A bay bay, Jason Bay's time over in Boston?

According to numerous reporters, Jason Bay is apparently ready to "move on" from the Boston Red Sox after rejecting their latest offer of 4-year/$60 million deal.

First reported by foxsports.com, Bay's agent Joe Urbon was quote as saying:

"We don't agree with their evaluation of the player. Frankly, we have other offers on the table that are of greater interest to Jason."

This includes a supposed 4-year/$65 million offered by the New York Mets. The only other known offer to Bay as of this moment. The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham offered his analysis on the situation.

Theo Epstein has not yet chosen to comment on the situation.

This could simply be an aggressive strategy by Urbon to try and shake some more money out of the Red Sox. In many negotiations, things are said that later prove not to be true. Then again, perhaps the Red Sox simply don't think Bay is worth a major investment.

He is 31 and struck out 162 times last season and is, at best, a fair outfielder. There are indications that the Sox question whether Bay can stay healthy and productive over the course of a long-term contract.

If Epstein goes out and signs Matt Holliday, what happens to Bay won't be of much concern to Red Sox fans. Good luck with the JV team in New York. But if the Red Sox pass on Bay and Holliday and try a platoon with Jeremy Hermida, the populace will not be pleased.

I'll have to agree with Abraham in this scenario. However, if Bay indeed signs elsewhere -- I won't soon forget the great job he did filling in for Manny Ramirez at left field. He may have become more well-known with his time as a Red Sox but his ability to adjust to the pressure in playing in a baseball driven city like Boston is impressive. Thank you and good luck.

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

Three Cheers for Five Years...

October 27, 2004 might as well be a National holiday in Red Sox Nation.

Five years ago, I experienced the single greatest moment as a sports fan -- I watched the Boston Red Sox FINALLY win the World Series.

As a 16-year-old, I knew that I was going to remember that postseason for the rest of my life. For those few weeks, the Red Sox were the only thing anyone thought about at school or around town. Coming back after being down 0-3 to the New York Yankees was so incredible but then to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in four games? Un-friggin-believable.

Watching them end an 86-year "curse" was one of the most remarkable things I've ever experienced. Their joy was my joy. It connected so many people -- young and old, near and far, etc. Sometimes, I wish I could go back in time and re-live those few weeks in October because to be completely honest, I'm not sure anything could ever top that sports moment in my life.

With that said, the Boston Globe has actually put up a wonderful photo slideshow entitled: "Remembering the 2004 World Series."

I'm pretty sure proud members of Red Sox Nation are loving it as much as I am.

*Photo from The Boston Globe

Red Sox can't stop Angels rally; Get swept 3-0 in series

I don't know whether to be mad or laugh it off.

It had to be poetic justice for an Anaheim Angels organization to finally sweep past the Boston Red Sox in the playoffs. After falling for short so many times, giving up so many late-inning homeruns, Anaheim finally got the last laugh. Rightfully so. There was no way Boston deserved to win that series with the way they had played the entire last two weeks of the season as well as postseason. Unless something drastic happened, unless a spark was ignited ... it wasn't happening. A comeback seemed nearly impossible, much less winning three straight against the better team. While next year might yield better results, I can't deny the fact that I feel a bit disappointed. I love the Red Sox and I love seeing them succeed but they were not the better team. They were outhit, outpitched, and outplayed in every facet. I guess the only question I really have is: where was the heart?

*Photo from www.bostondirtdogs.com

Halos fly high as they rock Red Sox in ALDS Game 1

Watching David Ortiz strike out to end Game 1 of the ALCS against the Anaheim Angels tonight was somewhat ... fitting.

In a mistake filled, lackluster 5-0 losing effort the Boston Red Sox looked lost. It's how I can best describe what I saw. I hate to admit this, but even I have some reservation about this year's squad and how deep of a playoff run they will actually make. When Boston's No. 1 pitcher, Jon Lester can't even stop the offense of the Angels, I begin to wonder. With the untimely tragic death of Nick Adenhart early in the season, the Halos carry a heavy heart into the postseason. To be honest, if they were to go on to defeated my beloved BoSox, I wouldn't mind see them go all the way and win the World Series (anyone is better than New York).

On the bright side, having Josh Beckett and Clay Buchholz as the No. 2 and 3 starting pitchers in the series is a great sign. I don't think Boston could have asked to have two better guys to step up then them. While Beckett's had a shaky season, at the end of the day ... he's still Josh freakin' Beckett. Mr. Postseason. He can pull out great performances in October like no body's business. And Buchholz has proven he's the real deal. Granted, the guy did throw a no-hitter in second career MLB start, but he's been solid enough to get picked over Daisuke Matsuzaka as the third starter.

Can Boston pull out ANOTHER postseason series victory against Anaheim? That remains to be seen. I'd love to see this series go the full five games and allow Jon Lester to get some redemption for tonight's disappointing loss. But in order for that to happen, Beckett and Buchholz will have to do their part first.

Please Take Me Anywhere But Here..

The New York Yankees clinched their postseason berth today at Yankee Stadium after competing a weekend sweep of the Boston Red Sox.

So while both teams have essentially wrapped up their places in the playoffs (the Red Sox's magic number is 3), the Yankees officially won the AL East for the first time since 2006.

For some reason, that fact surprises me. For all the money George Steinbrenner has spent into building his team, I can't believe the Yanks didn't finish on top of the division more often the last few years. That's not even a cheap shot at the man, he loves his team and wants them to win.. I can respect that.

Unfortunately, a mix of school and Iowa football among other things have left me ample time to actually pay attention to this weekend's series. But as a Red Sox fan, I still hate the Yankees. I hate seeing them celebrate and I hate even more that it came at the hands of my beloved BoSox getting swept. The Red Sox were beaten and battered this weekend and what do they have to show for it?

While the Yankees celebrated, the Red Sox shrugged. Players in every corner of the visiting clubhouse uniformly shared a three-point mantra: The Yankees won. Good for them. Wait for the playoffs.

"I think they have the best team in the American League East," closer Jonathan Papelbon said. "Sure. Facts are facts. I think there's a little sense of pride in trying to win the division every year. But realistically, the point is getting in and getting hot."

"As of right now, obviously they're the better team," leftfielder Jason Bay said. "Once the postseason starts, everything else is kind of thrown out the window."

Didn’t it sting just a little watching the Yankees celebrate?

"I don't care," Kevin Youkilis said. "I want to get into the playoffs. Once we get there, it's a whole other game." -- The Boston Globe

Uhhh, okay. What the hell is that? Does this team even WANT to make the playoffs? Perhaps winning two World Series championships in a six year span may be tiring but I just can't comprehend how a team could seem to care less that their biggest rivals just clinched the division title (at their expense no less).

I don't know about anyone else but I'm having some serious concerns with how the Red Sox are going to fare this postseason. I'm almost positive the road to the World Series will go through Yankees and I'm not sure Boston can handle that. Optimistic? Not quite. Honest? You betchya. I guess lately I've been getting the vibe the Sox don't even believe in themselves. After starting the season 8-0 against the Yankees, things evened up fast as both teams split the 18-game series, 9-9 by winning nine of the last 11.

Who knows, maybe if/when they finally clinch the AL wild card, they'll show some passion they've been seriously missing the last couple of months.

Photo from www.bostondirtdogs.com

Dear Major League Baseball...

Evelyn factoid of the day: I'm currently enrolled in a class called "Creative Writing Workshop Studio" this semester.

For those who don't know, the University of Iowa has probably the most well-known, if not prestigious graduate writing program (aka The Iowa Writers' Workshop) in the country. With that said -- why wouldn't I want to take advantage and try to improve my overall writing skills?

A couple of weeks in and I've already learned that my TA, Hannah generally likes and appreciates comedy and wit in our writing (hence having us read an 800-page George Carlin anthology book). Last class, I even wrote a piece entitled "Guys It Never Worked Out With..." and tried to throw in some witty tiny penis jokes. It's really an anything-goes-that-is-on-your-mind type of class with the one rule we cannot offend our fellow classmates. Basically, one of the better classes I've ever signed up for.

Anyway, for one of our most recent assignments we had to write a personal narrative on a public issue. The hardest decision I had to make for the paper was deciding what topic to pick. Politics? Boring. Religion? Not my thing. Abortion? How could I NOT offend someone? So, I picked something I was familiar with and actually cared about. I chose to write about the issue of performance enhancing drugs and it's effect on baseball. I tried to find my inner Carlin but I just didn't think I could pull it off. Instead, I went with a different approach. This assignment only had to be 2-3 pages long and contain some writing elements and include moments of introspection or reflection.

After getting my peer reviewed papers back, I was really relieved to know that most of the people in class (ironically there are about 16 guys and 3 other girls) seemed to really enjoy it. I figured since I've already written it, if my non-sports classmates can find some enjoyment in it, maybe people who read my blog can as well. So here it goes:

A thank you to Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, and Manny Ramirez, for these fine gentlemen – whom get paid millions upon millions of dollars to play a sport they love – have undoubtedly helped change the way the game of baseball has been portrayed. Years ago, baseball used to be known as “America’s pastime;” it used to be looked upon fondly but not anymore. The problem of steroids, drug usage and any other methods of trying to get ahead unfairly has tainted the sport. With Congress getting involved and a new star player being exposed seemingly every few months, how much more can a sports fan be asked to take?

Perhaps before I get too far ahead of myself, I should start at the beginning. The most important thing to understand is this: growing up in Massachusetts, the Red Sox aren’t just a professional sports team; they are practically a religion. As a fellow classmate (Seth) perhaps said it best, “Christians have Jesus; Muslims have Allah; I have the Boston Red Sox.” Even before winning the 2004 World Series (and ending an 86-year championship drought), I knew it was pretty much love. Going back to that fateful day I caught a Red Sox baseball game on television, I’ve been a fan ever since.

When I started to follow professional baseball around the age of 12 or 13, the issue of steroids and illegal drugs hardly ever seemed to be brought up. Then again, I was still a kid. How I viewed the world in comparison to what was really happening around me was bound to be different. As I got older, things changed. Now at 21, I can’t believe how far the sport has fallen. Names like the aforementioned Sosa, Rodriguez, and Ramirez (all big name, star players for their respective teams) have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs (PED) and the list only seems to grow as time goes on.

A few months ago, it was revealed that the Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz had supposedly tested positively for PEDs in 2003. It was one of my more disheartening moments as a sports fan. Suddenly this player who had become so popular with Boston fans as well as with the organization was exposed as a cheater. Sure it was funny to laugh at Rodriguez because he was the enemy, the bad guy playing for the New York Yankees. He deserved all the crap he got. But with Ortiz, it was supposed to be different. He had a larger-than-life personality and a power swing that matched it. One of Boston’s most beloved players had a positive test for steroids… six years ago

My range of emotions went from being shocked, to sadness, to a little bit of confusion. Maybe to everyone else it was obvious that Ortiz could have been a player who was “on something,” but to me it didn’t seem possible. Seeing his name in bold on ESPN’s website with “Breaking News” and “Tests Positive” wasn’t an easy sight. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt bad for Ortiz. He genuinely seemed like such a great guy, the player all players wanted to be friends with, an actual caring soul despite the millions of dollars he made. Suddenly with these new allegations – it was all flushed away in a split second. Who was David Ortiz if he wasn’t who everyone thought he was? I knew Boston would still continue to support him but why? We were all hypocrites in the end, I guess.

With players becoming bigger, faster, and stronger, the hardest thing for a fan is to know is who to trust. Baseball isn’t a complicated game, but with so much temptation to cheat, fans clearly have a right to be angry and distance themselves. It’s quite obvious that steroids and other types of drugs are ruining the sport. I don’t blame people for turning away from baseball onto other sports. There’s a reason why football is now referred to as “American’s pastime” (although I’m not sure I really buy that).

So here’s my final plea: baseball, please listen to whatever fans you still have left, don’t let this ruin you. Clean up your game and fans will come back. Don’t let this get any worse than it already has.

*Photo from www.mysportsrumors.com

Byrd Watching

"I'm just so excited to be back. I want a World Series ring. Hopefully I can help this team get there. I'll clean toilets if I have to, and I told them that." -- Pitcher Paul Byrd

Remember Paul Byrd? Yeah, me neither. However this past Sunday he got the call and not only outdueled Toronto's Roy Halladay but held the Blue Jays scoreless in the six innings before turning it over to the bullpen for the team shutout. For all of Red Sox GM Theo Epstein's seemingly failed experimental signings (i.e: John Smoltz, Brad Penny) this season, it seems he always has a back up plan. Could he have predicted Byrd's impressive season debut? Absolutely not. But then again, he couldn't have predicted Smoltz and Penny's shortcomings as American League pitchers either.

I remember when I saw Byrd's name as the starter for Boston. My first initial reaction was "Really? THAT guy is still a Red Sox?" I was so sure he had been waived or traded away for some minor league prospect during the offseason. It was truly news to me he was still with the organization. You can only imagine my surprise coming across his name on the Red Sox homepage. But, maybe even more surprising was how well he stepped up. When Boston needed a pitcher, he threw a gem allowing the Sox to get a win and build a four-game lead in the AL Wild Card race over the Texas Rangers.

With pitchers Tim Wakefield having no timetable for his next scheduled start and Daisuke Matsuzaka still out, right now would be an excellent time to have Byrd step in as a replacement for either one. Imagine a Boston starting rotation of: Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Tim Wakefield (more likely to come back this season than Dice-K), and Paul Byrd. It may not be a Hall of Fame starting five but it'll likely get the job done when the time comes.