Severity Of Pedroia Hand Injury Still Unclear

Dustin Pedroia left last night's walk-off win in the tenth inning with a right hand contusion. The injury occurred earlier in the game when Pedroia had to make a diving save of a throw to second on a stolen base attempt. Any loss of The Muddy Chicken—short-term or long—would be a devastating blow to the surging Red Sox. Initial X-Rays came back negative, but Pedroia will undergo further testing today.

Red Sox Walk-Off Rays 3-2 After Near-Brawl

(Exclusive FenwayNation Photo)

As your intrepid FenwayNation correspondent walked up the ramp to enter Fenway, multiple fans were ooh-ing and ahh-ing over a park-wide rainbow stretching from left to right. That natural wonder brought some luck to The Carmine Hose—who topped their new PunkBoy rivals (the Tampa Bay Rays) 3-2 in 10 innings on Friday night. Despite pitching brilliantly, David Price decided to plunk David Ortiz in the back in their first meeting of 2014. In their last meeting of 2013 (the ALDS), Big Papi took Price deep twice. Both benches were "warned" by the rookie umpiring crew—resulting in the ejection of manager John Farrell for arguing that Price should have been run. Later, Price plunked Mike Carp, and a near brawl ensued— but Price was still not ejected. This did lead to the ejection of Sox bench coach Torey Lovullo. Brian Butterfield was also ejected—along with Sox starter Brandon Workman (who missed hitting Evan Longoria). And, another Sox player (Jonny Gomes) was hit—but no Tampa ejections! As Farrell said, "When we have four people ejected and also have three people hit by pitches, and they have none, that's a hard one to figure out." After trailing 2-0, Boston clawed its way into a tie against the tough lefty. Then, in the 10th, A.J. Pierzynski (who has had multiple big hits lately) tripled in Gomes with the game-winner. Said Papi, ''If you're mad because I take you deep twice....I've got almost 500 homers in this league. It's part of the game, son." Price retorted, "That's not something I'm trying to do. I had six lefties in the lineup today. I've got to be able to throw my fastball in."  By the way, Xander Bogaerts got three more hits. Wild. Wooly. Rivalry.

Alex Hassan Gets His Call-Up To "The Show"

Alex Hassen

If you grew up in Milton, Massachusetts and attended BC High, chances are you dreamed of playing at Fenway Park for the Red Sox. That dream may—as early as tonight—become a reality for Milton's Alex Hassan. The Red Sox called up Hassan from AAA Pawtucket to replace Ryan Lavarnway (who has gone on the DL). Hassan has been on the 40-man roster, but has never actually played at the big league level. His overall minor league stats and his ability to get on-base played a big part in his call-up. Hassan told WEEI.com's Alex Speier, "I feel confident in my abilities...My focus has always been what I can do to become the best player I can be." Here's hoping the 26-year old makes a big splash right away.

'Break-Out Bogie' On An Offensive Tear For Sox

(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

After being branded "a failure" by some in the mainstream media, Xander Bogaerts has been on an offensive juggernaut of late. As Hall-Of-Fame baseball writer Peter Gammons points out, Bogie is fourth in the American League in on-base percentage. As Gammons also points out, the 21-year old Aruba native is still young enough to be in next week's MLB First-Year Player Draft. And, as HarballTalk.com's Craig Calcaterra reminds us, Xander has gone "11 for 30 (.367) with three doubles, three walks, three RBI and six runs scored" since the dis in John Henry's Boring Broadsheet. The surge also coincides with the Red Sox announcing the re-signing of Stephen Drew. That $10 million could be the team's best motivational program ever.

Rubby De La Rosa To Start On Saturday For Sox

(Boston Herald Photo By Matthew West)

One of the added side benefits of The Great Punto Trade Of 2012 was the acquisition of two of the brightest pitching prospects in the Dodger system—Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster. Choosing which one would replace Clay Buchholz in the Red Sox rotation came down to De La Rosa's better recent outings at AAA (he's struck out 13 in his last two starts). This will be De La Rosa's first major league starting appearance since 2011. He is on the comeback trail from Tommy John surgery. This could be his big chance to convince management that he was the hidden "ruby" in the big Punto deal—aside from the quarter-billion dollars John Henry saved to squander on soccer and moribund broadsheets.

Red Sox Extend Win Streak By Trial And "Error"

 (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Getting on a winning streak in baseball requires a lot of skill—but also a lot of luck. The Red Sox got the latter in spades last night en route to a 4-3 comeback victory over the Braves at Fenway Park. Despite a gutsy 8-inning pitching performance by Jake Peavy, The Carmine Hose found themselves down 3-1 entering the home half of the eighth. Brock "The Shock" Holt led off the frame with a bloop single (he's now hitting .315, by the way)—and got to second on an error by Justin Upton. Xander Bogaerts (now hitting .296) followed with an RBI single and Dustin Pedroia reached on a weird infield roller that was called a hit—despite being misplayed by the Braves. A.J. Pierzynski (who has been collecting big hits lately) then lined a single to center to plate the tying run. In the ninth, the winning rally started with two walks off Uber-Closer Craig Kimbrel. Bogaerts then smoked a shot to third that Atlanta's Chris Johnson threw to second—resulting in another error that allowed Jackie Bradley, Jr. to blaze home with the game-winner. Easy. Just like John Farrell drew it up. Now, the last-place Rays.

David Ortiz Is Out Tonight With A 'Calf' Injury

The Red Sox will go for the multi-city four game sweep of the Braves tonight without the services of DH David Ortiz. Ortiz is out with a "calf" injury—hopefully not a euphemism for the dreaded Achilles issue. Many of us in attendance last night noticed that Ortiz walked gingerly off the field at least a couple of times. The Sox line-up is: Brock Holt, 3B; Xander Bogaerts, SS; Dustin Pedroia, 2B; A.J. Pierzynski, DH; Jonny Gomes, LF; Grady Sizemore, RF; Ryan Lavarnway, 1B; David Ross, C; and Jackie Bradley Jr., CF. Jake Peavy starts for The Carmine Hose.

Dalton Jones Industrial Average Open To All

The Editors of FenwayNation have decided to allow all of our readers the opportunity to "weigh in" on the State Of The Carmine Hose through our exclusive Dalton Jones Industrial Average Index. As many of you know, The DJIA (honoring the Red Sox all-time pinch-hit leader) gathers four key metrics each month using a simple "0" to "10" confidence scale on: starting pitching, relief pitching, overall offense and overall defense. This process will now be available to all FN readers around the world. Each month, readers—through a simple one-page survey tool—can assess the fortunes of the team. FenwayNation will publish the DJIA Index Score each month during the season. We invite all of our readers to complete the quick survey, then simply hit "done", which automatically (and anonymously) sends the form to FenwayNation. Here is the survey link for May: DJIA SURVEY LINK (Please complete and send by Saturday, May 31st).

Manny Ramirez To The Nation: "I Apologize"

(AP Photo)

Wednesday's reunion of the 2004 "Idiots" World Championship team offered an opportunity for some players to re-connect with fans after a decade. For one particular player—Manuel Aristides Ramirez—it was also a chance to say he was sorry. Sorry for all of the misdeeds that left a bad taste in the collective mouth of The Nation when he departed Boston. Said Manny, "I realize that I behaved bad in Boston. The fans were great. I also played great when I was here, but I realized I behaved bad. I apologize for that. I'm a new man." The cynic in us asks, 'Is he really a new man?' None of us can look into Manny's soul (and, for one, I wouldn't want to anyway). Does it excuse the pushing down of sixty-something Traveling Secretary Jack McCormick, the multiple PED violations, or the simple fact that he quit on his teammates? Hard to say. He seems contrite, "Now that I see David and the rest of the guys, I wish I could have done better. I wish it turned out better than it did." It was a somewhat mixed reaction last night to Manny emerging from the door inside the Monster—but definitely more cheers than boos. The bottom line is: Manny remains (to paraphrase Winston Churchill) "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma". Indeed.

Buchholz On DL With Hyper-Extended Knee

(AP Photo)

A year ago, Clay Buchholz was the 9-0 rotation stud whose landing on the DL was a potentially devastating blow to the team. This year, he's the very dispensable 2-4, 7.02 ERA non-stud who has just landed on the 15-day DL with a "hyper-extended" knee. The first reaction is: Big deal, could anyone in AAA do any worse? Said Buchholz, "It's not an injury to my arm like it was last year... the ball is coming out of my hand fine....so I gotta get back to the basics and go from top-to-bottom with it." Regarding replacements, Brandon Workman is already spoken for—taking the spot of the previously DL'd Felix Doubront. Most had expected Allen Webster to be the logical choice to replace Buchholz, but Boston has called up reliever Alex Wilson instead. Another roster move may be imminent prior to what would have been Buchholz's next scheduled start on Saturday.

Larry Lucchino Expects Lester Talks To Resume

(Leon Halip/Getty Images)

Appearing on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan Morning Show, Red Sox President and CEO Larry Lucchino said he expected to re-start contract extension negotiations with Jon Lester before the end of the season. Back in April, multiple sources reported that the team had offered Lester an extension in the range of four years and $70 million—well below market value. Today, Lucchino said it would be a mistake to get "fixated" on the opening offer. As Red Sox fans recall, Lester has been an elite performer in post-season play throughout his career.

VIDEO: Johnny Damon Does The Manny Cut-Off

Juggernaut Sox Take Third Straight; Top Braves

(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Break up The Carmine Hose! The Red Sox won their third straight against Atlanta, shutting out the Braves 4-0 on Wednesday night. John Lackey was again superb—going 6 1/3 scoreless inning, while striking out nine and walking none. During the night, he was routinely firing strikes at an 80% rate. Some of the Boston offense came in unconventional ways—e.g., a run-scoring double-play in the second, preceded by a throwing error. But (the resurgent) Jackie Bradley Jr., A.J. Pierzynski and Jonny Gomes each collected two hits and an RBI.  Before the game, the Red Sox honored members of the 2004 World Series championship team.

Buchholz To Test Ailing Knee Today At Fenway

(Getty Images)

Clay Buchholz (who bears no resemblance to the pitcher of 2013) will test his left knee today in a bullpen session at Fenway. Subsequent to the session, the team will determine whether the right-hander makes his next scheduled start. Apparently, the knee "buckled" during Buchholz's three-plus-innings stint on Monday. Red Sox manager John Farrell was candid about the situation, "We're not blind to what everyone sees. And yes, there is concern because you're talking about a guy that was on his way to potentially a Cy Young year last year and now he's only shown flashes of it, either inside a given game or for a given start." Stay tuned.

Red Sox Honor 2004 "CurseBusters" Tonight

From TWITTER Feed Of Pedro Martinez

Believe it or not, it's been a decade since the 2004 Red Sox broke the mythical "Curse Of The Bambino" by winning the 2004 World Series. After 86 years, The Nation could finally breathe again. So, if you want to celebrate that achievement: Who 'Ya Gonna Call? How about a bevy of 2004 players—led by Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez?  Both players were in town last night and got together with other teammates. Among some other "Idiots" who will be there tonight are: Johnny Damon, Kevin Millar, Tim Wakefield, Derek Lowe, Keith Foulke, Trot Nixon, Gabe Kapler, Orlando Cabrera and Jason Varitek. Get to the park early and enjoy the 40 degree late May weather!

Sox Rally Again, Streak To 6-3 Win Over Braves

(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

While it wasn't technically the game-winner, it sure felt like it. Jackie Bradley, Jr. slashed a two-run single in the seventh to push Boston's lead to three runs in a comeback 6-3 win over Atlanta. The Braves intentionally walked David Ross to get to Bradley (an even rarer occurrence than A-Rod telling the truth), and the kid came through with a vengeance. The lead run had earlier been delivered by a Jonny Gomes bloop to right after David Ortiz blooped in the tying run. Luck, it appears, is turning in favor of your Carmine Hose. Jon Lester was just good enough to get the win—but clearly not the dominant ace we saw in the 2013 post-season. Dustin Pedroia had another amazing night, going 3-4 with a run scored and an RBI. The same teams meet tonight at Fenway for a rare 'home-and-home' series.

Ross To Catch Lester Tonight Versus Braves

Jon Lester has had better success throwing to David Ross, so that will be the battery tonight in Atlanta. The Red Sox will send out the following line-up to face their former cross-town rivals: 1. Brock Holt 3B; 2. Xander Bogaerts SS; 3. Dustin Pedroia 2B; 4. David Ortiz 1B; 5. Jonny Gomes RF; 6. Grady Sizemore LF; 7. David Ross C; 8. Jackie Bradley Jr. CF; 9. Jon Lester P

Cubbies Unveil Plans For Renovated Wrigley

Apparently, Theo Epstein was a good student. The Cubs today unveiled their mock-up of a renovated Wrigley Field that has a lot of similarities to what's been done to Fenway over the last decade. The $370 million renovation will include a 200-seat restaurant behind the home dugout, a 30,000 square foot expanded clubhouse (second only in size to that of The Evil Ones)—all of which would be finished in time for the 2018 season (yeah, right!). Seven new outfield signs/scoreboards would be incorporated into the new plan—assuming it doesn't tick-off too many "rooftop club owners". The team owners—the Ricketts family—also plan to build a hotel, a plaza and an office-retail building on the property.

Clay Buchholz Might Not Make His Next Start

(AP Photo/Butch Dill)

It's come to this. The guy who was—arguably—the best pitcher in all of baseball about year ago is now in danger of losing his spot in the rotation. The Red Sox acknowledged that Clay Buchholz might miss his next start—not due to any injury, just due to pure ineptitude. Said manager John Farrell, "We've got to look at this a little bit closer and there's no determination on five days from now. We've got to continue to talk about what he's currently going through and what's best for him and certainly what's best for us." Before an 8-6 comeback win by The Carmine Hose, Buchholz put his team in a 6-1 hole and failed to go more than three plus innings while walking eight. If he's bounced from the rotation, look for Allen Webster to be the first choice to replace him.

Jared Remy Pleads Guilty To Murder; Gets Life

Jared Remy—the son of Red Sox legend Jerry Remy—has pleaded guilty to murder in the stabbing death of his girlfriend Jennifer Martel. Remy entered the plea this morning at Middlesex Superior Court in Woburn, Massachusetts. The court has imposed a sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole.

Sox Salvage 'Lost Weekend'; Top Braves, 8-6

(Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)

It had all the makings of an 11-loss disaster. Down 6-1 in the fifth inning against a seemingly un-hittable Ervin Santana. The Red Sox rallied for five runs after two were out—tallying all five on two swings. Dustin Pedroia, after looking like he broke his foot on a foul ball, laced a two-run double to left, followed by a David Ortiz (called shot?) three-run jack to tie the game. Just like that, the season seemed to again have meaning. After a tortuous rain delay, The Carmine Hose added two more runs—on a Papi sacrifice fly and an A. J. Pierzynski single for an 8-6 win. The tattered bullpen came on to hold the lead after Clay Buchholz laid another bomb in a four-inning embarrassment (including eight walks). Boston must now build on the momentum and get back on track toward .500—lest they be the first in MLB history (as far as we can tell) to go "worst-to-first-to-worst".

Drew Starts Minors Stint At Single-A Greenville

The Red Sox announced this afternoon that Stephen Drew will begin his minor league tune-up at Single-A Greenville. Speculation was that he would head to AA Portland—which had a week-end road series at Manchester, NH followed by a homestand in Portland. Perhaps the warmer South Carolina weather was a factor—since Drew has been training in Florida since he rejected Boston's $14 million qualifying offer. It's still unclear exactly how long Drew will need in the minors before joining the big club—but the initial estimate was about 25 at-bats or 10-12 days.

RHP Alex Wilson Called Up From Pawtucket

(AP Photo/Winslow Townson)

The Red Sox announced today that right-handed pitcher Alex Wilson has been called up to the big club from Pawtucket. Wilson will provide John Farrell with an extra relief option—at least until newly-acquired Stephen Drew finishes his minor-league stint. The 27-year old Wilson (who, interestingly, was born in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia), pitched 27 2/3 innings for The Carmine Hose in 2013—going 1-1 with a 4.88 ERA.

Is Get-Away Day Turnout An Increasing Trend?

Does This Look Like 36,018 To You?

If you look at the box score, yesterday's attendance at Fenway Park was 36,018. However, anyone who was either there or watching on TV could clearly see that the real number was significantly less than that "paid attendance" fiction. As the Red Sox coughed up their seventh straight loss—and failed to win on the entire homestand—yesterday's "get-away" day turnout may be indicative of a trend. Increasingly, Fenway is populated by what we might call The Oblivious Fan—present only to socialize, text, drink too much watered-down beer and generally be a pain-in-the-ass to the fewer and fewer true fans in attendance. This phenomenon is the natural follow-on to a World Series Championship—front-running know-nothings coming out of the woodwork to glom onto the "coolness" of being a "fan". It will be interesting to see if this continues through the Summer.

Pedro Martinez Gets All Existential On Pitching

(AP Photo)

In an incredible interview on FanGraphs.com, David Laurila gets Pedro Martinez to wax eloquent on the art and science of pitching. We always knew Pedro was a pitching savant, but this interview takes that understanding to new heights. Laurila gets the former Red Sox ace to discuss things like: the importance of "feel" in pitching, the impact of Mother Nature on pitching effectiveness, the subtleties of pitching "command" and the mechanics of "arm action". All of these topics are addressed in an incredibly intelligent, precise and understandable fashion. The man is a true genius of the sport. Here's an example regarding the importance of 'changing up' pitching approach: "Sometimes I wanted the ball out of the strike zone. But the times the count was 3-2 and I flipped that changeup, I wanted to throw it for a strike. And I would change speeds on it. You can't always throw the same thing. Would you go to the movies to see the same one all the time?" No indeed, Mr. Martinez, no indeed. You can read the entire interview HERE.

"May" We Never See A Month Like This Again

As we approach the traditional one-third marker of the season on Memorial Day, we can only hope that May (which still has a bunch of games left in it) is just an aberration. Because your Carmine Hose have stunk out all of major league baseball in May. Consider some of the batting averages: Jackie Bradley, Jr. .143; David Ross .150; Will Midlebrooks .159; Mike Napoli .200; Grady Sizemore .234; Shane Victorino .235; A. J. Pierzynski .236. Putrid! Only Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, David Ortiz, Mike Carp and the immortal Brock Holt are even hitting over .280 for the month. And don't get us started on the starting pitching! Here are the ERAs of your five 'studs' in the rotation for May: Jon Lester 3.76; Felix Doubront 4.15; John Lackey 4.42; Clay Buchholz 5.91; Jake Peavy 6.35. Could a wholesale roster swap with Pawtucket do any worse? Bring on June, already!

Red Sox Rockwell Painting Sells For $22.6M

Recently, the Red Sox have been playing like they inhabit an oil painting, so it's fitting that an actual oil painting with them in it should sell for a boatload of cash. The Norman Rockwell painting "The Rookie" fetched $22.6 million at auction yesterday in New York. It depicts—among others—Ted Williams welcoming a young player to the Red Sox clubhouse. The painting appeared on the cover of the long-departed Saturday Evening Post magazine on May 2, 1957. It's unclear whether—based on perfornance— the entire 2014 roster could bring in $22.6 million.

Sox 'Party' Like It's 1994—In Terms Of Losses

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Mo Vaughn, John Valentin and Mike Greenwell are not walking through that door. But their legacy is. For the first time since the 1994 season, the Red Sox are winless on a homestand of at least six games (they just lost six Fenway games in a row, seven overall). Continuing with the "Six" Theme, six of the first seven batters in Toronto's second inning reached base on Jon Lester yesterday en route to a 7-2 loss. Yeah, that Jon Lester. Xander Bogaerts did hit his third HR, but this one was over before the 750 fans took their seats. This team needs a BIG shake-up and quickly.

Stephen Drew On Red Sox: "Like I Never Left"

(Eileen Blass-USA TODAY Sports)

Stephen Drew seemed like he was genuinely relieved. After sitting out almost two months of the major league season (thanks to a Scott Boras-induced baseball coma), he was re-united yesterday with his World Series champ compatriots. Said Drew, "It’s been interesting, but needless to say I'm glad to be back in a Red Sox uniform. I couldn't ask for anything better. These guys here, I know them and had a great year last year. Getting ready for whatever would happen, prepare myself like everybody does in the offseason and being able to come back here, I can’t thank the organization enough for thinking about me." More than likely Drew will head to AA Portland to start his minor-league tune-up—they are on a short road trip in Manchester, NH before they head back up to Portland for a homestand.

Will Middlebrooks Stays Mum On Drew Signing

(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

Soon after Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks fractured his right index finger, the team went out and got Stephen Drew to play shortstop. Functionally, that leaves Xander Bogaerts as the everyday third baseman and Middlebrooks in a quandary. Once he heals (said to be weeks away), Boston can send him to AAA, put him on the bench or trade him. None of these are good options for the 25-year old slugger. Ben Cherington still seems to be supporting Middlebrooks,  "If he's healthy and playing to his capability, then we're a much better team with him on the team and the other guys." But, the reality might just be that Will's time in Carmine Hose is coming to an end. If that's the case, they may someday regret giving up on the potential of 30 HRs from the right side of the plate. As for Middlebrooks himself, he has been unwilling to comment on the recent developments, saying he wants to "stay away from talking about the situation". Stay tuned!

Is Panic Setting In On Red Sox Attendance?

No Kidding

Today has got to be the kind of day the NOG (New Ownership Group) dreads. Their product has lost six straight games on the field—including the first five of this current homestand. The weather in Boston this afternoon is—well, the way the weather's been in Boston most of this year (steady rain and gloomy). To top off the trifecta, your Carmine Hose are engaged in a four o'clock start against The Juggernaut From the Great White North. All of this conspires to deliver what is likely to be one of the smallest crowds of 2014. Heck, even if it was sunny and 75 degrees, who wants to go to a 4PM get-away game at the start of Memorial Day weekend? So, maybe that's why the Red Sox tweeted out this gem at 12:44 PM today: "We turn to Jon Lester to stop 6-game losing streak. 4:05pm first pitch. Get Day of Game Tix @ Gate E." [bold emphasis added]. Moreover, the tweet has a video appendage with a ticket sales ad. There were over 36, 000 fans at Fenway last night—today, probably not so many.

BenCher: Jackie Bradley, Jr. Is A "Unique Guy"

(Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

During an appearance today on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan Morning Show, Ben Cherington spoke about his rookie centerfielder—who recently admitted that he's "lost" at the plate. Said the Red Sox GM about Jackie Bradley, Jr.,  "I think Jackie is a unique guy….The defense is always there. This guy has an offensive track record that goes back to when he was a kid and he's hit at whatever level he's ever been at, and that gives him a very good chance to hit in the big leagues." Nice confidence from the boss—but the fact of the matter is that Bradley has been benched. There are even rumors that All-World prospect Mookie Betts (a second baseman by trade) is being actively groomed as this Summer's new man in center. The 21-year old Betts is only hitting .368 at AA Portland—with 6 HRs, 27 RBIs and an OPS of 1.015. As a bizarre confidence-booster, manager John Farrell is hitting Bradley against extremely tough lefty Mark Buehrle in this afternoon's series finale.

Buchholz Claims No Physical Issues To Blame

(AP Photo/Steven Senne)

This may be a case where hearing that a player has no physical issues is actually a bad thing. Listen to Clay Buchholz trying to explain last night's putrid performance, "As far as stuff goes, I feel like I had the best stuff in this start, velocity-wise, that I had all year. There's absolutely nothing physically bothering me." Best stuff, velocity-wise? Being one of the 36,000 or so subjected to his performance last night, I was routinely witnessing the Buchholz "fastball" limping in a 90 MPH (even though Brooks Baseball says he averaged  92.8 MPH). In any event, one of Edwin Encarnacion's two moonshots was launched on a Little-League quality hanging breaking ball. So, what's going on with Mr. "I was a 9-0 All-Star last year"? Maybe his manager has a clue, "Physically there are no complaints, no issues...it looks mechanical in nature." Really? Then why don't we send him to Midas to get his front-end aligned? Seriously, how does a guy go from being a Cy Young contender last year (before he got hurt) to the second-worst pitcher in all of baseball (based on qualifying ERA) today? ESPN Boston.com's Gordon Edes suggests that it is the lingering effects of Clay's myriad injuries. Whatever it is, the Red Sox had better fix it quickly or this franchise may be one of the first ever to go from worst to first to worst again in a three-year span.

Stumbling Sox Fall For Sixth Straight Time, 6-4

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Only the Tampa Bay Rays and Houston Astros own a worse AL record than your 2014 Carmine Hose. How can this be possible? For one, Clay Buchholz—who was 9-0 around this time last year—stunk it up again last night in a painful 6-4 loss to Toronto. Even the outs were loud—and emerging Red Sox nemesis Edwin Encarnacion went yard twice again. This team is now five games under .500 and they just don't seem to have the capability to sustain good play over an entire game. They are productive in fits and starts, often playing from way behind early in games—but they can't finish. Losing three players up the middle from a World Championship team doesn't help, so maybe Stephen Drew will bolster the defensive side. All in all, this ball club is a mess, and there are no real signs of things getting better.

Red Sox Place Felix Doubront On The 15-Day DL

(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

The Red Sox announced today that they have placed left-handed starter Felix Doubront on the 15-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain. Doubront left last night's game after pitching just four innings. There is no word yet on who will replace Doubront in the rotation. The Red Sox also announced that they had formally agreed to terms with Stephen Drew—who will take Doubront's spot on the 25-man roster.

Fan Shows How To Impress A Date At Fenway

Pedro Urges Warm Fan Welcome For Manny

On May 28th, the Red Sox will honor the 2004 World Champion "Idiots" in a ceremony before that night's game against the Braves. Pedro Martinez will be there along with most of the members of that storied team‚ including Manny Ramirez. Pedro hopes that fans will put aside any bad thoughts about Manny's departure from Boston and give him a warm welcome. Said Pedro, "It took a lot for him to come. He wants to make it up to the Boston fans. He wants to show everybody that he's a different person, that he's a Christian man and a role model to his family. His kids are going to be here. It will be nice if we all kind of get together and just make a fun day out of it and remember that Manny was the MVP [of the World Series] and he's the biggest reason probably why we won it." Manny was a force for The Carmine Hose in his eight years here—hitting .312 with 274 HRs and a ridiculous .999 OPS. It's probably pretty tough for him to suck it up and come back to Fenway. Pedro's right—we should welcome him.

Local Man Tries To Swipe Ted Williams Baseball

A 45-year old Methuen, Massachusetts man was charged with larceny for allegedly trying to steal an autographed Ted Williams baseball from a memorabilia show. Michael Glidden is alleged to have taken the ball from a table at the Marlborough, MA sports show on Saturday. A nearby witness told the vendor, who tracked down Glidden. When confronted by police, Glidden said it was a "mistake" and claimed he'd be willing to pay the $600 cost of the ball. Reportedly, the suspect has an outstanding warrant in New Hampshire.

Sox Continue On Treadmill To Oblivion; Fall, 7-4

Bob Lobel had to have been taking the big red panic button out of mothballs—no wonder the Red Sox gave him a World Series ring yesterday. Your 2014 Carmine Hose dropped their fifth straight game—dropping to four games under .500—falling to the Blue Jays, 7-4. Edwin "Cut It Out" Encarnacion hit twin 2-run HRs that helped put Felix Doubront and the Red Sox in 6-0 hole early. Despite a decent "fight back" effort, Boston was no match for the Canadian Juggernaut from the Great White North. Doubront went just four innings (leaving the game with left shoulder fatigue), yielding five earned runs. The Red Sox were 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position—continuing their season-killing trend. On top of everything, Xander Bogaerts made two errors at short—just hours after being told he will now man third base. Way to mess with a 21-year old's head, Red Sox.

Red Sox Open Up Series With Jays At Fenway

The Red Sox open a series with the Blue Jays tonight and will send out the following line-up: 1. Dustin Pedroia (R) 2B; 2. Shane Victorino (R) RF; 3. David Ortiz (L) DH; 4. Mike Napoli (R) 1B; 5. Jonny Gomes (R) LF; 6. Xander Bogaerts (R) SS; 7. Brock Holt (L) 3B; 8. David Ross (R) C and 9. Jackie Bradley Jr. (L) CF. Felix Doubront, who—along with fellow lefty Jon Lester—has been pretty good in May takes to the hill for The Carmine Hose. He will be opposed by another lefty—J.A. Happ.

Drew Re-Signs With Red Sox On Pro-Rated Deal

 (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

UPDATE: SS Platoon?????
So much for the credibility of the Red Sox front office. Boston today re-signed shortstop Stephen Drew to a pro-rated 'qualifying offer' contract—essentially about $10 million. This likely means that Xander Bogaerts moves to third (where he shined in the 2013 post-season) and Will Middlebrooks (when healthy) either rides the bench, goes back to AAA or gets put into a deal. Boston had insisted that they were not going to move Bogaerts to third to accommodate Drew—but that was clearly vamping for the benefit of Scott Boras. Red Sox win, Boras loses.

Could 'Kung Fu Panda' Be Headed To Fenway?

(Christopher Hanewinckel, Reuters)

Most of the speculation about the Red Sox search for third base help (in the wake of placing Will Middlebrooks on the DL) has focused on players like Chase Headley, Mike Moustakas, Todd Frazier and even the ancient Eric Chavez. But an even more intriguing possibility has emerged in the last couple of days—Pablo Sandoval, the Kung Fu Panda himself. Sandoval has had a miserable start to his 2014 season (.220 AVG/.279 OBP/.340 SLG). And, he's only got three home runs in 172 plate appearances. In short, since the Giants have been looking to deal him since forever, this might be a perfect time for Boston to pounce on him for a minimal cost. The Panda's contract is up this year, so he has an incentive to 'pick it up' in a new city. Don't forget, the man has a career .293 batting average with an .815 OPS. And, I think we all recall what he did in the 2012 World Series. Moreover, can you imagine how the fans of Boston would embrace PandaMonium? It would be epic.

REPORT: Four Teams Are In On Stephen Drew

Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe (AKA John Henry's 'Print Plaything') reports that four teams are expressing "preliminary" interest in former Red Sox shortstop Stephen Drew. Once the June 5-7 MLB draft is complete, any team can sign the free-agent without sacrificing a draft pick. While Cafrardo offers no word on who the teams are, speculation has surrounded The Evil Ones, the Tigers, and the Middlebrooks-depleted Red Sox. Stay tuned!

Red Sox Problem Is Not Chemistry, It's Physics

Over the last few days, there's been a lot of gnashing of teeth and renting of clothing over the plight of your Carmine Hose. "They just don't have the same chemistry as last year" many in the chattering class are lamenting. You know, supposedly, a certain nameless bench player is "carping" about lack of playing time and another part-timer is whining about too many outfield bodies and not enough musical chairs. Moreover, nothing has supplanted the "beard thing" to unite the team. To all of this, we say: baloney. What's hurting this team is more physics than chemistry: the inability to apply enough force with a rounded wooden object against a hurtling white spheroid. More particularly, they can't achieve this feat with runners in scoring position. Chemistry, Schmemistry. Start squaring up the baseball!

Extreme Force Cited In Fenway Elevator Incident

Fall Victim Lizzie Scotland

Investigators have made some preliminary findings regarding last Friday's tragic elevator incident at Fenway Park. Lizzie Scotland, a 22-year old New Jersey woman, fell two stories down an empty elevator shaft and suffered serious head injuries. Earlier on Friday, Ms. Scotland had graduated from B.U.'s business school. A spokesman for the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security stated the following, "...extreme force against the bottom of the door actually broke the fasteners and the metal backup safety system that held the doors in place." Apparently this force created a gap that Ms. Scotland fell through. What exactly could bring such "extreme force" to bear on the elevator doors was not dealt with in the statement. This is the second elevator-related incident in less than a year at the 102-year old ballpark. Last August, two reporters were stuck in a different elevator and were forced to crawl out on their own. The investigation into this recent incident will continue.

Bob Ryan Gets Flak For Reasonable Stat Views

Let's get my bias out on the table right away: Bob Ryan is the greatest sportswriter of our generation. Period. Nobody else even comes close. When I read Ryan's Sunday Globe column about the over-reach of the New Breed Stat Guys (NBSG) in baseball, I felt it was a well-thought-out, moderate criticism of the clear over-reliance on statistical information in today's game. Just look at the moronic defensive shifting that seems to happen for every batter on every team nowadays. Ryan's basic thesis can be summed in the following excerpt: "I’m guessing that most fans are oblivious to all the new statistical stuff. They just want to watch and enjoy a game. They will continue to evaluate players and teams by giving everyone the Eye Test, just as their father, grandfather, and great-grandfather did. If this means they are then wallowing in some kind of statistical ignorance, then so be it." So, when I read the reaction of the NBSG crowd, I was a little taken aback. It's as if Ryan was questioning the validity of global warming science or something. You know, you can literally get burned at the stake for that in today's free-thinking America (a solar-powered burning stake, of course). Look, there's obviously a vital place for innovative statistical analysis in baseball—but it's also possible for the trend to get out-of-hand and start ruining what Ryan terms the "aesthetics" of the game. He's right. As usual. Lighten up, geeks.

Are Red Sox Trolling For Help At Third Base?

Multiple sources are stating that the Red Sox are seriously considering some kind of move that could solve their current situation at third base. With a struggling Will Middlebrooks going on the 15-day DL, Brock Holt really isn't a good solution. Red Sox GM Ben Cherington told WEEI.com's Rob Bradford the following on Monday: "...we know we’ve got an area on the left side of the infield where we’re missing a player, and where we haven’t gotten the total performance that we would like to get at this point in the year...There is always an interest in improving. The default position is always let’s see how much we can get internally first, and then consider external alternatives after that." Some names that have been mentioned as trade possibilities include: Mike Moustakas (KC) and Chase Headley (SD). Stay tuned!

Babe Ruth's Daughter Still 'Pulls' For Red Sox

Julia Ruth Stevens At Fenway In 2011

Julia Ruth Stevens, the 97-year old daughter of Babe Ruth, threw out the first pitch at Friday's Cubs game at Wrigley Field. The team was commemorating Ruth's "Called Shot" at Wrigley in the 1932 World Series. But, more interestingly, Julia had some things to say about the Red-Sox-Yankee Thing. When asked if she rooted for the Yankees—the team the Babe spent his most productive years with, she replied: "No, I pull for the Red Sox. Daddy started with the Red Sox." 'Nuf Ced.

A-Rod Was Convinced To Fight On By Ex-Con

Perez (L) And Beyonce (JOHNNY NUNEZ/WIREIMAG)

According to reporting by The New York Daily News "I-Team" (you can make your own judgements about the credibility of that unit), Alex Rodriguez was ready to retire from baseball until an ex-con convinced him to fight Major League Baseball over PED allegations. The report suggests that The Fraudulent One was ready to cut a deal with MLB last summer, quit baseball and just fade away. Enter Desiree Perez, a nightclub manager in Baghdad-by-the-Hudson with a long rap sheet and ties to such 'honorable' folks as Shawn Corey Carter (alias: Jay-Z). Perez was reportedly behind A-Rod's disastrous "scorched-earth" strategy that ended in his suspension. She apparently had The Centaur's ear and moved him away from his initial retirement strategy. One source told The Daily News about Perez, "She undermined everything A-Rod’s people were trying to do to help him. It was a travesty." Again, all of this could not be happening to a more deserving guy.

Still No Explanation Of Fenway Elevator Incident

(Boston Herald Photo—Stuart Cahill)

After Friday night's loss to the Tigers, a 22-year old woman fell two stories down a Fenway Park elevator shaft—sustaining serious injuries. Reportedly, police and state inspectors spent the weekend investigating the mishap—but as yet there has been no word on the cause. The Red Sox have gone into a protective 'cone of silence' since the incident, claiming, "Due to the ongoing investigation, and out of respect for the family of the young woman who was injured, the Red Sox will have no further comment at this time." The woman—reportedly a recent college graduate—was taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with serious injuries. According to ESPNBoston.com, "a team source" said the woman was "leaning back" against the fourth floor elevator doors, when they opened and she fell down the shaft to the second level.

Red Sox Are Swept Away By Tabbys, 6-2

(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Well, they finally lost four in a row—and three straight to their 2013 ALCS foes. The Red Sox fell to three games under .500, with a decisive 6-2 loss to Detroit on Sunday night. Leading for the first time in the series (1-0), Boston saw Jake Peavy give back three quick runs on RBIs from Miguel Cabrera (single) and former Carmine Hoser Victor Martinez (two-run HR). Xander Bogaerts had two hits and an RBI in the loss. That was pretty much all she wrote in the kind of 'rocking chair loss' that is beginning to characterize this ballclub.

Jenny Dell Goes To Rockland (MA) High Prom

Cameron And Jenny

Hey, Will Middlebrooks was busy Thursday night anyway. So, former NESN sideline reporter Jenny Dell agreed to a prom invitation from 16-year old Rockland High School student Cameron Stuart. Jenny danced the night away at the prom and seemed to fit in pretty well with the younger crowd. Stuart has persistently been seeking the date since last October—mostly on social media. Said Dell, "I thought it was fantastic. When you see someone that puts that much time and effort into something, you have to take the time and give him the benefit of the doubt." Cameron even talked to Middlebrooks to make absolutely certain the date was OK. Good move, Cameron.