Babies & Blogs

Okay, so posts over here haven't been too uhmm...frequent. We have a new baby boy who generally doesn't like to sit quietly while I ponder the trials and tribulations of Red Sox Nation. (Too bad he didn't come equipped with a pause button.) Here's my favorite photo of the bugger taken by my sister in law:

Anyway...I want to point out that my pal Greg has a fantastic new Red Sox blog: Red Sox Links Daily (http://soxlinks.wordpress.com/) and he does post good thought-provoking Sox stuff...daily. He promises free beer for life if you subscribe to his RSS feed. Check it out when you have a chance!

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Woo Hoo!

Friday Random YouTube: "My favorite baseball player is..."

What's the deal with the allegiances of these Walpole, MA little leaguers?Hat tip Deadspin.com

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"Coma Guy" gets my vote

I haven't splurged for the $14.95 "official" Red Sox Nation citizenship so I'm not sure if I'm allowed to vote for "president," but there is a candidate who has caught my eye: 'Coma Guy!'

From the Boston Herald:

"Steve Manganello, the 42-year-old Red Sox fanatic known in Sox lore as the “Coma Guy,” has two driving passions: to be Red Sox Nation president and to witness a Red Sox World Series championship.

The hard-luck fan...slipped into a 17-day coma at the start of 2004 playoff season after getting smashed by a taxi traveling 50 mph while he was crossing a street in Japan.

Though he came out of the coma in time for the four-game comeback against the Yankees, Manganello spent a month in a persistent haze, barely conscious and unable to remember much about the first Red Sox championship in 86 years."

Yikes...that was a bad time to be comatose. Manganello deserves to be president. As he said in his speech at a presidential event Tuesday at Game On, "It's been 89 years for me."

For what it's worth, if Manganello proves to be unelectable for any reason -- skeletons in his closet, overly zealous campaign speeches, relatives who are Yankees fans -- El Guapo would be my second choice. Garces promised that his first action as president would be "to give each member of Red Sox Nation 'El Guapo' bobble-bellies. Like a bobble-head, except the belly shakes." What could be better?

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Buchholz to make his Red Sox debut Friday

The Globe is reporting that "phenom," Clay Buchholz, will make is Major League debut in the first game of Friday's doubleheader against the LA Angels. Exciting stuff.

Here is what soxprospects.com has to say about Buchholz:

"Scouting Report: Buchholz has a low-to-mid 90s four-seam fastball, a two-seam fastball with decent movement, a slider, a hard 12-to-6 curveball, and a change-up.

In 2006, Buchholz actually let loose towards the end of the season, when his fastball was sitting around 96 mph. However, over the course of the season his fastball typically sits around 91-94 and tops out at about 97 mph. His plus change-up is generally a straight change that sits around 78-82 mph; he also throws a circle change. His curveball, the best in the organization, sits between 76-81 mph with a knee-buckling bite. On any given night, Buchholz's curve or change can be unhittable, and he tends to rely on whichever is on as his out pitch throughout the game. His slider, while average to above average, is a bit behind his other secondary pitches and sits in the low to mid 80s. Mixes in all of his pitches phenomenally.

Good demeanor on the mound. Pitches well under pressure, pitching coaches have said he has ice water running through his veins. Nice pick-off move. Struggled with consistency early in his pro career, but otherwise has ace makeup. Might need to add and maintain some weight to endure a full major league season."

I've read a ton about Buchholz in the media, but haven't actually seen him pitch. It will be fun to see what he can do at Fenway Friday.

Go Sox!
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"Maybe I'll Have Some Moose Jerky"

Just in case you missed the "Moose incident" yesterday at Safeco Field, Barstool Sports has posted this YouTube video of Coco Crisp's run in with the Mariner Moose.Had he been hurt, I'm 100% sure that Coco would have been instantly added to ESPN's All-Bizarre Injury Team. What could be more bizarre than an injury caused by a collision with a Moose on an ATV? Here are a few quotes about the incident (from the Seattle Times):

Coco Crisp: "I believe avoiding that moose was the most athletic thing I did all day today. I mean, I didn't even see him. I just heard the loud vroom. I jumped back and kind of just rolled with the punch...Maybe I'll have some moose jerky."

Terry Francona: "I was told it looked like something from 'Naked Gun."

JD Drew: "How many times a day do you have to go out there and check for traffic? Coming out of the dugout, you have to look left and look right? I mean, it's not like you're crossing the highway or jaywalking or anything."
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Sunday Links: Home Run Charts, Steinbrenner and El Guapo

(Photo by Chris Cook)

Here are some links for Sunday afternoon. Let's hope that Beckett and the Sox can win the rubber game of the series in Seattle today.

Paths to the Top of the Home Run Charts (Interactive!) [New York Times]

In case you missed it, Conde Nast and the NY Post (among other publications) ran stories this week about the deteriorating health of George Steinbrenner. I don't usually poke fun at the poor health of 77 year old men, but the thought of Steinbrenner as a "befuddled, bloated old man in dreadful shape" who responds "Great to see ya" to every question he is asked is just too much.

Sean O's Guide to Fenway: Seating [Fire Brand of the American League]

El Guapo could be making a comeback! [Boston.com]

(Photo from Boston.com)

Trading Places: Red Sox Have Become the Yankees [NY Times]
Don't read this article if you have high blood pressure. Yanksfan vs Soxfan and Joy of Sox have posted great criticisms of the article if you are in need of relief.

Why do sinking fastballs cause groundballs? [The Hardball Times]

An ad, ad, world [Boston Sports Blog]

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