Heavy Duty

He's No Spring Chicken, But Curt Makes Light Work of Twins
The Skinny on Schill: 19 Pitches, 15 for Strikes,
1 Solid Outing

Edes Extra: Cup Opener Ends 4-4 in 10 Innings
Alex Arm Strong: Ochoa Can Really Throw a Baseball!
Closer Call: Donnelly Takes the Early Lead
Runs Like Damon: Jacoby Might Make Us Forget About Johnny
Looks Like Lugo Will Giveth, and Taketh Away
Mauer Pokes One Out Off Manny's Publicist

Cover Boy

Finally, Someone Catches Up With the Stealthy Daisuke Matsuzaka and Will Publish a Story About the Sox Rookie Pitcher

Extra Bases: Manny and His Wheels (Final Chapter?)
Survey: Where Do You Stand on Schill?
Survey Gallery: 10 Things to Watch for in Spring Training
Eric Wilbur: To Helton and Back

Fans in Fort Myers Set to Empty Their Pockets as the Grapefruit League Opens for Business Tonight

Curt's Starting to Throw
His Weight Around

Big Schill Won't Name Names, But He Thinks a Heavy-Handed
Sox Front Office Tipped the Scales Against Him

MacMullan: Case of Weight and See

"Schilling remains peeved about what he perceives to be media leaks concerning his conditioning. He held Francona blameless and quickly exonerated Epstein as well, leaving the finger squarely pointed in the direction of CEO Larry Lucchino, everyone's favorite piñata. If Lucchino is indeed the subject of his ire, then why not name him?

'I don't need to name anyone,' Schilling answered. 'The person knows that I know. I don't care if the rest of you know, too.' " -- 2.28.07, Jackie MacMullan, Boston Globe

Schilling Being Johnny?
Sounds Like One of the Most Beloved Members of the Yankees Fan Site, NYYFans.com, Is Warming Up to the Idea of Playing in New York ...

"I'm probably one of the worst hated opposing players for their fans. I doubt they'd want me there. It's got nothing to do with [GM] Brian Cashman. I love that guy. And I love Mr. Steinbrenner. But if I went to the Yankees, it would be me walking out of Boston and putting my finger up to the fans.

"I won't do it. And the dollar value will not tip the scales. If they gave me $25 million to pitch one season in Yankee Stadium, I'd still say no." -- 2.28.07, Schilling to the Globe's Jackie MacMullan

Buckley: Schill Throws Inside at Sox

"Asked specifically which Red Sox employees he believes are making anonymous comments about him to the media, Schilling’s response, verbatim, was as follows: 'People. No specific person. And nobody in mind. I just know that this is one of those organizations that there will be things said in the paper from a writer that you know didn’t come from the writer that came from somebody here that wanted to get a message to a player without telling him themselves.' " -- 2.27.07, Steve Buckley, Boston Herald

'Do You Know This Man?'

The Steroid Investigation Continues,
But Sheff Won't Cooperate

USA Today: Sheffield Unfazed By Probe

"The (players) association told us this is just a witch hunt. They don't want us to talk to them. This is all about getting (Bonds)." -- 2.27.07, Gary Sheffield to USA Today

Tom Verducci: 'Shadows' Afterword Details Bonds' Freakish Growth
Seth Mnookin: Sheffield and Congress

The Last King of the Red Sox ...

... Gets the Oscar for His Performance This Morning
in 'The Late Arrival: Another Manny Ramirez Story'

Video: Manny's First Workout | Audio: Agent Speak
Extra Bases: Manny Strange Happenings in Fort Myers
Genske Hammered with Questions on Manny Issues
'Can you tell us when in the offseason Manny's mother had surgery?'
'You had zero conversations with anyone [regarding the auto auction]?'
'Do you think since he’s your meal ticket, you should try to help him grow up?'
'Manny is 34 now. Do you think it’s time for him to be more accountable
instead of being babied like a 12-year-old?'

Lost on the Road? Slide Home with Schilling
WBZ Video: Brewzer the Sleepdog

Sooner, Not Later

Breaking News: Surprise! Manny's in Camp
'Tek's Reaction: 'Good for Him'

Dressed to Thrill

TC's Blog: Matsuzaka Looked Sharp Again on Saturday
(And Looks Very Dice in the Home Whites)

Bradford: Rear-View Mirror | Schilling Knows Better Now
More From Curt: Schill Goes Off on Shaughnessy
Gallery: Picture Day in Fort Myers
The Latest: Lester Looks 'Tremendous'

Extra Bases: Ramirez Changes Gears, Puts Brakes on Road Trip to AC

'Tek Checks in on Manny's Plans

"Red Sox captain Jason Varitek, however, was not as dismissive [of the Manny controversy].

'This is a huge one for us to wait out and see what actually happens,' Varitek said. 'We can only go off [whether] it happens, what to do. There's not a whole lot to do. If it's a 'post' thing and already occurred, it changes the dynamics quite a bit.

'He's scheduled to be here, what is it, March 1? We hear he's in great shape and ready to go. We'll see what happens [when] we get him here March 1.' " -- 2.23.07, Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

Meanwhile in Boston, Curt Schilling Remains Big News ...

Herald: Sox to Curt: Fat Chance
Globe: Sox Won't Extend Schilling

Nobody Did It Better

A Celtics Great Is Gone. Rest in Peace DJ.

Never Say Never

Schill Will Talk the Talk, But the Sox Ace Could Walk the Walk
to the Bronx Just Like Roger, Wade, and Johnny
(Those Pinstripes Really Are Slimming)

Sox Don't Blink, No New Contract for Curt:
Schilling Plans to Test Free Agency
(Listen to Curt on WEEI)

"The 40-year-old Schilling said this morning that he spoke with Sox GM Theo Epstein about the situation yesterday, and that the decision not to make him a contract offer until season’s end was made for business reasons, not personal ones. Schilling also said he was 'disappointed.'

“ 'At this age and stage it was probably more appropriate to make that contract decision at the end of the season,' Red Sox president Larry Lucchino said on WEEI this morning after Schilling’s appearance." -- 2.22.07, Extra Bases, Schilling plans to test free agency

Survey: Where Do You Stand on Schill? | Discuss

Amalie Benjamin Chat Wrap
Today: Dice Throws Marathon Session | More From Schilling
Today's Photos | Schilling Sound | Theo's Take
Spring Videos: See Schilling's Tony Maserati
More From the Fort: Lowell Talks About the Missing Manny
Bradford on Baseball | Herald Blog

Classic Manny

Breaking News: Ramirez Planned to Be at a Classic Car Auction in Atlantic City This Weekend While His Teammates Get Ready for the Season in Florida

Gordon Edes: Instead of Sox Camp, Ramirez Scheduled to be in AC

" 'Tony Avenso, who said he is a New Jersey dealer in high-end customized classic cars, primarily Cadillacs, and has sold Ramírez five classic cars, said Ramirez has plans to join him at the Atlantic City Classic Cars Auction at the Atlantic City Convention Center, which begins tomorrow and runs through Sunday.

Ramírez is planning to be there Saturday, said Avenso, who said he has been talking to Ramírez on a daily basis this week. Ramírez had not finalized plans, Avenso said, because of his mother’s medical condition. 'His mother had surgery, then was taken back in [to the hospital],' Avenso said.

‘‘ 'There’s no question he was coming up,' Avenso added. 'He was flying up and staying with me in Atlantc City. He knows his good cars and his bad cars.' ’’ -- 2.21.07, Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

Ortiz May Have a New Truck, But Manny's the One in the Driver's Seat

From the Fort: Epstein Says March Manny Must Be 'Accountable'
Bradford on Baseball | Herald Blog | Photos: Today's Camp Shots
Edes Chat Wrap: Gordon Answers 'Manny' | Nixon Off to Slow Start

More Bang for the Truck?

Are the Sox Hoping Papi's Perk Will Drive Up His Numbers?
Will John Henry's Gift Force Him to Keep on Giving?

March Manny May Get the Big Bucks,
But Papi Gets Payback with a New Truck
And Somewhere in Arizona, Keith Foulke Has Pickup-Envy

Big, Puppy

Photos: Papi, Drew Show Up at No-Manny Camp

Extra Bases: Drew Says He's Healthy

Pride and Joy

Nashua Celebrates Fat Tuesday By Signing Rich Garces

Just an Appetizer? Is Nashua Guapo's Stepping Stone Back to the Big Leagues?
Future Sox Closer? The Pride of Venezuela Was Always Around the Plate ...

"The Nashua Pride announced Tuesday that the professional baseball club has signed former Red Sox star setup man, Rich Garces, nicknamed 'El Guapo.'

"Garces played for the Minnesota Twins (1990, 1993), Chicago Cubs (1995), Florida Marlins (1995) and the Boston Red Sox (1996-2002). El Guapo was voted second most beloved Red Sox reliever since 1967 in a recent Boston Dirt Dogs poll on www.BostonDirtDogs.com.

" 'Signing Rich to pitch this season is really fun for the fans in Nashua,' said Pride manager Butch Hobson. 'He has pitched great in Venezuela this winter and we will look for him to be a leader both in the bullpen and in the community.'

“ 'I am excited to move back to New England and can’t wait to pitch for Butch and help Nashua win a championship,' commented Garces." -- 2.20.07, Nashua Pride press release

PRESEASON MUSINGS by Gary Jacobs

Spring Hopes: Eternal

FEB. 20, 2007 -- Mid-February is, in many ways, my favorite time of year.

The equipment truck has left Fenway, pitchers and catchers reported last week, and today, Spring Training starts in earnest, with position players reporting for work for the first time since last October. And thousands of baseball writers across the country are all writing the same column.

The beginning of Spring Training gives writers and columnists all over town carte blanche to dust off all their creaky old metaphors about baseball. This week they have license to use ancient, tired bromides like “the national pastime” and, so help me, “the boys of summer,” with complete impunity. They will make grand, sweeping statements in the mold of Bart Giamatti about the nobility of this grand game, the verdant fields on which it is played, and how, with apologies to the Beatles, it’s been a long, cold, lonely winter, but at last the world once again has purpose and meaning, because they’re stretching down in Fort Myers.

I’ll confess: I’m no different. I mock the writers that succumb to such hackery, but I find myself doing the exact same thing.

Why? Because it’s all true. Spring Training DOES represent the incipient end of winter, and even if this winter has been drier than most, I’m still happy to see it in my rear-view mirror. Baseball DOES occupy a special place in the hearts of millions of Americans, myself included – and just because I no longer circle the date on my calendar when pitchers and catchers report, that doesn’t mean I hold it any less special.

Baseball is the sport I learned to love on my Dad’s knee, and the sport that he learned to love from his father, who came over on a big boat to find and fall in love with baseball on his own. It connects the generations like no other sport can. That’s why writers this week will shamelessly expound on sunny summer afternoons in a hammock with a beer and a transistor radio. Not just because it’s an easy cliché but because it represents the common experience of so many so vividly. Who hasn’t taken a well-deserved break in hammock or lawn chair after mowing the lawn, listening to Ken Coleman (or Curt Gowdy) at the mike?

And nothing can tie the past and the future together so neatly quite like Spring Training can. There’s nothing but promise in the air. The Red Sox, god love ‘em, are undefeated. The pitching rotation is unsullied by injury. There’s still plenty of pop in the lineup and even without Gabe Kapler their bench is deeper than many. Red Sox fans can still hold their heads up and declare that maybe, just maybe, this will be a special year.

No, I think I’m inclined to give my writer colleagues a break. Every so often you encounter a phenomenon that earns its wellspring of clichés, deserves every overfull cauldron of hyperbole, every time. The advent of Spring Training reinforces our long-standing love affair with the Boys of Summer, and the eternal, grand, glorious National Pastime they play. Today, this one time, you can call me a hack. You can call us all hacks. Call us whatever you like. Spring Training starts today. -- Gary Jacobs, Boston Dirt Dogs contributor. E-mail Gary