Sox Do Yard Work To Aid E-Rod Win Over Jays

(Getty Images)

David Ortiz likes him some SkyDome. The Red Sox DH lofted a mammoth blast off the third-deck facade in Boston's 4-3 win over the Blue Jays. Jackie Bradley, Jr. also went yard and Eduardo Rodriguez found his form again—going six strong innings. E-Rod gave up just one earned run on four hits. The kid is now 3-0 with a 0.69 ERA on the road. Mookie Betts had two more hits in his breakout month. This was a huge win for The Carmine Hose—who could move to within six games of the AL East lead.

Swihart Back Behind The Plate For Sox Tonight

Here is tonight's Red Sox lineup at SkyDome: Mookie Betts CF, Brock Holt 2B, Xander Bogaerts SS, David Ortiz DH, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Mike Napoli 1B, Alejandro De Aza LF, Blake Swihart C, Jackie Bradley Jr. RF. Eduardo Rodriguez takes the hill tonight for Boston.

Red Sox Sign Top Pick Benintendi For $3.6M

(Photo by Andy Shupe)

According to multiple sources, the Red Sox have signed their top pick in the 2015 MLB Draft for a full slot bonus of $3,590,400. Andrew Benintendi, out of the University of Arkansas, was taken by Boston with the number seven overall pick in this month's draft. Only two other draftees in the Top Ten were signed at the full slot bonus— Tyler Jay (Twins) and Cornelius Randolph (Phillies). Benintendi—the Collegiate Player Of The Year—possesses power, speed and athleticism that many equate to another Sox CF draftee—Jacoby Ellsbury. The dismal showing of the 2014 Carmine Hose may someday bear fruit with Benintendi.

POLL: Most Want To Keep Buchholz At Deadline

Very early voting in our latest FenwayNation Poll indicates a preference to keep Clay Buchholz at the trade deadline. As the chart shows, more than six in ten readers (61%) think the Red Sox should not trade the Texas righty, while just under four in ten (39%) think the team should take advantage of his current high value and deal him. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

Sox Face Watershed Game Tonight In Canada

It might seem a little silly to put so much emphasis on Game #79 in a 162-game season. But tonight, the Red Sox have a chance to show their competitors in the AL East that they have not given up just yet. The Carmine Hose have won two in a row. More importantly, they've taken eight of their last thirteen games—a .615 winning percentage that far outshines their 2015 norm (.449). Tonight, they have 22-year-old Eduardo Rodriguez on the mound and—despite a few recent bumps in his rookie road—he is still an impressive young hurler, poised beyond his years. He can do this. A win could move them within six games of the AL East lead, a loss could push them eight back and put them again on the 'treadmill to oblivion'. So, it's a big game tonight. As big as they've played all year.

FenwayNation Poll: Time To Trade Buchholz?

Buchholz Trade?
At the peak of his value, should Boston trade Buchholz?	Yes No
	Current Results

Buchholz Delivers A Beauty, Sox Top Jays, 3-1

(Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP) 

Look up 'enigma' in the dictionary, and there will likely be a picture of Clay Buchholz. At once, the most talented (sometimes) and frustrating (nearly all the time) starter in the last decade, Buchholz put on a show last night. Going eight strong innings, he gave up just one earned run in Boston's 3-1 win over Toronto. Buchholz used his entire four-pitch arsenal to stymie one of the most prolific offenses in all of baseball. On our offensive side, the first three hitters in the Boston order were dynamic—Mookie Betts went 2-4 and scored two runs, Brock Holt went 1-3 with an RBI and Xander Bogaerts went 1-4 with two RBIs. Boston has crept to within seven games of the top-spot in the AL East—and has won 8 of their last 13. Could it be the start of something good?

Red Sox Lineup Tonight Versus The Blue Jays

Here is tonight's Red Sox lineup for tonight's game at SkyDome (erroneously re-named as Rogers Centre): Mookie Betts CF, Brock Holt 2B, Xander Bogaerts SS, David Ortiz DH, Pablo Sandoval 3B, Mike Napoli 1B, Alejandro De Aza LF, Sandy Leon C, Jackie Bradley Jr. RF. Clay Buchholz will take the hill tonight for The Carmine Hose.

All-Star Home Run Derby Gets All-New Format

New MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is nothing if not bold—a far cry from his predecessor's decades-long inertia. A good example of this is the completely new (and better) rules for the Home Run Derby in this year's All-Star Game. The biggest change is that the rounds will be on a "time" limit—not an "outs" limit. Each batter will get five minutes to knock out as many HRs as he can—with non-HR's and swinging misses not counting against anything but the time allotment. Brilliant! Moreover, if you happen to hit two HRs more than 420 feet—you get a whole extra minute. Also, the clock will stop for any HR hit in the final minute of each round. Another good new feature is the seeding—which is based on actual HR totals as of July 7th. Amazing! Head-to-head ties will get a 90-second "Swing-Off"—with no clock stoppage. We love it all! Way to go, Manfred!

Recalling Boston's First DH—Orlando Cepeda

Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda played 17 seasons in the big leagues—mostly with the Giants (nine years). But in his penultimate season of 1973, he was the very first Designated Hitter for the Boston Red Sox. When American League owners decided on the DH rule, the 35-year old Cepeda was given a new lease on baseball life. Cepeda played in 120 games for Boston that year, and produced the way you'd expect a DH to produce. He hit .289 with a .350 OPB and a slugging percentage of .444. He clouted out 20 HRs and drove in 86 runs. He also had 25 doubles—not bad for 35-year old wheels. After that season in Boston, Cepeda played only 33 games with the Kansas City Royals in 1974—hitting just .215 with one HR. Now 77 years old, the "Baby Bull" can be rightly proud of his achievements as Boston's first DH.

Cast Your June 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 June DJIA vote HERE.

Hanley's Hand May Land Him On Disabled List

(NESN)

Hanley Ramirez is back in Boston today for further tests on his injured left hand. He was hit by a line drive last Wednesday, and has not played since. Initial tests indicated (CATScan, X-Rays) that the hand was not broken, but further discomfort indicated the need for more testing—specifically an MRI. The team needs to make a decision soon, so the left-fielder may wind up on the 15-day DL to free up the roster spot for a healthier player. Said manager John Farrell, "He’s still feeling some discomfort in the hand where he got hit. Unfortunately, he’s not progressing as we anticipated, particularly over the last 24 to 48 hours." Stay tuned.

An Optimistic Note From A Wintry 'Down Under'

by Mark Lawrence, International Editor

The other day I was striding purposefully through the Central Business District here in wintry Sydney, clad in my worsted grey Red Sox hoodie when a lilting feminine voice called out to me: "Go Sox!"    

"Not this year," I muttered, pulling the hood tighter around my pointy little dome.  But some hours later, soothed by some warming adult beverages and calmed by a narrow Cuban cheroot, I begin to ponder the possibilities.  Here we are yet again, in a familiar place of turmoil and frustration, at the part of the season where managers are fired and hired and players either play hard or go home losers. And don't forget the fans, poor trusting souls that we are. Our faith in our team may be shay right now, but as readers may recall, our faith has been memorably rewarded in recent years. And that's what had me thinking about the past. Now, even though there are less than 85 games remaining, there is still that slender, golden chance that things could turn around.  

Red Sox Homer Three Times, Beat Rays, 5-3

(AP Photo)

The Red Sox have taken a series on the road from a first place team. Alert the media! Boston unloaded the heavy lumber today—as three players homered against tough Tampa starter Chris Archer in a 5-3 win. David Ortiz, Pablo Sandoval and Alejandro De Aza all went yard—as The Carmine Hose moved back to within eight games of first place. Big Papi, and The Panda each had two RBIs—and Xander Bogaerts (pronounced correctly by Jerry Remy) had two more hits—including his 15th double. Despite a less than overpowering fastball, Justin Masterson returned to the rotation and delivered a solid five-inning performance—giving up no earned runs. The Red Sox head north of the border for four games against the suddenly very tough Toronto Blue Jays.

Tampa 'Blues Brothers' Lead Way Over Sox, 4-1

(Getty Images)

They were clad in hideous, blue 1970s throwback uniforms—in a town where 'throwback' means last Tuesday. And yet, the Tampa Bay Rays were able to defeat the Red Sox 4-1 on Saturday. A rookie starting pitcher named Matt Andriese and a refugee from a Blue Brothers movie named Jake Elmore combined to lay the loss on Boston (clad in their double-knit 1975 PJs). Andriese pitched six solid innings giving up one hit (to Xander Bogaerts), while Elmore clubbed a two-run HR in the fifth off loser Wade Miley (who again pitched pretty well). This was another stinker in a long line of stinkers in 2015—no offense and marginal pitching. That kind of baseball calculus leads to losses—lots of them.

A View Of The Season From Across The Pond

by Dave Merry, UK Correspondent

At the time of writing, the Red Sox have just lost 8-6 to the Orioles and are now 32-42 and in last place. Another poor season is in the cards, but for this baseball newbie Englishman, it's still been fantastic. This is my view on the season so far.

The campaign started well and—arrogantly—I thought it was me bringing the Red Sox good luck but as we know it didn't last. The predictions and expectations that the pitching wasn't good enough soon proved right but never mind because we had a super strong offence to make up for it—wrong!

Mookie And Brock Deliver 10th-Inning Sox Win

(AP Photo)

Signs and wonders. The Red Sox took on the first-place Tampa Bay Rays tonight and actually beat them—a 10-inning 4-3 victory. Mookie Betts (extending his hitting streak to 13) sent a lead-off tenth-inning double to left and was plated on a clutch single to center by (who else?) Brock Holt. Rick Porcello managed not to lose another start—although he did blow a 3-1 lead in the no-decision. Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Alejandro De Aza got the other RBIs as Boston sliced its deficit to eight games in the American League East.

Airline Touts Boston Flights With NYY Image

The Offending Ad

Here's a great argument for UK companies hiring US PR firms when they venture across the pond. Thomas Cook Airlines recently displayed on-line ads touting their new direct flights from Manchester, England to Boston. Of course, baseball was part of the allure in the ad, so the swinging ballpayer attracted a lot of attention. You see, the player in front of the Boston skyline is draped in Yankee pinstripes. Ooops! The airline quickly walked back the miscue with the following, "We realise that it appeared to be more of an own goal than a home run on our part and would like to make that right with baseball fans so we don’t strike out before we’ve even started the flight programme." Uh-huh.

Sox Score Enough But Lose To O's Anyway, 8-6

Xander At Bat Today (Exclusive FenwayNation Photo) 

It's axiomatic. If you score six runs at your home park, you should win about 3/4 of the time. Not this 2015 edition of The Carmine Hose! Today, on a gorgeous 80 degree day at Fenway, they tallied six times and still lost to Baltimore, 8-6. Blame this one on rookie starter Eduardo Rodriguez. The 22-year old lefty took a no-hitter into the fourth inning, and then proceeded to cough up five runs—wiping out a 1-0 Sox lead. Once again, Boston crept back into the game—powered by a three-run HR by Alejandro DeAza down the right field line. Every time the Red Sox got close, the O's would re-open a bigger lead on the Boston bullpen—until the ultimate 8-6 loss. Offensive stars for the Red Sox were: Xander Bogaerts (2-5, RBI); Blake Swihart (2-4, RBI) and DeAza (3 RBI, HR). In his return to Boston, Jackie Bradley, Jr. went 2-4 and—on a brilliant OF assist—pegged a laser to home to complete a double play.

Red Sox Score Pyrrhic Victory, Beat O's, 5-1

(Getty Images)

It was a win—but it might have been a very costly one. Boston erupted for five runs in the sixth inning and went on to a 5-1 win over the Orioles last night. However, they may have lost two key players in the middle of their lineup. Hanley Ramirez left the game with a hand injury and Dustin Pedroia tweaked a hamstring on his hit that put the Sox ahead to stay. David Ortiz had a key two-run HR in the inning as well. Clay Buchholz pitched well again—going seven strong innings and giving up just one earned run. He struck out seven. Junichi Tazawa and Koji Uehara slammed the door on Baltimore in the eighth and ninth. A nice win against a division rival—but The Nation urgently awaits news on the injuries.

Creepy Skies Do Not Bode Well For Red Sox

(Michael Ivins, Getty Images)

In case you didn't already think the Red Sox season was headed to 'hell in a handbasket', just look at the skies above America's Most Cramped Ballpark (AKA Fenway). Photographer Michael Ivins (of the Red Sox and Getty Images) captured an apocalyptic vision at the old ballyard last night—something right out of Ghostbusters. You're half expecting "Zuul, the Gatekeeper", or "Vinz Clortho, the Keymaster" to plunge out of the cloud mass, land upon and viciously crush Wally. Look out below!

POLL: Reluctance To Deal Tazawa Or Buchholz

Early results to our latest FenwayNation Poll show that readers are about equally reluctant to deal away Junichi Tazawa and Clay Buchholz in any "sell-off" trade by the Red Sox. As the chart shows, just over three in ten (31%) pick Tazawa as the player they don't want to trade at the deadline, followed very closely by Buchholz (28%). Mike Napoli is next on the list (17%), followed by Hanley Ramirez (14%). Not one vote has yet been cast to keep Shane Victorino. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

FN's April Cautionary Note On The 2015 Sox

We hate to toot our own horn (actually we love to), but in an April 2, 2015 post, we laid out the case for being cautious about this year's edition of The Carmine Hose. We listed five reasons not to "pop the champagne corks" just yet: injuries, the rotation, history, kids' performances and the real state of the AL East. Remember, virtually every pundit picked our boys to win the division—and many also picked them to get to the World Series. Our favorite passage from our piece is: "How about this for a pattern—50% of the time in the recent past we've stunk so badly that we finished last? It seems like we miss the playoffs more often than we win World Championships." Indeed. You can read the entire article HERE.

More Hardware For Sox Top Pick Benintendi

Andrew Benintendi

Andrew Benintendi—the Red Sox top pick in the recent MLB Draft (#7 overall)—has added yet another award to his trophy case. Previously, he was Baseball America National Player Of The Year, Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Year, recipient of the Dick Howser Trophy and SEC Player Of The Year. Now, Benintendi is the 2015 Golden Spikes Award winner. The award (sponsored by Major League Baseball) is presented by USA Baseball to honor the top amateur baseball player in the nation. Previous Golden Spikes winners include: Terry Francona, Will Clark, Jason Varitek, J.D. Drew, Alex Gordon, Tim Lincecum, David Price, Buster Posey, Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant. Not bad company! Congrats, Andrew!

POLL: Who Should Sox Not Trade At Deadline?

Who NOT To Trade At Deadline
If sellers at deadline, who should Sox NOT trade?	Napoli Ramirez Uehara Porcello Victorino Buchholz Tazawa Sandoval
	Current Results

Kelly's Effort Nets No Win, Not Even Roast Beef

(AP Photo)

Maybe Red Sox starter Joe Kelly should go into the excavation business. After all, he is highly adept at digging holes his ball club can't climb out of. Last night was a case in point. Kelly gave up four early runs (five in all) and lasted just 3.2 innings in the eventual 6-4 loss to the red-hot Orioles (winners of 12 of their last 15). The Carmine Hose fought back admirably, chipping away at the lead—even coming within a hair’s breadth of tying the game in the 9th inning. Alas, as with most games this year, Boston came up short. Pablo Sandoval (three hits, RBI) and Hanley Ramirez (2 hits, RBI) led the offense—ironically, the two players who have gotten the most heat from the media and fans lately. Bottom line, another stinker from Kelly—who (news flash) will not win the Cy Young this year. There is the family roast beef business.

Red Sox Fans 11th Worst In Grammar Rankings

Maybe we're not the 'Athens of America' so much as the 'Athens, Georgia Of America.' According to a study conducted by the automated-proofreading company Grammarly (hired by The Wall Street Journal), Red Sox fans rank as the 11th most mistake-prone—when studying comments from the news section of the team's website (specifically, 9.3 mistakes per 100 words). Considering that there are 30 teams, that's not such a great ranking (we figured that out by 'ciphering' it out on our own). Mets fans are the most mistake-prone (tell us you're surprised at that). Amazingly, fans of the Cleveland Indians are the least mistake-prone (3.6 per 100 words). But, they have to live in Cleveland. You can visit Grammarly HERE.

Plagues of Hail And Locusts May Wash Out Sox

A line of dangerous thunderstorms is bearing down on Boston and may threaten tonight's contest at Fenway between The Carmine Hose and the Baltimore Orioles. Of course—in the words of the late, great George Carlin—the radar is also picking up a squadron of Russian ICBMs, so you shouldn't sweat the thunderstorms. But, seriously, folks, this afternoon's weather is not looking promising, so keep an ear our for any official cancellation announcements from the Weather Gods on Yawkey Way.

Catch-22: Three Red Sox Kids And The Future

The Boston Globe's Alex Speier rightly points out that the Red Sox may be on the verge of building the core of their team around two or three 22-year old players—all of whom are beginning to show signs of stardom. Specifically, they are: Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts and Eduardo Rodriguez. In this dismal season, these three are rare shining lights of baseball competence. One can envision a plan (assuming the NOG and BenCher really have a plan) that nurtures these 'core three', while slowly but surely shedding the franchise's "old guard". There is, of course, the danger of the 'Middlebrooks Effect'—where a promising young player shows early signs of productivity and then fizzles. But, Bogaerts seems to have figured out his offensive and defensive posture; Betts is showing more and more signs of established stardom every day; and Rodriguez has righted his ship after one bad outing. Feeding this core with more and more talent from a loaded farm system might produce "the next great Red Sox team"—sooner than any blockbuster trades. Not this year, but soon.

Sox Wives And Girlfriends Help Fight Hunger

On July 10th and 11th (during games against the New York Yankees), a group of Red Sox wives and girlfriends will be teaming up with The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) for the 24th annual Strike Out Hunger fundraiser at Fenway. Over the past two decades, the Red Sox Wives and girlfriends have joined with their fans to raise $286,904 for the GBFB, which has provided 906,756 meals. In 2014, enough was raised to provide 51,723 meals to those in need across eastern Massachusetts. Fans can donate $10 and get an autographed photo of Red Sox players! Fans can also get involved by entering a special VIP Red Sox Experience Raffle. For more information on the raffle, you can visit the GBFB website by clicking HERE.

Former Sox Star Marty Barrett Turns 57 Today

Barrett In The 1986 World Series

He should have been the MVP of the 1986 World Series. After all, Marty Barrett only hit .433 in that year's Fall Classic—with a .514 on-base percentage. Of course, we all know how that haunted series turned out and why Marty never got that accolade. Today, Barrett turns 57 years old, and in our mind's eye we can still see him slapping line-drive hits to the opposite field with his distinctive swing. He was a consummate contact hitter—striking out only 209 times in his entire career. He also pulled off the hidden-ball trick three times—and scored the winning run in the longest professional baseball game in history (Pawtucket vs. Rochester; April, 1981; 11 hours, 25 minutes). He was a solid .278 hitter in his nine seasons in Boston, but suffered a serious knee injury crossing first base in 1989. After that play, it was essentially the Jody Reed Era at Fenway. We will always remember his stellar performance in the 1986 post-season. Happy birthday, Marty!

Mookie Betts Named AL Player Of The Week

AL Player Of The Week Mookie Betts

Major League Baseball announced today that Red Sox OF Mookie Betts has been named American League Player Of The Week. During the week, Mookie batted .581 with two HRs, two three-baggers, three two-baggers, seven RBIs and eight runs scored. Twice in that span, Betts missed hitting for the cycle by one hit. The 22-year old Betts had six multi-hit games during the week, and is currently riding a nine-game hitting streak. Congratulations, Mookie!

Red Sox To Retire Pedro's #45 On July 28th

(Getty Images)

The Red Sox today announced that they will retire the #45 worn by Pedro Martinez on July 28th at Fenway Park. Two days after his enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall Of Fame, Pedro will become the ninth player to have his uniform number retired—joining Bobby Doerr (No. 1), Joe Cronin (No. 4), Johnny Pesky (No. 6), Carl Yastrzemski (No. 8), Ted Williams (No. 9), Jim Rice (No. 14), Carlton Fisk (No. 27) and Jackie Robinson (No. 42). In a statement, Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry stated, "For me personally, he was one of the most incredible pitchers I've had the privilege of watching, and one of the reasons our ownership group arrived here in 2002. We very much look forward to honoring Pedro's remarkable career this July." In seven seasons with the Red Sox, Pedro went an amazing 117-37 with a 2.52 ERA. He struck out 1,683 batters while wearing Carmine Hose. Congratulations, Pedro!

FN POLL: Readers Flip Toward More Optimism

Our second check of the latest FenwayNation Poll reveals that almost six in ten are now optimistic about the Red Sox enough to say the team has not ruined their "Summah". As the new chart shows, updated numbers show just 42% think The Carmine Hose have already ruined the season, while fully 58% take the opposite view. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

REPORT: Evidence Alleges Rose Bet As Player

ESPN's Outside The Lines is reporting that new evidence has come to light alleging that all-time MLB hit leader Pete Rose bet on baseball while he was a player. For 26 years now, Rose has denied he bet as a player—while admitting (back in 2004) that he did so as a manager. Major League Baseball has banned Rose from baseball for his admission—although there has been a recent groundswell to re-consider his banishment. Through his lawyer, Rose stated the following, "I'm eager to sit down with [MLB commissioner Rob] Manfred to address my entire history -- the good and the bad -- and my long personal journey since baseball." If these new allegations are true—culled from a 1989 notebook of a Rose associate—then there is no hope for rehabilitation of 'Charlie Hustle'.

POLL: Nearly Six In Ten Had 'Summah' Ruined

Very early voting in our newest FenwayNation Poll shows that just under 6 in 10 readers (57%) say the Red Sox have already ruined their "Summah" (barely one full day old). As the chart shows, 43% take the opposite view—that there is still a "chance" for The Carmine Hose in the 2015 season. You can still vote in the poll HERE.

Former MLB Player Darryl Hamilton Found Dead

Darryl Hamilton

Former MLB player Darryl Hamilton was found shot to death at his home in Texas on Sunday. In an apparent murder-suicide, police found the bodies of Hamilton, 50, and Monica Jordan, 44, inside the home. Police said Hamilton had been shot by Jordan—who later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The couple's 14-month-old child was found unharmed in the house. Hamilton played 13 seasons in the major leagues for five different teams—mostly with the Brewers (7 seasons). He was a career .291 hitter with 51 HRs and 454 RBIs. He had a .360 OBP. Most recently, he was an on-air analyst for MLB Network.

Red Sox Sign Mike Matheny's Son Tate

(St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

In the fourth round of the MLB Draft, the Red Sox took Missouri State University junior Tate Matheny—son of St. Louis Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. In 2012, the Cardinals drafted Matheny—but he chose the college route. The 6', 180-pound outfielder was a career .319 hitter at Missouri State, with 23 stolen bases in 31 attempts. The Red Sox announced that they have now signed Matheny. Prior to his collegiate career, Matheny was a standout at Westminster Christian Academy.

17-Year Old Anderson Espinoza Up To GCL

Anderson Espinoza

Last year, the Red Sox signed one of the top-rated pitching arms on the international market—RHP Anderson Espinoza. After a dominating stint this year in the Dominican Summer League (1.20 ERA, 21 Ks, 3 BB, 15 IP), he has now been promoted to the Gulf Coast League—which begins play soon. The 17-year old is slight of stature (6 feet, 160 pounds), but has an easy motion that has allowed him to hit as high as 99 MPH on radar guns. The young Venezuelan could make a quick progression through the low-levels of the Red Sox minor league system this year. Keep an eye out for him!

FN Poll: Are The Sox Ruining Your Summah?

Sox Summertime Poll
Are they ruining your Summah?	Yes, hopeless No, still a chance
	Current Results

Papi Passes Stan And Willie On All-Time HR List

(AP Photo)

In the midst of yesterday's Red Sox blowout, David Ortiz launched his 476th career homerun—passing two Hall Of Famers in Stan 'The Man' Musial and Willie Stargell. Ortiz's clout is reported to have traveled 456 feet. Big Papi now sits in 29th place all-time on the MLB home run list. Said Ortiz, "I got to meet 'The Man' [Musial] one time a long time ago. I didn't get to see him playing, but he was very impressive in his career. When they start mentioning your name next to those all-time Hall of Famers, that's something that means you're doing something right. It's an honor." With 18 more HRs, Ortiz will pass both Lou Gehrig and Fred McGriff.

Sox Unleash Offensive Barrage, Beat KC, 13-2

(Getty Images)

It might be pent-up frustration. It might be luck. Or it might just be the maturation of a core of young players. Xander Bogaerts (3 doubles), Mookie Betts (3 hits. HR) and Brock Holt (3 hits, 2 doubles) led the way in Boston's 13-2 shellacking of the Royals. David Ortiz and Hanley Ramirez also homered and Dustin Pedroia added three hits and two RBIs in the romp. Lost in the shuffle was an outstanding outing by the new 'ace' Wade Miley—who tossed six shutout innings. Boston returns home to Fenway for a big three-game series with division rival (and red-hot) Baltimore. We use the term 'big series' advisedly.

Porcello And Red Sox Blow 4-1 Lead; Fall, 7-4

(AP Photo)

What else is new? Rick Porcello (5.61 ERA) took a three-run lead into the fifth inning and preceded to cough it up again. In the fateful fifth, the pricey right-hander hit a batter, walked one, balked and gave up four hits (including a game-tying HR). That blow was enough to give the Royals the confidence they needed to get the 7-4 win. Mookie Betts led off the game with a HR and it was all downhill from there. Boston lost the services of both Pablo Sandoval and Blake Swihart to foot-related injuries—but both appear to be day-to-day. This 2015 Magical Misery Tour continues.

E-Rod Bounces Back, Mookie On Fire, Sox Win

(AP Photo)

Eduardo Rodriguez was facing a character-building start. After getting shelled in his last outing for nine earned runs, the young lefty tossed 6.1 solid innings—mixing a 96-MPH fastball with an 86 MPH change-up. The mix kept the Royals off-balance all night in Boston's 7-3 win. Mookie Betts led a balanced Red Sox attack with four hits. Multiple hit games also came from Pablo Sandoval, Hanley Ramirez (including his 14th HR), Blake Swihart (2 RBIs) and Mike Napoli. The Carmine Hose got their 30th win of the year—still 9 games under .500.

Some Reflections On A-Rod's 3,000th Hit

by Mark Lawrence, International Editor

So, Alex Rodriguez got his three thousandth hit.  Do I care?  I do not.

Don't misunderestimate me, sportsfans, there was a time when hearing news like that would've reminded me why I love baseball. The next-to-last Yankee to achieve the milestone was one of the Good Guys, a player with enough class and grace that even this writer felt compelled to wish him well. In fact, if I'm ever asked to name the last Yankee to hit 3000, I'll promptly answer, "Derek Jeter" - because his achievement actually meant something to me.  It embodied the true tenets of the game - skill, application, ability, humility - you name it, the Captain had it.  I was a little proud of Jeter that day and was happy to offer my respects.  He'd put in his time, played the game well and with respect and managed to retire as a player broadly admired and respected across the Game. Today though, records don't seem to mean so much to me anymore- especially when they're set, tied or broken by men who basically disrespect the Game.  It's more than a mild irritant to me that a lot of baseball's Grail-like milestones have had their significance diminished over the past decade or so, by a sub-class of player who - let 's face it - didn't give a rat's narrow behind about honor - their own or the game's.

Top 10 Reasons To Keep Watching The Red Sox

#10. To find out the identity of NESN's new sponsor for "Catcher Visits To The Mound";

#9.   To keep track of how many times Don & Jerry compliment their director "in the truck";

#8.   To see if NESN finally begins using a 21st century Slo-Mo technology;

#7.   To monitor the latest fashion trends via frequent Joseph Aboud sightings at Fenway;

#6.   One word: Wally;

#5.   To see whether NESN finally settles on one successor to Jenny Dell;

#4.   To mark the precise date when the sappy "Everything Is Awesome!" TV spots stop running;

#3.   To make sure you don't miss the latest "Mad Fisherman" promos;

#2.    To ensure you catch all of Alex Speier's insightful, yet somehow inscrutable, trivia;

And the number one reason to keep watching the Red Sox:

#1.    To make sure you see every damn Brock Holt at-bat.

MLB "Cancels" 60-65 Million All-Star Ballots

Just as Major League Baseball is trying to deal with the CardinalGate hacking scandal, another may be on the horizon. MLB Advanced Media CEO Bob Bowman announced that baseball will be canceling 60-65 million All-Star ballots cast online. Said Bowman to Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports, "I’m not saying we bat 1.000. But it’s between 60 and 65 million votes that have been canceled. We don’t really trumpet it because if someone thinks they’re getting away with it, they’ll try to again." Controversy has swirled around this year's All-Star selections as Kansas City Royals players are slated to occupy eight of the nine starting positions at the July 14th gala in Cincinnati. Hey, maybe Dustin Pedroia still has a chance to make it after all.

Papelbon 'Closer' Than Ever To Being Moved

(Keith Allison—Flickr)

According to FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, multiple teams have been heavily scouting Jonathan Papelbon in recent days—and his ticket out of Philly looks to be imminent. Recent stories have mentioned both the Blue Jays and Cubs as possible suitors, but the range of teams appears to have broadened recently. Papelbon is having another good year as closer with an incredibly putrid team in The City of Brotherly Love. So far this year, the 34-year old has posted a 1.01 ERA with 13 saves. Look for a deal to happen soon.

Papi: "No Chance" I'd Accept A Trade From Sox

(Getty Images)

David Ortiz has achieved a level of seniority in Major League Baseball that he is able to nix any potential trades the Red Sox might cook up. With so-called "10/5 rights" (10 MLB seasons—with at least five on the Red Sox), Ortiz has earned the right to say "No" to any such deal. For some reason, Nick Cafardo of The Boston Globe (the increasingly irrelevant broadsheet owned by John Henry) actually posed the question of a trade to Ortiz. Replied Papi, "No chance. This is the team I’ll be with the rest of my career...I couldn’t do that to my family. I couldn’t just go to another team and fit in after all of these years. I want to be here." Again, why Cafardo even broached the topic is puzzling—given who signs his paychecks—but the answer, at least, was unequivocal.

Sox Take Advantage Of Brave Blunder In Win

(Getty Images)

Juan Uribe is usually a pretty solid all-round third baseman. Last night, however, Uribe's dropped foul popup gave new life to a big Red Sox inning in a 5-2 Boston victory. Clay Buchholz pitched seven solid innings—giving up just two (unearned) runs for his fourth win of the year. Buchholz lowered his ERA to 3.87. The offense was keyed by Brock Holt (2 hits), Mookie Betts (2 hits and an RBI), Xander Bogaerts (RBI) and Alejandro DeAza (2 hits and an RBI). Boston ended up splitting the silly four game home-and-home set with the Bravos. Now on to Kansas City to face the 2015 American League All-Star Team.