I normally try to stay away from re-posting something that I've written here before, mostly because I figure it's good to try to force a little creativity out of my feeble brain.  In this case, though, I'm posting something I wrote originally this past March. 

The Jimmy Fund is the long-time charity of the Boston Red Sox, dedicated to fighting cancer in children.  Today and tomorrow, Boston sports radio station WEEI and television network NESN, the New England SportsNetwork, are holding their seventh annual Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, hoping to raise millions of dollars to fund cancer research.

Here is the post I wrote last March dedicated to the subject:

Between fans of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, even over the winter the sniping never really ends, it just becomes a little more muted than during the regular season.

This year in particular, the offseason seemed more bombastic than usual, what with members of both organizations getting involved and ratcheting up the noise. First, A-Rod stepped on Red Sox toes with the ill-timed World Series announcement that he was opting out of his contract. He says it was his agent's idea and that he regrets the timing, but that was just the first volley anyway.

After that came Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon's remark to a reporter that the Series-clinching ball, the one he supposedly had in his possession, had been eaten by his dog. The dog's name? "Boss," of course, what else?

Move on to spring training, where Hank Steinbrenner railed against Boston's "Red Sox Nation," much to the delight of Red Sox fans everywhere. Steinbrenner promised to restore order to the universe by beating the Sox, and everyone else, and earning a Yankee World Championship.

Finally, Boston management responded by enrolling Mr. Steinbrenner in Red Sox Nation and sending him a David Ortiz autographed hat as a peace offering. Needless to say, that peace offering went unaccepted.

From a Red Sox perspective, then, the Yankees are the hated enemy, the thorn in their side, the bane of their existence. As a kid born and raised outside Boston, I can testify to the truth of that statement, and undoubtedly the same thing is true of Yankee fans everywhere, who used to say, "You have to win once in a while for it to be a rivalry," in a not-so-subtle nod to the fact that while the Red Sox were going 86 years without a championship, the Yankees were racking them up with regularity. Well, now that the Sox have won a couple, it seems the rivalry has become invigorated and reached a renewed intensity.

But here's the dirty little secret that Hank Steinbrenner surely doesn't want you to know, whether you are a Boston fan or a New York supporter: The Steinbrenner family has been incredibly generous to the charity the Red Sox organization adopted 55 years ago and has supported ever since, the Jimmy Fund.

Established in 1948, the Jimmy Fund of Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is dedicated to raising money and awareness in the fight against cancer in children. In the 60 years since it's inception, the Jimmy Fund has raised over $400 million dollars, with more than 90 cents out of every dollar raised going directly toward research dedicated to "eradicating cancer and related diseases."

For the past seven years, Boston sports radio station WEEI, and NESN, the New England Sports Network, have teamed up with the Red Sox organization to run a weekend radio/telethon in support of the Jimmy Fund. Each of the first six telethons have raised a larger amount of money than the one the previous year, culminating in last year's total of $3.74 million, with a grand total in the six-year history of the event of nearly $12 million raised.

What does all this have to do with the Steinbrenner family? Since it's inception in 2002, George Steinbrenner has supported the fundraising weekend with an annual donation of $10,000, which he upped last year to $25,000. He is not by any means the only celebrity/rich guy making a donation - Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig are two others who have opened their wallets generously - but the others aren't the owners and public faces of the supposed sworn enemies of the franchise.

Rivaries are great for sports. They add drama and excitement to the season and give fans and media something to talk about. But some things are more important in life, and it's nice to see that The Boss and the entire Steinbrenner family have an appreciation for that fact.

This year's 7th Annual Red Sox WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio/Telethon takes place the weekend of August 14-15, and for the seventh straight year will attempt to break the previous season's record for money raised. Undoubtedly the Steinbrenner family and thus the New York Yankees will again be a big part of the fundraising effort.

For more information on the Jimmy Fund or to make a donation, just click this link. Or this one.  Or this one.  Anyone who has watched a relative or close friend suffer through cancer - and who hasn't? - knows how difficult it is to sit by as a loved one is ravaged by the disease. Now imagine that someone is a young child, maybe even your son or daughter. Take a moment to check out the Jimmy Fund, and if you have a few bucks, think about pledging something - you just might save a life today.

__________

If you love fiction and have a few spare minutes, check out my website, www.allanleverone.com

I didn't see last night's alleged baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and the Texas Rangers, but for fans of offense, it had to be right up there with the Run and Shoot in football and the Wayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers in the 1980's NHL.

Check out some of these numbers, stats that would make you toss your Strat-O-Matic in the trash assuming it was irreparably broken, if it ever gave you a game like this when you were playing it as a kid:

- Red Sox score ten runs in the first inning, and have to rally after falling behind in the game, to win 19-17! It would have been closer, but the Rangers pulled their goaltender late in the game and Boston was able to score an empty-netter to give them a the two-goal win.

- 36 runs were scored in a nine-inning major league game. In the entire history of the American League, there have never been more runs scored in a game that didn't go extra innings, and the last time this many were scored was almost six decades ago!

- Runs were scored in every inning, with the exception of the fourth, when batters were so winded from running around the bases that they refused to run out anything. Manny Ramirez would have loved it.

- Ten runs were scored in an inning twice in the game - In the first inning, when Boston scored ten, and in the fifth, when Texas scored eight and Boston answered with two.

- Jonathan Papelbon, Boston's closer, earned his 32nd save, undoubtedly one of the few times in history a pitcher picked up a save in a game in which his team scored nineteen runs.

- For the game, Texas batted .426 (20-47), while Boston was slightly off the pace at .425 (17-40).

- David Ortiz, Red Sox - Two home runs, and six RBI, in the first inning!

- Two players went 5-6 in the game: Marlon Byrd for the Rangers, who drove in three runs and scored four, and Dustin Pedroia for the Red Sox, who drove in two and scored five.

It was not immediately known how many pitchers sought post-game medical attention for post-traumatic stress disorder. Details as they become available.

__________

If you love fiction and have a few minutes to spare, check out my website, www.allanleverone.com

What could be better than baseball at 6:00 a.m.? Almost anything, actually, but for fans of the World Champion Boston Red Sox, the early start was made worthwhile by the final result, a 6-5 extra-inning thriller at the Tokyo Dome over the Oakland A's, in a seesaw game that had a little of everything, with not much going as predicted. For example:

1) Conquering hero Daisuke Matsuzaka would shut down the A's for seven innings or so, and the Boston bullpen would finish them off.

Uh, not so fast. Matsuzaka looked nervous and wild early, allowing two first-inning runs and loading the bases in the second, before settling down and looking good in the 3rd, 4th and 5th. His final stats, 5 IP, 5 BB, 6 K, 2 runs allowed, in an outing that could have been much worse. He actually left with the lead and had a chance at a win, before Kyle Snyder came in to pitch the sixth and immediately coughed up the 3-2 Boston lead, allowing a two-run homer to Jack Hannahan.

Then, in the tenth, with the Red Sox leading 6-4 and Jonathan Papelbon looking for save number one of the season, Oakland tattooed him, scoring a run and not tying the game only because of a bonehead baserunning play by Emil Brown, who got caught in a rundown between second and third after driving in the 5th Oakland run. Papelbon eventually nailed down the save, but he looked eminently hittable.

The best performance came from unheralded Bryan Corey, pitching because Mike Timlin is unavailable, and the other Japanese conquering hero, Hideki Okajima. Both men pitched a scoreless inning for the Sox, with Okajima picking up the victory.

2) J.D. Drew would improve on his lackluster performance in 2007 in right field for the Sox.

Drew actually did help the Sox, although not in the way people might have expected. He pulled himself from the starting lineup with back spasms, clearing the way for last season's Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA) MVP, Brandon Moss, to play instead. All Moss did was go 2-5, driving in the lead run in the sixth inning and then homering in the ninth off Oakland closer Huston Street to tie the game and force extra innings. It was Moss's first big-league home run.

The man who has had trouble staying healthy for his entire career is starting out the 2008 season in typical fashion, but at least for today, it all worked out for Boston.

3) Manny Ramirez would have a monster season in this, his contract year.

This expectation, at least after one game, looks like a keeper. Manny hit the ball hard, going 2-5 with a pair of doubles and 4 RBI. In keeping with his goofball persona, Manny stood at home plate admiring his second double, in the tenth, and nearly got thrown out at second base. Some things never change.

4) Jacoby Ellsbury would hit leadoff and run wild on the bases.

After a slow start at the plate this spring, manager Terry Francona elected to take some pressure off the rookie and returning World Series hero by hitting him down in the lineup. Batting eighth, Ellsbury went 1-4 and was a non-factor offensively, but made an outstanding leaping catch in deep center field that Coco Crisp would have been proud of, crashing into the wall and barely hanging on to the baseball.

5) The Tokyo fans would be a loud and raucous bunch.

At times the Tokyo Dome seemed almost eerily silent, especially considering how loud the fans are when their own Japanese League teams are playing. They seemed knowledgeable and respectful, only really getting loud when Matsuzaka or Okajima did something special.

Between fans of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, even over the winter the sniping never really ends, it just becomes a little more muted than during the regular season.

This year in particular, the offseason seemed more bombastic than usual, what with members of both organizations getting involved and ratcheting up the noise. First, A-Rod stepped on Red Sox toes with the ill-timed World Series announcement that he was opting out of his contract. He says it was his agent's idea and that he regrets the timing, but that was just the first volley anyway.

After that came Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon's remark to a reporter that the Series-clinching ball, the one he supposedly had in his possession, had been eaten by his dog. The dog's name? "Boss," of course, what else?

Move on to spring training, where Hank Steinbrenner railed against Boston's "Red Sox Nation," much to the delight of Red Sox fans everywhere. Steinbrenner promised to restore order to the universe by beating the Sox, and everyone else, and earning a Yankee World Championship.

Finally, Boston management responded by enrolling Mr. Steinbrenner in Red Sox Nation and sending him a David Ortiz autographed hat as a peace offering. Needless to say, that peace offering went unaccepted.

From a Red Sox perspective, then, the Yankees are the hated enemy, the thorn in their side, the bane of their existence. As a kid born and raised outside Boston, I can testify to the truth of that statement, and undoubtedly the same thing is true of Yankee fans everywhere, who used to say, "You have to win once in a while for it to be a rivalry," in a not-so-subtle nod to the fact that while the Red Sox were going 86 years without a championship, the Yankees were racking them up with regularity. Well, now that the Sox have won a couple, it seems the rivalry has become invigorated and reached a renewed intensity.

But here's the dirty little secret that Hank Steinbrenner surely doesn't want you to know, whether you are a Boston fan or a New York supporter: The Steinbrenner family has been incredibly generous to the charity the Red Sox organization adopted 55 years ago and has supported ever since, the Jimmy Fund.

Established in 1948, the Jimmy Fund of Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is dedicated to raising money and awareness in the fight against cancer in children. In the 60 years since it's inception, the Jimmy Fund has raised over $400 million dollars, with more than 90 cents out of every dollar raised going directly toward research dedicated to "eradicating cancer and related diseases."

For the past seven years, Boston sports radio station WEEI, and NESN, the New England Sports Network, have teamed up with the Red Sox organization to run a weekend radio/telethon in support of the Jimmy Fund. Each of the first six telethons have raised a larger amount of money than the one the previous year, culminating in last year's total of $3.74 million, with a grand total in the six-year history of the event of nearly $12 million raised.

What does all this have to do with the Steinbrenner family? Since it's inception in 2002, George Steinbrenner has supported the fundraising weekend with an annual donation of $10,000, which he upped last year to $25,000. He is not by any means the only celebrity/rich guy making a donation - Dodgers owner Frank McCourt and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig are two others who have opened their wallets generously - but the others aren't the owners and public faces of the supposed sworn enemies of the franchise.

Rivaries are great for sports. They add drama and excitement to the season and give fans and media something to talk about. But some things are more important in life, and it's nice to see that The Boss and the entire Steinbrenner family have an appreciation for that fact.

This year's 7th Annual Red Sox WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio/Telethon takes place the weekend of August 14-15, and for the seventh straight year will attempt to break the previous season's record for money raised. Undoubtedly the Steinbrenner family and thus the New York Yankees will again be a big part of the fundraising effort.

For more information on the Jimmy Fund or to make a donation, just click this link. Anyone who has watched a relative or close friend suffer through cancer - and who hasn't? - knows how difficult it is to sit by as a loved one is ravaged by the disease. Now imagine that someone is a young child, maybe even your son or daughter. Take a moment to check out the Jimmy Fund, and thanks for reading.

From Boston.com and the Cape Cod Times comes a baseball story of greed and avarice that almost seems too ridiculous to be believed. Is it A-Rod opting out of a $252 million contract to sign another for $275 million? Is it the price of warm, watered-down beer at Fenway? Jonathan Papelbon's desire to be paid like Mariano Rivera "for the good of baseball"?

All good guesses, but unfortunately, all wrong. This story is even more ludicrous than any of those, if you can believe it.

This story involves the amateur Cape Cod League, a breeding ground for future major league baseball players that may have no equal in amateur baseball around the country.

If you're a fan of any major league baseball team, chances are that some significant players on your team honed their skills in the Cape Cod League before turning professional: Names such as Lance Berkman, Craig Biggio, Ryan Braun, Jacoby Ellsbury, Nomar Garciaparra, Tony Gwynn, Todd Helton, Brian Roberts and Aaron Rowand, among many others, all played at least one summer in the Cape League. In fact, according to their official website, capecodbaseball.org, fully one in seven MLB players played in the league at one time.

Cape League baseball has always been and is still free for fans to attend and has been in operation since 1885. In its current incarnation the Cape League features ten teams, all located, obviously, on Cape Cod.

Sounds like a storybook All-American summer league, doesn't it? The problem is, after 122 years, Major League Baseball has decided it needs and deserves a piece of the CCBL pie.

That's right, the sports league that's knee deep in its biggest scandal in nearly 100 years has decided the billions of dollars it rakes in yearly isn't enough - they are demanding that the six Cape League teams that share a name with an MLB team (They are the Chatham A's, Bourne Braves, Harwich Mariners, Hyannis Mets, Orleans Cardinals, and Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox) purchase all future uniforms and souvenir merchandise from expensive MLB-licensed vendors.

Additionally, MLB's grasping accountants are demanding an 11% royalty on sales of all existing inventory from the six affected teams. "Items such as coffee mugs and teddy bears that are not available through MLB vendors could no longer be sold."

As currently constituted, this deal being forced down the throats of these six Cape League teams would squeeze out local merchants, many of whom have been associated with the league for decades.

The reason MLB's Masters of Hypocrisy can make these demands is that MLB annually donates $100,000 of the roughly $2 million Cape League operating budget to its administrators. MLB's accountants, who must work part-time for the IRS, are threatening to cancel the yearly donation unless the teams agree to their extortion.

All six of the teams involved say they will change their names rather than submit to the unseemly arm-twisting by the bullies at MLB, but they admit it is too late to change their teams' uniforms for this season, leading to a classic David and Goliath showdown. A league source, who understandably wants to remain unnamed, says the Cape Cod League will not roll over or be strong-armed by MLB.

The shamelessness never seems to end in big-time athletics. $100,000 is nothing to Major League Baseball. Hank Steinbrenner probably spends that much on towels for Kyle Farnsworth to cry into, and yet Bud Selig's geniuses are threatening to yank that money out from under an amateur baseball league that has undoubtedly provided more players to MLB than any other over the past 122 years.

The Cape League should tell MLB to take their money and shove it; all six teams should change their names, and the league should start a national fundraising drive to make up the loss of the money Selig's minions are using to blackmail them with. Maybe MLB could use the $100,000 to fund a real HGH testing program.

Sheesh.

Ah, spring, when a young man's thoughts turn lightly to...the big score!

Every year there are a handful of players in Major League Baseball who are accomplished enough to warrant big money but, unfortunately for them, lack the service time to qualify for free agency or even arbitration. This puts them in a position where "negotiating" a contract is a bitter illusion.

The only negotiating that goes on in the case of these players is between their team's General Manager and Chief Financial Officer. They reach an agreement on what to pay the player, then they inform the player that his contract has been renewed and what his salary will be for the upcoming season.

Most of the time, the player understands his position and not a big deal is made of it. The player knows and the team knows that as soon as the guy reaches a certain amount of service time, usually the three years required to be eligible for salary arbitration, he'll be in the big money - check that, he's already in the big money if he's making hundreds of thousands of dollars to play baseball, so he'll be in the really big money - and not a lot is said about it either way.

Every so often, though, the player has accomplished so much in such a short time that he feels cheated by getting renewed for what he views as spare change, which is the situation with Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers. He was resigned to getting renewed last year, but then, after hitting fifty home runs and driving in 119 runs in 2007, was none too happy to get renewed by Milwaukee again.

Then there's the case of Jonathan Papelbon in Boston. He made $425,500 last season, a year in which he saved 37 games in the regular season, becoming the only Sox reliever in their history to save over 30 games two years in a row, and then went 1-0 in the postseason, along with four saves, including the World Series clincher against Colorado.

Papelbon wants to negotiate a deal with the Red Sox but, like Fielder, doesn't have enough service time to give him any leverage whatsoever in negotiations. Thus, he will be renewed Thursday at whatever salary Boston's management team feels is reasonable.

Papelbon seems to understand his position, admitting, "I'm at the mercy of the club right now..." He should have stopped right there, but goes on to say he feels an "obligation not only to myself and my family to make the money that I deserve but for the game of baseball."

He then says that Mariano Rivera of the Yankees has established the salary standard for elite closers over the past ten years and that "with me coming up behind him I feel a certain obligation to do the same."

Oh, brother. As a Red Sox fan I love Jonathan Papelbon. His intimidating presence on the mound, his bulldog attitude, his outstanding fastball and splitter all make him one of the game's best closers. But please, Jonathan, don't expect me to buy into the notion that you want to make millions of dollars in order to help out the game of baseball.

For the game's owners, collectively a group of people I've torched in the past but in this instance stand behind, finding a young, outstanding player without a lot of Major League service time, is like being a kid and waking up on Christmas morning. They can get a couple of years of great baseball at a relatively bargain price before having to break the bank if they want to keep him.

Heck, for some small-market teams, this is the only way to stay competitive. Oakland and Minnesota come immediately to mind. Teams like these and others look to scouting and their minor league systems in the hopes of finding enough young talent to make a run at a playoff spot before inevitably losing their good young players to teams with deeper pockets.

So, Jonathan, close your mouth and bide your time. Another year or two like your first couple of seasons and you will replace your meager half-million dollar a year salary, which seems so miniscule to you but which the rest of us would love to experience, with the Monopoly money of the truly rich. Soon you'll be like Ryan Howard, who, after being renewed last year at $900,000 is now making more than a thousand percent more than that, or ten million dollars this season.

Ah, spring, when a young man's thoughts turn lightly to...arbitration and free agency.

There's something I have to get off my chest, I just can't stand it any longer. It involves some sort of dinosaur-looking mutation that has been scuttling around Coors Field during the recently concluded World Series.

If you have read any of my material since I began blogging on this site nearly two years ago, I have two things to say to you:

1) Thank you very much, you have no idea how much I appreciate it.
2) You really need to get a more worthwhile hobby.

Anyway, my point is this. If you have read my stuff, I think you'll agree that I try to be gracious when the teams I root for win as well as when they lose. I don't see any reason to get all aggressive with other people just because the Red Sox won the World Series, one, because I had nothing to do with it, and two, because it's classless.

So you won't find any gloating here, Rockies fans. In fact, quite the opposite. I was eight years old when the Sox lost to the Cardinals in the Series in 1967, sixteen when they lost to the Reds in '75, and 27 when they lost to the Mets in '86, so I can feel your pain. I remember very well how hard it is to take to see your team so close to a championship only to have your hopes dashed.

But here's the thing. What in the world is the deal with Dinger? You know, that fuzzy dinosaur-looking thing with the multicolored spots on his head that passes for a mascot up there in the mile-high stratosphere? What in the name of Vinny Castilla does a dinosaur have to do with the Colorado Rockies specifically or baseball in the Rocky Mountains in general? Do people in Denver feel Dinger is some sort of mutation to be shunned or is he beloved in some perverse way?

Don't misunderstand, the Red Sox have their own wierd, fuzzy mascot called Wally the Green Monster that adds absolutely nothing to the game of baseball, so I'm not trying to pass judgement. In fact, I wrote a post way back on April 26, 2006 (Wanted, One Hideous Tiger-Like Mutant), where I called Wally an "asexual lump of shag carpeting left over from your parents 1974 living room," so I'm not being an insufferable homer here. Or at least, not a homer.

But at least the "Green Monster" reference in Wally's name makes sense in a saccharine, gag-me-with-a-pitchfork, all-the-eight-year-old-girls-love-him kind of way. You know, Wally the Green Monster referring to the big green monster looming over left field at Fenway. What does Dinger represent, other than all the home runs that used to be hit in the thin air at Coors field in the prehistoric pre-humidor days? Maybe that's it.

But when Dinger started sitting behind home plate hexing Jonathan Papelbon while spinning his head 360 degrees on his neck (The mascot, that is, not Papelbon), it disturbed me in a way nothing else has in a long time. My wife was furious. "He can't do that," she exclaimed indignantly, but there he was, hexing and spinning away. It didn't seem to bother Papelbon, but I couldn't take my eyes off it.

Please, Colorado Rockies management, put Dinger out of my misery and consider coming up with some new fuzzy, asexual lump of shag carpeting mascot. He can even run Wally the Green Monster over on an ATV, like Raymond, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays mascot, does when the Red Sox play in Tampa. That would be fine by me. Just promise me no more head spinning and hexing. It's just plain creepy.

A couple of hours until the start of Game Four. Can't help thinking about my dad, who lived 76 years on this earth and never got to see the Sox win a World Series and now I'm on the brink of seeing the second in four years. Wow.

1) Del Carmen is the new Gagne.

When the Red Sox outbid several other teams to acquire Eric Gagne from the Texas Rangers, the thinking around Boston was that he would solidify an already strong bullpen and allow Hideki Okajima to pitch the seventh inning, Gagne the eighth and then Papelbon the ninth. Somewhere between Arlington, Texas and Boston, though, Gagne forgot how to get people out.

No problem. Last night Manny Del Carmen took over the eighth inning setup role, and even though he fell behind every batter he faced, missing high with his fastball which he can run up there at 94-97mph, he was able to work a scoreless inning and turn it over to the closer.

Maybe Gagne will figure things out over the winter, but if not, it doesn't seem like it will be a huge problem for next year.

2) You can take the manager out of the National League, but you can't take the National League out of the manager.

Along about the fifth inning, Tim McCarver, the resident expert on the World Series broadcasts, starting predicting how it was likely we would see a defensive replacement for Manny Ramirez in left field. Coco Crisp would enter the game defensively in center, and Jacoby Ellsbury would move to right field to help cover the spacious outfield at Coors. He even expressed surprise when Manny started the bottom of the sixth inning in left.

Terry Francona had it figured out, though, waiting to substitute and making two double-switches during pitching changes in consecutive innings, moving the pitchers spot around to avoid having to waste a pinch-hitter should the pitcher's spot come up in the following inning.

I have to admit, I didn't see it coming, but it seems to me that McCarver should have at least recognized the possibility, especially considering he spent most o####reat career playing in the National League.

3) DH? Who needs a DH?

Dice-K may not have had much of a batting stance, but he helped his own cause by pulling a ground ball single between third and short to drive in two runs during the six-run third inning. Josh Beckett, who fancies himself quite the hitter, might just be pulling for a Colorado win tonight so he can get a chance to show his stuff at the plate in Game Five.

In a startling departure from his previous policy of sticking with his set pitching rotation regardless of the circumstances, Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona today acknowledged he will be shaking things up on the mound for Game Six and, if necessary, Game Seven of the ALCS, both of which will be played this weekend at Fenway Park.

"I can no longer ignore the fact that Josh Beckett is the best big-game pitcher this town has seen since the heyday of Pedro Martinez, maybe ever," Francona stated. "With that in mind, I have made the determination to move Josh ahead slightly in the rotation. The new matchups for this weekend are as follows:

Game Six:
Cleveland - Fausto Carmona
Boston - Josh Beckett

Game Seven:
Cleveland - Jake Westbrook
Boston - Josh Beckett

The manager went on to say, "We understand a move like this is somewhat unconventional, and it should not be construed as an indication we have no faith in our other starters, but in an organizational seance last night held over the bloody sock, we conjured up the ghost of Cy Young, who told us he would have pitched every day in this situation, and that we would be crazy not to do the same. He also suggested Babe Ruth may have been connected to Balco in some way, but by that time he was fading back to ectoplasm, so we pretty much wrote that comment off as a desperate plea for attention."

When asked what he would do for middle relief in games six and seven, Francona said Beckett would be providing his own middle relief, but that of course Jonathan Papelbon would be available to close both games out, with two inning stints in each if necessary.

A quick look at the combined stats for Beckett and Papelbon, compared with the stats for the rest of the rotation, shows the wisdom in this bold move by the Red Sox brass:

Beckett and Papelbon: IP-17, H-11, ER-3, BB-3, K-20, ERA-1.59
Rest of Staff: IP-28, H-35, ER-25, BB-13, K-34, ERA-8.04

Half-Baked Ravings caught up with Boston slugger Manny Ramirez, still standing at home plate in Jacobs Field admiring his 400-foot RBI single from last night, and asked the enigmatic player for his opinion of this radical move by the team. His response? "I like it, man. If Beckett burns out, so who cares? It's not the end of the world or anything...Uh...what was the question again?"

In a scene more than a little symbolic of how the 2006 season has played out for the Boston Red Sox, David Ortiz watched his teammates play, and lose, another game from the dugout while wearing a heart monitor. In a midday press conference, Ortiz claimed that he felt fine and that he felt like he could pinch-hit during the afternoon game, if necessary. Doctors and team management disagreed with his sel####iagnosis, however, and wouldn't commit to a timetable for the slugger's return.

His recurring symptoms of heart palpitations can't be too much different than what is being felt all over New England. Another player went down during last night's 2-1 win over Toronto when rookie closer Jonathan Papelbon clutched at his shoulder after delivering a pitch in the ninth inning. He was immediately taken out and hopes to be back in a week or so, if and when his shoulder tightness eases.

Meanwhile, you have to wonder how many of his teammates Ortiz actually recognized while he was watching from the dugout. Kevin Jarvis, the latest pitcher to be taken out of the stands, I mean off the waiver wire, started for the Sox and actually fared relatively well, going five innings and giving up just two earned runs.

In right field, making his major league debut, was David Murphy, who picked up his first big league hit in three at-bats. Another rookie, who made his major league debut in the disastrous last road trip for the Sox, Dustin Pedroia, was on the bench today and didn't play. Carlos Pena, another new addition to the Sox since Ortiz left the road trip, played first base and batted eighth, going 0 for three.

All told, the only positions being manned by players you would have expected to see in the lineup for Boston as of a couple of months ago, were center field (Coco Crisp) and third base (Mike Lowell). Every other position was being played either by a regular not at his normal position (Kevin Youkilis in left field), a backup not expected to play every day (Alex Cora at shortstop), or a warm body picked up by the Sox to avoid having to forfeit the last month of the season due to a lack of players: Javy Lopez behind the plate, Carlos Pena at first base, and the aforementioned Murphy in right field.

Someone in the Foxsports.com blogging community, it may have been Cuzzifer, said in a comment a few weeks ago that the Red Sox had made a bargain with the devil in 2004 to make their miraculous comeback in the ALCS against New York and then sweep St. Louis to win the World Series. If that's the case, the devil is letting loose with both barrels on the Sox this year.

Oh, and by the way, Boston announced today that Curt Schilling will miss his scheduled Monday start due to tightness in his shoulder. The devil has no sense of humor whatsoever.

There's an old expression, undoubtedly you're familiar with it, that says "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight." In the big five-game series at Fenway Park for supremacy in the American League East, it turns out the Red Sox haven't brought a knife or a gun.

The pitchers especially have come unarmed, pun definitely intended. While New York's pitchers haven't missed many bats themselves, Boston's have been a complete and utter disaster, raising the white flag in the fourth inning of game one and stabbing themselves in the eye with it ever since.

For the record, and for all I know some of these numbers may actually be records, here is the collective pitching story of the first three games for the Boston Dead Sox:

Innings Pitched: 27
Hits Allowed: 44
Runs Allowed: 39
Earned Runs Allowed: 38
Walks: 28
Strikeouts: 20
Earned Run Average: 12.67

Some of these numbers may appear to be typos, but they're not. The pitchers are averaging more than a walk per inning, and giving up an average of, incredibly, 2.67 baserunners per inning!

The 2006 Yankees have an imposing lineup for sure, but this joke of a pitching staff is making them look like, well, the 1927 Yankees. A few more tidbits to nibble on:

-----The Yankees have a combined batting average, in the first three games, of .361.

-----The Yankees have scored multiple runs in ten of the 27 innings of the series. Put another way, they are scoring two or more runs per inning 37% of the time.

-----Since the fourth inning of game one on Friday afternoon, the Yankees haven't gone more than two consecutive innings without scoring at least one run. That's over the last 23 innings, if you're keeping score at home.

-----It's been ten innings since the Yankees have gone consecutive innings without scoring.

Of course, Boston's ace, Curt Schilling, has yet to pitch in the series, so there exists the slim possibility that he might return some sanity to Boston's Twilight Zone pitching performance. However, in a home series where three wins was the minimum acceptable outcome, losing the first three games sends the message loud and clear that these Red Sox do not have what it takes to advance to the postseason for a fourth consecutive year.

And save the injury excuse. Sure, the Sox have been hit with an inordinately high number of injuries. But the pitching staff which looked like the mid-1990's Atlanta Braves while rocketing Boston to 23 games over .500 before the All-Star Break has simply looked broken ever since.

Maybe it's a case of all the young arms hitting the wall at the same time. For a supposed contender, the Red Sox have entrusted a large share of the load to a lot of young and mostly untested arms.

From Jonathan Papelbon (who has been outstanding), to Manny Del Carman, to Jon Lester, to Craig Hansen, this team has relied heavily on guys making their first real impact at the major league level. They are all reaching the point where they've pitched more innings than at any time in their lives, and it looks like it's catching up with them.

Whatever the reason, Fenway Park was awash in boos as well as booze Saturday afternoon when it all reached a head, as consecutive walks were issued with the bases loaded, forcing in two more Yankee runs. All across New England, shoes were being heaved at televisions.

With two games to go in the series, the very real possibility exists that Boston could be swept in a five game series for the first time since, well, I'm too lazy to look it up, but I bet it's a long time.

On the bright side, the Patriots play their second preseason game tonight, and the real games start in just a couple of weeks. As long as the Yankees don't decide to send their players to go and play for the Jets, the Pats have a glimmer of hope for a successful season.

Everyone likes to enjoy fine dining at a nice restaurant once in a while. That's why I've decided to offer, free of charge, the following review of a local dining establishment right in your neighborhood. It's called the All-American Sports Cafe, and they offer a number of different choices, from breakfast around the clock featuring their award-winning Paul Coffee (Good and strong, but a little old), to delicious full-course meals.

Here are some of the choices which stand out. You may have some favorites which aren't listed here, or you may have had a different dining experience with the selections on the list. If so, don't hesitate to add your own thoughts, which will only expand this restaurant review and make it that much more complete.

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The Barry Bonds/Balco Bar : An extensive selection of health drinks designed to add to your physique; to give you that cut, chiseled look that everyone desires. There's something here for everyone who wants to get juiced!

The Duke Lacrosse Omelette : Not the All-American Sports Cafe's most popular item. When you're finished, you know something bad went down, you just can't quite determine what it was.

The Favre Omelette : Filled with quality ingredients, all just a bit past their prime. As soon as you finish this omelette, you're not sure whether it's going to come back up or not until just before you have to decide what you want for your next meal.

Steve Nash Toast : Complements every other item on the menu very well. Drawbacks: A little greasy, and only comes in white.

The Ryan Leaf Salad : Filled with prime ingredients, looks great on the menu. You'll be tempted to begin your meal with this, but don't be fooled. Some of the ingredients may have been picked before they fully matured. The Ryan Leaf Salad will leave you feeling unfulfilled and disappointed. The aftertaste is very bitter.

Patriot Stew : Chef Belichick is continually experimenting, discarding expensive ingredients in search of more affordable ones. This item usually surprises people, as it is always better than they expect it to be. The secret is in how the ingredients are mixed together. Give the "Super Bowl Serving" a try, it's normally in the running for best item on the menu.

The Steinbrenner : You get to hand-pick the best of everything off the menu, even off other diners' tables if you want it badly enough! Exciting, but leaves you feeling a little bloated. Don't forget the Gold Card, because this one's a bit expensive!

The Rocket : For the adventuresome only, this is for people who like to take a chance. Order The Rocket, and you get either New York strip steak, Boston creme pie, or Texas toast, but you never know which one you will receive until it arrives at your table. It's a mystery! A fun concept, but the drawback is that your order seems to take forever to arrive. You'll feel like your waiting for it until July.

Papelbon-bons : The newest item on the menu, this rookie dessert is the perfect item with which to close out your meal. It's record is unblemished so far, no one has yet been disappointed.