November 24, 2008

Flying High

Let me see if I can wrap my mind around this; there’s only one active Boston sports team with four losses and it’s nearing the end of November? Seriously? The Celtics have two, the Bruins have three (and are looking like the real deal, especially Saturday night in Montreal), and the Patriots are the clubhouse leader with four? I say that life is very good right now.

Let’s talk about this Patriots team. This is a team that many (including myself) had written off when Brady went down. But my friends kept telling me to drink the Kool-Aid, Cassel would be alright they told me. Well after the Miami game last time around I wanted him on the next Fung Wah bus with hopes it’d have another “accident” on the Mass Pike.

To say that Cassel’s come around is an understatement. Two weeks in a row with 400 yards passing, three scores in the air, and a score on the ground. Two weeks in a row with numbers like that is pretty damn impressive. The lone interception in the two games was a fluke.

Analysts, commentators, experts, even retarded Dan Dierdorf all said that the Patriots needed to get Randy Moss involved more in the offense and the Patriots would win. Well, with 125 reception yards yesterday and three touchdowns, I would say he’s involved.

On the negative side, Jabar Gaffney seems to drop 2-3 balls every game. He dropped a sure touchdown against the Colts, had a couple drops against the Jets, and continued yesterday dropping two balls in the first half. What the hell? Maybe Belichick should give Slayton or Washington a start over this guy.

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So with the game well in hand, the Dolphins clearly out of it, they decided to participate in some extra curricular activities. Some dillhole, Channing Crowder, decided it was OK to punch Matt Light after the kick went through making it 41-28. Light responded by grabbing him by the dreads and punching him in the head. Then this punk laughed about it after the fact and taunted Light all the way into the tunnel. I hope Light found this guy after the cameras were turned off and threw him a serious beating.

Unfortunately the Jets knocked off the Titans so they remain a game in front of the Patriots. But had the Patriots lost this game, the playoffs would have been a long shot. The schedule doesn’t get much easier with Pittsburgh coming to Foxboro on Sunday, but let’s savor the victory for the time being.

Nine total losses for your pro teams. Life is good and as the headline says, we’re flying high.

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November 21, 2008

Freeform Friday

I’m going to start with the Red Sox news I caught, but don’t worry there’s Patriots love here too.

There was an article on Yahoo Sports yesterday that said the Sox were exploring the idea of signing a free agent. The free agent, Rocco Baldelli. I like the move as a fourth outfielder now that Coco is gone. If he’s healthy he gives you diversity in the outfield, speed off the bench, and a solid bat. Again, if he’s healthy. Since the guy’s been in the majors he hasn’t had a full, injury-free season since 2003.


Why is that guy wearing a Sox hat?

OK, on to the Patriots and a huge divisional game this weekend with the Dolphins. Last time these two faced off it was one of the most depressing games of the season. Like really depressing. Like, I want to turn off this game depressing. It was really the low point of the Patriots’ season, aside from the whole losing your starting quarterback in the first game of the season thing.

Coming out of the game against Miami there were no positives. People left the game early and the fans actually booed the Patriots performance. It was pretty pathetic. But, it was also Matt Cassel’s second career start. A lot has changed since that week. Buffalo has dropped from first to last and this game has serious playoff implications.

Both teams are 6-4 coming into the game. A win by the Patriots gives them at least a split of the season series with every team in the division (Buffalo may be a sweep). A loss would really hurt the Pats chances of even making the playoffs. The deck is stacked against them without Adalius Thomas to help against the vaunted Miami rushing attack that torched the Pats in week three.

But I have faith. Sure the Pats don’t typically do well in Miami, but that’s in September and this game is in November. I know the NFL schedule makers didn’t do the Pats any favors like in the past (Miami in December at Foxboro is typically a Pats win) but they’re pretty pissed coming off a loss to the Jets and they understand how important this game is.

Miami’s riding a four game winning streak, but it’s Miami. The same Miami team that finished 1-15 last year, could have drafted Matt Ryan and didn’t, and shouldn’t be hanging around this late in the season at 6-4. I say the Pats win this but closer than games have been this season. They cover (they’re a 1.5 point underdog) and win 22-21. Five field goals by Gostkowsi, the last one with two seconds left on the game clock.

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November 20, 2008

Happy Trails Coco Crisp

I want you to go back in time in your head (like there’s another way?). Johnny Damon had just signed with the Yankees following the Red Sox 2005 playoff collapse in Chicago. Rent-a-wreck had booted what felt like 100 balls in the infield and the Sox had traded him to Atlanta for Andy Marte. The Sox then flipped Marte to the Indians for Coco Crisp coming off a season where he batted .300 with 16HR, 42 doubles, and 15 stolen bases.

The Sox thought they’d traded for their center fielder of the future. Well he missed pretty much the first two months of the season with a broken finger and never really bounced back. In fact he never batted .300 with the Sox, never hit double digit home runs with the Sox, and the most doubles he hit in a season with the Sox was 28 in 2007. Coco’s 2007 post season was so bad that he lost the starting job to Jacoby Ellsbury in the World Series.

Everyone had Coco traded by May at the latest. Jacoby would carry over his spectacular post season into the regular season. Jacoby would be our starting center fielder and lead off hitter. Who needs Coco? Well when Jacoby hit the skids, it was a good thing that Coco was still with the team. Coco was the best insurance policy this team could have asked for especially in the post season where he batted .417 after Jacoby disappeared in the ALCS.

But we all know it couldn’t last. Coco made it clear after the season was over that if he wasn’t the starter that he wanted to be traded to a place where he would be. So Theo sent him to the bowels of baseball. Kansas City. Now Coco can show off his World Series ring to a team of young guys just hoping they’ll finish out of the cellar in the AL Central.

What I’ll miss most is the flute playing, bat holding of Coco. What’s up with that? Jacoby best be playing Arizona Fall League baseball and at the Athletes’ Performance complex in Arizona. That’s where Youk worked out this past off season and was a beast this season.

What did the Sox get back you ask. A bag of balls? A used pitching machine? A cardboard catcher cut out? Nope. They actually got a decent player in return.

Reading Peter Gammons yesterday and from what I can tell this kid is the real deal. Ramon Ramirez (can he please wear #24 so people that bought Manny shirts can keep wearing them?) throws 93-95 and will likely replace Masterson as a bridge to Papelbon. Meaning that Masterson can return to the rotation and the Sox are probably out of a bidding war with the Yankees for AJ Burnett. Rumor has it the Yankees are set to offer him a four year $80 Million deal. Remember Carl Pavano? I rest my case.

As I said yesterday this is exciting and this is just the beginning. Build us a winner Theo.

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November 19, 2008

Little Dusty Wins The MVP

I know everyone thought I’d go Celtics/Knicks especially when two of our favorites, Leon Powe and Brian Scalabrine, were key cogs in the victory. But like I’ve said previously, the baseball stuff and football is taking precedent this early in the NBA season.

Did I mention that Dustin Pedroia won the AL MVP?

Honestly I think that the turning point from a great season to an MVP weekend was during that series against the Houston Astros. Sure the Sox lost two of three from the Astros that weekend, but it wasn’t Little Dusty’s fault. He went 9-14 in the series and raised his average over .300 at that point. There was no looking back from there. He continued to put the Sox on his back and carry the team into the playoffs.

So Little Dusty took the Silver Slugger, Golden Glove, and now the AL MVP. Not a bad season for a guy that won Rookie of the Year last year and people wanted replaced by Alex Cora. How’s that move working out for you? He joins Cal Ripken and Ryan Howard as the only players to follow up a rookie of the year campaign with an MVP.

And how much bonus money did Pedroia get for his MVP season? The same as I did. Nothing. So I leave you with a couple of shots courtesy of our friend JC. This is little Dusty celebrating last year’s ALCS on the field at Fenway.

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Congrats Dusty.

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November 18, 2008

Tuesday’s Hot Stove

To think just a year ago we were talking about how the team must resign Mike Lowell and that it would be a crime if the Sox didn’t bring him back after his MVP season. Flash forward a year and everyone has this guy’s bags packed for him and he’s ready to be shipped out on the first Greyhound out of South Station.

We’ll get back to the Lowell stuff in a moment. The story that caught my eye and got me very excited was the Tigers looking to trade for Julio Lugo. That’s right, that Julio Lugo. Are you serious? Let’s hope they are. Even better on that rumor front is that the Tigers would send Dontrelle Willis to the Sox in the deal.

Now I’m not stupid, I know Willis had a sub par year (0-2 with a 9.38 ERA) and was sent to the minors to find his control, but at this point do you care? He’s owed just $4 Million more than Lugo over the next two years. So you get a questionable pitcher instead of a shortstop that can’t hit or field and probably won’t play since Jed Lowrie is pencilled in as your starter. Hopefully Willis could reconnect with Beckett, his buddy from the Marlins and rediscover his command. Worse case scenario he’s a bust. Oh well, you were going to ship Lugo out for nothing at least you’re getting something back that could help the team.

Back to the Lowell thing. The speculation more and more is that the Sox are going to be the high bidders for Mark Teixeira. Sean McAdam, of the Herald and formerly of the Providence Journal, thinks that with the Yankees bidding $140 Million for Santana and trading for Nick Swisher, that they’re out of the Teixeira bidding. I agree on the fact that trading for Swisher doesn’t make sense if you’re going to try and get Teixeira but we all know the Yankees have enough payroll freed up to make a run if they wanted.

So if the Sox get the services of Teixeira, Lowell would likely be the odd man out. You don’t trade Youk who is young and you have control of for the next two years. The Sox I’m sure have backup plan if the Teixeira signing doesn’t pan out.

The Jake Peavy to the Braves trade seems dead. It would be interesting to see if the Sox got into that bidding. We know they have a lot of young talent but how much would it take to get a perennial Cy Young candidate? I doubt the Sox are going to get involved with Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden ready to make the leap from the minors. Word is that Buchholz looked really good in Arizona fall league and that Bowden may surprise people and make the team out of spring training.

If anything, it’s the most exciting time of the baseball offseason. It’ll be interesting to see how the team takes shape and how others in the division do in the offseason. Back tomorrow with who knows what. Celtics vs. Knicks? Who knows.

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