How the TD Banknorth Garden goes from B's to C's

I've seen this video a few times before but I never get sick of it. When you think about it, the time and effort put forth, it's a pretty sweet deal especially for Boston fans. The Boston Globe's Tony Massarotti gives us the run down:

Things to be thankful for...

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving (or Slapsgiving -- for those who know what that references, bonus points).

So last night while making mashed potatoes and attempting my first Thanksgiving dinner away from home with my friend Lacey, I got to thinking about the things I was grateful for -- including growing up in the greatest sports city there is. Here below are my list of things I am thankful for as a Boston sports fan:

1.The return of Patrice Bergeron.
After suffering a devastating concussion in 2007, many people weren't sure if he would ever be the same again. Drafted as a 18-year-old in the 2nd round (45th overall) of the 2003 NHL draft, Bergeron was an early candidate for the Calder Trophy for the league's top rookie. While he lost out to then-teammate and former Bruins goaltender Andrew Raycroft, it's Bergeron who has gotten the last laugh.

At only 24, the Quebec native keeps continuing to impress but it isn't necessarily the numbers he's putting up, but rather the little things he does so well. It wouldn't surprise me if after Zdeno Chara, Bergeron was named the next captain of the B's. In a sense, #37 reminds me a little bit of the great Hall of Famer and former Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman. Hopefully Bergeron's career will have the same longevity.

All I have to say about this clip is "CONCUSS THIS!"



2. Tom Brady being ... well, Tom Brady.
I'll admit it, I'm not the biggest football fan. In fact, football isn't even in my top 3 favorite sports. However, being born and raised in Massachusetts, I do have a soft spot in my heart for the New England Patriots.

I was so happy for them in 2001 when they beat the St. Louis Rams, pissed when they lost Super Bowl XLII to the New ork Giants in 2007, and then shocked when Brady when down within the first few minutes of the first game of the 2008 season. The Pats were New England's pride and joy (well until the Red Sox and Celtics came along later in this decade, but that's another story).

While the Patriots currently sit at 7-3 and on top of the AFL East once again, simply seeing Brady throw those touchdowns to Randy Moss and Wes Welker is a marvelous sight. Unlike last year when good health wasn't with New England, I'm thankful to see a very rejuvenated Tom Brady back on the field.

3.Rasheed Wallace in Celtic green.
The best (and maybe worst) thing about Wallace is that he's the type of player who you hate if he's not on your team but love when he is. During the 2008 playoffs when he was still a member of the Detroit Pistons, he lashed out after Game 5 and was fined $25,000 for these comments:

"All that bullshit-ass calls they had out there. With Mike [Callahan] and Kenny [Mauer] -- you've all seen that shit. You saw them calls. The cats are flopping all over the floor and they're calling that shit. That shit ain't basketball out there. It's all fucking entertainment. You all should know that shit. It's all fucking entertainment."

His usage of profanity and 70s talk is simply awesome, ya dig? But even more great is his passion as a basketball player. To be angry after a loss, to voice your displeasure, to let your teammates know you care -- what else could you ask for? So with that said, I'm glad 'Sheed is a Boston Celtic playing with the "Big Three" rather than against them. He may be 35 but he still has plenty of game left. But if -- for whatever reason -- he doesn't prove to be the player the C's hoped he would be, at least he can still provide some type of entertainment:



4. Boston University hockey winning it all.
Ever since I was in the 8th grade, I've been in love with BU hockey. It all started with my school crush on then-goaltender Sean Fields but regardless, seeing the Terriers and getting into the Bruins at the same thing, one thing was abundantly clear: I was in love with the sport of hockey. For whatever reason, it was always ALWAYS BU hockey -- no other collegiate program ever caught my attention the way theirs did.

Fast forwarding to 2009, BU had an amazing year. After watching rival Boston College win the NCAA championship the previous season, it seemed the Terriers were playing with a chip on their shoulder. They had a dynamic team with Hobey Baker Award winner (hockey's version of the Heisman) Matt Gilroy, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2008 NHL draft, Colin Wilson, and freshman sensation goalie Kieran Millan.

All year they had been favored to win it all. However, during the title game, as the top seeded squad they found themselves in a bit of trouble against No. 4 Miami (Ohio). Things were looking grim. It seemed the Terriers were about to be upset. Instead, after scoring two goals in the last minute to tie it up and then scoring in overtime, BU somehow managed to pull it off and win their first NCAA championship since 1995.

This clip may be a little long but I promise you it's very much worth watching all the way through. Easily one of the best hockey games I have ever seen.



5.[In progress:] Theo Epstein, boy genius.
While everyone generally stuffs their face on Thanksgiving, Theo usually does his best work then (cough *Curt Schilling* cough). However, it's asking a lot for him to try to get Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Roy Halladay but who knows? People in Boston believe in Theo and I don't think he'll disappoint.

However, no deal has been set yet. The 32-year-old righty is undoubtedly on the top of a lot of team's list as the No. 1 player to acquire this off-season. So for now, this spot is reserved for Theo if he manages to steal away Halladay from the Blue Jays and the other MLB teams.

(He'll smile once he's in a Boston uniform...)

*Photos from Sports Illustrated, www.MLBdailydish.com and www.photos.upi.com

Hey now, don't dream it's over..

EDIT: As it turns out, Alex Gonzalez has signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. There goes one member of the supposed 2010 Red Sox line-up...

The Boston Globe's Chad Finn attempts to predict the starting line-up for the 2010 Boston Red Sox ... in November.

It's actually quite an interesting read especially since Mr. Finn can't seem to let go of the idea that Boston should acquire San Diego Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (an idea he's held onto for the past three seasons).

Anyway, I'll post his predictions (link here for the entire article). In about three or four months, we can all see how close (or not) he came to actually getting it right.

LINEUP
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF. There certainly is every expectation that he'll be back for his third full season at age 26 . . . but parting with him in a deal for Gonzalez and signing Mike Cameron for a year or two wouldn't be the craziest idea ever floated, would it?

2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B. I suspect his performance last year (.296/.371/.447) will represent his typical season, and given all that he provides, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It's OK to admit the MVP award was a bit serendipitous.

3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B. I've explained my feelings on this before, and nothing has changed: It is going to take a bounty of riches to get Gonzalez from the Padres, in part because he is a wonderful, underpaid player in the heart of his prime, and in part because new Padres GM Jed Hoyer probably has as much familiarity with the Red Sox farm system as anyone not named Theo Epstein. But I'll shout it again: He is worth it. Give them Clay Buchholz, Ryan Westmoreland, Casey Kelly, and another SoxProspects.com favorite or two, and do not look back.

4. Kevin Youkilis, 3B. Defensively, he's an excellent first baseman and merely a good third baseman . . . yet with Youk at third, the Gold Glove-winning Gonzalez at first, and Mike Lowell a pleasant memory, the Sox are a much better team offensively and defensively.

5. Victor Martinez, C. Glad to see he got a cursory vote in the AL MVP race, because the only disappointing aspect about his time with the Red Sox thus far is that he hasn't figured out a way to clone himself.

6. David Ortiz, DH. Is it too much to ask from Papi in 2010 for last year's production (28 homers, 99 RBIs) with a 30-point hike in batting average and more consistency? Given his .866 OPS in the second half, I don't think it is.

7. J.D. Drew, RF. I'm a J.D. convert -- do I need to get Theo to cite his OPS again for you non-believers? -- and I like him even better when he saves his surgeries for the offseason.

8. Jeremy Hermida/Xavier Nady, LF. Obviously, I don't think Bay is coming back, though the odds are probably close to 50-50 and I do hope I'm wrong. It just seems to me that he's going to get five years and $80 million somewhere -- from Arte Moreno, perhaps? -- and the Sox are not going to be willing to make that kind of commitment to a 31-year-old player whose value is primarily tied up in his power. Nady, 30, is an interesting sleeper coming off his elbow injury; he had a .919 OPS for the '08 Pirates before being dealt near midseason to the Yankees. His teammate, some guy named Bay, was at .894 before he too was traded.

9. Alex Gonzalez, SS. There are some pretty wild rumors about the options the Sox are considering a short, such as signing off-the-charts defender Adrian Beltre to play there (bad idea) or picking up an Orlando Hudson-type and moving Pedroia back to his original position (worse idea). I refuse to believe they're going to sign Marco Scutaro, who will be 35 and coming off the one above-average year of his career, especially since he's a Type A free agent. Unless they surprise us and decide someone like Orlando Cabrera is worth a one-year stopgap, you have to figure Gonzalez will return at a discounted rate, even if Francona did candidly suggest in a recent interview that he's skeptical of what "Gonzi" can provide offensively.

STARTING ROTATION
LHP Jon Lester. As untouchable as untouchable gets. Next question.

RHP Josh Beckett. I'm very curious as to what the Sox believe he will be into his early 30s -- remember, there was concern about the condition of his shoulder when they traded for him before the 2006 season, and he does have his share of mysterious injuries. If we start hearing about serious discussions concerning a contract extension, that will be an encouraging hint that they think he will continue to pitch at his borderline-ace level.

RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka. The lesson has been learned. Mark him down for 14-18 mostly aesthetically unpleasing wins.

RHP Rich Harden. I'd rather have Ben Sheets, but I suspect he's heading to Texas. The hard-throwing 27-year-old was relatively healthy last season, making 26 starts for the Cubs (though he pitched just 141 innings), and his strikeout rate (10.9 per nine innings) would have led the NL had he pitched enough innings. That's the kind of guy you take a gamble on.

RHP Tim Wakefield. Until the inevitable injury, then someone from the Bowden/Tazawa/Doubront crew gets a shot. Or would you prefer Paul Byrd, the three-quel? Didn't think so.

BULLPEN
RHP Jonathan Papelbon. A 1.85 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, 38 saves . . . we should all have such a lousy year. Anyway, next winter is when the real trade rumors will begin.

LHP Hideki Okajima. With his 2.72 career ERA and 1.12 WHIP in three seasons, he'd rank high on the list of the most under-appreciated athletes in Boston. Maybe at the top.

RHP Daniel Bard. Obviously the heir to Papelbon, but the 4.74 ERA and .823 OPS-against in the second half suggest he's not quite ready for the closer's throne.

RHP Kiko Calero. A Type B free agent who at age 34 had a sneaky-great season for the Marlins. But this happens only if Manny Delcarmen is dealt -- perhaps to Florida in a package for Cody Ross or Dan Uggla. I tried to come up with another free agent reliever who might appeal to the Sox, but I saw the names Bobby Howry, Chad Fox, Alan Embree, and Brandon Lyon on the list, flashed back to April '03, and two hours later, woke up in a pool of sweat and tears.

RHP Ramon Ramirez: He had his Wasdin moments, giving up seven homers in a bullpen-high 69.2 innings, but with a 2.84 ERA and a 165 adjusted ERA, he was essentially everything the Sox thought they were getting when they swiped him from the Royals for Coco Crisp. His reputation was that he was death on lefties, but he held righthanders to a .623 OPS and one home run in 127 plate appearances.

RHP Takashi Saito. His WHIP the last three seasons: 0.71, 1.19, 1.35. And he'll be 40 in February. On the other hand, he had a 1.08 ERA and a .638 OPS-against in the second half, he wants to be back, and the Sox seem to want him back.

LHP Dustin Richardson. Outstanding strikeout numbers in Double and Triple A last season (97 in 74 innings), but a rarity among lefties in that he lacks decent breaking stuff and his command comes and goes. Have to figure he'll get a crack at a bullpen job unless Lowell is dealt for a lefty. I can't see the Sox signing Mike Gonzalez since he's a Type A.

BENCH
C Jason Varitek. Please, Tito, resist the urge to overplay him. Meaning more than once a week. Twice at the most. No, make it once.

LF Nady/Hermida. Nady has a career .854 OPS against lefties. Hermida has a career .792 OPS against righties. Gary Roenicke had a career .816 OPS against lefties. John Lowenstein had a career .764 OPS against righthanders. Did I mention the MLB Network has been showing the 1979 World Series a lot lately?

SS Jed Lowrie. I know, they want him to play and prove his health at Pawtucket. But Nick Green probably won't be back, the free agent market is pathetic -- I almost talked myself into Bobby "I Think I Broke It" Crosby at this spot -- and if he's healthy, there's probably no more promising option than Lowrie.

INF/OF acquired in a deal for Lowell and/or Delcarmen: Hey, it took me to the 25th man to come up with my first cop-out. That's pretty good for me. There are few free agent options that look like a decent fit -- Nomahhhh!!! No? They apparently have some interest in Rick Ankiel, who is mildly intriguing despite a .672 OPS last season at age 29. And I bet Ryan Kalish has a role with this team -- perhaps a meaningful one -- before the summer breeze is gone. Wouldn't mind a second year of the Rocco Baldelli experience, either.

Halladay a Red Sox?

What's the best way to respond after watching your most hated enemy win the World Series?

Come back stronger the next year. Well, at least that's how it is supposed to work. Reumor has it that Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is heavily in pursuit of acquiring Toronto ace Roy Halladay.

The 32-year-old is a six-time All-Star and 2003 Cy Young winner. He's spend his entire career as a Blue Jay after Toronto drafted him 17th overall in the 1995 MLB draft. In his career he is 148-76 with a 3.43 ERA, 1495 strikeouts, 49 complete games, and 15 shutouts. These are numbers he's put up with mediocre teams behind him while in Toronto.

Having Halladay alongside with Josh Beckett and Jon Lester would be a huge boost in Boston's rotation. However, in taking away the face of a franchise, obviously there's a big price to pay.

According to the NY Daily News:

The Red Sox are "putting on a full-court press" to acquire Roy Halladay, according to a source, and are hoping to add the former Cy Young winner to the top of their rotation to go with Josh Beckett and Jon Lester.

"They would love to get it wrapped up before the winter meetings (beginning Dec. 7)," the source said of the Red Sox, who made a big push to deal for Halladay last summer.

... To land Halladay, Boston would likely have to give up Clay Buchholz, the organization's top young pitcher, as well as Casey Kelly, the pitcher/shortstop who signed with the Red Sox in 2008 after being recruited by Tennessee to play quarterback. Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is said to be smitten with Kelly, which could be a sticking point in talks with Toronto if Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos insists on the 20-year-old being included in a deal.

However, according to Foxsport's Ken Rosenthal, it doesn't look as though the Sox are quite ready to give up on their future in order to win now:

But one rival executive says there is "no way" the Sox will give up both right-hander Clay Buchholz and pitcher/shortstop Casey Kelly in such a deal.

They might not give up either.

Kelly was the stumbling block in the Halladay discussions between the teams last summer, when the Jays' price was higher due to the potential for Halladay to influence two pennant races — and the reluctance of then-Jays G.M. J.P Ricciardi to trade within the division.

Although the Sox have yet to decide upon Kelly's position, they consider him a vital part of their future. Buchholz, meanwhile, projects as part of the Sox's 2010 rotation — and their rotation for the following four years as well.

So I guess the Theo is in a little bit of a rut. Do you gamble on the future in order to win now? Or do you try to invest faith in your players now and assume they can get the job done? It took New York $430 millions in the off-season for three players but they won a World Series. Should the Sox follow a similar path or take the road less traveled?

*Photo from www.bostondirtdogs.com

B's extend winning streak to three!

It seems as though the Boston Bruins are starting to look a little more like their former selves. The B's have strung together their first three-game winning streak of the season. Patrice Bergeron dished four assists, while Milan Lucic, Mark Recchi, Marco Sturm, and Blake Wheeler all scored a goal in the 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues. The game also marked the return of Marc Savard, who had been out for over a month with a broken left foot.

Highlights of the game below. Also, I highly suggest checking out an impressive save by St. Louis goaltender Steve Mason at the 3:20 mark.

Take Heart Bruins fans...

Boston Globe sports writer Tony Massarotti recently penned quite the article about the Bruins and their chances for a Stanley Cup this season.

Here's the link: http://www.boston.com/sports/columnists/massarotti/2009/11/for_bs_story_has_been_penned.html

All isn't lost so early in the season as the Pittsburgh Penguins proved last year. The Pens had a slow start but obviously, went on to win it all. That's something I've always found interesting. It isn't necessarily how you start but how you finish that could be the bigger key in success. Can the Bruins do it? I still have a lot of hope. Will they? That's another story.

Bruins finally show some signs of former selves..

Well this is the Boston Bruins team I had been expecting to see this season. A 3-0 shutout of defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins is an awesome achievement especially after such a rocky start. Maybe this is the time the B's turn it all around?

Reason why I think the Bruins luck might be changing? Please check at 2:58 of the video: