Time to Say Jacobye?

Time to Say Jacobye?

Twins Reportedly Request Ellsbury Inclusion
in Any Deal for Santana

Survey: Should the Sox Include Jacoby for a Shot at Santana?
Herald: Sox in Aggressive Pursuit of Santana
NY Times: Sox Balk at Including Ellsbury for Santana
SI.com: Santana Market Heats Up with Yanks, Sox
NY Daily News: Twins Have No Interest in Coco Crisp
Eric Wilbur: Risk vs. Reward on Santana

Bruins Issue Apology to Sox, Pats, and Celtics

It's Curt in the Shirt

It's Curt in the Shirt

Schill Sans Suit at the Series DVD Premiere

38Pitches from Logan: Schill Fesses Up to Wardrobe Mishap at the Wang

"Spent last night at the premiere of the 2007 World Series Video release. Unfortunately someone forgot to get me the clothing memo. So I showed up looking like I had just finished cutting wood, with everyone else in suit and tie. I guess the Red Carpet should have been a tip off�"-- 11.27.07, Curt Schilling on being suitless

The Doctor is Out

The Doctor is Out

Nation Left to Entertain Itself as Sox PR Maestro Charles Steinberg Gets Out of Dodge and Heads to L.A.

Fenway Faithful Offer to Drive Tessie to the Airport to Accompany Dr. Charles Out West
Will Sox Players Ever See Their Series Rings Without a Steinberg-Staged Ceremony?
First Look: Steinberg Plans to Have Terry Cashman and the Cowsills Sing National Anthem at Dodger Stadium on Opening Day in First Stroke of Genius in New Job
Steinberg Pledges to Offer Dodger Nation $15.00 Fan Cards In Order to
Get Accurate Head-Count of True Blue Fan Base
Hidden Mascots Lefty and Righty Vow Hunger Strike in Protest of Move
Somewhere in New England, Theo Epstein's Old Gorilla Suit is Smiling

38Pitches: Post a Thank You to the Men and Women of the Armed Forces

Ho Hum, Pats Win Again

Ho Hum, Pats Win Again

Dice-K Lands in Japan

Dice-K Lands in Japan

Matsuzaka Hopes to Improve His Command in '08

"As a team, [winning the World Series] was the best. But as for personal accomplishment, it was not up to my standards. I feel that my command was something I need to improve."-- 11.21.07, Daisuke Matsuzaka

38Pitches: Say Thanks to Mike Lowell | Schill on the OC Trade and More

On Diamond's Mind

On Diamond's Mind

Neil's Sweet Song Is About Caroline Kennedy

Listen to Sweet Caroline Clip | Record Your Own Version

More Diamond Revelations...

... Cracklin' Rosie Inspired by the One and Only Rosie O'Donnell...
Hello Again Was a Forward Look at the Return of Curt Schilling
Cherry, Cherry Paid Tribute to Former Bruins Coach Don "Grapes" Cherry
I'm a Believer Is a Secret Shout-Out to Dr. Charles Steinberg
Song Sung Blue Is Dedicated to Grady Little and the Dodgers
Longfellow Serenade Was About Nomar and Mia On the Longfellow Bridge
I Am I Said Was Co-Written with Manny Ramirez
Love on the Rocks Has Veiled References to the Orlando Cabrera Trade
Play Me is Dedicated to Sox 4th Outfielder Coco Crisp

Tumbleweed Connection

Tumbleweed Connection

Fasten Your Pillow, This Promises To Be the
Quietest Red Sox Offseason in Years

Eric Wilbur: Done Shopping Already?

They�re pretty much done. And it�s not even December.

Don�t they know that people are already talking about the 10-0 Patriots? Don�t they understand that people are sort of getting into the Celtics? If they�re not careful, folks might discuss names like Garnett and Brady at upcoming company parties instead of what time they should meet at �Christmas at Fenway.�

How exactly do we spend an offseason when the Red Sox want to make news 24/7?

This is already a decidedly different offseason than the one that followed the �04 title. That winter, the Red Sox said farewell to guys like Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe, Dave Roberts, and Orlando Cabrera, replacing them with Matt Clement, David Wells, and Edgar Renteria. In 2008, they�ll welcome back pretty much the same team that tasted October glory last month. Give or take a Mike Timlin or a Doug Mirabelli. -- 11.20.07, Eric Wilbur, Boston.com

Lowell-Sox Deal Official

Lowell and Good

Lowell and Good

Three Cheers for Three Years:
Mike Lowell Stays with Sox

Curt Schilling on 38Pitches.com: "... Mikey Lowell is back. How cool is that? Leaving years and dollars on the table to come back here for three more years, good stuff. Pretty nice to think you are fans in a town that is now a desired destination for athletes across the major sports. Come a long way for sure."

Five Reasons Why Lowell is Better Than A-Rod

Are the Sox Mickey Mousing Around with Mike?

Are the Sox Mickey Mousing
Around with Mike?

Will The Yankees Take Lowell Away from the Sox?

Happy Hanksgiving

It's Good To See the Real Home Run King Back in the Picture

Bonds Bombshell

Bonds Bombshell

Barry Bonds Indicted By Federal Grand Jury

And Justice for All

Read the Entire Bonds Indictment Here

Will Barry's Records Be Wiped Out Like His Balco Buddy Marion Jones?

SF Chronicle Archives: Book Traces Bonds' Steroids Use to McGwire-Sosa HR Race
SF Chronicle Archives: What Barry Told BALCO Grand Jury
Recording: Trainer Says Barry Used Steroids in 2003
Bonds* 'Explodes' in MVP Conference Call
Bonds* Comes Completely Undone
Eric Wilbur: 'Shadows' of No Doubt

'Shadows' Detailed Slugger's Steroid Use

"Depending on the substance, Bonds used the drugs in virtually every conceivable form: injecting himself with a syringe or being injected by his trainer, Greg Anderson, swallowing pills, placing drops of liquid under his tongue, and, in the case of BALCO's notorious testosterone-based cream, applying it topically.

"According to the book, Bonds gulped as many as 20 pills at a time and was so deeply reliant on his regimen that he ordered Anderson to start 'cycles' -- a prescribed period of steroid use lasting about three weeks -- even when he was not due to begin one. Steroid users typically stop usage for a week or two periodically to allow the body to continue to produce natural testosterone; otherwise, such production diminishes or ceases with the continued introduction of synthetic forms of the muscle-building hormone.

"Bonds called for the re-starting of cycles when he felt his energy and power start to drop. If Anderson told Bonds he was not due for another cycle, the authors write, Bonds would tell him, 'F--- off, I'll do it myself.'" -- 3.7.06, Sports Illustrated, Bonds Exposed

A-Rod Agrees to Deal with Yankees
Schilling on the A-Rod Deal and More

Fears of a Clown

WHDH-TV (Ch. 7): Four Teams Offer Lowell 4-year Contract
Bradford: No Offer Made By 3 of 4 Teams in Channel 7 Report
Dan Roche: Lowell Has 4 year, $50M-$55M Offer from Yanks

Peter Gammons also reported on ESPN yesterday that the Yankees had discussed first base as far back as two weeks ago, and that the team that seems to be making the strongest pitch is Philadelphia if they can backload the deal until Pat Burrell's $14M is off the books at the end of the 2008 season. Gammons believes the Yankees will use Giambi and Duncan at fist and occasionally use the DH spot for Damon and Matsui. Regarding the Channel 7 report of Atlanta making an offer: Are the Braves going to release Chipper Jones to make room for Lowell?

Fears of a Clown

Alex Is Ascared Because Baseball Called the Big Boras Bluff
With No New Contract Coming, Rodriguez Crawls Back to Yankees with Tail Planted Firmly Between Legs

NY Post: A-Rod Plea: Take Me Back Please
And Guess Who's Not Invited to the Welcome Back Dinner ...

Ken Rosenthal: Boras Finally Tastes a Bit of Humiliation
NY Times: Yanks Should Treat Rodriguez the Way He Treated Them

In his own gauche way, A-Rod has offended the Yankees, which may only now be dawning on him.

�Cynthia and I have since spoken directly with the Steinbrenner family,� Rodriguez said in a statement released on his Web site (arod.com) yesterday.

�During these healthy discussions, both sides were able to share honest feelings and hopes with one another, and we expect to continue this dialogue with the Yankees over the next few days,� he added.

The Yankees should imitate Vince Lombardi, when his Super Bowl-winning center, Jim Ringo, had the audacity to hire an agent for salary negotiations. According to legend, Lombardi left his office for a few minutes and came back and informed Ringo that he would have to negotiate with the Eagles, because he had just been traded. Ringo and Lombardi denied that scene, but Ringo did hire an agent, and he did get traded, in very short order.

Nowadays, of course, athletes have every right to hire an agent, but they need to be aware of the impact. Boras went too far, and Rodriguez did not seem to understand any of the implications of putting the squeeze on the Yankees. Whatever vision of El Dorado Boras painted, the response from other clubs has been underwhelming. -- 11.15.07, George Vescey, NY Times

Sigh: C.C. Cy

Sigh: C.C. Cy

Sabathia Wins Award for Best Regular Season Pitcher
Even Though Beckett Stole the Show in the Playoffs

Can't Win 'Em All: Beckett Loses Out on Cy Young
McMullan: Voters Make a Case | Tale of the Tape

MLB Marketing Update: Sox Will Start '08 Title Defense in Japan
New Today: Curt Covers Everything from Japan to John McCain on D&C
38Pitches: '08 Road Map Set for Schill

Complete Red Sox 2008 Schedule is Out with Game Times
2008 Ticket Prices Going Up for Bleachers, Grandstand, Box Seats

Exiting Lowell?

It's the Sign of the Times in Boston
As the Nation Could Be Saying Goodbye to Mike

Globe: Market Open on Lowell | Did the Sox Make a Mistake with Mike?
Survey: Where Will Lowell End Up Playing?

RS Reality Check: Distributing the Credit: Under the Radar
Boston Wins Again: People's 'Sexiest Fan' Hails From Red Sox Nation

Dustin the Win

Dustin the Win

Dustin-credible! Pedroia Wins Rookie of the Year

Lowell Tide

Lowell Tide

The Wave of Support for Re-Signing Mike Lowell
Has Reached Tsunami Levels in Boston;
They'll Be No Rest in the Nation Until
Mike Likes Theo's Next Offer

Globe: Sox Waiting for Lowell After Making 3-Year Contract Offer
Herald: Sox Offer to Lowell 'Really Strong'
NY Newsday: Cashman Unable to Wrangle Lowell from Red Sox
Discuss: How Badly Do You Want Lowell Back?

A Scale of Two Cities

A Scale of Two Cities

Yourtown, Mass.

Medfield, Mass.

Alex Beam: Sorrow and Pity in the Bronx
Ho Hum, More SI Covers for Boston's Pro Teams

Here's the Juice on Don Shula

Here's the Juice on Shula ...

Old Uncle Don's Still Whining About the Dolphins of '72
Because the Pats Pulled a Snowjob on Him in '82...

Shula Just Can't Get Over the Pats Original Sin
Mark Henderson Still Haunts Delusional Don

ProJo: Shula Not One to Forget a Call

That�s when Shula showed how long the memory of a coach can be. He spat out four words � �The Snow Plow Game.�

�You know, I petitioned the commissioner to change the score of that game. It was a totally unfair act,� he said, talking with his hands which sported a big honking Super Bowl ring.

The Snow Plow Game is infamous. It was on Dec. 12, 1982, in the middle of a blizzard that was dropping plenty of snow on the field. The Dolphins and Patriots were in a scoreless tie in the third quarter in a mess of a game. As the Patriots drew near enough to attempt a field goal, coach Ron Meyer signaled for a sideline snow plow to cross the field to clear a path for kicker John Smith. The kick was good.

�When I saw Ron Meyer signal that convict to the field I should have thrown myself in front of that plow,� he said.

The plow driver was a worker in a prison release program. By clearing the snow, he all but guaranteed the three points. Without him, no one knows for sure, but you couldn�t even see the ball in the snow, never mind get it down for a kick.

So even though the Patriots finished that strike-shortened season 5-4 and the Dolphins and Shula won their third championship, Super Bowl XVII, the coach doesn�t forget.

�This should be Grill 348 not 347,� Shula said with a laugh. -- 3.7.07, The Providence Journal

Let's Lose It With Schill

Let's Lose It With Schill

Theo's Not Going to Pad Your Pocket with Cash
But Now Red Sox Nation Can Play the Heavy
And Spring Into Shape with Curt Schilling

Schilling: 'Saying it�s not �about the money' is a lie too.'
Theo Weighs In: 'It wasn't about the money'

Youk is Served... a Gold Glove | Papi Has Knee Surgery
Lowell, Timlin File for Free Agency

Weight and See

The Comeback Kid

Hello Again, And Don't Let the Door Hit Him On the Way In!
Schilling Comes Back to Boston in $8M Deal
That Includes $2M Worth of Weight Gains

"I inserted the weigh in clause in the second round of offers, counter offers. Given the mistakes I made last winter and into spring training I needed to show them I recognized that, and understood the importance of it. Being overweight and out of shape are two different things. I also was completely broad sided by the fact that your body doesn't act/react the same way as you get older. Even after being told that for the first 39 years of my life. Now I can't get on Dougie [Mirabelli] anymore, which sucks, and I am sure the clause will add 15-100 more jokes to Tito's Schilling joke book." -- 11.06.07, The Schill is Back

Schilling: It's Looking Good

'It's Looking Good'

The Schill is Gone? Not So Fast
Sox-Schilling Close to Closing One Year Deal

38Pitches: Looking Good for Another Year of Curt in Champion City

"Talks with the Red Sox are moving. Theo and I have spoken multiple times daily over the past week and given the current situation I am feeling very confident that we will be able to finalize a 1 year contract to allow us a chance to finish our career as members of the Red Sox organization.

"There are some things to iron out and details that must be finalized for both sides but barring something unforseen or outrageously odd happening I feel very comfortable that I will finish my career here."-- 11.5.07, Curt Schilling, 38Pitches.com, late in the evening

Greed is Good

Greed is Good

Who Gets to Feed the Monster Next Year?
NY Times: Timing of Boras Bluff May Prove Costly

Were the Colts Caught Cheating?

But Were the Colts Caught Trying to Pump Up the Volume?

Extra Bases: Let the A-Rod Meetings Begin
How A-Rod Can Silence His Critics
Boston Globe World Series Commemorative Section

The Tonight Show with Manny Ramirez

Manny Being Funny

Video | Names: More Than Bats Do the Talking

Manny Ramirez on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno:

"...Boston now, is one of the best cities ever, because now that we won, BC's doing great, the Patriots are winning, and the Celtics, they got a great team out there [editor's note: poor Bruins]...

"Let me tell you, we didn't believe in any curse at all, I think that's just the press trying to make a big deal out of it, but, the new management that came to the team, they did an awesome job out there. We got Papi. We got Beckett. And that's a really big key out there. And you know me, Manny being Manny, that's what it is...

"It is a huge deal now, because now Boston is like a dynasty, it's like the Yankees when they won before. I won two World Series in seven years, and I think that's great... no, we're not cocky, we're not cocky, but I think the city needed the happiness....

-- On his comments during the playoffs that "winning wasn't the end of the world, who cares?"

"I think a bunch of people was upset, but I did it because I want to take some pressure from my teammates. And then when I said that, we won seven in a row [applause]. And hey, I just told the truth."

-- On the play in Game 3 of the World Series in Colorado, when his helmet fell off his head after rounding second, helmet kicked, then he was called out at the plate.

"No, I took it off, because my helmet was so big, I got seven years with the same helmet, I don't feel like... no, I'm not superstitious, but I got this for you [Manny presents Leno with helmet], I got a helmet for you, but I don't know if this one is gonna fit your chin... I also got a question for you Jay. Are you related to Kevin Youkilis? Because you guys got the same chin...

"[Back to the play in Colorado] I was safe, but... OK, let's show it [show replay]. Look at my hand...yeah, I think I was out."

-- On Manny being Manny

"I think Manny being Manny means that I'm myself. I don't try to be a person that I'm not. That's not myself. That's what my dad and my mom teach me. To be yourself, and I don't want you to try to be some person that you're not. Because sometimes you see people on camera, and they're another person. Then when you see those people outside, they're another one. So, I try to be myself, and that's what it means."

-- On his hair, and if anyone on the Red Sox asked him to get it cut

"Not in Fenway, not in Boston, because everybody got the different attitude, and all they want you to do is just play the game hard, and when we're winning, everything is great, and we love it. It's like I said, Boston is the place to be right now." -- 11.2.07, Manny's right on the money on Leno

Wake, Tavarez Returning | Schill on Farrell
Farrell Plans to Stay with Sox, Not Going to Pirates
Schill and Sox Still Talking | YouTube: 'Don't Go Curt!'
Onion: Slow Week in Baseball Saved by A-Rod
YouTube: Manny Invites Parade to his House for Drinks

No Razzle Bedazzle

No Razzle Bedazzle

Papi Plays It Straight on Regis and Kelly...
And That's Just Kelly Being Manny

Tis the Season for the Sox to Be Like Fonzie

Wanted for Questioning

Attention Red Sox Nation: If Anyone Knows the
Whereabouts of a Mr. Doug Mientkiewicz
Please Contact Larry Lucchino Immediately

Here We Go Again: The World Series Ball is Missing
Papelbon on Letterman: Transcript, Video Full Interview

Ortizzle Bedazzles Fo' Shizzle

Ortizzle Bedazzles Fo' Shizzle

Now You Can Be a Diamond-Studded Star Like the Large Father

Extra Bases: Paps Dances and Dazzles on David Letterman

Papelbon: "And this is actually coming from a guy, um, not very many people know this, but David Ortiz happens to be a huge Bedazzler." (Dave cracks up laughing, audience laughs) "So, yeah, yeah, see like this jacket right here? He couldn't wear this jacket normally, he'd have to put, like, Bedazzle a Lamborghini in the back, or something like that." (audience laughs)

Letterman: "I see, yeah. So that was it, that got everybody's attention."

Papelbon: "I think it did, yeah." (audience laughs) -- 10.31.07, Papelbon on Letterman