He's No. 2?

Should the Amazing Julian Tavarez Follow Schilling Next Year If Theo Goes with a 'Good Value' Rotation?

Julian Gets the Job Done Again in 4-3 Win
And Manny's Spokesperson is Awfully Entertaining on the Mound
Relief by Committee: Five Guys Hold the Line on Mighty O's
Sox All Set at Third? Mike Lowell is Finishing How He Started
Just Sayin': Tons-o-Fun Millar's Got 15 HR's in 427 At-Bats
Don't-Boo-Us Youkilis Has 13 HR's in 569 At-Bats

"He's been a breath of fresh air for us. When we were in a time of need, he came and did a great job." -- 9.29.06, Terry Francona on the venerable Julian Tavarez

Gordon Edes Friday Chat Transcript
We're Sorry Omar, But You Pay for What You Get:
Ailing Pedro Will Miss Postseason
But Keep Your Eye on Our Man D-Lowe, the Anti-Matt Clement
Blue Notes: Talking with Derek Lowe

It's Fan Appreciation Weekend at Fenway!
And MLB.com Knows Just What to Wear ...

The Red Sox Give, and They Give,
and Then They Give Some More ...

In Exchange for Paying the Highest Ticket Prices in Baseball History All Season Long
And Helping Red Sox Inc. Expand Its Real Estate, Entertainment, and Media Empire
While Watching a Dull Third-Place Team, Weekend Warriors Will Be Rewarded with a
2007 Red Sox Preliminary Schedule Without Game Times!
(So You Can Spend More in '07, While We Wait for 2008)

"Somebody pinch me. I'm lucky enough to have tickets to Fan Appreciation Weekend, I'm getting a 2007 Preliminary Schedule ... and we get to watch David Murphy play! This is awesome." -- 9.29.06, another satisfied Red Sox Nation cardholder

Enough Being Enough?

He Doesn't Know What Day He'll Play
But He Knows Friday Is Payday

"Manny has 20 million reasons to be on the field."
-- What Kim Eldredge, Terrell Owens' awesome publicist, would say

Remy Thinks Ramirez is a Goner This Time

"I think there is a groundswell now to move him. I think this last month, month and a half has really ticked some people off and according to what I hear, he's given them a list of teams that he'll go to..."
-- Jerry Remy, NESN's Red Sox baseball analyst

"He said that he wants to be traded again. My understanding is he's given them [Red Sox front office] a list of teams that he would go to and the question is can they match up? The bottom line is at the end, we know how Manny is, will he say yes?... I think it's [the list of teams he'd go to] in double-digits. They could find anybody they want but he could be sitting home in Miami a month from now and say 'ahh, never mind.' They could make a deal and he could nix it because he's a 10-and-5 [player who has to approve a trade]. So I don't know what to expect but I do think there is a groundswell to move him. From the manager, to some people in the clubhouse, to the front office, I think they've gotten past the point of 'we'll put up with this stuff because of the money.' I think they may be even willing to eat some of the money. That's just a guess of mine but I think there is a groundswell now to move him. I think this last month, month and a half has really ticked some people off and according to what I hear, he's given them a list of teams that he'll go to..."

"I think so [that his lingering injury is the straw that broke the camel's back]. It all builds up. I think there are some people that are upset about it. And as I've said once in a pregame show, I will never, ever, ever question an injury because that's how my career ended and I was questioned by some people and it still bothers me. So I don't get into stuff like that. I let other people question him if they want to, I don't do it. Would I like to see Manny Ramirez back? Yes I would because I love watching him hit. He's a Hall of Fame hitter. But I think you gotta weigh that against... you're gonna have to go through this stuff again with him. And I really think the manager's at his wits end as far as that goes." -- 9.28.06, Jerry Remy, NESN's Red Sox baseball analyst on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan show

Beckett is a Bust

Rays Rock Sad Sox at Fenway, 11-0
Dan Duquette: 'More Days in Third Place'

Is Josh Simply Out of His League?
The Numbers Don't Lie: 36 Long Balls, 5.01 ERA
And It's Two Homers for Hanley and Win No. 10 for Sanchez
Anemic Offense Makes Tim Corcoran Look Like Roger Clemens
When There's a Smokescreen, Birthday Candles Will Be On Fire:
Fenway Fans Attend the World's Most Expensive B-day Party
Eric Wilbur: Pesky Pole Position | Did Sox Do the Right Thing?

"It was just a (horse bleep) performance. It was just pitch execution. I let some things get to me. They put the good part of the bat on the ball. They were hitting balls at guys early in the game, and they stopped hitting them at guys." -- 9.27.06, Josh Beckett dusting off the tired execution excuse for the last time this year

In Henry He Trusts

Extra Bases: Schilling Tries to Clear the Air on Coming Back
and Talks About His Trust in John Henry

“I just don’t envision a scenario in which John Henry allows Theo Epstein to field a team that can’t win a World Series, and Mr. [Tom] Werner included." -- 9.27.06, Curt Schilling is confident in the ownership

Manny Being Ornery
(And Making His Manager Look Silly Again)

“Francona talked with Manny Ramirez yesterday when the left fielder was working out, and after the discussion, the manager thought he'd have the slugger in last night's starting lineup.

"But an hour later, Ramirez, who has appeared in only one game since Sept. 9 (as a pinch-hitter last Saturday), called Francona and told him that he wasn't able to play, so he was scratched from the lineup. Francona said Ramirez mentioned he was hoping to play Friday in the opener of the season-ending three-game set with Baltimore, but at this point, Francona seemed to indicate there wasn't much point of him doing so.

"Ramirez typically was not in a talkative mood, but he sent some words in the direction of a few media members who were in the clubhouse about an hour before the first pitch.

" 'You guys got the story. Get out,' he snapped." -- 9.27.06, Steven Krasner, Providence Journal

Bradford: Shortstop Gonzo Hopes for Extended Stay

Coco Curse?

Hood Blimp Crashes Days After Fragile-Fingered Outfielder Signed on as Red Sox Partner's Company Spokesman
Coco Coincidence?

Extra Bases: Manny In Then Out of Lineup Tonight
More Fun and Games: Schilling to Compete in Celebrity Jeopardy!

"... And the answer is: This baseball superstar loves the Fenway fans who pay top dollar to fund his $160 million contract but has no interest in playing in front of them this September ... ...
Who is Manny Ramirez?"

Third World Nation

It's a Brand New Day for Red Sox Fans
Blue Jays Blow Past Boston, Move Into Second Place
Sox Make Strong Statement That They're Tired of
Finishing No. 2 Behind Yanks for Eight Straight Years
Mail-It-In Millionaires Roll Over Easy Again, 5-0

Third Grade Theo: '04 Champs Dismantling Leaves Sox at No. 3 in East
Count on It: Death, Taxes, and Wakefield Giving Up Five Runs
Two-Hit Sox Make Shaun Marcum Look Like Bob Gibson
Clement Waits Until End of Lost Season to Look Into Shoulder
Not Enough Games Left for Orioles to Drop Sox into Fourth Place
Maybe the Fenway Faithful Should Walk Out at 8(Yaz):09(Ted)?

"We need to go home and have a good last five games." -- 9.25.06, Terry Francona sadly spinning faux optimism until the bitter end... what would Joe Kerrigan do?

David's the Menace,
Not Dennis

Baby Boomer Couldn't Handle Eck's Heat in Boston ...
So He's Taking Shots at Him From 3,000 Miles Away

"Boomer on Dennis Eckersley, now a TV studio analyst in Boston: 'Have you heard him lately? He's terrible. It's like he never did anything wrong. You get that Hall of Fame [label] and you can say anything you want, but it doesn't always make you right. It could make you worse as an individual, and I think that's the way he's going. It's sad the way he dogs his own hometown. He's representing Boston. Say positive things, not negative things -- like how lucky they are. He had a big old strike zone when he pitched, so he was lucky too.' " -- 9.25.06, Graduation day nearing for Wells, ESPN.com

"A bit of an odd time for Wells to be popping off: Since being traded to the Padres, he is 0-2 with a 4.43 ERA in four starts, has pitched into the seventh inning just once, and with the Padres in a fight for a postseason spot, was scratched from his start last night against the Cardinals because of gout in his right foot." -- 9.26.06, Gordon Edes, Red Sox notebook

Ask Edes: Manny Reactions | Edes's Extra Bases: Crossing the Line

More Wily Moments

Trot Nixon is Seeing Dollar Signs as
Arroyo May Be a Better Option in Right
Papi Hits No. 53, but Big Picture is Ugly, 13-4

Snyder Unremarkable This Time Around
Wrong Place, Wrong Time: That's Just Youk Being Youk in Left
File Under Yikes: Gabbard, Delcarmen, DiNardo, Burns
Imagine Holding Tickets for the Final Week at Fenway?

"It feels good. You're talking about a guy that did everything in the game. When your name is up there with those guys, it tells you you're doing your thing." -- 9.24.06, David Ortiz talking about tying Babe Ruth's AL record for home runs on the road

Adding Insult to 'Injury'

After Quitting on the '06 Sox Down the Stretch
Iron Manny Tells His Agent He Wants Out of Boston Again

Edes: Time to Close Curtain on This Act
A Matter of Fact: Gordon Tells Blind Lemming Fanboys and
a Look-the-Other-Way Apathetic Red Sox Management
What They Don't Want to Hear About Mail-It-In-Manny

"Do you suppose that 20 years from now, Ramírez will feel even the slightest bit of remorse for the way he quit on his Red Sox teammates in 2006, refusing to honor the code that is an article of faith for Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell, Curt Schilling and Coco Crisp, Trot Nixon and Alex Gonzalez, and Mark Loretta -- even the now-departed fat man, David Wells -- that you do all within your power to play hurt...

"Barring a midlife conversion experience, I doubt it.While the Red Sox crumbled when Ramírez went on hiatus -- last night was the 22d game out of 30 Ramírez has missed since taking himself out of the last game of the Yankee massacre Aug. 21, during which he has been paid $1.918 million (calculated on his base salary of $15 million this season) -- he had the audacity this week, through agent Greg Genske, to reiterate to the Red Sox his desire to be traded this winter...

"So why hasn't anyone called out Ramírez? Sox management, bedazzled by his performance when he does play and afraid they'll lose him forever if they do raise objections to his behavior (see Tampa Bay last July), instead cover for him, and in so doing diminish Francona every time he does so, compromising principles that have guided him through a lifetime in baseball. His teammates? You have to distinguish what is said about him publicly and to him behind closed doors. There have been teammates who have challenged Ramírez in the clubhouse, and his response has been studied indifference. As one player told me, what's the point of calling him out publicly? What would get accomplished? Embarrass him? Please." -- 9.23.06, Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

Coffin Meet Nail

Sox Officially Elimated from Playoffs
But It's Been Over Since July 31

Starter Tryouts Continue: Devern Hansack Gets the Loss This Time
Home Run on the Road: Congratulations Dustin Pedroia
Embarrassed by Edes? Iron Manny Comes Up in a Pinch
Apparently Dr. Tavarez Doesn't Know Jack Welch About Manny

Playing Out the String Theory

You have to ask yourself why you're still turning on NESN (or MLB.com) to watch the Red Sox. David Ortiz has assured that Jimmy Foxx's record has left the building, and the battle for second place in the AL East has all the intensity of watching your lawn grow. So why tune in? Because you're part of the Matt Clement watch? Because you can't get enough Bobblehead and brown tee-shirt talk from Don and Jerry?

Play the kids the rest of the way. Can David Murphy generate enough to become a fourth outfielder? Would looking at Brandon Moss (Eastern League playoff MVP) be such a bad thing?

Playing out the season leads into the Hot Stove League, and the Red Sox have plenty of work to do. An author in the Red Sox newsgroup noted that the Red Sox have only three players with above average OPS, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, and Kevin Youkilis, with Wily Mo Pena qualifying with limited at bats. Conversely, the AL East Champion had seven. And all media people can talk about is jettisoning Ramirez. His disappearing act down the stretch has been a non-factor. More...