Projo Sox Blog

The Sox looked glum in the ninth inning (below), but no need. If this is an indication of what awaits us this summer -- and the Boston players themselves think Tampa Bay's in it for the long haul (St. Petersburg Times) -- we're in for quite a ride.

GETTING OUR ATTENTION: This series is creating confusion in New York, which normally greets every Red Sox defeat as cause for celebration. But now, with the Rays 6 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees, there's a growing sense that something must be done to derail the Tampa train. (Red Sox Nation will face a similar dilemma during the Rays-Yankees series next week.) John Harper of the Daily News comments on all this, and includes a very interesting quote from a scout: "If you watched the [Yankees and Rays] play without uniforms telling you who they were, I don't think anybody would come away saying the Yankees were better. Tampa is younger and faster, and you see how it makes a difference both offensively and defensively. And right now I don't see how you could like the Yankees' pitching better. [The Rays] have some young pitchers themselves, and are you telling me that [Mike] Mussina isn't going to hit a rough patch over the second half?"

STRANGE ENDING: Last night's game certainly had its moments in the ninth inning. It started with Brandon Moss' sky-high -- but routine -- fly ball hitting one of the catwalks and caroming away for an RBI double ("As much as I [complain] about these stadiums, it almost helped us win the game," said Terry Francona), which left Troy Percival seething. (St. Petersburg Times) Then there was an on-field shouting match between Percival and manager Joe Maddon when Maddon lifted Percival, who had reinjured his hamstring backing up third base on the play, from the game (St. Petersburg Times), though both sides said afterwards it was just frustration talking. In the end, though, it was all good for the Rays, who increased their lead in the A.L. East to 1 1/2 games.

MANNY, PART TWO: On Sunday night, McAdam broke the story of Manny Ramirez having an altercation with traveling secretary Jack McCormick in Houston on Saturday and yesterday the Sox had to deal with the fallout. All sides insist the incident is over and done with, but not so the commentary. The Globe's Dan Shaughnessy says the Sox' claims that everything's been taken care of internally "just doesn't cut it this time" and thinks Ramirez should be suspended. At the very least, says the Herald's Rob Bradford, Ramirez' new image of approachability and affability is in need of some repair. Baseball Musings' David Pinto hopes the Sox "quietly fined Manny for this". The Yankee-fan point of view is articulated by the blog River Ave. Blues.

THE REAL TARGET: Forget Jack McCormick. The blog Respect Jeter's Gangster would like to see Manny duke it out with Kyle Farnsworth.

I'LL BE THERE: Even though he can't play in the game, David Ortiz says that -- out of respect for the fans who voted for him -- he'll be at the All-Star Game in New York in two weeks. McAdam has the details.

SAFETY FIRST: McAdam reports on the Sox' increased security measures in light of the threats some of their players received prior to the series.

TOP TEN LIST: Tom Jones of the St. Petersburg Times lists the Top 10 reasons to hate the Red Sox . . . but the fact is, all the hatred stems from Reason No. 10. And that's fine.

ON YOUR MARK . . . Evan Brunell of the blog Fire Brand of the American League would like to see the Red Sox trade Kevin Youkilis for Mark Teixeira. So would Alex Remington of MVN.com . . . because he's a Braves fan and "we'd be robbing [the Red Sox] blind."

MAKING HIS PITCH: As Masterson struggles, Clay Buchholz is getting back into a groove with the PawSox. He's now 4-0 with a 0.40 ERA in 22 2/3 innings, with 5 walks and 22 strikeouts, in his last four starts after last night's win in Syracuse. (projo.com)

POWER OUTAGE: Where has all the Yankee power gone? That's what the New York Post's Kevin Kernan wants to know as the Yanks sit dead in the middle of the pack -- 15 of 30 -- in the major leagues in home runs. Mike Mussina's wondering, too; he pitched well against the Rangers last night but his teammates only backed him with a single run as the Yanks lost to Texas, 2-1. (New York Daily News)

CAN'T DO A THING IF I MESS WITH MY SWING: Even though the event's being held at Yankee Stadium, Alex Rodriguez says he won't participate in the Home Run Derby. (New York Daily News) He says it's because he doesn't want to get into bad habits swinging for home runs, though the Daily News' Mark Feinsand speculates another, just-as-important reason is that A-Rod -- who's never finished higher than tied for sixth -- doesn't do well in Home Run Derbys.

'ANOTHER CRITICAL STAGE': According to the New York Daily News, Bobby Murcer's battle against brain cancer "has reached another critical stage" and the ex-Yankee star is undergoing treatment in Oklahoma City.

SHORT LEASH: Jose Reyes will escape punishment for Sunday's glove-throwing tantrum, but manager Jerry Manuel says "I will be constantly reminding Jose of behavior." (New York Post) The Mets' television broadcast team, incidentally, had no use for Reyes' outburst and said so on the air. (Newsday)

LEARN FROM THE BEST: Kernan says Reyes should take lessons on how to act from the shortstop across town, Derek Jeter. (By the way, that's Derek Jeter, Gillette Champions ambassador.)

CADDY TIME: His defense has deteriorated to the point that the Mets now plan to use a defensive replacement for Carlos Delgado whenever there are six outs or less remaining in a game they're leading. (New York Post)

TAKE BACK THE CITY: David Cone played for both the Mets and Yankees and remembers when New York was a Mets' town. It hasn't been that way for quite a while now, but he says it can happen again. (New York Times)

'I GOT MY MONEY'S WORTH': Lou Piniella says he was "ambushed" by plate umpire Rob Drake when he went out to argue a check swing with first-base umpire Chad Fairchild Sunday night, leading to a pretty spirited debate (left) and Piniella's subsequent ejection from the Cubs' game against the White Sox. (Chicago Tribune) "Well, then I got my money's worth ... I think," Piniella said. But then he added, "Probably not." Even so, he says there are no hard feelings with Drake or any other umpires. "They're still my buddies."

NO SURPRISE: As expected, the Major League Baseball Players Association has filed a grievance on Shawn Chacon's behalf after the Astros released him in response to his assault of Houston GM Ed Wade. (Houston Chronicle)

I LIKE MIKE: No argument with Mike's Baseball Rants latest complaint: Interleague play. Pinto shows just how one-sided it was this year.

SINCE WE KNOW WHO CONTROLS THE VOTE, GET READY FOR A VIZQUEL MOMENT IN COOPERSTOWN: Baseball Analysts asks a few people if Omar Vizquel belongs in the Hall of Fame. The analysts say no ("No, no, no, no, a thousand times no," according to Rob Neyer) but the sports writers -- and BBWAA voters -- say yes.

THERE USED TO BE A BALLPARK HERE: They've finally begun tearing down Tiger Stadium and ShysterBall's Craig Calcaterra can't bear to watch.

TRADE TALK: And, with the trading deadline now less than a month away, boy, is there plenty of it . . .

-- Brewers GM Doug Melvin "laughed" at reports his team has taken the lead in the C.C. Sabathia sweepstakes. But he didn't deny them, either. (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel)

-- Speculation is growing that the White Sox will move Jose Uribe. (Chicago Sun-Times)

-- The struggling Padres will probably be sellers this time around, and among the players they could peddle are Randy Wolf, Greg Maddux and Brian Giles. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

-- MLB.com's Dick Kaegel doesn't think the Royals will trade either Gil Meche or Zack Greinke.

HERE AND THERE: The Phillies may lift the struggling Brett Myers from the rotation (Philadelphia Daily News) . . . Hideki Matsui's feeling better and may take batting practice soon (New York Post) . . . Francisco Liriano pitched seven shutout innings, with nine strikeouts, for Rochester against Lehigh Valley last night (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle) . . . That didn't last long: Four days after they signed him, the Mets designated Andy Phillips for assignment (New York Post) . . . Eddie Guardado had to leave the Rangers' game against the Yankees because of a sore shoulder, though the team doesn't think it's serious (mlb.com) . . . The Nationals' Chad Cordero has been diagnosed with a torn labrum and is done for the season (mlb.com) . . . Carlos Zambrano is expected to start for the Cubs on Friday (Arlington Daily Herald) . . . The Astros' Roy Oswalt had to leave his start against the Dodgers in the seventh inning because of a left hip abductor strain. (Houston Chronicle)

OLD FRIENDS: A ZiPS career projection has Johnny Damon playing until he's 42 and collecting 3,004 career hits. (baseballthinkfactory.org) That being the case, wonder what cap he'll wear into the Hall of Fame? . . . Nomar Garciaparra played four innings in the field and went 0-for-2 in a rehab appearance at Triple-A Las Vegas, and came away saying he felt good (mlb.com) . . . Dan Duquette is involved in a Massachusetts state ethics controversy for allegedly selling Pittsfield Mayor James M. Ruberto two face-value tickets to the 2004 World Series at a time when he was attempting to get his minor-league team, the Berkshire Dukes, to play at a city park. (Boston Globe)

AND FINALLY . . . Our best to old friend Andy Freed, the former PawSox announcer now in the Tampa Bay radio booth, who is away from the team for a couple of days tending to a family matter. (St. Petersburg Times)

-- ART MARTONE