The Pats Did It

The Patriots just finished a 16-0 regular season. Which is awesome. Except for the eye-poking thing, which was not cool, it was a really exciting game. It was nice that they were losing for so long, it made it much more interesting!

Now for the trophy...

What a Slow Offseason

I'm so desperate for Red Sox news I'm posting about the This Year in Baseball Awards.

On J.D. Drew's Game 6 ALCD grand slam: The dramatic slam resonated so much that it was voted as the top moment in the 2007 postseason in MLB.com's annual The Year in Baseball awards, as voted on by the fans.

Drew rounds out a loaded list of Red Sox players to receive TYIB awards, joining Hideki Okajima (top setup man), Josh Beckett (top starter), Jonathan Papelbon (top closer) and Clay Buchholz (top performance).

That isn't even interesting!

Gabe Kapler is with the Brewers now, we found out the other day. There's a scuffle between Schilling and Clemens, but that's not Red Sox news, that's baseball news. And I don't care about it all that much. Oh and Papelbon's dog destroyed the World Series ball.

I got a massage today and it was good. I am still floating from that, but I wanted to update since I haven't done that in a while. I can't help it, the offseason is so boring!

MT

I am very disappointed that Miguel Tejada is no longer an Oriole. Whenever I go to Baltimore/Boston games, I greatly anticipate the music they play when Tejada is up to bat. It's so catchy!

This kinda sucks :(

Theo's Got a Kid

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein is officially a father. His wife Marie Whitney gave birth to the couple's first child -- a boy named Jack -- on Wednesday at 10:35 a.m. ET.

Who knew his wife was pregnant? Anyone? Congratulations go out to Theo/family though!

A-Rod's deal was finalized today. A seriously overpaid man. What a waste of money. He, even with the wife, will NEVER be able to spend all of it. Consider the poverty in the world, and then consider an overrated baseball player's salary.

Sad.

My Favorite Part of the Week

From my beloved Mailbag:

What is with Manny Ramirez? Is he actually wanting to stay in Boston this year or when will trade rumors come up again?
-- Thomas S., St. David, Ariz.

Knock on wood, but it seems that Ramirez has finally found true happiness in Boston. It is a strange thing this time of year not to hear Ramirez's name in trade rumors. I think the team has never been on better footing with Ramirez than it is right now. It will be fascinating to see if they pick up his options for 2009 and '10. That once seemed like such big money, but not anymore the way the market has jumped.

Can we have an update on Big Papi? Haven't heard about his surgery in a while.
-- Annalesa A., Louisville, Ohio

No news is good news on this front. Ortiz is doing very well in his recovery and should be ready to go at full throttle in 2008.

Good news with both Manny and Ortiz! EVEN BETTER NEWS COMING UP:

Fenway Sports Group, an arm of the company that owns the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park, said today it is buying a controlling stake of the minor league Salem Avalanche baseball franchise, based in Salem, Va.

PEOPLE! A Red Sox ANYTHING in Virginia would be so fantastic! We are so deprived down here...

A Sad Day for Me

News: Timlin will be back for another year, and Gagne declined the club's offer of salary arbitration. Aww.

But more importantly, this is one of the worst days ever. It's been 27 years since John Lennon died, and every year I think about how much better the world would be if he was still here. The ritual: mourn the pointlessness of his murder, cry for a while, think about what he would be doing if he was alive to witness...the state of this country and its leaders. He would not be silent. He would be making a difference.

So many people miss him. Wishing he is happy wherever he is...

Look at those Patriots

Did you all see that Patriots game last night?

Because I didn't. I freaking fell asleep again! With like 5 minutes to go!

And they won in the last 44 seconds.

Now, I may not be too fond of Tom Brady since he wore that Yankee hat, but I love New England and have a million family members up there, so forever a NE fan I will be. So that game, in which they were mostly losing to the Ravens, was scary to watch. Thankfully, I woke up in the middle of the night and found out they won in the coolest way. Gotta love that last-second excitement!

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The Red Sox also met with the Twins in the late night and early morning hours, and one sign of potential progress -- according to multiple media reports -- is that Boston forwarded the medical records of left-handed starter Jon Lester to the Twins.

Boston has been saying all along it's either Ellsbury or Lester, but not both. I love Lester and think he's a fantastic kid, and I would hate for him to have to go to Minne-freaking-sota, but....it means Jacoby is staying!

Don't get too excited, Laura....but Ellsbury staying through the offseason would make a really awesome few months for me!

The title of this article says it all. Oh, and the results of the vote!

THEY WOULDN'T

With the Minnesota Twins insisting on center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury in any trade for pitcher Johan Santana, the Red Sox have altered their offer and have told the Twins they are willing to include the outfielder.

Kill me now!

Executives involved in the trade talks fully expect that the Twins will trade Santana, and that they will make a decision within the next 72 hours on what offer they prefer.

Or kill me in 72 hours!


The Red Sox included Ellsbury in one of their proposals a week ago, but the Twins asked the Red Sox for two players among the group of three prospects -- Ellsbury, Lester and pitcher Clay Buchholz. Boston then offered Lester, center fielder Coco Crisp, minor league shortstop Jed Lowrie and a minor league pitcher.

The Twins have continued to ask for Ellsbury, so the Red Sox have flipped Ellsbury back into their offer, sources say, while removing Lester, and upgraded slightly the rest of their proposed package slightly -- perhaps to include right-handed pitcher Justin Masterson. Presumably, any offer with Ellsbury would not include Crisp.

Or just kill whatever idiot decided to okay this deal.

Davis Cup

The United States just won the Davis Cup! Yay!!

Congratulations to Patrick, James, Andy, Mike, and Bob, and thanks for bringing it home again!

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P.S. The Red Sox today announced that the club has offered salary arbitration to free agent righthanded pitchers Eric Gagne and Mike Timlin. The club also announced it will not offer salary arbitration to righthanded pitcher Matt Clement, catcher Doug Mirabelli, infielders Royce Clayton and Eric Hinske and outfielder Bobby Kielty.

Hmm.