Tag: Boston Red Sox

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Boston Red Sox

Is Daisuke Matsuzaka worth $103M?


Well folks, it’s official. Matsuzaka and his puffy furry coat have signed with the Red Sox for $52M for six years. Add that in to the $51M they paid the Seibu Lions for his rights and you have a whopping $103M contract for 6 years or over $17M per. While it’s a pretty big number, it’s still doesn’t break A-Rod’s per year deal.

CBS4 in Boston is also reporting that two 17-year-old girls greeted Matsuzaka with a sign that said “WELCOME HOME DAISUKE”. Let’s just hope this wasn’t like the recruiting trip that Jesus Shuttlesworth took when he visited Rick Fox.

Check out the links below for reaction from around the blogosphere. Oh by the way, “Dice-K” seems to be the nickname of choice.

Links:
[CBS4 Boston]: Daisuke Matsuzaka Officially Signs With Red Sox

[Red Sox Talk]: Matsuzaka deal finally inked
[Baseballistic]: Matsuzaka’s Deal is a Win-Win-Win-Win
[Boston Sports Media Watch]: Sox Get It Done
[Call of the Green Monster]: After Losing Battle on Matsuzaka Contract, Boras Plans to Stop Christmas from Coming
[Red Sox Times]: Good Things Come…

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MLB General

Dec 7 in Sports History: Lou Gehrig inducted in the Hall of Fame


In 1939: Because of his failing health, the Baseball Hall of Fame waived its standard rule that a player must be retired two years before they can be elected to the hall for Lou Gehrig. Gehrig, who once held the record for playing in 2,130 consecutive games, suffered an incurable fatal neuromuscular disease called ALS (which became known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). He played his final game in May of 1939, and gave his famous “luckiest man on the face of the earth” speech on July 4, in which his number four was retired by the Yankees. It was the first number ever to be retired by a sports team. Only when Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash in 1972 was the waiting period (which is now five years) waived. (lougehrig.com)

Also in 1939: On the same day Gehrig was enshrined, a brash, cocky nineteen-year-old who was killing American Association pitching was signed by the Boston Red Sox. Ted Williams went on to tear up American League pitching that year, hitting .327 with 31 HR and 145 RBI. During his Hall of Fame career, he hit .344 with 521 homers. He was the last player to hit over .400 when he hit .406 in the 1941 season. He also served in two wars (flying 39 missions in Korea) and won two triple crowns (although he didn’t win MVP either year). He was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1966 and named the greatest hitter of all-time during baseball’s 1969 centennial celebration. (baseballlibrary.com)

Also, happy birthday to Larry Bird, who turns 50 today and let’s not forget that today is the day the German’s bombed Pearl Harbor.

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All Other Sports

Odds and Ends: Around the Blogosphere


Two great stories in the blogosphere today. The first from There’s Your Karma, Ripe as Peaches: “I couldn’t wrap my brain around the possibility that a person I once revered as more than a man could get in a dancing competition and proceed to out-gay Mario Lopez…”

The second is from Can’t Stop the Bleeding. We don’t know what the story is actually about but he managed to make a reference to Roland Przybylewski AND use the word effect as a verb correctly. Well done, sir.

In other news…

[CNN Money]: Why I hate Monday Night Football

[ESPN]: Here’s an idea – how about Bonds just leaves baseball period?

[USA Today]: Average college coaches salary up to $950k a year

[ESPN]: LPGA to start drug testing… cause you know, everyone was so up in arms about steroids in womens golf

[The Offside]: The High Cost of being a WAG

[Awful Announcing]: Dissecting Jemele Hill’s first ESPN Page 2 Column

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Boston Red Sox

Red Sox pay $51M for rights to Daisuke Matsuzaka

The Red Sox spent 6 Billion Yen just to be able to negotiate a contract with Matsuzaka. Losing bids were not revealed but it is rumored that the Mets had the second highest offer of $38M and the Yankees bid about $32M.

Boston has until December 15th to negotiate with Matsuzaka’s agent Scott Boras. (Is there any question that he’ll just be known at “Matty” in Beantown? Or they might just call him Sully for the hell of it.) There is speculation that the asking price might be as high as $16M a year for three years. Factor in the $51M and you’re talking about $99M for 3 years or $33M per. If they cannot reach an agreement, the Red Sox keep the $51M and Matsuzaka goes back to the Seibu Lions and will be on the block again next year.

Here’s one reason the $51M might be worth it — the gyroball.

Links:
[Boston.com]: For $51m, Sox get go-ahead on Matsuzaka
[Sawxblog]: $51 Reasons the Red Sox will benefit from Daisuke Matsuzaka
[The Hardball Times]: When Will Daisuke Matsuzaka’s Arm Fall Off?

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Cleveland Browns

Oct 27 in Sports History: Art Modell steals away in the night



Suckers!

In 1995: It is well known how miserable of a sporting existence Cleveland fans have suffered, but this might have been the lowest point, the cruelest blow, the coup de grace gut punch. Browns’ owner Art Modell signed a secret agreement with the city of Baltimore to move his franchise – which probably had the most loyal fans in the NFL – there for the 1996 season. Modell cried poor and blamed Cleveland officials for refusing to build him a new stadium. He took a sweetheart deal from Baltimore (who was desperate for a franchise after losing the Colts in similar fashion in 1984), the Browns became the Ravens and changed their logo and uniforms, and the Mistake by the Lake was soon a memory (it caught fire during demolition just to remind Cleveland what it really was). Cleveland kept the rights to the Browns nickname and colors and was granted an expansion franchise for the 1999 season. The Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2000 while the Browns have gone 37-81 to this day.

In 2002: Emmitt Smith of the Cowboys took a handoff from Chad Hutchinson and ran off left tackle for 11 yards. They were last of 16,727 yards he needed to break the late Walter Payton’s career rushing total. The game was stopped for five minutes to honor Smith, and a post-game celebration was also held despite the Cowboys losing 17-14 to the Seattle Seahawks. Smith is the NFL’s all-time career rushing leader in yards, attempts and touchdowns.

In 1986 and 1991: A pair of memorable World Series Game 7’s took place: In 1986, the Mets completed their stunning comeback by finishing off the Boston Red Sox 8-5 and continuing the Curse of the Bambino for the 68th consecutive year. In 1991, Jack Morris of the Twins turned in a legendary complete game, 10-inning shutout of the Atlanta Braves and a Gene Larkin bases-loaded single clinched the second World Series in four years for Minnesota.

And no Boston, we didn’t forget that the Red Sox clinched their first championship since 1918 with a four game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals on this day in 2004.

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Boston Red Sox

Oct 25 in Sports History: Bill Buckner Day!


In 1986: Until 2004, the 20 most hated words in Red Sox Nation: “Little roller up along first
behind the bag! It gets through Buckner! Here comes Knight and the Mets win it!” Buckner was universally blamed for the Red Sox 6-5 defeat in Game 6 of the World Series, but it was a rickety bullpen, two other Red Sox errors, a wild pitch which scored the tying run and horrible managing by John McNamara that led to their demise. The Sox blew leads of 2-0, 3-2 and 5-3 before the Mets won what is probably the most famous World Series game in history. Boston also blew a three run lead in Game 7, as the Mets won their second World Series.

In 1964: In one of our favorite NFL Films clips ever, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall picked up a San Francisco fumble and rumbled 66 yards to the end zone for the score. Problem was, he ran the wrong way. Marshall is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, played 20 seasons without missing a game as an anchor of the famed “Purple People Eaters,” all the while being an average of 20 to 30 pounds smaller than his opponents. But he will mostly be remembered for taking the longest safety in NFL history. As he threw the ball into the stands after he crossed what turned out to be his own goal line, some 49ers players came up and tapped him on the helmet to say thanks. The Vikings did win the game, however, 27-22.

In 1998: Even though – much like Mike Ditka – we don’t recognize kickers as real football players, Jason Elam of the Denver Broncos tied Rick Dempsey’s record by booting a 63-yard field goal in a 37-24 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Mile High Stadium. Only five times in history (including this past Sunday) has a kicker converted a field goal attempt of 60 yards or more.

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College Football

Oct 20 in Sports History: The first AP Poll


In 1936: The first Associated Press poll ranking the top college football teams in the nation was released. Minnesota was the first no.1 with LSU, Pittsburgh, Alabama, Washington, Santa Clara, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Pennsylvania rounding out the top ten. The AP poll, a collection of sportswriters across the country who vote on the top 25 teams each week of the college football season, determined national champions for years. It is still used today to rank the teams but is no longer considered in the BCS formula to determine who plays in the national championship game.

In 2004: The Boston Red Sox became the first team in baseball history and only the third team in sports history (it happened twice in the NHL) to come back from a three games to none deficit in a seven game series to win. Having been completely dominated by the New York Yankees and down to their final at-bat in the fourth game, the Red Sox began a remarkable comeback by winning the two longest games in postseason history in Games 4 and 5 at Fenway Park, and then going back to Yankee Stadium to take the final two to complete the turnaround. Boston swept St. Louis in the World Series to win their first championship in 86 years.

In 1993: In one of the wildest games ever in the World Series, The Toronto Blue Jays out-slugged the Philadelphia Phillies in the fourth game 15-14 at Veterans Stadium. Already delayed by rain, the game took four hours and fourteen minutes to complete, the longest ever World Series game. The Phillies overcame a three-run first inning deficit with four of their own in the bottom half and eventually carried a 14-9 advantage into the eighth inning, where the Blue Jays scored six times to win. The game featured 32 hits, 14 walks and it set the record for most runs combined in a World Series game and the most runs by a losing team. Oddly, the Blue Jays did not hit a single homerun despite scoring 15 times.

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Los Angeles Dodgers

Oct 16 in Sports History: Kirk Gibson’s heroics

In 1988: In one of the most amazing and downright surreal moments in baseball history, Dodgers’ manager Tommy Lasorda took “a roll of the dice’” (in the words of the great Vin Scully) and sent Kirk Gibson – who could barely walk – up to pinch hit in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Dodgers trailing the Oakland A’s 4-3 in the World Series opener. Dennis Eckersley, the most dominating closer of that era, took Gibson to a full count with a runner on second. After fouling off several pitches and barely able to hobble halfway to first, Gibson shocked everybody when he turned on an inside pitch and drove it deep into right field bleachers to win the game 5-4. Gibson limped around the bases, pumping his fist. He did not play again in the series, and the Dodgers used the momentum to bully the shell shocked A’s in five games. The red lights you see as the ball is going into the stands are a stream cars that left the game early , figuring the A’s had it won.

In 1969: The New York Mets, only seven years in the National League, shocked the sports world by defeating the Baltimore Orioles in Game 5 to win the World Series. The “Amazin‘s“, who set the record for futility just seven years ago with 120 losses in their inaugural season, turned it around behind the pitching of Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman and a young Nolan Ryan, plus timely hitting and defense. Donn Clendenon, a Pittsburgh Pirates and Montreal Expos castoff, was the hero with the big homerun in the deciding game and was awarded MVP honors.

In 2003Just when Red Sox fans didn’t think it could get any worse, Grady Little decided against his better judgment and the screams of millions of Sox fans (and anybody who remotely followed baseball) that ace Pedro Martinez didn’t have enough left for one more hitter in the bottom of the eighth inning . Little left him in, Jorge Posada hit a double to tie the game at five apiece, and Aaron Boone eventually won it with a towering solo homerun to lead off the bottom of the 11th inning off Tim Wakefield, sending the New York Yankees to their 39th World Series.

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Anaheim Angels

Oct 12 in Sports History: The other choke of 1986


In 1986: As much as fans of the Boston Red Sox moped about the monumental chokes their team performed on the postseason stage, it is somewhat forgotten in the Buckner hoopla that the California Angels pulled off one of the biggest gag jobs of all time in the 1986 ALCS. Up three games to one at home in Game 5 and leading 5-2 going into the top of the ninth inning, Don Baylor hit a home run close the gap to one. Then, with Donnie Moore on the mound, Dave Henderson stroked a two-out, two-strike, two-run homer for a 6-5 lead. The Angels rallied to tie it at six, but Henderson, who would’ve been the goat because he dropped a fly ball in the seventh that could have cost the Sox, hit a game-winning sacrifice fly to send the series back to Boston, where the Sox took it in seven games. It later turned tragic as Moore, who was never the same pitcher after that game, committed suicide years later.

In 1989: Although in the midst of a 1-15 season, the Dallas Cowboys laid the foundation for their championship teams of the 1990s by trading disgruntled star running back Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings in a 12-player deal. The Cowboys sent Walker and some late-round draft picks to Minnesota in exchange for first and second round draft picks, “The Trade” was very complicated, as the Cowboys dealt many of those picks, but it eventually netted Dallas cornerstones Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, Kevin Smith and Darren Woodson; and it propelled the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins in four years. The Vikings, on the other hand, decimated their defense and are still searching for their first title. As one final groin-punch to the Vikings and former GM Mike Lynn, Walker ended up back on the Cowboys a few years later. (scout.com)

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MLB General

Oct 11 in Sports History: Don Zimmer charges the mound!



Ole!

In 2003: In Game 3 of the ALCS, several brawls broke out as the Yankees and Red Sox showed the world that – gasp – they might not like each other or something. In the fourth inning, Pedro Martinez threw a pitch over Karim Garcia’s head and words were exchanged. When a Roger Clemens pitch sort of came a little inside to Manny Ramirez the next inning, Manny went ballistic and both benches cleared. That’s when Don Zimmer, all of 72 years old, charged Pedro like an extremely pissed off, chubby, white, pale bull, and Pedro game him an “ole” into the Fenway Park turf. It was both hilarious and embarrassing to watch at the same time. The Yankees won the game 4-3.

In 1972: The Cincinnati Reds became the first team since 1912 to win a series when coming to bat trailing in the bottom of the ninth inning. Behind 2-1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fifth and deciding game of the NLCS, Johnny Bench tied the game with a solo homer off Bob Moose. Two singles and a wild pitch later, the Reds were celebrating a trip to the World Series with a 3-2 win in the game and the series.

In 1992: Deion Sanders did double duty as he suited up for a pro football game with the Falcons against the Dolphins, then took a jet to Pittsburgh in time to join his Braves for Game 5 of the NLCS. “Prime Time” was a two-time loser that day, as Miami defeated Atlanta 21-17 and the Pirates staved off elimination against the Braves 7-1 as Deion watched from the bench. Sanders was criticized on the air for playing football by CBS analyst Tim McCarver. Neon got his revenge by throwing water on him in the locker room during the celebration after Game 7.