PRIMA GONER?

Greedy Petey Gets His Deal

GM Omar-tinez Minaya should be fired mañana for trying to add more bad contracts to Metropolitans' payroll

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

(Omar) What you want
(Omar) Baby, I got
(Omar) What you need
(Omar) Do you know I got it?
(ooh) All I´m askin´
(ooh) Is for a little respect when I come back (to the National League)
Hey baby (just a little bit) when I come back
(just a little bit) Mister Minaya (just a little bit)

I ain´t gonna do you wrong if you pay me
Ain´t gonna do you wrong (ooh) ´cause I want the money (ooh)
All I´m askin´ (ooh)
Is for a little respect if I sign here (just a little bit)
Baby (just a little bit) if I play at Shea (just a little bit)
Yeah (just a little bit)

(Omar) I´m about to give you all of my money
And all I´m askin´ in return, Petey
Is to keep my job like Willie
When you sign here (just a, just a, just a, just a)
Yeah baby (just a, just a, just a, just a)
When you meet Willie (just a little bit)
Yeah (just a little bit)

Ooo, your kisses (ooh)
Sweeter than Georgie (ooh)
And guess what? (ooh)
All I want is money (ooh)
All I want you to do (ooh) for me
Is give it to me if sign here (re, re, re ,re)
Yeah baby (re, re, re ,re)
Give it to me (respect, just a little bit)
When I throw home, now (just a little bit)

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to Pete
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Take care, CHB

Oh ($ock it to me, $ock it to me,
$ock it to me, $ock it to me)
A little respect ($ock it to me, $ock it to me,
$ock it to me, $ock it to me)
Whoa, Nelson (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit)
My shoulder gets tired (just a little bit)
But I keep on tryin´ (just a little bit)
(Omar) You´re runnin´ out of foolin´ (just a little bit)
But I ain´t lyin´ (just a little bit)
(re, re, re, re) ´spect
When you throw home (re, re, re ,re)
Or you might give up homers (respect, just a little bit)
And find out I´m gone (just a little bit)
I got to have (just a little bit)
A little respect (just a little bit)

Sox to Play Tigers in Cooperstown Exhibition in May

Red Sox World Series shares: $223,619.79 each
Nomar still gets 3/4 of a share for playing 38 games! Sox were the most
generous team with sharing the WS wealth, giving out a whopping 58 shares

According to ESPN's Peter Gammons, Lying Rat Bastard Scott Bora$ has dropped his ransom to $44M for 4 years for Tek. Rotoworld adds "if the Red Sox didn't come back to win Game 4 of the ALCS, Varitek would probably be settling for $24-$27M over three years right now."

Belli's Back: Sox reach agreement with Mirabelli: 2 years, $3M deal

Give It Up for the Mud Dogs

They're 10-1 in case you haven't been paying attention.

Cabrera Era Over?

New Dawn for Orlando, Cabby Wants 4-5 Years.
(Time for OC to find a new band.)

It's Reigning Men

BOSTON RED SOX NAMED SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S 2004 SPORTSMEN OF THE YEAR

“We are naming the Red Sox the Sportsmen of the Year because of the way they underline the connection between a team, a franchise, a town and the fans,” said SI Managing Editor Terry McDonell. “Every Sox fan everywhere shares in this with the team.”

The Red Sox completed an impressive regular season followed by their historic comeback from a 3-0 deficit against the New York Yankees in the ALCS and their sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Along the way, the Sox carried with them generations of Red Sox Nation, their devoted and fanatical faithful.

By virtue of being a member of the Red Sox, Curt Schilling becomes only the second person to be accorded the honor twice (Tiger Woods, 1996 and 2000). He joined his Arizona Diamondbacks teammate Randy Johnson as co-Sportsman in 2001. Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski is the only other Red Sox player ever named Sportsman (1967).

Five previous Sportsman selections played in or have ties to Boston: Yastrzemski, Bill Russell (1968), Bobby Orr (1970) and members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team and 1999 U.S. Women’s World Cup Soccer Team. The Red Sox are the first major professional sports team to receive the distinction.

The sport of baseball is being honored for the 13th time: Johnny Podres, 1955; Stan Musial, 1957; Sandy Koufax, 1965; Yastrzemski; Tom Seaver, 1969; Pete Rose, 1975; Willie Stargell, 1979 (with Terry Bradshaw); Dale Murphy, 1987 (one of eight Athletes Who Care); Orel Hershiser, 1988; Cal Ripken Jr., 1995; Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, 1998; and Schilling and Johnson.

Sox fans get a piece of award too

Cold Turkey

Hot Stove cools off over Thanksgiving. Mirabelli to re-sign,
Martinez meets with Mets Minaya. Sox win SI Sportsmen of the Year.

Thank You.

Thanks to the thousands of men and women in the United States Coast Guard, Army, Navy,
Air Force, and Marines who read this page daily from stations all over the world and all servicemen and women defending our freedom in some of the most dangerous places on earth.

No Go on Pavano?

Sox Target May Be Philly, New York Bound

A Boston Dirt Dogs source indicates that free-agent pitcher Carl Pavano "is definitely signing with Philadelphia." The only issue apparently holding it up was that Carl's mom is a big Yankees fan. The source indicates that "Boston wasn't even in the mix at all -- Pavano wants to play in Philly, but he's considering the Yankees as well." The Phillies have already offered Pavano a three-year contract. An MLB source on this report: "I can't see Philadelphia being anyone's clear cut choice especially knowing the people that work there, and what the atmosphere is like, even when butt kissing free agents."

Saving Private Fenway

Soxmen of the Year

Yaz was previously the only Red Sox player named Sportsman of the Year. Tune in to the one-hour special on FOX-25, Sunday at 4:30 (we'll have the new cover then) for the official 2004 announcement. Other Hub Sportsman? Bill Russell 1968, Bobby Orr 1970, US Olympic Hockey Team 1980.

Video shows Sox fan shot by Boston Police
Student shot while high above street, sitting with hands by his side
Boston University gobbles up real estate, but does nothing to punish punks who trashed city, citizens' property

I, Me, Miami Martinez

Afternoon Delight: The Diva and Alice Spent the Day in Miami

"Alex gave Pedro the pitch, he told him what the Yankees are about, how Joe Torre runs things, about the clubhouse atmosphere and what's expected," Martinez' agent Fernando Cuza said." -- New York Post, George King/Steinbrenner

(If that's the case, then Pedro and Nelson hopped on the next shuttle to Santo Domingo for happy hour. They're perfectly happy with mahow the Red Sox "run things.")

"Alex is the best ballplayer..." -- 11.19.04 Pedro Martinez
(You hear that Manny? Who does Pedro think he is, Kevin Millar?)

Pedro Gets Nation's Goat

"I would play baseball even in a goat's den," he said. "Anywhere. That doesn't worry me." -- NYT on Prima Donna Petey

Nomar Booed at Boston World Series DVD Premiere

But mark us down for supporting making a one-year offer to Nomar to play shortstop (gulp) for the Red Sox. 2005: Let's Win One With Nomie. In other news, Hanley Ramirez tripled, doubled, walked and scored three times for Licey of the Dominican Winter League yesterday.

MLB DVD misses mark on capturing high drama, Leary narration lifeless, more shots of Ruth than Roberts, shows ALCS sans-Slap, makes too many C-word and about 86 "86 years of suffering" references, and force feeds you "Tessie" one more time to boot in lieu of "Dirty Water."
NESN/Red Sox DVD out next week. A much better effort.

W, O. C.

Former Texas Rangers Owner Woos Cabrera for New Team

Sayonara Super Sub

Kapler Headed to Japan

According to a Boston Dirt Dogs source, and now confirmed by several Japanese news outlets, former Red Sox outfielder Gabe Kapler just earlier today signed with the Yomiuri Giants for 1 year at a reported $2 million.

Kapler said he and his family are excited to go to Japan and he is eager to show his "energetic" playing style.

Pedro is Ready to Leave Sox

Likes Steinbrenner and Jeter. Calls A-Rod Best Player. Would Like to Play with Bonds* in San Francisco or Vlad in Anaheim.

“I am not asking for anything that I don’t deserve”

Pedro clarified that he expects the highest bidder to offer not only money, but to treat him with the respect he is used to

By Yancen Pujols / The Caribbean Sunday, November 21, 2004

El Caribe translation: Pedro Martinez is negotiating a contract in the same way in which he works when he is on the mound: Willing to do anything for the sake of obtaining the goal desired without the smaller charge of possible conscience.

... In an exclusive one with The Caribbean, he clarified that in his next contract he considers other things more important than money, such as respect ...

"In reality I will do the necessary thing. We will do it without favoritism and we will do it well", indicated the righthander in its first statement after last week’s meetings with the Yankees and Red Sox.

"I want respect, affection and the best possible treatment. I am not requesting anything that Pedro Martinez does not deserve. The people do not understand that when you enter free agency, you can go to the highest bidder," he said.

After a long day that included his return home after visiting the United States ... Martinez sat down on a sidewalk to talk long with The Caribbean.

As if it was in the movie "Question of honor", Martinez does not intend to yield neither an apex to the parameters he refers to.

"I would say that in this point in my career, I have a level in the market and if it’s dropped from there, it’s dropped for all the players looking for raises. Therefore, for that reason, respect matters even more," he said.

"We are going to see how much interest they show the parts and the interest that give me", added.

On Boston. Pedro was emphatic at the time, indicating that he has a clear conscience and that is prepared to launch in any place.

"I have not asked for $17.5 million. I do not want that. For a long time I told them I am not asking for that ...", the Dominican said, with great clarity.

"Therefore, this will not weight on my conscience, I know the respect that I deserve and the value that I have", he said.

"I have been myself preparing for the moment when free agency arrived. One does like the ants, is prepared at this time to go in another direction", he added. And what do you have to say to those who say at this point in your career, you prefer to pitch in the National League for convenience?

"I would play baseball even in a corral of goats, wherever that be. That does not worry me, I am healthy thanks to God and I expect to pitch well", he said.

In Sunday’s edition, the Boston Globe published that the Red Sox increased their offering to Pedro, that according to reports some $40 million dollars were guaranteed.

Martinez did not go into details on the teams that have approached him, but commented that "many people have approached and are showing interest. I have to do things calmly."

"That man is a lot better than people think and there I was with Derek Jeter, who stopped to greet me and the encounter happened in a very pleasant way", exposed the man that has polarized to the Yankees in which to a possible acceptance he refers.

I Hate This Game

The NBA: Where gangsters, thugs and smugglers are thoroughly respected

Death, taxes, Lou Gorman having lunch, and the Red Sox raising ticket prices again.

Sox are Ready
to Overpaydro

Sox Play the Game, Take Page from Duquette School of Negotiating and Bid Against Themselves for Mr. Martinez

"Even after the principal owner George Steinbrenner met Martínez last week, and even after the Yankees were told that the Boston Red Sox had guaranteed Martínez a three-year, $37.5 million contract, the Yankees still had not made Martínez an offer, according to two baseball officials." -- 11.22 New York Times

NYT source confirms BDD report of Martinez' 4/$60M request "basing his logic on the $15-million-a-year deal Kevin Brown signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1998. Brown was 33 then, the same age Martínez is now."

Dominican Republic Godfather Tells Pedro to Stay Put in Boston

Juan Marichal Wants Pedro to Accept the Red Sox Offer

Today's Listin Diario reports that highly-respected Hall of Famer Juan Marichal wants Pedro Martinez to accept the Red Sox offer and stay in Boston. Dominican talk show caller Miguel reports to Dale and Neumy that people in the Dominican were furious that Pedro spoke to the Yankees "The Boston Red Sox have been very good to the people of the Dominican Republic. If Pedro goes to the Yankees, he will create a lot of enemies in the Dominican Republic."

I Dream of Petey

"Slappy McBlueLips is "dreaming to play with Pedro." If Pedro stays in Boston, I hope he drills A-Fraud in the ass for that comment. Ugh. -- Anthony Gertz, cardless member of RSN

Will Sox Give Placido a Go?

The Boston Herald reported Friday that the Sox have been in discussions with Phillies' Placido Polanco's reps, trying to bring the 29-year-old infielder to Boston to be a backup for infielders Mark Bellhorn and Bill Mueller. Polanco hit .298 with 17 home runs and 55 RBIs in 126 games for the Phillies this past season.

Schilling sets the table: Pavano staying for dinner.
Meanwhile, Joe Torre saying all the right things about Pedro

Hey Carl, Let's Dance
(Sox Highlights Courtesy of CBS4/UPN38 Editor Extraordinaire Brian Fox)

Pavano's a Perfect Fit

(Don't forget to get the "Thanks for coming Carl" signs out on 109 for the ride home)

Schilling's Summit Meeting

Curt and Carl Are Kickin' Back at the Schilling Shack Today

One Last Thing to Remember Carl,
Boston is Trophy Town

Thank you for your time today.

Pedro Won't Cash in with Yanks

Boss Hands Going-Nowhere-Fast Pedro Negotiations Off to Cashman

(Cash wouldn't even give Pete 50-cents for the bus.)

The Chill is Gone: MLB Goes Crazy Over Fox QuickTime and Shuts Down Kick-Ass Recap. Thanks Beautiful.

They're Going to Sell You an Uninspired Curse-Filled DVD
Narrated by Denis Leary Instead. Yawn. Yuk.

Wednesday quotes of note: Schilling on the Worst Damn Show; Disney CEO Eisner

"I don't see anybody beating them right now." -- Curt Schilling on the Steelers going all the way

Curt: "I got trashed for that here (supporting Bush in Kerry's back yard). I find it ironic, people can burn flags in this country, The KKK can march, but I can't support my President publicly? That's a joke."

The Godawful Tom Arnold: "You get one choice. George Bush gets re-elected President or Red Sox win the World Series for the first time in '86 years, what are you going to choose?"

Curt: "George Bush"

"My two biggest personnel mistakes were Michael Ovitz and Mo Vaughn." -- Michael Eisner

$ox on the Fly

CBS-4 Reports: John Henry, Larry Lucchino, and
Theo Epstein Sat Down with Pete Today

Tony K. on PTI: "Apparently the Red Sox thought it might go somewhere (with the Yankees) because they got on a plane to go meet Pedro in Florida"

MANGO TANGO

The Dominican Diva and His Sugar Daddy

Hench: Time to Say Goodbye to Pedro

"Whoever signs Pedro will overpay. He is a No. 2 or 3 starter who will insist on and get No. 1 money. The Red Sox have already reportedly offered him 27.5 million for two years, yet he is a six or seven inning pitcher with wildly erratic stuff. From start to start you never know which Pedro you'll get." -- Kevin Hench, FOXSports.com

"His act wouldn't work here, George. Those jags he goes on when he won't speak to the press, when he won't come to the ballpark on time, when he leaves the stadium early . . . all that stuff was tolerated in Boston. That's who the Red Sox are." -- Mike Vaccaro, New York Post

"Martinez told The Boss how much he wanted to be a Yankee, according to one source, and another source said that Steinbrenner gave his Yankees sales pitch to Martinez." -- Ken Davidoff, New York Newsday

"A Martinez departure wouldn't lead to mourning on Yawkey Way. Many in the organization have been fed up by his late arrivals, a frequent diva attitude, mood swings and his thin skin when it comes to dealing with criticism. Should he depart, the team would not have to worry about having the payroll flexibility to sign free agent Carl Pavano, who is schedule to visit tomorrow." -- Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald

"No matter what he says publicly, Terry Francona has told people close to him that he can't stand Pedro, and is hoping he does take his shenanigans elsewhere so the Sox manager can begin to restore some order in the clubhouse." -- John Harper, NY Daily News

"The whole mango tree bit? Wait until he finds out why they call NYC a concrete jungle. There ain’t no mango trees in the Bronx for Pedro to sit under. There is, however, Steinbrenner’s never-ending money tree, and it’s got more than enough than the 50 cents Martinez needs for his bus. Greyhound, due southwest. South to Penn. Fenway to the Stadium. Rebellion to the Evil Empire." -- Eric Wilbur, Boston.com

Signs everywhere: The Pedro “Thank You” billboard above the Cask 'N Flagon has been replaced with a Starbucks ad. The Manny “Thank You” billboard still remains across the street.

In Other NY News, Yanks GM Brian Cashman's Recurring January Dream

Hey ESPN.com, Can You Really 'Break News' Seven Hours After a Story Has Already Been Reported?

"Boston Dirt Dogs, a very popular and reliable website based in Boston is reporting that Pedro had lunch with Steinbrenner today." -- 11.16 ESPN's Peter Gammons on Sports Center

Pedro in Meeting with Boss
at Legends Field Right Now

BDD Source: Martinez is seeking 4 years/$15M per,
Yanks are offering 3-4 years at $14M per year

Pedro initiated get-together, Steinbrenner says meeting was "good"

BREAKING NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Update 4:58pm ET: Pedro Martinez, his agent Fern Cuza, and Yankee executives Randy Levine, Mark Newman, Billy Connors, and George Steinbrenner are meeting in the Boss's 4th floor office at Legends field right now.

According to a Boston Dirt Dogs source, Pedro Martinez was picked up at Tampa International Airport this morning at 10:00a.m. by a Yankee official and is meeting with George Steinbrenner now at the Yankees complex. Pedro will be having lunch with the Boss, possibly at Malios Steakhouse, and touring the facilities at Legends Field in Tampa all afternoon. Stay tuned for further developments.

"I promise, I'm not going to the Yankees. I want to stay right here."-- 10.29 Pedro Martinez to The Boston Globe's Stan Grossfeld

"Make the deal for Zito or Hudson, sign Parvano, and let's all admit that the Red Sox are now Schill's team anyhow. Let the Yankees over-sign another old pitcher one centimeter away from a torn rotator cuff with a guaranteed contract."-- Longtime Red Sox aficionado Shaun Kelly

Official Red Sox 2005 Spring Training Schedule
(Sox Games in Dominican Republic Were Cancelled, Hmmm)
Guerrero wins MVP, Sheffield Second, Manny 3rd, Ortiz 4th

Vote Coleman, Martin, and Woods by December 1st
Ft. Myers: Spring Tix on Sale Dec. 7, No D-Lowe at Rally, $5 for 5 swings (Sox mascots "Lefty" and "Righty" will not be there selling memberships into Red Sox Nation) | Unofficial 2005 Regular Season Schedule

Gammons: Angels will offer Tek 4 year deal
BDD source: D-Lowe, in Las Vegas last weekend, indicated he really
wants to stay in Boston (we want him to stay too)
Johnny Damon is all over Brooklyn

Most Valuable Phony

Barry Then	Bonds* Now

Under cloud of controversy, Bonds* "explodes" in MVP conference call

"Baseball fans, like the writers, are gradually coming around. they know watching Bonds go deep is like watching the 6-foot-tall kid with the mustache strike out the side in the Little league World Series. Someone's cheating. ...The home run king has no clothes, and everyone knows it. In the end, the commissioner doesn't have to worry about putting an asterisk next to Barry Bonds in the record book. You can rest assured, Bud: It's already there."-- 11.16: Gerry Callahan, Boston Herald

Teknically Speaking...

He's Not Our Captain, or Even Our Catcher Anymore.

Lose the Lying Agent Jason and Come Back Home.

Gammons on Schneider, Pavano, and Bora$ past lies
(Nation disappointed that Tek is teamed with a lying scumbag like Scott Bora$)

Sportspapi of the Year

Reilly makes pitch for Papi
The winner will be revealed Sunday, November 28 at 4:30pm on FOX

Sox fans celebrate the Major Leaguer's 5-0 Series Finale Win

Fans Turn Out in Foxboro to See World Series Trophy

Almost 65,000 turned out at Gillette Stadium to see Johnny Damon and Curt Schilling present the Red Sox World Series trophy. As an added treat, the Patriots suited up and played an exhibition game against the Buffalo Bills and Drew Bledsoe who returned to Foxboro to give Schilling the garage door openers that he forget to hand off when they passed papers on the Medfield estate almost a year ago. A very, very happy Johnny Damon nearly went on ESPN which would have resulted in another "Joe Namath moment."

Drew Comes Home to Daddy

"What can I say? I tip my stocking cap and call the Patriots my daddy." -- the guy who used to own Schilling's house

Chat wrap with the original football dirt dog Steve Grogan

College Student Video IDs Officer Who Killed Torrie

Patrolman Rochefort Milien fired two shots
aimed at head level

"...then voices on the video clip called out, ''They hit her in the eye" and ''You [expletive] killed her," as the camera panned toward the sidewalk, where a man in the crowd signaled for help." -- 11.13 Boston Globe

Witnesses: 10-30 minute gap between rowdy behavior and the shootings.

Silta and O'Toole were not trained to use gun that killed Red Sox fan

Another Pink Slip Up

The smarmy loudmouth Yankee fan who got clobbered, then fired, on The Apprentice 2 last night wants to take your money but he can't spell "objectives" in the lede on his canned website. File under: Always the bridesmaid.

Russo chalks up his unmotivated leadership - he told his team the task was “impossible” - to illness. “The truth is I was sick,” he said. “On the previous task, we had been working in the rain. That’s not an excuse. That’s just the reality.” File that wimpy excuse under "the anti-dirt dog." (This is not a guy you want in your foxhole)

Scott Peterson Guilty of First and Second Degree Murder

Separated at Birth?

Can Sox Catch Schneider?

11.13: Correction: On ESPN radio, Gammons did state that the Red Sox seemed resigned to the Boras antics and had made an offer on Schneider, but he never used any names. Youkilis would be in the deal, but obviously Mientkiewicz would be absurd because of Nick Johnson. (Rotoworld had mentioned Minky and Youk as part of Gammons' trade report)

Field of Screams

Janet Marie Smith's team tears up the original Fenway field for shipping to the Smithsonian as they begin work on the demolition of the old Fenway Park in Kenmore Square. Giant Glass House in Chelsea, the new home of the Olde Towne Team, is expected to be ready for the 2005 home opener.

Santana wins Cy, Schilling second, Pedro fourth

Gammons on Tek's Ridiculous Request; More Bora$ lies; Pedro, Pavano, Radke, and Tim Hudson offer

Veteran's Night

'67 Star Gentleman Jim Lonborg Talks to Haze at the Red Sox Hall of Fame Dinner Last Night

• "We just ran out of gas at the end..." -- Bruce Hurst on the '86 team
• "When I saw Geronimo turn his back as I was rounding second, I said 'that ball's getting out of here' and I look at Pete Rose and he's yelling at me 'yeah, this is World Series baseball baby.'" -- Bernie Carbo on the Second Greatest Home Run Ever Hit in Major League Baseball (after Dave Henderson's game saver in Anaheim in '86)
• "Johnny (to a teary-eyed Pesky) would hit me 175 ground balls a day... he was there for me every day... I'd come up the steps and there he was waiting, ready to go... and if I made an error, it was 25 more ground balls." -- Wade (new hair looked just OK) Boggs
• "You (Hazel Mae) look pretty good to me! ...then (after Schilling's mistaken kiss on the lips) D-Lowe came up to me, he calls me a peckerhead..." -- Mr. Red Sox Johnny Pesky
• "When I came off that mound at Fenway, I got a standing ovation...and I thought 'that's what I'm talkin' about.'" -- Mr. Emotional Dennis Eckersley
• "I'm doin' alright." -- Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd

Schilling to Werner at HOF Dinner: "Forget Bush, Sign Tek"

The Right Lefty?

Sox Pick Up LHP Billy Traber

Wallace: Signing Pedro is "Tough Call"

"Pedro dominated the game for probably six years. I don't know that he's that guy anymore, but he's certainly smart enough to know what he can do. It's going to be a tough call (whether to re-sign him). It's a tough call when you get to a guy who is in his 30s, I think he just turned 33. He's not (throwing) 95 or 96 (mph) anymore. But he started every game (when his spot came up). He's probably a seven-inning guy now, but he's a good one." -- 11.10 Sox pitching coach Dave Wallace

Bigger than Ben?

Jimmy Fallon plans to unseat Ben Affleck as the No. 1 Sox Celebrity Fan

Schilling Surgery Successful

Second Operation on Ankle Joint Required Substantial Cutting,
Curt Spends Night at St. E's

The Gory Details

Hey John Heyman, Laura Vescey, How's Curt's Fake Ankle Injury?

Scott "Willard" Bora$ is Back
Says Tek Wants 5 years, No Trade!

Nation Calls for Tek to Dump Agent, Stay with Sox

Boras Negotiates in Public Through Dale and Neumy,
Sox Brass, Fans Smell a Dirty Rat

How Scott Boras Adds Value to Baseball, Teams, Fans by Selling "Icon Players"

The Texas Rangers were lucky to get Chan Ho Park, 5 years, $65M and
saved the franchise by signing A-Fraud at 10 years, $252M
The Los Angeles Dodgers thank Scott for Kevin Brown, 7 years, $105M
and Darren Dreifort, 5 years, $55M

Nation to Sox, MLB:
"You're Not My Daddy!"

Sox Delay Monday Rollout of Fan ID Cards to Rethink Idea After Nation Pressure, Negative Feedback

While the Marketing Gurus Rework Plan, Print Out Your Free Red Sox Nation Certified Membership Card Below:

Miami Meet Puts
Heat on Pete

As the window of exclusivity with Tek, D-Lowe, OC, and Pedro closes, Theo starts building the new-look 2005 Red Sox with or without Martinez

Schilling Beats Out Bonds, Beltran, Ichiro, and Ortiz for
Sports Illustrated's 2004 MLB Player of the Year

JapanEdes: Clemens captures 7th Cy, Ready to Say Sayonara

SOX TELL FANS TO PAY UP
AND BE COUNTED

Red Sox and MLB to Play Big Brother
Claim to Own Nation's Fans
Will Issue $5.00 ID Cards

Are They Really Shocked to Learn Nation Extends Beyond New England?

"The citizens of Red Sox Nation will make the size of their chorus known to us...
we want to identify all the citizens."
-- Dr. Charles Steinberg, VP Public Affairs, Boston Red Sox

Newsflash: If you're reading this, you're already a member

Drilling down and scrubbing a few numbers tells us that Red Sox Nation stands at about 15.7 million members worldwide. Getting people to send in $5.00 won't change that, (unless you're going to use the $78,500,000 to sign Tek, Pedro, D-Lowe, and the OC). And why can't Sox use their free email product to count their visitors? They want you to pay $5.00 for a Stop-and-Shop-style Red Sox loyalty card instead. Fine. But keep your hands off the Nation.

"I will never pay $5 to prove that I'm a Red Sox fan." -- zeteclark on SoSH

Sox Will Paydro

Team makes whopping $25.5 million offer to keep Pete for two more years

Manny Hammy Returns

Manny returns home with sore hamstring.
Cookie Monster mashes one 514 feet in Game 2

Jack Daniels-san Desu Ka

(Is it Jack Daniels?)

Roger Clemens (C) and Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Jack Wilson (R) drink cups of "green tea", prepared by Kevin Millar, with Japanese pupils during a tea ceremony at an elementary school.

Another World

Rocket, Manny, and Papi on the Same Team

The Capital Schill

Curt Surgery Tuesday

Curt Schilling speaks to the crowd at the WROR ALS fundraising dinner in Newton at The Capital Grille, "...the foot's fine. We're gonna get it fixed on Monday. I had a little bit of an infection in there which is why we had to delay it... feels a lot better than it did a week ago."

Update: An examination of Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling's right ankle was postponed again. Schilling was expected to be seen by doctors Saturday. He had originally been scheduled for an exam Friday, but a conflict pushed that date back to Saturday. Schilling's surgery on his ankle tendon is now scheduled for Tuesday.

Turning Japanese

Manny Ramirez attends a sake barrel opening ceremony along with Japanese baseball great Sadaharu Oh (L) at a welcoming party at a Tokyo hotel. In keeping with tradition, Kevin Millar (not pictured) is cleaning the shot glasses in preparation for the ceremonial swig of sake before the Japan exhibition series this week. Submit your photo caption here.

The Ohio Players

in Sports Schillustrated

Can You Dig It?

Janet Marie Smith's team begins work on the new Centerfield2005 seats expected to be ready for next April's home opener at Fenway. Many Monster Seats will now be Obstructed View with these new, closer to the infield, club seats.

The High Price of D-Lowe

If it weren't for Scott Boras,
Re-signing Derek would be a slam dunk

My Manny from Tokyo

Manny, David, and the rest of the traveling MLB All-Stars will play
against Japanese All-Stars in an exhibition series starting Friday

Bush Beats Kerry

President gets four more years, Kerry concession speech at 2:00pm EST. Sox owner John Henry had his private jets and lawyers ready at 2:00am to help Kerry with "election issues."

When will Steroid Barry's HRs be deleted from the MLB records?

"Bonds* has received 'the clear' and 'the cream' from BALCO on a 'couple of occasions.'
According to Valente, Bonds* does not like how 'the clear' makes him feel."

Peter Gammons chat wrap

Can the Sox Repeat?

Idiot Reign Over
2005 Sox Will Have More Discipline

In this week's Sports Illustrated: In his story, "Now Comes the Hard Part," SI senior writer Tom Verducci looks beyond the championship and explores the difficult roster decisions ahead and, for once, the challenge to repeat. Verducci writes that re-signing Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe may be the trickiest decisions, and quotes Theo Epstein, "As much as I'd like to bring all the buys back, you have to look at it objectively and make the tough decisions."

Matt Damon Wants You to Get Out and Vote

Decision 2004

Millar Tells Everyone That Players Threw Back Some Jack.
Six Sox Tell Letterman/Leno No Shots Were Fired.
Who's Telling the Truth? You Decide.

"That's the unfortunate thing. This comes off as everybody doing it and that's not what happened in that clubhouse," one Sox player said. "We don't want this to tarnish what we brought home. It hurts the organization, but most of all it hurts the player who said it." -- Boston Herald, Tony Massarotti

"Yeah, I heard a few guys got hit by a few things, but I got hit by a panty."-- Johnny Damon on David Letterman

Bottoms Up

Shots Heard 'Round the World Series

Sox Were Jacked Up Against Yanks,
Royally Crowned Against Cards

Kevin Millar said on FSN's "Best Damn Sports Show Period" last Friday that the team drank shots of Jack Daniels at 7:45pm before Game 6 of the ALCS to keep warm in the 35 degree temperatures in the Bronx. Since they won Game 6, they did the same for Game 7. To keep the streak going they switched to Crown Royal for the World Series (Games 1, 2, 3, and 4). Millar said "I'm glad we won in four games, because those Crown Royal shots and Jack Daniels shots started to kill me." He also added that they asked manager Terry Francona to do a shot before Game 4 of the Series to calm his nerves, he obliged.

Millar Sobers Up with Gammons

"It was one of those group team things, like shaving our heads last year. What we had was one small Gatorade cup, with a little Jack Daniel's in it. We passed it around and everyone symbolically drank out of the same cup, because we are a team. It wasn't as if guys were drunk. Can you imagine Trot Nixon or Jason Varitek or Mike Timlin actually sipping alcohol before a game? No way." -- 11.01 Kevin Millar to ESPN's Peter Gammons

And Flip-Flops on Tito

"First, he never would," Millar said. "Second, this was just between the players. It's not a story about 25 shot glasses, it's one small Gatorade cup that we shared as a symbol. And once we won Game 6, we had to do it before Game 7, just like the lucky coin I had in my pocket every game." -- 11.01 Kevin Millar to ESPN's Peter Gammons

And the beat goes on: Millar opens mouth, morons blame the media

Curt Answers the Call

"America needs a leader who makes sure they have everything they need to get the job done, a leader who believes in their mission and honors their service, a leader who has the courage and the character to stay on the offense against terrorism until the war is won. That leader is our commander in chief, George W. Bush."

"One of the best things about playing in the World Series was seeing the footage of soldiers cheering for the Red Sox in Iraq, it was great to know that we could make them feel closer to home and do something to put a smile on their faces, while they were on the front lines. Those troops deserve all of our support, and all of our thanks.

And there's something else we can do for them. We can make sure we elect a president who supports them every step of the way."-- 11.01 Curt Schilling in Wilmington, Ohio

Meanwhile Former Howard Dean Election Committee Member Theo Epstein Goes After President in New Hampshire, Sox Brass Campaigns for Kerry