Mets Get Santana

I'm writing from sunny Califonia, so this will have to be brief... but I had to get something posted about the Santana deal.

Here's the story, and here's a cool slide show featuring all the guys we didn't trade to the Twins.

So, now that its all done, I wanna know what everyone thinks... did Theo make the right call? 86% of Boston.com readers think so... and so do I.

I've added a second poll so you can all VOTE on the topic.

Tina - You will be missed

Expressing a need to be closer to her family, Red Sox field reporter Tina Cervasio is leaving her post at NESN effective at the end of March.

“These last two years working with NESN and covering the Red Sox have been both a privilege and an honor,” Cervasio said. “At this time in my career, I have chosen to pursue other opportunities that would afford me the chance to be closer to my family..." - Full Story

VOTE: Who will be the Super Bowl MVP??

Brady's nursing a tweaked ankle... Moss has been a non-factor throughout the playoffs... I think Gaffney locked Stallworth in his locker... and even New England's favorite speedster, Wes Welker has been quiet lately...

So who's gonna step up and be the MVP? Will the Jersey Worthy Kevin Faulk finally get the kudos he deserves? Will Laurence Maroney have the game of his life? Will a big defensive play from Samuel or Bruschi or Seau catapult the Pats to victory?

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Vote now... and leave a comment with your thoughts.

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ps. Click here for Yahoo!'s list of Super Bowl snacks... Mmmm.

Daily Dose (Super-Sized)

The Sox added right-handed reliever David Aardsma to the bullpen.

Aardsma opened the season with Chicago and was 2-0, 1.31 with 26 strikeouts in 20.2 innings in his first 14 appearances through May 12. Aardsma led all A.L. relievers with 23 strikeouts in April. Overall, he was 2-1, 6.40 with 36 strikeouts in 32.1 innings in his 25 relief appearances with the White Sox. The righthander spent the second half of 2007 at Charlotte and was 3-2, 4.33 with 15 saves in 18 games.

Bottomline: This kid has big strikeout potential, but he’ll need to learn more control if he wants to be effective in the bigs. Training with the likes of Schilling and Beckett and playing the drums in the bullpen with guys like Timlin and Papelbon should help…

Also, the Sox agreed to terms with Kyle Snyder.

In other news, the Celtics, without Kevin Garnett (abdominal strain) and many other injured players, gave a solid effort against a strong Orlando Magic team that had beaten them in 5 straight contests in Orlando.

"We are banged up right now," Rivers said. "When Rajon went down, I grabbed them and said, 'Hey, I got great news for you. No practice Monday because we don't have enough bodies, so you might as well lay it on the line.' They started laughing.

"I figured at that point we might as well break the ice. Everyone was feeling a little bit sorry for themselves."

The C’s battled for four quarters and Ray Allen’s 3-pointer with 14 seconds to go tied the game at 93, but just as they had all night, the Magic returned the favor with an equally dramatic, 25-foot 3-point buzzer-beater, by Hedo Turkoglu, handing the Celtics their 6th consecutive loss (96-93) in Orlando.

The C’s have 8 games left before the All-Star break. They will face the Mavs, Cavs and Spurs during that run, as well as a Timberwolves team that will be looking for redemption after a last-second loss in Boston on the 25th. But with the 9-33 Miami Heat (next on Tue. the 25th) and 13-28 Clippers mixed in they could reach the unofficial mid-way pint with 40 wins.

As a point of reference the NBA Encyclopedia has a Top 10 Greatest Teams list. The 95-96 Bulls are No. 10. They finished the season at 72-10 (.878). Two Celtics squads also made the cut: The 86-87 team, featuring Bird, Parish, McHale, Ainge and DJ ranked 6th at 67-15 (.817), while the 64-65 team, lead by Bill Russell and Sam Jones earned the No. 1 spot with a 62-18 (.775) record.

And even during the break, the Bruins managed to repeatedly make headlines. Marc Savard started for the East in the NHL All- Star Game on Sunday and scored the game-winning goal in front of an Atlanta crowd that had been booing him throughout the game.

"They'd been booing me all weekend," said Savard, who left Atlanta as a free agent after 2005-06, his most prolific NHL season, to sign with Boston. "So it was nice to get that reward at the end."

Goaltender Tim Thomas earned the 8-7 victory, stopping 14 of the 18 shots he faced.

Not to be out done, Bruin’s defenseman and Captain Zedeno Chara earned his second straight “Hardest Shooter Award,” ripping a blast clocked at 103.1 miles per hour, topping the 101.9-m.p.h. rocket of Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier in the SuperSkills competition.

Chara's first shot hit 101.4 m.p.h. But the captain let loose with his winning shot, giving a fist pump to indicate how much the competition meant to him.

"There's a lot of pressure," said Chara. "Guys really want to win. It's probably one of the most exciting events at the All-Star Game."

For a quick note on Chara and his continued improvement after a lack-luster ’06-07 campaign, read Fluto Shinzawa’s piece in the Globe. Also, get the latest on the injury front here.

Lastly, as if you didn’t see it 20 times on NESN or ESPN, Tom Brady was at practice today. Here are some quotes about what is apparently the biggest story in sports right now:

Belichick: “Everybody practiced. The injury report will be out Wednesday."

Welker: "Anytime the MVP of the league is back, it has to be a positive," Welker said. "He looks good -- the same dimples and all."

Light: "I don't worry about Tom," tackle Matt Light said. "He can take care of himself. I have a bunch of guys in front of me from the Giants to worry about."

And Brady himself: "I'm not concerned about how it's going to affect my play," he said. "This won't keep me out."

11 Questions With Red Sox Nation: Part 3

Come April, the Red Sox will return to Fenway with their WS Championship team pretty much intact. The pitching staff is loaded with a Cy Young contender, seasoned veterans and exciting young talent. The lineup includes the ’07 AL ROTY, the best 3-4 combo in the league and the ’07 WS MVP.

Things are looking good for 2008, but The Bottomline complied 11 lingering questions about the upcoming season and sent them out to fellow bloggers and Sox fans throughout Red Sox Nation.

Bottomliners Tom and Mike have responded. As did Red from the always entertaining Surviving Grady and the guys from MVN’s best blog: Fire Brand of the AL.

Here is Part 3 of 11 Questions for Red Sox Nation. Click here for Part 1. Click here for Part 2.

9. The Sox have a few rookies that could make an impact in 2008. Which rookie do you expect to make the biggest splash?

Zach: “Ellsbury and Buchholz both count as rookies, right? I'll say Ellsbury because he'll hit 300/370/430 with phenomenal defense in center. I could see Lowrie stepping in if Lugo continues to struggle and Masterson [could] make an impact out of the pen."

Mike: “Jacoby, if he is here.....other than that its going to be someone who is getting a chance because of an injury... Dusty Brown/George Kottaras getting a shot from an injury to Tek or Dougie...?”

Tom: “Ellsbury.”

Shawn: “I think we’ll be keeping an eye on Buchholz and Ellsbury all season. I expect good numbers out of both of them.”

Evan: “Buchholz. He threw a no-hitter. What else needs to be said?”

“To throw some other names out there, obviously Ellsbury belongs there… Jed Lowrie interests me. If Lugo, Cora or Pedroia goes down to injury, I can see Lowrie coming up and performing adequately - and by adequately, I mean exceeding the expectations that will be set upon Lowrie in that situation.”

Bottomline: The obvious choices are “Ells” and “Buch” and they got the votes... I’d like to see what Lowrie can do, or perhaps get a look at the catcher of the future, but it’s not likely to happen.

10. 2008 will bring us one more year of Tek and Mirabelli behind the plate, but both players have struggled with the bat as of late and there's no solid back-up on the horizon. Is 2008 the year the catching situation catches up with the Sox or am I making a mountain out of a mole hill?

Zach: “No, it's a real problem. I'm extremely worried the Sox will hand Varitek a two-year extension. He's just not productive with the bat anymore. Still he adds value due to his off-the-field traits but we need to look beyond Varitek for 2009. Hopefully he doesn't get injured.

Mike: “To have concerns would be correct, you have to with their ages and the lack of depth at catching prospects they have in the minors.....what ever happened to Steve Lomanski or Creighton Gubanich?

Tom: “Tek will be the next Posada: plays way past his prime because his value calling pitches and standing up to bitches charging him at the plate. He will also have bursts of good numbers like Posada, he will pretty much be him, except not as ugly...”

Shawn: “Varitek's hitting is an added bonus to me. So quite honestly they just need to do what they did last year.”

Evan: “The catching situation has already caught up to us. It caught up to us in 2006 [ see the Josh Bard / Cla Meredith / Doug Mirabelli trade.] I hate to say it, but my gut tells me Varitek gets hurt for an extended period of time this year, which will kill us in more ways than one.”

"However, we seem to be getting prepared for that possibility (Dusty “Brown, George Kottaras, Mark Wagner) so I think Theo is working on putting us in place not to be bit hard. But we'll be bit at some point.”

Red: “MirabelliLand is a nice place to visit, but nobody wants to live there. Any injury to Tek could be a disaster... we'd probably try to stopgap with Doug or Kevin Cash or maybe even George Kottaras... But I think we'd eventually have to work a trade for a more reliable presence behind the plate. Where the fuck that would come from is anybody's guess, so it's probably best to just pray to God and sonny Jesus that Tek remains injury-free.”

Bottomline: Okay. So my fears are justified. As some of the guys mentioned, Theo has been making moves to ensure that we don’t get screwed by Tek or Dougie’s age, but guys like Kottaras and even Cash are “works in progress.” If one of them can’t rise to the occasion, the reality of Theo making a trade for, or finding a free agent catcher, that can lead this staff like Tek is... well... not realistic.

11. The winter months helped us forget about Barry Bonds and the steroid issue, but the Mithcell Report and Roger Clemens have rekindled the flame just weeks before Spring Training... How do you think it will effect the 2008 season?

Zach: “I don't see it as a huge lingering problem all season. You'll see MLB continue to shatter attendance records and fans love the game like never before. I'd like to think most of the current players are clean.”

Mike: “It won’t. The speculation and questions will be there as usual, but it wont change anything.”

Tom: “For the Sox, not much, because we really didn’t have anyone on the list... Yankee fans will probably yell louder to drown out the fact that most of their team has used the roids and they haven't won a legit anything since Ruth and Mantel were on the team. Roger will wait till the All-Star break to rejoin the Astros and try to pitch good in a shitty league to "show everyone up" but will just be pathetic and retire after getting hurt his third outing instead of joining the sox and going out with the ring he should have had in 86...”

Shawn: “I think it will talked about until half way through the season and then one player like Prince Fielder or Miguel Cabrera is going to start doing something special and no one will care about the Mitchell Report.”

Evan: “It'll effect the 2008 season the same way Barry Bonds effected 2005-7. In other words, not at all. At the end of the day, the game is played on the field and the only people negatively affected by the undue attention is the player themselves.

Red: “It won't effect my 2008 at all. I just tune that shit out like it was The George Lopez Show.”

Bottomline: I’m happy to hear that everyone agrees that this debacle will have little affect on the 2008 season. Years from now, will our kids look at this era in baseball history as a disgrace? Maybe. But for now, most of us still believe that the game, for the most part, is still pure... and we will tell our kids about the Griffeys and the Schilllings and the Manny’s and the Glavines... and, dare I say it, the Arods... that did amazing things without the juice, during the “Steroid Era.”

Click here for Part 1. Click here for Part 2.

11 Questions for Red Sox Nation: Part 2

Come April, the Red Sox will return to Fenway with their WS Championship team pretty much intact. The pitching staff is loaded with a Cy Young contender, seasoned veterans and exciting young talent. The lineup includes the ’07 AL ROTY, the best 3-4 combo in the league and the ’07 WS MVP.

Things are looking good for 2008, but The Bottomline complied 11 lingering questions about the upcoming season and sent them out to fellow bloggers and Sox fans throughout Red Sox Nation.

Bottomliners Tom and Mike have responded. As did Red from the always entertaining Surviving Grady and the guys from MVN’s best blog: Fire Brand of the AL.

Here is Part 2 of 11 Questions for Red Sox Nation." Click here for Part 1.

5. Who is more likely to improve on a lack-luster '07 season: Julio Lugo or J.D. Drew?

Zach: “JD... He's too good of a hitter. You saw him going up the middle and the other way with more frequency in October and the numbers speak for themselves. Hopefully Magadan hammers that approach in his head.”

Mike: “JD really has nowhere to go but up... JD has way more potential (don’t know how I said that about a 31 yr old) and with the line up in front of [him] he has a better chance of reaching better numbers.”

Evan: “They are both excellent candidates: Julio Lugo's first half was horrifically bad while he finally hit to at least a shell of his former self in the second half. Drew had flashes of brilliance: we saw it in interleague play, September, and Game 6 of the ALCS (the grand slam)... he's going to be the most important wild card on offense to the club. If he pulls through, my answers to the first two questions are moot.”

Red: “Hey, one of my kids went through the same surgery as Drew's son, and I have to say, as a parent, it's pretty fucking miserable. Unless he had his heart and brain removed in some sort of alien experiment, I have to believe he carried a lot of that onto the field with him. With all of that behind him, for the most part at least, I'd expect a major uptick in 2008.”

Bottomline: You saw my response to Question #3. Looks like these guys agree… they just have man-crushes on Ellsbury...

6. Do you think Schilling and/or Wakefield will last the entire season?

Zach: “Will they both spend some time on the DL this season? Probably. But they'll be around and healthy in Sept/Oct...”

Mike: “Without missing a start? NO WAY, and even if they stay healthy it would be smart to do a mini shut down on them, to give them rest, and let Hansack, Buchholz, Masterson get a start or two.”

Tom: “Probably not, although i don't see extended stints on the DL for either.”

Shawn: “They both will go the distance. I think they want one more ring and they are both done.”

Evan: “No. Even if they stay healthy the entire year, they shouldn't. They should be rested whatever chance they get. Schilling needs to be in form for September and October, not May and June. Wakefield has started developing some fragility to him (at his age, this is not a surprise at all).... In the end, though, the chances that injury sidelines one or both of these pitchers is high - which is why Buchholz is so huge.”

Red: “Schilling probably has at least one breakdown in him. Wakefield, on the other hand, will probably cruise along as he typically does, giving us heart attacks one day and sending us into joyful spasms the next.”

Bottomline: Schilling’s mid-season shut down last year, did seem to keep him fresh in Sept/Oct and rumor has it he’s working hard to earn his “be in shape come April” bonus. My concern lies with Wake. I was convinced he was done after his speech last Sept. I have to put all logic aside to believe he’s got another 12-15 wins in him...

7. Mike Lowell has had two solid years in Boston, most notably last season. Will he have a third or did he peak in 2007?

Zach: “He peaked in 2007 but I don't see an immense drop-off like many other critics. His defense and clubhouse presence make the deal this winter worth giving him, even with the slight decline in numbers he'll experience."

Shawn: His third year will be awesome. Offensively his numbers will stay up and he will bring down his errors. Lowell will be just fine.

Evan: “Mike Lowell did not have two solid years. He had one solid year and one fantastic year. He will have another solid year, but I'm afraid that fantastic year was an aberration. It was a great ride, but historically, there is no way he repeats it. If he or anyone else expects Lowell to repeat 2007 over the course of his next contract, I have a mansion right on the ocean in Wyoming to sell you.”

Red: “I had him pegged for a bust in 2007, and you can see where that got me. So this year, I'll just say, "Hell no, Mike Lowell's gonna tear it up in 2008.”

Bottomline: This one’s tricky. Lowell spent most of his time in the #6 spot (391 AB) where he batted .304, but he also batted .317 in the clean-up spot (126) and .448 in the 5-hole (67) finished the season in the 5-hole, where he batted. With Manny and Drew struggling last year, Lowell stepped up with RISP (.356 BA). If those guys have stronger ’08 campaigns, they’ll steal some of those RBIs from Mike, but is that really a bad thing?

I think the 2008 team could look alot like the 2003 squad in which 8 of the starting 9 had 85+ RBI, Damon had 67 out of the lead off spot.

Click here to read Part 1.

11 Questions for Red Sox Nation: Part 1

Come April, the Red Sox will return to Fenway with their WS Championship team pretty much intact. The pitching staff is loaded with a Cy Young contender, seasoned veterans and exciting young talent. The lineup includes the ’07 AL ROTY, the best 3-4 combo in the league and the ’07 WS MVP.

Things are looking good for 2008, but The Bottomline complied 11 lingering questions about the upcoming season and sent them out to fellow bloggers and Sox fans throughout Red Sox Nation.

Bottomliners Tom and Mike have responded. As did Red from the always entertaining Surviving Grady and the guys from MVN’s best blog: Fire Brand of the AL.

Here is Part 1 of 11 Questions for Red Sox Nation. Look for Parts 2 and 3 over the next few days.

1. Will the Red Sox win the AL East? Will they go on to win the World Series... again?

Tom: “Like I have said every year since I was born, yes!”

Zach (FBAL): “[It’s] all dependent on who gets Johan Santana… If the Yankees are able to acquire him… they get a slight edge because a rotation of Johan, Wang, Pettitte Joba, Kennedy can match up with Boston's. If all stays the same, Boston has the edge.”

Mike: “Probably not, there have only been 2 repeat champions since 1979: The Blue Jays ('92, ‘93) and the Yankees ('98-‘00). Repeating as champions in the league, especially now, with health, injuries, trades, chemistry, and talent levels is a near improbability...”

Evan (FBAL): “I'm just not so sure the offense can handle attrition and injuries as well as it has in the past. We need to have an exceptionally strong offensive bench to provide power and protect against natural regression for Mike Lowell, a punchless Ellsbury (he'll get on base, but he won't drive them out of the park) and a worst-case scenario of Julio Lugo and J.D. Drew repeating their 2007s. Right now, we don't have that offensive bench.”

Bottomline: We all agree that the Sox are capable of doing something special this year, yet strangely, we’ve suddenly become realistic and rational about the Sox... except for Tom... way to stay strong man.

2. With 99% of the Championship roster returning, the Red Sox are likely to be a favorite to repeat. So what will be their biggest challenge?

Mike: “Staying healthy... 2/3 of the starting rotation is over 40... both our catchers are starting the season at 35+ years old... if they cant stay healthy they cant win.

Tom: “Keeping everyone healthy.”

Shawn (FBAL): “Their biggest challenge will just be to do it again. To make all the right plays and moves and hopefully no one gets injured.”

Zach: “Internally? Maybe Manny never getting back to prime hitter level and Mike Lowell hitting a decline, leaving a hole to back up Ortiz in the order.”

Evan: “The biggest challenge, as I hinted above, will be cobbling together an offensive lineup... the challenge is going to be consistently pushing runs across the plate... We are one injury away [to] the Big Sluggers from being one of the most anemic offenses in the league.”

Red: “I think the biggest challenge will be keeping the offense charged up. Despite a championship season, this was an offense that could be infuriating with its inability to put up the big inning.”

Bottomline: Health is clearly the main concern. The Sox have a good mix of young talent and season veterans, but the bench and the bullpen are thin. A long stint on the DL for anyone of the key players (Schill, Manny, Tek, Papelbon) and this team could find themselves behind a handful of solid AL clubs eying a playoff spot.

3. Who will be the star of the '08 season?

Zach: “From the standpoint of improving and winning the hearts of the fans, I'll say JD Drew takes a big leap forward in 2008. Overall, though, it'll be Josh Beckett winning the Cy Young. "

Mike: “Jacoby.... Beckett is Beckett... Dice-K will have a better sophomore season, like Beckett did...You pretty much know what you are going to get out of this team, the only players you don't know about who are right on the horizon are Jacoby and Buchholz...

Tom: “Ellsbury, he will be the new Damon.”

Shawn: “The star of the 08 season will be Manny Ramirez. He wont let last year happen again. Trust me!”

Evan: “I have to go with Clay Buchholz. [His] stuff is absolutely filthy and I cannot understand why so many people are bullish on the numbers he can put up. The concern with Clay is his durability and his frame - not his stuff. He's going to be bigger than any of us realize. He's going to give the Red Sox insane starting pitching depth. He may not be out there every day, but at the end of the year, we'll realize that Buchholz was the underrated star of the team - and it's those stars we care about because they often are the ones who push the team to being the best.”

Red: “My heart says Jacoby Ellsbury but my mind says Daisuke Matsuzaka.”

Bottomline: It looks like our panel is torn between who will be the breakout star of ’08 and who will be the MVP... I probably could have been more specific with my question... Either way, it looks like Ellsbury, Buccholtz and Beckett are the front runners, But I’m going to go out on a limb and pick JD Drew. With family distractions gone and a year in Boston under his belt, I see him finally taking advantage of having Manny, Papi and Lowell ahead of him.

4. Who will play center field?

Zach: “Jacoby Ellsbury for 150 games. I can't see a platoon situation working out at all.”

Evan: “Centerfield is Jacoby Ellsbury's domain. He's going to enter as a starter. Ellsbury is too electric, and he came through in the regular season and postseason, whereas Crisp did not.”

Red: “I think it's Jacoby's job to lose. But having Coco Crisp as back up isn't such a bad thing, if he's willing to take on such a role.”

Tom: “See question 3.”

Bottomline: I think that sums it up...
Click here for Part 2.

Patriots Keys To Success

Ian M. Clark of the Union Ledger has nine suggestions for the Patriots on how to beat the Giants.

They're all good points, but here are the big ones:

GET MOSS INVOLVED

Randy has totaled two catches in the playoffs so far, thanks to opponents focusing on taking him out of the equation. Ian says Moss is due for a big game on Feb. 3rd for two reasons:

1) First, Moss will be playing in his first Super Bowl. This is why he took a pay cut to come to the Patriots. He has plenty of money. He wants a ring.

2) Moss had success vs. the Giants in Week 17. He caught six passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns in that game. He did it by beating double-teams (the first TD) and by going deep (the record-setting second TD).

GET ELI ON THE GROUND

Eli Manning has been on a roll, really since his solid performance against the Pats.

In the regular season game, Giants QB Eli Manning was hurried often but sacked just once. Not only did he escape pressure, but made several big throws for first downs while on the move.

He's getting good protection, but he's also making smart throws and quick throws, rather than throwing into coverage or getting sacked by waiting for his WRs. The Patriots will want to get to Manning and rattle his cage. He's in the zone now, but he's young and he can be easily frustrated...

GET HOBBS SOME HELP

Teams have thrown towards Hobbs all season, looking to avoid Asante Samuel and attack the smaller, less recognized Safety. Hobbs has held his own throughout the playoffs, but the Giant's tall, veteran WRs, Armani Toomer and Plaxico Burress, will be asking for the ball when matched up on his side -- especially in the red zone.

Ian reminds us... Hobbs got torched by Plaxico Burress (four catches, 84 yards, two TDs) in the finale, including a 54-yarder on the first play of the game. Manning will be looking Hobbs' way again in the Super Bowl.

Bottomline: I expect this to come down to the defenses. If the Giants get to Brady and keep Maroney in check, they'll have a chance. But, the Pats just have more weapons = If Moss is doubled, look for Welker, Stallworth, etc... if Maroney can't going, look for Kevin "Jersey Worthy" Faulk to rise to the occasion yet again.

That said, if the Past D-line can't get pressure on Eli or stop RBs Brandon Jacobs and the speedy Ahmad Bradshaw, the game will come down to the final possession... and I'll take "Stevey G" over Tynes (see two missed FGs in Green Bay...).

Dail Dose

Once again the Yankees finished up with the highest payroll in the Major Leagues... and nothing to show for it.

Last year their streak of AL East titles ended at nine, but New York still wound up with a record payroll of $218.3 million.

The World Series champion Boston Red Sox were a distant second at $155.4 million, according to information received by clubs from the commissioner's office.

And as if they needed more money, the Yankees will open a new ball park this year that is sure to rake in even more cash... while John Henry and Co. continue to make improvements to America's favorite ballpark...

We're always working on increasing revenues, but it's getting harder and harder to do," Red Sox owner John Henry said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "The Yankees and the Mets will be greatly helped by their new ballparks which look to be state-of-the-art. They seem very well designed to maximize revenues and to greatly improve the fan experience. The renovations we have been at work on within Fenway, the new ballparks in New York, Washington, Minneapolis -- everywhere -- these are great for baseball."

In an effort to bolster the bullpen, the Red Sox signed right-handers Dan Kolb and Dan Miceli to minor league deals recently. Kolb would get $650,000 if he's added to the major league roster and $78,000 in the minors. Miceli would make $650,000 in the big leagues and $84,000 in the minors.

Kolb was an NL All-Star with Milwaukee in 2004, when he saved 39 games with a 2.98 ERA. He appeared in three games last year for Pittsburgh, pitching three innings.

Miceli's last stint in the majors was with Tampa Bay in 2006, when he went 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA and four saves in 33 relief appearances. He is 43-52 with a 4.48 ERA and 39 saves in 14 major league seasons.

In other news, the Celtics were stunned by the Raptors last night, losing 114-112 on a Jose Calderon three-point play with 10.5 seconds remaining in the game.

There was no shortage of scoring in this one, but the Raptors overcame a 7-point deficit with 5 minutes to go, handing the C's their first loss to an Atlantic Conference foe this season.

KG lead the Celtics with 26 points while Pierce (19), R. Allen (19), Rondo (14) and T. Allen (15) all finished in double digits. The Raptors, however, had 4 players with 20+ (Bosh, Bargnani, Calderon and Parker).

Kevin Faulk Is Jersey Worthy

I've been telling my fellow Pats fans throughout the Playoffs that I should own a Kevin Faulk jersey because he is just plain awesome. I eventually dubbed him "jersey worthy," but when I went to the local sports apparel store, there was no #33 mixed in with the 12's and 81's like I had hoped...

So I went to the web... but all I could find was an $80 replica jersey at the ProShop... Now I like Kevin, but I think he would agree that the $80 would be better spent on Superbowl party food and beer.

So, while I wait to find a more reasonably priced Faulk jersey, I want you all to read this article from Patriots Daily. If my suggestion isn't enough... this excerpt should grab your attention:

Kevin Faulk is the most important running back in Patriots history. Others were more athletic, more talented, more accomplished. Certainly he’s been outrushed by a slew of them. But no back has been more pivotal to the Patriots’ success.

Sunday’s performance - laying out for 11-yard third down conversion and reaching behind and down for a fingertip grab three plays later - only punctuated that importance. As Christopher Price noted here yesterday, Faulk’s been 13-for-13 on passes thrown to him the past two games. What does it say about him that that stat’s not the least bit surprising?

Sox Looking For A Lefty

We knew the Sox were talking with Tony Clark, but Extra Bases is reporting that the Sox main goal is to find a player with a solid bat that can give Yuke some rest and maybe help out at third and the outfield.

Obviously, there ain't too many of those guys out there, but like I said yesterday, Eric Hinske is that guy...

I'm still not sure why they haven't brought him back, but Detroit's Sean Casey (who apparently loves Boston) and Brad Wilkerson and even Doug "the ball theif" Mientkiewicz are on the list. Here's a quick look at them and a few other options:

Eric Hinske - .204 (avg)/.317 (obp)/.398 (slg), 86 AB, 6 HR, 12 2B, 21 RBI

Sean Casey - .296/.353/.393, 453 AB, 4 HR, 30 2B, 54 RBI

Tony Clark - .249/.310/.511, 221 AB, 17 HR, 5 2B, 51 RBI

Brad Wilkerson - .234/.319/.467, 338 AB, 20 HR, 17 2B, 62 RBI

Doug Mientkiewicz - .277/.349/.440, 166 AB, 5 HR, 12 2B, 24 RBI

Shawn Green - .291/.352/.430, 446 AB, 10 HR, 30 2B, 46 RBI

Luis Gonzalez - .278/.359/.443, 464 AB, 15 HR, 23 2B, 68 RBI

Daily Dose

This is barely Red Sox news, but...
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The Boston Globe is reporting that when the Boston Red Sox take the field in Tokyo in late March for their first two games of the season, they'll be wearing the corporate logo of EMC Corp., the giant data storage firm in Hopkinton. It's the first time Red Sox players have ever worn a corporate brand on their uniforms, other than those of sporting goods companies. The logo is intended to highlight EMC's new role as an official sponsor of Major League Baseball Japan, and an expanded business relationship with the Red Sox. An official of Major League Baseball said there are no plans to permit the practice in the United States.
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In other news, the Montreal Canadiens handed the Bruins their most embarrassing loss of the season last night, beating the B's 8-2. The Canadiens have now won all six contests with the Bruins, while out scoring them 32-12.
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"We gave up eight goals on 24 shots, I think that explains a lot," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "You're not going to win games by giving up those types of goals. A lot of breakdowns and maybe some lucky bounces off legs. It's just one of those nights where you've got to be a little better, more resilient and find ways to be more concentrated on winning hockey games."
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Bottomline: The Canadiens are simply a better team. They clearly know how to put the puck in the net, but their goal tending and hustle are superior as well. However, Coach Julien's decision to start Alex Auld in goal of Tim Thomas was a mistake. Thomas had not faired any better in the previous five games versus Montreal but clearly Auld was not ready for this opponent - giving up 4 goals in the first period.
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Julien also made a strange line change within the opening minute of the game, that lead to the first goal. The B's didn't play well, but you have to question the coaching here as well...
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Side note: Tim Thomas was offered a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team yesterday. He will join defenseman Zedeno Chara and center Marc Savard.
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In Celtics news, Coach Doc Rivers has been named the coach of the Eastern Conference All-Stars. Boston is now 33-6 and its record clinched the best conference record by the Feb. 3 deadline to earn Doc All-Star coaching honors.
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The C's will host the Toronto Raptors tonight. They have beaten the Raptors in all three previous meetings this season.

Daily Dose

There's not much for Sox talk out there right now. While Yuke waits for that $3.7M, perhaps it would be fun to take a look at Steve Henson's OF free agent article on Yahoo!.

Why?

Because, despite the potential platoon situation in CF, the Sox aren't very deep in the outfield. Bobby Kielty remains unsigned and Hinske, who also helped out at first and third, may be a Diamondback by Sunday. So what lucky aging, utility man will land in Boston?

The names range from Barry Bonds to Brad Wilkerson. If Theo is looking for a power bat off the bench, Sammy Sosa and Luis Gonzalez are still out there... If it's speed he wants (although Crisp, Ellsbury and Lugo should keep us covered there) journeyman Kenny Lofton is still going strong and Shannon Stewart is available as well.
Rumors say the Sox have expressed interest in Tony Clark (1B), but I'd rather see Hinske back over the the Morgan Freeman look alike. Hell, why go after Clark, when you could get Trot back!!

Bottomline: $1-4M, 1-year deals for back-ups and utility men are all the rage right now, but the market is full of aging has-beens... and Theo doesn't pay for past services. Personally, I don't see why they don't re-sign the happiest role player in the MLB and wait until nest year...

In other news, the Bruins swept the home/away series against the Rangers over the weekend and have come away with points in their last four games. They'll need to ride that momentum as they face the Montreal Canadiens (thumbnails) tonight. The Canucks have won all five meetings against the B's this year and have outscored them 24-10.

The Bruins (53 pts) have crept back into 7th place in the East, with Montreal (56) just 3 points ahead of them... There's no way they lose 6 in a row, right?

Lastly, Tom Brady was caught wearing a protective boot yesterday... but Brady told WEEI it's nothing to worry about:

"There are always kind of bumps and bruises," Brady told the Dennis & Callahan Show. "I'll be ready for the Super Bowl. I'm not missing this one. I'd have to be on a stretcher to miss this one. There will just be some treatment this week and like I said, games like this you get a little nicked up but it's nothing serious."

Gisele better take it easy on him this week!

The Patriots Are AFC Champions!

With a 21-12 victory, the New Englnad Patriots earned their fourth Super Bowl appearence in seven years.

The score was close at half time, but the Patriots set the tone early, stopping the banged up Chargers twice in the red zone and forcing them to settle for field goals. Then, the famous half-time adjustments enabled the Pats to put the game out of reach in the second half.

"I think we gave ourself a chance today," Rivers said. "It's unfortunate we couldn't score in the red zone."

The stories of the day were LT's removal from the game after two plays, Brady's three INTs and a 66.4 passer rating and "Larry" Maroney's big game (122 yards, TD).

With LT out, Rivers hobbling and Gates rendered useless, the Chargers were unable to find the endzone, settling for four field goals, thanks to a stellar performance by the Patriots defense. The D-line kept pressure on Rivers and held the Turner/Sproles RB duo to 99 rushing yards on 20 carries. They gave up some big plays over the middle, specifically to WR Vincent Jackson (93 yards), but as usual, Samuel, Hobbs, Bruschi and Seau made the big plays when needed.

The solid defensive effort was matched by the Chargers who forced Brady into three INTs. But Belichick made the proper adjustments, using screens to a "jersey-worthy" Kevin Faulk and pounding the ball with Maroney.

In the end it was a team effort that won the game for the Pats...

"It was guys doing their own job – guys not stepping outside their job and making plays and trusting in your fellow teammate," Patriots safety Rodney Harrison said. "We'd watch film and see four guys doing their job and one guy doing their own thing. You can't have that when you play the type of defense that we play where everything is assignment oriented. … That's why this is called a team. Tom (Brady) can't go out there and throw for 400 yards each and every week."

... proving that the Patriots, despite the high-flying offense, are still as deep and versatile as ever.

Check out Charles Robinson's piece on Yahoo! from more good stuff.

Yuke Wants $3.7 Mil.

Kevin Youlikis and the Red Sox have exchanged salary figures as part of the arbitration process. Yuke is asking for $3.7 Million, but the Sox are offering $2.525 Million. The Gold Glove first baseman made $424,500 last year, after failing to agree to a new contract with the Sox.

The Sox have not gone to an arbitration hearing since Theo Epstein became GM prior to the 2003 season.

Bottomline: He moved from 3B to 1B and won a gold glove... oh, and he was the Co-MVP of the postseason... pay the man!

Who Likes Predictions?

If you do, Baseball Think Facotry's Zips Predictions are out.

Here are a few quick stats I found interesting:

They've got Papi AND Ellsbury lead the team with .297 BAs.

They've got Papi smashing over 40 HRs again (44), but they only have Manny down for 23 -- clearly they forgot that Manny has been working out with Pedroia at the API in Arizona...

They've got Papi knocking in 138 runs (117 in '07), but strangely they have Lowell falling from 120 to 64 in '08... he's averaged 100 per season with the Sox and will likely remain in the 5th spot.

They's got J.D. Drew finishing at .259 with 10 HRs and 60 RBI -- I'll call it right now he goes .270+, 15 HRs and 80 RBI in the 6th spot.

Now here's the real kicker: They have Beckett going 16-9, 3.77 ERA and Dice-K at 15-10, 3.95. I agree that Dice-K should settle in for 15 wins, but I can only assume that the guys at BTF have spotted Beckett pounding beers and riding bulls in the offseason, 'cause I don't see Captain Kick Ass slipping that much...

Bottomline: They may have some funky numbers, but they've got the Sox winning the AL and I can't dispute that!

Francona Okay With Platoon In Centerfield

As a Manager, I have to assume that you would like as many qualified players as possible on your bench at all times. That's why I wasn't surprised to hear Tito's comments about entering camp with Ellsbury AND Coco on the roster:

"I have no problem with that," manager Terry Francona said. "I told Theo [Epstein] early on, 'I know the players might not be the most thrilled, but I have no problem with that. I think that would be just fine.'

"If you had an outfield of [J.D.] Drew, Crisp, Ellsbury and Manny [Ramirez], that's pretty impressive. I have no problem with that. I would have told Theo if I did. Not that that necessarily means he's going to make a change. I told him, 'I have no problem with this, this will be fine."

Francona sees a situation in which everyone could receive enough at-bats to stay productive.

"We're going to play the best team we can," Francona said. "If there ends up at some point being some competition, I'm not sure that's so bad."

Ellsbury has earned the chance to fight for the starting job this season. If he out-performs Coco in camp I expect him to be the starting center fielder. That said, baseball is a game of rhythm and inconsistent plate appearances for both players could be problematic. Due to injuries, Coco has yet to reach the level of play we hoped to see after acquiring him from Cleveland and I don't think a platoon situation is going to help there.

Bottomline: It took Yuke a full two seasons to adjust to the grind of a major league season. A few days off for Ellsbury might actually help him, but I'll put money down that Tito and Theo play Coco as much as possible in an effort to get his value up for a trade... and that means a possible 50/50 split to start the season.

And, in true Red Sox Nation fashion, Tito is already getting grilled on who the Opening Day starter will be:

"Daisuke's wife is having a baby," Francona said, allowing for the chance that Matsuzaka may not be able to pitch before his home crowd. "There are some things out there. What we would probably like to do is in the [two] exhibitions games over there pitch [starters No.] 3, 4 and 5.

Beckett, Matsuzaka, Curt Schilling and Tim Wakefield figure to account for the first four spots in the rotation, with Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz the primary two candidates for the final spot.

Francona said he' ll likely use the two exhibition games beforehand to get the back end of the rotation some action.

"Maybe [Nos.] 4 and 5, maybe 3 and 4, maybe split all of them and then pitch starters 1 and 2 [against Oakland in Japan]," he added.

Ther Sox will have three more exhibition games against the LA Dodgers when they get back to the states, before they resume the regular season with two more games against the A's.

"[We will] come back in L.A., pitch [starters] 3, 4 and 5 again; go to Oakland, pitch 1 and 2; and then go to Toronto and pitch 3, 4 and 5," Francona said.

Daily Dose

I have some catching up to do:

The Red Sox will be starting the 2008 season in Japan. Here are the game times:

Exhibitions
Sat. March 22 -- Red Sox vs. Hanshin Tigers -- Noon (Japan) / 11 PM (EST)
Sun. March 23 -- Red Sox vs. Yomiuri Giants -- 7 PM (Japan) / 6 AM (EST)

Regular Season
Tue. March 25 -- Red Sox vs. Athletics -- 7 PM (Japan) / 6 AM (EST)
Wed. March 26 -- Red Sox vs. Athletics -- 7 PM (Japan) 6 AM (EST)

Red Sox and Cinnamon Toast Crunch! My two favorite things!

2. Mike Lowell has been making headlines lately. He had a few thoughts on the HGH test Selig is proposing:

“If it's 99 percent accurate, that's going to be seven false positives," the Red Sox third baseman said Thursday before the annual dinner of the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. "Ninety-three percent is 70 guys. That's almost three whole rosters.

"You're destroying someone's reputation. What if one of the false positives is Cal Ripken? Doesn't it put a black mark on his career?"

Mike also enjoyed some time on set with Rene Russo recently:

"I got to shoot an ad today with Rene Russo," the Red Sox third baseman said. "I don't think that if I went 1 for 17 in the Series I would have gotten the same chance."

3. In other news, the Bruins lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 in a shoot last night. They earn a point for making it to overtime and move into 8th in the East (ahead of the Rangers) due to two less losses, but those two teams will play an important home/away series over the weekend that leads into a key matchup with rival Montreal on Tuesday.

The Bruins beat the Rangers 1-0 in their only contest this season (Oct. 20), but they've lost all five games against the Canadiens and have been outscored 24-10 in those games…

The Celtics got back on track with a 100-90 victory over the Trailblazers on Wednesday night. They sqaure off against the Philadelphia 76ers tonight at 7 PM.

Check back later for a quick look at the Patriots vs. Chargers game...

Spring Is In The Air...

Spring is in the air... or maybe that's just the new Febreeze I bought yesterday... either way Nick Cafardo's piece on the rookie development program in today's Globe had me smiling.

Clay Buccholtz, Justin Masterson and Jed Lowrie (left) were just a few of the prospect working out at BC's Alumni Stadium yesterday. They are the tip of a farm system iceberg that Baseball America ranked second in the league (Tampa was first!), but all three of them have been mentioned in the initial Santana negotiations...

Buccholtz has since become almost untouchable, and that may be because of his hard work this offseason. Last time we saw Clay he was being shut down for the season due to a "dead shoulder" and looked to be 150 lbs. soaking wet. Not anymore...

My shoulder feels great," said Buchholz, who acknowledges he was very disappointed to learn he wouldn't be on the postseason roster. "I don't feel the fatigue anymore.

"I know what it's going to take for me to stay on the team this year. A lot of hard work and dedication goes into being prepared for 162 games, and that was my offseason this year, that was [what] I put all the dedication toward. I think I'm right at 191 [pounds] right now, actually. It's better than the 178 I was last year."

Bottomline: Buccholtz hopes to be part of the 2008 Red Sox rotation, Masterson could contribute in '08 as well and Lowrie is still the short stop of the future... things are looking good for the Sox with Spring Training just 28 days away.

Get the full story here.

Daily Dose

2008 brings more improvements to America's favorite ballpark.

Click here to watch a short NESN video of Janet Marie Smith's (Senior Vice President of Planning and Development for the Red Sox) overview of the ongoing improvements at Fenway Park...

The Celtics were shocked by the Wizards against last night, losing their second straight game for the first time this season, 88-83. Globe Recap

Get the latest on the injuries to L.T., Rivers and Gates here.

Bruin's center Marc Savard was named to the Eastern Conference All Star team yesterday as a replacement for Ottawa's Dany Heatley. He will join fellow Bruin Zedeno Chara, but Tim Thomas remains on the outside looking, despite his 2.33 GAA (8th in NHL) and league leading .930 ( 884/951) save percentage.

Daily Dose

The Celtics look for revenge tonight when they host the Washington Wizards, who beat them 82-75 on Saturday. The C's have three games this week, with the Trailblazers and Knicks on Wed. and Fri.

Meanwhile the B's will look to get back on track after a mini-break, when they host the Toronto Mapleleafs on Thursday night. The Bruins grabbed 2 points with an overtime win over Philly, but with a few days off the find themselves falling out of the playoff race in the East. The Leafs are 14th in the East but always play Boston (48 pts) well, so a win is crucial before the B's play a home/away series versus the Rangers, who sit just 1 point behind them at 47.

The next few games will be a challenge as the injury bug continues to chip away at the Bruins roster. Marc Savard is missing linemates Murray (hip) and now Axelsson (foot) and the loss of Bobby Allen and Andrew Alberts in defense has thinned the wall in front of Tim Thomas.

Tina Fans Assemble!!

Surviving Grady and the Boston Herlad's Inside track are reporting that NESN / Red Sox reporter Tina "The Mouth" Cervasio may be headed to NYC!! Say it ain't so!!

Use the link to get the full story.

ps. The above image is from Surviving Grady - I don't know where it came from, but its hilarious.

Pats Beat Jags: Chargers, Packers and Giants Win

For 30 minutes on Saturday night I was a little nervous. But then I remembered that Bill Belichick is a master at halftime adjustments, and in the second half the Patriots took control. Rodney's interception in the 4th quarter sealed the deal and the Pats moved to 17-0... waiting to see who would win on Sunday...

The Jags came out of the gate throwing the ball, something most of us did not expect. That said, the running game was working well in tandem, and it is safe to assume that Del Rio was happy to still be in the game with 15 minutes to go. But the Patriots began throwing more pressure at Gerrard in the 4th, knowing that the Jags would have to go to the air to win. Once you become one dimensional, its all over and Gerrard eventually threw that INT.

Turnovers win and lose games. The INT to Harrison was costly, but it was the 1st quarter fumble by Gerrard that gave the Pats the edge. The Jags received the ball first and scored first, forcing the Pats into a potential chase scenario, but the fumble enabled Brady and Co. to take the lead and flip that scenario. Then the Patriots outscored the Jags 14-3 in the 3rd, and the Jags never caught up.

Now we plan for the San Diego Chargers. But first let me say how shocked I am that we are not facing the Colts this Sunday... and how happy I am! I know the Colts had a ton of injuries this year, and I know that the Chargers have played well against them recently, but with Phillips Rivers in a knee brace, Antonio Gates in a boot, and even LT a little shock up, the Chargers did not seem like a threat. But, I guess you don't lead the NFL in INTs (30) without having a solid defense, and I think that was the difference in this game. The Colts have a solid D as well, but the Chargers got pressure on Manning while keeping Addai in check -- not an easy task.

That was the problem I expected Belichick to be working on this week, but now he needs to figure out how to beat the San Diego defense, while keeping LT in check.

Here's Rob's Take on the Chargers: The Jags had a solid running game, so the Pats made Gerrard beat them in the air. He was not able to do so. They also had a tough defense, but the Pats put up 31 on them. The Chargers look very similar: They have the league's leading rusher, a decent QB, but mediocre WRs and a very tough defense, that is honestly, smaller but faster, so that will require a different approach.

So, I expect the Patriots to remain balanced in their offensive attack to keep Shawn Merriman and the Charger defense guessing. That said, the Chargers are essentially identical against the pass this year (213 YPGA, 20 TDs) so you might see a little more of Moss and Welker this game -- especially if Brady needs to work in more quick slants to help avoid S.D.'s quick pass rush.

In the end, just like Gerrard, I don't see Phillip River's beating the Pats, so look for the Pats focus on L.T., and take away the sidelines on Rivers. You may see some key catches over the middle, but look for the Pats to stand tough inside the 20 and the Red Zone.

Patriots 31, Chargers 24

ps. Can we finally end the "Who's the best Manning or Brady debate now?"

A quick note about the NFC: The Packers played an amazing game in snowy Lambeau. I've always been a secret Cheesehead, but seeing Favre making plays while falling over and throwing snowballs was great. I've also become a big Ryan Grant fan. After two huge fumbles, the guy bounced back for 301 yards and 3 TDs. I would love to see Favre vs. Brady in the Super Bowl and I expect that to happen...

...Because, as solid as the Giants looked in Dallas yesterday, I don't see them repeating it against the Packers in Lambeau. The Giants D in particular has risen to the occasion and the Giant's story in general is a great one, but Brett Favre and Green Bay seem to be on a path of destiny this year... too bad for Favre that the Patriots are on a historic run as well...

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Click on the image to see T.O.'s emotional reaction to Dallas' loss.

Daily Dose

What's this!? Baseball news... and it's not about Clemens!?

The Boston Herald is reporting that Tim Wakefield will have his favorite catcher back behind the plate next season.

Doug Mirabelli, 37, agreed in principle to a one-year deal with the Red Sox. He will make approximately $550,000 guaranteed, with incentives that could roughly double the total value.

At first glance this is good news, since the Sox still don't have another catcher that can handle Wake and be successful at the big league level. Kevin Cash filled in nicely for Dougie Fresh last year, but struggled at the plate -- .111 BA.

That said, Mirabelli's .202 BA in 114 ABs last year was not much better, meaning every 5th game, the Sox will trot out a weakened bottom of the line-up (Mirabelli, Lugo and Crisp/Ellsbury).

So, the questions is: What's more important: An effective start from Wake 'cause he's got Dougie catching or a slightly better bat in the 7th or 8th spot? Since the knuckleball can be a bit is a bit of a crap shot from start to start, I'll take one more year with the Dynamic Duo... either way, an aging Tek needs that day off.

In other news, The B's lost to the Canadiens last night 5-2. Their emotions got the best of them in the first period, resulting in 4 penalties (6 total) and two goals by Montreal. The B's never caught up. They showed alot of heart in the 3rd period, playing aggressively while down 3-2, but Montreal's RW Mathieu Dandenault eventually put the nail in the coffin with a goal at 11:56 and another with under two minutes to play.

The Bruins remain at 46 points and 7th in the East behind Philadelphia (48), who they will face in a matinee on Saturday afternoon. The gap between the top 4 spots has widened wioth Montreal and Pittsburgh tied at 52 points, while the bottom playoff spots are up for grabs with Boston just one point ahead of both the Rangers and Islanders and the lowly Atlanta Thrashers trailing with 44.

Bottomline: The absence of Bergeron and Murray, as well as the depleted defense, appears to be taking it's toll on the B's who are now 3-6-1 in their last 10 games.

The Celtics head to New Jersey tonight and will attempt to avenge a disappointing loss to the Bobcats. The Nets are just 18-17, but have won 8 of their last 10. The Celtics can tie the franchise record as the fastest team to 30 wins (35 games) with a victory tonight.

Oh, and the Patriots play the Jaguars tomorrow night.

Let Jim In! Let Jim In!

We've got a new feature for you this afternoon. Fellow Bottomliner Mike will be writing the occasional article for the blog and we've got his first piece bellow. Like Many of us, Mike is still trying to figure out why Jim Rice is still not in the Baseball Hall of Fame... take a look and let us know what you think. Thanks Mike.

It's embarrassing that the voters have not allowed Sox great Jim Rice into the Hall of Fame. This year was his 14th year on the ballot and he is only eligible for one more year (you can only be on it for 15 years).

Rice was a 8 time All Star, the AL MVP in 78, won 3 home run titles, 2 RBI titles, a couple of Silver Sluggers, played his whole career for one team, and he's not in yet. I figured I would compare him to several current Hall of Famers...

Orlando Cepeda, Duke Snider, Billy Williams, Johnny Mize, Al Kaline, Tony Perez, Chuck Klein, Goose Goslin, and Willie Stargell are all Hall of Famers... here's how Jim measures up: (Name, Years Played, Career BA, HRs and RBI)

Cepeda - 17 / .297 / 379 / 1365
Duke - 18 / .295/ 407 / 1333
Williams - 18 / 290 / 426 / 1475
Willie - 21 / .282 / 475 / 1540
Mize - 15 / .312 / 359 / 1337
Kaline - 22 / .297 / 399 / 1583
Perez - 23 / .279 / 372 / 1652
Klein - 17 / .320 / 300 / 1201
Goslin - 18 / .316 / 248 / 1609

Rice - 16 / .298 / 382 / 1451

The Duke, Johnny Mize, Kaline, Tony Perez, and Goslin never won any major awards, none whatsoever, Cepeda ('58 ROY, '67 MVP), Williams ('61 ROY), Stargell ('79 MVP, '79 WS MVP), and Chuck Klein ('32 MVP, '33 Triple Crown) have. Statistically rice belongs there he is in the middle of this group in the major offensive categories and only Johnny Mize played in less seasons then Jim.

There is no "magic number" or stat that guarantees a place in Cooperstown.... the most targeted numbers are 500 homers, 3000 hits, and 300 wins. Up until the steroid era only 14 players had hit 500 home runs, and all made the hall. Now 9 more players are added to that list with another 2 who will most likely hit the milestone this year. Yet many dispute whether Mcgwire will make the hall (even if he never took andro) and does anyone really consider Thome and Palmeiro worthy of the Hall?

Every member of the 3000 hit club is in the hall except for 3. Palmeiro and Rickey Henderson are not eligible yet, and Craig Biggio just retired this year. But again, Rafi shouldn’t be in the Hall, Rickey should get in on his first year (2009), and then Biggio - is he really considered HOF worthy? He has the 3,000 hits, and is probably the most unselfish player (started as an All Star catcher, moved to 2nd and again became an All Star, then at 37 moved to center field) in the history of the game, but at no time I ever said to myself, "yup, Craig will be in Cooperstown one day."

So what do numbers mean anymore? Hardly anything, especially when it comes to power numbers. rice was one of the most dominant players in his day his numbers (untainted by HGH and steroids) are right in line with many great and beloved players who were easily inducted. Next year is his last year of eligibility to get in, it's time we gave him the justice he deserves, do the right thing and vote for Jim next year.

Daily Dose

I jinxed the Celtics.

I haven't watched more than 20 minutes of basketball all season, but I was psyched when my brother called with tickets to last night's game. To boot, we sat in the exclusive Sports Deck seats with a free buffet and spacious seating. We managed to get to the Garden in time to see the C's open an 11-point lead with 6 minutes to go in the first half.

Then, while enjoying a tasty mini burger from the buffet, something strange happened...

The Bobcats, lead by a feisty Jason Richarson (34 pts), seemed to turn it up a notch while the Celtics seemed to go into sleep mode. The 'Cats scored 13 unanswered points and finished the half with a 20-4 run, capped by a last second, coast-to-coast layup by Richardson, and a 45-41 lead -- a fitting end to a dismal 2nd period performance by the Green

We expected Doc to wake his team up in the second half, but the Bobcats just wouldn't go away. The C's managed to grab the lead back a few times, but never by more than a bucket. Then a few questionable calls by the refs and some sloppy turnovers by the C's lead to an 11-2 run late in the 3rd quarter and the Bobcats never looked back.

The Celtics were outscored, 23-18, in the fourth, shot 41.7 percent for the game, and missed 16 of 20 3-pointers.

When asked what he told his team afterward, Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, "They got their butt kicked. I didn't sugarcoat it. We all did. Sam Vincent did a better job than me and their players did a better job than our players. Give them credit."

In other news, the Bruins host division rival Montreal tonight at 7:30 -- a special game time as the contest will be televised nationally in Canada.

Despite key injuries to Patrice Bergeron (Grade 3 concussion and broken nose), Andrew Alberts (post-concussion syndrome symptoms), Glen Murray (hip flexor strain), the team's lack of courage and mental toughness, most recently displayed in a 1-0 loss to a struggling Carolina squad on Tuesday, has drawn concern from management and the coaching staff -- not to mention the fans.

"We've got to win battles," said Julien. "We've got to win races. We've got to be on the puck the whole time. We have to execute plays. You have to pay the price to make things happen. You've got to finish your checks. Those are parts of the game we should be able to do and be automatic with."

So... yesterday, for the first time this season, coach Claude Julien paced the Bruins through a puckless practice. The full squad spent 30 minutes huffing and puffing through sprints and push-ups. The last time the coach resorted to a "bag skate" was March 26, 2007, when Dave Lewis ordered a 45-minute session of sprints without pucks after a 5-0 humiliation against Pittsburgh. The Bruins scored a 3-2 road win over Ottawa the following night, but then lost the last six games of the season.

The message has been sent," said captain Zdeno Chara. "We've just got to get better. We all know that [Tuesday] night's game probably wasn't our best - one of our poorest performances this season. We've just got to get better."

The midseason crisis has landed prior to a crucial game tonight against the Canadiens, who lead the Bruins by 4 points in the East. The Bruins have lost all four meetings this season against the Canadiens, who have used speed and skill up front and airtight goaltending to gain 8 points on their division rivals.

"It's become one of those teams we haven't beat yet this year," said Julien. "Knowing that they're in our division and 4 points ahead of us, it is a big game. It's probably a good time for our team to respond."

RESULTS: Colts Are Biggest Threat To Pats

The Bottomliners have spoken and they feel the Colts are the team to watch out for in the AFC. I have to agree, but I would not discount the Jags. The Globe's Mike Reiss agrees, but still think the Pats will win this Saturday night:

I see this Jaguars team as very likeable. While every team is different, this one sort of reminds me of the 2001 Patriots in that you need to watch them closely to appreciate what they're doing. They don't have bona-fide stars, but they play hard, they play together, they limit mistakes and they're tough. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew is one of the league's most exciting players who should probably be talked about more. I think he's overshadowed by playing in a smaller media market. That being said, I will be very surprised if the Jaguars come into Gillette Stadium and win. The weather looks like it won't be a factor and I think the Patriots' offense, specifically in the passing game, can exploit the Jaguars' defensive weaknesses. The Jaguars basically play a 4-3, rush four, and drop seven into zone coverage. I saw the Patriots carve up a Redskins team that played the same way earlier in the season. My main question is whether the Jaguars can control the game when they have the ball through the running game. I think the Patriots will answer the challenge.

As for the Colts, they went 14-2 without Marrvin Harrison and Dwight Freeney (for more than half the year). That says alot, and a big part of that success is RB Joseph Addai's ability to catch as well as run. Addai was the most successful RB against the Pats this year posting over 100 yards rushing and receiving and 2 TDs. And with Manning and the Colt's defense now more comfortable with the "fill-ins" (i.e. WR Anthony Gonzales), I think they pose a serious threat, despite the game being played in Gillette.

Bottomline: We need to get past Jacksonville first... "one game at a time."

Daily Dose

The Bruins fell 1-0 to the Hurricanes last night in a lack-luster effort by the black and gold.

"When you don't work, you don't win," coach Claude Julien said after a 1-0 loss before 14,549 at TD Banknorth Garden, a setback that busted the Bruins' winning streak at three. "This team has not been capable of working for 60 minutes for a while now. That's something that's been addressed in the dressing room. Until we manage to do that, we're going to have our ups and downs."

As noted yesterday, Canes' center Eric Stall was the man to look out for and he scored his 22nd goal of the season at 18:20 in the second period, a period in which Carolina out shot the B's 17-6. A frustrated coach Julien was not surprised. The Bruins had a similar let down in their 4-3 win over New Jersey. They came away with 2 points, but in the third period, when Boston was outshot, 20-1, the hustling Devils rolled over the Bruins, who didn't respond to New Jersey's attack.

"Just because you win and say, 'Well, it's OK,' it's not OK. Because eventually it catches up," said Julien. "Tonight, it caught up to us in the second period."

The B's (46 pts) fell to 7th in the East with the loss and have a must win game against the Canadiens (50 pts) on Thursday night.

Notes: Sergi Samsanov returned to Boston as a member of the Hurricanes and had 3 shots in 20 minutes on the ice.

The Celtics will host the 11-21 Charlotte Bobcats tonight. The C's have won 9 straight and could become the fastest squad to 30 wins in NBA history tonight. The 61 C's needed 35 games, this will be the 2007 C's 34th contest.

Ray Allen could miss his third game of the season with a neck injury and Glen "Big Baby Davis may remain on the bench with a "bone bruise" on his right knee.

The Bobcats have lost 11 in a row on the road, but did beat the Nets last night 115-99. However, the Bobcats have yet to win the second game of a back-to-back series this season.

Also, I will be attending this game -- shout-out to my brother -- so look for some photos tomorrow.

Jim Rice was not inducted in the Hall of Fame yesterday and released this statement:

“Today’s results are obviously a disappointment. I believe my accomplishments speak for themselves, and a majority of the voters seem to agree. It is tough to come this close, but I remain hopeful for the 2009 results. I appreciate all the kind words from so many players, including Rich Gossage, and I congratulate Goose on his well-deserved election today."

Rice Misses HOF Vote... Again

Jim Rice dominated the league for 10 of his 12 seasons with the Boston Red Sox, but he fell 16 votes shy (he needed 75%) of a Baseball Hall of Fame induction today. It was his 14th attempt.

Many thought that the ongoing steroid scandal would help Rice, who was consitently one of the best batters in the MLB before the era of juiced players and juiced baseballs.

Bottomline: If Rice never gets in, simply because he didn't kiss the media's ass... that's bulls&!t. The numbers are there, how many grudges do these guys have?

Get the full story from Yahoo! Sports and check out Surviving Grady's remarks from 2005 - they still hold true today.

The Votes:

Rich Gossage -- 466 (85.8%)
Jim Rice -- 392 (72.2%)
Andre Dawson -- 358 (65.9%)
Bert Blyleven -- 336 (61.9%)
Lee Smith -- 235 (43.3%)
Jack Morris -- 233 (42.9%)
Tommy John -- 158 (29.1%)
Tim Raines -- 132 (24.3%)
Mark McGwire -- 128 (23.6%)
Alan Trammell -- 99 (18.2%)
Dave Concepcion -- 88 (16.2%)
Don Mattingly -- 86 (15.8%)

Daily Dose

The B's host the Carolina Panthers tonight in a key Eastern Conference match-up. The B's are looking for their 4th straight win, while the Hurricanes have lost 4 of their last 5 games. Carolina is tied with Boston at 46 points, but holds 3rd place in the East as the leaders of the Southeast Division. With a win and a Pittsburgh loss, the B's can move into a tie for 4th place (48 pts) with Montreal and Penguins, as the Canadiens have the night off.

The Canes took the first of four games with the B's back on Dec. 28th with a 4-3 win. Hurricanes center Eric Staal has scored 7 goals and 6 assists in the past 11 games, but Carolina has lost the last 8 contests in which Staal has been held scoreless, so the B's should be focused on him tonight -- especially since it was Staal's his 3rd period goal that gave the Canes the win on the 28th.

Bruin's goaltender Tim Thomas will likely start his 4th straight game tonight, and although he is 9th in the NHL with a 2.28 GAA and 2nd in save percentage at .931, the B's would do well to keep the shots on goal to a minimum, as the Canes still have three top-20 goal scorers.

In other news, the C's will go for their 10th straight win tomorrow night when they host the 11-21 Charlotte Bobcats.

The Clemens steroid saga continues as the media listens to his phone conversation with McNamee.

And Jim Rice hopes his long wait for acceptance into the Hall of Fame will end today. Click here for a nice photo and stat recap of Rice's career from the Globe. Shaughnessy thinks this is the year...

The New American Gladiators Sucks

I can vividly remember waking up on Saturday mornings and getting psyched when the American Gladiators anthem came on... "Bum-Bita-Bum-Bum-Bahhh! Bada-Ba-Bahh!"

Then regular joe's would do their best to beat up on roid-heads twice their size... yet somehow, Steve, the tire salesman from Bangor, Maine, would manage to survive the Assault after being suplexed in Power Ball and then race through the Equalizer to victory.

It was perfect television.

So you can imagine my excitement when the new American Gladiators premiered last night on NBC... Well, not try to imagine my disappointment.

They brought in the Hulk - another hero from my early years - and it seemed like a match made in heaven... until he started spewing the lines they were obviously feeding him threw the ear piece, throwing in the occasional "Brother" (or five) to make it seem sincere...

Then, the first chick out "tears her ACL" and then a Gladiator goes down with an arm injury in the first Men's event! Who are these pansies!!??

Then, in hour number two, a 155 lb. Asian kid makes it through the Gauntlet, which by the way, is filled with 4 7-foot musclemen with giant padded blockers. I doubt even Batman could have done it, but this kid squeaks through in less than 30 seconds!

He goes on to beat the 40-year old guy that tried out 14 years ago, but missed his call back due to L.A. traffic...???

I thought there was a writers strike!? Apparently not, 'cause this crap couldn't be more scripted!

And don't get me started on the Gladiators... "Wolf"... "Toa"... ugh.

I'm dying to hear if anyone else watched this and was as upset as I was. If you missed it, they plan on breaking my heart all over again tonight...

Click here to relive the good old days.

Pats to face Jags on Saturday Night

Most of us saw this coming. Despite the loss of star TE Antonio Gates, the Chargers pulled out a playoff victory over the Titans on Sunday, confirming that Jacksonville would face the Patriots in an AFC Divisional match up this Saturday.

Like I said, most of saw this coming, but I'm not sure we're all happy about it. The Jags might be the most balanced team in the NFL, scoring over 25 points per game, while crushing their opponents with a relentless defense. The Patriots will have their hands full this Saturday and Belichick knows it.

"People that think of Jacksonville as a conservative, run-the-ball, tough-defense kind of team, they're way past that, way past it," said Belichick. "I think their record speaks for itself. They're one of the least-penalized teams in the league. They don't make a lot of mistakes. They make you beat them. They do a good job."

Jacksonville features a big, tough defense, with a solid defensive line and aggressive secondary. But that may work against them at times versus Tom Brady and his top-ranked receiving corps. The Jags held the Steelers to 48 total rushing yards, but gave up 337 passing yards and 3 TDs as Roethlisberger mounted a second-half comeback. The Jags (100.3 YPG) and Pats (98.3) were equally solid against the run during the regular season, but the Jags were middle of the pack against the pass, allowing 213.5 YPG and 20 TDs. Del Rio and the Jags know that the passing game is Patriot's strength, but injuries to DT John Henderson and MLB Mike Peterson will make it tough to keep Brady & Co. at bay.

The Jags will look to run the ball with the 1-2 punch of Taylor and Jones-Drew, but unlike many analysts, I don't think the Patriots are as weak against the then run as they would have believe. The Pats held teams to under 100 YPG and the 2nd fewest rushing TDs (7) during the regular season. They haven't faced a two-headed monster like Taylor and Jones-Drew, but they kept guys like Marion Barber III, Brian Westbrook, Clinton Portis and LaDainian Tomlinson in check -- Indy's Joseph Addai was the only RB to really gash the Pats, posting 112 RY and 114 PY and 2 TDs.

I think the bigger problem the Patriots will have is stopping the Jags in the Red Zone. The Pats are 27th in the NFL giving up 24 TDs (mostly passing) in the Red Zone for a 73% scoring percentage, while the Jags are 9th best at scoring in the Red Zone at 88%. (For the record, the Jags are 23rd in D (82%), while the Pats are 2nd on offense scoring 94% of the time.)

As I looked through the stats, I thought things like Garrard's 3rd down efficiency or the Jags 20 INTs would be a problem, but in almost every case, the Pats defense looked up to the task: The Jags are 6th on 3rd down conversions, but the Pats D 4th best at stopping them. The Jags had 20 INTs and 3 more vs. Pittsburgh, but Brady was 2nd only to Garrard with just 8 INTs this season and won't make bad decisions with the ball, even if the Pats are trailing...

Bottomline: The Jags are good, but the Pats are better. Look for Wes Welker to have a huge game, especially in the second half, when he will begin to use his speed to take advantage of a big, but tired defense. Meanwhile look, for the Pat's D to give up some yardage, but make the big plays to keep the Jags out of the end zone.

Patriots 28, Jaguars 20

Belchick Named Coach of the Year

Belichick was named AP Coach of the Year for the second time today. He received 29 of the 50 votes, beating out Green Bay's Mike McCarthy who received 15 votes.

Owner Robert Krafts had a few things to say about his coach:

"In this age of parity to go 16-0 when people are after our players, our administrative staff, our coaches," Kraft said, "to be able to achieve this feat in an age of parity when everyone's playing with the same budget is just a tremendous tribute to his management style."

"If anyone is deserving of such an award it really is Bill," Kraft said. "I know the energy and effort and planning and time (he puts in). He's had his foot on the pedal all year, just working so hard and always doing everything he can to put the team in a position to win first."

"You know, I think back to sitting in the stands," Kraft said of his days as a fan, "when we went 1-15 and 2-14. And, you know, I saw the '72 Dolphins, and to see this team perform the way it did this year, and in the end, he is the conductor. And he's got some great players, but he's the conductor and I just think the job he did was superb."

Bill simply released this statement: "This is definitely a team recognition, but one that I appreciate very much on a personal level."

Classic.

Although I have to admit, the robot Belichick that usually takes the podium can get old after awhile...

Daily Dose

The Age of the Abe Lincoln beard is done. Matt Clement signed a 1-year deal worth 1.5M with the St. Louis Cardinals yesterday. After a strong start to his career in Chicago, Clement struggled in Boston and then fell victim to a line drive shot up the middle in 2006. Returning from shoulder surgery, Clement rounds out a Cardinals staff that includes Adam Wainwright, Braden Looper, Joel Pineiro and Anthony Reyes, with ace Mark Mulder still recovering from surgery himself.

Interestingly, both the Cards ('06) and the White Sox ('05) have recent WS Championships, but have quickly fallen from grace since, making the two rings won by the Sox in '04 and '07 even more impressive.

In other baseball news, Oakland Athletic GM Billy Beane is has officially gone into rebuilding mode. After trading ace Dan Haren to Arizon in December, the A's traded slugger Nick Swisher to the White Sox for three minor leaguers yesterday.

I got off the plane from the winter meetings, I said to David, `Who are we kidding?"' Beane said. "We can't let hope be our strategy here. That's what we're doing. ... We can't waste another year. If this needs to be done, it needs to be done."

Oakland had eight straight winning seasons from 1999-2006, making the playoffs five times, including a trip to the AL championship series in 2006. But when injuries hit Rich Harden, Eric Chavez, Bobby Crosby, Huston Street, Mark Kotsay and many other A's last season, the team finished just 76-86.

In the world of hockey, the Bruins won their second straight last night over the red hot Washington Capitals 2-0. Marc Savard scored his 9th goal of the season in the second period and Zedeno Chara slapped the B's first 5-on-3 goal of the year to make it 2-0 in the 3rd. Tim Thomas saved 31 shots, earning his 1st shutout of the season and remains tied for the league lead with a .931 SV% through 25 starts.

The B's have started to turn things around beating Atlanta and Washington after losing 5 in a row in December. But the next three games of this home stand are crucial as the B's (6th in East) will face off against New Jersey (2nd), Carolina (3rd) and Montreal (4th).

Boston Globe: Peter Gammons Talks Sox

Peter Gammons checked in at Boston.com today for some Red Sox talk with Red Sox Nation. Here are most of the key topics...

Guest_: Do you think Lugo is the long term answer at shortstop for the Sox ? Peter_Gammons: Hello everyone... RE: Lugo: The way he played defensively the last 5 weeks, indicates he should be alright. He never recovered offensively from being sick before spring training. It will be interesting to watch if he's more consistent this year. If Jed Lowrie is still with them, he should allow them to give Lugo more rest and be a good alternative at SS.

Guest_: Who do you think are possible teams that would accept a trade for Coco Crisp?
Peter_Gammons: I think Texas... Oakland... would be the most likely if he's not part of any deal with Minnesota. I could see Billy Beane trading for Crisp and then turning around and trading him before season starts. A's think he's best CF in game right now.

Guest_: Where do you see Clay Buchholz fitting in next season, might he end up in triple A baring any injuries to the starting rotation?
Peter_Gammons: I think he could start in Triple A, but by the time the season's over he'll be an important part of their rotation. They showed that resting starters during season, e.g. Beckett two weeks, Schilling time off, etc. can be very beneficial come October. Having 6 starters can eventually work its way out.

Guest_: Do you think Okajima can have another year like the on he just had? He was such a surprise and a big part of the Sox Success.
Peter_Gammons: I would be surprised if he could duplicate that performance, but I do think he'll be a perfectly viable LF 8th inning reliever. What will be interesting will be to see what righthanders emerge along with Mike Timlin, especially whether Craig Hansen bounces back after a very strong Arizona Fall League performance.

Guest_: Which Hitting Prospects in the Sox System do you feel will make a BIG IMPACT in the near future?
Peter_Gammons: Probably the two highest regarded young hitters other than Brandon Moss are Larz Anderson and Ryan Kalish. Anderson is considered their best power prospect after a very strong season at Greenville as a 19 year old. Outfielder Josh Reddick made himself a significant prospect and scouts who saw some of the players out of last years draft were impressed, specifically 3B Will Middlebrooks, 1B Anthony Rizzo, and OF David Mailman.

Guest_: Jacoby for Santana...I'm not sure I want to part with him. I've got a feeling that he is going to be real real special and I think that Sox are loaded with enough pitching (Cheaper than Johan at that). Your thoughts please?
Peter_Gammons: Santana is probably the best pitcher of this generation. He's young and he's a great athlete who should be able to last another 10 years, but the more I've thought about the Santana deal, the more I'm convinced it's not a great idea. Whether it's the Ellsbury deal or the Lester deal, the Sox would still be giving up three young players and I don't discount the importance that Lowrie will play in the next couple of years. Theo has rebuilt the RS farm system in a very short time and changed the culture. And I think that culture is really important. The baseball people with the Yankees feel the same about what Cashman has done and would prefer not to make a Santana deal. There are days when I really believe that the Red Sox and Yankees wake up and hoping somehow the Mets can find 4 or 5 good prospects in the organization and make the trade, but right now, that's highly unlikely.

Guest_: Peter, please tell me you're a Hall & Oates fan, and what about Jon Lester? Will he be able to harness his control, limit his baserunners, and be an Andy Pettitte type?
Peter_Gammons: I can't say I'm a big Hall and Oates fan, but I'm no one to talk... One of the most interesting thing about the winter meetings was that John Farrell was passionate about his case for Jon Lester becomming their equivalent of a young Pettitte. His velocity should be back to where it was 2 yrs. ago come ST. His breaking ball and changeup improved dramatically in the postseason. And if you go back and look at DVD of Game 4 and watch his presence given the opportunity to clinch the WS, it's remarkable. After the Cleveland series, the Indians front office, coaches, and player personnel people had a meeting and it was unanimously agreed that after Josh Beckett, the best pitcher on the Red Sox was Lester. That doesn't include Papelbon, different category.

Guest_: Do you think JD Drew will settle down this year and start producing better power numbers?
Peter_Gammons: I think he will. He hit very well in September. He played well in the postseason. And his family issues will be behind him. I don't think he was quite prepared for Boston and I also think that he's the type that can put fans and media completely out of sight.

Guest_: Hey Peter, what's your opinion of how Bill Smith is handling the Santana issue, it seems he is desperately trying to get someone to play against the Sox, but no one is playing along.
Peter_Gammons: I think one issue that Bill faces, is because Terry Ryan made so many great trades, he's trying to remake the team using Santana. I think Hank Steinbrenner would trade for Santana but only at the cost that was offered a month ago. The one team that continues to try to continue to build up inventory to trade are the Mets, and Smith may be waiting to see if any offer gets better.

Guest_: Peter, How would you rate Dice-K's first season in Boston and do you expect a big improvement in year 2?
Peter_Gammons: I thought he was good, not great. What surprised me, was the inconsistency of his pitches, especially his command in the last three months. I do expect he'll be much better this year if for no other reason, that he will be used to the expectations from the Japanese media and from Red Sox fans. He is an extraordinary athlete and a truly loves to play which makes me believe that he will improve.

Guest_: What are your thoughts on the Tigers trading for Cabrera and Willis?
Peter_Gammons: I think Cabrera will be a mega-star in what has a chance to be the best offensive lineup in the league. Willis is tough to judge. Every number has gotten worse the last three years, and the question will be, did all the innings he threw at such a young age catch up to him?

Guest_: Tim Wakefield quietly had a great year for the Sox. What are the chances of him putting together a similar campaign in 2008?
Peter_Gammons: I think Wakefield may be able to pitch effectively until he's 45. He's very athletic, and he's in the shape of a 25 year old. He seems to continually come to grips with what it takes to stand out there and throw that pitch, so if his back holds up, he should continue to be one of the most undervalued pitchers in the game for another 3-4 years.

Guest_: Seems like Manny may have finally settled himself here in Boston, only took 8 years. Do you think there is any chance he resigns after this contract?
Peter_Gammons: I do think the Red Sox will pick up his option so that he plays through 2010. I think there's a good chance that he'll want to stay, but where he is at that point in his career is something that's impossible to predict. I know he'd like to finish his career in Boston, but when sluggers get close to 40 years old, the market can shift dramatically.

Belichick: Coach of the Year??

Patriot's Head Coach Bill Belichick lead his team to a perfect 16-0 record. But does that guarantee him the Coach of the Year Award? Some say no...

The two major arguments against Belichick are the level of talent the Patriots have and of course, Spygate.

Some would argue that a guy like Romeo Crennel, leading the Cleveland Browns to a 10 win season with Derek Anderson at QB and one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Or perhaps Jeff Fisher in Tennessee is more worthy for actually making the playoffs, despite having QB Vince Young and his mediocre season as his only "super star." Or maybe Joe Gibbs deserves some credit for keeping the Redskins focused after Sean Taylor's death and eventually making the playoffs. Or, dare I say it, maybe Tony Dungee and the Colts should get some votes for overcoming the loss of Harrison and Freeney and still earning the No. 2 seed in the AFC and a 14-2 record... Hell, I might even vote for Jack Del Rio and the surprising Jags...

These Coaches have inspiring stories, but how do you NOT vote for the coach with the prefect season? Logic would tell you that he and his team beat everyone they played and therefore he is the better coach, right? Well, you could argue that a monkey could lead the Pats to the playoffs with Tom Brady and Randy Moss doing what they did this year, but I think Patriots fans know better...

So, the question really comes down to Spygate. Will this "blemish" on the 2007 season stop Belichick from earning the COTY award? Since the votes come from the media, you can bet it won't be unanimous, and you have to wonder if the NFL really wants Belichick to win after the hand slap they gave him after Spygate...

Bottomline: Belichick should win. 16-0 has never been done before and you don't fend off every team's best effort throughout the second half of the season on pure talent. It takes coaching and discipline as well.