Return O' The Beard: Napoli HR Nets Sox Win

(AP Photo)

He was all but gone. Every pundit had him pegged as the most likely Carmine Hoser to be dealt today. Instead, Mike Napoli was in the lineup and at the plate in the seventh with his team down by one with a man on. The burly first-baseman sent a towering fly ball to left that just caught the lip of the Monster Seats shelf. With that blow (and an insurance run in the eighth), Boston got its second win in a row—this one over Tampa, 7-5. The Sox saw a 4-3 lead evaporate in the top of the inning, but a long at-bat by David Ortiz (leading to a walk) set the stage for Napoli. Alejandro De Aza (also a candidate for being traded today) and Blake Swihart had two RBIs each. A nice win for the Sox—and finally a winning streak.

'Nearly Stand Pat Ben' Makes Minor RP Move

Despite all the rumors, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington decided to essentially 'stand pat' with his horrifically underachieving team at the trade deadline. He did make one minor move just before 4PM—getting former closer Ryan Cook from the Oakland A's for "cash considerations". So, this Titanic of a team will continue its slide to the bottom—with not much hope for 2016 either. Thank goodness there is a waiver trade deadline in August—when, after all, we made The Great Punto Deal. We can only hope.

Olney: Sox/Cubs/Padres 'Blockbuster' In Works?

ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that a three-team "blockbuster" deal may be in the works involving the Red Sox, Cubs and Padres. There is no specific scuttlebutt about who would be involved, but speculation is leaning toward: Koji Uehara and Tyson Ross going to the Cubs, Starlin Castro going to San Diego and Craig Kimbrel coming to Boston. Undoubtedly, several other pieces would need to be involved, but those would be the "big" names in motion. Stay tuned!!!!

FN POLL: 'Who's On First' If Napoli's Traded?

Who Plays 1B If Napoli Traded?
Which ONE of the following should get the MOST 1B starts?	Holt Sandoval Ramirez Shaw Other (specify in comments)
	Current Results

Red Sox Pursuing Pitchers Ross And Carrasco?

Carrasco (L), Ross (R)

With only hours until the 4PM MLB trade deadline, the Red Sox are reportedly pursuing the "young, controllable pitching" they hinted at over the last week or so. ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick now reports that Boston is in hot pursuit of Padres starter Tyson Ross and/or Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco. Supposedly, Ben Cherington likes Ross "a lot", but Carrasco is actually a much better talent. There is also an unsubstantiated sub-rumor that San Diego closer Craig Kimbrel could be included in the Ross deal. Could this lead to a subsequent trade of current Red Sox closer Koji Uehara? Literally, stay tuned!

Just Another Rocking-Chair Win For Mighty Sox

(Getty Images)

Signs and wonders. Of course the slumping Red Sox would beat up on one of the best left-handed starters in the game in Chirs Sale. Of course they'd get seven solid innings out of knuckle-baller Stephen Wright (who owns the world's largest seashell collection). Of course Rusney Castillo would show us why Ben Cherington spent $80 million or so of John Henry's money on him with a monster HR. Of course David Ortiz would continue his blazing post-Pedro-induction spree. Of course Xander Bogaerts would get three hits—well, actually that's the only one that isn't a surprise. Sox win, 8-2.

Red Sox Designate Daniel Nava For Assignment

As we suggested might happen back in mid-July, Daniel Nava was designated for assignment by the Red Sox today. If this is truly the end of his Red Sox career, there will be many good memories. For example, Nava was just the fourth MLB player ever to hit a grand slam in his first major league at bat—and just the second to do it on the very first pitch he saw in the bigs. In the 2013 Championship season, Nava hit a three-run HR to win the first Red Sox home game after the Boston Marathon bombings. He also finished eighth in the AL in batting average (.303) and fifth (.385) in on-base percentage that year. Of course, Nava was DF'A before (2011) and ended up back with the club. Who knows?

Cast Your July 2015 Dalton Jones Average Vote

It's that time again—another month's end and another chance to vote in FenwayNation's exclusive Dalton Jones Industrial Average. The DJIA (honoring the Red Sox all-time pinch-hit leader) gathers four key metrics from FN readers scattered around the world. Through the DJIA, readers assess the fortunes of the team on: starting pitching, relief pitching, overall offense and overall defense. FenwayNation will publish the DJIA Index Score each month during the season—and the fluctuation up or down from the previous month's reading. You can now cast your July DJIA vote HERE.

Red Sox Fan Projectile Vomits At Fenway Park

UpChuckNation In Action

OK, it's been a really bad season—but not that bad. A sickened fan vomited at Fenway Park last night from a second-level of luxury seats onto the unfortunate masses below. It's unclear what exactly provoked the flow—but it might have been the inability of anyone in the Red Sox infield to cover third base while a White Sox player happily scampered there. Or maybe just the fact that team is on pace to win a lousy seventy ballgames. Or maybe it was just the kale sandwich from Fenway's Organic Rooftop Garden. Yeah, probably that. You can see a video of this troubling event HERE.

Blue Jays Going For It, Eh? Trade For Price

By acquiring Troy Tulowitzki, the Toronto Blue Jays shored up their defense and added to their already ridiculous offense. Now, they have traded for David Price—or more precisely rented him for two months or so. This gives the Jays a dramatically improved rotation—but it doesn't necessarily guarantee a post-season berth. After all, the Jays are currently a .500 ballclub—seven games behind The Bronx Embalmers in the AL East. Moreover, while only two games out of a Wild Card spot, they have to pass the Orioles and Twins to grab the second of the "one-and-done" chances to advance in the playoffs. If they could only 'win as many as they lose' with one of the most prolific offenses ever (538 runs so far)—are Tulowitzki and Price really going to make that much of a difference? We shall see!

Will The Sox Simply 'Stand Pat' At Deadline?

'Stand Pat' Gillick

Other than the Shane Victorino trade, will the Red Sox emulate former Blue Jays GM 'Stand Pat' Gillick and do nothing more before tomorrow's trade deadline? Cole Hamels and Johnny Cueto are off the table, and the Reds are apparently demanding way too much for the likes of Mike Leake. So, don't be surprised if the Boston brass start outlining the case for doing nothing more. They could argue that—since 2015 is down the toilet—we might as well go with as many kids as possible (positionally and in the starting rotation) and see which ones are truly ready for 2016. It's a plausible approach—but probably won't sit well with a fan base that's upping the 'boo-rate' with each new home loss.

Red Sox Have The Worst Run Differential In AL

(FanGraphs.com)

With the recent resurgence of the White Sox, the Red Sox are now the proud owners of the worst run differential in the entire American League (-76). And, they have a 'comfortable' 15-run cushion on their next closest rival—the Seattle Mariners (-61). Of course, they can't compete with the 'leaders' in the Senior Circuit. The woefully horrible Philadelphia Phillies own the top spot in all of baseball with a whopping -144 run differential—almost twice that of your Carmine Hose. Boston is on pace to score just 662 runs in 2015—the second straight season scoring less than 700 runs. The last non-strike year the Red Sox scored fewer than 700 runs was in 1993 (686)—when Butch Hobson guided them to 80 wins. They'll be extremely lucky to win 80 this year.

Former Sox OF Brandon Moss Traded To Cards

(Getty Images)

The wheeling and dealing continues. Former Red Sox outfielder Brandon Moss has been traded by the Cleveland Indians to the St. Louis Cardinals. Moss' left-handed power bat will clearly help the RedBirds in their quest to get back to the World Series. In his two years in Carmine Hose, Moss hit .291 in just 49 games—with 2 HRs and 12 RBIs. He was dealt (along with Craig Hansen) to the Pirates in the complex three-way Manny Ramirez-Jason Bay trade of 2008. He got his 'mojo' going with the Oakland A's, where he hit 76 HRs over three seasons. He was then dealt to the Indians and old friend Tito Francona last December. We wish him the best with the Cardinals.

HumiliationNation: Sox Bumble Way To 9-2 Loss

(Getty Images)

It doesn't get much worse than this. Even Jerry Remy is calling it embarrassing on the air. The Red Sox parlayed crappy starting pitching, feeble offense and slipshod defense into a 9-2 boo-fest. The low-light of the game—and perhaps the season—was when third base was left uncovered, allowing a Pale Hoser to scamper there after a near-spectacular play by Xander Bogaerts. Suffice it to say that this was a real stinker of a loss—with Rick Porcello once again leading the way. The righty went just two innings plus—giving up six runs (five earned) on ten hits (including two HRs). The only bright light was 'probably soon-to be-traded' Mike Napoli who homered and drove in both Boston runs. The Red Sox are now an abysmal 14 games behind The Evil Ones In the AL East. Turn out the lights when you leave.

Sox Lose Another Game—And Possibly Mookie

(Getty Images)

Pedro Martinez (whose #45 was retired at Fenway last night) gave up just four first-inning runs in all of 1999. Wade Miley gave up five earned runs in one inning last night. This difference tells you all you need to know about the 2015 Carmine Hose. Boston lost again—this time a 9-6 drubbing by the once-crappy Chicago White Sox. On top of everything, the Red Sox may have lost CF Mookie Betts—who made a spectacular catch tumbling into the bullpen, which was later reversed into a HR. All in all, a really bad night to honor Pedro.

REPORT: Papelbon Headed To Nationals?

According to Washington Post reporter Barry Svrluga, former Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon may be headed from one of the league's worst teams (the Phillies) to one of the best (the Nationals). While even Svrluga states that the deal could "implode" for various reasons, he says it's "very unlikely it doesn't go through". Stay tuned!

Sox Move Clay To 60-Day DL, Get LH Reliever

The Red Sox made two related moves today—moving Clay Buchholz to the 60-day disabled list and acquiring "lefty specialist" Jean Machi for the struggling bullpen. As we predicted a while ago, this DL move effectively ends the season for Buchholz—who now wouldn't return (at the earliest) until mid-September. Machi is a left-handed reliever with pedestrian overall numbers (5.14 in 35 2015 innings), but he has held lefties to a .120 average.

Don't Forget Shane Victorino's Big 2013 RBIs

Victorino Breaks Down At Farewell Press Conference

Back in 2004, Red Sox fans heaped tons of praise—deservedly so—on Derek Lowe for winning each of the three clinching post-season games on the road to glory. As we say 'goodbye' to Shane Victorino, we should be mindful of a similar feat The Flyin' Hawaiian performed in 2013. Victorino knocked in the winning run in each of the three clinching post-season series games in that magical year. That's pretty special. And something we should never forget. And don't underestimate the positive power of his optimistic walk-up song—Bob Marley's 'Gonna Be All Right (Three Little Birds)'. Fans adopted it as one of their favorite Red Sox sing-along anthems. He was a solid player for most of the time he was healthy in Boston, and it will be tough to find a player who can so skillfully roam the no-man's land that is right field in Fenway. Best of luck, Shane!

Sox Trade Victorino To Halos For IF Rutledge

Just before Monday night's game, the Red Sox traded away a vital piece of their 2013 World Series Championship team—Shane Victorino. Boston sent The 'Flyin' Hawaiian' to the Angels—along with $3.8 million—in exchange for infielder Josh Rutledge. The 26-year old Rutledge is known for both his offensive and defensive prowess in the infield—an area where injuries have recently hurt the Red Sox. Victorino broke down and cried at the press conference announcing his departure and said the following, "It's very emotional, for more reasons than one. I set out, and as I said from day one, I wanted to come here and I wanted to finish my contract here. That's one thing as an athlete, you always strive and you focus on that and when you sign in a place." We'll miss you, Shane!

Sloppy Duel Of Hosiery Ends In Pale Hose Win

Before Tonight's Game At Fenway (FenwayNation Photo)

Sitting through tonight's game at Fenway Park was like watching two 'punchy' boxers flail at each other for 12 rounds—with one boxer not fainting at the end. After exchanging leads back and forth all night, The Pale Hose of Chicago topped The Carmine Hose of Boston, 10-8. After Joe Kelly coughed up four first inning runs to put Boston in an immediate hole, the Red Sox stormed back to tie it at four apiece—partly on a mammoth 2-run HR by David Ortiz. Then it was a see-saw battle of ineptitude until Chicago emerged on top. Mookie Betts did add three hits and two RBIs in the losing cause—the tenth loss in the last twelve games.

US Olympic Committee Pulls Boston's 2024 Bid

The US Olympic Committee today pulled their support for Boston's bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics. Millions of commuters in the Greater Boston area gave out a collective sigh of relief—as now we'll only need to contend with normal gridlock. The bid never really got traction from the public—which was apparently part of the reason that the bid was pulled.

MLB Network Has Wall-To-Wall Trade Coverage

Can't get quite enough of a trade deadline fix from FenwayNation? You're in luck! MLB Network has announced a ridiculous (in the best sense of the word) fifty-four hours of live trade deadline coverage this week. The coverage will include an on-screen "Social Media Ticker" that will follow #TradeDeadline on TWITTER.  The network will also feature live updates from the likes of Hall of Fame baseball writer Peter Gammons. So, tune in, turn on—but don't drop out.

Pirates May Be Interested In Napoli & Victorino

(AP Photo)

If Bill West of the Pittsburgh Tribune is to be believed, the Pirates are interested in trading for two of Boston expendable veterans—first-baseman Mike Napoli and outfielder Shane Victorino. Even if Ben Cherington gets only one or two decent prospects in return, he should clearly make this deal. Napoli would give the Bucs a major defensive upgrade over incumbent 1B Pedro Alvarez—and offer the potential at least of revived offensive performance. Victorino can fill-in or start at all three OF positions for the contending Pirates—currently in the top NL Wild Card spot. Stay tuned.

Sox Should Make Two Lesser Deals For Starters

Carrasco (L); Quintana (R)

As the trading deadline looms just four days away, there is renewed talk that the Red Sox are still one of the teams in on Cole Hamels. With Johnny Cueto snatched up by Kansas City, the asking price in prospects has probably jumped on Hamels—not to mention his recent no-hitter. So, in our view, Ben Cherington should not deal away any of the youthful core for a guy who will be 32 next Opening Day—even one as good as Hamels. Instead, we would suggest two "lesser" deals that would net two much younger starters—26-year old José Quintana of the White Sox and 28-year old Carlos Carrasco of the Indians. Both have big-league experience (Carrasco 6 years, Quintana 4 years) and both have decent stats (Carrasco 4.29 career ERA—10 wins this year, Quintana 3.52 career ERA—5 wins this year). Both are considered solid, and apparently available from two clubs that are going nowhere in 2015. Both Cleveland and Chicago could use a re-stocking of young prospects—but the demands would be far less than what the Phillies would ask for Hamels. So, let's still go after talented starting pitching—just younger and cheaper to acquire.

You Can Follow FenwayNation On GOOGLEPlus

Here at FenwayNation, we try to offer readers as many ways as possible to connect with us. Obviously, the website is the most popular way, but we also offer connection via: Facebook, TWITTER, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube—and GOOGLEPlus. The latter's been extremely popular—generating more than 10.5M views thus far. Please join our GOOGLEPlus circle HERE!

David Ortiz Now Just 15 Shy Of 500 Home Runs

(Getty Images)

After last night's offensive outburst (two 3-run HRs, 7 RBIs), David Ortiz is now just 15 home runs shy of the 500 mark. Since 2009, only one other player has eclipsed the "half-thousand' plateau—Albert Pujols just last year. Once he hits that milestone, Big Papi could conceivably pass another Red Sox icon—Ted Williams and his 521 HRs. Maybe the booing he got for not running out a grounder on Friday and the emotion of his buddy Pedro Martinez getting into the Hall of Fame have jump-started Ortiz for the second half. This could be fun to watch!

Sox Finally Get Offensive, Beat Tigers, 11-1

(Getty Images)

This is how Ben Cherington envisioned 2015—lots of offense, solid starting pitching, and an effective bullpen in an 11-1 win. Unfortunately, games like this have been as rare as hound's teeth (an odd phrase since there are plenty of hounds and they generally have a mouthful of teeth). David Ortiz went 4-5 with 7 RBIs (two three-run HRs and two singles). Xander Bogaerts also had four hits and scored two runs. Young lefty Eduardo Rodriguez allowed just one run on three hits in seven innings—striking out six and allowing just one walk. All in all, a welcome win—the second in the last eleven games (both against the Tigers).

The Great Pedro Martinez Enters Hall Of Fame

The greatest Red Sox pitcher of our generation entered the Baseball Hall Of Fame today in Cooperstown, NY. Pedro Martinez became just the second native of the Dominican Republic to enter the Hall—along with Juan Marichal, who entered 32 years ago (and also briefly pitched for the Red Sox). Of all Pedro's great moments in Carmine Hose, perhaps the most memorable was in a game that didn't count: the 1999 All-Star Game at Fenway Park. Your humble scribe was lucky enough to be in attendance with my Dad on that glorious night. It was 'payback' for my father taking me to the other Midsummer Classic at Fenway—back in 1961. Pedro struck out the first four batters in the National League lineup (Barry Larkin, Larry Walker, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire)—the first pitcher in MLB history to begin the All-Star Game striking out the side. Perhaps the best example of his dominance was the 2000 ERA title. His 1.74 ERA was almost two full runs better than the runner-up (Roger Clemens at 3.70). Of course, his relief performance in the 1999 LCS against the Indians and his supremacy in the 2004 post-season are the crowning achievements that we remember as well. Congratulations, Pedro!

US Navy Names New Ship USS Cooperstown

Ray Mabus, the Secretary of the US Navy, announced yesterday at the Hall of Fame that he has named a new ship the USS Cooperstown. Mabus was in Cooperstown to honor those ballplayers who served in World War II. The new ship—a new class called a littoral combat ship—was commissioned to help rebuild the U.S. fleet. Said Jane Forbes Clark, chairperson of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, "I feel very confident, on behalf of Cooperstown, to say thank you Mr. Secretary. Wow." Indeed!

Will Sox Package Margot In Deal For Hamels?

Margot (L); Hamels (R)

One day after Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels threw his first career no-hitter, rumors of his trade to Boston have intensified. Multiple reports suggest that Philadelphia is very high on AA CF Manuel Margot—ranked as the #4 prospect in the Boston organization by the authoritative SoxProspects.com. Margot hit .282 at Single A Salem earlier this year and is currently batting .263 at AA Portland. Margot is rated as having plus power and bat speed for a smaller guy (6', 170 pounds). He also has plus range in CF and can steal a base. It would likely take more than Margot to get Hamels, but he could be the centerpiece. Stay tuned!

Same As It Ever Was: Sox Lose To Tigers, 5-1

(Getty Images)

The Red Sox again avoided a dreaded winning streak by losing their ninth game in ten tries yesterday, 5-1 to Detroit. Mookie Betts knocked in the only Sox run—as the team left five on base. Steven Wright pitched just 4 1/3 innings giving up four runs—two earned. What more is there to say? All we can do is await the Friday trading deadline and see who they can dump from this woeful team. Hopefully, Ben Cherington (if he's still employed by then) will protect the youthful core of Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Blake Swihart.

FN's Under The Radar Wilson Thrives In Motown

Alex Wilson While In Carmine Hose

Last year, we tabbed Red Sox reliever Alex Wilson as the FenwayNation "Under The Radar" performer of 2014. In an otherwise dismal year, Wilson posted impressive stats out of the 'pen—28.1 IP, 1.91 ERA, 0.882 WHIP, 19 Ks, 5 BB. Then, Boston traded the 28-year old to the Tigers (along with Yoenis Cespedes) for Rick Porcello. This year, Wilson has continued his impressive pitching—51.0 IP, 1.94 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 30 Ks, 8 BB. So, despite being a "throw-in" in the deal, Wilson is making the trade even more lop-sided than it already was.

Muddy Chicken Back On The DL With Hamstring

Dustin Pedroia just pushed it too much, too soon. As a result, The Laser Show is back on the 15-day disabled list with the same hamstring injury that landed him there originally. Pedroia refused a rehab assignment to the minor leagues, which—in retrospect—may have been the more prudent route. Said Manager John Farrell, "I don't have the exact time frame. We felt like a three-week shut-down period was going to suffice, but I can't say it is going to be an additional three weeks. I don't have that time frame right now." So, Boston will have to contend with his loss over the next few weeks—along with a likely rehab stint (no matter what he wants).

BogaSaurus Rex: Xander Walks-Off Tigers, 2-1

(AP Photo)

The Red Sox have had three walk-off wins in 2015—and Xander Bogaerts have delivered two of them. Bogie slashed a single up the middle that plated Mookie Betts (owner of the other 2015 Sox walk-off) for a thrilling 11-inning 2-1 win. Betts got into scoring position via a perfect sacrifice bunt by Brock Holt. The victory ends an eight-game win drought—longest of the season for Boston. The red-hot Red Sox shortstop was 3-5 on the night, raising his average to .310. Rick Porcello pitched perhaps his best game of the year—going seven strong innings and giving up just one earned run. The Boston bullpen—for once—got four shutout innings from Junichi Tazawa, Koji Uehara and Justin Masterson (who got the win). Holt knocked in the first Red Sox run way back in the 3rd inning—a characteristic 2-out RBI for the BrockStar. All in all, a good (and long overdue) win.

'Laser Show' And Papi Out Tonight At Fenway

Neither Dustin Pedroia or David Ortiz will be in tonight's Red Sox lineup against the Tigers at Fenway Park. Here are the starters: Mookie Betts CF, Brock Holt 2B, Xander Bogaerts SS, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Hanley Ramirez DH, Mike Napoli 1B, Alejandro De Aza LF, Shane Victorino RF, Ryan Hanigan C. Rick Porcello take to the hill for The Carmine Hose.

Is Cleveland's Carrasco Coming To Red Sox?

Carlos Carrasco

A flurry of trade rumors are circulating this afternoon around the Cleveland Indians 'shopping' some of their starting pitching. FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal was first to report this—and the fact that Boston is one of the interested teams. He also relayed the fact that the Blue Jays tried unsuccessfully to get RHP Carlos Carrasco. Clearly, the Red Sox have a much richer bounty of prospects to offer The Tribe than Toronto. Could it be that the 28-year old Carrasco is headed to Fenway for a package of 'non-Mookie/non-E-Rod' prospects? Carrasco would be a clear upgrade to the Sox rotation (10-7, 3.94 ERA, 1.17 WHIP—and averaging 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings). He's also attractive financially—signed through the 2018 season for just $19 million more. If Ben Cherington can protect the youthful core and deal some of the other coveted players in the system, he should make the deal for Carrasco.

Hanley Ramirez's Defense: It's Still Wicked Bad

Hanley At Work

Thanks to Matthew Kory of the authoritative FanGraphs.com, we can definitively state that Hanley Ramirez's defense in left field is still awful. It's not just the "eyeball test", either. Hanley's UZR rating so far this season is -15.2. He's making Manny's left-field play look positively Jackie Bradley, Jr.-like. As Kory succinctly puts it, "Ramirez has done as much damage to the Red Sox in left field as the second-worst left fielder and fourth-worst left fielder combined." Oooh, that's really bad. The article concludes that Hanley is bad at defense period—no matter where he plays in the field. Let's face it, folks: The man was made to DH.

REPORT: Napoli Surge Could Enhance Value

According to CSNNE.com's Sean McAdam, the recent offensive surge by Mike Napoli (.389 BA since the All-Star Break) could enhance his trade value at next Friday's trade deadline. However, it's unclear whether contending teams will view this as a mere "blip" or a sign that Napoli has finally figured things out. As a free agent at the end of the year, there is no chance Boston will re-sign the first-baseman—who will turn 34 in October. While he likely won't bring back a big haul of prospects, the quality of that return package has definitely been enhanced by his recent play. Stay tuned!

Astros 'Walk-Off' Red Sox Season In 5-4 Loss

(AP Photo)

This was one for the books! After surrendering 1-0 and 2-1 leads, the Red Sox fell behind 4-2 to Houston late in last night's game. Then, semi-miraculously, The Carmine Hose came back to tie it in the top of the eighth on a solo HR by David Oritz and an RBI double from the suddenly resurgent Mike Napoli. Then, of course, the retractable roof fell in—as Craig Breslow gave up a walk-off HR to diminutive (yet wicked good) Jose Altuve. That's all she wrote—in yet another gut-wrenching loss (this time 5-4). Napoli ended up with a 3-4 night and 2 RBIs, Ortiz was 2-5 with 2 RBIs and Mookie Betts also had two hits. Wade Miley actually pitched extremely well—going six innings and giving up just one earned run. But the bullpen failed again—with Alexi Ogando, Junichi Tazawa and Breslow each giving up crushing runs. Boston is now 12 games behind The Empire and on life-support. This is humiliating. Trades and firings need to happen soon.

The Muddy Chicken Sits Out Tonight In Houston

Dustin Pedroia will not be in tonight's Red Sox lineup in Houston. It's unclear whether there is a health issue or if it's just a scheduled day off. Here is the full lineup: Mookie Betts CF, Brock Holt 2B, Xander Bogaerts SS, David Ortiz DH, Hanley Ramriez LF, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Alejandro De Aza RF, Mike Napoli 1B, Ryan Hanigan C. Lefty Wade Miley takes to the hill.

Only Papi And Pedroia In Top 20 MLB Jerseys

The jerseys of only two Red Sox players appear on the Top 20 Most Popular Jerseys list—according to MLB.com. David Ortiz comes in at #9, while Dustin Pedroia falls just outside the Top 10 at #11. Of course, if you count former Red Sox players, the number doubles. Former top Boston prospect Anthony Rizzo (now with Theo Epstein and the Cubbies) ranks at #10, while the guy Rizzo was traded for—Adrian Gonzalez—rounds out the list at #20.

Clay Gets Injection, May Be Done For Season

Famed elbow guru Dr. James Andrews examined Clay Buchholz yesterday and gave the ailing righty an injection of 'platelet-rich plasma'. Andrews also recommended that Buchholz be shut down for at least another two weeks. Based on current projections (shutdown period, rehab), the earliest Buchholz could return to the Red Sox rotation would be sometime in September. But—given his track record—the next realistic time we see Clay will be February in Fort Myers. Deal with it.

ESPN's Law Ranks Sox Farm System #1 In MLB

In need of some good news? How about the results of the latest farm system rankings from ESPN's Keith Law. The respected writer has tabbed your own Carmine Hose as possessors of the #1 minor league organization in all of baseball. In January, the Red Sox sat at #5 in Law's hierarchy, but now they boast five players among the MLB's Top Fifty prospects. Topping Boston's prospect list is Rafael Devers (3B)—who has been getting rave review from every pundit. Cuban 19-year old Yoan Moncada (2B) is ranked second, with Manuel Margot (CF), Henry Owens (LHP) and Javier Guerra, (SS) rounding out the list of top prospects.

Cherington Hints Interest In Veteran Sox Players

(Christopher Evans/Boston Herald)

In a wide-ranging interview on WEEI's Dennis And Callahan Morning Show, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington hinted that other clubs have expressed trade interest in some veteran players on the team. While he didn't completely rule out dealing some of Boston's young talent, the GM seemed hesitant to touch that youthful core. Said Cherington, "Certainly we have younger players that everybody wants, but there are other players that we have that are of interest...we have players that are valuable and clearly would help a winning team. And we're getting calls on those players." Most agree that the veterans who could have value to contenders are closer Koji Uehara, left-fielder Hanley Ramirez, third-baseman Pablo Sandoval, first-baseman Mike Napoli and right-fielder Shane Victorino. Stay tuned!

Nomar Garciaparra Turns 42 Years Old Today

 (Photo File/National Baseball Hall of Fame Library)

Red Sox great Nomar Garciaparra turns 42 today. For those fans too young to remember him, imagine having an elite superstar in the lineup every night—an offensive and defensive force at shortstop. For most of his nine seasons in Carmine Hose, Nomar was a rock star to The Nation—and deservedly so. He pissed off elements of the mainstream media—but, by and large, fans didn't care. He was our Nomah. Check out his achievements in Boston laundry: a .323 average (including batting titles in 1999 and 2000), 178 HRs, a .370 on-base percentage, and a .923 OPS. He was also a five-time All-Star as a member of the Red Sox and was Rookie Of The Year in 1997. He finished in the Top 10 of AL MVP voting five times. The man was legit. Sure, he moped and played Hamlet On The Charles from time to time—but we should all recognize him for the great Red Sox player he was. Happy birthday, Nomar!

Kelly Yields Three Dingers, Sox Lose Again, 4-2

(AP Photo)

It's getting really easy to write about the 2015 Red Sox: "Open file, insert template with sarcastic screed on latest loss, publish file". Here we go again. Last night, Joe Kelly coughed up three home runs (a career high) in 5 1/3 typically lackluster innings. He gave up four runs on six hits—just like a good fifth starter should. Anyway, Boston's alleged offense (which went 2-10 with runners in scoring position) was "led" by Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts—who each drove in a run in the 4-2 loss. This was Boston's seventh loss in a row—and buries them 11 games behind The Evil Ones in the AL East. Something's got to give.

Mookie And Panda Out Of Tonight's Sox Lineup

Mookie and The Panda sounds like a bad 1980s sitcom on the WB (does the WB still exist?), but it actually refers to two guys out of tonight's game. Here's the full Red Sox lineup:  Dustin Pedroia 2B, Brock Holt 3B, Xander Bogaerts SS, David Ortiz DH, Hanley Ramirez LF, Alejandro De Aza CF, Shane Victorino RF, Mike Napoli 1B and Blake Swihart C. Joe Kelly takes the hill.

Sox Among Four Teams In The Hunt For Hamels

(Photo from fastphillysports.com)

According to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark, the Red Sox are among just four teams who are still in on 'The Cole Hamels Sweepstakes'. The hot rumor is that Hamels would waive his no-trade protection to Boston if the team picks up his $20 million option for the 2017 season. As we've heard from Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, Boston does not fit the typical "buyer" or "seller" mode this year. In fact, Stark says they are portraying themselves as "nontraditional buyers"—with eyes on the long-term. We can't imagine Ben Cherington giving up any of his blue-chip youngsters (except maybe Blake Swihart) to get Hamels. But, stay tuned—only nine days are left in the trading season.

The Great 2012 "Pedro Beato Trade Switcheroo"

A little side-note in yesterday's Peter Gammons blog will likely make Red Sox fan depression even deeper. According the the Hall of Fame baseball writer, Carmine Hose GM Ben Cherington had a deal in place back in 2012 that would have brought current stud starter Jacob deGrom from the Metropolitans to the Red Sox. The guy going the other way to Flushing? The immortal Kelly Shoppach. When the Mets had second thoughts, they sent the equally-immortal Pedro Beato to Boston instead of deGrom. Oh, the humanity!

It's Time For Serious House Cleaning At Fenway

The Boston Red Sox are now on pace to lose at least 90 games for the third time in the last four years. Sure they won it all in 2013, but—even in baseball—one for four is a crappy percentage. The one constant during that timeframe—other than the soccer-obsessed owners—is General Manager Ben Cherington. While it may be unfair, Cherington has got to go. While we think Manager John Farrell should head out the door with him, it's really Cherington who put his mark on this and the other under-achieving teams. We also agree with the assessment of The Boston Herald's Steve Buckley: Pablo Sandoval and Hanley Ramirez must be moved as well. In our view, neither one fits the emerging vision of a Red Sox team that is young, athletic, fast and hungry. Face it, folks—this is a horrendous team. Weak offense, inconsistent starting pitching, sloppy defense, spotty bullpen. Not exactly the recipe for a World Championship. Ben, you can probably catch on with your old buddy Theo in The Windy City—but the Boston adventure is over.