I know it is blasphemous among Red Sox supporters to blast Tim Wakefield.

The guy takes the ball every fifth day and never complains.

The guy does whatever the team needs him to do, whether it be start or come out of the bullpen.

The guy is even a philanthropist, spending much of his time and energy supporting great causes and visiting sick children.

But nonetheless, Tim Wakefield is the most frustrating athlete of my lifetime.

Believe me, I have been a supporter of many a frustrating athlete. Antoine Walker hoists up threes like they are going out of style. The next time Manny Ramirez hustles down the line at first base will also be the first time. And Drew Bledsoe was a statue in the pocket, getting sacked more than participants in a potato sack race.

Tim Wakefield is the most frustrating of the bunch and here is why....

Imagine, for a second that your favorite basketball team just picked up a new shooting guard, let's call him Smith. Smith is a three point specialist. However, Smith does not shoot threes facing the basket. Instead he hoists his three pointers backwards and over his head.

Amazingly enough, however, Smith is fairly accurate shooting threes backwards and over his head. He goes 7-8 from three point land in his first game and you don't know how he does it. But in his second game he is 0-10 from three.

At that point, every fan is asking, why on Earth are we employing a freakin' shooting guard who tosses up three pointers backwards and over his head.

This fictitious shooting guard, ladies and gentlemen, is Tim Wakefield. He tosses up a trick pitch to the plate and when he is on, you wonder how in the world Major League hitters are missing the ball.

But when he is tossing up lobs and players are hitting balls all over the park, any Sox fan asks why in the world we are employing a pitcher who can't throw a ball faster than some of the kids at the Little League World Series.

When Josh Beckett has an off-game, an observant fan may notice that he is not snapping his breaking pitches as per usual. Or he is throwing too many fastballs. We can rationalize why he isn't himself.

With Wakefield, all we hear about is dancing. Is his knuckler dancing? I, for one, am sick of dancing.

The Sox have talented arms in the minor leagues in the persons of Jon Lester and Clay Bucholz. I am not suggesting that we get rid of Wake this season, but I think this should be the beginning of the end for the longest tenured member of the Red Sox.

He has frustrated us long enough.

RED SOX RAMBLINGS:

The Yanks are Coming

Don't look now Sox fans but the Yanks are only 8 games out, 7 back in the loss column. And Sox fans seem to forget that the Yankees still have a suspended game to complete where they were ahead by two runs in the 8th inning. There is certainly at least a 90% chance that they emerge victorious that game.

With the return of Philip Hughes (and Jeff Karstens to a lesser extent), and the soft second half schedule for the Evil Empire, the Yankees may not be out of this yet.

I predict that this race comes down to the wire, but the Sox hold on to their division lead by a hair.

Unimpressed with Lopez

While the Red Sox bullpen has certainly emerged this year, one guy who has disappointed me is lefty Javier Lopez.

Lopez has a penchant for letting inherited runners score (see Timlin, Mike) and does not command his pitches very well. His lack of control makes him less than reliable against opposing teams' best left handed hitters.

I would have rather seen JC Romero stick around the Sox pen a bit longer.

Back up Manny:

While Mr. Ramirez has been picking it up with his bat since the All-Star break, his play in left field has been confounding to the average fan.

If Manny got any closer to Julio Lugo in the field, they could star in a male adult video.

Yesterday, Billy Butler hit a key double that hit the warning track in left field just in front of the Green Monster. If Manny plays at the depth of a normal left fielder, that is an easy catch. The same thing happened in the Toronto series on a ball hit by Alex Rios.

Manny's shallow play in left field has served him well in the past, but I think he is taking it to a ridiculous level this year. Back up 10-15 feet and it will make a world of difference.

I have always been baffled at the manner in which Major League Baseball elects its Hall-of-Fame.

Firstly, some of the baseball writers of America take this as a joke... I know it was only one vote, but the one guy who voted for Walt Weiss two years ago has got to be shunned, and forbidden from ever placing a vote again. Clearly, this guy is picking his candidates out of a hat...

And it is for that reason that worthy candidates like Jim Rice are not elected. But surprisingly, my rant today will not focus on Mr. Rice... Nay, it is centered around a few other candidates not elected who get less press.  

Bert "Be-Home" Blyleven -- This guy has 287 career wins and played on many, many bad teams. He had the best overhand curveball I've seen in my lifetime (with Barry Zito, Dwight Gooden and David Wells also making the short list). He ranks 5th ALL-TIME in strikeouts... And yet he can garner only 50% of the vote... I don't get it... If this guy was on some good teams of the '70s and '80s he would have had 330 wins and his candidacy would be a shoe-in.  

 Rich "Goose" Gossage -- Maybe Bruce Sutter was slightly before my time (I do remember him, but not all that vividly). But to the best of my childhoold memories (and beyond) Gossage was the more dominant pitcher. And Gossage had much more longevity than Sutter. He pitched into the '90s I believe... I think that there were much more deserving picks than Bruce Sutter and it is a grave injustice that he got into the Hall before his more dominant counterpart, the Goose.  

And Finally, the most deserving candidate to be snubbed (in my humble opinion):  

 Andre Dawson-- Maybe it is because I grew up in Montreal in the early 1980s as a huge baseball fan, but to me it is a grave injustice that Andre Dawson  is not in the Hall of Fame. This guy put up huge numbers, and could have been even better if he wasn't playing on concrete in the Olympic Stadium. He was a great outfielder in both centerfield and rightfield.   Look at the following stats:

8-time All-star

Rookie of the Year 1977

MVP 1986

8 Gold gloves

4 Silver sluggers

top 10 MVP 4 times

 top 10 batting average 5 times

 top 10 Slugging % 8 times

top 10 OPS 6 times

Top 10 runs 4 times

top 10 hits 6 times

top 10 total bases 10 times (league lead twice)

 top 10 doubles 3 times

 Top 10 triples 4 times

Top 10 Home Runs 9 times (league lead once)

Top 10 RBIs 8 times (league lead once)

Top 10 Stolen bases 3 times  

 And finally, one of three players to hit 400 career home runs and steal 300 career bases...

 The others? Willie Mays and Barry Bonds...  

The following is a list of players who have 1,000 career extra base hits:  

Aaron

Bonds

Musial

Ruth

Mays

Palmeiro

 Gehrig

F. Robinson

Yastremski

 Cobb

Speaker

 Brett

Foxx

T. Williams

 E. Murray

Winfield

Ripken

R. Jackson

Ott

Griffey

 Rose

Dawson

Schmidt

Sosa

 Hornsby

Banks

  Of those 26 players, 6 are not in the Hall of Fame:  

1) Barry Bonds - still active. Even despite steroids will probably still make it;

2) Raffy Palmeiro - Would be Hall-of-Famer, may not make it but only because of steroids;

3) Pete Rose - Banned

4) Ken Griffey Jr. - Active.  Future Hall of Famer

5) Sammy Sosa - See Palmeiro.

6)  Andre Dawson- Voters will not elect him for some unexplainable reason.  

Of these six guys, the only one currently eligible for the Hall of Fame is Andre Dawson and he is barely receiving 50% of the vote. The other players of his generation on that exclusive list (Brett, Murray, Winfield, Ripken and Schmidt) were all first ballot selections. People obviously forget how good Andre Dawson was..

He is the very definition of a  Hall-of-Famer...  

The baseball writers need to give him his due...

I was watching a fantastic baseball game between the Red Sox and Diamondbacks yesterday. It was a classic pitching match-up between young up and comer Daisuke Matsuzaka and grizzled vet and future hall of famer Randy Johnson.

But something unfortunate kept happening in the middle of the game.

Dice-K and the Big Unit were forced to hit. If you could call that pathetic display of attempted athleticism "hitting".

Johnson looked like Manute Bol on hockey skates when trying to hit Matsuzaka's array of pitches. And Dice-K was equally overmatched, flailing away like a four year old trying to swat flies when the Unit would unleash a slider.

It wasn't enjoyable to watch. It was pathetic.

I grew up in Montreal watching National League baseball, and was convinced that the Designated Hitter was a silly American League creation.

But since moving to an American League city, I have come to realize that pitchers hitting makes absolutely no sense.

I will give you three reasons which absolutely and unequivocally prove my point. Here they are:

1. Pitchers Don't Practice Hitting:

Many pitchers are good natural athletes, who actually could be decent Major League hitters. But hitting a Major League pitcher does not just come naturally. It comes from years of practice and learning how to hit in the minor leagues.

To build my case, I will cite to Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson.

Hudson is a career .132 hitter in 182 at-bats. He strikes out over one third of the times he comes up to the plate. He has 7 career extra-base hits and no career homeruns.

Why do I mention Hudson? Does anyone remember that in his senior season at Auburn University, Hudson, an outfielder and pitcher, hit .396 with 18 Homeruns and 95 RBI in 65 games. He was a college All-American as both a pitcher and an outfielder.

So why doesn't Hudson hit at least .220 in the Major Leagues with a couple of home runs a year?

Because, he never practices hitting. Since 1997, Hudson has focussed on pitching. And in the ten years since he was an All-American centerfielder, Hudson has only hit a handful of times. And even in games where he is hitting, he is focussing on pitching.

Why would we pay to watch guys who have not hit for years wield a bat unsuccessfully against the highest caliber pitchers in the world?

I would much rather watch David Ortiz or Travis Hafner hit than Derek Lowe or Zach Duke.

 2. The "Strategy Aspect" of Pitchers hitting is overrated:

People often argue that pitchers should hit because it increases the strategy in the National League game.

That is true to a small extent, but even the strategy that is employed is not enjoyable to the baseball viewer.

Let's go over some of these strategies that are employed because pitchers hit in the National League:

Intentionally walking the 8th hitter: - Because of the no DH rule in the National League, not only are we forced to watch poor hitters flail at balls, but two legitimate Major Leaguers have bats taken out of their hands. Whoever would have been the DH is on the bench, and the 8th hitter often does not get to swing because teams are "pitching around him." While this is sound strategy, it is not enjoyable for the baseball fan.

The sacrifice bunt: - Instead of watching an inept hitter flail at the ball, we attempt to watch him tap the ball so that he can move a runner up one base. As any legitimate sabermetrician will tell you, the sacrifice bunt is extremely overrated and is a big-inning killer. Again, no fan wants to watch a pitcher laying down bunts.

The double switch: - This strategy leads to a manager pulling a starter and sometimes star player out of the game, so that a bench warmer can enter the game and hit for the pitcher. Isn't the fan paying to watch Manny Ramirez and not Eric Hinske or Alex Cora?

3. The World Series is less legitimate:

If the Red Sox make the World Series this year, they will have to play 3-4 games without either Mike Lowell, Kevin Youkilis or David Ortiz. If the Indians make it, they will be forced to sit down Travis Hafner or Ryan Garko. The Tigers would have a big time dilemma in that they would have to choose between Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez.

And teams like the Tigers, Red Sox and Indians built their teams through having legitimate DHs. Ortiz, Hafner and Sheffield are huge bats in those line-ups.

And let's not forget, that the National League teams are hampered as well when they are in American League ballparks. A team like the Mets does not have a big bopper coming off the bench, because they are built to play National League baseball. If the Mets were an AL team, they would likely have one more big bat in the line-up.

The World Series as it is played would be as if the NFL and CFL top teams were to meet in the SuperBowl.

If an NFL team plays all year with 11 men, 100 yard fields and 10 yard end zones, how would they react to a 12th player, 110 yard fields and 20 yard endzones? The game would be a farce.

It is time that all of Major League Baseball adopts the Designated Hitter. 

I have heard people argue that we should do away with the DH in the AL, and that makes no sense to me.

People pay to watch Big Papi and Pronk knock the cover off the ball.

No one pays money to watch pitchers hit.

Alright hockey fans, the race for the best trophy in all of sports starts tonight.

The Anaheim (no longer "Mighty") Ducks square off against the Ottawa Senators, in what should prove to be a great series.

Both teams are blessed with great skaters, and we should see some exciting, fast paced hockey over the next two weeks.

Anaheim is the West's second seed, finishing the season with 110 points. Ottawa made it to the finals by securing the East's fourth seed, and garnering 105 points. Interestingly though, both teams had identical 48 Win 34 loss seasons... Ottawa, however, had less overtime/shootout losses (9 to 14) thus accounting for the point disparity.

Here's how I see the key match-ups of this series playing out:

Forwards:

Ottawa is led by the trio of Dany Heatley (50 goals 55 assists 105 points), Jason Spezza (34, 53, 87 in only 67 games) and Daniel Alfredsson (29, 58, 87). These high flying attackers all have a nose for the net and are great play makers as well. The speed and skill of these three forwards make Ottawa among the most exciting teams in the league.

Ottawa has additional depth at forward from Mike Comrie, Peter Schaefffer and Antoine Vermette. All are skilled two way players, who can back check and also score when necessary. Veteran Dean McAmmond (7 pts in the playoffs) has been a solid contributor since the NHL's second season has started.

Anaheim can not match the speed and skill of Ottawa's top line, but they have their own top flight forwards as well. Teemu Selanne (48 goals 46 assists 94 points) has been a bona fide NHL sniper for over fifteen years. The perpetually underrated Andy McDonald was Anaheim's second leading scorer in the regular season (27 51 78) and is among the top five passers in the NHL.

Anaheim has more depth at forward than Ottawa and has been getting key performances from their second group of forwards at playoff time. Ryan Getzlaf (13 pts in 16 playoff games), Sammy Pahlsson (10 pts in 16 playoff games) and Travis Moen (9 playoff points after only 21 points in the regular season) have all picked up their games since the regular season ended.

The Ducks also have the best defensive forward between the two teams in Todd Marchant. Marchant, a seasoned veteran, is skilled on the draw and is a plugger in the corners. Chris Kunitz and Corey Perry are two more up and coming forwards on the Ducks who should have an impact.

Edge: Although the Ducks have more depth, I would give the slight edge to the Senators in the forward category because of the skill of Heatley, Spezza and Alfredsson.

Defense:

The Senators have an underrated defensive unit led by Tom Preissing (+40 in the regular season) and Wade Redden (8 points +9 in the playoffs). Joe Corvo is another formidable blue liner who is a skilled trigger man on the power play. Stay at home defender, and former 1st overall pick, Chris Phillips is a solid, yet unspectacular contributor.

The Senators defenseman are a mostly defensive minded unit, who are happy to let their forwards lead the rush. They are not flashy but certainly get the job done as is evidenced by the fact that Ottawa allowed the third fewest goals in the Eastern conference, bested only by the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers.

The Ducks' defense corps is perhaps the best in all of the NHL. Two leaders of the Canadian National team lead the way for Anaheim. Scott Niedermayer (15 54 69) is perhaps the best skating defenseman in the NHL since Paul Coffey was lacing up his skates for Edmonton and Pittsburgh. And, Anaheim also has one of the top two defenseman in the NHL (along with Nick Lidstrom) in Chris Pronger. After being traded from Edmonton for Joffrey Lupul, Pronger made an immediate impact (13 46 59 in only 66 games with a team leading +27 rating). Pronger is an offensive force and his size helps make him a ferocious hitter as well. Frankie Beachemin and Sean O'Donnell are less flashy but also stellar defensemen for the Ducks.

Edge: The big edge among the defense corps goes to the Anaheim Ducks. While Corvo, Redden and Preissing are fine defensemen, Ottawa cannot match the likes of Chris Pronger and Scott Niedermayer.

Goaltending:

Former Sault Ste Marie Greyhound star Ray Emery has emerged as Ottawa's go-to goaltender this season. In his first full season as a starter, Emery posted very impressive stats (2.47 GAA .918 Save percentage) and has been even better in the playoffs (1.95, .919). Emery is an athletic goalie who moves well laterally. When he has time to set up, he is positionally solid if not spectacular. In an emergency, back-up Martin Gerber can be spectacular, but is wildly and maddeningly inconsistent.

The Ducks have one of the league's top goalies in Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Giguere was great in the regualr season (36-10 2.26 .918) and has been untouchable in the post season (1.87 GAA with an astounding .931 save percentage). Playoff success is nothing new for Giggy. In the 2003 playoffs he won the Conn Smythe award for most outstanding playoff performer despite playing on the losing team. Giguere is a buttefly goalie cut from the same cloth as fellow Quebecois Patrick Roy. Both are big goaltenders (Giggy standing at 6"1) who still cover a lot of ground when on their knees in the "style papillon." Giguere has quick pads and a quick glove, but if he does not have time to set, is a little bit susceptible to allowing a weaker goal high on the blocker side. Ilya Bryzgalov may be one of the three best back-up goalies in the league.

Edge: Emery has been great but may be playing slightly over his head. Giguere is battle tested and ready to shine in this series. The edge goes to the Ducks.

Prediction: Ottawa will make this a great series, but ultimately the skilled blue liners and net minders of Anaheim garner control of the Stanley Cup Finals. In a hotly contested six games, the Anaheim Ducks emerge victorious.

Anaheim in 6.

My allegiances will always be to the Boston Red Sox.

But, today, I am thankful for the honesty of a member of the hated New York Yankees.

If you missed it, Jason Giambi told the USA TODAY that baseball owes an apology to the public for the steroid era. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/yankee
s/2007-05-17-giambi-steroid-issue_N.htm

He even went so far as to say that he was "wrong for doing that stuff."

While we shouldn't applaud Giambi for using, it is refreshing that at least one baseball player admits that steroid use was a grave problem, and that he was a part of the problem.

If Barry Bonds would have said that baseball never tested for steroids and that they weren't technically illegal in the game until very recently, I think that public perception would be different.

If Rafael Palmeiro fessed up and stated that it was not Miguel Tejada's Vitamin B-12 injections that produced a positive test, but rather an old man trying to salvage his career, the public would have been more empathetic.

But what we have right now is a bunch of guys who make mistakes and then don't own up to them. That is more loathsome than the cheating itself.

Jason Giambi has the stones to say that he cheated, he was wrong, and that he owes everyone an apology. We can't possibly ask for any more than that from our professional athletes.

And if anyone compares Jose Canseco's tell-all tales to Giambi's confession, spare me.

Canseco wrote his "book" for three reasons:

1) He got blackballed from baseball and wanted to bring the game down;

2) He wanted money;

3) He missed being in the spotlight.

Jason Giambi has nothing to gain by apologizing to the fans. He has nothing to gain by admitting steroid use. He has never tested positive for anything.

Giambi should also be commended for his honesty in front of a federal grand jury. As far as I have seen, he is the only player who actually testified truthfully in those proceedings.

Grand juries are essential to the criminal justice system. Full candor to the tribunal is absolutely necessary if the system of American jurisprudence is to continue to be the envy of every other justice system.

But athletes not only made a mockery of the game of baseball... they made a mockery of grand jury proceedings... And Palmeiro and Sosa made a mockery of Congressional hearings...

Yes, Giambi should not have used.

And yes, using causes men's testicles to shrink...

But at least Giambi's are still big enough that he is man enough to tell the truth.

A few random things have been percolating in my brain today, so I thought I would jot them down...

The Best Hockey No One is Watching:

Just in case anyone out there besides me still watches hockey, the two Conference Finals series have been wildly entertaining. Detroit and Anaheim have played bruising hockey for two games, both one goal affairs, with the teams tied at one apiece in the Series. Anaheim's superior goaltending and the steady defense of Chris Pronger will lead them to a 7 game series victory.

In the other series, Ottawa has shocked everyone and jumped to a 2-0 lead with both games being played in Ottawa. I have the sneaking su####ion that Buffalo is not done yet. Ryan Miller is a better goaltender than Ray Emery. And Chris Drury is such a clutch player that I think this series will go at least six. Having said that, Ottawa will not relinquish this series lead and gets by in 6 games.

Which toilet paper is worse?

Depending on how much time I have in the morning, I either use the office bathroom or the home bathroom when *ahem* doing my business...

I have recently found myself wondering which is worse, the cheap toilet paper bought by my office, or the really expensive stuff purchased by my wife...

You see, the cheap stuff doesn't feel so good when it's being used, and may cause some abrasions...

But that really expensive stuff is so expensive that it falls apart in my posterior...

I hate toilet paper.

We should go back to washing our bottoms in a river... or one of those crazy French #### sinks...

 Roger Clemens is Old

I, for one, can't believe that Roger Clemens is making a prorated $28 Million this year. The guy had a tremendous ERA last year, but he is certainly getting up there in years.

Does anyone think that Roger Clemens is the top pitcher in the Majors? Top Five? Top Ten?

Off the top of my head, I would rather have the following guys on my team: Roy Oswalt, Jake Peavy, Chris Carpenter, Josh Beckett, Curt Schilling, Chien-Ming Wang, Erik Bedard, Johan Santana, Brandon Webb, Dan Haren... I could even go on...

Well, I guess he is better than Jeff Karstens...

Mothers Day more than a Hallmark Holiday

My wife celebrated her first mother's day yesterday. And I have to admit that it was more emotional than I thought it would be.

It is crazy to believe that for the rest of our lives, a big part of who we are is that we are going to be parents.

Mother's day was a great day of reflection for me... I'm pretty excited for father's day!

Happy Mother's Day Mom and Wifee...

What's an avulsion?

Why can't the Sox just call Josh Beckett's injury what it is...

A freakin' blister...

The Judicial System is messed up sometimes...

A little note about my day today...

Today, I was in court because a 21 year old client of mine was charged with Possession of Stolen Property and Use of a Motor Vehicle Without Authority...

The facts of the case are as follows: My client, a college kid, attends a party at a different college . An acquaintance offers her a ride home and she accepts.

The cop pull the car over because of a broken headlight, and it turns out that the car was reported stolen and that the driver's license had been suspended.

My client knew none of these things... She was charged with two serious felonies for being A PASSENGER IN A CAR!

Obviously, the police made a mistake, so I asked the DA to dismiss the charges... He wouldn't do so without further evidence...

Now, I have to argue motions while charging my client $250/hr so she can get rid of a charge that has absolutely no merit...

And you wonder why the Duke Lacrosse kids didn't get a fair shake...

Why is Roy taking a six week Halladay?

I remember back in 1994 when Patrick Roy had appendicitis during the NHL playoffs in a series against the Bruins. He missed game #3 and came back for game #4 to lead the Habs to a 5-2 win... (full disclosure, I was at that game... one of the best moments of my sports fan experience)...

So why is Roy Halladay missing 4-6 weeks with the same injury? Wouldn't 15 days be sufficient for appendicitis?

I love Barry Bonds...

OK, maybe that is a little bit too strong a statement.

It is hard to love a guy who is a drug abuser, known misogynist and general malcontent.

But, I love watching Barry Bonds hit. The guy can mash... plain and simple.

And isn't that what we should care about? Barry Bonds is not paid to be a role model. He is not paid to be a nice guy. He is not paid because he treats women with respect. No, he is paid to hit a baseball. And he has done that better than anyone that I have ever had the privilege of watching play the game.

Every time Bonds hits it is an event. In his best season of 2001, Bonds was must see TV.

And he is a worthy all time homerun leader. People may hate me for saying it, but he is a better all-around player than Hank Aaron was. Bonds won eight gold gloves to Aaron's three. And Bonds was a much more prolific basestealer.

And not that I am accusing Hank Aaron of using any performance enhancers, but people always ask why Bonds became a better player after he hit the age of 35.

There are two simple answers to this question:

1) He didn't get better. He merely became more one dimensional and forgot about defense and base stealing. Once Bonds was able to focus only on the power aspect of his game, that became dominant but at the expense of other areas of his game that made him great.

2) Bonds newfound power post 35 is not unprecedented. When was Hank Aaron's most prolific homerun season? 1973! When he was 39 years old! In 1973, Aaron hit 40 homers in 392 at-bats for a homerun rate of 1 per 9.8 at-bats. The only other times he led the league in homeruns per at-bat were 1971 and 1972 when he was 37 and 38 years old.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Aaron became a much better homerun hitter AFTER the age of 35. Much like the vilified Bonds.  Aaron's highest homerun total was in 1971 at the age of 37. Bonds' highest homerun total was in 2001 at the age of 36.

And yet no one asks if Aaron ever used performance enhancing drugs. But why should we even care?

Why can't we just forget about the fact that Bonds is a loathsome human being and enjoy his greatness? He is fun to watch. And he is the best all-around baseball player since his godfather.

And that is what he gets paid to do.

So yes, I love Barry Bonds.

The 2004 Red Sox championship season is once again in the spotlight with Gary Thorne's erroneous claim that Curt Schilling's sock was not bloody.

Everyone remembers Schilling's bloody sock in Game #6 of the ALCS and Game #2 of the World Series.

They remember Dave Roberts' steal in Game #4 of the ALCS.

They remember Big Papi's walk-off hits galore.

They remember Johnny Damon's two homeruns and six RBI in game #7 of the ALCS.

But the unsung hero of the Red Sox championship run is Derek Lowe. As time passes, people are quickly forgetting the unbelievable effort that Lowe put forth in the post-season.

Specifically, in Game #7 of the 2004 ALCS, Derek Lowe was pitching on TWO days rest. Does anyone remember that Lowe was the Game #4 starter and came back to start Game #7 with no team off days in between?

In the post-season,top flight starting pitchers often get the call after having only three days of rest. More often than not, they are unable to pitch with success because more rest is needed, especially in this day and age with a five man rotation.

But after furiously fighting to stave off elimination in 2004, the Red Sox had nowhere to turn. Tim Wakefield and Pedro Martinez had both thrown in Game 5. Schilling pitched in Game 6. The only option left was Lowe on two days rest who was ready willing and able to take the ball.

And what did he do?

He limited the potent Yankees attack to ONE measly hit over six innings. With only two days rest.

I know this story has been told before and I am sure everyone is sick of hearing about the Red Sox 2004 championship run.

But I hope that as time goes on and our memories fade, we don't forget that Derek Lowe was a main reason the Sox were able to win their first World Championship in 86 years.

MORE RED SOX RAMBLINGS:

Great Start for Tito and the Boys:

With the Red Sox off to their biggest division lead this early in the season since '95, the manager Terry Francona deserves credit for a great managing job. I applaud his decision to go with the hot hand and use Hideki Okajima as his set-up man in the eighth inning. It would have been really easy to use 41 year-old and quickly fading Mike Timlin as his set-up man like in years past. But he has recognized how good Okajima has been and thrown him into the fire. Because of it, the Sox have probably gained two or three victories.

J.D. Drew -  I love you:

Before spring training started, many pundits all over the nation were claiming that J.D. Drew would flop in Boston. He is too fragile. He is too non-chalant. He wouldn't be able to stomach the pressure.

But a month into the young season, J.D. Drew seems like just the type of player Boston grows to love. He hustles out every ground ball. He makes plays in the field. And he has a silky smooth left handed stroke.

Even if he breaks down, this is not something that Sox fans haven't seen before. The man he is replacing, Trot Nixon, was not exactly a beacon of health the last couple of seasons. J.D. Drew has been a major upgrade in right field and I have a feeling he will be a pleasant sight for Sox fans for years to come.

Lowell's bat speed is alright:

Many scouts claimed that after his disastrous 2005 season, Mike Lowell had lost his bat speed. However, in recent games, Lowell is making it clear that his bat speed is back and better than ever.

During the historic four homeruns in a row hit by the Sox on Sunday night, Lowell got his hands inside the ball on a hard inside pitch. There is no greater measure of bat speed. Once again, last night against hard-throwing Orioles closer Chris Ray, Lowell turned an inside fastball right around for a ground rule double.

I think Lowell, if he stays healthy, will hit 25 homeruns and knock in 100 runs this season.

Mark it down.

 Eric Hinske - Consumate pro:

Eric Hinske was the consensus Major League Rookie of the Year and American League Rookie of the year five short seasons ago. It looked like he would have an all-star career for the Toronto Blue Jays.

After a couple of disappointing seasons, he was traded to the Red Sox and has been playing sparingly in a reserve role. But credit Hinske for not complaining and being ready when called upon. Hinske is hitting .417 in this young season and is extremely valuable to the Red Sox, being able to play first, third and the outfield.

The second round of the NHL playoffs starts tonight with the Buffalo Sabres hosting the New York Rangers in the early game and the Anaheim (no longer Mighty) Ducks hosting the Vancouver Canucks.

In tomorrow's action, the Ottawa Senators travel to New Jersey to play the Devils and the Detroit Red Wings play host to the San Jose Sharks.

These are all great games, but will anyone be watching?

Two seasons ago, the National Hockey League was involved in the worst labor stoppage in sports history. An entire season, including playoffs went by the wayside. Canada was in a state of mourning. However, aside from hockey towns like Detroit and Buffalo, it barely made the news in the United States.

ESPN stayed away from the story. And when hockey finally came back, ESPN stayed away from the product.

Now relegated to Versus, many folks need digital cable just to see some Stanley Cup action on a nightly basis. The television in my living room has been tuned to Channel 148 on many occasions because my household only gets Versus on that television.

I am sure that less committed hockey fans just aren't watching... Or when they are channel surfing do not have the patience to hit Channel 148...

There are solutions to the NHL's problem though...

Here is what the league can do to regain some relevance in the United States stream of consciousness:

1) Beg ESPN to take them back - Hockey's revenue is still based in large part on arena sales. The TV contract with Versus, while netting the NHL some money, is hurting in terms of the game being underexposed. In five years, when kids don't know what hockey is, people will stop showing up to the games. Then hockey will be in a state of turmoil instead of recession.

2) Market their superstars - Hockey has had an influx of young talent in the last few years like nothing it has seen since the early '80s. Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Dany Heatley, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, Evgeni Malkin and others can revive this game if given a chance.

3) Reduce ticket prices - Fans in traditional hockey markets like Boston are slowly turning away from the game in favor of less expesnive alternatives. Despite ignoring the fans for a full season, the NHL has not tried in earnest to bring the fans back by lowering ticket prices, thus increasing the season ticket base.

I, for one, hope that the NHL will listen to this type of reasoning. Hockey is still the fastest game on earth, and one of the most exciting.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES:

Celtics release Telfair on same day Allen found not guilty:

Many people probably heard that Sebastian Telfair is rumored to be released by the Celtics just days after he was arrested for possession of a firearm. Once again, this is an example of an NBA team passing judgment before any facts regarding the incident have emerged.

Interestingly, on the very same day, it was announced that Tony Allen was found not guilty of all charges stemming against him relating to an alleged battery at a Chicago restaurant. It just goes to show, that the NBA and individual clubs should stop levying punishment before all information is gathered.

What's up with the Yankees?

This is a weird thing to say, but I think that the Yankees might be in a rebuilding mode. Yes, they have a $200 Million payroll. Yes, their offense is littered with former and current all-stars.

But their pitching stinks. The thing is, they have help on the horizon. I'm not talking about Carl Pavano folks. We've all heard of Phillip Hughes who will be making his Major League debut on Thursday.  But they also have some other hot pitching prospects like Dellin Betances, Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy who will most likely are future Major Leaguers. Couple that with future bullpen dynamo J. Brent Cox, and the Yankees look like they will be a really tough team to beat in 2009.

Maybe he should be a full time righty -

Switch hitter Jason Varitek's left/righty splits are telling this season:

Right-handed: .538 BA, .1.571 OPS, 2 HR, 5 RBI

Left-Handed: .154 BA, 432 OPS, 0 HR, 4 RBI.

Last season was a terrible one for the Sox Captain from both sides of the plate, so I will discount it. But in 2005 Tek had an OPS of 1.000 from the right side and .804 from the left. In 2004, it was .995 from the right and .820 from the left.

Just looking at Varitek hit, he has more power and more bat speed from the right hand side. His slow, looping swing from the left makes him susceptible to the strike-out. I, for one, would be happy if Tek's switch-hitting days were over. 

Will Federer ever Win the French?

With the clay court tennis season in full swing, many in North America probably didn't notice that Rafael Nadal beat Roger Federer in yet another final in Monte Carlo. This brings Nadal's streak to 67 straight wins on clay.

Federer is making a run at Pete Sampras' all time grand slam title record, but with Nadal's clay dominance, one wonders if he will ever win at the French Open, much like Sweet Pete. Unless Nadal pulls out with an injury one of these years, the smart money says that Federer is destined to strike out on the dirt.

I am no Pacman Jones apologist.

I think the man has some serious psychological issues.

But his unprecedented one year ban from the NFL is unjustified.

As most Americans know, but choose to ignore, until convicted, in the eyes of the law, a defendant is presumed innocent. If this were not the case, any one of us could get whisked away from our lives and denied the liberties that the founding fathers fought so hard to give us.

But somehow, we always make snap judgments with regards to guilt and innocence without any regard for these principles.

The Duke lacrosse situation is a perfect example. Not only were Reade Selligman and Colin Finnerty presumed guilty, in the wake of the controversy, the coach, Mike Pressler, lost his job and his livelihood.

For what?

Now, a year later, the players are saddled with millions of dollars of legal fees and Mike Pressler is coaching a Division II lacrosse team in Rhode Island for much less compensation.

Which brings us to Pacman Jones.

True, Pacman has been arrested five times since he was selected in the NFL draft.

True, Pacman has been questioned by the police on at least ten occasions.

True, Pacman is being accused of viciously assaulting an exotic dancer at a strip club.

But, it is also true that Pacman Jones has been convicted of absolutely nothing. Despite this fact, and the fact that Pacman is supposed to be presumed innocent, he has been suspended for a year by the NFL.

Now, don't get me wrong. The NFL is within their right to suspend a player, even absent a conviction. But wouldn't it be more worth their while to let the court process play itself out? Isn't that what makes the United States the land of opportunity that it declares itself to be?

So while Roger Goddell has good intentions in attempting to clean up the league, perhaps he should wait until a player is convicted.  Like Tank Johnson, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge. Let him be the example instead of Jones.

For now...

MORE SPORTS AND THE LAW NOTES:

NFL "Franchise Players" should stop whining: Lance Briggs of the Chicago Bears and Asante Samuel of the New England Patriots are two members of an expanding group of NFL footballers. They were both tagged as "franchise players" by their teams, which guarantees that they be paid the average of the top five players at their position for one season. They also, are both not happy about it.

But, they should remember that as NFL players they are members of a fairly poweful union which negotiates a Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Franchise Tag was not unilaterally imposed on the players. It was part of a negotiated agreement.

If you don't like it, don't include it in the CBA. But now that the language is entrenched in that agreement, don't start whining about it being used. I'm with the owners 100% on this debate.

Todd Sauerbraun - Denver Bronco:  The New England Patriots are probably not very happy with whatever law firm looks over their contracts. In a story that did not receive a lot of press, punter Todd Sauerbrun's "right to match" clause in his contract was voided by an arbitrator. The NFL collective bargaining agreement requires that the "right to match" clause be written separately from the contract itself. In Sauerbrun's New England contract, it was included in the actual contract which is a no-no. As a result, the much maligned punter will be booting balls in the thin-air of Denver next year.

Yes, he has started his career with two 10 K games out of three.

Yes, he has a flair for the dramatic and is a great showman.

Yes, he was the MVP of the World Baseball Classic.

But, Daisuke Matsuzaka is no Pedro Martinez. Not even close.

I think that people in Boston are conveniently choosing to forget how good Pedro Martinez was in his prime between 1997 and 2002. In 1999, Pedro's ERA was  2.07... The League average ERA was 5.07. That is almost unfathomable.

Pedro's fastball routinely hit 96-97 Miles Per Hour. He had the best change-up in the league. And his curveball was devastating. Matsuzaka has several "plus" pitches but none of his pitches are as dominant as any of Pedro's top three pitches were.

Dice-K reminds me more of a young Mike Mussina than he does of Pedro Martinez. Believe me, that is no insult. Mussina throws three different fastballs (two seamer, four seamer and cutter), he throws a splitter, he throws a change-up and he has a phenomenal knuckle-curve that falls off the table. Similarly, Dice-K throws three different fastballs (two seamer, four seamer and shuuto), a great change-up, a slider and a pretty good curve-ball.

In short, Dice-K beats you because he can throw a bunch of pitches and he can throw them for strikes. Hitters are off balance because they never know what is coming.

Pedro was perhaps the most dominant pitcher during his prime that baseball has seen since the days of Koufax. He was better than Clemens. Better than the Big Unit. Better than Maddux. Better than Smoltz.

So, do me a favor. Stop comparing Dice-K to Pedro. It just ain't far. But I'll take a Mussina in his prime any day of the week.

OTHER RANDOM RED SOX RAMBLINGS:

Manny Ramirez will hit. Let's not get too concerned about his batting average around the Mendoza line and one homerun. He did the same thing last year and put up his usual 300 BA 35 HR 100 RBI.

Let's not get too excited over Josh Beckett just yet. He may be 3-0 with a sub 2.00 ERA, but he did exactly the same thing last year, before posting an ERA over 5.00 at the end of the year. If you Sox fans remember, Beckett was 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA on April 21 going into a start against the Blue Jays. He was cruising along in that game before intentionally hitting a batter (Aaron Hill) and then giving up a gopher to Vernon Wells to blow the game. He then got lit up in a start against Cleveland which started a percipitous downward spiral.

Free Wily Mo. Wily Mo Pena's homerun against Toronto was perhaps the most majestic shot hit in this young season. The kid's got power and plays a decent centerfield. Let's get Coco Crisp's anemic bat out of the line-up and give Ortiz and Ramirez some much needed protection.

Finally a good bullpen? The Sox have assembled a gaggle of good arms for this year's bullpen. Okajima has a fall off the table splitter; Donnelly has some much needed moxie; Papelbon is looking to become his generation's Rivera and is doing a great job; Pineiro has a decent arm; And Kyle Snyder and JC Romero aren't terrible either. Let's give Theo some credit for finally getting a bullpen in order.

Lugo a Go-Go- I kept hearing that Julio Lugo would be a huge step downward from Alex Gonzalez defensively. He may not be Gonzalez, but he ain't bad. Lugo tracks fly balls better than any shortstop this side of Derek Jeter. And his range to his left exceeds even Gonzalez. If he could get some more consistency with his throws, he'll be pretty good defensively. And did I mention that he swings the bat twice as well as Gonzo? I didn't? Well, he does.

Managerial Genius - Let's give Terry Francona some much deserved credit. With the Sox up 4-1 against the Los Angeles Angels (of Anaheim) last Friday, Tito brought in bullpen ace Jonathan Papelbon in the 8th inning with Vlad Guerrero at the plate and two men on base and one out. Papelbon overmatched Guerrero and induced a Garret Anderson fly-out to end the threat. Francona should be given credit for not waiting until the 9th to bring in the dominant stopper. The Sox ended up scoring six times in the bottom of the 8th, to make the game a 10-1 laugher. If not for Francona's decision, the momentum may have changed drastically.

I had an epiphany today.

It wasn't quite as significant as Alexander Graham Bell inventing the telephone. Or whoever it was that invented sliced bread. (As an aside, why is it that "the greatest thing" is always sliced bread? Is it so bad to eat bread unsliced? And wouldn't television, the internet or pornography all be considered more of the "greatest thing"? But I digress...)

61 is still significant. Why you ask?

What do Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa have in common? I'll give you a hint... There are three correct answers:

1) They all hit over 60 homeruns in a season;

2) They all have oversized heads and backne as a result of years of steroid use and abuse;

3) And lastly, and most significantly for my argument today, they all played in the Senior Circuit.

Yes my friends, the American League record for homeruns in a season is still 61.

I was thinking about this in relation to the fantastic season that "Big Papi" David Ortiz is having. I read an article today which pondered whether or not the larger than life Dominican can swat 60 homeruns this year. This was followed by a more depressing question... Will anyone care if he does?

Being a diehard Red Sox fan, I know that I will obviously care if Ortiz hits that many dingers. But more importantly, there would be a reason to celebrate another homerun chase.

Back before the steroid era, the most famous and identifiable records in sports were Roger Maris' 61 homeruns in a season and Hank Aaron's 755 homeruns in a career. Barry Bonds and his steroid cronies have made the chase for those records much less fun and significant in the eyes of many.

But if we could just spin this thing... If we could just make 61 significant again... If we could acknowledge a magical, clean season for a Paul Bunyanesque guy like David Ortiz, perhaps Major League Baseball can recapture its most hallowed records.

Even more important still, Major League Baseball can recapture its innocence.

So I, for one, would applaud if the media would make the chase for the American League record in homeruns significant. Let's applaud guys like Ortiz and Jim Thome...

I hope one of you guys can make a run at Maris.

There comes a point and time in our lives when we realize or own fallability.

I remember mine clearly. It was my second day of law school and my Torts professor, James Hackney, asked me a question regarding a certain tort case that we were supposed to read for that day.

I confidently answered the question and his response was as follows: "That answer proves that First year law students have no understanding about the law."

I think another seminal moment in our lives comes when we realize that we can't do things that we were once able to do.

Thankfully, I haven't reached that point yet. However, that time has come for several prominent athletes.

Taking the mound tonight for my adopted hometown baseball team will be David "Boomer" Wells. While Wells was always portly, he looks to weigh a svelte 300 pounds at this juncture.

Couple that with nagging knee injuries and a left arm with little juice left and you have a recipe for a washed up pitcher.

But it isn't just Wells that has started to fade. Look at the "Big Unit" Randy Johnson. RJ has morphed back into the pitcher that I remember when he was coming up through the Montreal Expos' system. He throws hard but can't harness his stuff.

There are countless other examples. Greg Maddux is a shell of his former self. Brett Favre led the league in interceptions last year. Steve Yzerman looked like he was skating with a piano on his back this year. Barry Bonds looks like Babe Ruth did... In his final season with the Boston Braves...

At what point do these proud men just give up and admit that father time has caught up with their once great skills?

Even a Yankee hater like myself finds it somewhat depressing to see the greatest lefthanded starting pitcher since Sandy Koufax tossing up batting practice to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

As childhood memories start to fade, the athletes who produced them are fading just as quickly.

Wells and others should realize that it is time to pass the torch. It is not only for the good of the team around them, but also for their own good. Protect your legacy.

It is hard to come to terms with your own demise.

But wouldn't we rather see Aaron Rogers' fallability this year than Brett Favre's fade into sunset?

I know I sure would.

Hockey's back!

OK. Maybe it is not all the way back.

A game that is played indoors at the highest levels is being televized on a station called the Outdoor Life Network.

A sport that is supposedly one of the four most popular team sports in America is somehow relegated to Channel 148 on my dial.

But despite hockey's newfound second class status, it is certainly producing a good product these days. And I must say, I am as excited as ever for the conference finals this year.

The Eastern Conference Final will especially showcase what hockey is calling the "New NHL."

The Carolina Hurricanes employ one of the best young talents in the game in a kid named Eric Staal. For those casual fans who only heard about the emergence of Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin, Eric Staal is the real deal.

This kid can skate. He can pass. And he can score.

Couple Staal's talents with grizzled veterans Mark Recchi, Doug Weight and Rod Brind'Amour and the Hurricanes seem to have produced a formula for success in the new NHL.

But, of course, no team can advance in the playoffs without stellar goaltending. And there has been no greater story in these 2006 NHL playoffs than Hurricane goalie Cam Ward.

Ward was Swiss sensation Martin Gerber's backup for most of the year. But when Gerber struggled mightily against the Montreal Canadiens in the first two games of the first round, Ward stepped in.

Boy did he ever step in.

The 'Canes have won six games in seven tries since then and have emerged as the team to beat in these playoffs.

But let's not sleep on their opponents either.

The Buffalo Sabres may have the best core group of skill players in the NHL this year.

Goal scorer extraordinaire, Daniel Briere leads the way for this exciting squad.

Helping him out is erstwhile Boston University star Chris Drury. (Lest we forget his former BU teammate Mike Grier). Maxim Afinogenov and Ales Kotalik are also poised to explode in the next round.

And Buffalo's goaltending corps is led by the top netminder born in the United States, Ryan Miller.

Ultimately I think the 'Canes will prevail over the Sabres.

Staal is the best player left in these playoffs.

And given that Cam Ward just outdueled Martin Brodeur, he sould be able to hold the Sabres at bay.

But either way, even the most casual of hockey fans will enjoy the skating, passing and skillful play of both of these teams.

Ever since he retired in 1998, the NBA has been searching for "the next Jordan."

At one time or another, guys like Vince Carter, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Jerry Stackhouse and Kobe Bryant were touted as the next MJ.

(In 2002 and 2003, Jordan himself tried to be the "next MJ" but did not play the part all that well.)

The popular choice these days to sit on Jordan's throne is King James.

He wears the right number.

He is a team leader.

He is a tremendous player.

But he is not Michael Jordan.

Before you label me as a LeBron hater, I think that when he retires, King James has a chance to be one of the top five players in NBA history.

However, his game is so dissimilar to Jordan's that I don't think they are all that comparable.

Jordan had a far superior jump shot ,even at the early stage of his career, than Lebron has now. Jordan was a far better defender, both on the perimeter and in the interior than James is.

James, however, is a more gifted ball handler than Jordan was at any point in his career. James is also distributes the rock with efficacy and grace that Jordan could have only dreamed of.

LeBron is also a physical freak. He is 21years old, 6"8 and built like a tank. Jordan at 21 looked like he was attending dinner parties with Nicole Richie and Mary Kate Olson.

In my mind, LeBron James is the next Magic Johnson.

Magic had the physical tools and could play all five positions on the court much like Lebron.

Magic had the court vision and ball handling skills that LeBron possesses.

And honestly, Magic had a similar jump shot to James at this point in his career.

Now, obviously, LeBron is a far superior scorer than Magic was and plays a different position.

But when we are comparing greats from different eras, why don't we compare apples to apples?

Let's not compare LeBron to Michael Jordan.

Let's annoint him King Magic James.