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Projo SoxTalk: Ortiz's knee; A-Rod's contract »
July 12, 2007
READY TO ROLL: The second half starts tonight, and Steven Krasner says health -- particularly the health of David Ortiz (above, Journal photo by Mary Murphy) -- will be the key for the Red Sox over the last 2 1/2 months. (projo.com) Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald agrees.
BEWARE FATHER TIME: Ortiz' health has been an issue the last few days, ever since he revealed he may need knee surgery. And the Boston Herald's Steve Buckley raises the notion that the knee problems are''a warning sign'' that Big Papi -- who turns 32 in November -- isn't getting any younger.
SETTLING IN: The Boston Globe's Gordon Edes has a midseason profile of Daisuke Matsuzaka, who has embraced everything in Boston except the lack of privacy.
NO, THEY NEVER RETURNED: Tony Massarotti says the shortstop position has become the Red Sox' version of the Bermuda Triangle, though Theo Epstein -- noting Julio Lugo's ''track record in the American League East over the last three-and-a-half years is pretty good'' -- still thinks Lugo will pick up his game.
QUICK HITS: More and more, Coco Crisp's defense is getting noticed (Boston Globe) . . . Clay Buccholz 2007 may bear a striking resemblance to Jonathan Papelbon 2005 (Boston Herald) . . . The rehabbing Joel Piniero pitched a scoreless inning last night for the Lowell Spinners (Boston Herald).
IS THAT GRADING DONE ON A BELL CURVE? SI.com has handed out its midseason report card, and the Red Sox got a B-plus. The rest of the A.L. East, needless to say, won't be making any Honor Rolls.
TRADE TALK: The Houston Chronicle's Richard Justice says the Red Sox are still in hot pursuit of the Astros' Brad Lidge . . . Mark Teixeira wants to play for a winner, and specifically mentions the Red Sox and Yankees as teams that ''want to compete and win'' in discussing his future with the Dallas Morning News. Teixeira, of course, becomes a free agent at the end of 2008 and could be traded between now and July 31.
BACK TO THE BRONX? The New York Daily News' staff thinks the Yankees will make a run at Mike Lowell, who began his career with the Yanks, if Alex Rodriguez becomes a free agent. The New York Daily News' Mike Lupica, for one, thinks A-Rod would be wise to leave.
BREAKING ALL THE RULES: Understanding that all bets are off if he hits free agency, the Yankees are abandoning their policy of not negotiating during the season and are willing to talk contract extension with Rodriguez right now, according to the Daily News. Problem (for them) is, A-Rod's agent, Scott Boras -- salivating over the potential pot of gold that could result from a postseason bidding war -- has no interest in talking.
SEASON TO REMEMBER, THOUGH NOT THE WAY THEY THOUGHT: The Village Voice's Allan Barra says the Yankees may become the first team in history to have a losing record despite four Hall of Famers on the roster. The four he cites: Roger Clemens, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez. (He also lists Jorge Posada as a marginal HOF candidate, and thinks Chien-Ming Wang has HOF potential.) ''How does a team with this kind of talent,'' he wonders, ''struggle to win half their games?''
SINCE YOU ASKED . . . Barra provides the answer: ''The rest of the team.''
HOT STUFF: FoxSports.com's Dayn Perry lists 10 burning questions -- ''Oven mitts recommended'' -- for the second half.
HARDWARE-FREE ZONE: The Sox were shut out of Tom Verducci's midseason awards (SI.com) . . . except for Julio Lugo, named the A.L.' s Breakdown Player.
PICTURE THIS: Last month, the Padres' Chris Young and the Cubs' Derrek Lee were duking it out at Wrigley Field. On Tuesday, they stood next to each other for the N.L. All-Star team picture. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
STATS, SCHMATS: Andruw Jones may be hitting only .211, and striking out about once every four at-bats, but Boras (there's that man again) still thinks he can get Jones a six or seven-year deal worth more than $120 million. (mlb.com)
OFF THE ITINERARY: Newsday reports that MLB is cooling on the idea of opening next season in China, though a Japan trip is still on the table.
INTERESTING INSIGHTS: Mike Piazza gives an in-depth interview to beliefnet.com, a spiritual web site, in which he discusses his Roman Catholic faith, baseball's steroids scandal, and how he feels about Barry Bonds breaking the all-time home-run record.
CAN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN: Rickey Henderson is returning to the major leagues as hitting coach for the Mets, who fired ex-Yankee and Red Sox hitting instructor Rick Down. So how long before Rickey begins lobbying manager Willie Randolph, his ex-Yankee teammate, for a chance to play?
DON'T COUNT ON IT: Newsday's Wallace Powell says the Mets are in trouble if they're relying on the recovering Pedro Martinez to do anything more than carry his own weight when he returns next month.
YOU THINK WHAT??? Albert Pujols is stunned that people believe there's a rift between him and manager Tony La Russa, despite Pujols' critical comments about La Russa not playing him in the All-Star Game.
HEADING TO THE SIDELINES? Deposed Rockies closer Brian Fuentes may be placed on the disabled list because of a strained ''lat muscle under his left arm.'' (Denver Post)
DON'T BE SURPRISED IF . . . The Orioles put Miguel Tejada on the trading block when he returns from his broken wrist in August, writes the Baltimore Sun's Rick Maese.
SO WHERE'S PRONKVILLE? ''Start the party in Pronkville. Travis Hafner is staying.'' So writes the Cleveland Plain-Dealer's Paul Hoynes as he reports the Indians and Hafner have reached agreement on a $57 million contract extension that will keep him in Cleveland through 2012.
WHISPERS: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's David O'Brien addressed, and shot down, a Mark Teixeira-to-the-Braves rumor . . . Contrary to other reports, the New York Post says the Marlins will trade Dontrelle Willis. The Seattle Times reports that Willis-to-the-Mariners reports are circulating . . . Now the Rangers aren't so sure they'll trade Eric Gagne and Akinori Otsuka (Dallas Morning News) . . . The Twins have interest in the A's Dan Johnson, who may be traded to make room for prospect Daric Barton (St. Paul Pioneer Press) . . . The Yankees have ''moderate interest'' in Victor Zambrano, who was waived by the Mets last week. (New York Post) . . . The same story says the Yanks have cooled on Shea Hillenbrand, mainly because the younger and cheaper Andy Phillips (now hitting .316) is doing the job they envisioned for Hillenbrand, and may be doing it better than Hillenbrand could.
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
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