2016 Red Sox Outfield Plays Tonight Against Evil Empire

Here is tonight's Red Sox lineup: Mookie Betts CF, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Xander Bogaerts SS, David Ortiz DH, Travis Shaw 1B, Rusney Castillo RF, Brock Holt 2B, Ryan Hanigan C, Jackie Bradley, Jr. LF. Eduardo Rodriguez will take to the hill for The Carmine Hose.

Abraham: Sox Will 'Figure Out A Way' To Trade Hanley

The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham appeared today on 98.5 The Sports Hub's "Toucher & Rich" radio show and stated that Dave Dombrowski would "figure out a way" to trade Hanley Ramirez. Abraham made the comment while citing the likelihood that the youthful outfield of Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Rusney Castillo would be the starters in 2016.

Red Sox Looking To Put A 'Dent' In Evil Empire's Plans

The Red Sox will host The Bronx Embalmers for a three-game set starting tonight. As The Evil Ones sit 1.5 games out of first, Boston has a great opportunity to bury them even deeper into the AL East standings. While recently putting up football-style offensive numbers, The Pinstriped Posers have been on a fairly long downward slide—relinquishing what seemed like a comfortable first-place lead just a few weeks ago. The Rangers and Twins (both red hot lately) are even challenging them for the two AL Wild Card spots. Of course, there would be nothing sweeter than a three-game sweep putting the Yankees closer than ever to 2015 playoff banishment. The Carmine Hose will send Eduardo Rodriguez to the hill tonight, followed by Rick Porcello on Tuesday and Henry Owens on Wednesday.

Bullpen Lets Down Red Sox Again, Lose To Mets, 5-4

(Getty Images)

In a recurring 2015 theme, the Red Sox bullpen gave away another win—yielding a tie-breaking run in the seventh inning in a 5-4 loss at Flushing Meadows. Jackie Bradley, Jr. (RBI double) and Mookie Betts (RBI triple) had tied the score at four—before the 'pen let the game slip away. David Ortiz clouted his 494th career HR—allowing him to pass Lou Gehrig and Fred McGriff on the all-time list. Quick-working lefty Wade Miley pitched sort of OK again—going six innings and giving up four earned runs. The loss robbed the Sox of their first road sweep of the season. Boston returns home for a three-game "spoiler set" against The Bronx Embalmers.

Grudging Support For NOG's 'Re-Energizing' Of TV Crew

O'Brien, Remy, Orsillo

As loyal readers of FenwayNation know, we are not big fans of the NOG (New Ownership Group). However, when Tom Werner explained the recent ouster of TV play-by-play man Don Orsillo, it did resonate with us. Werner—speaking with The Boston Herald's Steve Buckley—stated that the broadcast needed to be "re-energized" after 15 years of Orsillo and Jerry Remy making the calls. Moreover, the opportunity to go with Dave O'Brien—perhaps the finest baseball broadcaster in America—was too good to pass up. The confluence of these two ideas—the need to refresh and the chance to get O'Brien—proved too much of an enticement. Grudgingly, we have to agree. Orsillo is a capable, extremely affable local guy. O'Brien is extraordinary, also affable and also local. O'Brien's current Red Sox broadcasts are "must-listen radio"—insightful, dynamic, Ned Martin-like. Hopefully, Dave will have Jerry doing color next season—although NESN seems to be hedging their bets on that commitment as well. All in all, not seeing Don and Jerry next year will take some getting used to—we will miss the banter, the uncontrollable laughter and the general goofiness. But, in the end, the NOG made the right move.

'Cy' Kelly Wins Sixth Straight, Sox Top Metropolitans, 3-1

(Getty Images)

Joe Kelly needs to keep that 1970s adult film mustache. The right-hander today won his sixth straight decision—going 7.1 innings and giving up just one earned run in Boston's 3-1 win over the Mets. This, after struggling through the first inning on 30 pitches. The victory was the third straight by The Carmine Hose, whose sixtieth 2015 win moved them—incredibly—to seven games out of a Wild Card spot. Of course, they'd still have to pass six teams to reach Playoff Nirvana. What's becoming increasingly clear is that the youthful core of players really can play. Today, Mookie Betts (2-5, including his12th HR) led the way among the youth—but, the entire crew has been making these recent games worth watching. This, of course, begs the question of what the 2016 team will look like—assuming Dave 'The Mad Trader' Dombrowski doesn't send all of our young guys out of town.

'Thirty-Four' Has 'Thirty-Four' Games To Get Seven HRs

David Ortiz (#34) has thirty-four games left to hit the 500 career home run mark this season. After clouting his 493rd career round-tripper yesterday, Big Papi will get roughly 135 more at-bats to nail seven more 'taters'. That's a home run every twenty at-bats. This is now well within the realm of possibility—and would salvage some degree of dignity for the 2015 season. Last season, Ortiz hit a home run every 14.8 at bats—for a total of 35. He has 27 right now. And, as we all know, Ortiz holds the Red Sox single-season record for home runs with 54—set during the 2006 season. Hey, this could be a fun last month!

Bradley, Jr., Swihart, Owens Pace Sox Over Mets, 6-4

(Getty Images)

Jackie Bradley, Jr. hit a 2-run HR and Blake Swihart had an inside-the-park HR in the 10th inning to propel the Red Sox to a 6-4 extra-inning win over the Flushing Metropolitans. Rookie starter Henry Owens pitched five strong innings—giving up just one earned run, while striking out six. David Ortiz clouted his 27th HR of 2015 and the 493rd of his career—while Xander Bogaerts had two hits and an RBI. The Boston win halted a 7-game winning streak by the Mets—who welcomed back David Wright to Ctiti Field for the first time since April. The Carmine Hose are now 7-3 in their last 10 games.

Hanley Ramirez Scratched From Tonight's Sox Lineup

At the last minute, Hanley Ramirez was scratched from the Red Sox lineup tonight in Flushing. The party line is that it's 'shoulder fatigue'—but could it be an August waiver deadline deal? Stay tuned! In the meantime, here is the full Boston lineup: Mookie Betts CF, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Xander Bogaerts SS, David Ortiz 1B, Brock Holt 2B, Rusney Castillo RF, Blake Swihart C, Jackie Bradley Jr. LF . Rookie lefty Henry Owens takes to the hill for The Carmine Hose.

Cast Your August Dalton Jones Industrial 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 August DJIA vote HERE.

Porcello Shines In 3-0 Sox Wins Over Sale And Pale Hose

(AP Photo)

Rick Porcello came off the DL and pitched like he was worth $82.5 million. The right-hander hurled seven brilliant innings—giving up just five hits, striking out five and walking none in a 3-0 win. Porcello had been out with a right triceps strain since July 29th. Boston's offense was paced—once again—by Travis Shaw, who clobbered a two-run HR (his seventh of the year in just 30 games). If the first-baseman played a full 162 games, he would be on pace for 38 HRs. Xander Bogaerts had two more hits, and Josh Rutledge hit a sacrifice fly to plate the third run. The win is all the more impressive given the fact that The Carmine Hose beat one of the best young lefties in baseball in Chris Sale.

Red Sox Blow Yet More Leads, Fall To Pale Hose, 5-4

(AP Photo)

This time, they were up 2-1 and 4-2, and still managed to cough up the lead to Chicago in a another painful 5-4 loss. Instead of the bullpen, it was starter Wade Miley who failed to protect his own lead, yielding three earned runs in the seventh inning. The Boston offense was paced by Mookie Betts (2-4, RBI, 2 runs scored) and Pablo Sandoval (1-4, RBI, run scored). So many of this team's losses this year could easily have been wins—and this one is a perfect example. Frustration continued to reign in The Nation.

Red Sox Fire Don Orsillo As NESN Play-By-Play Man

(Boston Herald Photo)

According to a TWEET by Gerry Callahan of WEEI's Dennis And Callahan Morning Show, "multiple sources" report that this will be Don Orsillo's last season as Red Sox TV play-by-play man on NESN. While we have had issues with Orsillo in the past, there is no good reason to 'can' him now. Orsillo did not sign Rick Porcello long-term. Orsillo did not sign Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval. If this is Tom Werner's and Dave Dombrowski's idea of throwing their weight around, it's pretty lame. Here's hoping the Northeastern University grad finds a better spot in a network situation—or with another MLB franchise.

Red Sox Fans: Schrödinger's Cat Has Left The Building

The Cat

Here is a description of the Schrödinger's cat experiment: "a cat, a flask of poison, and a radioactive source are placed in a sealed box. If an internal monitor detects radioactivity (i.e., a single atom decaying), the flask is shattered, releasing the poison that kills the cat. The Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics implies that after a while, the cat is simultaneously alive and dead. Yet, when one looks in the box, one sees the cat either alive or dead, not both alive and dead." This is a long way of saying that while some might feel the Red Sox are both alive (winners of six out of their last ten and "just" 12.5 games out of a Wild Card spot) and dead (way the heck back in the Division and Wild Card with just 37 games left to play), the fact is the season is indeed over. There is no Schrödinger's cat paradox—the furry creature has left the box (and the building). The Red Sox season is effectively ended. Bring on 2016.

Rusney-Palooza Propels Red Sox Past Pale Hose, 5-4

(AP Photo)

New Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski almost signed Rusney Castillo out of Cuba—but a certain team outbid him. Now, Castillo is beginning to fulfill the promise seen in him by Dombrowski, the Red Sox and many other clubs. Last night, Castillo knocked in all five Boston runs in a 5-4 win at what we still insist on calling The New Comiskey Park (which President Obama, of course, calls "Co-minsky Park"). In any event, Castillo homered, doubled and singled in his most productive game in Carmine Hose. Also, Joe Kelly (and his 1970s mustache) had yet another solid start—going 7 1/3 innings and giving up just two earned runs. A nice win to start a tough road trip.

Hanley Ramirez Starts Tonight, Jackie Bradley, Jr. Sits

Jackie Bradley, Jr. will sit out tonight—despite the fact that the Red Sox will be facing the only right-handed starter in this series. Anyway, here is the Boston lineup: Mookie Betts CF, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Xander Bogaerts SS, David Ortiz DH, Travis Shaw 1B, Hanley Ramirez LF, Brock Holt 2B, Rusney Castillo RF, Ryan Hanigan C. Joe Kelly takes to the hill for The Carmine Hose.

Dodgers Payroll May Be The First To Exceed $300 Million

With the acquisition of Chase Utley from Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Dodgers now have a 2015 payroll of $295.5 million. Compare that to the relatively paltry Red Sox payroll of $181.8 million. Most estimates project that—with likely performance bonuses already in the pipeline—the Trolley Dodger's final "luxury-tax" payroll will exceed $300 million. That will be the biggest such baseball payroll ever. It couldn't happen to a nicer guy than Magic Johnson.

Napoli's Numbers Get Him More Playing Time In Texas

(Getty Images)

The Mike Napoli deal had to happen. Let's get that out on the table right away. And yet, it is interesting to see Nap's resurgence since re-donning the uniform of the Texas Rangers. As MassLive.com's Nick O'Malley points out, in just 11 games, Napoli is hitting .318—with a .400 OBP, is slugging .636 and has a 1.036 OPS. He will likely get more starts if this trend continues—as the Rangers are (amazingly) right in the thick of the playoff hunt. It's good to see Napoli reverting to what we came to expect of him during his Red Sox tenure. Maybe we can watch him again in the post-season.

Sox Head Out On The Road To Face Six Tough Pitchers

As the Red Sox head out for a road trip to Chicago and Flushing, they will be facing six straight tough pitchers. Ironically, the easiest of the lot might be tonight's previously daunting starter Jeff Samardzija—who has had a sub-par "walk" year in The Windy City. After that, however, The Carmine Hose face two of the toughest lefties in baseball in young Jose Quintana and veteran Chris Sale. Then, once at Citi Field they get all three of the Met studs—Matt Harvey on Friday, Jacob deGrom on Saturday and Noah Syndergaard on Sunday. So, they had better win tonight!

Cueto Taking Heat In KC For Positive Boston Comments

Johnny Cueto

While the Royals were in town, WEEI.com's Rob Bradford cornered soon-to-be-free-agent Johnny Cueto about the likelihood that he'd land at the top of the Boston rotation next year. At the time of the encounter, Cueto was schmoozing with fellow Dominican Hanley Ramirez—who did the translation duties. While Cueto's responses were quite positive about the possibility of donning Carmine Hose, it wasn't exactly a commitment to buy a condo in Brookline. Nevertheless, the Kansas City media has its spare ribs in a bunch over the matter (sorry, ribs are the only stereotypical Kansas City thing I could think of—any other suggestions are welcome). Said Kansas City's FANSIDED blogger John Viril, "On one hand, I’d like to think Johnny Cueto‘s statements are a whole lot of nothing. A Boston-area reporter asked him leading questions, and it’s a normal human impulse to please the crowd. Certainly, a pending free agent doesn’t want to say anything BAD about a potential suitor—especially when the team in question is a big market club that could drive your price up if they go hard after you.  Even so, Johnny Cueto went a little farther than politeness required on Friday." Probably true—but still blown out of proportion.

'Vanillas In The Mist', Red Sox Lose Two Leads, Fall, 8-6

(Getty Images)

It was a rainy, extremely wacky loss at Fenway Park today. Up by two runs in the ninth, the Red Sox pulled off one of the oddest plays in years—turning a misplayed wall triple into an inside-the-park-out-at home. That was the first out. Then Junichi Tazawa pitched like he was in the Little League World Series, giving up four earned runs on six hits. Lead gone, Sox down 8-6—which was the final score. Boston blew a 2-0 lead earlier, with sloppy defense and a 'just OK' pitching performance by Eduardo Rodriguez (6 innings, 7 hits, 4 runs, 2 earned runs). Jackie Bradley, Jr. led the way with three more hits and two RBIs—not to mentioned the ridiculous throw on the aforementioned inside-the-park-out-at home. Rusney Castillo and Pablo Sadoval each had two hits and an RBI. But, this was another disastrous loss by a decidedly 'vanilla' team.

Matt Barnes Shelled Again, Red Sox Fall to KC, 6-3

(Getty Images)

Matt Barnes is young guy who throws hard. Unfortunately, he's become one-dimensional in his recent MLB stint with the Red Sox. Major league hitters can handle that—and have in Barnes' last two starts. As a result—after yesterday's 6-3 loss—Barnes was sent back down to AAA Pawtucket. Boston's offense made a game of it, with Mookie Betts (solo HR) and Xander Bogaerts (2-5, RBI, run scored) leading the way. David Ortiz also had two, while both Blake Swihart and Travis Shaw continued hitting as well. Nonetheless, it wasn't enough to take three in a row form the powerhouse Royals.

The Dropkick Murphys And Our Red Sox Anthem

I think we can all use a little of this right about now:

Sox Make It Four In A Row, Beat Cueto And Royals, 7-2

(Exclusive FenwayNation Photo)

If Johnny Cueto was using this start as an audition for the 2016 Red Sox rotation, he blew it. Boston jumped on the Dominican righty—shelling him for six earned runs and thirteen hits in six innings in a 7-2 win. The Red Sox offense was broad and deep—Blake Swihart was 4-4 with two RBIs, Rusney Castillo was 2-4 with two runs scored, Mookie Betts was 3-5 with an RBI, and Josh Rutledge was 2-4 with a 2-run HR. And, Henry Owens tossed one of his best starts of the year—going eight innings, giving up just one earned run on four hits. And, of course, Jackie Bradley, Jr.—in the game as a late defensive replacement in LF—made two more spectacular catches. Boston moves to ten games under .500 with the win (56-66).

Is Koji Wearing A Retirement Fund On His Injured Arm?

Red Sox closer Koji Uehara is out for the year. Back on August 7th, he was nailed by a line drive to his pitching arm—and was eventually diagnosed with a broken right wrist. But, maybe the 40-year old doesn't have to worry about his next contract—considering what's on his injured arm. The bright yellow cast is adorned by autographs by every player on the 2015 Red Sox squad. Now, it doesn't have the panache of a cast with signatures from the 2004, 2007 or 2013 teams. But, it's pretty good, nonetheless. Said Koji on his TWITTER feed, "This is, I wonder, become a treasure...everyone autographed?" Who needs a 401K anyway?

Will Red Sox Surge Push Run Total Past 2014 Levels?

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With their recent gaudy run production, the Red Sox are on pace to blow away their 2014 run totals. In fact, as of today, they are projected to score 734 runs—exactly 100 more than they did last year. Of course, The Carmine Hose could slip back into another offensive funk, but it still looks like they will easily surpass last year's totals. To put this in perspective, they scored exactly 734 runs in the dismal 2012 season—when The Sons Of Bobby Valentine won just 69 games. And, when they won it all in 2013, they tallied a whopping 853 runs. Still, the current run-scoring spree is a welcome sight.

Baseball Prospectus Writes Off Red Sox Playoff Hopes

Some 'Pollyannas" will look at the standings and see that the Red Sox are "only" eight games out of the final AL Wild Card spot. But Baseball Prospectus knows better—and has them playing golf in October. In fact, the latest playoff probability for your Carmine Hose stands at 0.2%. That's "zero point two percent" for the cipher-impaired. Their negative 'Magic Numbers' are depressing as well—just 30 for elimination from the division and 34 for exclusion from the Wild Card. Of course, those of us who have watched this team know that the likelihood of them making the playoffs is roughly equal to Massachusetts gambling casinos being a net positive to the state's economy. In other words, not bloody likely.

'Muddy Chicken' Not Back In Lineup Until After Labor Day

(Boston Herald Photo)

Remember Dustin Pedroia? You know, the scrappy leader of The Carmine Hose and winner of both the Rookie of The Year and Most Valuable Player awards? Yeah, that's the one. The Laser Show has been out with hamstring issues since July 22nd—after missing 16 games earlier in the season. Now, he won't be returning until after Labor Day—September 10th to be precise. Said interim manager Torey Lovullo, "We don’t want to put any of our guys in harm’s way. He’s one of our best players, our leaders, we’ll be missing him for a while, but it’s giving other guys a chance to play and perform. We need Dustin, we want Dustin, and we know he’s going to be back as soon as possible." Functionally, however, it's 'wait 'til next year' for The Muddy Chicken.

Free Agent-To-Be Cueto Likes Champion-Caliber Sox

(KansasCityStar.com Photo)

Tonight's mound opponent for the Red Sox could very well be a teammate in 2016. Johnny Cueto, the ace at the top of the Royals rotation, could be just the solution the Red Sox need to upgrade their rotation next year. The 29-year old Dominican native was traded by the Reds to Kansas City at the deadline. In four starts for the AL Central leaders, he has a 1.80 ERA. Pretty good deal! Cueto told WEEI.com's Rob Bradford (through the interpretation services of Hanley Ramirez), "... I would like to come here because it’s a championship-caliber team." No problem, Johnny—there's a locker waiting.

Andover High's Ryan Hanigan Could Catch Until He's 40

(AP Photo)

As MassLive.com's Christopher Smith points out, 35-year old Red Sox catcher Ryan Hanigan has a shot to don the "tools of ignorance" until he's 40. The Andover High School graduate—who grew up rooting for The Carmine Hose—spent some of his years in college and the minors playing other positions besides catcher. Those "lighter" years may help preserve his body for the grueling task of being a major league backstop in his mid- to late-thirties. Hanigan did not make his MLB debut with the Reds until just past his 27th birthday—but he has turned himself into one of the best defensive catchers in the game. His patient approach at the plate has also resulted in a high career on-base percentage of .353 (.351 so far this year with Boston). It's unclear whether the new regime at Yawkey Way will keep Hanigan around for 2016—but he's already made a mark on his hometown team.

Miley, Hanigan, Shaw And JBJ Pace Sox To 4-1 Win

(Getty Images)

The Red Sox are still winning—and now they're playing real teams. Last night, The Carmine Hose ended a five-game winning streak by the Kansas City Royals—the team with the most wins in the entire American League. Wade Miley got his tenth win of the season, going 7.1 innings and giving up just one earned run. Andover High School's Ryan Hanigan drove in two runs, while Travis Shaw (two more hits) and Jackie Bradley, Jr. (RBI triple) also contributed to the offensive cause. Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts added two hits apiece in the 4-1 win—their third in a row.

Brock Holt Sitting Out KC Opener Tonight At Fenway

Brock Holt gets a rare night off tonight as the Red Sox start a four-game set with the AL Central-leading Kansas City Royals. Here is the full Boston lineup: Mookie Betts CF, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Xander Bogaerts SS, David Ortiz DH, Hanley Ramirez LF, Travis Shaw 1B, Ryan Hanigan C, Jackie Bradley Jr. RF, Josh Rutledge 2B. Quick-working lefty Wade Miley will take to the hill for The Carmine Hose.

Our Top Five "Suggestions" For Dave Dombrowski

Not that we've been asked or anything, but we're going to give some free advice to Dave Dombrowski anyway. Here are the top five suggestions for the new Red Sox President of Baseball Operations (in no particular order):

1.) Get A True Number One Starting Pitcher. Back in Spring Training, almost everybody (except Ben Cherington) realized that our 2015 rotation was no better than 'five number threes'. It was so obvious, it became a cliché. Well, guess what? Everybody was right. Dombrowski needs to either trade for or sign a true ace for the top of the rotation—which might involve dealing away one of the current starters (Wade Miley?) and/or a prospect (Henry Owens?). We cannot face Opening Day 2016 with an un-intimidating starter on the mound;

2.) Hire A GM Who Doesn't Mind Being "Diminished". In today's baseball, general managers are proving less important than chiefs of baseball operations. That's how it should be here. Dombrowski should be given total strategic control over the franchise and the new GM should have only tactical oversight;

3.) Figure Out First Base. We either have to commit to Travis Shaw, someone else in the organization or bite the bullet and trade for or sign a premier first-sacker (Chris Davis?, Joey Votto?);

4.) Sort Out The OF Log-Jam. Somebody has got to go. Dombrowski needs to do a hard evaluation of the bevy of outfield options before the Red Sox. He may decide to deal away a prized prospect (Mookie Betts?, Jackie Bradley, Jr.?), or try to convince another team that Hanley Ramirez can be their DH. Our preference would be a 2016 OF of:  Rusney Castillo, Bradley, Jr. and Betts. But, if one of these has to go to get back top value, so be it. We would also covet Yoan Moncada as the next up for the OF;

5.) Fix The Bullpen. This one might be the toughest for Dombrowski—since it was his annual Achilles Heel with the Tigers. Maybe because of that, he needs to radically reform the Boston relief corps—from top to bottom.

Jackie Bradley, Jr.'s Amazing Catch Against The Indians

Dave Dombrowski Noncommittal In First WEEI Interview

Give the new Red Sox President of Baseball Operations some credit. Dave Dombrowski went on the air live this morning with the WEEI's Dennis & Callahan Morning Show crew. Fielding a number of tough questions (particularly from noted provocateur Kirk Minihane), Dombrowski was mostly general in his answers—which is completely understandable since he's been on the job for a matter of hours. In fact, he is still in what the late, great Boston Mayor Tom Menino would call the "transmission" period. Nevertheless, one could read between the lines on a few responses. When pressed about whether anyone on the team was "untouchable" in a trade (the sacrosanct Dustin Pedroia was even mentioned as an example), the new boss was non-committal. The bottom line is that he refused to say anyone was immune from being dealt. When asked about whether he would "guarantee" that a number one starter would be on the hill on Opening Day 2016, he was again somewhat evasive. But, he did say that he would guarantee an upgrade to the pitching staff. Well, yeah, even the average fan could probably make a deal or two to upgrade this crew. So, all in all, it was an interesting—if not newsworthy—first adversarial interview of The Dombrowski Era.

Red Sox Go 'Yard' Four Times, Beat Tito's Tribe, 6-4

(Getty Images)

Let's look on the positive side—the Red Sox are 1-0 in The Dave Dombrowski Era. Behind a barrage of four home runs, Boston got just enough offense as a bulwark against their still-awful bullpen in a 6-4 win. David Ortiz got his 492nd HR, and was joined by Jackie Bradley, Jr. (3-run shot), Travis Shaw and Andover's Ryan Hanigan in pacing the attack. Bradley, Jr. made another spectacular catch in his natural CF position. Joe Kelly pitched well—going six innings and giving up just one unearned run. It was the bullpen again that caused some jitters, as Jean Machi worked just 1/3 of an inning and gave up two earned runs—including a HR. The win marks the first time in a long time that The Carmine Hose are over .500 at home (31-30). Hey, it's something.

Xander And Mookie Both Out Of Tonight's Sox Lineup

Uh, Oh!!!!!! With "Trader Dave" Dombrowski in town, news of Xander Bogaerts and Mookie Betts both being out of tonight's lineup sends shudders down the collective spine of Red Sox Nation. It's probably nothing, of course, but yikes! Anyway, here's the full Boston lineup: Alejandro De Aza, LF; Brock Holt, SS; Pablo Sandoval, 3B; David Ortiz, DH; Travis Shaw, 1B; Rusney Castillo, RF; Jackie Bradley Jr., CF; Ryan Hanigan, C; Josh Rutledge, 2B. Joe Kelly takes to the hill for The Carmine Hose.

In First Move, Dombrowski Lowers Boom On Masterson

For his first official move as Red Sox President of Baseball Operations, Dave Dombrowski cut ties with an original Boston property—Justin Masterson. Masterson had been designated for assignment by Ben Cherington last week, but (conceivably) could have been re-signed with the club. That, of course, was highly unlikely. Nevertheless, the finality of actually releasing Masterson is telling. Look for a lot more action from "Double D"—and soon.

Boston Wins ESPN's 'Best-Dressed' Uniform Competition

To those of us who actually live here, this comes as no surprise. ESPN named Boston as the #1 "best-dressed" sports uniform city—of the 20 with three or more professional sports teams. Duh! From the classic white Red Sox home uni, to the iconic Celtics green, to the un-matched "spoked B" Bruins jersey and even the "Flying Elvis" garb of the Patriots, there are no uni peers anywhere! Of course, we would argue that the "Pat Patriot" throw-back unis would cement our number one status even further—but that's just us. Pittsburgh came in second in the ESPN ranking—followed by Chicago, Philadelphia, the Bay Area—and deep in sixth place, Gotham. Exactly as it should be!

Shaw, Ortiz, Bradley Jr. Are All Tearing It Up This August

It looks like the race to become FenwayNation's August Player Of The Month will take place among three Red Sox players: Travis Shaw, David Ortiz and Jackie Bradley, Jr. As the chart shows, all three are well-positioned to capture the honor, but the eventual winner will need to be consistently productive over the next twelve days. Both Shaw and Ortiz have five HRs already this month—while Bradley, Jr. has ten extra-base hits (including three HRs). All three currently have OPS numbers in excess of 1.100.

Reports Point To Dombrowski Hiring Frank Wren As GM

Dombrowski (L); Wren (R)

Multiple reports now suggest that new Red Sox President of Baseball Operations Dave Dmobrowski will hire former Braves executive Frank Wren as the new Boston GM. Dombrowski's reputation is as a 'big picture trader', while Wren is characterized as more of a day-to-day operations guy—so this combination makes sense. Wren is probably more likely to be OK with a diminished GM role—unlike the departing Ben Cherington. All in all, this is probably a good secondary move. Stay tuned, other shoes are sure to drop—all over Yawkey Way.

A 'Shaw'-Shank Redemption—As Sox Pummel Tribe, 9-1

(Getty Images)

In the midst of a major front-office shake-up, the Red Sox had another offensive surge in last night's 9-1 win over the Indians. As they came off the field, they learned they had a new President of Baseball Operations (Dave Dombrowski) and had lost a GM (Ben Cherington). Travis "Where I Have I Been All This Time" Shaw had four more hits to the lead the offense—along with Brock Holt's three hits and two RBIs. Mookie Betts also had a huge (albeit controversial) three-run double. Rookie left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez hurled eight solid innings, allowing just one run and six hits. E-Rod struck out five and did not walk a batter. With Dombrowski taking over immediately, it will be interesting to see if he makes any big personnel moves before the end of the August waiver trading deadline. Stay tuned!

Sox Hire Dave Dombrowski, Essentially Fire Cherington

Dave Dombrowski

Effective immediately, the Red Sox have hired former Tigers and Marlins executive Dave Dombrowski as President of Baseball Operations. Ben Cherington has declined the opportunity to remain as GM—and, for all intents and purposes, has been fired. Cherington will stay on through the end of the year to help with the transition. Dombrowski is reunited with Red Sox owner John Henry—when both led the 1997 Florida Marlins to a World Series Championship. Said Dombrowski tonight, "I want to thank John and Tom for this opportunity. Although I did have other potential options within baseball, there was no option that stood out as clearly as the chance to come to Boston and win with the Red Sox. Boston is a baseball city like no other and its history and traditions are unique in our game. I expressed to John and Tom that Boston would be my absolute top choice and am honored to have the chance to serve Red Sox Nation."

Castillo Plays Right Field, JBJ Sits Tonight Against Tribe

Jackie Bradley, Jr. will sit out tonight's game against the Indians. Here is the full Red Sox lineup: Mookie Betts CF, Brock Holt 2B, Xander Bogaerts SS, David Ortiz DH, Hanley Ramirez LF, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Travis Shaw 1B, Rusney Castillo RF, Blake Swihart C. Lefty rookie Eduardo Rodriguez will take to the hill tonight for The Carmine Hose.

Please Give To The WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Telethon

Today and tomorrow, you have a chance to contribute to one of the most amazing organizations in the world—the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. WEEI radio and NESN are co-sponsoring the 14th annual Jimmy Fund Telethon. Since its founding in 1947, Dana-Farber has been committed to providing both adults and children with the best cancer treatment available, while developing tomorrow's cures through cutting-edge research. Through the Institutes's Jimmy Fund, the Red Sox have made this tremendous cause their very own for generations. Please log on and make your contribution today—HERE.

NH's Christopher Duffley Thrills Fenway With Anthem

When you go to Fenway Park these days, there's not a lot to inspire you. But last night, those of us in attendance were absolutely enthralled by Manchester, New Hampshire's Christopher Duffley and his rendition of our National Anthem. Christopher is a 14-year old who is blind and autistic. He put his considerable talents to work on behalf Autism Speaks, which is the leading autism advocacy organization. With the crowd firmly behind Christopher he belted out a gem. Here is the full video:

Indians 8, Travis Shaw 2 Last Night At Fenway Park

(AP Photo)

The Red Sox mustered just six hits off the Indians stater, and Travis Shaw collected both RBIs in Boston 8-2 sleepwalking loss to the Tribe on Monday night. Matt Barnes made his first MLB start for The Carmine Hose, and gave up six runs in five innings—despite showing good stuff and striking out seven. He also kept the Indians hitless through 3.1 innings. Mookie Betts—of course—made another spectacular catch in center field. But, in the end, sloppy play and clutch hitting by Cleveland put an early end to Barnes' night and that of the Red Sox.

Red Sox Fail Dramatic Comeback, Fall To M's, 10-8

(Getty Images)

The Red Sox found themselves down 7-0 on Sunday, and came all the way back to tie the game at 8-8 in the bottom of the ninth. But too much reliance on a shaky Craig Breslow led to two Mariner runs in the 12th inning and a 10-8 loss. The comeback was fueled by home runs by Xander Bogaerts and Rusney Castillo, and three-hit performances from both Brock Holt and rookie Travis Shaw. Lefty starter Henry Owens had a very poor start—allowing seven runs and ten hits over 6 innings, striking out 10 and walking 1.

Bradley, Jr. Makes History, Sox Pummel King Felix, 22-10

(Getty Images)

Jackie Bradley, Jr. is going to make it real difficult for the Red Sox to keep him off the 2016 roster. The 25-year old OF became the youngest player in MLB history to have five extra-base hits in a game (5 for 6 with two HRs, three doubles and seven RBIs). His average went from .203 to .250 in just a few hours. He scored every time he got on base today. Almost more importantly, The Carmine Hose won on Ben Affleck's birthday for the first time since 1997. Perhaps the most amazing aspect of this back-to-back onslaught of the Mariners is that this one was against 'King' Felix Hernandez—who gave up 10 runs in just 2 1/3 innings in the eventual 22-10 win. Oh, did we mention that the Red Sox today became the first team since 1950 to score at least 15 runs and 21 hits in consecutive games? The other team to do it 65 years ago? You guessed it, the Ted Williams-era Boston Red Sox. Other offensive contributors were: Mookie Betts (3-5, 2 RBIs), Brock Holt (3-6, 2 RBIs), Xander Bogaerts (4-7, 2 RBIs), David Ortiz (3-3, 3 RBIs), and Blake Swihart (4-5, 3 RBIs). Oh, and Wade Miley pitched very effectively—seven innings, two earned runs, eight strikeouts.

Red Sox Honor Farrell With Highest Run Total Of 2015

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Hours after their manager announced that he had lymphoma, the Red Sox unleashed their most productive offense of the season in a 15-1 drubbing of the Seattle Mariners. John Farrell made the emotional announcement in his pre-game press conference in the presence of two of his stars—Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz. Boston was paced by rookies Travis Shaw (2 HRs) and Rusney Castillo (2-run, tie-breaking HR) in a 21-hit attack. Nine players had multiple hit games, and beleaguered starter Joe Kelly went six solid innings. This may have been a true statement game by The Carmine Hose—a statement of love and support for their skipper.

Sox Manager John Farrell Announces He Has Lymphoma

In his pre-game press conference, Red Sox manager John Farrell announced that he has lymphoma. He also stated that the disease is localized and "highly curable". It was discovered during hernia surgery earlier this week. He will begin treatment right away and Torey Lovullo will manage the Red Sox for remainder of 2015. All of us at FenwayNation send our best wishes to John and hope he quickly gets on the road to full health.

Sox Have Two Of Top Five In Baseball America Hot Sheet

The authoritative Baseball America website places two Red Sox properties in the top five of their new Prospect Hot Sheet. Coming in at number three is this year's first-round pick Andrew Benintendi—who continues to tear it up at Single A Lowell. In the fifth spot is right-handed starter Anderson Espinoza—a 17-year old with a mid-90s fastball and plus curveball. Espinoza is currently assigned to the rookie-level GCL Red Sox (Gulf Coast).

Evil Empire To "Honor" 3,000th Hit Of Alex Rodriguez

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Putting hypocrisy on the front-burner, the Yankees will "honor" multiple-PED-offender Alex Rodriguez on the 'faux milestone' of his 3,000th hit. On Sept. 13 (unfortunately not a Friday), The Bronx Embalmers will hold a special pre-game 'ceremony' before their contest with the first-place Toronto Blue Jays. The Fraudulent One homered to become the 29th member of the 3,000-hit club back in June. Unconfirmed reports indicate that he will be presented with a live Centaur in Monument Park.