Sox Faithful

The Sox beat the Pirates 5-3 this afternoon. Dice-K went 3 innings and gave up three hits and one run. J.D. Drew had an RBI single and I’m actually excited about his prospects this year. I might be jinxing things but his kid is better, it’s his second year in Boston so he should be adjusted, and he looks comfortable and relaxed. It would be nice to see him earn his keep and contribute some big hits this year since dude is getting paid $14 million.

Not too much other news except Papelbon is trying to negotiate his contract. It looks like it’ll fall somewhere between $5ook to $950k this year. Papelbon isn’t eligible for arbitration so he’ll have to play for what ever figure the Sox decide is fair. Papelbon has been quoted saying he has a certain obligation to make the money he feels he deserves for his family and for baseball. Papelbon compared himself to Mariano Rivera (who just signed a three-year $45 million contract) but Rivera has proven himself over-and-over again and has many consistent playing years behind him to ask for, and make, the big bucks. Papelbon will get there, but not just yet. That said, Papelbon sure looks like a legitimate stud and we need do everything possible to keep him in Boston. Check out the full story here.

OK, we might be sitting at .500 in the Grapefruit Leagues as a result of loosing two in a row. Normally I’d be depressed and ready to curl up in the fetal position because we’re heading in the wrong direction. Leave it up to John Henry to remind us that Red Sox baseball isn’t about winning and losing, but the way you play the game. John Henry is all about class, good manners, and righting the wrongs committed by evil doers who exist in the game of baseball (The Steinbrenners). Although Hank Steinbrenner chose to talk smack about the Red Sox fans and the Nation, John Henry, ever the diplomat, attempted to smooth things over with a peace offering. Hank was given honorary membership in the Nation, complete with membership card, bumper stickers and a hat autographed by Big Papi. DOES LIFE GET ANY BETTER???? Hank declined the offer and showed once again, that all Yankees, be they fans, players, or team management are trash. Check out the full story here at ESPN.

I’ve got to go and help out my wife because our kids are potty training and it’s my turn to do the dirty deed. This season is shaping up to be a good one and I’m expecting an even more bitter rivalry than usual between us and NY.

Yesterday’s 8-2 loss to the Twins didn’t give the Nation much to cheer for other than some good pitching from the Sox’s elder statesman, Tim Wakefield, and a solo shot from Mike Lowell. Lowell has it all; hitting, fielding, the looks, AND THE DUDE CAN DANCE. Lowell put on a charity event where some of the Sox’s best dancers cut up the rug for a good cause. The biggest surprise of the night, other than Papelbon completing his dance in his clothes rather than his undies, was Lowell’s salsa moves. Lowell even managed to make the fisherman throwing his bait in the water and reeling back his catch thing look stylish and cool. Is there anything our 3rd baseman can’t do? Check out the moves here (Thanks to NESN).

A-win-is-a-win but spring training games don’t count for squat except give us an opportunity to see what the 2008 season holds for the defending World Series Champions. The first game against Minnesota showed good pitching from Dice-K (although no strike outs) and home run blasts from YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUK and TEKKKKKKKKKKKKK (I love the way their names roll off the tounge).

The second game game against the Twins gave us another hash mark in the win column but sub-par performances from John Lester and Jacoby Ellsbury. Lester goes one inning and gives up four earned runs and four walks. Not exactly making a good case for a spot in the starting rotation. Ellsbury’s bat was dead and he went 0-3 at the plate.

Tomorrow closes out the series with the Twins. Game time is 1:00 P.M. Eastern and it’s on NESN. Crack open the beers cuz we’ll be 3-0 after tomorrow.

Just when those of us who belong to the Nation thought we had heard the last of the senile old man’s rantings, in steps his son to pick up the slack. Looks like Hank Steinbrenner wants to put on his big boy pants and let everyone know he’s in charge now.

From ESPN.com:

“Red Sox Nation?” What a bunch of [expletive] that is,” he said in an interview with The New York Times’ Play magazine. “That was a creation of the Red Sox and ESPN, which is filled with Red Sox fans.

“Go anywhere in America and you won’t see Red Sox hats and jackets, you’ll see Yankee hats and jackets. This is a Yankee country. We’re going to put the Yankees back on top and restore the universe to order.”

It’s always a conspiracy against the Yankees, just like the Mitchell Report. However, go anywhere in America this year when these two teams are playing and we’ll all be seeing Boston kicking a whole lot of Yankee arse. Just try and avoid kicking them in the injection site.