Big Payday?

ESPNdesportes Report: David Ortiz is close to signing a $50 million
contract extension with the Red Sox, reportedly earning an
average salary of $12.5 million per season from 2007-2010

Edes: Ortiz Denies Report of Done Deal

Eric Wilbur: Guesstimated Forecast

There's a New Sheriff in Town

With George Mitchell Coming Under Fire for Red Sox, Disney, and Bud Selig Ties, BDD Hires Detective Vic Mackey to Conduct an Independent Steroid Investigation

NY Post: Baseball's Weak Hack
Hohler: Mitchell Says Probe Will Be 'Thorough, Fair'
Mitchell Criticized, Won't Resign as Red Sox Director

Steroids Prohibited in MLB Since 1991
So MLB Will Investigate Back to 2002

"The probe launched Thursday initially will be limited to events since September 2002, when the sport banned performance-enhancing drugs, but Mitchell has the authority to expand it." -- 3.31, Chief of Steroids Probe Criticized

MLB's 1991 Drug Policy

"The possession, sale or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance by Major League players and personnel is strictly prohibited... (and those players involved) are subject to discipline by the Commissioner and risk permanent expulsion from the game... This prohibition applies to all illegal drugs and controlled substances, including steroids..." -- Francis T. Vincent, Jr., Commissioner of Major League Baseball (1991)

Schilling Wants to 'Wipe Out' Cheaters' Records
Globe Archives: Selig Says He Never Saw Signs of Steroids

Ten Years Too Late...
the Investigation Begins!

Major League Baseball to Launch Steroids Probe

Red Sox Director George Mitchell Will Lead Investigation;
Former Senator Vowes to Drag Out Steroid Scandal into Summer;
Mitchell Hires the Best Man for the Job: Chief Inspector Clouseau

"It won't be easy, that is why I have always failed where others have succeeded."
-- Inspector Clouseau

USA Today: Reasons for Bonds* Bad Image

Inviting E-mail from Henry:
Sox Owner Thought You Were 'Long Suffering' Before 2004 Series Win
Eric Wilbur: The Odds Have Spoken -- Sox are 10-1
Rob Bradford: The Rise of David Ortiz
The Onion: Steinbrenner Names Damon New Yankee Scapegoat

Curse of the Arroyo?

Reds 4, Red Sox 0: Bronson Mows Down Sox for 7
Tavarez Suspended for 10 Days

Dead Heat

Schilling Feels Good. Fastball Looked Bad.

"Didn't feel like I had a lot of life today on my fastball... Today was probably as bad a fastball physically as I felt I had all spring." -- 3.29, Curt Schilling in Extra Bases

Box: Red Sox 3, Pirates 2

Now Clement's Got That
Fighting Spirit

Another Home Run Trot Gets a Sox Pitcher Hot

"The homer he gave up last night came on a cutter to David Ross. Ross, the Reds' backup catcher, hit a towering shot down the left-field line and watched it soar. Clement appeared to exchange words with him, but he wasn't as hot as Josh Beckett at Ryan Howard two days earlier, or Tavárez Monday.

'''I'll give him the benefit of the doubt, that he thought it was going foul,' Clement said. 'We've had enough going on the last couple days. If he was trying to watch it and show me up, if that's what he needs to do, he can do that. In the regular season it'll be a different story. But there's no reason to create any controversies.'" -- 3.29.05, Boston Globe, Red Sox Notebook

Clement Tagged for Six Runs in Sox 10-5 Loss to Reds
Delcarmen, Lights-Out Hansen Optioned to PawSox

Graffanino-more: Who's In and Who's Out on the 25-man Roster
Graff Riff: 'I Think They Screwed Me, Basically'
Julian Jab: 'I'm Done with the Media. No Mas'
NY Post: Big Unit Gets Stingy with Love Child
NY Times: Selig May Tap Sox Director Mitchell for Steroid Probe
NY Magazine Damon Update: And an Idiot Shall Lead Them
Eric Wilbur: Time Bomb Town

Julian Being Julian Slideshow: How it All Went Down
D-Rays vs. Goliaths: Rivalry Revisited
Audio: Tavarez Speaks

The Fighting Franconas
Are at It Again
Tavarez Throws, Lands One

Julian Tavarez winds up and connects on a punch to the chin of Joey Gathright today

The Latest: Rays accuse Tavarez of 'Sucker Punch'
Tavarez Punches Gathright | Teams Have a History | Last Dustup
Tavarez Track Record: It's Just Julian Being Julian
The Feisty Bunch: Photos from the Incident
Boomer in the Broadcast Booth?: Wells Plans to Retire After Season
Box(ing) Scorecard: Sox Win Knock-Down, Drag-Out, 12-11
Wells Gets Whacked Around

Fists Flying in Fort Myers!

"Gathright placed his hand on Tavarez's left knee and attempted to push it away, at which point Tavarez cocked his right fist. Gathright was still on one knee when Tavarez threw a roundhouse right, catching Gathright in the area of his chin and knocking his batting helmet off. Tavarez can then be seen pulling back his arm and throwing another punch, which appeared to glance off Gathright's shoulder... "-- Gordon Edes, Extra Bases

Back in Boston:
A Nation Waits Patiently for Johnny Damon
to Comment on the Recent Events

Eric Wilbur: Seasonal Adjustments

Red Sox Fantasy Primer: Sox Hitters, Sox Pitchers
Joan Vennochi: Owners Hurl Opening Pitch
Anything to Help Pay Manny: Sox to Gamble on Mass. Lottery Tickets

Oh My Josh

Beckett Blows a Gasket over Howard's End

Good Thing Josh Won't Have to Watch Manny and Big Papi Hit Long Drives Off Him

"Beckett spoke his piece and, Howard said, 'For me it was over. I really wasn't thinking about it anymore.'

"But, when Howard went out in the top of the seventh to play first base, Beckett, standing in the dugout, kept hurling words his way.

'''That's where I handled it wrong,' Beckett said. 'That's probably where I should have been a bigger man. I'm going to go out on a limb and say it's my fault.'

"Howard, on what he heard Beckett yell: 'He's like, 'Fly ball.' He threw in some curse words and called me a couple names. I was like, 'It's over,' but he started popping back off.'" -- 3.27.06, Chris Snow, Boston Globe

Yesterday's News:
Sox Improve to 7-16-1 on Spring with Rare 3-2 Win
Choi Picked Up off Waivers, Schilling Goes Deep, Curt's Quotes
Graffanino Placed on Waivers, Foulke Feels Great
Keith Will Close, Papelbon in 'Pen, Hop on Pap

And Those Twins

I Love Losing the Mayor's Cup
Kyle Lohse Was Too Much
My Team Never Wins
Against the Twins

Twins 4, Red Sox 3

Wily Mo Goes Deep

But the Canadian Babe is the Show in Sox 5-4 Loss to NY

Stern Goes 3-for-5 with Homer
Damon Gets First Hit Against Sox as Yankee
Papelbon Settles Down After Early Struggles
Riske Business Not Looking Like Wise Investment
Sturtze Starting Trouble Again by Plunking Lowell

'Game of Shadows': Bonds* Sought Protection from BALCO Scandal; Giambi* Did It for Dad; Sheffield* Injected Testosterone and HGH

Here We Go: Pedro Expects to Miss Opening Day

Reunited, and It Feels So Good

Love is in the Air for Manny and Johnny

The Team of '04 Is Shown the Door

Photo Gallery: Where Did They Go? Whom Do You Want Back?

El Neuvo Dia: Juan Gone Going to Oakland Now
Absolutely Fabulous: The Red Sox are Eating $17.25 Million in Player Contracts
Ask Edes Mailbag: Pena Possibilities

Partners in Crime

Adam Bomb: Vinatieri Bolts to Colts
And the Comparisons to Johnny Will Pour in
from the 'Woe-is-Me' Fans

The Great Escapes

They All Lived the David Wells Dream

Free (Swingin') Wily

Bombs Away: Pena Pounds the Ball in Batting Practice Today
Rays 9, Sox 7: Wily Mo Was Up in 9th as Tying Run and... He Walked
Eric Wilbur: Pena in the Neck

Arroyo: 'I Don't feel Like They Betrayed Me or Anything Like That'
Edes Chat Wrap: Gordon Touched on Bronson, Wily Mo... and Soriano

Say Hello to Wily Mo

Edes: This Raw Material Hints at Lode of Talent

'''Wily Mo was taking batting practice, and everybody came out to watch -- Ken Griffey Jr., everybody,' a scout who was there said yesterday. 'The balls he hit were still rising as they cleared that big scoreboard in center field in Legends Field. He has as big a power as anybody in the game.'" -- 3.21.06, Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

Time for Bronson to Get His Motor Running ...
Head Out on the Highway ...

And Grab a Copy of 'Who Moved My Cheese?'

File Under 'Yawn': Arroyo Cries Foul Over Trade
Rock Stars Unite: Johnny Breaks Silence on Bronson Trade

"'They have their plans, and they have their computers, and they believe that's right,' Damon said. 'Unfortunately, computers don't judge a person's heart.'" -- 3.21.06, Don Amore, Hartford Courant (Johnny hasn't seen the new Red Sox computers obviously)

Mo' Better Sox

Papi Awed by Pena's Power

Pena Has Potential To Be Great
Gammo: There's a New Mo in Boston

"And while Wily Mo Pena is a .303 career on-base guy who sometimes plays out of control, he is still only 24, and about to begin learning the game with David Ortiz. Boston is not usually a tools-oriented organization, but one thing they lack through the minor leagues is right-handed power, and Pena is a project whose skills are worth the effort to hone.

"Right-handed corner power bats are hard to find, and Pena has awesome power and remarkable speed. The Red Sox were looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder, and Pena can platoon with Trot Nixon; Pena had an .881 OPS against left-handed pitching last season (Mike Sweeney and Andruw Jones were .877, Manny Ramirez .885). He can fill in for Coco Crisp and Ramirez, when necessary." -- 3.20.06, Peter Gammons, ESPN Insider Blog (Subscription Only)

Extra Bases: Theo Talks About Wily Mo Pena's Potential
And Said Bronson Had No Guarantees

In the future, Pena has the potential to be a legitimate middle-of-the-order power hitter. He strikes out a lot, and has not had a traditional development curve. The track record for players this young with this power is pretty good. If he hits his potential, he’s got a chance to be an impact guy but there is risk involved with this skill set. -- 3.20.06, Theo Epstein on Wily Mo Pena

Ronald and Me

Goneson to Reds: I'm Lovin' It

Boston.Com Survey: Did Sox Do Arroyo Wrong?
Eric Wilbur: A Few Mo' Questions
Photo Gallery: Recapping Bronson's Time in Boston
WEEI Audio: Theo Talks About Wily Mo

ROCK STAR TAKES HIS
SHOW ON THE ROAD

Bronson Arroyo Has Been Traded to
the Reds for Outfielder Wily Mo Pena

Career Stats: Bronson Arroyo | Wily Mo Pena
Dayton Daily News Archive: Was Wily Mo Thinking Over 30 HRs?
Globe Archive: Against Agent Advice, Arroyo Signs for 3 Years

'''We continue to move closer toward a discounted deal that Bronson is providing to the Boston Red Sox because he wants to do anything he can do to remain a Red Sox for not only these three years but the remainder of his career,' Clifton said last night. 'He's saying, 'I know this is a discounted deal, but I want to remain here. How do I get a chance to do this forever?'

'''While we do not support him in his decision to provide a discount, we hope the Boston Red Sox will not take advantage of Bronson's loyalty and use a potential discounted deal to trade him.'

"Sox co-general manager Jed Hoyer, when reached by phone, declined to comment last night." -- 1.19.06, Chris Snow, Boston Globe

Bronson's Swan Song

There Are No Guarantees in Life for Guitar Boy

Talk Among Yourselves:
What Do You Think About the Arroyo-Pena Trade?

BDD Taking the Chair on CN8's Sports Pulse with Ed Berliner at 10pm Tonight

Johnny Pesky Breaks Bone in His Leg | Arroyo, Wake, and Schilling Strong on Sunday
Dustan Mohr Scouted by Phillies | Report: Sox Talking to Reds About Wily Mo Pena
Extra Bases: Papi's On the Way | Byung-Hyun Kim Coughs Up Another One

Coming, Coming, Gone!

Is Juan Gone a Good Find for Sox?

El Nuevo Dia:
Juan Gonzalez to Report to Red Sox Camp on Monday

English translation of El Nuevo Dia report: Juan 'Igor' González finally obtained the chance he has been expecting for so long.

On Saturday, González received an invitation to the Red Sox training camp, his agent Alan Nero confirmed.

“Some time ago we arrived at a verbal agreement with the Red Sox and Juan will be reporting to training camp in Fort Myers Monday (tomorrow)”, said Nero, an agent of the firm MCSG Sports, in a telephone interview with San Juan, Puerto Rico, newspaper El Nuevo Dia.

Nero explained that his client will be going to try and win a spot on the Red Sox roster.

“It’s a minor league contract. Juan is only going to have 10 days before beginning the season to try to make the team, and because of that a high possibility exists that when the season starts he’ll remain in extended spring training or go to Triple-A (Pawtucket) until the team determines that he is ready for play in the big leagues. But Juan has worked very hard and he is in great shape," said Nero.

“Juan will have the opportunity to make $1 million. It all depends on how much time he is in the big leagues,” Nero added.

González, the greatest Puerto Rican home run hitter in the majors and ninth among active players with 434 home runs, has missed 462 games with a variety of injuries over the past four seasons. Last year, a tear in his hamstring limited him to one at-bat with the Cleveland Indians.