Ellsbury Out Of Lineup With Groin Strain

ASSOCIATED PRES

Well, you knew it was too good to be true, didn't you? After breaking a Red Sox record for stolen bases in one game (5), Jacoby Ellsbury reported tonight that he strained his groin on the record-breaking steal and will be out of tonight's lineup. Jackie Bradley, Jr. will take over in center and Daniel Nava will lead-off. Having a red hot Ellsbury in this series with the Empire was something to look forward to. Now, not so much.

Pinstriped Posers Entertain First Place Red Sox

They are aging, hurt and they just lost five in a row. Now, they must entertain the first-place Boston Red Sox for three games at The Concrete Bunker On 161st Street. Boston leads the majors in runs scored and holds a two game lead on the Bronx Embalmers. Tonight, Jon Lester takes the hill for Boston and will face two Evil Ones straight off the disabled list. Former good-guy Kevin Youkilis and forever bad-guy Mark Teixeira are expected to suit up for the first time in a long while. Of course, The Empire still has Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez on the disabled list. Look for some fireworks tonight, as both teams find themselves in unexpected contention one-third of the way through the season. Fasten your seats belts.

Believe It, Sox Now Lead MLB In Runs Scored

Believe it or not, your 2013 Carmine Hose have scored more runs to date than any other team in baseball (274). Nobody—including your humble scribe—thought that was possible at two full months into the season. Not only are the Red Sox atop the American League East by two games, their improved defense has allowed their run differential to soar to +50—trailing only the Tigers (+63) and Rangers (+55) in the American League. Their surprising performance so far is a credit to GM Ben Cherington (for his bold acquisitions), Manager John Farrell (for letting a wide array of players contribute) and, of course, the players themselves. We are delighted to have been wrong in our estimation of this team.

Dalton Jones Average Erodes Slightly In May

Despite the Red Sox being in first place, FenwayNation's Dalton Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) experienced a drop in May—sliding 9.2 points to 113.0. The drop in the Index was fueled mostly by declining confidence in both starting and relief pitching and overall offense. Panel members were most confident in the team's defense in May (raw score of 77.5). It should be noted that the Index score is still significantly above the pre-season normalized reading of 100.0. FenwayNation offers its readers this monthly reading of "The Mood Of The Nation" through our exclusive Dalton Jones Industrial Average. Named for the all-time Red Sox pinch-hit leader, the average is a composite index of four key metrics: starting pitching, relief pitching, total offense and total defense. The editors of FenwayNation have selected a panel of readers from throughout the world to weigh in every month on the state of the Carmine Hose. The Index number—and its fluctuation up or down—has proven, over the years, to be an accurate bellwether of actual performance.

A-Rod Is Runaway 'Most Annoying' Choice

It's not even close. Early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that Alex Rodriguez is the runaway choice as "most annoying Yankee player of all time". As the chart shows, The Fraudulent One garners just over half the total votes (51%), followed distantly by Joba Chamberlain at 14% and Reggie Jackson at 12%. Mark Teixeira finishes in fourth spot with 6%—although 8% name some other obnoxious Yankee not appearing on our list (hey, we could have put 100 names on the list). The top "other" choice was the extremely annoying Mickey Rivers. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

Everybody Being Manny In Taiwan Sunday

Everybody Loves Manny

In celebration of his 41st birthday, Manny Ramirez's teammates on Taiwan's EDA Rhinos gave him a spacial tribute last Sunday. Everyone—fans, players, coaches, trainers—donned "MannyDreds" for the day (see pic). All of this is being done to keep Manny on the team after June 11—when he can opt out of his contract. Not surprisingly, Manny is hitting .354 and slugging .598 so far for the Rhinos. To lure him back, the team is offering hotel accommodations at $1,670 a night, and his family is  being flown in from the Dominican for a reunion next month. What else can you say?

Is Jacoby Ellsbury 'Stealing' Into The Night?

Getty Images

Jacoby Ellsbury's recent resurgence—including his Red Sox record five steals in a game last night—may be a sign that he's really paying attention to his upcoming free agency. Over the last week, Ellsbury is hitting .400, with four doubles, a triple and eight stolen bases. He's slugging .600 with an OPS of 1.071. Even without the power we saw in 2011, this is a player who can literally take over a game with his slashing hitting, speed, intimidation and guile. If he continues in this mode, he will significantly enhance two things: 1.) the chances of the Red Sox making the post-season and 2.) the chances of his getting a megadeal in free agency. Ellsbury's five steals broke his own and Jerry Remy's record of four steals (the RemDawg doing it in 1980). Jacoby also became the first player in MLB to steal five since some guy named Carl Crawford—who pulled it off against the Red Sox in 2009.

Red Sox Hero Dave Roberts Turns 41 Today

The Steal

Very few Red Sox players can bridge the generations with their exploits—but Dave Roberts is one of them. He was at that magical moment in time when his singular achievement could make octogenarians and millennials weep together with joy. That stolen base is a touchstone that every Red Sox fan can own forever. The iconic images will never fade. The near pick-offs. The hand just beating Derek Jeter's swipe. The frustration on the face of Jorge Posada. After that, the sweet deluge. Thank you again, Dave Roberts. And happy 41st!

Grand Theft Jacoby! Red Sox Smoke Philly, 9-2

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Jacoby Ellsbury set a new Red Sox record by swiping five bases tonight and Boston moved out to a two-game lead over The Empire, beating Philly, 9-2. Ellsbury was on base five of six times with three singles and—after he was hit by a pitch—seemed on a mission to embarrass Philly on the basepaths. Boston used the long ball (David Ortiz, Jonny Gomes) and timely hitting in general to put this one away pretty early—scoring four times in the first. Jarrod Saltalmacchia had three RBIs on two doubles and Jose Iglesias kept up his .400 pace with two more hits and an RBI. Franklin Morales was more than adequate in his first 2013 start—going five innings and yielding two earned runs. Now, the Sox head to Baghdad On The Hudson for a week-end series with the Bronx Embalmers.

Cubs Outright Former Sox Prospect Bowden

Outrighted To AAA

For a long time, there were elements in the Red Sox organization who thought Michael Bowden could ascend to ace status for the Carmine Hose. Back in 2005, Boston used their 47th overall pick to snap up Bowden—as compensation for losing Derek Lowe to free agency. But for whatever reason Bowden never clicked in Boston. In parts of five years with the big-league club, he posted a 5.61 ERA, throwing a grand total of 59 1/3 innings. Last April, he was traded to the Cubbies for the forgettable Marlon Byrd. So, even the guy who originally saw so much promise in Bowden (Theo Epstein) has 'outrighted' him to AAA. Bowden accepted the assignment and will now try to get back to The Show. We wish him the best.

FN POLL: Most Annoying Yankee Player Ever

Most Annoying Yankee Player
Which ONE of the following is the most annoying Yankee player ever?	Rodriguez Chamberlain Jackson Munson O'Neil Clemens Henderson Teixeira Dent OTHER (Specify)
	Current Results

Buchholz Start Pushed Back Once Again

After his infant's sleeping habits caused him AC joint issues, we may need to start calling Clay Buchholz, 'The Babe'. Buchholz reported (and the team is sticking by the story) that he "slept funny" with his baby daughter cradled in his arms, resulting in collarbone soreness that nixed his Monday start. Initially, he was penciled in for Friday against the Yankees. Now, that has been pushed back until—well, nobody really knows. Franklin Morales will get the ball on Friday and there's an outside chance we will see Buchholz against The Empire on Sunday. But don't hold your breath. Or your baby for that matter.

What Can Brown Do For Philly? Top Boston, 4-3

Drew Hallowell/Getty Images

Domonic Brown has long been considered the best prospect in the Phillies organization. But, like many who get that tag, his progression up the major league ladder has been slower than expected. But, after he clouted four home runs in three games against the Red Sox, he may be coming into his own. Brown—with two HRs last night—lead a homer-filled Philadelphia attack against Boston pitching that resulted in a 4-3 Red Sox loss. Jacoby Ellsbury's 'Comeback Tour' continued with a double and a triple, but the offense (an increasing concern on this team) was just not up to snuff against a sub-par Philly starter. A ninth-inning rally again old friend Jonathan Papelbon fell short, and the Carmine Hose are now in danger of losing 3 of 4 to a very mediocre Philly team.

Muddy Chicken Nursing Torn Thumb Muscle

Back on Opening Day, we opined as to how Dustin Pedroia should dial back his intensity some in certain situations. Specifically, we were concerned that he appeared to injure his hand diving back to first base on an inconsequential play. Of course, suggesting that The Muddy Chicken dial anything back is problematic. Intensity defines him. Nevertheless, it seemed like it might be a problem. Sure enough, nearly two months later, Pedroia has admitted that his first-day dive resulted in a torn thumb muscle that he's been dealing with ever since. The exact diagnosis was "a complete tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb". Yikes. And, he's hitting .332 with a .422 OBP with a torn thumb muscle! To paraphrase Abe Lincoln, "Find out how he injured the thumb and have every one else do the same thing". I'll take nine Pedroias on my team, thank you very much.

Moran Or Frazier Likely Red Sox Draft Pick

Moran (top); Frazier (bottom)

As the June draft rapidly approaches, most observers have settled on one or two prime candidates the Sox will choose with their prized #7 pick in the first round. Earlier this month, we cast our lot for all-world HS outfielder Clint Frazier. This kid seems like a can't-miss, blue chip choice—with the best bat speed in the whole draft. His outfield arm is said to be both accurate and near 100 MPH. It could be a bit of a gamble, but Boston has rarely had a draft pick this high. We say "go for it"—and so does Baseball America. The other player most often predicted as the Red Sox choice is Colin Moran—a big 6'3", 215 pound third baseman, who could play first. Sports Illustrated projects that Boston will take the left-hand hitter out of the University North Carolina at the #7 spot. So, who will it be—the five-tool high-schooler who could develop into a franchise player or the big college lefty swinger who has the skill to also pummel the Green Monster?

Jackie Bradley, Jr. Re-Joins Red Sox Tonight

He's Baaaaaaack!

This time he just might stick. Jackie Bradley, Jr. has been re-called from Pawtucket and will re-join the major league club in Philadelphia tonight. Bradley has been ripping it up in AAA—hitting .354, and on a 12-game hitting streak before the call-up. The outfield phenom started the season with Boston, but slumped to an .097 average before being sent down. He did, however, make things happen in the field and on the bases—and excited the fan base with his obvious potential. As it becomes more and more likely that Jacoby Ellsbury will wear other laundry in 2014, it's important to get Bradley experience at all three outfield spots for the rest of this year.

Heroes Bauman, Arredondo Honored At Fenway

American Hero Jeff Bauman

Last night's ceremony at Fenway Park honoring Jeff Bauman and Carlos Arredondo was another reminder of how trivial our obsession with baseball really is. The two heroes of that horrific Marathon Monday threw out the first pitches and were showered with the adoration they truly deserve. Bauman, severely injured by the bombing, awoke after surgery (to remove both his legs) to give the FBI a detailed description of one of the terrorists—one he had looked right in the eye. His information led directly to the swift apprehension of the two bombers—and likely saved many other lives at their next target in Times Square. This is the definition of true heroism. Arredondo's quick thinking helped save Bauman's life and created a bond of friendship that will last both of their lifetimes. Kudos to the Red Sox and especially Dr. Charles Steinberg for hitting just the right tone in this moving ceremony. You can watch the entire ceremony HERE.

Sox Go Cliff-Diving To Defeat; Fall To Philly, 3-1

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

It was one of those nights when you just tip your cap to the better pitcher. In an old-fashioned two-and-a-half hour pitcher's duel, Cliff Lee and Ryan Dempster matched wits in a hardball standoff. Lee was just a little better—going eight superb innings and giving up just one run in Philly's 3-1 victory. Dempster went seven, yielding just two runs. Fittingly, it was Jonathan Papelbon who shut the door on the Carmine Hose in the ninth—getting his 10th save to go along with a sick 0.92 ERA in 2013. Why can't we extend guys like this? Now, it's off to Philly for the second of of this bizarre "home-and-home" interleague nonsense.

Making NESN Look Good In Kansas City

We'll Take Bryce Hunter To Block

As followers of this site know, we have often been critical of NESN and the way they conduct their Red Sox broadcasts. Our biggest gripe is that NESN seems to be the only sports network in America without a super slow-mo capability. Even the Royals broadcast has super slow-mo! Speaking of the Royals, and FOX Sports Kansas City in particular, we'd suggest they stop hiring raw interns for graphics jobs. The other night, during an Angels-Royals broadcast, the crack graphics crew put up a viewer poll. The question was interesting enough: 'if you had to start a franchise from scratch, which young phenom would you choose first?'. That was the easy part. The graphics displayed were not exactly in sync with reality (see pic). Wow, NESN, we take it all back.

Ex-Red Sox Not Really The Problem For Dodgers

Don't Blame Them!

First of all, let's get one thing straight. You will not see any revisionist history here on The Great Punto Trade. How Ben Cherington was able to hoodwink the Dodgers into taking on the salary equivalent of Peru's GNP is still amazing. Nevertheless, LA's recent problems cannot be laid on the doorstep of the former Carmine Hose—except for Josh Beckett, of course. As Craig Calcaterra of NBC 's Hardball Talk points out, Adrian Gonzalez in on a tear—hitting .337 on the season. Carl Crawford is not only over the Mendoza Line, he's hitting over .300. And the centerpiece of the deal, Nick Punto, is living up to his reputation—scorching the ball at a .327 pace. So, don't blame the Boston refugees for the poor play in La-La Land. And, dude, did you see the tie-up on the 405? Like, what was that all about? (EDITOR'S NOTE: Sorry, we just uncontrollably lapsed into LA Speak. It won't happen again).

Ex-Sox John Kennedy Turns 72 Tomorrow

'Super Sub' John Kennedy

John Kennedy is a name that's tough to live up to in Massachusetts. After all, at least once a year somebody named 'John Kennedy' runs for Middlesex County Register of Deeds—and always gets 95% of the vote. And, to add more pressure, this John Kennedy was born 24 years to the day (May 29th) after his more famous presidential namesake. The John Kennedy who turns 72 years of age on Wednesday became known in the Hub as "Super Sub" for his uncanny ability to have an impact on games in a bench role. He toiled for five years in Carmine Hose (1970-1974)—missing a pennant-winning season by a year. But in those five years, Kennedy was about as clutch as you can get—despite hitting just .243 over his Boston career. He never played in more than 74 games in any of his five years here, but always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Happy birthday, John!

Papelbon Remembers The Fun Of Red Sox Run

Exclusive FenwayNation Photo

He seemed a lot more subdued than the guy we all remember with the Bud Light carton on his head. As he came off the field after batting practice last night, Jonathan Papelbon saw the throngs of Red Sox and Phillies fans seeking his autograph over by the third base rail. He walked over and spent at least ten minutes signing for every little kid who held out a Sharpie. He seemed at peace with himself—no longer the wild child of 2007's post-season (see pic). In interviews, he also gave off a more mature vibe. Of his time in Boston, he simply stated, "I think every time I took the mound here it was fun." That it was, Paps, that is was.

Sox Re-Gain Sole Possession Of First; Win, 9-3

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits and made a spectacular three-run saving catch, Alfredo Aceves somehow survived six bizarre innings and the Red Sox took over first place from the Empire, beating the Phillies, 9-3. Aside from that, nothing really exciting happened at the old ballyard. Oh, did we mention that Aceves threw his first warm-up pitch right into the home plate meeting between the umpires and managers—with near disaster averted by an alert Jarrod Saltalamacchia? Or that a tribute video to Jonathan Papelbon elicited a wry salute from the ex-Red Sox closer from the dugout? Boston unloaded on Phillies pitching for 15 hits—but then again the Brotherly Lovers got 11. Dustin Pedroia and Mike Napoli went yard for the Carmine Hose, but then again, Domonic Brown and Erik Kratz went deep for the bad guys. It was a weird night at Fenway, but it wasn't raining and the right team won.

Will Sox Trade Salty Before His Free Agency?

Headed Out Of Town?

When Jarrod Saltalamacchia hits the free agent market this Fall at age 28, he will be the youngest of a group including John Buck, Brian McCann, A.J. Pierzynski and Carlos Ruiz. If the Red Sox have a need at the trading deadline, their organizational catching depth may tempt them to deal Salty this year—and save some long-term cash. With David Ross and Ryan Lavarnway, they have more than adequate alternatives ready to step in. And with Christian Vazquez, Blake Swihart and Dan Butler not far behind, Boston is well-equipped to take a gamble on trading Saltalamacchia. Salty has improved his on-base percentage this year, but the Red Sox are still not thrilled with his high strikeout rate, inability to hit lefties and average defense. Look for something to happen on the backstop front sooner rather than later.

Clay Buchholz To Miss Memorial Day Start

AP Photo

For those of you who—like your humble scribe—were looking forward to seeing Clay Buchholz continue his Cy Young Tour in person: Sorry. The Red Sox announced on Sunday that the righty will miss his Monday start because of "irritation in his right AC joint in the collarbone area". As far as we know that has nothing to to with Tommy John surgery. Turns out it was more like a Nice Daddy injury, "The night we got back from the road trip, just got in bed and had the little girl with me and I fell asleep like this [with her crooked in his arm] instead of on my back like I usually do. When I woke up the next morning it felt a little tight." At worst, Clay should just be pushed back a few days. But still, we have to trudge to Fenway tomorrow to see an Alfredo Aceves start. Yeesh!

Red Sox Storm Back In Ninth; Beat Tribe, 6-5

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Your 2013 Carmine Hose are now tied for first place in the AL East. Down 5-2 going into the bottom of the ninth, Boston rallied for four runs—capped by a two-run, walk-off gap shot double by Jacoby Ellsbury—to beat Cleveland 6-5 and take the season series 6-1. Felix Doubront had another typically schizophrenic start, going six innings and giving up just two earned runs. However, he coughed up two big home runs as well. Dustin Pedroia led off the ninth with a walk, followed by a David Ortiz double. Two ground outs made the score 5-4. Two more walks and a single followed, then Ellsbury delivered the decisive blow.

David Ortiz May Sit Out All NL Interleague Play

Riding Interleague Pine?

Thanks to Bud Selig's moronic plan, there's at least one interleague game every day of the 2013 MLB season. In total, the Red Sox will play 20 interleague games this year—12.3% of their entire season! Now, according to the Globe's Nick Cafardo, Boston's designated hitter, David Ortiz, is slated to sit out every one of the 10 interleague contests in NL cities. Why? Mike Napoli can't really catch anymore (other than in an emergency), and that takes away the first base (and only) option to play Papi in the field. This is a prime example of why this new system is a joke and why Selig has to force the National League to adopt the DH—now.

Sox Rally Back In The Eighth; Beat Tribe, 7-4

 Jim Rogash/Getty Images

For a second straight game it was the previously slumping Mike Carp who had the big hit. Today, Carp drove in the tying run in the eighth inning in an eventual 7-4 Red Sox win. After Pedro Ciriaco had doubled, Carp drove him in and then Dustin Pedroia drove in Carp for the game-winner. Jon Lester struggled but persevered, yielding ten hits and four earned runs in seven innings. Jose Iglesias continued his claim to stay on the major league roster by notching three more hits and scoring two runs.

Tito Roughs Up Don Orsillo In Indians Dugout

Poor Don Orsillo. All the NESN play-by-play guy wanted to do was re-acquaint himself with former Sox manager Terry Francona before Thursday's game. Shockingly, the new Indians manager physically assaulted the Northeastern University grad by roughing up his carefully coiffed hair. It's not known whether the Boston Police were called into the case. We will keep you posted. In the meantime, you can watch this disturbing raw video footage of the incident HERE.

Lackey Recovery Tour Rolls On; Sox Cruise, 8-1

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Over his last two starts, John Lackey is looking like the guy who won Game 7 of the 2002 World Series for the Angels. Tonight, Lackey threw seven stellar innings giving up just two hits and one unearned run in Boston's 8-1 triumph over Terry Francona's Indians. Mike Carp provided the early offense, breaking out of a monster slump with a three-run home run. Dustin Pedroia went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs and Jacoby Ellsbury knocked in two more. But this cold, rainy night belonged to Lackey, who improved to 3-4 on the year and lowered his ERA to an outstanding 2.72.

Middlebrooks Is Day-To-Day With Back Spasms

AP File Photo

UPDATE: Middlebrooks Goes To DL
It was bad enough that the Red Sox lost to old friend Terry Francona in a 12-3 drubbing, but the news that Will Middlebrooks is injured again made the loss far worse. The 24-year Boston third baseman left Thursday night's game with back spasms that may have been caused by one of his last at-bats in the White Sox series. The back issues are unrelated to his rib injury. Unfortunately, Middlebrooks was just starting to look like the hitter we've come to expect before this new setback. More than likely, Pedro Ciriaco will fill in at third—a woefully poor substitute. If Middlebrooks needs a DL stint, you may see an infield call-up.

Wait, Aren't Canadians Supposed To Be Nice?

Something's 'Brewing' In Toronto

Don't tell Nate McLouth that Canadians are the nicest people on planet Earth. Not after what he experienced last night at SkyDome (we refuse to call it Rogers Centre—with that annoying "e" on the end of 'center'). After tumbling into the left-field stands to make an outstanding catch, McLouth was showered with some 'strange brew' from a disgruntled Blue Jay fan (see pic). No word yet on whether it was a Molson Canadian or a Red Racer IPA. Sargent Preston could not be reached for comment.

Fenway Fans Treat Tito The Way He Deserves

AP Photo/Charles Krupa

The Red Sox ownership may have kicked Terry Francona to the curb, but the real embodiment of the Red Sox franchise—its fans—gave Tito a sustained standing ovation at the end of last night's first inning. Before the game, Red Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino did stop by to say hello to Francona—which is more than can be said for owners John Henry or Tom Werner. After the video board displayed a reel of his managerial highlights in Boston, Francona waved to the crowd and tapped his heart. That's all he had to do, we understood. We will always understand. Of the tribute, he said, "These are some of the best fans in the world. If you like baseball, this is a good place to be and I got to be a part of that. I feel very fortunate." Amen.

Tito And The Tribe Ambush Red Sox, 12-3

Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Terry Francona had to love this first trip back To Fenway clothed in enemy laundry. For all the talk of his downplaying the visit, the fact that his new players awarded him a 12-3 laugher of a win has got to be sweet. Kudos to the Sox ownership for playing a well-deserved video tribute to Francona after the first inning. As Mark Reynolds said, "It was just neat to see the organization do that for him. I think I saw him teary-eyed a little bit during that thing. It was pretty neat and I was glad to be a part of it.'' Reynolds was pretty glad to be walking to the plate against Ryan Dempster, too—who lasted just three innings giving up four earned runs. David Ortiz got the Sox close with his eighth home run (a three-run shot), but this one was all Tito's. Angst Level: ELEVATED

Victorino To Miss Fourth Straight Game Tonight

UPDATE: Victorino Goes To DL
While he has not been placed on the disabled list yet, it may just be a matter of time for Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino. The team announced today that Victorino will miss his fourth straight game tonight with a hamstring injury. It's still unclear whether he'll be able to return for Friday's night's tilt. Given the spate of wet weather in the offing for Boston over the weekend, the Red Sox might view it as more prudent to keep the 32-year old off the field for a while.

Papi Joins Old Buddy Millar On 'Intentional Talk'

Heroes United Again

David Ortiz will appear on the MLB Network telecast of Intentional Talk this afternoon at 5PM Eastern. Big Papi's former teammate (and fellow 2004 Red Sox hero) Kevin Millar co-hosts the show with Chris Rose. The Red Sox designated hitter is expected to talk about his charitable efforts to help the victims of the Boston Marathon terrorist attacks. You can find out more about Intentional Talk HERE.

Fenway Park Raffle Benefits Pan-Mass Challenge

There aren't very many charitable endeavours more worthy or more successful than the Pan-Mass Challenge. Since 1980, the PMC bike-a-thon has raised $375 million for Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Now, the Red Sox and WEEI radio are offering fans the chance to help the PMC and win an "Ultimate Fenway Experience". For the cost of a $2 raffle ticket, the winner and three guests will get four field level dugout seats to the June 19th game against the Rays. On top of that, the winners also get a tour of Fenway Park, and presence on the field while the Sox take batting practice! Dinner for four is also included at Fenway's EMC Club. Where are you going get that kind of luxury for two bucks? You can order your raffle tickets for The Ultimate Fenway Experience HERE.

Sox Fans Deserve A 'Retraction' From Owners

Allow us to start off this screed with a clear recognition of reality: this ownership group is not building a New Fenway Park. Ever. We gave up the ghost on this one a long time ago (even though we insist that Red Sox fans deserve a 21st century replica of the old girl). So, with reality firmly in hand, we suggest the next best thing. Consider for a moment the weather for the upcoming week-end series against Terry Francona's Indians: rain, rain and more rain (see graphic). Next, try to recall how many times you've sat in your obstructed view Fenway seat—knees scraping against the 1912 wood on the seat in front of you—waiting out a two or three hour rain delay. Then, try to recall how many times that long, expensive wait resulted in the announcement that the game was postponed. Wouldn't it be nice to never have to worry about that again—like fans is Seattle, Phoenix, Miami, Milwaukee, Houston, and Toronto? All of these venues have a retractable roof system that forever eliminates the angst associated with rainouts. So, here's an idea for the NOG: sell that crappy seventh place European soccer team you own, and use the proceeds (likely $650 or so million dollars) and hire a smart young architect who can figure out how to retrofit a retractable roof on Fenway. The fans will be willing to trade off the obstructed views and cramped seating if they know they'll at least be dry and have some predictability in their planning. What do you say, fellas?

FenwayNation Restores 'Angst Advisory' System

After putting it on the shelf for two years, we've decided to re-introduce the FenwayNation Angst Advisory System. Each day, we will display the angst level of The Nation through a graphic (see example pic) accessible via our top o' the site navigation bar (labelled "Sox Angst"). Obviously, fans did not need such a warning system in 2011—we had the greatest team in baseball history! Uh, never mind. And in 2012, Bobby Valentine was his own walking, talking Angst Advisory. In 2013, we have moderated back to a typical "yin/yang" Red Sox year that screams out for a comforting tool like the Angst Advisory. You can access today's advisory HERE. Look to the top of the site every day and find out exactly how worried you should be about our beloved Carmine Hose.

Buchholz Five-Hits Pale Hose In 6-2 Sox Win

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Clay Buchholz—now a serious contender for the AL Cy Young Award—won his seventh decision last night in a 6-2 win over the White Sox. The righty went seven innings, giving up just one earned run. He walked three and struck out four. Buchholz mixed all his pitches well—keeping the Pale Hose off-balance all night. David Ortiz knocked in two runs in the first to give Boston a lead it never relinquished. Andrew Bailey finished things off by pitching the ninth—although he gave up a home run to Paul Konerko. The Sox come home to face the Indians and old friend Terry Francona—then the suddenly mediocre Phillies come to town starting on Memorial Day.

Ellsbury Still Atop The Red Sox Lineup Tonight

Despite the rumors that Jaocby Ellsbury might be dropped down in the Red Sox lineup, manager John Farrell is hitting him in his customary lead-off spot tonight against the White Sox. Jonny Gomes will hit second, and Will Middlebrooks is in the seventh spot.

FenwayNation Debuts FanTab Confidence Poll

FenwayNation is now offering its readers a new way to express their confidence (or lack thereof) in The Olde Towne Team. FanTab is "a Web-site and mobile application that enables fans to contribute their sentiment or confidence regarding their favorite sports teams". That sentiment is then aggregated to create real-time, chartable indexes of fan confidence. This measure will be an interesting counterpart to our existing Dalton Jones Industrial Average Panel rating. Get started and submit your rating right HERE.

Francona Speaks About Prodigal Fenway Return

Associated Press Photo

On his way to returning to Fenway Park as manager of the Cleveland Indians, Terry Francona has been besieged by a raft of media interviews. One thing he revealed—which probably won't surprise you—is that he hasn't spoken to any of the Red Sox owners since the publication of Francona: The Red Sox Years. And, in general, it appears that he's moved on from the acrimonious split after the disastrous 2011 season. Truth be told, he got them two rings and he was treated like "ring around the collar".  As he put it, "Eight years in Boston, I think I was pretty honest about it, it's one of the most awesome jobs you can ever have, but it's difficult and it wears on you." No kidding. In any event, he comes to Fenway with a first-place club in tow—a game and a half up on the vaunted Tigers. How do you not love this guy?

Pale Hose Ring Up "No Sale" On Red Sox

The chances of the Red Sox salvaging one game on the South Side of Chicago increased dramatically with word that White Sox ace Chris Sale will not make Wednesday night's start. Thus, Red Sox ace Clay Buchholz will go up against someone named Hector Santiago. Sale is 4-0 with a ridiculous 1.18 ERA over his last five outings. Reportedly, the lefty hurler is experiencing "mild tendinitis in his shoulder". Buchholz has had good success against the Pale Hose over his career—going 1-1 with a 1.71 ERA in his last three match-ups.

Memorial Day Sox Caps Help Veterans Charity

The brand new caps that will be worn by MLB teams on Memorial Day are now available for sale—with proceeds going to the Welcome Back Veterans Fund. The new-look hats feature a camouflage design and brown coloring (see Red Sox version in photo). You can purchase one of these cool Red Sox hats and help a very deserving cause by clicking HERE.

Ellsbury And Red Sox Have Not Started Talks

No Talking!

According to sources reported on by WEEI.com's Rob Bradford, Jacoby Ellsbury and the Red Sox have not started negotiations on a new contract extension. Absent an extension, the Boston center fielder will become a free agent at the end of this year. There has been some discussion in the media that—given Ellsbury's sub-par 2013 performance—both sides might agree to re-up a one-year deal for somewhere in the neighborhood of $12 million (up from this year's $9 million). This would offer Ellsbury another opportunity to have a big year in the run-up to his first free agency bid—and give Jackie Bradley, Jr. more time to mature in AAA. Of course, Ellsbury could still turn it around this year and compile the kind of numbers that would enhance his marketability right away.

Felix Doubront Pitches Better; Still Loses, 3-1

Brian Kersey/Getty Images

The most amazing part of Felix Doubront's pitching performance last night was that when he hit 85 pitches it was the sixth inning, not the second. To paraphrase a character in the 'Airplane!' movie: "Felix picked the wrong night to stop stinking". The other "Sox" hurler—Chicago's Jose Quintana—took a no-hitter through 6 1/3 innings and shut down Boston's bats in the process. Doubront's one major lapse—a two-run HR to light-hitting octogenarian Jeff Keppinger—spelled ultimate defeat in the 3-1 loss. The Red Sox had their chances—like when Stephen Drew struck out with the bases loaded—but this one seemed out-of-reach anyway. At least the Empire lost as well.

Victorino Out Again With Hamstring Issues

Shane Victorino, the 32-year old outfielder of the Boston Red Sox, is out of action again—this time with a hamstring issue that occurred on Monday night. Victorino has missed a total of nine games so far this year with back-related injuries—but it's unclear whether this hamstring issue is related to that. It's likely Victorino will miss at least Tuesday night's game against Chicago. If it's necessary to place Victorino on the DL, look for the second elevation of fan favorite Jackie Bradley, Jr.

Sox Closer Andrew Bailey: "I'm Ready To Go"

Bailey: Back And Ready

Although he wasn't needed to close on Monday night, Andrew Bailey is ready. Pronouncing himself feeling, "as good today as I did day one", the reliever was aching to get back into action. With Joel Hanrahan lost for the season (and likely forever as a member of the Red Sox) with Tommy John surgery, Bailey's effectiveness at the end of games is a prerequisite for this team's contention down the road. If Bailey can stay healthy and perform to the level he did in Oakland (and even earlier this year), Boston has a chance to be a contender. Without that stability at the back end of the 'pen, they will go nowhere. Given the instability at this position since Jonathan Papelbon left for free agency, it makes you wonder whether Ben Cherington should have given Paps whatever he wanted to prevent him from "Shipping Out Of Boston".

Rogelio Moret Can Breathe Easy; Sox Lose 6-4

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Jon Lester was trying to become the first Red Sox lefty to win his first seven starts in a season—a record held by Rogelio Moret in 1973. After getting the first two outs of the first inning, Lester lost his command and the result was a 3-0 deficit. Two more runs in the second pretty much assured Moret's place in Carmine Hose history, as Boston fell to the Pale Hose, 6-4. Jarrod Saltalamacchia was responsible for two of the Sox runs with a home run—and he almost got a second two-run shot that would have tied the game in the seventh. In addition to his two-RBI double, Will Middlebrooks nearly tied it again with a two-run shot in the ninth, but the 400-foot blast ended up going for a long out. Tonight, Boston battles the White Sox and severe weather on the South Side.