Grady Won't Deny Stark Look at Pedro's Injury

Grady on with WEEI's Dale & Neumy today:

- You've already announced that BK starts Tuesday in Pittsburgh, obviously it means Pedro is not ready, but at what stage in his comeback is he at?

Grady: He's still kinda day to day... we need to get him up on the mound and let him do some pitching. At this point in time he's not ready to get up on the mound just yet so we're still unsure exactly how long it's gonna be, hopefully it will be sooner than later, but we're not gonna make him come back before he's ready of course.

- In Jason Stark's ESPN column, a baseball guy, I don't know who he is, says he believes "there's a little more there than meets the eye with Martinez," is he overstating the case or is this just dreamland on his part?

Grady: Well heck I can't really answer that question to tell you the truth, but as each day goes on, and he's not able to get up on the mound and pitch, I guess that becomes more and more reality to all of us.

5.29.30

Shea-hole Privately Calls Theo "That Little Twerp" Last Night

Hillenbrand is "pissed off" that he heard about trade from friend first.

D&C reveal "trade me now faggot" line from WAAF call a month ago.

Kim gets bad rap from Arizona players, media, fans. He's been called a "cancer" in the clubhouse because of his quirks: sometimes falls asleep during games, "prefers" to pitch in the minors, he's the Korean Derek Lowe "gets flustered easy." More from the East Valley Tribune: "The quirk meter on Byung-Hyun Kim, however, had run out with the Diamondbacks — and it wasn't the ninth-inning World Series home runs, or the demands to leave the bullpen that shortened team patience. It was taking a day for “personal reasons'' when struggling last year. It was the between-start rituals (long bullpen sessions) that left people shaking their heads. Missing a month with a bone bruise on the leg while still being spry enough to take batting practice days after going on the disabled list. That gets old, especially in a clubhouse where manager Bob Brenly and his lieutenants show little patience for anything short of old-time, self-motivating baseball."

Theo: "We need help Tuesday, we want Pedro to be patient, we don't want to rush him. Chen was OK, but we want a pitcher for every fifth day. We're gonna use him (Kim) in role that helps the most. That might change in a week, or a month. The important thing is to get Pedro to 100%, not to tolerate less. More than just one day or two days, we want to see some progress every day."

Yankee Killa': "Manny was thinking about his hitting while fielding (on Wednesday night in New York)." Nice.

Johnny Be Gone?

"About this year's team, Pesky said he feels good. But he vowed to end his longtime association with the Red Sox if Shea Hillenbrand is traded. ''If that happens, I'll quit,'' Pesky said sternly. ''I've got my letter all ready for Mr. [Larry] Lucchino.''

As if on cue after my latest rant, Todd Walker not only got picked off first by the catcher down by four runs but also would have been doubled off second to end the game down by two runs had Jeter held onto Millar's line drive.

"Make a line drive go through!  See the line drive through!  Make the ball hit grass!"

A third base coach should not have to remind a Major Leaguer of these fundamental tenets of the game.  With less than two outs, you have to make sure a line drive gets through before taking off.  What makes Walker's latest brainlock even more inexcusable is that his run was irrelevant.  They were down two!  He got bailed out by Nomar when he was trying to steal third with Johnny Damon already there, and he got bailed out by Jeter dropping the ball (Nomar, by the way, was doing the exact right thing at first base, retreating to the bag until Jeter dropped it).  But Walker's nightly lapses are unlike anything I've ever seen.  Incredible.  No wonder Tom Kelly ran this guy out of Minnesota.  He doesn't know how to play the game.

Maybe in next year's season-defining, backbreaking loss to the Yankees we
won't walk the bases loaded to bring up Posada.

5.27.03

Pedro "It's Always Something" Pushed Back Again as Sox Take it On the Chen

Next Start Now Tuesday... Maybe.

Baseball Prospectus medical guru Will Carroll
says Martinez can't stay healthy for long haul.

Bob Lobel: "Where's Pedro? How can a guy miss two starts against the Yankees?"

SoSH's DH3: Question for Theo Epstein:

Why is a team with a $100 million payroll forced to use a waiver wire claim and a rule 5 draft pick in such a "crucial" (with a 2-1/2 game lead on May 27th) game, just because they have ONE starting pitcher on the DL? This team has three designated hitters masquerading as firstbasemen, and a seven man bullpen, but not a single decent option to start a game when one of the five starters goes down?

Question for Larry Lucchino:

Why does a team with almost $200 million in revenue only have a $100 million payroll if its not sufficient to provide enough depth in the starting rotation to cover ONE injury?

The Empire Strikes Back

Grady Gives Up as Yanks Spank Sox

Yankees 11 Red Sox 3

Was it a White Night?

Grady sent lefty out to be a door Matt with game on the line.

5.26.03

Premature Ejerkculation

Sox Take Gloves Off and Clobber Clemens Rocket-300 Celebrates Too Soon

One to Forget

Memorial Day turns to nightmare for Clemens clan. Rocket Boosters Spike Owen, Marty Barrett, Bruce Hurst, etc. stop by Stadium to celebrate career loss #154

Red Sox 8 Yankees 4

5.24.03 - Memorial Day Weekend

Sox Take Two of Three from Tribe

Casey can't sweep up Cleveland, Manny gets a rest

Dorsi Latissimus

Pedro goes on the 15-day DL. Will have to be watched for remainder of 2003 season.

5.23.03

Hamming it Up?

Nomar doesn't strike me as the type, didn't think he could spare the time,
she's out of his league but he's on the ball as his life was in the gutter before he met her, she's a perfect 10, you'd have to pin her down to talk about it,
but that's life in the fast lane, gotta split while I'm on a roll...

5.22.03

Manny 0-11 vs. Yankees. Godawful At-Bats. Is He Earning 20% of The Boston Red Sox Payroll?

Sox Yanked
Back to Second

Clemens 154th Loss Denied at Fenway

Wake hung tough but bats sleep against Roger

New York 4 Boston 2

Late Innings Lament

Jackson picked off, Mirabelli not pinched, Seanez debuts in critical situation (Was Dustin Hermanson unavailable Grady?)

5.20.03

Sox Trump Yanks Without Ace

Back Scratches Pedro

MRI: Martinez Reveals Injury

Lat Muscle Leaves Pedro Start-to-Start

Bruce Alrighty: Lefty OK after taking it on the Chen in first

Au Contreras!

Ortiz Delivers Big Blow as Sox Unload on Con Man in Seventh

Pedro Out! Chen Starts, Orange Alert

Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how are your ballgame plans going?

Fat Boy vs. Slim

Wells Runs Dry Tonight

(Fat, Drunk, and Stupid is No Way to Go Through Life David)

Roger Comes to Town at 299

He'll hit 300 lbs. before 300 wins

First Things First

Sox Bring Angels Down
to Earth, Grab Share of
AL East Lead with Yanks

Burkett Makes Fans Forget Bad Starts, Stops Anaheim

Varitek, Mueller timely, Manny homers, and
His Name Was Robert Person Brings Shaky Relief

Boston 5 Anaheim 3

New York Gets Spanked by Texas, Bombers Stumble into Fenway, Second Place Awaits

5.17.03

FROM FIRST TO WORST

Boston Needs Anaheimlich Maneuver as Sox Choke Against World Champs

Trusting Timlin is Recipe for Disaster as Lowe Lead Blown

Angels 6 Sox 2

FOG DOG F's UP AND PIG PEN
STRIKES AGAIN

Timlin, Trot, and Terrible Fan Sink Sox

5.16.03

Sloppy Sox Don't Bring Their Game

The defense rests, the pitching was poor, base running was bad and the kids can't come back.

6-5 Anaheim

No Rocket-300 in Boston as Clemens Fizzles in the Bronx

5.15.03

Texas Game, Saw Massacre

And The Pete Goes On

Texas-Sized Romp, 12-3

Sox Mess
With Texas

Sweep Dreams S&%#head

Fan In The Mirror

I'm gonna make a change,
for once in my life
It's gonna feel real good,
gonna make a difference
Gonna make it right...

As I, turn up the collar on
my favorite Red Sox coat
This wind is blowing my mind
I see the Comeback Kids gettin beat,
with not enough to compete
Who am I to be blind?
Pretending not to see their needs

A summer disregard, a broken bottle top
And Crazy Carl's low blow
They follow each other on the wind ya' know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know

I'm starting with the fan in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the Sox a better team
(If you wanna make the Sox a better team)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)
(Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah)

More if you can stand it

Roger and Mo

Vaughn Missing Now Found and Clemens Skipping, Bronx Bound

Steinbrenner Plans to Stick it to Lucchino by Launching Rocket-300 in The Stadium.

5.14.03

Fossum Awesome for Five. Garciaparra, Ortiz Drive. Red Sox 7 Rangers 1

5.13.03

High 5 Drives Comeback Kids

Garciaparra Comes Through in the Clutch,
Rally Cats Beat Rangers 5-4

More Crap from the Crazy One

"Boston has been this way for their players as far as media and fans. They always form an opinion from wherever it supposedly comes from and stick with it no matter what. That's why the teams here never win, because players get tired of it and they quit.

''They will never win as long as the media and the fans are the way they are. Boston will never win. They will never bring a championship here until the fans and the media change, and the media is not gonna change because it sells. It sells more than a world championship. That's the only reason why the fans keep coming out, because of that.''

5.12.03

Derek Out Early Again. Twins Hold On 9-8

D-Lowe -- No Show

Enough Starting Pitching Now?

After Watching Lowe, the Answer is No.

5.10.03

Less Muscle More Hustle

Manny 2.0 Knows How to Win

Heads Up Play by SpeedDog Scores Go Ahead Run

Sox Need Insurance for Shaky Pen

Red Sox 6 Twins 5

5.8.03

No Place Like Dome

Pedro groin problem surfaces as Sox bats go underground

5.8.03

Lucchino Wants Fans to "Accentuate the Positive"

Radical Idea Pitched to Red Sox Nation

CEO Vows to "Spend Some Money" to Fill Holes

5.8.03 Dennis & Callahan, Sports Radio 850 WEEI:

LL: Theo talking about a line change (in bullpen) like in hockey. We're trying to think outside the box regarding the bullpen. I think we're spending a little too much time talking about the bullpen publicly and I think it'd be desirable to accentuate the positive a little bit here with this team. Not just the record but the... look at the depth on this team and the offense. Theo did an excellent job of a job at putting together a team that has lots of new pieces that fit together very well. Mueller, Millar, Walker... also, while we're on the positive, how about Grady juggling this line-up and making everyone feel that they are a contributing member and getting contributions from everyone. ...Bullpen: You've got to have someone in that bullpen who demonstrates leadership in terms of performance and personality. The idea was not to create a democracy where you have six equal pieces. Listen are we gonna learn from our mistakes? Are we going to keep running into a tree we're gonna stop running into a tree. I'm old school guy, I like seeing pitchers going 8, 9 innings. I think you get a little bit of what you ask for in these situations if people start getting satisfied with 5 innings, or six innings, all of a sudden that becomes the standard and it shouldn't be.

JD: When you talk to these other teams (about trades) what is it that these teams are interested in, the minor leaguers, e.g. Freddy Sanchez, or the big leaguers like Shea Hillenbrand?

"We will spend some money and that is the old fashioned form of currency. That should help us. And that money is worth more if it's spent later in the season."

LL: The latter, no question that the name that comes first and foremost is Shea Hillenbrand. Certainly plenty of discussion over the winter, people think he is available and that gets out there, truth is we'd rather trade minor league prospects but there aren't as many of them in the system as we'd like to have and it becomes harder because we don't have the same currency that other clubs may have to obtain new players during the course of the season but we will spend some money and that is the old fashioned form of currency that should help us and that money is worth more if it's spent later in the season... one of the problems with the discussions about trades, if you don't have the other half of the equation to know who you're talking about at some point no one is going to trade any player, including Shea Hillenbrand, for a couple of tin cans and some baseball cards. It's going to be a player that fills a hole that will make this team a better team. It's going to have to be, for Shea, someone of enormous impact.

HATE SCOTT

Byron Bashes Boston

5.8.03 Nets coach Byron Scott: "Boston fans come to games juiced up and can be pretty hostile... outrageous.. some of their black players couldn't go to certain places, and those are the players... they haven't caught up to the year 2000 yet"

Fans Rally Behind Bob as Globe Slaps Ryan with Suspension for Sports Final 'Smack' Gaffe

Lucchino, Gammons on Ryan Game

5.8.03 Larry Lucchino with D&C on Sports Radio 850 WEEI: It was sloppy language and the people who live by their words should be a lot more careful about sloppiness of the language. But I like him, I admire him. His body of work deserves some recognition while he's being criticized. I think he does deserve some punishment because of the deterrent effect it will have on others to be a little less sloppy in their language when talking about important issues.

5.8.03 Sports Radio 850 WEEI's The Big Show - Peter Gammons on Bob Ryan: Tony Cornheiser and I were talking and the feeling is Bob Ryan does a ton, and its funny, outrageous stuff. There is a rule of thumb, what can't go in paper can't go out in airwaves. There's a show aspect to what they do. Trying to reach the 17-35 demographic, the giggling about things you wouldn't write in the NY Times. Some things cross the line, Bob knows he did. But the reaction has been amazing. Being close to NY, reading the columnists, listening to the talk shows. Byron Scott put himself in bad position, demanding Ryan be fired, as he's stroking Kidd to stay in NJ, he was really stupid. Unbelievable how this has taken over the East Coast.

Ordway: Bob had numerous opportunities to take it back. If this had not grown legs in the NY Post, if the Globe had acted quicker, we would not have the type of fallout we've had with this story.

Gammons: From a distance the Globe didn't want to acknowledge it. Then was on fire, and the Parent Company had to deal with it. It could have been dealt with right away but Bob not dragged through mud. Ryan is as good as it is as a talk show guest. Ask one question and he'll talk for 45 minutes until he's done. He's highly intelligent. Ryan would never take the hatchet out. He'd wait a long time before going after Tommy Heinson (I'd go after Haywood Sullivan quickly). This was out of character. He's smart, liberal... it's you know, I know the point, we all do, probably many agree. Russo, how can I put it, says "that kid should be out time of night." Says it every day. But the use of the word and the situation, but he should not have been put out in the public stockyard. If handled on Monday, wouldn't have happened. ...I would have thought Globe would have addressed it and Bob would have had column on Tuesday, that would have been it.

Ordway: We heard people at Globe thought we (WEEI) were making big deal on Monday. But they could have an agenda.

Gammons: It wasn't until Berman (NY Post) talks with Ryan at the Celtics/Nets game.

Ordway: Things we had problem with, lines from newspaper. Walker punk. Offerman junk. Crossed line. Pedro and Sox players offense to accept the money from "dirt poor" Dominican Republic. Not sure standards are different...

Gammons: I actually think the Dominican Republic line was more offensive, more offensive to me. No getting around the line on Mrs. Kidd. You have to think about it. There's a difference when you're with a newspaper and if you're Fred Smerlas. And I don't mean that in bad way.

Sean McAdam. We answer to other bosses and have other responsibilities. Fred is on as Fred Smerlas, no worries. Frankly I'm glad.

Gammons: I cringe at things at ESPN at what the anchors would say. "And here's why you wouldn't want Tony Clark on your team" (footage of Clark striking out three times). that was against a great pitcher that night...you root for him (Clark), he's an extraordinary human being, he had a bad year with Boston but has 6 home runs right now... that's offensive to me (making fun of Cell phone Tony), the 'ha ha ha' cheap shot.

Sean McAdam. You bear brunt of Stuart Scott, whoever getting a line off, you catch the heat. I've been around so long, they know me, they know Harold. They ahve a lot of problems with Joe Tore ESPN, worried about the tone of some of his players. Stopped letting ESPN reporters in clubhouse when Olberman/Showalter... Ken Burns... John Chancellor, Keith interested in narrator. Olberman was upset, took it out on Ken Burns... Gammons: Is this media incest?

Ordway: Dale said maybe we shouldn't have these print guys on radio. Levanchy and Ted were saying all the newspaper writers are at fault because one guy stepped over line. I think they bring proximity and input that we can't get, I enjoy them. I wonder what the reaction is across the country. And Jay Mariotti...

5.7.03

Johnny Comes Home, Sox Pull Away

Can-sas City Closers: Woodard, Embree, Lyon hold the line, Sox take two of three 9-6

Chen Signed as Piece of  Pen Puzzle

Will Boston Be Better for Bruce?

Baghdad Bob Speaks for Bagjob Bob

Lobel: "It is what it is"

Ryan: "Even Antoine called me a Punk"

5.5.03

STINKO DE MAYO

OH NOmar!

Sox in Like a Lyon, Go Out Like a Lamb

Kansas City Can, Sox Can't. 7-6.

D-Lowe: "It's been a long year"

Desi Relaford: "We just wanted to get the first guy on... they don't have a closer so-to-speak"

 Bullpen-by-Calamity Needs Help Pronto

McDone. But Sean Goes Down Swinging

Sean McDonough to leave Zone for ESPN. Takes parting shots at 'EEI for 'cheatin' on wives and chasin' secretaries.'
"Buckley wants to be a star... but has no talent"

5.4.03

To Little: Too Late

5.3.03

Pen Blows Win to Those Twins

Minnesota finishes on top 11-7.

Gasoline Alley torched again. More Embrees on the fire. Bad defense, relief, and at-bats costs Comeback Kids tonight.

Hench on Garciapopup

5.2.03 in-game rant:  Would it kill him to take a friggin' strike with the bases loaded and the count 2-0 before he pops weakly to the right side for the 15th friggin' time in the last week? Nomar should not bat in front of Manny... we needed insurance. Oh, God, and look at the Fin' throw! Well, this loss will all be on Nomar. His approach at the plate is terrible.