid rumors he was part of a potential trade to the Rockies: "He understands the nature of the business. He answered the phone with 'Now hitting sixth for the Rockies....'”


Francona said he's comfortable with Dustin Pedroia as the team's starting second baseman: "At some point you have to play your young players. I have no problem with that." Francona said that the team won't be changing Pedroia's upper-cut swing, feeling that's how Pedroia hits best. He also said while some scouts have questions about Pedroia’s physical presence, "his mental attributes are off the charts."

Sox and Wily Mo not close to a contract - arbitration likely

from boston.com


The Red Sox and outfielder Wily Mo Pena have made no progress in contract talks and are on a course for arbitration, the Herald's Jeff Horrigan reported Monday. The Sox have offered Pena (.301, 11 homers, 42 RBIs last season) $1.725 million, according to the Globe's Nick Cafardo. Pena is seeking $2.2 million after making $1.25 million last season. Assistant general manager Jed Hoyer is handling the negotiations for the Red Sox. The sides will meet before an arbitrator on Feb. 16 if they cannot come to an agreement within the next week and a half.

Red Sox 111 year old record in jeopardy

The Red Sox have the dubious distinction of having the longest losing streak of any of the 4 major Boston sports teams as back in 1906 the Sox lost TWENTY games in a row. Cy Young himself lost 4 of them. Probably a good thing radio had not been invented as one could imagine what "Nuf Ced" Ordway would have been like during that streak.

But that streak is in jeopardy now as the Celtics sit at 14 losses in a row and at this point no game looks easy for them.

With the current pathetic condition of both the Celtics and Bruins most Boston sports fans are now just waiting for the Red Sox to begin spring training in 2 weeks.

In my lifetime I van never recall the total lack of interest in the 2 so called winter teams. The only buzz in town right now is for the Beanpot which will see first round action Monday night at the Garden.

ticket lottery info, Jon lester news and more

Well we survived the Virtual Waiting Room and the mooninite invasion.

Now it is Red Sox ticket lottery time. which the Red Sox found a sponsor in Dunkin Donuts.

Opening Day, Patriots Day, or Red Sox vs. Yankees Ticket Drawing

A random drawing for the opportunity to purchase up to four (4) tickets to one (1) game- either Opening Day 4/10/07, Patriots Day 4/16/07, or one of the nine (9) New York Yankees games at Fenway Park will be held on Tuesday, February 6, 2007 and each applicant selected will be notified on or about Thursday, February 8, 2007 via the e-mail address submitted on the registration form. Those applicants whose names are selected shall have an opportunity from 12 p.m. noon ET to 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 10, 2007 to purchase up to four (4) tickets for one (1) game (listed above). In the event that the winner does not respond to such notification by purchasing tickets by 5 p.m. on Saturday, February 10, 2007, a disqualification will result.

Green Monster Ticket Drawing

A random drawing for the opportunity to purchase up to four (4) Green Monster tickets to one (1) 2007 Red Sox regular season home game will be held on Monday, February 19, 2007 and each applicant selected will be notified on or about Wednesday, February 21, 2007 via the e-mail address submitted on the registration form. Those applicants whose names are selected shall have an opportunity from 12 p.m. noon ET to 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 24, 2007 to purchase up to four (4) Green Monster tickets for one (1) Boston Red Sox regular season home game. In the event that the winner does not respond to such notification by purchasing tickets by 5 p.m. on Saturday, February 24, 2007, a disqualification will result.

Right Field Roof Deck Ticket Drawing

The third random drawing, for the opportunity to purchase four (4) Right Field Roof Deck tickets to one (1) 2007 Red Sox regular season home game, will be held on Monday, March 5, 2007 and each applicant selected will be notified on or about Wednesday, March 7, 2007 via the e-mail address submitted on the registration form. Those applicants whose names are selected shall have an opportunity from 12 p.m. ET to 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, March 10, 2007 to purchase four (4) Roof Deck tickets for one (1) Boston Red Sox regular season home game. In the event that the winner does not respond to such notification by purchasing tickets by 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 10, 2007, a disqualification will result.

Good Luck!!!!!

Seth Mnookin writes Schilling is pulling a pedro act.

Daisuke Matsuzaka talks to the media in California and both the Globe and Herald cover it.

Jon Lester has arrived in Ft Myers which maybe the best news of this off season.

and Roger says he is "failing at retirement"

Fenway Park attacked

Aqua Teen Hunger Force attacks the Green Monster

Shortly after 5:30 p.m., officials reported another "device" was found on Fenway Park's Green Monster at Gate C.

Seriously this has to go down as one of the goofiest days in Boston history

Arrest Made In Boston's Hoax Device Incident

Boston police say they have made in arrest in connection to the suspicious device scare on Wednesday that turned out to be a marketing ploy for a television cartoon. The reports forced the temporary shutdowns of Interstate 93, Storrow Drive, and a portion of the Charles River.

It boggles the mind that a major city can be shutdown over something like this

Mr and Mrs Theo Epstein

Congrats to Theo and his new bride as the Boston Globe is reporting they were married earlier this month.

It appears The Globe got part of the story wrong when they reported that Theo was married at Nathan's hot dog stand in Coney Island, Brooklyn. The Globe has retracted that.

But AP moved the hot dog story so it will become folklore.

17 more days

Barry Bonds apparently feels he has nothing to worry about as he gave the Giants the right to terminate his 1 year 15.8 million dollar contract if he is simply indicted.

I just wish he would go away.


I never bothered to comment on the Todd Helton rumor because I wanted to see if there was any fire with the smoke. Honestly the way his production has decreased at Coors Field why would anybody think he would regain his magic in Boston.

Spring Training can't start soon enough. The Celtics are tanking the season and the Bruins are just awful. At least the Beanpot is next week....

17 days to pitchers and catchers

I'm trying to avoid the Super Bowl hype. I guess I'm rooting for Chicago.

Schilling changes mind will play in 2008

Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling said this morning on Boston sports radio station WEEI that he will not retire from baseball at the end of this season, as he previously had planned, and that he is in discussions with the Red Sox on a contract extension for 2008.

"I will play in 2008," were the words Curt Schilling told Red Sox Nation this morning on WEEI.


Audio of WEEI interview


Schilling: I'll play in '08

Trupiano can't find another job

As I continue to stare at the Virtual Waiting Room screens this story made me angry.




One of the most distasteful things Red Sox management has done is the way the firing of long time announcer Jerry Trupiano was handled.

Trup is bitter

While stating the Red Sox gave him “no reason whatsoever” for letting him go, he added that the conversation with management went as is:

“They said thank you, you did a terrific job, you were a real professional, and that was it.” said Trupiano. “They wanted to put their guy in, and that's the bottom line. If anybody tells you anything different, then it's a lie.”

Trup is referring to Glenn Geffner who had worked in the Red Sox front office and called Padres games when Larry Lucchino ran the operation in San Diego.

Trupiano spoke at length with Peter Badavas in the Brockton Enterprise.

I'm going to miss him.

“Swing and a drive! Way back, Waaaay back! Home run!”

2007 Red Sox schedule with game times

2007 Red Sox schedule with game times

J.D FINALLY comes to Boston

boston.com is reporting Thursday night that the J.D. Drew contract dispute has been resolved.

Outfielder J.D. Drew will indeed appear in a Red Sox uniform this season. A resolution has been reached on his contract, and an announcement of his signing of a five-year, $70 million deal is expected tomorrow.

If Drew goes on the disabled list for anything related to this finding in the third year of the deal, the Sox can void the final two years of the contract. If he is disabled in the fourth year, the Sox can void the final year of the deal.

The out clause is not triggered if Drew is disabled for any reason other than anything directly connected to the Sox findings on his shoulder.

look what they done to my park ma

Look what they've done to my park, Ma

Look what they've done to my park

complete gallery from boston.com

More room means more fans in Fenway capcity 39,928?

It's Virtual Waiting Room time again

The Red Sox today announced that tickets for most home game in 2007 go on sale at redsox.com or calling 617-482-4SOX beginning Saturday,January 27th at 10 AM.

Fans will be allowed to purchase a maximum of eight tickets per person.

The Sox will also hold random drawings for Opening Day (Tuesday, April 10 vs. Seattle), Patriots Day (Monday, April 16 vs. the Angels), the nine Fenway games against the Yankees, and all tickets for Green Monster and right field roof deck seats.

Details for the random drawings will be announced next week. Tickets will go on sale at the Fenway Park box office on a date to be determined in February.

"We continue to be humbled and amazed by the record-setting commitment and support of our fans," said Larry Lucchino, the Red Sox' President/CEO. "That demand fuels our search for new ways to assure that as many regular fans and baseball-loving families can enjoy the experience at Fenway Park as possible. That's why we continue to develop new methods of fair distribution."

The dark days of winter are almost over

Murray Chass is still an idiot

Last week we commented on NY Times baseball writer Murray Chass who "suggested" if the Red Sox do not sign J.D. Drew that they could consider Barry Bonds.

Apparently Chass heard from many members of the wired Red Sox Nation and Tuesday morning he sniffs in the Times

It was a joke, a throwaway line, but only one of more than two dozen readers who responded via e-mail messages seemed to figure it out.

“I’m assuming,” one fan wrote, “that your comment about the Sox signing Bonds to play left and moving Manny to ‘his original position in right’ was made tongue-in-cheek.”

Give that man a cigar. As for the rest of the e-mail writers, do not pass Go, do not collect $200.

“Manny Ramírez in the expansive right field at Fenway?!” a New York lawyer and Red Sox fan wrote. “Why not make David Ortiz the shortstop while they’re at it.”

This was from the same lawyer who once vowed never to read another On Baseball column by this writer but then sent a critical e-mail after the very next column about the Red Sox.

“I thought you were never going to read another column?” I replied by e-mail at the time.

“I can’t resist reading them,” he wrote back.

To be fair, perhaps I failed to make it obvious that the Bonds-Ramírez idea was a joke; humor can be a dangerous area in which to tread. And, in the interest of full disclosure, it wasn’t even completely my line. An editor was the first to say, in jest, that the Red Sox should just sign Bonds instead of Drew.

Barry Bonds in the same sentence as Boston Red Sox is not a laughing matter and no you did not make it clear that it was a "joke". The kind of garbage you have been writing deserves to be in the NY Post not the Times.

Go write about your beloved New York Yankees and leave us alone up here in the provinces.

even for spring training the scalpers are cleaning up

Just wandered over to StubHub to see what they were getting for tickets in Ft. Myers.

Unbelivable

Gone are the days when you could fly into Orlando,drive to Winter Haven and be able to buy a seat for that days game.

I shouldn't be surprised. RSN travels better than any other team in baseball. The Red Sox could draw at 3 AM in February in Flin Flon, Manitoba.

But still I will go to Ft Myers and catch a game or two as City of Potted Palms Park is now just another theme park in Florida.

Trying to think warm thoughts as the snow falls this Monday evening.

A Gabe Kapler webgem not

We wish Gabe Kapler well in his new career as a minor league manager in the Sox system.

Somebody out there in internet land has this memory of Gabe.

Gabe Kapler webgem

cheer up pitchers and cathers before ya know it

It will not be fun watching the Super Bowl in 2 weeks as most Patriots fans will think their team should have been there. Never again can we say that Payton Manning can't come up big when everything is on the line. But that said it is hard to swallow that the Patriots blew an 18 point lead.

Another 3 1/2 weeks Ft. Myers comes to life.

MLB just broke the hearts of out of town Red Sox fans

Bad news for people with cable tv who have enjoyed watching the Red Sox on the MLB Extra Innings package ( or those of us in New England who kept an eye on the Yankees.

The NY TImes is reporting that MLB will sign an EXCLUSIVE agreement with DirecTV to carry the channel. This is similar to the deal the NFL has with the Sunday Ticket package which has never been made available to cable households.

I know quite a few Bostonians who are stuck in Manhattan and Chicago where satellite is not an option because they live in apartments but have enjoyed watching the Sox on the MLB pay channel.

If this affects you the first thing you must do on Monday is call or write Bud Selig's office in Milwaukee

Baseball Commissioner Office

777 E Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53202

(414) 225-8900

Red Sox believe they are worth $1.5 billion

Have the Red Sox doubled in value in 5 years? The team owners think so.

Steve Bailey in the Globe has the details Hot stove, cold cash

Trot signs with Cleveland

Our ultimate dirt dog now belongs to somebody else. Peter Gammons is reporting that Trot Nixon has signed a one year deal with the Indians.

He will be missed. Good Luck Trot!!!!

Murray Chass of the New York Times is insane ( I hope)

Wednesday in the New York Times, baseball writer Murray Chass must have invoked gales of laughter at the executive offices of Fenway Park when he wrote the following.

Six weeks after they agreed to terms on new contracts, Barry Bonds and J. D. Drew remain unsigned. Bonds hasn’t signed with the Giants; Drew hasn’t signed with the Red Sox. That prompts a thought. If both contracts were to fall through, the Red Sox could sign Bonds to play left field and move Manny Ramírez back to his original position in right.

I have seen some silly things written in the New York Times the past few years but this tops them all. Even the fishwrap Post wouldn't come up with anything so ludicrous. Bonds has worn out his welcome in the most tolerant city in America where even the laid back media there is attacking. Can you image what Dan Shaughnessey and Bob Ryan would be like assuming they didn't drop dead of massive coronaries while writing their venom.

And the Fenway Faithful? Bonds in a Red Sox uniform would make the fans feel warm and fuzzy about Carl Everett again. Just the idea of him playing at Fenway makes me ill. But there is nothing to it right?

Well it took a day but now the wires are moving with the Bonds rumor that Chase planted that the Giants want to get out of signing him. Meanwhile the contract saga with J.D. Drew just meanders along with both sides saying not to worry. It has been six weeks since the deal was announced, something is very wrong in his medical reports. If the Drew signing falls apart the Red Sox will have a lot of money available.

But Bonds????? No way in hell. Theo if you signed Bonds I might have to consider going over to the dark side.

I'm not kidding.

Oh ya we do have a football game on Sunday don't we GO PATS

Welcome back WBZ-TV now bring back Eyewitness News too

Our friends at universalhub.com posted a blog entry from the Herald that the suits over at 1170 Soldiers Field Road want to their TV station to be known again as WBZ-TV.

Hallelujah!!

Why CBS executives ever made the change in the first place makes you wonder if they used to work at the T. WBZ is the most famous call sign in New England and one would think that they would want to cross promote the television station with WBZ Radio1030 which practically everyone has a preset button for because of news/weather and traffic updates. But someone, probably in New York decided that the station must be known as CBS4. CBS did this with the majority of stations they owned ( with major exceptions in Pittsburgh-KDKA and Minneapolis-WCCO ) but they figured if we can trash the WCBS-TV name in New York, we can do the same in Boston.

For many of us who grew up in Boston WBZ-TV was family. It was Boston's first television station when it began programming on June 9, 1948. Many of us have fond childhood memories of Big Brother Bob Emery and Boomtown with Rex Trailer (who is still going strong).The station was best known for local news. We welcomed Victor Best, Arch McDonald, Jim Jensen, Tom Ellis, Tony Pepper, Jack Chase, Don Kent, Liz Walker, Bob Lobel, Bruce Schwoegler, Jack Williams into our homes. People came to trust Eyewitness News whenever a major story broke. It was never a major storm unless Shelby Scott was outside being blown away in it. The station however fell on hard times in 1995 when it switched network affiliations from NBC to CBS a changed forced by WBZ's owner Westinghouse buying CBS Television. The station even deleted its history page from their website because it was so tied in with NBC. Channel 7 which had never been a major force in the TV news area suddenly overtook Channel 4 in ratings and competed neck and neck with Channel 5. The station also suffered when Liz Walker retired to become a minister and they tried a number of new faces with no success. While the station is still ranked third in news ratings behind Channels 5 and 7 things have improved since Jack Williams was returned to the anchor job he never should have lost to begin with. I hope with the station bringing back the call letters WBZ-TV they would also consider bringing back the Eyewitness News slogan the station used for nearly 30 years.

Some of you may remember these musical themes that WBZ-TV used over the years

Original Eyewitness News theme 1965 "From Russia With Love"

We're Four 1980

Eyewitness News theme 1986-1990

WBZ-TV History (3:04)

WBZ-TV Sports History

it is quiet too quiet

To give you an idea on how quiet things are with the Red sox right now the boston.com Red Sox page hasn't changed in 2 days. Well there is this football game on Sunday in Indianapolis......

All we can offer today is an interview Nomar did with NESN when he was in town over the weekend and in it he talks about J.D. Drew

St Louis will host it's first All Star Game since 1966 in 2009 and there are rumors that the 2008 game will be awarded to Yankee Stadium in its last year.

Word out of Miami is the Marlins may be close in announcing a new stadium that would cost $500 million. The stadium would be built in downtown a mile inland from Biscayne Bay near Interstate 95. The ballpark would include a retractable roof.

Go Pats

deal with it San Diego

If you are planning on visiting San Diego in the near future you may not want to tell people you are from New England. The city is in shock after their beloved Chargers lost to the Patriots on Sunday. This may come as a surprise to some of you but the rest of the country is sick of the Patriots winning so much.

John Henry was sending e-mails to the media last night and said the team is still interested in Roger. In an e-mail to Herald writer Jeff Horrigan, Henry said the team intends to make another attempt to sign the seven-time Cy Young Award winner.

6 weeks have now passed since the Red Sox and J.D. Drew agreed to five-year, $70 million contract. It still hasn't been officially announced.

One month to pitchers and catchers which will be perfect as we will need a few days to recover from the Patriots Super Bowl victory over New Orleans.

more media outrage on Barry and Mike Lupica wonders about how pure Roger is

In the Sunday Globe Nick Carfardo writes on how Barry's peers may feel about him now that threw a teammate under the bus.

"Nothing like dragging your teammate down and throwing him under the bus," said one veteran American League player. "That, to me, is despicable."

A former Bonds teammate, and longtime friend, said, "It's hard to keep defending Barry. Something like that with Sweeney, that's not right."

In the New York Daily News, Bill Madden is even more blunt

Bonds is a plague on the game and a divisive force in the Giants' clubhouse, his pursuit of Aaron's record being greeted with dread rather than excitement, which is why Giants owner Peter Magowan's decision to give him $16 million when no other team in baseball wanted any part of him is so curious.

Gwen Knapp in the San Francisco Chronicle though writes all is not lost with Barry.

Six home runs in April should cure a lot of the ill will. Seven or eight in May should help people forget this week's sordid story about his testing positive for an amphetamine and then, most sinfully, trying to explain himself by saying that a substance obtained from teammate Mark Sweeney might have triggered the positive test

Mike Lupica in the Daily News wonders just how pure Roger Clemens is in the steriod era.

If the Yankees do win the always much-anticipated and now-annual Roger Clemens Sweepstakes, if they do manage to outbid the Astros and Red Sox for his services, they need to understand that they do not just get his 44-going-on-45 right arm, they also get the questions about whether that crackerjack training regimen we hear about all the time with him is more natural than solar energy.

I am so sick and tired of hearing about steroids and the impact it has had on the game in the past twenty years or so. As far back as 1988 the Fenway crowd took great fun in chanting S-T-E-R-O-I-D-S at Joes Casenco during a playoff game. I like millions of other fans watched in amazement as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa assaulted the long time record by Roger Maris. Truth is there were questions then but we the fans didn't want to hear it and neither did the sportswriters. Bud Selig and Company were just thrilled fans were returning to the game after the disastrous strike of 1994. Now the game is paying the price.

I remember how excited the nation was when Hank Aaron was closing in on Babe Ruth's record in late 1973. The final week of that season NBC broke into prime time for every Aaron at bat as there was no ESPN or for that matter cable tv yet. Yes there were some who didn't want a black man to break Babe's record but they were treated with scorn by the vast majority of fans. I am certain if Babe was still alive in 1974 he would have been at home plate to greet Aaron after the record was broken. But now Barry Bonds is very close to passing Aaron and outside of Giants fans in San Francisco, nobody wants it to happen. Can you even fathom what Fenway would be like if by some small chance Bonds broke the record in Boston in June? 36,000 people booing with all their might and if he does break the record on the road that is exactly what will happen.

The Giants don't need Bonds to sell tickets this year. They are hosting the All Star Game and fans have bought season tickets just to go to that.

The sad part is if we think the coverage is over the top now, just wait as he gets closer.

What a mess.

Things getting "testy" in Bay Area with Barry

The Patriots play tomorrow at San Diego and have total command of the Boston area sports attention. The only baseball news of note is coming from San Francisco.

Since both Bay Area NFL teams have long gone home the focus in the San Francisco sports pages is on Barry Bonds and it isn't pretty.

In the Chronicle, Bruce Jenkins writes "Here's the really sick part about the latest Barry Bonds episode: It doesn't really change anything around the offices of Magowan, Baer & Shameless. They're still looking ahead to April, figuring all this nonsense will eventually blow over, and they may be right." Ray Ratto fumes "Namely, how much more public humiliation and brand shame the Giants can bring upon themselves by trying to extract the last available dollar out of the left fielder's husk" Gwen Knapp chimes in "We're about six weeks away from the grand ritual of pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training and equidistant from the start of utter mayhem for the Giants." and the paper is asking fans "Should the Giants back out of negotiations to keep Bonds?".

Tim Liotta in the The Examiner writes "Bonds’ routine more tired than ever"

Lovely.

It seems pretty obvious that somebody at the MLB offices in New York dropped a dime on Barry with the NY Daily News, a historical dumping ground for MLB when they want something leaked. Bud Selig does not want him to break Hank Aaron's record and you can be certain that he is putting pressure on the Giants not to sign him. This is going to get real ugly folks.

Roger tells the Houston Chronicle this morning "Right now I'm just chasing my boys around. I'm nowhere close to a decision." and says he hasn't given Brian Cashman's remarks about him this week any thought. Ya right Rog.

The only Red Sox news of note is that the team avoided arbitration with right-hander Kyle Snyder yesterday, agreeing to a one-year, $535,000 contract.

Go Pats!!!

Some real honest baseball news in the early paper

Early edition of the Friday Herald is out with BASEBALL stories.

Jonathan Papelbon said he will be more than happy to return to his role as Red Sox closer if the need arises - but doubts such a move would be necessary in 2007.

Hansen happy to help

Who’s your daddy? Pedro visits son, 19 NINETEEN???? yikes

Cashman, Yanks admit to yearning for Clemens

MVP slugger on defense: Howard answers critics
By Steve Buckley

and please send prayers for Bobby Murcer
Ex-New York Yankees star Murcer’s tumor is malignant

Bonds gets caught with his hands in the greenie jar

The New York Daily News unloads on Barry Bonds in Thursday's paper saying that Bonds flunked a test for amphetamines last season.

The noose is getting tighter Barry. Hopefully MLB can get him out of the game before he breaks Hank Aaron's record.


Mike Lupica: Baseball unsafe at any speed



Failure leaves a testy Barry
Daily News Exclusive: Barry Bonds, already under investigation for lying under oath about his steroid use, failed a test under Major League Baseball's amphetamine policy last season and then initially blamed it on a teammate, the Daily News has learned.
FULL STORY

The J.D Drew saga continues.....

Nick Carfardo reported this afternoon that the Red Sox and Scott Boras are backing talking about the J.D. Drew contract. Boras was tied up with the Barry Zito mega-contract and Theo was on vacation. An insider tells Carfardo a deal is close.

Jim Rice spoke today about once again failing to get the 75% of votes needed to be elected to the Hall of Fame.

“I’m not disappointed because I’ve been down this road before,” Rice said. “I
thought there was a chance and I guess I got a few more votes (nine). I had my
fingers crossed really for the first time since the voting began. It didn’t
happen, but we’ll have to see about next year and what that brings.”

Red Sox had their Sox rookie development program camp at Boston College this afternoon and Carfardo gives details.

Bad news for the Patriots as Rodney Harrison will not play Sunday at San Diego and Chargers Shawne Merriman today predicted his team would beat the Patriots

Should be a lot of Red Sox news later in the week as the Baseball Writers Dinner is tomorrow night at the South Boston Convention Center.

I hate January

Jim Rice fails again to make Hall of Fame

Jim Rice only was able to get 63.5 of the writers votes in the 2007 Hall of Fame Election. It is beginning to look like Jim will never make it to Cooperstown.

It is also obvious we will never see a unanimous choice for the Hall of Fame as Cal Ripken was left off 8 ballots getting 98.53% of the vote, the third highest in history after Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan.

Chicago columnist Paul Ladewski was one of two writers who left the ballot blank.

Ladewski wrote that his empty ballot wasn't an indictment of Gwynn or Ripken, but a reflection of his doubts about players from baseball's Steroid Era.

''At this point, I don't have nearly enough information to make a value judgment of this magnitude,'' Ladewski wrote. ''This isn't to suggest that Gwynn or Ripken or the majority of the other eligible candidates padded his statistics with performance-enhancers and cheated the game, their predecessors and the fans in the process.

''But tell me, except for the players themselves, who can say what they put into their bodies over the years with any degree of certainty?''

Mark McGwire can kiss Cooperstown goodbye as he only received 128 votes (23.5 percent)

Well Jim you will always be a Hall of Famer at this address

Gammons and Theo rock the night away

A good time was had by all at Hot Stove Cool Music 7 Sunday night. A review in the Monday Herald

Bye Bye RJ and Ohio Burger King workers beware

Given the Red Sox problems with Randy Johnson while he was with New York I don't think any of us will miss him as it is being reported that he has been traded back to Arizona. Arizona would send pitcher Luis Vizcaino to the Yankees along with minor league pitcher Ross Ohlendorf and shortstop Alberto Gonzalez, another baseball official said, also on condition of anonymity. The Yankees also might receive another minor league pitcher, the official said, and would pay between $1.5 million and $2 million of Johnson's $16 million salary this year.

Burger King workers of Northern Ohio watch out, Keith Foulke is headed for Cleveland. $5 million, one-year contract.

The Red Sox made it official today, signing pitcher Joel Pineiro to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2008.

Sox set to sign Joel Pineiro

The Red Sox have another candidate for the closer roll as they have agreed in principal to a one year deal with former Mariners pitcher Joel Pineiro.

Pineiro, who was 8-13 with a 6.36 ERA last season, was not offered arbitration by the Mariners, who paid him $6.8 million for '06.

March will be very interesting in Ft. Myers as the Sox try to sort the bullpen out.

RIP Kathryn Gemme oldest Red Sox fan at 112

The Globe reported today on the death of the "oldest known Red Sox fan" Kathryn Gemme at the age of 112.

In May of 2005, the Globe profiled her when she came face to face with the 2004 World Series trophy.

When she met Johnny Pesky she asked him how old he was. Pesky replied he was 84 and she shot back 'Ah, Johnny, you're just a kid.' "

Rest in Peace Kathryn

Sox announce minor league staff

The Red Sox announced today the complete roaster of minor league coaches and managers.

Pawtucket (Triple-A, International League)Manager: Ron JohnsonPitching coach: Mike Griffin Hitting coach: Mark Budaska Trainer: Greg Barajas

Portland (Double-A, Eastern League)Manager: Arnie Beyeler Pitching coach: Mike Cather Hitting coach: Russ Morman Trainer: Brad Pearson

Lancaster (Single-A, California League)Manager: Chad Epperson Pitching coach: Bob Kipper Hitting coach: Dave Joppie Trainer: Jon Jochim

Greenville (Single-A, South Atlantic League)Manager: Gabe Kapler Pitching coach: Walter Miranda Hitting coach: Randy Phillips Trainer: Paul Buchheit

Lowell (Single-A, New York-Penn League)Manager: Jon Deeble Pitching coach: Ace Adams Hitting coach: Alan MautheTrainer: TBA

Gulf Coast (Rookie, Gulf Coast League)Manager: Dave Tomlin Pitching coach: Goose Gregson Hitting coach: U.L. Washington Trainer: Brandon Henry

Time for another Boston-New York war

Expect for the next week to hear nothing but the hype for the NFL playoff game between the Jets and Patriots.

The only thing in the media today that even remotly concerns the Red Sox is the Commonwealth has scheduled a hearing over possible ticket scalping by a broker concerning Red Sox tickets.

Peter Gammons will be doing a chat on boston.com on Thursday January 4th at Noon EST to look at the Red Sox off season. The Globe is also having a contest to give away tickets to the Gammons rock show next weekend.

Happy 2007 to all in Red Sox Nation

I hope everyone had a great New Year's.

That said I just want to say that it is time for Dick Clark to retire. He has made wonderful progress since his stroke of 2 years ago but it was very painful to watch him last night in Times Square.


With the holidays finally over perhaps we will get some news this week concerning JD Drew and his ongoing contract.

Red Sox.com has a puff piece on what to look forward to in 2007

On Sunday Nick Carfardo looked at the Red Sox closer situation and suggests tghat the Red Sox are looking at Julian Tavarez to close.