Do You Ever Get The Feeling You’ve Seen This All Before ?
Now as much as I admire the sound credentials of both ESPN’s Peter Gammons and Buster Olney. I’ve got to take them to task on one particular topic ! And that is of the Manny Ramirez trade of the player from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Dodgers . While we can all admit that …”Manny marches to the beat of his own drum”. And I know that this was but Gammons’ and Olney’s own opinion on the matter. But for the both of them to have suggested that this team is “better off without the slugger than they are with him” just doesn’t hold up to anything substantive. OK , many will say team cohesion . But in all honesty is that what we’re now seeing from this team ?
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Slideshow gallery for your perusal ( pictures appears courtesy of Associated Press & Getty Images )
At 4-8 within the AL East . The Red Sox are far from being a cohesive team or unit at present. I know it’s early yet in the season for the team as a whole but there’s a great deal to be concerned about on this roster from a number of standpoints. Their pitching we know will be fine but the real problem here lies in the fact that they’ve no one with the real explosiveness of Ramirez, who can give you at at least 40 home runs and st 120-140 rbi’s in a season. Doubt my words ? Then merely look at the team’s stats for the two seasons since the player’s departure from the organization. If that doesn’t bear out the fact that Ramirez’s productivity is sorely missed by the team then I don’t know what will.
Courtesy of Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Awful start continues for Red Sox
Lester roughed up; bats can’t solve Garza …….
By Bill Ballou , Telegram & Gazette Staff
Boston — It is true — good teams can play bad baseball, and even very good teams can play very bad baseball. The Red Sox proved that in 2004 when they lost the first three games of the ALCS to the Yankees by combined scores of 32-16 and won the series, and again in 2008 when they lost Games 2 through 4 of the ALCS to Tampa Bay, 31-13, and took it to Game 7.
Those teams, though, had proven their worth in getting to the ALCS. This season’s very bad baseball is happening so early that there is no way to know yet if these are the real 2010 Red Sox, or just a good team going through a bad time.
Make no mistake about it — Boston is playing very bad baseball right now. They were drubbed by the Rays yesterday, 7-1, have lost four in a row and are just 4-8. It is their worst 12-game start to a season since 1996, which began 2-10, and while that team eventually made it respectable and finished over .500, it was out of contention by Mother’s Day.
“I don’t think we’re real happy with what our record is,” Terry Francona said. “I don’t see guys firing helmets around and doing things out of the ordinary. We’re just not having much success right now.”
Boston had no success yesterday — none at all. Starting pitcher Jon Lester was awful. The Sox’ fielding was not particularly good and their hitting was nonexistent. Rays starter Matt Garza faced just the minimum 21 batters through seven innings, Boston batters grounded into three double plays and the Sox did not score a run until Dustin Pedroia hit a sacrifice fly with one out in the ninth.
Lester allowed seven earned runs in six innings. His record is 0-2, his ERA 8.44. As much as he and the Red Sox are aware of his traditional April problems, they are powerless to do anything about them. It might be worth trying, next year, not bothering to begin his season until May, but that might work out the same as not letting people get their driver’s licenses until age 20.
The only way to learn how to drive is to drive, even if the first few miles are terrifying.
“He’ll get himself turned around,” Francona said. “Once he gets on a roll, it carries for the rest of the year. We’re hoping it turns around soon.”
It turned quickly yesterday, but in the wrong direction. Lester struck out the side in the first inning, then gave up a double to Evan Longoria leading off the second. That was followed by yet another home run by Carlos Peña off Boston pitching, his 21st overall and 5th off Lester.
Ben Zobrist hit a two-run single in the third and B.J. Upton hit one that landed in Upton to make it 6-0 in the sixth.
“It’s not acceptable,” said Lester of his performance to date. “I’ve let the rotation down, I’ve let the bullpen down and most important, I’ve let my teammates down. I’ve got to pick it up and kick myself in the (hatchback).
“This is not the way we envisioned to start the season. We’ve got too much talent here to not turn it around. Things will get better. I don’t know when, but they’ll turn around.”
Right now, though, if they turned around, all the Red Sox would see behind them are the Orioles.
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The Red Sox at present now sit above the Baltimore Orioles (2-11) in the AL East standings , who sit just beneath them. Ahead sit the Toronto Blue Jays (7-6) and jointly in first place are the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays , each at 9-3 within the division. And those two teams are at present record wise, over their last ten games , are amongst the “hottest performers” in all of baseball .
Now there’s no disputing the fact that Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is amongst the most astute of minds in the game as there is. And I doubt that there might well be a better front office executive in the game today ! One has but to look at the moves made and the talent that he, Mike Hazen and this Terry Francona coaching staff have developed and nurtured to see what has culminated in the recent successes of the organization over the last few years. But there now comes a time when one has to take a step back and not reassess the fact that they may well have made a colossal mistake in trading away Ramirez. There’s no arguing that the locker room had become volatile and much of that was down to Ramirez’s petulant antics. But in all honesty if there”s no one there with a scintilla of common sense to rein in the player and call him to task” , then what were they to expect ? Oh there was noise being made that team captain Jason Varitek had spoken with the player and likewise Epstein , himself. That really worked out well didn’t it ? LOL,LOL,LOL !!! One can imagine that conversation ………….”Manny please don’t do this , please don’t do this . We’ll get whatever you want just as long as you behave yourself OK ” ?
With the departure of Jason Bay and the mere fact that neither , Adrian Beltre , Dustin Pedroia , Kevin Youkilis or David Ortiz for that matter have yet to provide the team with any real semblance of offense . You now get the feeling that the team’s struggles this season could very well be magnified if they can’t somehow that much needed offense in order to remain competitive and a contender within their division. If they’re unable to do so by the end of mid May, then they might as well kiss their season goodbye !
Well the NBA Playoffs have started and the teams favored to win, did so . But perhaps no series was as contentious at the of the matchup between the Eastern Conference’s Boston Celtics and Miami Heat . Never let it be said that the postseason in the NBA lacks excitement or controversy. And game one at the TD Banknorth Garden Center in Boston , Massachusetts , had that and a great deal more for the soldout crowd of thousands and the millions more watching via television.
Both teams came into the matchup looking to assert their authority in the game, with a view to dictating the outcome of the series. Instead , it has now turned into a backstreet brawl of the most infamous kind. And for the Erik Spoelstra coached Heat team this has to bring back memories of their “titanic battles” with the New York Knicks from years past.
You’d be foolish to think that Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers and his team will take this all lying down. Never mind the fact that the main instigator of what now led to there being a great deal of acrimony and animosity between the two teams got off lightly after a fracas had broken out between the two opposing sets of players.
Heat player Quentin Richardson having seen Paul Pierce take a tumble under the basket during the game , apparently went over to see if the player was severely injured. However, words were exchanged between he and Kevin Garnett as well as several other Celtics’ players at the time. A minor tussle broke out and there was a great deal of pushing and shoving between the the players as well others who’d interjected themselves into the incident. Suffice to say, that once elbows were thrown and a number of punches as well were landed , the officials led by head referee Dick Bavetta had to restore calm before a growing and hostile crowd became relentless. At the end of it all , Garnett was ejected from the game, with Richardson having only received a technical foul. In the aftermath of this all , you get the feeling that once the series resumes there will be some scores to be settled one way or another .
The Celtics would for their part would end up winning the game with an 85-76 victory over their Eastern Conference rivals. Dwyane Wade for the Heat would lead all scorers with 26 points . But herein lies the dilemma for the Heat there was little if any support from the rest of his teammates in the game . And you get the impression that if the Celtics merely stifled Wade’s presence , then the Heat will bow out of this series with their tails hanging between their legs ! The Heat’s play was woefully inept committing 26 turnovers during the game that would lead to 20 points of those turnovers. That’s the sort of generosity that Team President & GM Pat Riley can well do without seeing from his team .
I take no pride when I hear of an athlete using their profile to commit a crime and then choose to hide behind the facade of the law or try to apportion blame elsewhere for their actions. It’s not enough that we’ve seen the stupidity of NFL player Ben Roethlisberger and then there are still idiots out there looking to defend the player’s actions. At best , the player is guilty of exposing himself to his alleged victim, and given the fact that the District Attorney’s office chose not to prosecute as a felony of sexual battery. But there are those who are saying that the actions taken were that of two consenting adults. Yeah , that’s the way the Baldwin County District Attorney Fred Bright also viewed the incident somewhat . Never mind his insidious statement that…… “he only pursues an indictment based upon evidentiary proof and not along moral grounds”. I guess that’ll be what every female victim will now wants to hear in the future when an alleged sexual assault takes place within Bright’s jurisdiction of Baldwin County , Georgia ? Rapists and pedophiles may well now be rubbing their hands with glee , knowing that they’ll have a prosecutor who’s on their side.
Former WBC lightweight champion Edwin Valero may well have taken the coward’s way out rather than face trial for the the murder of his now estranged wife Jennifer Viera . The fighter had not only been at odds with his wife and the Venezuelan authorities. But also with the U S State Department for having denied him a visa to enter the US to pursue and enter into fights , for which he states that he was turned down due to his support and loyalty shown to the country’s president , Hugo Chavez .
Courtesy of Associated Press & Yahoo Sports
Boxer Valero found dead in jail, apparent suicide
By Fabiola Sanchez , Associated Press Writer
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP)—Former boxing champion Edwin Valero, who gained fame for knocking out all his 27 opponents and having a tattoo of Hugo Chavez on his chest, was found dead in his jail cell Monday and police said he hanged himself after being arrested in his wife’s murder.
The former lightweight champion used his own clothes to hang himself from a bar in his cell early Monday, Venezuelan Federal Police Chief Wilmer Flores told reporters.
He said Valero was found by another inmate, who alerted authorities in the police lockup in north-central Carabobo state. Valero still showed signs of life when they took him down, but they were unable to save him and he died about 1:30 a.m., Flores said.
The 28-year-old was detained Sunday on suspicion of killing his wife. Prosecutors said Sunday night that they had planned to charge Valero in the killing.
Valero was detained after police found the body of his 24-year-old wife in a hotel in Valencia. The boxer left the hotel room around dawn Sunday and allegedly told security he had killed Jennifer Viera, Flores said.
The fighter was a household name in Venezuela and had a huge image of President Chavez tattooed on his chest along with the country’s yellow, blue and red flag.
His all-action style and 27-0 record—all by knockouts—earned him a reputation as a tough, explosive crowd-pleaser. Venezuelans called him “Inca,” alluding to an Indian warrior, while elsewhere he was called “Dinamita,” or dynamite.
The death is the third high-profile reported suicide of a former boxing champion in the past year.
Hall of Famer Alexis Arguello, the mayor of Managua, Nicaragua, was found dead at his home last July of a gunshot wound to the chest. A few weeks later, Arturo Gatti was found strangled in the Brazilian resort town of Porto de Galinhas. His wife was arrested as the prime suspect in the death, but authorities later ruled that he committed suicide.
The former WBA super featherweight and WBC lightweight champion had been in trouble with the law before.
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Valero a “terrific boxer” in his prime, was on something of a downward spiral of late. Much of it having to do with his excessive of alcohol and opiates , in particular cocaine. With that came anger , moods swings and then the repeated assaults on his wife, Jennifer Viera. The latest of which had landed her in a Caracas hospital suffering from several broken ribs and stab wounds to her upper and lower torso. Her life in was in a stable but critical condition but later died from the injuries sustained. The boxer had been taken into custody awaiting trial on the charges stemming from the assault of his wife but also upon a doctor at the hospital who had been treating her.
With the fighter having been detained to await hearing before a presiding magistrate. Valero was placed in state prison in Carrabobo. While there, the fighter is said to have taken his own life by using his clothing and tying it to cell bar and then hanging himself. His body was discovered by another inmate returning to his cell. Some might view this as divine justice , while others may see it as a coward’s way out. I’d just like to think of it as another indictment of what’s most definitely wrong within the society to begin with . Especially when there are idiots who can continue to condone the acts of some no matter how indefensible they are to begin with. And no where is that more apparent then when it is a repeated act by that person for the same specific incident. Are we really no more socially evolved than some of the beasts in the wild ? Or is it simply just sheer ignorance ?
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Picture gallery
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Alan Parkins aka tophatal …………………..
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The Police ……………“Every Breath You Take”
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That Man Al's Blog 
The facts are Manny Ramirez is a juicer and a thug. My opinion is that the Red Sox did the right thing by showing him the door. Are they as good without him? Of course not, but it was the right thing to do.
The Sox need to make some moves, but with that rotation I can’t beleive that they are finished being a factor in the A.L.East.
aero
If the Red Sox carry on as they are into May and mid June . Then decidedly they will be a none factor in the AL East .
It’s not just the pitching rotation that’s problematic but they’re not producing any offense or anything else for that matter.
As for Epstein and the Sox front office they made a terrific blunder in getting rid of Manny . OK so he can become petulant but the guy produces come what may. And last I heard haven’t the Yankees got at least two admitted “juicers” on their roster ?
This lying sack of s_it still hasn’t admitted that he’s still using as recently as 2008. And if you believe Pettite’s excuses then we’re as naive as they want us to be. A-Rod is an ass ! Manny stepped up to the plate and took his punishment without making any excuses.
And A-Rod and the “s_it” about him obtaining ‘boli as an over the counter drug in the D.R or Puerto Rico is a friggin’ lie. It wasn’t available as an OTC substance in either country.
One has to listen acutely and inherently to the words being uttered and not buy into the crap that’s foisted upon us by the likes of Gammons and anyone else from ESPN . These guys have made millions and at the same time we’ve never had a truly contrite apology !
Pettite and A-Rod knew exactly what they were doing and so too did Manny. These arent’t kindergarten pupils that can be excused by their behavior !
Alan Parkins
I’m in favour of much tougher sanctions for the users of performance enhancing drugs.
It is time for baseball to make a stand.
The Yankees are in for a fight for the A.L. east this year. I just hope the Rays can come out on top.
aero
Did I read your comments right ? You’re asking for Selig and the MLB hierarchy to take a tougher stance on the steroid abusers ? Case you forgot that they had to be dragged kicking and screaming to adopt a policy to begin with in conjunction with the union’s (MLBPA ) acceptance. Getting MLB to do anything proactive is akin to asking the federal government to introduce comprehensive immigration reform in both the House and Senate .
“I could never have sex with a female but a ballplayer ? Well that’s something completely different . Especially if his balls are well hung ” !
As we all know that there’s far more chance of seeing Clay Aiken have sex with a female than either of those scenarios ever fomenting and actually taking place.
Alan Parkins
I’ve always liked Manny, and how can you not pick him to have a great year when he’s playing for a contract!
I hope the Heat win, I just love watching D-Wade play, and who wouldn’t want to see him vs. Lebron next round!
chappy 81
The Red Sox screwed up big time but it had more to do with the powers that be . Lucchino and Epstein sharing the GM duties there creates a “two headed monster” . Who the hell does either Tom Werner and John W Henry (owners) side with if those two (Epstein & Lucchino) have a hissy fit and start bitchin’ like girls on their menstrual cycle ?
As for Dwyane Wade and the Heat , let’s just say that that series is far from over and there’s going to be hell to pay one way or another ! Though Garnett deserved to be ejected so too did Quentin Richardson .
Alan Parkins
chappy
Another year and another $20-$25 mil to go into Manny’s bank balance courtesy of his agent Scott Boras. Still an admirer of Manny ?
Alan Parkins
Theo never filled the roster spot that Manny left vacant.
Jason Bay was a band-aid but Papi still couldn’t get it going even with his protection.
They landed Lackey in the off-season but I really felt they should have gone after a big bat.
And now they’re paying for it.
Chris Humpherys
Bay took the Red Sox’s money and had a decent year. Now he’s robbin’ the Mets blind ! But then again we are talking about the Mets ! MLB’s answer to the Clippers and Redskins all rolled into one !
Now look you Mets’ players I’m willing to let Heidi <u service you all orally if you can guarantee me that you’ll win at least 75 games this year. I’ve got $5,000 ridin’ on you guys. So let’s get the _uck goin’ ! Tom Sizemore & Heidi Fleiss
Alan Parkins