Rusney Castillo Singles In Professional Debut

After a very long layoff, newly minted Red Sox CF Rusney Castillo has played in an actual baseball game. Castillo debuted for the Gulf Coast League Red Sox and singled in his first professional at-bat. He ultimately went 1-2 with a strikeout. He was also caught stealing. Said the $72.5 million-dollar-man, "I feel great. It was a good day. I’ve wanted this day to come for a long time now. It finally got here...My No. 1 objective would be to be the same player I’ve always been, to play my game and not try to do too much or try to become someone else." Hopefully, this is the first step to stardom.

Feat Of Clay: Buchholz Goes Distance In 3-0 Win

(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Clay Buchholz ended the first half of this season with an 11-0 complete game shutout of the Houston Astros. Today, he repeated that feat—going the distance on a three-hit, 3-0 shutout of Tampa. Buchholz was truly dominant—throwing just 98 pitches while striking out six and walking none. If we can count on this Buchholz in 2015, it significantly eases the burden on Ben Cherington to get at least two new quality starters into the rotation. Boston's offense was paced by Christian Vazquez (an RBI single to start the scoring), Mookie Betts (2-4 with an RBI) and David Ortiz (1-3 with an RBI). The win reduced The Valentine Magic Number to 10—with 26 games left to play.

Sox Acquire Jemile Weeks For Kelly Johnson

Weeks

The Red Sox acquired infielder Jemile Weeks from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Kelly Johnson. Weeks—out of the University of Miami—has major league experience with both the Oakland Athletics and Orioles. Over his career, Weeks has hit .259 with 41 doubles, 17 triples, four home runs, and 56 RBIs. The 27-year old Weeks will wear #7. Boston also acquires Ivan De Jesus, Jr. from the Orioles and sends third baseman Michael Almanzar to Baltimore.

Rays 7, Will Middlebrooks & Some Other Guys, 0

(AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Talk about your embarrassments. The Carmine Hose were one-hit again, as Jake Odorizzi (along with two other pitchers) and the Rays shutout Boston, 7-0. Will Middlebrooks got the only safety—a fourth-inning single—to 'pace' the pathetic offense. By contrast, Allen Webster gave up six runs and five hits in just four-plus innings. Dustin Pedroia left the game after being smacked in the head by a sliding (not stinging) Ray. He is day-to-day with concussion-like symptoms. All in all, a lovely night at Tampa's MostPulpDome. The Valentine Magic Number is stuck at 11.

Teddy Ballgame Would Have Been Ninety-Six

Ted Williams would have been 96 years old today. When 'The Kid' was a rookie for the Red Sox in 1939, he only hit .327 with 31 HRs and 145 RBIs. And, while Williams effectively missed five years to military service (WWII and Korea), he still managed to clout 521 HRs in 19 seasons. Those of us who were blessed to see him play in person will never forget the sight. While his .406 season in 1941 will live forever (and likely never be broken), he left a far greater legacy of playing the game right and developing a true science of hitting. He was the greatest hitter who ever lived.

Mookie Slam Powers Red Sox Past Rays, 8-4

A Salami By Mookie

At 21, Mookie Betts is the youngest Red Sox player in 49 years to clout a grand slam. On August 24, 1965, 20-year old Tony Conigliaro also hit a grand slam. The second-inning clout by Betts was enough to power The Carmine Hose past the Rays, 8-4. Newly-recalled Anthony Ranaudo got the win—going six innings and giving up three earned runs. The rookie right-hander out of LSU is now 3-0. Daniel Nava continued his resurgence going 3-4 with an RBI. Yoenis Cespedes raised his average to .262—going 2-5 with two RBIs.

Dalton Jones Industrial Average August Reading

Once again this month, all of our readers can "weigh in" on the State Of The Carmine Hose through our exclusive Dalton Jones Industrial Average Index. 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. Each month, FN 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 August: DJIA SURVEY LINK (Please complete and send by Sunday, August 31st).

The 'Rusney Era' About To Begin For Red Sox

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

He's gotten his work visa. He's worked out on the fields behind jetBlue Park. And, Rusney Castillo is now ready for some game action. The Red Sox may give their new CF the chance to play with a minor league affiliate as soon as this weekend. For obvious reasons (not the least of which is he hasn't played in almost two years), the Boston brass does not want to rush the speedy Cuban phenom. Nevertheless, he is still on track to be with the big club before the end of this season from Dante's Second Circle of Hell. We need him.

Ex-Sox Danny Valencia Sticks It To Boston, 5-2

 (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

Once again, everything—and we mean everything—has a Red Sox gestalt. Even the guys that beat us these days are somehow connected to The Carmine Hose. So it was tonight as ex-Red Sox utility guy Danny Valencia clouted a seventh-inning, pinch-hit three-run homer to bury Boston, 5-2. Valencia played all of 10 games with the Red Sox, and hit a robust .143. Overworked reliever Junichi Tazawa offered up the Valencia blast. So, The Valentine Magic Number is stuck at 12 with just 29 to play. You do the math.

Seven Come Eleven: Sox Rally Late, Win, 11-7

(Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)

Boston tallied seven times in the eleventh inning tonight to beat the Blue Jays, 11-7. A two-run double by Dustin Pedroia (who had four RBIs on the night), a three-run monster home run (into the top deck at SkyDome) by Mike Napoli and a two-run HR by Allen Craig (his first as a member of the Red Sox) highlighted the frame. Boston took yet another 3-0 lead in the first, but Rubby De La Rosa could not hold it and the game went to extras tied at 4-4. The win reduced The Valentine Magic Number to 12.

Ranaudo Named AAA Most Valuable Pitcher

Anthony Ranaudo—IL Pitcher Of The Year For 2014

While other pitchers in the Red Sox system tend to get more ink, Anthony Ranaudo just keeps piling up the trophies. The right-hander out of LSU has been named International League Most Valuable Pitcher for 2014. Last year, he earned Eastern League Pitcher of the Year honors. For AAA Pawtucket, Ranaudo went 14-4 with a 2.61 ERA—striking out 111 batters in 138 innings over 24 starts. You might also recall that he pitched six strong innings against The Evil Ones in his major league debut earlier this year. Hats off to Anthony—appearing soon in a starting rotation near you!

Buchholz Still Viewed As Most Disappointing

Even after a stellar performance in Toronto last night, most FenwayNation readers still consider Clay Buchholz to be the most disappointing Red Sox player of 2014. As the chart shows, 44% now view the tall Texan righty as the most disappointing, followed by 21% who think Xander Bogaerts should get that label. About the same number (19%) view Will Middlebrooks as most disappointing—while 10% feel that way about Jackie Bradley, Jr. Just 1% think Craig Breslow disappointed the most and three voters chose someone not on the list (at least one of which was identified as Shane Victorino). You can still vote in the poll HERE.

Cespedes Delivers Blown Win As Sox Top Jays

NESN Screenshot

The Red Sox are having such a bizarre year, they should invent stats just to apply to their situation. A case in point was last night's game in America Lite. Leading 3-0 with one out in the ninth, Clay Buchholz (named 'most disappointing' in our FN Poll) loaded the bases. On comes Koji Uehara for the easy save, right? Maybe last year. Uehara coughed up his fourth blown save of the year. Then Boston pushed across the lead (and eventual winning) run in the 10th—and Uehara gets the 4-3 win. Blown Win, right? New stat! The key offensive blows in this game were: a two-run HR by Dustin Pedroia, a solo blast by Mookie Betts and the game-winning single by Yoenis Cespedes in the 10th (preceded by two stolen bases by Brock 'Babe' Holt). Buchholz was magnificent until the ninth—ending up with a no-decision by going 8.1 innings and giving up three earned runs on just four hits. The Valentine Magic Number is now reduced to 13.

FN Poll: Buchholz Is Leading Sox 'Disappointer'

Very early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that readers think Clay Buchholz has been the most disappointing Red Sox player of 2014. As the chart shows, fully four in ten readers (40%) choose the Texas righty, followed by Xander Bogaerts at 24%, Will Middlebrooks at 20% and Jackie Bradley, Jr. at 16%. No one has yet selected Craig Breslow. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

FN Poll: Most Disappointing Red Sox Player?

Most Disappointing Red Sox Player Of 2014
Which ONE of the following is the most disappointing?	Bogaerts Bradley, Jr. Breslow Buchholz Middlebrooks OTHER
	Current Results

FN's Latest American League Power Rankings

As we approach the watershed Labor Day weekend, FenwayNation has announced its latest American League Power Rankings. While the Angels have overtaken the A's recently, we still see Oakland as the #1 force in the AL—if for no other reason than they have a ridiculous starting rotation for the stretch run. The loss of Yoenis Cespedes has hurt their offense, but it shouldn't be a fatal blow. Anaheim is not far behind, although the loss of starter Garrett Richards will hurt them in the crunch. Those lovable Baltimore Orioles come in third in our ranking, followed by the even more lovable Kansas City Royals. Detroit has tumbled down to the #5 spot—despite getting David Price at the deadline. The Indians, Mariners, Yankees, Blue Jays and Rays round out the top ten. The Red Sox have dropped to #13 on the list—barely ahead of the two Lone Star State entries. Here are the rankings:

1.  Oakland
2.  Anaheim
3.  Baltimore
4.  Kansas City
5.  Detroit
6.  Cleveland
7.  Seattle
8.  New York
9.  Toronto
10.Tampa Bay
11.Chicago
12.Minnesota
13.Boston
14.Houston
15.Texas

Sox Place Bogaerts On 7-Day Concussion DL

Bogaerts After Beaning

After being beaned by a change-up from 'King Felix' Hernandez on Friday, Xander Bogaerts has been placed on the 7-day concussion disabled list. The Red Sox shortstop missed both the Saturday and Sunday losses to the Mariners. Boston called up Carlos Rivero from AAA to fill Bogaerts' spot. The Red Sox head to America Lite tonight to take on the Blue Jays at SkyDome. They will attempt to reduce The Valentine Magic Number from 14 to 13.

Red Sox Strand Fifteen On Way To 8-6 Loss

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Let's be a little optimistic, shall we? This has been a year of firsts. The first time a team will go from worst to first to worst. The first time the Astros won a game a Fenway. And, yesterday, the first time the Mariners have swept a series at America's Most Cramped Ballpark. Forget that Boston left 15 men on base—while still scoring six runs in an 8-6 loss. Forget that they left the tying runs on second and third in the ninth. Forget that Allen Webster pitched like Noah Webster. It's morning on Yawkey Way! Still 14 wins needed to eclipse Bobby V.!

Breaching The Valentine Line No Longer Easy

Before the Red Sox lost seven straight, it seemed like a cakewalk for them to surpass the 69-win threshold so valiantly put up by Bobby Valentine's 2012 squad. Now, not so much. With just 33 games left in this miserable season, they still need 14 wins to get to 70. That's a .424 winning pace—and they're currently winning at a .434 clip. Also, as we pointed out before, they are mostly going against teams with .500 or better records—and even the one exception (Tampa) is nearly at that mark (.488). If they don't break this ignominious record, count on there being a lot of commentary from a certain Connecticut resident.

It's Official: Red Sox #38— OF Rusney Castillo

The Red Sox made it official yesterday by announcing the signing of Cuban defector Rusney Castillo to a 7-year, $72.5 million contract. The speedy 27-year old OF has put on 20 pounds of muscle over the last year and projects to be a top-of-the-order speedster who hits for average and some power. Essentially, he is the Jacoby Ellsbury replacement. Said GM Ben Cherington, "He's got a great combination of skills, defensive ability, speed, solid power. He's got a really strong track record in Cuba. We're excited to add him to the organization, and we feel he can be a part of winning Red Sox teams here for a long time." Castillo will wear #38 (Curt Schilling's old number).

Sox Blow Another Three-Run Lead; Lose, 7-3

(Photo by Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)

This is getting maddeningly commonplace. After struggling to score runs all year, the Red Sox have recently given their pitchers leads (3-0 the last two nights)—but now the hurlers are hurling. Today, Brandon Workman gave up seven runs on seven hits in the fourth inning—leading to an eventual 7-3 loss. Alex Wilson pitched 3.2 stellar innings—giving up no hits and striking out three. Yoenis Cespedes, Mike Napoli and David Ross had the Sox RBIs. Dustin Pedroia had three hits. The Valentin Magic Number is still stuck at 14.

Rusney Castillo Passes Red Sox Physical

According to CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman, new Red Sox OF Rusney Castillo passed his physical. It's unclear whether the 27-year Cuban defector (who just signed a 7-year, $72.5 million contract with Boston) will suit up and play today.

Koji Melts Down Again; Sox Blow 3-0 Lead, Lose

(AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

Koji Uehara used to be a lock in the ninth. Lately, not so much. Uehara inherited a 3-0 lead last night—then the Mariners scored five runs and The Carmine Hose were on their way to a 5-3 loss. Joe Kelly gave up just one hit through five innings and was in-line for the win, as Craig Breslow, Tommy Layne and Burke Badenhop set things up for Koji. Yoenis Cespedes had provided the offense with his 21st HR—a three-run shot in the sixth off 'King' Felix Hernandez. So, The Valentine Meter stays stuck at 14.

Red Sox Sign Castillo: 7 Years, $72.5 Million

The Providence Journal's Tim Britton is reporting that the Red Sox have signed Cuban OF Rusney Castillo to a seven-year, $72.5 million deal. This works out to about $10.4 million per year over the span of the contract—and would take Castillo to age 34. According to WEEI.com's Alex Speier, the structure of the deal is as follows: "Castillo will count for $10.36 million against the luxury tax threshold for each of the seven years of his deal, including 2014. However, the Sox cleared enough payroll at the 2014 trade deadline that, as of now, it does not appear that they will exceed the $189 million luxury tax threshold in 2014."

FOX: Rusney Castillo Will Sign With Red Sox

UPDATE: Deal may go to $72.5 million
A third major source is reporting that Cuban defector Rusney Castillo "will sign" with the Red Sox. FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal tweeted this out a short time ago. Rosenthal referenced the terms of the deal via a separate report by MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez: 6 years, $72 million. Awaiting official confirmation by the Red Sox.

Second Source Reports Red Sox-Castillo Deal

A second source, Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com, is reporting that the Red Sox are "on track" to sign fleet Cuban OF Rusney Castillo to a "record" six-year, $72 million contract. We will monitor the situation all day and bring you word of any official signing.

Castillo Close To Signing With Sox For 6/$72M

A exclusive report by Marino Pepén (TWITTER: @Marino_Pepen) states that Rusney Castillo is close to signing with the Red Sox, for six years and $72 million. This is, of course, un-confirmed—but it's the first discussion of hard numbers in the pursuit of the 27-year old Cuban defector. Stay tuned.

Carl Yastrzemski Turns Seventy-Five Today

(Sports Illustrated Photo)

If you're old enough, you probably remember 'Big Yaz Bread' on the grocery shelves or recall driving past 'Yaz Ford' on Route One North (then affectionately known as 'The Newburyport Turnpike'). Well, today, the namesake of those iconic Boston brands—Carl Yastrzemski —turns 75 years old. His Triple Crown year in 1967 was the centerpiece of the 'Impossible Dream' season that was the true beginning of this thing we call Red Sox Nation. Yaz and his mates ended their own curse in '67—a 21-year pennant drought for The Carmine Hose. Think about it. In 1961, Yastrzemski had the incredibly daunting task of taking over in left field for Ted Williams. Not only did he do it well—he forged a Hall of Fame career out of it. Congrats to Yaz on this special birthday!

REPORT: Red Sox Favorites To Land Castillo

According to a report by WEEI.com's Alex Speier, "sources with multiple major league teams" are indicating that the Red Sox are the "favorites" to sign fleet Cuban OF Rusney Castillo. Late last night, FenwayNation reported that multiple Cuban media sources were reporting that a deal with the Red Sox had already been done. It had been thought that the sweepstakes for the 27-year old had come down to the Tigers and Red Sox. Stay tuned—this could break at any moment today.

Sox & Tigers In Final Battle For Rusney Castillo

Rusney Castillo

Despite rampant rumors out of Cuba that the Red Sox had already signed him, International Free Agent Rusney Castillo is still out there for the taking. Multiple sources now say that it has come down to Boston and Detroit in the sweepstakes for the speedy, 27-year old Cuban defector. Boston needs offense and speed in its outfield and Detroit needs a grown-up replacement for the traded Austin Jackson. The Tigers need to sign Castillo by August 31st to allow him to play in the post-season. Boston has no such time pressure. It could all happen as early as Friday. Stay tuned!

Some Kind Of Blunder-Full; Sox One-Hit, 2-0

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Just think, they have to face 'King Felix' Hernandez tomorrow night. The Red Sox were one-hit by Angel rookie Matt Shoemaker (not to be confused with Willie Shoemaker) in a sweep-filled 2-0 loss. Total humiliation was prevented by a two-out, seventh-inning double by Will Middlebrooks (who didn't even start the game). Yoenis Cespedes left early for "personal reasons"—rumored to be related to his Mom. Other rumors swirled around the ballpark (citing Cuban-based sources) that International Free Agent OF Rusney Castillo had signed with the Red Sox. Nothing has yet been confirmed. Rubby De La Rosa pitched well enough to lose—going 6.2 innings and giving up just the two earned runs and striking out eight.

Top Five Reasons The Red Sox Stink In 2014

As we sit 17.5 games out of first place and 13 games out of a Wild Card berth, it's probably not too early to do a post-mortem on your 2014 Carmine Hose. Here are the Top Five Reasons The Red Sox Stink In 2014:

#5: Key Injuries. Actually, it's really just one key injury—to RF Shane Victorino. The Flyin' Hawaiian has played in exactly 30 games this year, hitting .268 with 2 HRs and 12 RBIs. Last year, despite nagging injuries, he suited up for 122 games, hitting .294 with 15 HRs and 61 RBIs. Missing him, Boston has had to mix-and-match a bevy of OFs—and only Brock Holt has been a success (and half the time he's playing some other position on the field anyway).

#4: The Buchholz Implosion. In need of a bounce-back year from Clay Buchholz, what the Red Sox got was a trounce-back year. The Texas righty has so far posted a 5-8 record and a 5.94 ERA. After performing as a Cy Young favorite in the early stages of 2013, Buchholz was chronically injured for a big chunk of the season, and performed at a mediocre level in October (4.25 ERA in 4 starts). He's even worse this year. The question is: 'Are we now seeing the real Clay Buchholz'?

#3: Over-Reliance On 'The Kids'. The Red Sox came into the 2014 season with a bit of a 'Pollyanna' attitude toward their younger players—tossing them right into the mix. Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley, Jr. (after The Great Grady Sizemore Experiment failed), and Will Middlebrooks have not panned out as reliable starters. It also makes you wonder if the Red Sox organization is again over-valuing its "top" prospects.

#2: Underestimating The Loss Of Jacoby Ellsbury. While Ellsbury is not exactly an MVP candidate for The Bronx Embalmers, he is having a decent year so far (.276, 10 HRs, 54 RBIs, 34 SBs). More importantly, Boston lost a dependable, productive lead-off hitter. And, while Brock Holt eventually filled that void, he's not a permanent top-of-the-order solution. Ellsbury's dynamism is gone forever and it hurt this team badly in 2014.

#1: Raiders Of The Lost Offense. This could pretty much be the all-encompassing single reason for this awful season. The Red Sox are on pace to score only 621 runs this year—232 fewer than they scored last year. Averaging 3.8 runs per game was never going to get them a chance at back-to-back World Series Championships. For 2015, they need to stack their lineup with 3-4-5 hitters that can all go yard. You can even see the difference this year when they feature Ortiz-Cespedes-Napoli in those spots. Despite what the GeekHeads say, scoring more runs than your opponent is what wins ballgames.

Bard's Comedy At Fenway Should Be Tragedy

As we first reported back in April, Fenway will play host to a performance of William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night this coming September 19th. All we have to say is that—this year—A Midsummer Night's Dream has turned into The Comedy of Errors, and following The Carmine Hose has become Much Ado About Nothing. Oh, well, wait 'til next year—All's Well That Ends Well. Too bad The Bard (Daniel, that is) isn't around to attend.

POLL— Fans to BenCher: Sign Rusney Castillo!

Almost nine in ten respondents (87%) to our latest FenwayNation Poll are supportive of the Red Sox signing International Free Agent Rusney Castillo. As the chart shows, a scant 13% feel that the 27-year-old Cuban defector is not worth the likely 6 year, $50 million outlay it will take to get him. Reports suggest that the wait to see who gets the speedy and powerful outfielder will be over very soon—perhaps before the end of this week. Contending teams like Detroit and San Francisco need to ink Castillo before August 31st to allow him to play in the post-season. The Red Sox, of course, have no such time constraints.

Another Buchholz Meltdown Leads To 8-3 Loss

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Leading 3-1 going into the fifth inning, Clay Buchholz took that offensive gift and flushed it down the proverbial toilet—giving up five runs to the Angels in that frame in an ultimate 8-3 loss. The first six Halo batters reached on Buchholz, whose post-game explanation is like something out of the movie Groundhog Day: ''Just missed location with a couple of pitches and they were able to put a big inning together." Perhaps a GPS is in order for Mr. Buchholz to define the location—60 feet, 6 inches. Boston had taken a 3-0 lead, one coming from a solo blast by David Ortiz (his 30th of the season). Ortiz has now tied Ted Williams for most 30-HR seasons as a Red Sox player (8). Other than that, you can pretty much file this one under: Ghost Of Bobby Valentine. They still need 14 wins to eclipse the record attained by 2012's skipper.

REPORT: Lester Likely To Go To Empire/Theo

The Horror

According to CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman, multiple MLB sources agree that Jon Lester's return to Boston is "a long shot". The sources believe that the lefty will either wind up in pinstripes or toiling for Theo Epstein on the North Side of Chicago. Referring to Boston's low-ball $70 million offer to Lester, one MLB exec stated, "The Red Sox aren't going to admit they made an $80 million mistake by offering $150 million". Probably true, but if John Henry can sell-off a few soccer balls, maybe he can offer $140M—which might be enough to bring him back.

Lackey Pays For Uni Number With Babe Ball

Apparently, former Red Sox pitcher John Lackey really likes the number forty-one. Why else would he hand over a perfectly good Babe Ruth-autographed baseball to teammate Pat Neshek for a dumb jersey number? We realize forty-two is always unavailable, and 40, 43 and 44 are already taken on the Cards. OK, OK, and 45 is Bob Gibson's retired number. Alright, we take it back, nice move, Lackey. For sure.

What The Sox Lose By Demoting Bradley, Jr.

 (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

The demotion of Jackie Bradley, Jr. to AAA Pawtucket was probably the best move for the player and the team. It will allow him to work out his offensive problems without the glare of Boston fans and media. While Mookie Betts is a far better hitter, he is not (as we saw last night) the defensive equivalent of Bradley, Jr. In fact, very few are. According to Player Standard Fielding stats for this year, JBJ is ranked third in the American League in "defensive runs saved above average" for all outfielders (a geeky way of saying he's worth a crap load of runs to a team). Only the amazing Kansas City Royals trio of Lorenzo Cain, Alex Gordon and Jarrod Dyson are in JBJ's league. So, while it's probably a good thing for now, The Carmine Hose will seriously miss the effortless, gliding defense that Bradley provided.

Curt Schilling Reveals Bout With Mouth Cancer

(WEEI Photo)

Appearing with WEEI's Dennis & Callahan during their morning coverage of the 13th Annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, Red Sox hero Curt Schilling announced that he has been suffering from mouth cancer—which is in remission. Schilling cites his thirty years of using chewing tobacco as the reason for his condition. Said Curt, "Absolutely. No question in my mind about that. I do believe without a doubt, unquestionably, that chewing is what gave me cancer." Schilling (who lost 75 pounds during the ordeal) recounted his six months of grueling treatment and hospitalization to battle the disease. Hopefully, we will be seeing Curt on the set of ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball soon.

Red Sox Among Finalists On Rusney Castillo

(Photo: www.juventudrebelde.cu)

The Evil Empire is out of the running for Cuban defector Rusney Castillo—as are the Phillies and Cubs. This, according to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal. The Red Sox, on the other hand, are finalists in the race to sign the 27-year old International Free Agent—along with the Giants and Tigers. Word is that the Tigers have become very aggressive in their efforts to get the center-fielder—since they created a huge gap at the position with the trading away of Austin Jackson. However, Boston may have a bit of a perverse edge over both San Francisco and Detroit, since they have no need to sign Castillo in time for non-existent playoff eligibility.

Angels Get To Koji In Ninth; Top Red Sox, 4-3

(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

As we all know, everything—and I mean everything—ultimately has a New England connection. And so it was tonight at Fenway, when Providence, Rhode Island's Chris Iannetta stroked an RBI Wall-Ball double off Koji Uehara, giving his Halos a 4-3 victory over The Carmine Hose. Koji got the first two outs in the 9th, but Brennan Boesch (not to be confused with Hieronymus Bosch) roped a shot out of the reach of Mookie "JBJ Would Have Had It" Betts. Boston had fought back from a 3-1 deficit on RBIs by Mike Napoli and Brock Holt (who earlier was robbed of a three-run HR at the bullpen wall in right). Napoli ended the game with a strikeout as both Yoenis Cespedes and David Ortiz were stranded on base. After a tough third inning (three runs), starter Allen Webster rebounded to go six full innings—yielding no more tallies. Last year, they win this game—in 2014, it's just another agonizing loss.

Rusney Castillo's Official Highlight Reel

Farrell: Either Betts Or Bradley, Jr.‚—Not Both

Bradley, Jr. And Betts: One Or The Other

In major league baseball, the direct answer is definitely an endangered species. But, not with Red Sox manager John Farrell—at least yesterday, anyway. When discussing the demotion of Jackie Bradley, Jr. and the consequent ascension of Mookie Betts, the skipper stated, "Our roster couldn’t co-exist effectively with both—so it’s one or the other." Hello! As we have stated here before, next year will require some basic decisions by the front office on the plethora of outfielders available. Whatever the final composition of that outfield (perhaps even including Giancarlo Stanton), it clearly won't include both Betts and Bradley. That much, at least, has been decided.

POLL: Huge Majority Want Sox To Pay Castillo

Very early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll shows that more than four in five readers want the Red Sox to shell out $50 million over six years for Cuban defector Rusney Castillo. As the chart shows, fully 86% want Boston to make Castillo's Pay Day, while just 14% think $50 million over six years is too much for the 27-year old outfielder. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

The Road To Breaking The 'Valentine Curse'

Your 2014 Carmine Hose have 38 games left to play in this dismal season. In order to surpass the win total of the 2012 Boys of Bobby Valentine, they will have to take at least 14 of those games. Seems like a pretty easy task, right? Except the eight teams they will face until the end have a combined .537 winning percentage—and only one of those teams is under .500 (Tampa Bay). They will face the division-leading Orioles six times (.577 winning percentage), The Evil Ones (.516) six times, Toronto (.512) six times, Tampa (.492) seven times, the Angels (.593) three more times, KC (.556) four times, Seattle (.540) three times and Pittsburgh (.512) three times. So, let's say the Red Sox play over their heads—at .500. That would give them 19 wins—just five more than needed to surpass The Valentine Line. That's 75-87 for the year. Still pretty, pretty, pretty bad.

FN POLL: Should Sox Pay For Rusney Castillo?

The Rusney Castillo Sweepstakes
Should The Sox Pay Up To 6 YRS and $50M For Castillo?	Yes, he's worth it No, way too much
	Current Results

Tazawa Miscue Leads To 4-2 Loss To Angels

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Junichi Tazawa had a chance to get out of a big jam. With the bases loaded in the eighth, the reliever bobbled a grounder to the mound—which would have gotten at least one out. He was charged with a double error and two Angels scored. Despite a ninth-inning rally, The Carmine Hose fell short by those very two runs and have now lost three of their last four, losing 4-2. The Red Sox stranded twelve runners and were 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position. Sound familiar? Brandon Workman pitched well—giving up just two runs over seven innings—but it just wasn't enough.

The Forty-Seventh Anniversary Of An Awful Day

On August 18, 1967—forty-seven years ago today—Tony Conigliaro suffered one of the worst beanings in MLB history. The Angels' Jack Hamilton fired a fastball at Tony's head and a sure-fire Hall of Fame career was derailed. The technical injury was: "a linear fracture of the left cheekbone and a dislocated jaw with severe damage to his left retina." His batting helmet did not, of course, have the protective ear-flap that is so familiar to us today. The Red Sox 'Impossible Dream' season had quickly turned into a nightmare. A year or so later,  he remarkably won the Comeback Player of The Year award, but it was never the same again for the kid from St. Mary's High School in Lynn, Massachusetts. He was the fastest player ever to 100 HRs, but he would end his career with just 166. He was a shooting star that left us at the far too young age of 45. He is still missed.

JBJ Video Memories: Doubling-Off Derek Jeter

Mookie Up, Jackie Bradley, Jr. Down To AAA

The Red Sox have optioned center fielder Jackie Bradley, Jr. to AAA Pawtucket and re-called OF/IF Mookie Betts to the big club. In fourteen August games, Bradley, Jr. was just 5 for 35 (.143)—with 15 strikeouts. Losing JBJ's incredible defense in CF will be a blow, but it makes sense to give him consistent ABs in AAA to see if he can get out of his offensive funk with little or no pressure. He will be back.

Haverhill's Carlos Peña Released By Rangers

Peña As A Husky

In July, Carlos Peña (the former Haverhill High Hillie, Northeastern Husky and Red Sox player) was demoted to the Rangers' AAA ballclub. In his time with the Round Rock Express, he hit .297, with four HRs and an .850 OPS. However, Texas has now released the 36-year old veteran first baseman, and his chances of hooking on with another MLB club appear slim. If this really is the end of his career, he can point to 14 decent years in the majors and 286 HRs—one of which won a game for his hometown Carmine Hose. At Northeastern, Peña was not only an athletic standout, but he also secured a 3.4 GPA as an engineering major. We wish him the best.

Matthew McConaughgey & Son Take In Fenway

Matthew McConaughgey & Son At Fenway

Matthew McConaughgey, whose performance in HBO's True Detective was absolutely spectacular, visited Fenway Park on Sunday. McConaughgey brought along his young son—who has been attending a Red Sox kids camp during the Summer. The star of such films as Dallas Buyers Club and Contact is filming a new movie (Sea of Trees) in Worcester —which we will forgive him for mispronouncing in an interview with NESN. The 44-year old is a big baseball fan and visits ballparks around the country wherever he's working. To keep this Red Sox season in perspective, we can borrow a line from McConaughgey's Rust Cohle character on True Detective: "Well, once there was only dark. If you ask me, the light's winning." Indeed.