Numero Uno
Red Sox manager Terry Francona, left, relieves starting pitcher Josh Beckett, right, as catcher Victor Martinez, looks on during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010, in Chicago. (
(AP)

Looking for One Player to Blame for the Season Ending Early?
Look No Further Than Mr. Josh %$#@! Beckett

ChiSox 5, BustedSox 2 | Another Loss for JB
This Just In: Beckett Blames Bad Meat for Negative Results in 2010
How About a One-Way Ticket to Athlete's Performance for Beckett This Winter?
I Think Beckett Looked Great This Season. Sincerely, Ronald McDonald
Good Time to Start the Beckett Extension Negotiations... Oh, Wait....
And a Stiff Back in May Turns into a 6-6, 5.78 ERA Season
Time: 2:32... They Play Fast with Nothing on the Line
Bright Side: Only 135 Days Til Truck Day

�Made some good pitches when I needed to, and didn�t make good pitches in the seventh inning. There�s the difference in the game right there." -- Josh Beckett... never tells us the whole story

Beating a Dead Horse

It's All Over
(BDD Photo Illustration)

Funeral at Fenway All Weekend Long

Chicago 5, Third Placers 4 | All Is Lost
And Adrian Beltre Won't Be Coming Down for Breakfast in Boston in 2011
Playing the Role of Jonathan Papelbon Last Night: Daniel Bard
Bob Stanley Was Next to Come Out of the Pen
J.D. Drew Getting Ready to Heat Up Now
Bright Side: Another Quality Start for Lackey...

"With all that's happened, for us to be able to stay in it as long as we did this season shows something about the character of this team." -- John Lackey on a team that also needs more characters

Nail, Meet Coffin

The world's first officially licensed Red Sox Casket for sale at the Magoun-Biggins Funeral Home.
(John Tlumacki / Boston Globe Staff)

The Never Say Die 2010 Boston Red Sox Are Finally Dead

Theeeeeeee Yankees Win
And the Red Sox Blame Pie Is In the Oven

Kids and The Hall Finally Fall

Catcher Victor Martinez of the Boston Red Sox talks to pitcher Jonathan Papelbon during the ninth-inning aganinst the New York Yankees bunt attempt in the 10th inning on September 26, 2010 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees won 4-3.
(Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

It Could Have Been the Night of the Living Dead
But It's the Yankees Who Steal the Win

Boston 3, New York 4 | Bullpen Blows Another Win
If Bard Was Your Closer, We'd Be Talking About an Historic Win Today
Instead We Get the Shell of Jonathan Papelbon Blaming the Ump
Those Were Some Big Stolen Bases Right There. Sincerely, Dave Roberts
The A-Rod Homer on 0-2 Pitch Wasn't Even the Back Breaker
Bill Hall Keeps Trying to Do It All
That's Just Okajima Being Okajima
Hat Tips to Dice-Kalish

"I think we came in and showed what kind character this team has. We're going to try to win out." -- Bill Hall... tried to do it all


Still looking for a sign of the Sox
(BDD Photo Illustration / Garmin Photo)

Still No Sightings of the Red Sox on the Boston Sports Radar


BDD / James MacLeod Cartoons
(BDD / James MacLeod Cartoons)

Lack and Forth

John Lackey delivers against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park
(AP)

Lackey Looks Good Against Lowly O's
But It's Too Little, Too Late

Boston 6, Baltimore 1 | Sox Avoid Showalter Sweep
The $82.5 Million Man Wins His First Game in a Month. Bravo
Ortiz Keeps Racking Up Big Garbage Time Numbers
Papelbon Demanding a Save for His Scoreless Inning
Who Had Adrian Beltre Getting 99 RBIs in the Pool?
Bright Spot: Reddick HR

"There�s probably been times when he might not have been the most popular guy here in town." -- Tito on Lackey... who still wins a popularity contest over Matsuzaka and McBeckett


BDD / James MacLeod Cartoons
(BDD / James MacLeod Cartoons)

How Low Can They Go?
What a mess at Fenway
(Jim Davis / Boston Globe Staff)

Sox Are Falling Apart at Fenway
Are They Fighting for Fourth Place?

Baltimore 9, Boston 1 | No Offense Against Orioles
Marco Lugaro Can't Wait for the Season to End Either
Come Sail Away: Beltre Lets a Big One Fly for Error No. 18
Don't Look Now... Just 6 Games Ahead of Jays in Loss Column!
Glad to Hear the Ball Came Out of Pap's Hand Well. Sincerely, John Shellacky
Ortiz Is All Done Against Lefties... Strikeout No. 54
Pole Dance: Atchison Gets Whacked by Wigginton
Is Everyone Excited About Year 5 of J.D. Who?
Bright Side: Buchholz

"The last three or four innings weren't real good." -- Tito noticed that the Sox came undone

The Non-Event
Red Sox during the 9th inning.
(Bill Greene / Boston Globe Staff)

Fenway Is So Dead, It's Starting to Look Like Gillette

Baltimore 4, Boston 2 | Thanks to Dice, Sox on Ice
7th Straight Start Dice-K Has Given Up 4 or More
'Matsuzaka-san Is a National Treasure'... Remember That Nonsense?
Trade Idea: Matsuzaka for Matusz Would Be a Steal for Boston
Bright Spots: V-Mart's Bat, Hall's Arm, Okajima
Even Bard Can't Stop the Bleeding Anymore
37, 560... My Donkey

"I'm not trying to be funny. You have no choice but to be patient. The tempo will be slow against him. You think he's got 150 pitches and you look up and he's only got 90." -- Buck Showalter... welcome to our world

Are the Sox Messing With Our Heads?

Adrian Beltre of the Red Sox watches his home run in the fourth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on September 15, 2010 in Seattle, Washington.
(Otto Greule Jr. / Getty Images)

Sox Win 4 in a Row, Get Right Back in Race ...
If They Win Every Game the Rest of the Way

Boston 5, Seattle 1 | Clay bucks up for Sweet No. 16
And Beltre's noggin' gets rubbed the wrong way again after 391 feet bomb
Can Kalish carry them all the way to the playoffs? No, but he's fun to watch
Fenway Update: John Henry plans to squeeze in a Sox game around movie premieres, NASCAR promotions, and citizenship ceremonies

"We're still battling. We're still [six] games behind but we're not out. We're trying to do whatever we can to win games and see what happens from there. We're trying to get back in the playoff hunt. Hopefully one of those teams falls back and we'll be able to catch up." -- Beltre's still got his head in the game


BDD / James MacLeod Cartoons
(BDD / James MacLeod Cartoons)

David Is Goliath

David Ortiz is hugged by Red Sox's Yamaico Navarro at the plate as Seattle Mariners catcher Adam Moore looks on
(Otto Greule Jr. / Getty Images)

Good Clean Fun: 30 Homers for Ortiz

But Is He Worth Double Market Value to Boston Next Season?

This Just In ...

Adrian Beltre of the Boston Red Sox waits to hit during batting practice prior to the game against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on September 13, 2010 in Seattle, Washington.
(Otto Greule Jr. / Getty Images)

While You Were Following the Antics of the Highly-Entertaining New England Patriots, the Red Sox Reportedly Have Been Playing Games on the West Coast

New Photos Confirm that Adrian Beltre and the Team Are in Seattle, Playing Now
Rumors That Some Recent Games Have Been Televised Cannot Be Confirmed
Major League Source Did Confirmed Sox Dropped 2 of 3 in Oakland Recently
Developing ... in Between Randy Moss Talk ...

Never Forget
New York Governor David Patterson, US Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and family members of the victims of 9/11 gather around the Ground Zero reflecting pool
(John Angelillo / Getty Images)

On the 9th Anniversary of September 11, 2001
We Remember Our Brothers and Sisters That Flew Out of Boston
and All Those Who Died During the Terrorist Attacks



American Airlines Flight 11

Flight 11, flying from Boston to Los Angeles, crashed into the World Trade Center.

Confirmed dead

Name

Age

Home

Job

Employer

Crew

Barbara Jean Ares Tegui

38

Marstons Mills, Mass.

flight attendant

American Airlines

Jeffrey Dwayne Collman

41

Novato, Calif.

flight attendant

American Airlines

Sara Elizabeth Low

28

Boston, Mass.

flight attendant

American Airlines

Karen A. Martin

40

Danvers, Mass.

flight attendant

American Airlines

Thomas F. McGuinness Jr.

42

Portsmouth, N.H.

first officer

American Airlines

Kathleen Ann Nicosia

54

Winthrop, Mass.

flight attendant

American Airlines

John Ogonowski

52

Dracut, Mass.

captain

American Airlines

Betty Ann Ong

45

Andover, Mass.

flight attendant

American Airlines

Jean Destrehan Roger

24

Longmeadow, Mass.

flight attendant

American Airlines

Dianne Bulls Snyder

42

Westport Point, Mass.

flight attendant

American Airlines

Madeline Amy Sweeney

35

Acton, Mass.

flight attendant

American Airlines

Passengers

Anna Williams Allison

49

Stoneham, Mass.

founder

A2 Software Solutions

David Lawrence Angell

54

Pasadena, Calif.

executive producer

NBC

Lynn Edwards Angell

52

Los Angeles, Calif.

librarian

Seima Aoyama

48

Culver City, Calif.

accountant

Japanese

Myra Joy Aronson

50

Charlestown, Mass.

press and analyst relations manager

Compuware Corp.

Christine Barbuto

32

Brookline, Mass.

buyer

TJX Co.

Carolyn Mayer Beug

48

Santa Monica, Calif.

filmmaker and video producer

Kelly Ann Booms

24

Brookline, Mass.

accountant

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Carol Marie Bouchard

43

Warwick, R.I.

emergency room secretary

Kent County Hospital

Neilie Anne Heffernan Casey

32

Wellesley, Mass.

planning manager

TJX Co.

Jeffrey W. Coombs

42

Abington, Mass.

security analyst

Compaq

Tara Kathleen Creamer

30

Worcester, Mass.

planning manager

TJX Co.

Thelma Cuccinello

71

Wilmot Flat, N.H.

homemaker

Patrick Currivan

52

Winchester, Mass.

vice president

AtosEuronext

Brian P. Dale

43

Warren, N.J.

partner

Blue Capital Management

David DiMeglio

22

Wakefield, Mass.

computer service

Donald Americo DiTullio

49

Peabody, Mass.

endoscopy division

Smith & Nephew Inc.

Alberto Dominguez

66

Lidcombe, New South Wales, Australia

baggage handler

Qantas Airways

Peter el-Hachem

40

Tewksbury, Mass.

senior software engineering manager

Teradyne

Paige Farley-Hackel

46

Newton, Mass.

spiritual counselor

Alexander Milan Filipov

70

Concord, Mass.

electrical engineer and church deacon

Carol Flyzik

40

Plaistow, N.H.

marketing supervisor

Meditech

Paul Friedman

45

Belmont, Mass.

management consultant

Emergence Consulting

Karleton D.B. Fyfe

31

Brookline, Mass.

senior analyst

John Hancock

Peter Alan Gay

54

Tewksbury, Mass.

plant manager

Raytheon Co.

Linda M. George

27

Westboro, Mass.

buyer

TJX Co.

Edmund Glazer

41

Wellesley, Mass.

chief financial officer

MRV Communications

Lisa Reinhart Fenn Gordenstein

41

Needham, Mass.

assistant vice president and merchandise manager

TJX Co.

Andrew Peter Charles Curry Green

34

Santa Monica, Calif.

director of business development

eLogic

Robert Jay Hayes

38

Amesbury, Mass.

sales engineer

Netstal

Edward (Ted) R. Hennessy Jr.

35

Belmont, Mass.

partner

Emergence Consulting

John A. Hofer

45

Los Angeles, Calif.

owner

John's Sharpening Center

Cora Hidalgo Holland

52

Sudbury, Mass.

Sudbury Food Pantry at Our Lady of Fatima Church

John Nicholas Humber Jr.

60

Newton, Mass.

owner

Brae Burn Management

Waleed Iskandar

34

London, England

chief of digital strategy for Europe

Monitor Group

John Charles Jenkins

45

Cambridge, Mass.

corporate office services manager

Charles River Associates

Charles Edward Jones

48

Bedford, Mass.

retired astronautical engineer and manager of space programs

BAE Systems

Robin Kaplan

33

Westboro, Mass.

senior store equipment specialist

TJX Co.

Barbara Keating

72

Palm Springs, Calif.

receptionist

parish office, St. Theresa Catholic Church

David Kovalcin

42

Hudson, N.H.

senior mechanical engineer

Raytheon Co.

Judy Larocque

50

Framingham, Mass.

founder and CEO

Market Perspectives

Natalie Janis Lasden

46

Peabody, Mass.

product testing team leader

General Electric

Daniel John Lee

34

Van Nuys, Calif.

road crew

Backstreet Boys

Daniel C. Lewin

31

Charlestown, Mass.

co-founder and chief technology officer

Akamai Technologies

Susan A. MacKay

44

Westford, Mass.

assistant vice president of merchandise planning and allocation

TJX Co.

Christopher D. Mello

25

Boston, Mass.

analyst

Alta Communications

Jeffrey Peter Mladenik

43

Hinsdale, Ill.

interim CEO

eLogic

Carlos Alberto Montoya

36

Belmont, Mass.

Colombian

Antonio Jesus Montoya Valdes

46

East Boston, Mass.

housekeeping worker

Boston Harbor Hotel

Laura Lee Morabito

34

Framingham, Mass.

national sales manager

Qantas Airways

Mildred Naiman

81

Andover, Mass.

retired tester

Western Electric Co.

Laurie Ann Neira

48

Los Angeles, Calif.

transcriber

Your Office Genie

Renee Lucille Newell

37

Cranston, R.I.

customer service agent

American Airlines

Jacqueline J. Norton

61

Lubec, Maine

retiree

Robert Grant Norton

85

Lubec, Maine

retiree

Jane M. Orth

49

Haverhill, Mass.

retiree

Lucent Technologies

Thomas Nicholas Pecorelli

30

Topanga, Calif.

cameraman

Fox Sports and E! Entertainment Television

Berinthia Berenson Perkins

53

Los Angeles, Calif.

actress and photographer

Sonia Morales Puopolo

61

Dover, Mass.

former ballet dancer

David E. Retik

33

Needham, Mass.

general partner

Alta Communications

Philip M. Rosenzweig

47

Acton, Mass.

vice president

Sun Microsystems

Richard Barry Ross

58

Newton, Mass.

president and chief executive

The Ross Group

Jessica Leigh Sachs

23

Billerica, Mass.

accountant

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Rahma Salie

28

Boston, Mass.

chief operating officer

Cinoni

Heather Lee Smith

30

Boston, Mass.

financial analyst

Beacon Capital Partners

Douglas J. Stone

54

Dover, N.H.

co-owner

Odyssey Press

Xavier Suarez

41

Chino Hills, Calif.

civil engineer

Michael Theodoridis

32

Boston, Mass.

technology consultant

James Anthony Trentini

65

Everett, Mass.

retired teacher and assistant principal

Mary Barbara Trentini

67

Everett, Mass.

retired secretary

Pendyala Vamsikrishna

30

Los Angeles, Calif.

project manager for consulting firm

DTI

Mary Alice Wahlstrom

78

Kaysville, Utah

retired loan officer

Kenneth E. Waldie

46

Methuen, Mass.

senior quality control engineer

Raytheon Co.

John Wenckus

46

Torrance, Calif.

tax consultant

Candace Lee Williams

20

Danbury, Conn.

student

Northeastern University

Christopher Rudolph Zarba Jr.

47

Hopkinton, Mass.

software engineer

Concord Communications

The Brady 911 Call

(BDD via ImprovAsylum)

Top 10 Little Known Facts About the Brady Car Crash

BDD: Top 10 Little Known Facts About the Tom Brady Car Accident
(BDD Photo Compilation)

... with apologies to David Letterman:

10. Brady wanted to show his young, inexperienced, and allegedly soft defense how you really lay a hit on somebody.

9. At the time of impact, the Patriots quarterback was reaching for his pen that he dropped on the floor of his car so he could finally sign that contract extension.

8. Senator John Kerry, Brady�s Back Bay neighbor, helped him procure those New Jersey license plates for his Audi so the Patriots star QB could avoid paying Boston excise taxes and Massachusetts auto registration fees.

7. The always accurate Red Sox team doctors concluded that Brady was fine after the crash and should be 110 percent for Sunday's game... but Jacoby Ellsbury cracked another rib when the two cars collided.

6. Brady was just leaving Daisy Buchanan's after a late night out with Irving Fryar and Hart Lee Dykes.

5. He was texting Gisele as the crash happened� we have Tom's text: �Morning hunnypie, can u pls pick me up some of my L'Or�al moisturizers, masks and exfoliators on yur way bk from NY?�

4. The van was not driven by human wrecking ball Adrian Beltre and a companion. The two guys inside were actually Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco, who came up with the stunt to increase ratings for �The T.Ocho Show.�

3. Brady was listening to �Mr. Blue Sky� by Electric Light Orchestra at the time of the crash. This just days after a founding member of ELO was killed by a giant hay bale in a freak car accident.

2. He was still checking out his hair in the rear-view mirror after Montro reportedly clipped 1/8 inch off the Bieber Bangs yesterday afternoon.

1. According to Tiger Woods, Brady was trying to escape from ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan, who was last seen him chasing down Beacon Street wielding a golf club.

New Flag at Fenway

Surrender


Finally, No More Silly Postseason Talk

Tampa Rays 14, Boston 5 | Dice Debacle Leaves Sox in Deep Trouble
While You Are Reading This, the Rays Are Still Hitting Balls on the Pike
Will Theo Finally Admit That the Matsuzaka Circus Was a $100 Million Mistake?
Did You Know: Jason Varitek Made a Cameo Appearance Last Night
This Just In: David Ortiz and J.D. Drew Can't Hit Lefties
Robert Manuel Fits Seamlessly Into the Red Sox 'Pen
Sloppy Sox Keep Throwing It Away
6 Bases-Loaded Walks in 3 Games
Booooooooooooo .....

"I knew very well that this was a critical game, so to allow what happened to happen so early in the game, I can really only apologize to my teammates and to the fans." -- Daisuke Matsuzaka... whatever

Here Come the Sox!

 Ryan Kalish is congratulated by teammates Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez (R) after hitting a grand slam home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning of their MLB American League baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts September 6, 2010.
(Reuters)

Boston Is Buzzing with Sox Talk After Rays Get Crushed ...

Just Kidding. Team Is Dead in the Water. You Can't Give Tickets Away.
Boston 12, Tampa Bay 5 | Rookies Provide Ray of Hope
Sweet 16 for Lester, Who's Not Part of the Problem
Kalish Slam Was Nice, But Bringing Back Memories of Bob Zupcic Even Better
Ortiz, Beltre Strong on the Power Play

"I think we reserve the right to see how we do. I think it's obvious what I'm saying there. The plan now is to pitch Buch." -- Tito knows best

Worst Weekend Ever at Fenway:
Sox Whitewashed, Papelblown Again

An Ill Wind Blows

BDD_MR_earl_mrp.jpg
(BDD / Mr. Punchy)

Manny Being Sorry

Former Slugger Says It Was All His Fault

"I think everything was my fault. But hey, you gotta be a real man to realize when you do wrong, and, hey, it was my fault, right?" -- Manny... Was he apologizing for using steroids? Or quitting on his team?

To See More of Manny... They're Forcing You to Watch NESN Daily
This Just In: He Would Have Come Back to Boston

"I would come and see what I could do for them. I did it here in the past and it's in the past. If they claimed me, why would I say no to them?" -- Manny's no Johnny... And is he setting us up for a 2011 return?

More Days in Third Place

Jonathan Papelbon celebrates with Victor Martinez after the final out of a 6-4 victory against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on September 2, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland.
(Greg Fiume / Getty Images)

Sox Win Again, But Season Can't Be Saved

Boston 6, Baltimore 4 | Win No. 9 for Matsuzaka
Ring My Beltre: Adrian Can't Be Contained. HR No. 25 Leads the Way
Veterans Day: 2 RBI for Ortiz, 3 Hits for J.D.
Those Lackluster NESN Ratings Must Be Skyrocketing Now
Hold On Now, Who Needs MDC When You've Got Scott Atchison
Typical Dice-K Outing... He's Not Going to Be Our National Treasure, Theo
Not Packing Much Wind, Punch But Manny Earl Ramirez ArriveZZZzzz
Pap Grabs Another Inning

"We got some momentum going and hopefully we can take it home, get on a big roll. You never know what can happen from there." -- Scott Atchison... denial is a not a river in Egypt

Can't Quit Stroking

Adrian Beltre, right, celebrates his three-RBI home run with teammate David Ortiz (34) during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010
(AP)

Bats Still Smoking
Beltre, Scutaro, Drew Come Up Big in Baltimore
Sox Hanging Tough Until the Bitter End

Boston 9, Baltimore 6 | Lester Turns It Around
Scutaro's No Goat, Two-Run Jack Off Hendrickson Ties It Up
Beltre Bomb No. 24 Seals the Deal for the Never-Say-Die Sox
Lester Comes Undone Early, Bounces Back for Four Solid
Lugo Won't Bite Hand That Fed Him, Big K with Bases Full
And It All Started with a J.D. Drew Homer
Everybody Hit, Kalish, Too
16,210 Strong Showed Up

"We never quit. We played the first inning right through to the ninth inning because you never know what can happen. We do have a lot of pride on this team. We don�t care what people think about us. We�re gonna keep playing hard." -- Victor Martinez on the diehard Red Sox

Flying South
Mike Lowell #25 of the Boston  Red  Sox  argues with home plate umpire Ed Rapuano after being called out on strikes against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on August 31, 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland.
(Jim Davis / Boston Globe Staff)

Sox Caught Looking Like They Just Want This Thing to End

Baltimore 5, Boston 2 | Sox Scuffle Along
Good to See Marco Lugaro Back Playing Shortstop for the Walking Wounded
What More Is There to Say About the Busted Season of Josh Beckett?
Tonight's Exposed Fill-in Not Ready for Full-Time: Felix Doubront
Vets Not Stepping Up: 3 Ks for Ortiz; J.D. .253
Wonder If Pap Thinks Koji Uehara Is the Next Mariano Rivera?
Offseason Thinking: Can We Trade Matsuzaka for Matusz and Pocket the Millions?
And There Goes Road Sox Nation: Only 18,247 at So-Called Fenway South
... About the Same Number You'll See at Fenway in September
Manny DelTimlin, What a Long Strange Trip It's Been. Sincerely, Dan Duquette

"We've got to win games. We don't have any other choice." -- Jed Lowrie... because Josh Beckett and David Ortiz weren't talking at the funeral home at Camden Yards

BDD is a feature of Boston.com. All posts are by Steve Silva unless otherwise indicated.

Boston Globe:

Rodriguez looks like the steal deal > Despite effort by Rodriguez, Red So fall > Tazawa has come a long way, on and off field

Boston Herald:

Lauber: Eduardo Rodriguez showing Red Sox he's special > PawSox start looms large for Masterson

ProJo:

Rodriguez gem wasted > Chili Davis doesn't want to turn Red Sox into free-swingers > Red Sox draft catcher in third round

NY Post:

How Mariano Rivera has influenced Yankees' top pick > Why starting rotation could be a big Yankees' strength

Following feed provided by
Subscribe to Dirt DogsWhat's RSS?

Please e-mail us thoughts, images, attachments here.

The "Curt�s Pitch for ALS" program is a joint effort by Curt and Shonda Schilling and The ALS Association Mass Chapter to strike out Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig�s Disease.

Support SHADE!

The SHADE Foundation thanks Red Sox Nation for joining in their fight to save future generations from melanoma.
Hot Stove, Cool Music
Get the CD. Support Paul and Theo Epstein's Foundation to be Named Later.