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

Joba's Big Papi Speaks

With the Yankees and Joba Chamberlain coming into town, Dave Ortiz had a few words about Joba Chambertlain.

With Chamberlain scheduled to start for the Yankees in the opener of a three-game series against the Red Sox, David Ortiz yesterday said the talented right-hander should avoid using Kevin Youkilis' head as a bull's-eye.

"None of that, man -- just play the game the way it's supposed to be, and that's about it," Ortiz said, referring to Chamberlain. "This is a guy, as good as he is, the next step for him will be to earn respect from everybody in the league. He's not a bad guy, but when things like that happen, people get the wrong idea."

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MY TAKE ON THIS: Over and under on a bench-clearing incident. 2 innings. Should Lester throw the first brush-back in the first inning so Joba can't do the same without being tossed. That way Chamberlain will be hesitant to work close? Crazy thinking of mine. Maybe Papi or Youk is going to get brushed back early in the game. ROUND ONE. Friday, Apri, 23 New York Yankees vs the Red Sox.

New Fenway Park

This is/was an illustration of the New Fenway Park that was proposed several years ago. I can't find much else around on it. Seriously, games just wouldn't be exciting after the 'novelty' wears off. 3-5 years down the road, you be crying for the Old Fenway Park. Thank gosh, we still have the one, only and original still around. Balls wrapping around Pesky's Pole, hitting off the Green Monster, bouncing around in the left hand corner, the excitement of watching someone go deep in the farthest part of the ball park or losing a home run out there....

There were a large number of ballparks fans were glad to see go...Candlestick, etc. The classics, Wrigley Field and Fenway Park can never be taken down.

By Josh, The Stage has been Set.

July 25. FENWAY PARK, BOSTON, MA -- Here we go people, what we've all been waiting for but hoped that this pennant race wouldn't turn out to be so complicated. The Rays lost yesterday and the Yankees and Sox did not play, but we are in a virtual tie for the lead. The Sox have been sputtering and the Yankees unfortunately have been rolling. Amazing how they are just 3 games back with that awful pitching staff and those injuries. Gotta give them credit for that.

And whoever would have thought that the Tampa Bay Gutless Rays would still be hanging around. They are supposed to be 20 games out by now.

Hopefully, we will have the 'dynamic duo' both in the lineup today. It's so great to have the Big Papi back and it appears as though he has kept his stroke, after blasting 3 home runs for the Pawsox. We need THEE MANNY RAMIREZ. Not the Jaywalking, poking head through scoreboard, tumbling in the outfield clown we have witnessed lately.

So today at approximately 4:05, Josh Beckett and Joba Chamberlain will come out of their corners and square off. A slugfest? A pitching duel? At least four hours of some of the greatest entertainment in baseball. We need a sweep. Got to push 'em back. Kill the Yankees.

I wish that this was a 4-game series and we could stick Dice-K in right after Wakefield. We'd send the Yankees hitters sputtering and spinning for a week after that. However, as the rotation goes, we'll see our ace, Jon Lester take the mound on Sunday, following Tim (anything goes, but been pretty darn good lately) Wakefield. We have to face a tough Andy Pettitte on Saturday and in the finale, a rejuvenated Skidknee Ponson.

Here's the new Fenway Park they proposed in 1999

A proposal for a replacement for Fenway Park, made by then team CEO John Harrington on May 15, 1999, had the Red Sox moving across Yawkey Way into a bigger, modern version of Fenway Park, similar in design to the retro-style ballparks of Camden Yards in Baltimore and Jacobs Field in Cleveland. It would have been built on 15.5 acres bounded by Yawkey Way, Brookline Avenue, and Boylston Street, retained the old field dimensions and made to look like Fenway.

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