Tek Files for Free Agency

Posted by Chris Collins October 31, 2008 at 4:49 pm

Those final two at bats in the Trop, game seven of the American League Championship Series. Was there any one person in Red Sox nation feeling good about those? Jason Varitek’s final two plate appearances of the season and maybe his career as a Red Sox. It just doesn’t seem right. It was only four years ago where Red Sox nation was in a tizzy, demanding that the Sox lock up the catcher long term. Not only did the Sox do the right thing, they also rewarded Varitek with the C that he prominently wears on his chest.
But now the Captain is still arguably the premiere catcher in the game when it comes to handling a pitching staff, his leadership second to none.
Let’s be honest, when he hit that home run in game 6 which propelled the Sox into the winner take all battle the next night, everybody felt good for the captain. And it would have been appropriate if that was the last memory we had of Varitek with the home town team.
But as we know things didn’t work out the way a fairytale is supposed to unfold. And now the Sox have a major decision – what to do with an aging captain? Varitek plays a position where you don’t have a major upgrade to replace him with so to me that makes the answer very easy.
I say it’s this simple. Sign him up and be done. Make it A two year deal, find a back up who can play 75 games, put tek down the bottom of the line up and hope that one of the hardest workers in the game can will himself to a .240 average.
Breaking up is always hard to do.

Sox hearts aflutter – Wake will return

Posted by Ted McEnroe October 31, 2008 at 2:42 pm

The Red Sox have made it official.  Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein announced they have exercised their option to bring back Tim Wakefield for the 2009 season.

Wakefield posted a 10-11 record and a 4.13 earned run average in 30 starts this season. He ranked second on the staff and third in the American League with a .228 opponents batting average against. The righthander finished second on the club in starts and innings (181.0) and fourth in strikeouts (117).

Wakefield is second in club history with 1,797 career strikeouts, 367 starts and 504 appearances and third with 164 wins and 2,581.2 innings. He is the only Red Sox pitcher ever with at least 500 games and 350 starts in his career and the 23rd hurler in major league history to reach those milestones with the same team. The 42-year-old competed in his 14th season with Boston in 2008, the longest continuous stint as a pitcher in club history.

Oh, and ‘Tek filed for free agency… as did David Ross and Alex Cora. Didn’t want to shock you with all that.

Next Great Japanese Imports

Posted by Adam Hart October 30, 2008 at 4:59 pm

Holy Nintendo, Batman! How can you write a free agency post without including those from the Far East? I dunno. Isn’t there a time difference or something? Read more

Very Different Rivalry

Posted by Chris Collins October 29, 2008 at 6:10 pm

Gone are the days when the two best quarterbacks. Brady verses Manning would battle for home field advantage in the post season. This game has been absolutely huge in the past, this year’s game not so much.

At least not for the Patriots, it does become a huge game for the Colts, but clearly for a different reason. With a record under five hundred, the Colts are not playing for post season position, but post season life.

One elite QB is done for the year. The other has been slowed by off season surgery. The Patriots have ripped off two wins in a row and are staring at a potential battle for first place next week when they get together with Buffalo. However at 5-2 the Pats are hardly desperate, at 3-4 the Colts are just that. It puts the Pats in a difficult position trying to go on the road, the week before the game of the year and knock out a team that absolutely has to have the win. No surprise Billy B has been glowing on the fact that they are still the same dangerous Colts, not true. They are not the same Colts, not even close to the team they have had in years past, but because of their loss on Monday Night Football they have suddenly become dangerous. Dangerous because they are desperate.

Pierce Finally Has His Night

Posted by Adam Hart October 29, 2008 at 7:26 am

Nine years of futility erased. Yes, futility can be defined as making the playoffs with Antoine Walker as your wingman. Or Rick Pitino ranting down memory lane. But now, banner No. 17 has been raised. Read more

They’re baaaack!

Posted by Adam Hart October 28, 2008 at 8:51 pm

The Celtics, that is.  The long trail toward Number 18 begins tonight, on the parquet, against Cleveland. It’s time to running blog this bad boy. …Yes, ‘running blog’ is now a verb. Read more

It All Starts Now

Posted by Mike Giardi October 28, 2008 at 7:16 pm

Tonight promises to be a special one here at the Garden. The Celtics will get their rings and raise banner number 17. I just saw Paul Pierce come off the floor with a smile that rivaled what came across his face when he held the Larry O’Brien Trophy on this same floor only 4 months ago. I was genuinely happy for him then, and will be again this evening.

Okay, now I have a confession: I’m not a big fan of these celebrations. In my experience, they’re usually too drawn out and too coreographed. I much prefer the moments right after the clincher is over. That unabashed joy is one of the big reasons I love sports. Nothing like completing the journey in style.

Anyway, once this game is over and the questions are asked, its time to put 2007-08 in the rearview. Despite many of the same faces, this “team” is different, the pressure is different and the psychology of defending is far more challenging. Is this team good enough to handle it? To succeed? We’re about to find out.

Ainge Gets Promotion

Posted by Morry Levine October 28, 2008 at 1:33 pm

As the Celtics get ready to tip off their season tonight, they’ll do so with a new President. The C’s promoted Danny Ainge from GM to President of Basketball Operations. He was also given a contract extension. Ainge, who is entering his sixth season in Boston’s front office, won NBA executive of the year after last season after engineering deals to bring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to Boston.

World Series PPD Again

Posted by Morry Levine October 28, 2008 at 1:31 pm

The World Series won’t resume until Wednesday night at the earliest. With rain still falling in Philadelphia, Major League Baseball decided not to attempt to complete Game 5 on Tuesday night.
The game, played in increasingly heavy rain, was suspended Monday following a 30-minute delay with the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays tied 2-2 after 5½ innings. It was the first time a World Series game wasn’t played to completion on the same day.

Red Sox 2008 in Review

Posted by Adam Hart October 27, 2008 at 2:44 pm

I wasn’t planning on doing this.  But when you get a message from a guy who’s been your friend since middle school — the smartest kid in your high school’s graduating class — you just shut up and do it. Read more

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