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Boston Red Sox MLB

Calling the Wambulance: Jonathan Papelbon

Everyone who watches sports, plays sports, used to play sports; they have all had problems with officiating. Fans and athletes (humans in general) are inherently biased. If the 49ers have a pass interference penalty called against them, I ignore the actual rules and list all the reasons why Nate Clements was not at fault. Naturally, if it’s called against the other team, I comment on how fantastic the officiating has been this game.

Major League Baseball may be the toughest league to umpire in, and despite being harshly scrutinized, statistics show that MLB umpires do an unbelievably accurate job making calls every season. Still, one missed call can change an entire at-bat, which can change an entire game, which can change an entire series, which can change an entire season. But, human error has been a part of the game forever and despite the possibility of the expansion of instant replay, I highly doubt that umpires will ever be completely replaced by emotionless machines.

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Boston Red Sox General Sports New England Patriots

July Round-Up: Steroid Guys, Theo’s Tries, and Gisele’s Eyes

By Ryan McGowan

Some quick hitters as we roll into August, even though by my internal weather-clock it should be late June here in the Northeast…

Ortiz, Manny on steroids
We didn’t get around to discussing this on the podcast yesterday.  This topic lost out to Cliff Lee/Roy Halladay trade discussion, Michael Vick and Connecticut Puerto Rican cockfighting, Erin Andrews’ 911 call, and freaking YouTube stupid wedding entrances.  That should tell you something about the strength of this story—it has none.

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Boston Red Sox New York Yankees

Yankees Passed Over by Evolution like the Damn Dirty Apes They Are

By Ryan McGowan

It’s only April, of course.  And I know that you can’t win the division in April (but you could lose it – see New York Yankees, 2007).

But is there any doubt after the Red Sox swept the Yankees (as well as their recent nine-game homestand) that the chasms between these two franchises are larger than they have been in a long time?

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Boston Red Sox

Strike Three on Cancer

Jon Lester stood tall upon the mound at Jacob’s Field Monday night to battle the Cleveland Indians, but in reality, the battle has already been won. Different emotions running through his mind, Lester tightly gripped the ball in his left hand, knees shaking, ready to capture the moment. Butterflies in his stomach, Lester starred down at his catcher Jason Varitek, took a deep breath, and fired his first pitch.

    Strike one. The voice of the umpire calling that very first strike had been echoing in Lester’s mind for almost 11 months. The young south paw had his rookie year cut short after being diagnosed with a treatable form of lymphoma. Lester’s doctor informed Red Sox nation that this disease was life threatening, but could also be cured if treated correctly.

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Boston Red Sox

Boston: Bean- Beer- and a Buffalo

“I have just returned from Boston. It’s the only thing to do if you find yourself up there.”
-Fred Allen, (1894-1957) comedian

I don’t eat New England clam chowder or Boston éclairs. I don’t wear the color red at all during baseball season. I weasel out of business trips that involve a Massachusetts destination. The city of Boston, to me, is no different than mint chocolate chip ice cream, margaritas, or “The Lord of the Rings.” I don’t care how universally popular they are: I’ve tried ’em, and I hate ’em.

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Boston Red Sox

Spring Training and the Future of Red Sox Pitching

I can still remember the day I stopped being a baseball fan.  It was the day Tony Tarasco’s career was snatched away by a boy named Jeffrey Maier.  It was the day that my beloved Orioles led the AL East wire to wire only to fall to the Yankees.  The Yankees became a dynasty of champions.  The Orioles became a dynasty of losers.  Baseball was never the same for me.  Innocence lost around the time I turned 11.  I’ll tune in for a couple playoff games if the teams are interesting or the game is close in the late innings but the love is lost.  I guess it wasn’t meant to be.

Somehow ten years later I find myself watching a Boston Red Sox spring training game.  Flipping channels I saw that Daisuke Matsuzaka was pitching.  Apparently hype does work.  The hundred million dollar myth from Japan had piqued my interest.

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Boston Red Sox

Direction of the Red Sox

I wonder about my favorite team, wonder where they are going. On one hand, they told me they wanted to get younger, save some money by developing their own players. Since Theo Epstein took over in 2002, he wanted to replenish the minor league system through the draft, have a constant influx of players to the major league roster. It might appear as though they have, I mean they are ranked in the Baseball America Prospect Handbook as the 9th best minor league system in the major leagues. But from their recent moves, I know better.

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Boston Red Sox

Red Sox look to be all smiles when October comes

Coming into the 2007 season the Boston Red Sox are going to be trying to forget about last year and focus more on a new ending that looks very much like 2004. This off-season they prove to be a team on a mission to build towards making a run in the playoffs. With the acquisitions of numerous pitching talents they seem to be listening to the age-old phrase, “Pitching wins Championships”.

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Boston Red Sox

Slugger? Yes. Attention Seeker? Probably Not.

By Rob LaBrie

As if Manny Ramirez wasn’t unpredictable enough, now he’s so unpredictable, we can’t even predict his unpredictability.  What?

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Boston Red Sox

SAY GOODNIGHT TO THE BAD GUY

Here’s a major point of contention of mine. Concerning the rivalry, our great theater featuring the Red Sox and Yankees, battle lines have been drawn. We’ve painted mythical pictures, illustrations of villainy and courage, of conviction and cowardice.