Home

Box Score and Schedules

Yesterday's News

Barks & Bites

Second Page

20/20

Hardball

2 0 0 4

 BACK FOR MORE


First Things
First Baseman

Are we buying or selling?


Bambino's Curse

Baseball Almanac

Baseball America

Baseball News Blog

Baseball Zeitgeist

Baseball Prospectus

Baseball-Reference.com

Bronx Banter

BoSox Club

El Guapo's Ghost

ESPN Red Sox Clubhouse

Fenway Nation

Firebrand of the AL

JohnnyDamon.net

The Joy of Sox

MLB Players Association

RedSox.com

The Remy Report

Retrosheet

Rotoworld.com

Show Me the Money

Sox Prospects

The Soxaholix

20/20

Barks and Bites

Baseball and Football

Bob Lobel Chat

Catching the Bus

Cowboy Up!

The Critical Moment

Dirt Dogs History

Don't Blame Buckner

Edesdropping

Evil Empire

Grady's Defense, pt. 2

Hench's Hardball

Illustrator Answers

The Lucchinos

Millar Time!

The Nation Speaks

Nine Eleven

Sale of the Century

Second Page

Theo Epstein Chat

Theoretically Speaking

Yankees Suck?

Yesterday's News

2002: Strike Out

2001: A Sox Odyssey


Chat and Discussion

MR24 and The Crib

Manny's own Red Sox discussion board

"I like to be fun... life is
too short... I know I'm trying my best... no problem Papi." - Manny

RedSoxNation.net

Join the discussion now

The interview room: Youkilis, Robert Parker, Johnny Pesky, Daubach, Leigh Montville, more.

The Remy Report

Remdawg's board

NYYfans.com

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer

Sons of Sam Horn

The Nitpicked Venue of
Red Sox Nation

"Slavish" - Sean McAdam

"The Internet geeks are getting all the interviews"
- WEEI's Glenn Ordway


 HEADLINES

2004

May

April

March

February

January

2003

December

November

October

September

August

July

June

May

April

March

February

January

2002

2001


Please email for more information or questions.

Contents Copyright 2001-2004 Boston Dirt Dogs, except logos used in accordance with the Fair Use provision (section 107) of U.S. Copyright Act.

Photographic images posted with permission of Associated Press unless otherwise indicated.



Ortiz is World Serious

David Ortiz of the Dominican Republic Aguilas is congratulated by the team mascot after hitting the game winning home run against the Puerto Rico Criollos during the Caribbean Series of Baseball at the Roberto Clemente Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico Sunday. He went 2-4 with a home run on Monday as well. (AP Photo/Tomas Van Houtryve)


Ticket Takers

Fans get in line, online, and dial up for 2003 Red Sox tickets.  Web pages lock up, phone connections drop, and the numbers game is confusing, but fans buy tickets like they're going out of style. "Good seats still available" but forget the Yankees.


McDone?

Will Sean Be Spanked if He Doesn't Apologize for Trashing Sox Front Office on New York Airwaves?

McDonough rips Sox brass on WFAN's Mike and the Mad Dog.

On Henry/Lucchino: "...in a large extent, they cannot afford to own the team... they have nothing left... John Henry doesn't want to reach in for more... this group is very PR conscious... their talk is hollow"

On going to the Mets:  "I was too (hoping to join Mets team)... if I could do it all over again, I would"

On Colon: "If you've got a 5-game winner versus a 20-game winner -- you make the trade"

On the sale of the team: "the attorney general himself called it a bag job... Bud Selig wanted to keep it in the family, people who would vote for a luxury tax and revenue sharing... Joe O'Donnell and Steve Karp were perfect, incredibly wealthy... we'd have a new stadium built (by now)"


Nomar Ready

Superstar shortstop over flu, felt strong at weekend baseball clinic. He is working out extremely hard and "feels 100% ready to go physically and mentally."


Millar Not Leaving Las Vegas

Kevin Loses Dragon Tail. Sox Gamble May Pay Off.

Exit the Dragons Millar Closer to Boston

Chunichi Dragons President Junichi Nishikawa No Longer Confident Millar Will Play in Japan.

KevIN


Webgate Update:

"Dan has not been a client, i.e., paid money to Flynn and New Media Marketing, for work involving Dan or the Sports Academy.''

Sorry Charlie!

Flynn was in on Duke's Sports Academy

New Media Marketing was contact for Duke's 2003 camps

SoSH is in like Flynn


Duke "Outraged" at Herald Article

Calls Web Story "Unfair, Irresponsible."

"I am shocked and disappointed at being unfairly linked to such abhorrent behavior, particularily since I had been the target of such bad faith in the past"

 

Confession Not Complete

PR Riddle Doesn't Address Duke's December Clinic

Only admits '97 relationship, Papile basketball school.

Caught in Tangled Web

Boston Herald: "Duquette Flack's Website Rips Theo"

Former GM-Turned-Groundskeeper's
Henchman Ran Anti-Epstein, Anti-Lucchino Websites. MLB Steps In To Shut Down.


McDoh!

Sean Thanks Steinbrenner, Slams Red Sox Owners


The Real Big O

Tease over. Ortiz signs.


FRUSTRATION NATION

Many Sox fans disgruntled about hot stove turning to cold shoulder, big names turn to small moves.


Enter the Dragons

Millar to get escort back to Japan.


Mendoza, Nomar, and Walker Come to Boston for Dinner


Pedro 'Molesto,' Threatens to Go

"After (spring training) I will not sign a contract with the Red Sox."

Petey Whiney

One More Whiney Award for Pedrone, the Cy Young of Whiners


MarTEAMez Runs His Mouth Off Again

Slams Sox, Theo Over Uggie, Colon, Closers and his $17.5M

1.17.03 Listin Diario:  "I love the city and I want to sign with the Red Sox but if Boston is going to dismantle the team, I'd go to any other team, except the Los Angeles Dodgers. If the Red Sox don't sign me to a contract before the end of spring training, I will become a free agent ... they've had a lot of time."

On Colon going to Chicago: "I don't like that. I wanted him in Boston. If we want to win, we need another big-time pitcher and Bartolo would have given us the push we need... Bartolo said he wanted to be in Boston."

He Wanted Colon... He Didn't Want Colon:

12.11.02 Boston Herald regarding Colon: "If they talked about trading Nomar this summer, where are they going to get the money to pay Vladimir or Colon? If they go get Colon, they are probably thinking about trading me.''

Pedro Rips Sox Brass

Fires Agent, Will Negotiate His Own Deal


The Kid's Alright

But Derek Lowe had a skin cancer lesion removed on his nose two weeks ago, expected to be fine for spring training; missed baseball writers dinner.


Kevin Millarkey?

MLB Says It's Over

"We owe it to the organization to put our best foot forward for Kevin Millar," said Theo Epstein. "We'll do so in a way that doesn't infringe on the rights of Kevin Millar, the Florida Marlins or the Chunichi Dragons. We're confident we can reach an agreement on this matter that will leave everyone whole. We think we can do this in a way that is fair to everybody."


After Dinner Minutes

Grady on the lineup at Boston Baseball Writer's Dinner: ""We've been running our lineups through the paper this morning, trying to figure out what we'd do in 'this situation, that situation'... and we're nothing but awfully proud of what we see when we write our lineup down if nothing else is done"


January 17, 2003

Sox Get Barstoolo Colon

White Sox.


Livin' Large

Bartolo Blows Up Like a Balloon

Wait Goes On, Price Comes Down, as Colon's Weight Goes Up: ML Scout: "He's gotten so big all over, his eyes are ready to shut."


Lucky Returns

Lucchino on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan - New Seats, Sean, Sabermetrics, and Season Ticket Trouble

1.30.03 - JD: Did the criticism of the deep pockets or as he (Sean McDonough) describes it a lack thereof, bother you more, or the fact that he's taking Theo to task about not trading Fossum and getting Bartolo?

LL: No, the second area is fair game for most journalists, and Sean is sometimes a journalist and sometimes a play-by-play employee for the club, he has an ambiguous role, but I would say, the things that he knows least about, the ownership financial situation, the politics of the acquisition of the team and whether another group was better financed, most of those things are just wrong.


John Henry Clears the Air

Owner Defends Finances. Sean McDenies His WFAN Comments

JH on The McDonough Group with Sean

1.30.03 - On difficulty getting tickets:   JH: Last year I was following a lot of the internet banter about the... really complaints... people were posting on different websites their complaints, not with us, but just among themselves about the problems trying to get through... sometime two days, no seats left. This year, a lot of it going on online.

On scalpers getting more tickets now:  One danger of new policy is that more seats may end up in the hands of scalpers and so this is a one year trial.

SM:  You mentioned early on... I think you used the word fret, I'm not fretting over your finances, I'm sure you're doing very well and I hope the team's doing very well too...

JH: whoa... you sure we're doing well?  You said "we can't afford to own the team"... 

SM: Well, I didn't really say that!...

JH:  "we don't have any money left"...

SM: I guess the question I would ask is, the, and Dan Shaughnessy alluded to it too... his suggestion was that perhaps you guys didn't understand what you were getting into financially... I find it hard to believe, that part of it, when your laying out that kind of money and given your track record in finance. But obviously there is a lot of debt that comes with buying something at the price at which you bought it, and I think the fans look at the income from NESN going way up, you already mentioned that you're number two in revenue, that tickets going up - price and number of them - so they see revenue streams going up, payroll going down, still, as you say, over $100 million, but going down. I think it's those sorts of things that lead to concern about, and when they see signage on the tarp, the ground crew's brought to you by Toro, uh much more signage all over the park, the stuff on Yawkey Way, which a lot of it is involved for the fan experience, but obviously some of it generates revenue too, I would think. When you put all those things together, it does lead people at least to ask about the financial viability of this for you or anybody else who is involved in this kind of an undertaking.

JH: That's why I wanted to come more than anything else today, to address it directly. If you look at the facts though. If you look at what's actually happened, we do have $104-105 million payroll. We tried our best to get Jose Contreras. We went after Jeff Kent. We went after Alfonso. We went after Colon. And we still have room in our budget. We're still actively pursuing an outfielder. And we're pursuing another gentleman who probably won't be available, but I don't think that payroll, if it ends up being down this year, it's going to be down marginally... re: having debt - interest rates lowest since great depression, 1.3-4%?  I don't think debt service is an issue for this franchise... if you are concerned, call our banker, chairman and CEO of Fleet Chad Gifford... he probably would tell you, he's a straight-up guy, I would certainly try to be straight up about our finances, we don't have financial issues at this point. From the moment we got involved in the process, people said we wouldn't be able to pay for it. They said we borrowed too much money... debt service not even eight figures (under $10 million).... what you were trading was three years of Shea Hillenbrand and four years of Casey Fossum for one year of Bartolo Colon, who may very well, before the trading deadline, be available unless the White Sox are in the thick of the pennant race. We may be the only team in baseball, and I'm not being facetious, that has money to spend. We didn't think that was a good deal for this franchise. That's been the Red Sox MO, but we have some confidence in Casey Fossum. It will be interesting to see who's better this year, with the caveat, that Casey develops a third pitch.


Deal Going Down

Sox are "involved" with Millar, but Colon may be gone.


Will McDonough Dies in His Home

Will passed away at his home yesterday. Our Deepest Sympathies and Condolences to the McDonough Family.

Bob Lobel:
"We've lost the 800lb Gorilla of Boston Sports"


Penny Wise. Pound Foolish?

Colon to Florida Trade Goes South.


Montreall Done?

Theo Pessimistic About Doing Deal for Colon

Montreal GM Omar Minaya on Trade Negotiations with Red Sox: "You have some good days and bad in this process, I spoke to Theo twice today, I hope to speak to Theo over the next couple of days but if I don't work something out with him, we're talking to some other teams as well... I'm an optimistic person"


January 7, 2003

Mueller Time

Third baseman finally on board.


Sox are Still Involved with Starter Deal

Give it time.


Start Me Up!

Red Sox Nation Getting Impatient for Another Starter.


Colon

Hillenbrand

Sox, Mets, Expos Close to Three-Way Deal?

Hillenbrand would end up in NY, Colon to Boston


January 4, 2003

Gammons Slams Steingrabber

Spending is obscene


Yankees Can't Handle the Truth

Tomase tells it like it is


Tuesday December 31, 2002

Mueller Time?

Sox close to signing Giant third baseman, Gammons says "agreement in place"


Ortiz Tease?

Listin Diario 'done deal' was just drivel.


Grady Does Dallas

Dallas Williams hired as Sox first base coach. With Papa Jack, Little's "stamp" complete


Leaving Las Vegas

Ron "Papa Jack" Jackson officially named
new Red Sox hitting coach


The Man with the Plan

Theo sticks to it.

Current Headlines

February 2003 Headlines

January 2003 Headlines

2002

December 2002 Headlines

November 2002 Headlines

October 2002 Headlines

September 2002 Headlines

August 16-31  Headlines

August 1-15 Headlines

July 16-31 Headlines

July 1-15 Headlines

June 16-30 Headlines

June 1-15 Headlines

May 16-31  Headlines

May 1-15  Headlines

April 16-30 Headlines

April 1-15 Headlines

March 16-31 Headlines

March 1-15 Headlines

February Headlines

2001

January/December Headlines

November Headlines

October Headlines

September Headlines

August Headlines

July Headlines



Wild Card Wannabees

AL Wild

W

L

GB

Oakland

46

36

---

Boston

45

37

1.0

Anaheim

44

39

2.5

Chicago

42

38

3.0

Tampa Bay

42

41

4.5

AL East

W

L

GB

New York

51

31

---

Boston

45

37

6.0

Tampa Bay

42

41

9.5

Toronto

38

46

14.0

Baltimore

36

45

15.0


Get Everything Red Sox at The Souvenir Store

Right across from Fenway 19 Yawkey Way, Boston


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, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Curt and Shonda will be contributing $25,000 to The ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter, and they are asking fans to contribute as well. All proceeds will benefit research and patient services for those in Massachusetts affected by the disease. Program participants will receive different incentive prizes based on the dollar amount per strikeout that they pledge. Please click here to learn more about the program.

Schilling is Top Good Guy


The SHADE Foundation

The Curt and Shonda Schilling Melanoma Foundation of America welcomes Red Sox Nation to join in their fight to save future generations from melanoma, a potentially preventable skin cancer.


Get a Danny O Fenway Litho, as Seen in the Cooperstown Catalog


Chasing Steinbrenner

Exclusive excerpts on the Kevin Millar signing


Home

Box Score and Schedules

Yesterday's News

Barks & Bites

Second Page

20/20

Hardball