Mid-Week Miscellaneous

As always there is plenty to discuss in this edition of Mid-Week Miscellaneous.....Manny Ramirez (currently #40 on the RBSF Ladder) makes a return visit to Fenway this weekend, this time as a member of the White Sox. Manny used an interpreter during his introductory press conference in Chicago earlier this week, refusing to speak English. While it used to be said that this type of behavior is just "Manny being Manny", I think it's clear to most folks now (certainly the Dodgers among them) that it is simply just "Manny being a moron".....Speaking of morons, Tiger Woods and the PGA Tour come to Massachsetts this weekend for the Deutsche Bank Championship in Norton. Unfortunately Mass native James Driscoll will not be able to play in front of his home crowd as the fileld for the FedEx Cup is now down to 100 players. Driscoll finished 133 on the standings....Congratulations to Clay Buchholz of the Red Sox who was named A.L. Pitcher of the Month. In 6 August starts Buchholz finished 4-0 with a 1.03 ERA. With another month like that and it will be nearly impossible to deprive him of this year's Cy Young Award.....Thrilled to see that Mark Herzlich appears ready to go for the Boston College season opener. This is the early favorite for "Moment of the Year" when the 4th Annual RBSF Awards are announced next summer.....these and any other topics on your sports mind are open for discussion right here in MWM....

Exhibition Game #4: Patriots at Giants

Tonight the Patriots (2-1) hit the road to take on the Giants (1-2) in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII.....with far less at stake this time around. Patriots coach Bill Belichick was clearly unhappy with his team's performance last week against the Rams, so it will be interesting to see how much playing time his starters get to try and redeem themselves in the exhibition finale. Personally I would prefer ensuring everyone heads into the regular season in good health and use tonight to evaluable players on the roster bubble. Tonight is a huge game for many such players on both teams, as rosters will be reduced from 75 to 53 by Saturday. The Patriots will get their first look at the New Meadowlands Stadium tonight, the new home of the Giants and Jets with a capacity of 82, 566. Tonight will also be a chance for Belichick to renew acquaintances with New York head coach, and former Boston College boss, Tom Coughlin. The two were both assistants on the Giants from 1988-90, helping them win Super Bowl XXV, before coaching in the big game against each other 17 years later. Good luck to all the bubble boys tonight, and most importantly let's make sure that everyone leaves tonight in good health heading into the games that count. Let's go Pats!

Delonte West Coming Back to Boston

This just in from Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald: "Delonte West is coming back to the Celtics. A league source confirmed moments ago that the former Celts guard is prepared to sign a free agent deal with the team. West was drafted by the Celtics 24th overall in the 2004 draft and played in Boston for three seasons before being traded to Seattle as part of the deal that brought Ray Allen to the Green. On February 21, 2008, West was involved in a three-team deal that sent him to Cleveland to play with Lebron James. Accordingly to a source, West will sign a non-guaranteed contract and will be on hand when the team begins camp this fall". I love it.

Just How Dumb is Brandon Spikes?

Brandon Spikes is a Patriots rookie, drafted in the 2nd round of the 2010 NFL Draft from the University of Florida. He is battling Gary Guyton for the starting inside linebacker spot alongside Jerod Mayo, and it appears he and Area 51 could form a formidable ILB duo for the Pats for years to come. Brandon Spikes is also the co-star of a sexually explicit video making the rounds on the Internet. His agent confirmed that Spikes is the man in the video, stating it is "a very embarrassing situation for Brandon". No kidding. He also said the video "is not a reflection on the type of person he is". Perhaps that is true, but needless to say broadcasting oneself engaged in sexual acts on a webcam for strangers to watch shows a serious lack of common sense. When the video was made Spikes was a college superstar, winning back-to-back national championships and awaiting an NFL future. Did he think there was no chance somebody could recognize him? Did he care? Now the NFL is investigating whether Spikes has broken their personal conduct policy, and the rookie faces a possible fine and/or suspension. Worse than that, he is now known as the NFL player from the sex video. Here's hoping that this video really isn't an accurate sampling of who Brandon Spikes truly is. Here's hoping that he plays long enough and accomplishes enough that this incident will become nothing more than a footnote to a fine career. But for now, before he's played a single regular game, there are no positive accomplishments in New England to detract from focusing on this incident. So for now we are simply left with the question, just how dumb is Brandon Spikes? Fortunately for him he has plenty of time left before we need to commit to our final answer.

Ladder Challenge: Foxx vs Grogan

In the last edition of the Ladder Challenge it was Bruce Armstrong easily defeating Nick Buoniconti with 90% of the vote in a battle of Patriots greats, retaining his spot at #77 on the RBSF Ladder. This week’s Challenge finds Red Sox slugger Jimmie Foxx (#73) trying to hold off the challenge of Pats longtime QB Steve Grogan (#75). Although Grogan is a personal favorite of mine, and played as hard as anyone at any position the Patriots franchise has ever known, the excellence of Foxx is simply too hard to ignore here. This is a battle of great for a short time (Foxx) against very good for a long time (Grogan). I'm going with great. My vote this week is for Jimmie Foxx, but who has your vote in this week’s Ladder Challenge? (And remember, most votes in the comments section is the tie-breaker, so be sure to voice your opinion!)

Pats Lose Leigh Bodden for the Season

With the start of the regular season less than 2 weeks away, today the Patriots defense suffered their second major setback of the preseason when they placed their top cornerback, Leigh Bodden, on season-ended injured reserve with a torn rotator cuff. It was less than 3 weeks ago that starting defensive end Ty Warren was also lost for the season after being placed on IR with a hip injury. Bodden, who would have been entering his 8th NFL season, joined the Pats last year after being signed as a free agent from the Lions. He finished the year with 17 passes defensed, 5 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries and a touchdown. This past offseason Bodden was rewarded for his efforts with a 4-year, $22 million deal ($10 million garunteed) from New England, who had him pegged to be their #1 corner for the foreseeable future. The starting spots will likely now belong to 2nd-year man Darius Butler and rookie 1st round pick Devin McCourty. This also means that veteran corners Jonathan Wilhite, Terrence Wheatley and Kyle Arrington will likely stick on the roster, whereas one of them was likely to be gone prior to the Bodden injury. Clearly this is a bad break for both Bodden and the Pats, though an opportunity now exists for these young corners to step up and prove themselves. Hopefully they will take advantage of it...and hopefully Leigh Bodden can make a quick and full recovery and be back to help the Pats in 2011.

Sox Send MDC to Rockies

The Red Sox today traded relief pitcher Manny Delcarmen and cash to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for minor league pitcher Chris Balcom-Miller. MDC is a Boston native and a product of West Roxbury (MA) High School. He was the Sox 2nd round pick in the 2000 MLB Draft, and made his major league debut 5 years later. Over the past 6 seasons he has appeared in 289 games, going 11-6 with 3 saves and a 3.89 ERA. In 2007 he helped the Red Sox win the World Series by sweeping the Rockies team he is now set to become a member of. That season was arguably Delcarmen's best, when he posted a 2.05 ERA over 44 appearances. The last 3 years have seen a steady decline in performance however, with his ERA jumping to 3.27 in 2008, 4.53 in 2009 and 4.70 this season. He leaves Boston tied for 11th in career games pitches with Mel Parnell. MDC was always a class act on the field and somebody who gave back to the community off of it. Despite his inconsistency at times, and the fact that he never blossomed into the dependable setup man (ala Daniel Bard) that many hoped/envisioned, I will miss Delcarmen on the Sox. It is also a shame that the Red Sox will now be without a true Bostonian, something I always enjoy on the local teams. Thanks for a job well done Manny, and best of luck in Colorado!

Bleacher Bill: 354 Wins and Still a Loser

I can't believe I actually used to be a giant Roger Clemens fan. To be honest, it's now almost embarrassing to admit. But from 1984-92 Clemens was awesome in Boston, going 152-72 with a 2.79 ERA. He won an MVP, 3 Cy Young Awards, an All Star Game MVP, struck out 20 in a game and led Boston to the '86 A.L. pennant. Beginning in 1993 he was in steady decline, going 40-39 with a 3.78 ERA over the next 4 years. That is when Red Sox GM Dan Duquette made the decision not to re-sign the Rocket and let the 34-year old test the market. Clemens went on to win back-to-back Triple Crowns, earn 4 more Cy Young Awards, make 6 more All Star teams and win 162 more games. But just how is that possible when he was so clearly on his way to being washed up? Simple: steroids. By now this should be unbelievably clear to anyone with half a brain. The Mitchell Report certainly agreed, mentioning Clemens' name 82 times. Clemens made an attempt to clear his name, apparently believing he still had credibility just based on being Roger Clemens, and in doing so he ended up making himself look like a liar on top of being a cheater. Yesterday he was arraigned on charges of lying to Congress and faces some very real jail time, a fact he seems almost oblivious too....perhaps still believing he is fooling us? Last weekend Pete Rose was quoted giving Clemens advice to come clean now and not waste time fighting what is obvious to all. That's right, Roger Clemens has fallen so far that Pete Rose is offering him advice on telling the truth. And that folks is the light in which Clemens will be seen forevermore: Liar, cheater and loser.....354 wins or not. - Bleacher Bill

Red Sox Simply Can't Quit Now

The bad news for the Red Sox (and their fans) is that after dropping 2 of 3 to the Rays last weekend they now find themselves 6.5 games out of a playoff spot with only 5 weeks remaining in the regular season. The good news is that I can guarantee this Red Sox team will not go down without a fight, even if their playoff hopes are currently in the 'slim' category. The aspect of baseball that very much makes it an individual game will work to Boston's advantage as they try to claw back into the race as a team. That is because most individuals on the Sox have a lot still at stake. Adrian Beltre, Victor Martinez and David Ortiz are all looking to leave good impressions before possibly heading to free agency. Mike Lowell would like to prove his doubters wrong and finish his career on a high note. The likes of Jed Lowrie, Daniel Nava, Darnell McDonald and Ryan Kalish are still trying to establish themselves as big leaguers. Josh Beckett and John Lackey want to prove themselves worthy of their big contracts. Clay Buchholz wants to make a legitimate push to be the latest Cy Young Award winner from Boston. So with all these individuals that have so much at stake, there is no way the team they play for could possibly have any quit in them. It certainly appears that the playoffs are a long shot for Boston, but it also appears that if they do go down, they'll go down with guns blazing. Fans can't ask for much more than that.

3rd Annual RBSF Awards

The votes are in and it's time to announce the winners for the 3rd Annual RBSF Awards. The winners of the biggest prizes were the Boston Celtics (Team of the Year) and Rajon Rondo (Athlete of the Year, Celtic of the Year and Individual Performance of the Year). Hopefully this serves as some consolation to the Celtics for falling just a quarter short of winning banner #18, as well as for Rondo who appears to be having a tough summer prior to his victories here. Other big winners included: Tuuka Rask (Bruin of the Year, Newcomer of the Year and Rookie of the Year), Kevin Youkilis (Red Sox of the Year), Wes Welker (Patriot of the Year) and Doc Rivers (Coach of the Year). Check out the comments section for a full list of all of this year's winners. Again, my apologies for the delay in this year's awards, but since I don't plan on any lengthy hiatuses in the future, hopefully this was a one-time deal. Thank you to everyone that voted and congratulations to all of this year's winners.

High School Spotlight: Albert Louis-Jean

In this edition of High School Spotlight, the first for the 2010-2011 school year, we take a look at Brockton (MA) Boxers star Albert Louis-Jean. The senior is ranked as the top high school prospect in Massachusetts by ESPN and #2 by Rivals.com. He is also ranked #74 overall in the nation by renowned recruiting expert Tom Lemming. After receiving offers from the likes of Boston College, Notre Dame and Penn State (not to mention a slew of other BCS schools) Louis-Jean opted to become a member of the Hurricanes at the University of Miami (FL). Although he has been a cornerback for the Boxers there is a good chance he will be switched to safety at The U, taking advantage of his good size (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) and hard-hitting style of play. Currently he's on track to graduate in December, which means he would be on the Miami campus come January, and ready to participate in spring practice with the 'Canes. Before heading south however, Louis-Jean would like to go out in style, helping the Boxers win their first Eastern Mass Super Bowl since 2005. Rivals.com currently features Brockton as their preseason #1 team in New England, so it's a goal that is certainly within reach. Although we certainly would have liked to see Albert stay in the Bay State and become a member of the Eagles, we wish him nothing but the best as he gets set to bring his considerable talents to the Sunshine State instead.

ICYMI: Eagles Open Season Saturday

In Case You Missed It.....The Boston College football season kicks off this coming Saturday when the Eagles host Weber State in Chestnut Hill. BC is coming off of an 8-5 season in 2009, their 1st year under head coach Frank Spaziani, which includes an Emerald Bowl appearance (a 24-13 loss to USC). The ACC media picked BC to finish 3rd in the Atlantic Division, while naming 4 Eagles to the preseason All-ACC 1st Team: RB Montel Harris, OT Anthony Castonzo, OG Thomas Claiborne and LB Luke Kuechly. Harris and Kuechly and the keys to the offense and defense, respectively. Last season Harris rushed for 1,554 yards and 14 touchdowns, and will be relied upon heavily to put up similar numbers in 2010. Kuechly, last season's ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, led the Eagles with 158 tackles including 13 tackles for a loss, as a true freshman. Also worth following is the awesome comeback story of 2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year Mark Herzlich, who sat out last season while being treated for Ewing's Sarcoma, a form of bone cancer. His return should give the Eagles a big boost from an inspirational standpoint, even if he is not able to be the beast of a player he was back in '08. PREDICTION: Another 8-4 regular season for Coach Spaz's bunch...but this time BC will ride a 4-game win streak into their bowl game and use the momentum to win it, finishing 9-4 for the year. Good luck Eagles!

Tito Takes the Loss Tonight

Tonight the Red Sox took the lead 2-1 against the Rays in the top of the 8th on a Victor Martinez home run, a shot that appeared to be a game-winner when it sailed into the rightfield seats. But Sox starter Clay Buchholz came back out for the 8th, B.J. Upton hit a bomb, and the game was suddenly tied up 2-2. The score remained tied until bottom of the 10th when Sox reliever Scott Atchison allowed a lead off / walk off home run to Dan Johnson (6-for-46, 1 HR in 2010 prior to the at bat). My problems with Francona's performance, a manager who has been excellent in Boston for the vast majority of his tenure here, are this: 1) The Rays scored their 1st run on a sacrifice fly in foul territory that was caught by J.D. Drew. It seems at that point in the game (7th inning, 1 out) telling the corner outfielders not to catch a fly in foul territory when they wouldn't have a play at the plate would have been the correct call. Clearly Tito didn't do that. 2) He sent Buchholz back out for the 8th instead of sticking with the regular routine of Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon for the 8th and 9th innings to close out the win. Buchholz immediately surrendered a homer (on a rarely thrown curve) before giving way to Felix Dubront in the 8th, Bard in the 9th and Atchison in the 10th. 3) Where was Jonathan Papelbon? Is this truly the series to worry about resting Paps? With the season on the line, to a degree, Tito chose to roll the dice with Dubront and Atchison instead of Paps? Really? A very disappointing loss for the Sox, and one that may not have needed to happen if the man making the decisions made a few better ones.