Blogging BLOHARDS

Old Sox Finding New Homes

Over the last few days, a few former Red Sox have finally found new places to call home, and for two, it's the same club. And it was two guys who were traded for each other.

Orlando Cabrera and Nomar Garciaparra both agreed to one-year contracts with the Oakland A's. OC figures to be the A's new shortstop while Nomar will get time at both first and third base. Cabrera found few takers out there as he was a Type-A free agent and will cost the A's a first-round draft pick. His deal is for $4 million.

Nomar's signing will be announced by Oakland later this week. His career has basically gone off the rails since he left Boston in 2004, mostly due to injuries, and he had been considering retirement. It's not known yet what he'll be signing for. Nomar hasn't returned to fenway yet since his departure in July 2004, and a long standing ovation should be awaiting him in his first at-bat.

And now it appears the long national nightmare involving Manny Ramirez is finally coming to an end, as he appears ready to accept the Dodgers two-year, $45 million offer. Naturally, Satan Himself, aka his agent Scott Boras, says no deal has been agreed on yet. That tells me that one is about to happen, since Ramirez is expected in Dodgers camp shortly.

Fabulous Fenway Guide Anew!

Just a few weeks ago, BLOHARD member and author Tim Shea released an updated version of what was already one of the most useful guides to Fenway on the planet. "Fenway! The Ultimate Fan's Guide, 2009 Edition" has been updated with new info and a totally new section that tells you how many rows your seat is from the field regardless of where you're sitting. All of this comes with the schematics that made the original 2006 "Fenway Pole Finder" a must-have, section-by-section guide for navigating the necessary evils of the park - the Grandstand poles that impede views of home plate, the pitcher's mound, or both. 

The book does a great job covering the entire fan experience from buying your ticket to dining in and around Fenway. Also new to this edition is a comprehensive history of all renovations that have taken place since 2002.   

Simply stated, the real value of this book is that it allows you to know two keys facts about any specific seat in the park before you plunk down your hard earned, scalper-inflated cash: 'Where is this Grandstand seat in relation to the poles?' and 'How many rows from the field will I be?'

The guide is 192 pages and packed with 49 photos and 70 diagrams. It's available for $16 from Amazon and/or you can go to www.fenwayfanguide.com for more info on the book and ticket sales.

Chances are good that you'll be able to meet the author in person at the upcoming May 5 luncheon!

Words of Wisdom from Vicente

ONE STEP CLOSER TO MY PULITZER

by Vicente Romo

 

BOLDFACE NAMES AND FOUR DOTS       

 

A sign that the Post is overextending with A-Rod stories - a story that Brett Gardner "has forgiven his drug-tainted teammate."  Thanks, Brett.  Certainly no threat of steroid speculation with you, not when you hit same number of HRs for Yanks as RAY DUFFY did!....Three-time winner A-Rod, by the way, early and huge favorite for Horse's Ass Award on May 5th.  Scott Boras only other horse in the race....So Orza tipped off A-Rod in 2004.  Sure.  Testing on players who tested positive in 2003 began during mid-September of 2004.  Didn't take a genius to know the test was coming before September 30.  And given that primobolan takes six months to clear (according to Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus), doubtful any "tip" could have helped....The Torre/Verducci book isn't bad,  Roger Clemens crying in the clubhouse being the highlight so far.  No surprise to hear Jeter defending Torre, with an early chapter laying a big wet one on the Yankees' captain.  David Wells, Sidney Ponson, Kevin Brown - um, no so wet ones....Congrats to Prof. Thom's' Chris Wertz and his lovely bride Brooke on the birth of their twin daughters, Sheridan and Samantha, on Babe Ruth's birthday....If not for the Strawberry stuff on Page Six and A-Rod taking up most of the sports section, the Robby Alomar lawsuit story (especially the stuff about the Mexican guys) could have dominated any slow news day....Read that Merrill Lynch's former CEO John Thain's $35,000 office commode was not a toilet but a French dresser from the 18th Century with drawers that held one's chamber pot.  Happy to clear this up....Apparently, Ed Randall's post-Torre but pre-Alex interview with Brian Cashman at Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville on February 3rd sold out in a day.  Was featured in all NY papers, national coverage, too.  Congrats to Randall.....So in the final game of 2008 the Mets brought in a pitcher who had not been warming up.  Surprised they hadn't thought of doing this earlier and more often....I know what you're thinking about the remaining 103 names of those who tested positive for PEDs in 2003 - "Don't let it be 'Tek."....Don't know if Sox fans appreciate just how solid Ramon Ramirez is.  Big factor is that he's not in Kansas (City) anymore.  There are blogs in Boston with more beat writers than cover the Royals....No height listed in baseball-reference.com for Harry Steinfeldt., Cubs' 3B of early 20th Century.  Any BLOHARDS remember what he looked like? ....Tito shuffling the rotation to get things in order for the Northeastern game....We hear there is a terrific documentary about Looie Tiant that is about to hit the film festival circuit.  Will keep you posted....Columbia great Howie Bauld was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame by Medford High recently....Players with more lifetime triples than Rickey Henderson (who played most of his career in a triples ballpark, the cavernous Oakland Coliseum) -Tinkers, Evers, Chance, and Harry Steinfeldt, the third baseman.  Also, Brooks Robinson (think Sean Casey with shin splints)....Next BLOHARDS' luncheon - May 5th. Will feature Ray's slideshow, Pizzarelli, Randall, dramatic readings from the Torre book, more than passing mention of A-Roid.  www.blohards.com

Pizz With The Pops

 PIZZ WITH POPS

BLOHARDS' designated crooner John Pizzarelli will be the special guest of the Boston Pops on the evenings of May 12th and 13th.  The concerts will be held on Symphony Hall on Mass. Ave., with tickets available at www.bso.org

The Sox are on the road vs. LAA on both of these nights, 10:05 EDT starts.  Am guessing our Boston friends can be home watching by the second or third inning. 

As a result, Pizz's scheduled June dates at Scullers will be moved to a weekend TBD later in the summer. 

"I Like Jersey Best" Now On iTunes

The international hit (once performed in Brazil) I LIKE JERSEY BEST is now available on iTunes for the astoundingly low price of $0.99.  The performer is John Pizzarelli.   At 8:28 you get a lot of music for less than a buck.  It's the live version, with Pizz imitating Dylan, the Police, Johnny Cash, Billie Holiday/Madeleine Peyroux, and the LOUs (Reed and Rawls) and was written by BLOHARDS' VP of Increasingly Little, Joe Cosgriff.

 

"I have no idea about what my taste would be for having "composed" a million-seller," added Cosgriff.   "But I'd love to find out....." 

 

Pizzarelli was not aware of the iTunes announcement, nor was he able to translate the song's success into statistical terms.  "I know we received a plaque back in the '80s when the record went bronze,"  he volunteered. 

 

I don't know what my songwriting cut would be should your enthusiasm make it a million-seller, but I would most definitely follow up to let you know. 

 

Once you search for and find the song on iTunes, the "Gift this (item)" feature allows you email gift certificates to your friends (hundreds of them, we hope), allowing the now-happy recipients to download and endure "I Like Jersey Best."  And at 99 cents, it's a gift that combines both the gift of music with a healthy respect for the struggling economy. 

Perspective On A-Rod's Troubles

BEFORE WE GO TOO NUTS ABOUT THIS A-ROD THING.....

From SULLY BASEBALL
http://sullybaseball.blogspot.com/2009/02/dont-get-cocky-red-sox-fans.html

There are 103 other names on that supposedly sealed group of positive tests.

And as much as we'd like to single out A-Rod...
And as much as we'd like to think the other 103 names are Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Aaron Boone, Paul O'Neill, Bucky Dent, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, etc., odds are a few Red Sox players are on there as well.

And chances are there are some Red Sox that WE really love!

So when you boo A-Roid this year, be prepared for some of the members of our beloved 2004 squad to have their names dragged into it.

And also, there are so many other reasons to boo A-Rod. Let's focus on him being an overpaid, wife-cheating, Arroyo wrist-slapping, ringless, big-game choke artist!
 

Slappy Schadenfreude

A-ROD: WHAT HE SHOULD SAY

 

by Vicente Romo

 

"Good advice costs nothing,

And it's worth the price."

                - Allan Sherman

 

Alex:  Commissioner Selig, Brian Cashman, Scott Boras, and members of the media: 

 

Thank you for coming out today to hear the explanation of my testing positive for steroids in 2003.  Even though I took this test with the full and stated confidence in Major League Baseball and the Player's Union that the results of this test would never be made public, I owe it to baseball, to my team, and to myself to respond to the current situation. 

 

No one wants mandatory testing more than Alex Rodriguez.  As the best player who has ever played the game, I know that the only way to maintain the substantial gap between myself, Alex Rodriguez, and the rest of the players would be to make sure that as few of them as possible were able to take performance-enhancing drugs.   

 

But mandatory testing during the duration of the current CBA would only be put into motion when greater than 5% of the 2003 players tested positive.  My question to myself was - "Alex, how can I help us get to mandatory testing?"  Of course, the only answer was by testing positive myself.  Since there would be no penalties for testing positive in 2003, I took one for the team.  Truth be told, I would have peed in all of my teammates cups had security not be so onerous.  To my fellow players, I am happy to say, "You're welcome."   I have helped us get to mandatory testing, the first step to getting us back to a drug-free game. 

 

You'll note that since helping us achieve the goal of mandatory testing, I have not once tested positive for any performance enhancing drug.  Not in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, or 2008. 

 

So again, I am here to tell you that I INTENTIONALLY tested positive in 2003 in an attempt to push us over the 5% threshold of positive tests that would bring about mandatory testing.  And mandatory testing is what baseball needs.  I did it as a leader and custodian for baseball.....and it also works for Alex by keeping those players not blessed with my abilities and strength safely in the rearview mirror. 

 

Any questions? 

Keep The Date: May 5

MAY LUNCHEON IS SET

Joe Cosgriff, BLOHARDS' VP of Increasingly Little, announced recently
that the BLOHARDS first luncheon of 2009 will take place in May, prior to the club's second luncheon in September.

May Luncheon - May 5, 2009
Columbia Club
15 West 43rd Street
11:30 - High Balls
12:15 - Call To Order
2:15 or so - Stragglers asked by Security to move along

Guests: WFAN's Ed Randall, jazz crooner John Pizzarelli, Sox player TBD, Columbia Lion mascot, Prof. Thom's Trivia Savant, John Quinn. Pending guests include two former players of considerable notoriety. Confirmations of additional luncheon guests will be posted on the blog and website as they trickle in.

More info - www.blohards.com

From The Blohards... Lunch is Served!

Joe Cosgriff, BLOHARD VP for Extra-Scientific Paranormalism, having recently emerged from a week-long trance during which he communicated with our venerated forebears, confirms the propitiousness of August 27 as a date for our next gathering.  The particulars of the event, having been prescribed to Joe in minute detail, are set forth below...

NJ Star-Ledger On "Minor" Rivalry

BY LISA KENNELLY Star-Ledger Staff

The players were professional. The fans, less so. Those in Yankees jerseys glared at nearby fans dressed proudly in Red Sox attire. Those in Boston colors defiantly cheered on their team, while kids in pinstriped T-shirts tried to drown them out with their own chants.

All in all, it was your average Trenton Thunder-Portland Sea Dogs game. What, you thought this was Yankee Stadium? (Article here.)