Dan:

Okay. So maybe that headline may catch me some flack. But I'll back it up.

CNNSI recently released their list ranking all the ballparks in the major leagues. They surveyed fans about their ballparks, weighing such factors as affordability, tradition, neighborhood and fan IQ.

They said their rankings hurt the old ballparks like Wrigley (15), Yankee Stadium (20), and Fenway Park (21). I have to agree with their list; I personally am trying to lead the campaign to tear down Fenway. It's a terrible place to watch a game. Hell with the romance. I want a comfortable seat that looks toward home plate instead of centerfield; open-air concessions instead of a cement dungeon.

Number Three was PNC Park in Pittsburgh, which I visited last year and absolutely loved. Number Two was Milwaukee, and Number One was Cleveland, both of which I hope to visit someday soon.

Now, here is the reason for the headline. In the CNNSI article, they ran the following photo:

Maybe CNNSI should have taken away points for overt racism. Because, as if the team name isn't racist enough, I would really love someone to explain to me how it is okay to paint your skin red in Cleveland.

Indians fans have defended their team logo/mascot by saying it is tradition. But it is a tradition rooted in racism. What if your team came up with a black man as a mascot 100 years ago. Would fans defend that today? Would they show up at the ballpark painted in blackface? If their team name was the Chinamen, would they have a cartoonish (s)lant-(e)yed guy on their hats, while fans painted their face bright yellow? And if they did, would they get away with it without any outcry?

Maybe I'd feel different if I was a Cleveland Indian fan. But I hope I wouldn't. Because if I was a Cleveland Indian fan who painted my face red, wore a shamefully racist logo on my hat and defended it all as "tradition," that would make me a bigot.

Dan:

• A week ago, I was heading to Fenway park, with the Sox enjoying a nice winning streak and the best record in the AL. That night, I thought nothing of it when they lost; I even went "cha-ching" to my brother when K-Rod saved the game for the Angels (he's on my fantasy team). The Sox then dropped five straight, including a three game sweep at Tampa. That's why you never take the success of your team for granted.
• Sometimes, I watch The Office and think, "Oh no, I'm Michael."
• I'd be a hell of a lot happier with Lester's performance last night if he hadn't sucked so bad in his previous outings. Because of that, he was sitting his (a)rse on my fantasy team's bench when he finally decided to be a real pitcher. Ninety-six pitches in eight innings? Usually he hits 96 pitches by the middle of the fourth. And he never goes deep into games. I actually was beginning to think he wasn't so much a starting pitcher but more an early reliever.
• When I flipped it over to the C's the other night (Why watch the entirety of a first-round game since they'll crush Atlanta anyway?), they had a comfortable 10-point lead to start the fourth quarter. Now the series is tied 2-2. I want to watch tonight. But, for the good of the team, should I skip it?
• The Seventh Sign of the Apocalypse: My imaginary brother has posted two of the last three blog posts.

Jason

The Sox needed a big game tonight and John Lester delivered. His line is impressive: 8IP 97pitches 1hit 0runs 4walks 6K's. The young kids in the rotation have had two masterful starts in the past few days. Its a good sign. The Sox will need either Lester or Buchholz to win 15+ games to go anywhere this year. They are trending in the right direction. I'm looking forward to see them hit their stride within the next six weeks.

On the series, the Sox have a golden opportunity to really pile on Toronto. The Jays are off to a horrible start -- save their sweep of the Sox. I think they Jays have the talent to compete in the division this year still (I picked them to finish 2nd, after all). The Sox really need to build off tonight's win and sweep the two-game set.

Dan:

All of a sudden, Julio Lugo is finally hitting the ball like that offensively-above-average shortstop he was billed as when Theo signed him. Think it has anything to do with a certain prospect call-up who has been hitting great and just happens to also play shortstop? Hmmm.

But before we all get too excited, let me rain on your parade. First, this has been a minor stretch, and Lugo just isn't this good. He'll soon revert back to that guy who makes you physically ill to watch him at the plate (and occassionally in the field, too). And before you start having sugar plum visions of the Sox dumping Lugo and playing Jed Lowry at short this year, it just ain't gonna happen. As well as Lowry has been playing, this Sox brass is notorious among some fans for sticking with struggling veterans instead of rushing prized prospects to the bigs. The Sox have no plans to make Lowry their starting shortstop this year, no matter how well he plays. But next year, don't be surprised to see a situation similar to Ellsbury and Crisp, with the Sox looking to deal Lugo's contract (yeah, good luck) in the offseason to make room for Lowry.

On another note, after being screwed out of a Sox game recently by my local Planning Board, my brother did something right and came into some tickets for tonight. So, I finally get to Fenway tonight. Weather is warm, beer should be cold, and with a win it will be a great night.

Jason -

Taking advantage of a work meeting in Chicago, I was able to catch Sunday's shellacking of the Buccos at the hand of the Cubs. Despite the games outcome, I had a great time. Catching a game at Wrigley is a must for all baseball fans and this was my second trip to the park. Here are a few likes, dislikes, and general observations about Wrigley and Cubs fans.

Like: The bleachers were pretty much full an hour before the game. You've got to love that type of enthusiasm.

Dislike: I paid $5+ for a bratwurst in a bun that was falling apart only to have it cold in the middle. If I was from Milwaukee, I could have justly started on fight on those grounds. Oh, and the hot dogs weren't any good either.

Like: There was 100% participation in 'take me out to the ball game.' I knew this was a thing at Wrigley, but it was still impressive. Fenway seldom gets half the energy of that for the 7th inning stretch.

Dislike: The bathroom lines were horrible. How have they not added a few more restrooms in the place? To top it all off, there's no radio feed in the concourse. That's bush league. If you can figure out lights, you can figure out radio in the bathroom.

Like: Despite the fact that its was darn cold in the shade. The Cub's female fans were in mid-season form. You've got to love their ... enthusiasm.

Dislike: Wrigley is clearly a scene. People don't just go there for the baseball. It might even be worse than Fenway is right now. It seemed like every inning the same people would strut by me, on their phone - of course, running here or there. Its like they were there only to say they were.

Like: opening song after the ceremonial first pitch was Tom Petty's "won't back down." It's a kick-as tune; way better than that saccharine "Play Ball" that's played at Fenway. I'd take the cliché "Centerfield" any day over the Sox's current tune. Petty would be even better.

Dislike: What's up with every second person having one of those stupid "rising Sun" headbands? Just because there is one Japanese player on the team, 20,000 fans need to look like idiots? We've got them in Boston too, but no were near the saturation of Wrigley. Simply put, Rising Sun headbands are the Thunder Sticks of fan apparel. They should be banned.

Observation: I saw at least 50 Nomar jersey's at Wrigley (to one Sosa shirt). He played there for a year and a half. Last Friday, I lucked on some tickets to Fenway (by the way, everyone in that ballpark just knew that Ortiz was about to hit the grand slam. I've never experienced so sure a feeling among so many people. It was freaky, but we all knew it was going to happen.). In the course of the game, I didn't see one Nomar jersey. Not one. He was our best position player for eight years and was probably the most exciting player (in his prime) that we had in the previous thirty years. Why then does Chicago show Nomar more love?

Observation: Every time I saw someone wearing a Red Sox hat, they were getting harassed. I was camouflaged in Pirates gear, which drew some snickers but no harassment (the Cubs are 6-0 against the Bucs this year). But, the hatred of the Red Sox by Cub fans in unbecoming. I get the White Sox V Cubs thing. Why do the Cubs fans hate us? Cause we won? Cause we got more attention when we weren't winning (you remember, before we won in 2004 AND 2007)? Cause we had a legit curse and not some weak-as story about a sheep? Whatever it is, Cubs fans need to get over it.

Dan:

-Check out this poll question from CBSSportsline's SPIN: If MLB were to expand, where would the first NON-NORTH-AMERICAN franchise be located? The potential answers are -Japan, -Europe, -MEXICO, -South America, -The Caribbean. Does Mexico know it has been kicked out of North America? Is this part of our new immigration policy? Does that mean Mexico is out of NAFTA? Once again, geography takes a hit. Remember: Without geography, you're nowhere.

-I found it disturbing this week when MLB ran a poll on its homepage asking if the number of wildcard teams should be expanded. Last I checked I believe it was around 52 percent for this, 48 percent against. I am passionately opposed to expanding the number of playoff teams. One of the great things about baseball is the regular season means something. In hockey and basketball, the regular season is almost completely meaningless. It is like watching a season of spring training games. If your team is elite, there is no drama; you are just waiting for the playoffs. If your team is mediocre, you know they aren't winning a title. And are fans really hoping their team clinches one of the bottom three playoff spots? Wouldn't they rather miss the playoffs and get a good draft pick? Smart fans (and most team owners) would prefer that. Baseball is exciting now, exciting for most teams and the fans. That's because the regular season means something, including fighting for that sole wildcard spot. Let's keep the season exciting and meaningful.

Dan:

An interesting tidbit came up last night while Yankees reliever LaTroy Hawkins was shutting down the Red Sox offense. Seems that Hawkins has been catching a lot of heat and hearing a lot of boos because he has been wearing Number 21 -- the number formerly worn by Paul O'Neill, the moody/firey rightfielder who helped the Yanks reach five of six World Series between 1996 and 2001.

Apparently, teammates Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada explained the problem to Hawkins and convinced him he'd be better off switching numbers. So last night, while he was quashing the Sox, he was wearing a new number: Number 22. If you remember, that was the number worn by Roger Clemens during his Yankees career. Seems nobody really has a problem with a middle reliever wearing The Rocket's number.

While Roger may have envisioned being retired as a Yankee great, that feeling may not be mutual. Red Sox Nation; Yankee Nation. Seems Roger is a man without a nation.

Dan:

We are just over two weeks into the season and hitting that fun early time of year when some teams are doing surprisingly well early and making excited fans wonder: Are they for real? Let's seperate the pretenders from the contenders.

Baltimore Orioles Sure, the O's may have started out 6-1, but c'mon. This team has nobody on it except for some young players who are still a few years away from making an impact. Pretender.

Kansas City Royals I know, they're the Royals. Still, Zach Greinke and Brian Bannister are the real deal -- exciting young arms with great stuff. Gil Meche might be considered the ace of the team, but in reality he gives the Royals a very good Number Three. The lineup has some exciting young players with a world of upside, the tops being Alex Gordon who after disappointing last season looks ready for primetime. Funny as it may sound, this might be a team who could really use a stick like one Barry Bonds. They could stick around long enough to contend for a wild card this season, so consider them a contender, but this team is truly poised for next season.

Chicago White Sox The White Sox are a tough, tough team to read. On paper they have more talent than a team like K.C., so if I'm going to consider the Royals contenders, then . . . Still, there is something uneasy about a team that tanked so badly last season and is made up of a lot of aged vets. Given that the division suddenly seems wide open, it is hard to count anybody completely out of it. Still, I just don't believe in the White Sox. Call it a gut feeling. Pretender.

Detroit Tigers Okay, so they're not surprising in a "good" way for their fans. Still, their start has been surprising to say the least. The national media, which was on the Tiger bandwagon in a big way a month ago is suddenly jumping off like it is the Titanic. Slow down. This is still a very, very good team. And by August their mini-slump in early April will be a distant memory. Contender.

Oakland Athletics In the midst of a rebuilding phase, the A's seemed poised to battle the Rangers for the basement of the division. However, despite three losses to the Red Sox, Oakland has started off the season in first place. But don't believe in them. They have good arms in Joe Blanton and Rich Harden, but Billy Beane knows this isn't his year. The team will fade toward the back of the pack quickly, and don't be surprised if Beane deals Harden this summer (Boston is a nice place to live, Rich). Pretender.

Florida Marlins Before last season, I picked the Marlins as one of the teams I thought could surprise in 2007. But, they didn't. Still, this is a team stacked with great young talent. It could be that time when that young talent clicks, and if Anibel Sanchez comes off the DL looking strong in June, watch out. All that being said, at the end of the day I liked this team a lot better when they had Miguel Cabrera. And, the team that won it all in 2003 was built by one John Henry -- not MLB Public Enemy Number One Jeffrey "The Bandit" Loria. That team also had some vets on it, including Ivan Rodriguez. And there are too many other titans in the division. So where do they stand? Hell, if I know. They probably won't beat out the Mets and Phillies, as those teams have the resources to make a mid-season deal. But, the Marlins could conceivably contend for third place, which is a good season for them. So . . . Contender.

St. Louis Cardinals What's up with the Cardinals having the best record in baseball right now? They have no business doing that, especially when I picked them to contend for the division's basement. They'll fade soon . . . I think. Pretender.

Dan:

• Last night's game was a perfect example of the old adage that it takes everyone on the roster to win a championship (unless one of those guys is Eric Gagne). Last night, with the bullpen hurting and Daisuke back to being Daisuke, guys like Javier Lopez and David Aardsma stepped up to play key roles in an important win over the Yankees. Aardsma's a guy who might not even be on this team in a few months. But if the Sox go on to win the division or make the playoffs by just two or three games, it is because of performances like this. And this is why when you win a championship you give everyone who appeared on your team a ring (except Eric Gagne).
• Mike Timlin is just coming off the DL, so it is too early to be worried about his woeful performances lately. That being said . . . I'm really worried about Mike Timlin.
• Sure, I'm a diehard Sox fan, but this being April, I changed the channel in the third inning to watch the season finale of Rock of Love II. It was awesome, and Brett Michaels did not disappoint, dumping the hopelessly annoying and sort of hot - but in a very store-bought, plastic, discount-mediocre-surgery-gone-wrong kinda way - Daisy, and instead choosing the charming and cute-but-not-stripper-hot Amber. Of course, Brett - being the gentleman he is - flew them both to Cancun and apparently slept with each of them before making his final decision. And this is why I tell my wife I should have had a reality show contest to decide who to marry . . . or at least who to hook-up with for a few weeks before the start of the show's next season.
• Anyway, after the hour-and-a-half show, we turned back to the game and were amazed to see it was only the fifth inning. At first, I thought there must have been a rain delay. Then, since my wife has Daisuke on her fantasy team, I made a joke that he had walked six people. What a surprise to find out I was right. Guess it was too soon to get excited by his command the last few games. Uh oh.
• Glad to get the games back on NESN tonight. Is it a job requirement that all national baseball broadcasters have to suck?

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Dan:

Some half-wit sports talkshow host -- who obviously isn't very good because he's working weekends -- yesterday decided to try to do something controversial to get some ratings, so he wondered why nobody was booing Papi yet and called Sox fans hypocrites for not doing so. Unfortunately, I was driving at the time and had to hear it. While callers overwhelmingly called that idea stupid, at least one yahoo agreed, and even made the point of saying Mark Bellhorn was a clutch hitter like Papi and we booed him. First, I never booed Bellhorn. Second, comparing their collection of clutch hits is like comparing a cold can of Schlitz that hits the spot after you mow the lawn with a pub draft Guinness. I mean, c'mon.

Big Papi is the single most-beloved player in Red Sox history. He is the greatest clutch hitter in the history of the game of baseball. And perhaps no player is more responsible for bringing Boston two championships after a long 86-year drought than Ortiz. So, if you happen to be at the ballpark and see someone booing Papi, here is a list of proper ways to respond:

1. Violence. In most cases, this would be the last option. But here, it is the first. I don't like encouraging violence (and, lawyers take notice, this is just a joke . . . . kind of). But if you see someone booing Papi, it is like that person is standing up at Fenway Park and screaming, "I'm an idiot and I need to be pounded! Please help!" Now, if this person is bigger than you, remember you are surrounded by Red Sox Nation, and you should therefore stand up and yell, "Let's get him!!!" Finally, if you frown on getting arrested, try the other options listed.
2. Taunting. Start yelling at/teasing the guy doing the booing. Call him names, pick on his clothes, whatever. You'll find there are always two or three other drunk fans around who are all-to-happy to join in with the taunting. (Tip: If he has a girlfriend, she is probably already embarrassed and planning to dump him, so feel free to hit on her.)
3. Throwing Stuff. If violence and overt name-calling isn't your style, the greatest weapon available to you is a peanut. Hunker down, look inconspicuous, keep your eyes glued to the game, and every once in a while plunk him off the ear with a 70-mile-an-hour salted peanut. He'll turn, see a thousand faces just watching the game. When he stops looking, do it again. He'll leave. Oh, yeah. He'll leave.

Other Thoughts On Yesterday's Game:

• Jon Papelbon is a bad, bad man.

• Fox's last-out transition debacle has to be the most botched transition I've ever seen. Back in the 1980s television came up with this cool split-screen technology. FOX may want to look into that. With no announcement to switch channels, it was like some sweating, bug-eyed producer just panicked and hit a button -- with the final at-bat already in progress. Then, over my screaming, I couldn't hear the NASCAR guys (who went immediately to commercial anyway) say switch to FX. Luckily, my wife did. Please explain to me why the final out of a one-run Yanks-Sox game gets switched away for the BEGINNING of some 300-lap, 3-hour-long car race named after a sub sandwich restaurant chain? (Not even something cool for the kids like a tire company or a brand of smokes.)

Dan:

Here's the funny thing about baseball -- and you're going to think I'm crazy (and insanely stupid) for saying this -- but I actually think the Red Sox hit Wang rather well tonight.

(Insert laughter here.)

Honestly, I do. Sure, Bobby Abreau snags J.D. Drew's utterly catchable home run, and Wang is flirting with a no-no. So how can any mildly sane person say the Sox hit him well tonight? My take is this: Wang is overwhelmingly a groundball pitcher. And tonight you saw a lot of flyball outs, including at least a half-a-dozen that were deep, warning track shots, some to the deepest angles of centerfield. And that's the funny thing about baseball: Three feet over to the left here, a few more feet back there, and it may have been a different game. If you had told me before the game Wang would give up so many flyballs, you could have got me to put down money on the Sox winning.

Problem was, when Wang wasn't slipping by with deep flyball outs, he was completely dominant, showing off great stuff tonight, including a biting fastball I don't remember him having. Meanwhile, I was real happy with Clay Bucholz's showing. And, although people will complain about the bullpen, you know Mike Timlin is coming off an injury and will pitch better. And David Aardsma is beginning to show he has good tools.

It's a loss to the Yankees. This will happen at least another seven or eight times over the course of the season. But it's a long, long season.

Dan:

Here it is creeping closer to the first pitch between the Sox and Yanks this season, which is little more than two hours a way. And I just feel the need to say: Um, forget everything I said earlier.

It is true: That malaise I was trapped in earlier has melted away now that game time is rapidly approaching. I compared that funk to waking up for an early morning run. Now, as I watch the clock waiting for Pre-Game, and prepare my cold beverages of choice and grub to enjoy while watching, it's kind of like I've stretched out my legs, put some killer tunes on my ipod, and - whaddaya know? - I'm feeling ready to go.

I think my funk had to do with a couple things:

1. The calendar. Hard to get amped just 10 games into the season. That is, til it hits you you'll be watching the greatest rivalry in sports tonight.

2. I'm sick. I have a cold that won't go away. My first real cold this winter, but still it (s)ucks and won't go away, and, yeah, I'm really good at whining about it.

3. Last night's game. You see, last night's Red Sox game (s)ucked. Sure, it was a killer offensive game THAT THEY WON, scoring 12 runs against the Tigers. What an awesome game to be at!! And therein lies the problem. You see, my lowlife brother had tickets to last night's game, and had invited moi. Problem is some crooked developer wants to build a development next to my house, so I felt kind of obligated to bellyache about it at the Planning Board meeting last night. I get to the meeting, in which not a (d)amn thing was accomplished, two of the five members were missing, two of the present ones were physically there but mentally missing, and one of the guys who actually wasn't in attendance was where? AT THE FRIGGIN RED SOX GAME . . . WHERE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN!!!!! SO EXCUSE ME IF I'M A LITTLE (P)ISSED TODAY!!! I DON'T KNOW WHY I AM SHOUT TYPING . . . BUT IT FEELS THERAPUTIC, SO SCREW OFF!!!!

DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO GET RED SOX TICKETS!!!! I HATE TOWN GOVERNMENT!!!! AAARRRGGHHHH!!!!!

You know, I don't feel any better.

Dan:

As we get ready to kick-off the greatest rivalry in all of sports tonight, all I can say is: I'm just not ready for this.

I'm just can't get up for the Yankees coming to town in early April. I'm about as excited for this series as I am on those very few mornings when I get up at 6 to go running. All I can think of is, 'Not yet.'

I know some fans are pumped; I've heard some poo-poo us fans who say it is too early. And if you are amped for this, good for you. But, despite the fact the games now mean the same as they do in September, April is extended Spring Training. Managers are still trying out things, getting a feel for their lineups and bullpens. Sure, we know it will likely be the Sox and Yanks duking it out come September, but right now just lacks the excitement of a pennant race. We don't even know for sure what these two teams are really about until mid-May. (Remember JD Drew lighting up pitchers last April?)

And it is just too (d)amn early. Look, anybody who says this isn't the greatest, most exciting rivalry in all of sports -- by far -- is just simply in denial. But given the amount of times these two teams play over the course of the season, and given the amount of over-the-top "World's Collide" national coverage every game of theirs gets, it has just become too much, even for some of us diehard Sox fans. There's going to be a ton of hype - A TON OF HYPE - as these teams play each other as the season goes on. Let's keep some excitement, some energy, some hype left in the tank for when it really means something.

Quite frankly, I hate the Sox early schedule, with important games like the Tigers, Yankees and Indians. April should be about playing the Mariners, the Royals, the Texas Rangers. I'm just not ready.

When do the Celtics playoffs begin anyway?

Dan:

Perhaps there is only one thing that would have made today's incredible Opening Day at Fenway Park even better: If Big Papi's grand slam bid had traveled another five feet.

Other than that, a Red Sox fan would have a hard time finding a flaw with today's game. Under a clear-blue sky, we watched the Red Sox unfurl a championship banner and receive their World Series rings, something that after an 86-year drought I don't think Sox fans will ever really take for granted no matter how many World Series we win. Daisuke pitched another gem against a fierce (albeit 0-7) Detroit Tigers lineup, and he's looking more and more like the pitcher we'd hoped he be. And Red Sox Nation righted a terrible wrong, welcoming back Bill Buckner in one of the most touching moments ever at Fenway Park.

Buckner never should have been the scapegoat for the Game 6 collapse in the 1986 World Series. After being up by two runs and being one strike a way from winning it all, the game had been tied up and the damage had already been done by the time the ball dribbled between his legs. Rich Gedman and Bob Stanley were in large part at fault, but perhaps most of all it was Calvin Schiraldi . . . who, while wearing the visage of a frightened child, proceeded to blow both Games 6 and 7. And still, he for some reason rode in the 2004 Championship Parade. Explain that to me, please. (I booed his (a)rse loudly; the one moment of seething hatred during the most joyful of parades.)

On top of everything, Buckner has gone on to become the national symbol for choking in sports. That is a terrible shame, especially considering the career he had. He played for 21 years, and newsflash: Nobody plays that long unless they are very, very good. During his career he got 2,715 hits . . . just a handful of injury-plagued seasons from being a surefire Hall-of-Famer. In 1985, he played all 162 games and hit .299 with 16 homers and 110 rbis. And, despite his bad knees, he played in 153 games in 1986 and was a core part of that team's success, driving in 102 runs along with a career-high 18 home runs.

On a side note, given the hobbled image we have of him, it might be surprising to know Buckner stole 18 bases in 1985. And, if I remember correctly, his 6 stolen bases in 1986 were second on a team that was notorious for not running.

Buckner was a great and gutsy player. A guy who - had he been a bit healthier throughout his career - would undoubtedly be unshrined in Cooperstown. A guy who helped carry the Sox to the brink of a championship in 1986.

We didn't need to forgive Bill Buckner. Bill Buckner needed to forgive us. I'm glad he did.

Now, can we kick Calvin Schiraldi out of Red Sox Nation?

(On a side note: It was great to see Curtis Leskanic involved in the ceremonies today, along with Brian Daubach. My brother and I were at Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS, and there never would have been a Big Papi walk-off homer had Leskanic not pitched his cojones off in the late innings of that game. My brother is still searching for a Leskanic jersey.)

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Dan:

Thank goodness for Bill Buckner.

After my huge concerns about Mike Greenwell soiling the Ring Ceremony (see below), it turns out it is Bill Buckner who will throw out the first pitch. I've never been so happy to be wrong.

This is a great move by the Red Sox. Buckner never should have taken the fall for the Sox collapse in Game 6 of 1986. McNamara? Clemens? Schiraldi? Stanley? Gedman? All of the above. But not Buckner.

Welcome back, Buck.

Dan:

Here I am already excited about watching the Ring Presentation Ceremony at Fenway today. After all, these things don't happen too often, and you can't take them for granted. Then, I read on another blog (The Boston Red Sox Blog) that the Red Sox are going to have a mystery guest there; someone who hasn't been to the park in a long time and it promises to be a spine-tingling moment. My excitement boiled over at the thought of who it could be. Hmmm, both Pedro and Nomah are on the DL. Hmmm.

And then it hit me: Mike Greenwell.

(Insert throw-up sound here.)

I saw on a NESN segment last month that Gator hasn't been to Fenway since his last game there. And, for some inexplicable reason, the Sox are inducting him into the Red Sox Hall of Fame this November. It all adds up to one horrendously ugly wart on an otherwise wonderful day to be a Red Sox fan.

You may be wondering: Why the hostility toward Gator? So, so many reasons. I blogged about it a month ago, and if you didn't read it, you can check it out there.

Meanwhile, I'll be booing my television set.

God I hope I'm wrong.

Dan:

• Varitek just smacked a home run to tie the game. Count the homer he should've had in Oakland, and he's been hitting the cover off the ball so far. What was that I was saying about him the other day? (He is so going to cash in at year's end.)
• Might be early to say this, but with two homers in four at bats, it would seem Jacoby Ellsbury hits Roy Halladay well. Once Tito is ready to go with him as the everyday centerfielder/lead-off man come June, Ellsbury is going to be electric this summer.
• Beckett has great velocity today. They've really got to pull this one out, as it would suck to see them get swept.
• Is it just me, or is anyone else scared to death that the Tigers have been terrible so far this season and they are coming to Fenway. I keep hearing this whisper of "breakout."
• Sure, the bullpen was horrid yesterday, but something even more troubling was cameras showed some (alleged) Red Sox fan clapping together . . . thunder sticks. When did we become the Angels?

Dan:

• Not too bummed about last night's loss. It's going to happen. Aardsma is a former first round pick, and he has pitched well out of the pen for the White Sox. He has the talent, so it would be great to see him put it together and give the Sox another solid arm out of the pen. But, then again, maybe he'll just end up being Bobby Howry or Rudy Seanez (bums here, good elsewhere).
• I thought Wakefield pitched well overall. . . although that was to be expected with the roof closed.
• With the lights off and spotlights on the players during Toronto's opening ceremonies, it seemed less of an Opening Ceremony and more of a production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
• I loved Toronto's throwback jersies last night. They should wear them more often. I know people said they didn't like them and they were ugly, and to that I say "duh." But it is still cool.
• Did I hear Jerry Remy right and call Roberto Alomar a borderline Hall-of-Famer? You gotta be kidding me. You'd have a hard time thinking of a better secondbaseman . . . ever. He may not have played 20 years, but the lifespan of a secondbasemen's career is generally shorter than other players. He had an incredible mix of awesome offensive skills and some of the greatest defense you'll ever see. And if you want to question how influential he was, just look at the teams he not only played for, but was a core piece of during the 1990s: world champion Toronto Blue Jays, an elite Baltimore Orioles squad, that monstrous Cleveland Indians team of the late 1990s. I would love to hear arguements for any other secondbasemen who were better than Alomar.

Dan:

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Dan:

I just heard a news report the Red Sox are shopping for a catcher. Given the precarious situation with Jason Varitek's age and contract (which is in its last year), it is good to see the Sox looking to add a backstop. But the time to do that aggressively (as I wrote after the World Series), was during the offseason. Good catchers are hard to come by, and, at this point in the season, everyone is still October dreaming. Maybe they'll have better luck once summer gets here and a few teams realize they are out of the running. I hope so. Because when Varitek is gone, the Sox are going to have a HUGE hole to fill. And, there's a VERY good chance Varitek will move on to a different team before the end of this calendar year.

Varitek has had a great Red Sox career. But, given his age, Theo and company will be hestitant to invest the dollars and years it may take to bring The Captain back next year. And there are always other teams out there willing to throw stupid money at a past-his-prime player simply because of his name alone. Add to that the scenario where Tek goes on to have a great 2008 season -- reminiscent of Jorge Posada's highly suspicious contract year last year -- and some fool executive will overpay him not just in dollars, but with an extended three- or four-year deal. I imagine the Sox won't want to go beyond two years, and they will probably view Tek's future role as breaking in his successor. Handed the contract he wants by another team, Varitek will leave the Sox.

Sox fans have been spoiled this past decade. We appreciate how valuable Varitek has been, but we won't fully appreciate him til he's gone.

Any chance we can land Saltalamacchia from the Rangers?

Dan:

Sure, nowadays the Red Sox are reaping the rewards of building a great farm system and signing free agents who are still productive; some of whom even have their best years ahead of them. But there was a time not long ago when each year the Red Sox would try building teams by signing an All-Star collection of broken-down has-beens. Here is a look at the Top Five Past-Their-Prime members of the Red Sox over the last 25 years.

5. Kevin Mitchell: Many people forget that Manny Ramirez wasn't the first player to wear Number 24 after The Immortal Dwight Evans. In the mid-1990s (I believe '96), the Red Sox signed former National League MVP Kevin Mitchell. Forgot about him? Yep, his stint in Boston was short and utterly forgettable; the last stop on the train to early retirement.

4. Jose Canseco: Okay, you may argue that the man who is one of the most influential sports authors of our time (only half-jesting here), was actually rather productive in Boston. Of course, you would be arguing wrong. Always teetering on the brink of the disabled-list, Canseco was a shell of his former self in Boston. Remember him and Big Mo doing a collective Oh-For in the 1995 playoffs with Cleveland?

3. Jack Clark: By the time he joined Boston in the spring of 1991, Clark had already had a relatively disappointing stint in San Diego after they signed him to a much-publicized contract in 1988. Still, he was seen as a huge addition to a Sox team that was already viewed as highly competitive, and fans were ecstatic to get him. He "jacked one" (get it) in his first Sox game against Toronto, and then proceeded to do not much else.

2. Andre Dawson: The Hawk was a former National League MVP with the Cubs and had previously been so good that many people today view him as a borderline Hall-of-Famer. But by the time he joined the Red Sox in the early 1990s, his knees were so bad he'd have been better if he chopped them off and played on peglegs.

1. Rickey Henderson: Remember how excited we were to get Rickey Henderson? If only it had been 20 years earlier. The greatest leadoff hitter of all time didn't do much with the Sox. His skills were severely diminished, but not his ego, which, I believe, is in its prime even today. But I love Rickey. One of my favorite baseball unashamed crazy-ego moments ever: "Lou Brock was the greatest. But now I am the greatest."

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Dan:

Before I get into my rant about payroll (I do this often), let me first welcome any new readers to the blog. It seems we have the featured blog on the homepage today. (Thank you blog gods.) Those who came to check out what was described as a "brotherly conversation about baseball," let me fill you in: It is a brotherly conversation, but the kind of conversation where one brother (me) is a genius on the subject of baseball and does all the talking, while the other brother (my brother Jason) sits in the corner grunting and rubbing his lobotomy scar.

Anyway, on to baseball. The Associated Press released payroll figures yesterday. Seems the Red Sox have dropped to fourth in payroll, behind the Yankees, Tigers and Mets. But don't compare the Sox to Oakland just yet; they're still paying out $133 million ($15 mill of that for J.D. Drew . . . in case you forgot).

I've always been frustrated by those who lump the Red Sox in with the Yankees when it comes to big spending. And this is why: There is a $70 million difference this year between the team with the highest payroll (Yankees at $209 million) and the team with the second-highest payroll (Tigers at $138 million). Just to put into context how much of a universe apart that is, there is a $70 million difference between the Tigers and the lowly Kansas City Royals.

Now, as we've seen in recent years, money can't buy championships. But it sure can help. Not only does it buy you free agents, it helps you absorb terrible mistakes (Carl Pavano, Jared Wright, Kevin Brown, Yanks? J.D. Drew, Matt Clement, Sox?)

But as much as my blood boils by how much teams spend (or have to spend) to be competitive, I'm equally angered by the teams at the bottom of the spectrum, where owners clearcut their payrolls, put out minor-league-quality teams, and pocket the revenue. It amounts to highway robbery. Jeffrey Loria's Florida Marlins -- with MLB's lowest payroll at $21 million -- is less than half of the next lowest team's payroll, which is Tampa Bay at $43 million. Loria already pilledged the city of Montreal, and now he seems on his way to doing the same in south Florida. This team has won two championships in the last 11 years, and this is what they're left with? This isn't just bad management; it HAS to be willful greed.

Another team is Oakland at $47 million. Sure, you can say they are well-run; they seem to be competitive three out of every five seasons. But for a team that has been as consistently competitive as they have, I just have a hard time believing they can't afford to pay out a lot more. I have a hard time believing ownership isn't seriously cashing in. (Especially considering Kansas City sits at $58 million.)

If there is going to be a cap or a luxury tax, there really should be some kind of league minimum payroll. Something where if ownership can not meet that, they risk being penalized or even forced to sell or be moved.

Some things that surprised me:

-Milwaukee's $81 million payroll surprised me as I thought it would be lower. (And, think, $10 mill of that is for Eric Gagne. Yikes.)

-The White Sox are spending $121 million. That's more than the Angels or Cubs. There's a whole lotta bad contracts on the South Side.

-Arizona is a favorite to win the National League with a payroll of $66 million. That is one well-run team.

-Pittsburgh at $49 million? Ownership needs to make that team a contender.

PAYROLLS:

N.Y. Yankees -- $209,081,579
Detroit -- 138,685,197
New York Mets -- 138,293,378
Boston -- 133,440,037
Chicago White Sox -- 121,152,667
Los Angeles Angels -- 119,216,333
Chicago Cubs -- 118,595,833
Los Angeles Dodgers -- 118,536,038
Seattle -- 117,993,982
Atlanta -- 102,424,018
St. Louis -- 100,624,450
Toronto -- 98,641,957
Philadelphia -- 98,269,881
Houston -- 88,930,415
Milwaukee -- 81,004,167
Cleveland -- 78,970,067
San Francisco -- 76,904,500
Cincinnati -- 74,277,695
San Diego -- 73,677,617
Colorado -- 68,655,500
Texas -- 68,239,551
Baltimore -- 67,196,248
Arizona -- 66,202,713
Minnesota -- 62,182,767
Kansas City -- 58,245,500
Washington -- 54,961,000
Pittsburgh -- 49,365,283
Oakland -- 47,967,126
Tampa Bay -- 43,820,598
Florida -- 21,836,500

Dan:

Great performance by Daisuke last night. Encouraging to see him bounce back like that and to be hitting his spots, where he had missed badly in Japan. Just like we say after the bad games, this was just one game, so don't get too excited. And the Oakland offense won't strike fear in anyone. But his control was rather encouraging.

Dan:

This video runs about two minutes too long, but the first two minutes of this is funny every single time.

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