Red Sox interested in Marlon Byrd

 

ESPN's Buster Olney believes that the Red Sox and Nationals could have interest in trading for Marlon Byrd.

The Cubs are in a rebuilding mode, and Byrd is entering the final year of a three-year contract that will guarantee him $6.5 million this season. Olney mentions that Byrd could be used as one piece of the Theo Epstein compensation with the Red Sox, but that is not considered likely to happen. Coming off a disappointing season, he would satisfy a short-term need for the Nationals  stats

Sox sign Hill to Minor League deal

 

 

Rich Hill's minor league contract has a prorated salary of $725,000 in the majors.

Hill was non-tendered earlier this month, but Boston decided to bring him back even though he underwent Tommy John surgery in June. He is not expected to be available until the middle of the 2012 season, or later.   stats

Buckner returns to Cubs organization

CHICAGO -- Bill Buckner is back with the Cubs.

Buckner, 62, was officially named the Class A Boise hitting coach on Friday. He returned to coaching last season as the manager of the Brockton Rox, and led the team to a 51-42 record in the independent CanAm League.

Buckner replaces Desi Wilson, who was named the hitting coach for the Cubs' Class A Daytona team.

Buckner rejoins the Cubs for the first time since playing for the big league team from 1977 to 1984. He won the 1980 National League batting crown and earned a spot in the 1981 All-Star Game. A 22-year veteran, he was the White Sox hitting coach in 1996 and 1997, and also was a hitting coach in the Blue Jays' Minor League system.

Buckner played for the Dodgers, Cubs, Red Sox, Angels and Royals, hitting .289 with 174 career home runs and 1,208 RBIs. He played in two World Series: 1974, with the Dodgers, and 1986, with the Red Sox.

Tony LaRussa calls it quits

ST. LOUIS -- Tony La Russa retired as manager of the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday, three days after winning a dramatic, seven-game World Series against the Texas Rangers.
The 67-year-old La Russa announced his retirement at a news conference at Busch Stadium.

The World Series win over Texas was the third of La Russa's 33-year career. The manager guided the Cardinals to the championship despite being 10½ games behind Atlanta on Aug. 25 for the final playoff spot in the National League.

La Russa retires third on the all-time wins list, 35 behind second-place John McGraw. In addition to this season, he won championships in Oakland in 1989 and St. Louis in 2006.
"Other than some of personal attachments, I feel good," La Russa said. "I feel good that this is the right decision."

La Russa said there wasn't a single factor that led to his decision, but he began having doubts about returning for 2012 midway through the season. In late August he told general manager John Mozeliak and other team officials.

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Red Sox pick up option on scutaro

As expected, the Boston Red Sox on Sunday picked up shortstop Marco Scutaro's $6 million team option for 2012.

Scutaro, who had a $3 million player option if the Red Sox had passed, hit a career-best .299 for the season with seven homers and 54 RBIs. He also posted a .358 on-base percentage and a .423 slugging percentage, both career highs.

He was one of the few Red Sox players to step up their game during the team's 7-20 September slide. Scutaro hit .387 in the final month of the season, third best in the American League. Over the last 10 years, only Manny Ramirez (.396 in 2002) and David Ortiz (.396 in 2007) have posted a higher September average for Boston. The strong final month gave Scutaro a .781 OPS that rivaled his final season in Toronto, which is considered to be the best of his career.

"Scutaro had a really good year and we believe he'd be very coveted this offseason if he got into the market," general manager Ben Cherington said at his introductory press conference last week.

to read more please click here

Pedroia goes for a ride at Disney

The Red Sox are apparently a bunch of beer-guzzlin' goons. But here's wholesome second baseman Dustin Pedroia, enjoying a ride at Disney with his buddy, Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier.
Pedroia and Ethier were college teammates and remain good friends. Their families often vacation together. This does not necessarily mean Andre will play for the Red Sox someday. But it doesn't hurt.

Ben Cherington takes over

New Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington: 'There will be changes'

Three hours after the Cubs introduced former Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein as their new team president, the Red Sox today introduced Ben Cherington as the team's 11th general manager in a press conference at Fenway Park. Cherington takes over during a trying time for the Red Sox organization, but he also takes over for one of the most successful executives in team history.

"We've let our fans down in some important ways recently," said Cherington, who sat on the podium next to Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino. "The last few weeks have been painful and difficult. But what I'm left with is an incredible conviction that the Red Sox will be the best organization in baseball."

Cherington wished Epstein well and said it would be his job to balance what the Red Sox already do well with a need to move forward from a troublesome year.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2011/10/red_sox_to_intr.html

Lackey to have Tommy John surgery

BOSTON—John Lackey will undergo reconstructive elbow surgery and miss the 2012 season, the latest setback in his rough year with the Boston Red Sox.

General manager Ben Cherington made the announcement Tuesday during a news conference at which he was introduced as the successor to Theo Epstein, who left to become president of baseball operations with the Chicago Cubs.

Lackey, a right-hander, was 12-12 with a 6.41 ERA in the second year of a five-year, $82.5 million contract. The Boston Globe reported after the season that he and fellow starters Josh Beckett and Jon Lester drank beer and ate fried chicken in the clubhouse during games in which they were not pitching.

Cherington said the Tommy John surgery would be performed, probably by noted orthopedist Dr. Lewis Yocum, but he did not know when. Lackey had elbow soreness during the season and had an MRI in May or June, Cherington said. He had another one after the season and was examined recently by Yocum in Los Angeles.

"John Lackey pitched through circumstances this year that I don't think any of us in this room can fully understand," Cherington said, "and he got beat up for it a little bit along the way. This guy was dealing with some stuff both on the field and off the field that were really difficult.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2011/10/25/red_sox_rhp_john_lackey_to_have_tommy_john_surgery/

Dwight Gooden too high for parade

While his 1986 New York Mets teammates basked in the glory of millions during a ticker-tape parade to celebrate their World Series title, Dwight Gooden sat in a drug dealer's apartment, too high and paranoid to join them. Talking about his career and life, Gooden told ESPN's E:60 (airing Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET) that that's how his celebration of the World Series went after the star right-hander became hooked on cocaine during that season.

"After that game was over, we're celebrating and everything at the ballpark, in the clubhouse, and me and some of the guys went back out on the pitcher's mound and we had the big bottles of champagne. Then once everybody said we're going to this club in Long Island to hang out for a while, it was like, 'OK.' ...

"Well, my ride to the club I called a guy who I got drugs from, had him meet me there, was drinking, started using drugs. Then when the party started winding down, for myself a lot of times I get to a certain point of using drugs, the paranoia sticks in. So I end up leaving the party with the team, going to these projects, of all places in Long Island. Hang out there.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/7122534/dwight-gooden-missed-new-york-mets-1986-parade-doing-drugs

Padres Praying for Lackey.

Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the Padres have internally discussed the possibility of trading for John Lackey.

There's a connection between Lackey and Padres manager Bud Black, as Black was the right-hander's pitching coach for a number of years in Anaheim. Perhaps Black thinks he can help turn Lackey around after the Red Sox hurler posted a 6.41 ERA over 28 starts this season.

To read more, click here   http://www.rotoworld.com/player/mlb/3492/player?r=1

Adrian's two blasts pave the way to 11-4 win

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Adrian Gonzalez homered twice, Jacoby Ellsbury made an immediate impact in his return to the lineup and the Boston Red Sox finally won a game in Texas with an 11-5 victory Tuesday night.

Ellsbury led off the game with a single, stole second base and scored on the first homer by Gonzalez, putting the Red Sox ahead to stay. The All-Star center fielder had missed three straight games after getting hit in the back with a pitch. click here to continue

Isotope Manny

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez was welcomed back to baseball with rousing cheers. In the minor leagues, anyway.

Ramirez, easing back into playing shape after a 50-game drug suspension, suited up for the Albuquerque Isotopes as they beat Nashville 1-0. Ramirez wore No. 99 for the Dodgers' top farm club.

click here to read article

MY TAKE ON THIS. If you are suspended, you shouldn't be allowed to get into shape on a Minor League team. Let's get real, MLB.

Keep it up, Arod.

Benched for alleged "fatigue," slumping New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez partied until 2:30 a.m. Saturday in Miami Beach. He then disappeared into the tropical night with actress Kate Hudson in the back seat of his chauffeured Maybach. Click here to read rest of the story. I know this is a few days old, but what the heck.

MY TAKE ON THIS: ARod has been slumping the past several weeks. Nice. Has to be that his mind is not on baseball? Great. And Texeira's hitting has tailed off also. The Sox have now managed to extend their lead to 4 games heading into Washington. Could there be disarray in the Yankee's Clubhouse? Stay tuned.

Ortiz: 'Just put down 'Papi stinks''

from WEEI:

David Ortiz hit what might be his lowest point of the season in the Red Sox' 12-inning, 5-4 loss to the Angels, at Angel Stadium Thursday afternoon, going 0 for 7 while stranding 12 runners. It was the most runners left on base by one Red Sox hitter since Trot Nixon equaled the total in 2003. The Sox as a team left 17 runners on base. After the game, Ortiz would only say, "Sorry guys, I don't feel like talking right now. Just put down 'Papi stinks'." Ortiz is currently hitting .208 with no home runs.

MY TAKE ON THIS: Got to move him down in the order and move Bay to #3 and when the Youk comes back, put him cleanup. Papi will have to bat#8. Sure has gone a long stretch without a home run. I think that they should send him down to Pawtucket to take some pressure of him. Can this be the beginning of the end for the Big Papi?

Where have you gone, Dom DiMaggio.

Former Red Sox great Dom DiMaggio died at age 92 in the early morning hours on Friday in his Marion, Massachusetts home. A center fielder and leadoff hitter for the Boston Red Sox, DiMaggio played 10-plus years alongside teammates Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr and Johnny Pesky.

The Red Sox plan to pay tribute to DiMaggio with a moment of silence prior to Friday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. "You talk about Dominick, he was close to Bobby and Ted and Me," Pesky said. "We had that corner in the clubhouse and we spent a lot of time together. We talked a lot about baseball and life. We stayed great friends through the years." "Dominick is what you call the perfect player," Pesky said. "He ran very well, threw very well, he was a good hitter and a class guy -- very quiet, easy going."

DiMaggio still holds the team's consecutive-game hitting streak record of 34 in 1949. He is the younger brother of New York Yankees Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio, who holds Major League Baseball's consecutive-game hitting streak of 56. click here to read more

Red Sox score 12 in 6th inning

BOSTON -- The Red Sox rounded the bases at a rapid rate and broke an 84-year-old AL record.
Twelve batters came up and all 12 scored before Boston made its first out more than a half hour into the bottom of the sixth inning of a 13-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday night.

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June 27, 2003 Sox score 14 in first

Red Sox set or tie records in 25-8 romp

BOSTON (AP) -- The Boston Red Sox were enjoying a record-breaking performance when a hush fell over Fenway Park. Boston set a major league record by scoring 10 runs before making an out and cruised to a 25-8 victory over Florida on Friday night

To read more and see boxscore, click here.

A-Rod book lacking in substance

A new book by journalist Selena Roberts says Alex Rodriguez used steroids while in high school and as a Yankee, but the evidence is largely circumstantial. To read the article, please click here

Jose Canseco to make MMA debut

Former baseball slugger Jose Canseco is trying his hand at mixed martial arts, with seven-foot-two South Korean Hong Man Choi his first opponent.

The Canseco-Choi matchup will take place on the Dream 9 card May 26 in Tokyo, Dream said on its website. But Dennis Holahan, Canseco's Los Angeles-based lawyer, said the announcement was slightly premature.

"I think they have (jumped the gun) and I don't have any problems with them doing that because I don't anticipate any problems but it's just not confirmed yet," Holahan said.
"It probably won't be a sure thing for another week or 10 days," he added.
Holahan confirmed Canseco was training "very hard" in MMA.

Choi, a 29-year-old former kick-boxer, is 1-2 as an MMA fighter, with losses to Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko (Cro Cop) Filipovic. The fight is part of Dream's eight-man open-weight tournament.

Canseco, 45, does have some celebrity combat experience. The six-foot-four 240-pounder fought former child star Danny Bonaduce to a draw in a celebrity boxing match in January in suburban Philadelphia. The bout featured only three one-minute rounds. Canseco was soundly beaten by former Philadelphia Eagle Vai Sikahema in a previous celebrity bout last year.
Canseco, the 1988 AL MVP, was a home-run hitter who has stayed in the limelight with tell-all books like 2005's "Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits, and How Baseball Got Big," and 2008's book, "Vindicated: Big Names, Big Liars, and The Battle to Save Baseball."

He also appeared on Season 5 of "The Surreal World," a reality TV show.

Selig Speaks

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday he will withhold comment about any possible disciplinary action against Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez until he has read A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez, a soon-to-be published book that details how Rodriguez tipped opposing hitters about what pitches were coming.

“I’m not going to respond until I see the book,” Selig told SI.com. “I just heard about it.”
When asked in general if giving pitches to an opposing team would subject a player to possible disciplinary action for striking at the integrity of the game and violating a contractual obligation to the “high standards of fair play,” Selig maintained his refusal to comment in detail. “I need to see the book and go over it,” the commissioner said. “I need to see the book, for goodness sake.”