Blog.WBRU

It's like they never existed.

Ok, so we all heard how George Steinbrenner handed over the reigns of the Yankees to his two sons Hank and Hal. We know that things won’t change and that they’ll still spend too much on damaged goods. We also know all the stats about the wins, the free agent signings, the failed pursuit of one last world championship and how he changed managers 20 times in his first 23 seasons. However, what might have been lost in the cracks is this amazing story from October 2007, and trust me it’s worth the read.

The story comes to us via deadspin.com and is from 2007. It’s about a man who is locked in prison in South Carolina and really loves to file lawsuits. In an entertaining twist, he also loves to handwrite them. So without further ado, the story about Steinbrenner, Isiah Thomas, Perez Hilton and their gay lover. The author also answers such important questions as who is going to replace Jeter (it’s him) and how are the Yankees motivated before games (according to him with sexy catwalks and dances from him).

Added bonus: It includes Isiah Thomas (highlights: french kisses in porta potties and love letters), which means that this rubs salt in the wounds of two once proud NY franchises. Hey at least you guys aren’t Cubs fans.

-claudio

Great story coming out yesterday about Bill Lee’s appearance at his own induction ceremony into the Red Sox Hall of Fame. Just a heads up, there is some (bleeped out) profanity in there in case that matters. I tend to find that especially intriguing.

Just way too many quotes in here to actually pick some to emphasize, but it’s an interesting fact that Bill uses a hockey metaphor to describe the media’s actions. Haven’t heard one of those in a while. A sad realization for all the hockey fans that this makes Bill Lee seem very dated. Listen to the whole thing and be amazed.

PS: Yes, I kinda wish this guy was my grandpa. It’s just funnier when people do not care who they are offending. A sense of entitlement makes criticism so much more fun!

-claudio

Imagine eliminating your hometown team, the team you grew up cheering for, to advance to the World Series. Well, that’s exactly what RP Dan Wheeler and OF Rocco Baldelli did tonight.

Wheeler is a Warwick native who attended Pilgrim, and Baldelli is a Woonsocket native who attended Bishop Hendricken in Warwick. Baldelli drove in the winning run with his 5th inning single and Wheeler preserved the lead with a relief appearance in the 8th inning.

Their stints at Fenway Park during the series were drastically different from one another though. Baldelli, whose only other start came in Game 3, belted a 3-run home run over the Green Monster. Wheeler, on the other hand, played a part in the dramatic finish to Game 5. He gave up the lead in the 8th inning, allowing the 2-run home run to J.D. Drew and the single by Coco Crisp that tied the game.

Now both Baldelli and Wheeler will try to do what fellow Rhode Islander Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox did in 2005: win the World Series. Smallest state? Pshht.

- JE

Photo courtesy of WithLeather

The Red Sox rallied down 7-0 to win 8-7 last night. I realized two things, the Rays may be too scared to go to the World Series and will blow the next two games to return baseball to normalcy and two, I am the Red Sox’s Lucky Charm. Right when I tuned in, Pedroia singled to score Lowrie. Than I watched Big Papi homer deep right. As I kept watching, the Red Sox kept scoring. J.D. Drew played hero and hit the game winning single in the bottom of the ninth. Feel free to send donations to WBRU and I will keep providing the much needed luck for the Red Sox to come from behind and take the ALCS.

-Heng

The day after the Red Sox got crushed 13 to 4 at Fenway Park, the famous Citigo Sign that sits above the Green Monster ignited leaving scorch marks on the upper-left side of the sign as you can see above.

The Boston Globe:

“Flames were actually visible from Storrow Drive during the fire, which caused $5,000 in damage, said Steve MacDonald, a spokesperson for the Boston Fire Department.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, which ignited just before noon. No one was injured. It was not immediately clear how long it would take to fix the sign. …

The 60-foot by 60-foot icon has stood on top of a building on Beacon Street since 1940. It looms just over the Green Monster in left field, a few blocks from the ballpark. Illuminated from dusk until midnight, the red, white, and blue sign contains more than 5 miles of neon tubes that are lit by 250 high-voltage transformers, according to Citgo’s website.”

Lucky for fans, the sign will not take a game off, keeping its wonderful streak of 68 years of non-stop promotion of gargantuan corporations. Those who complain about outdoor advertising just don’t appreciate the good things in life.

-Heng

Thanks to Big League Stew for the assist.

Fans can only hope the Boston Red Sox continue to follow the playoff script. Last year and in 2004, they swept through the World Series after taking care of the Los Angeles Angels in the ALDS and overcoming 3-1 deficits in the ALCS.

After their deflating 13-4 loss last night to the Rays, the Sox once again find themselves down in the ALCS, 3 games to 1, after an opening round series win against the Angels.

In 2004, the Yankees had a very similar game against Boston. In game 3 of the ALCS, they pounded Boston, 19-8. Starter Bronson Arroyo, like Wakefield last night, couldn’t make it out of the 3rd inning. Yankee hitters Hideki Matsui and Bernie Williams recorded 5 and 4 hits, respectively. Last night, Rays hitters Carl Crawford and Willy Aybar recorded 5 and 4 hits, respectively. The Sox came back to outscore the Yankees, 25-13, the final 4 games of the series.

Last year, the Indians had a very similar game against Boston. In game 4 of the ALCS, they teed off against Wakefield and Manny Delcarmen, just as the Rays did last night. The Red Sox only managed 3 runs, similar to their offensive struggles last night. Just like this series, the Sox took the first game only to have Cleveland win the next 3 games. However, the Sox came back and won the last 3 games of the series, outscoring Cleveland, 30-5.

For a franchise that once cringed at the thought of repeating recent history, let’s hope this Red Sox team relishes that thought.

- JE

9=8. It seems fitting that a mathematical equation that doesn’t make sense explains the Tampa Bay Rays in the playoffs. Never mind the ALCS. How does that make sense?! Yet, it’s the been the guiding philosophy from Rays’ manager Joe Madden all season long: if all 9 players on the field play good baseball for all 9 innings each night, the Rays would grab one of the 8 playoff spots.

But likewise unlikely for most, the Red Sox are advancing past the mighty Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. How could a team without Manny Ramirez, without a healthy Josh Beckett to start Game 1, without a healthy returning World Series MVP take out the best team in MLB all season, a team that won 100 games? Easy. 9=8.

The Angels beat the Red Sox 9 times this season, but 8 of those times were in the regular season. After an impressive 8-1 regular season record against the Sox, the Sox flipped on the October switch and disposed of the Angels in 4 games. But that’s what the Red Sox are known for nowadays. Once a team destined to choke in the postseason, the Sox have been the model of consistency, success, and clutch postseason play lately.

Therefore, something that finally makes sense: 9=9. The Red Sox recorded a total of 9 hits in the 9th inning in the series, which accounted for 5 runs. Insurance in Game 1. A lead for Paps to save in Game 2. A walk-off and series clincher in Game 4.

So it’s on to the Rays. Not the Yankees, not the Indians, not the White Sox. No, the Red Sox start the ALCS at Tampa Bay this Friday at 8:30. It still seems strange to say out loud. So it would be fitting then to end with one last 9=8. The Rays have hosted the Sox 9 times this year at Tropicana Field. They’ve won 8 of those times.

OK, just one more. When the Red Sox do return to Fenway, they’ll be looking for their first win against the Rays there since 9/8 (they lost the following two days).

- JE

The Sports Rundown airs every Saturday at noon. This week, Jenna and Jeff discussed:

• the Pats first regular season game vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, including the key match-up of the game, final score predictions, clips from coach Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, and what would make Jeff cry
• the mastery of Theo Epstein’s in-season moves that have helped the Red Sox stay hot since the start of August, as well as a discussion of Dustin Pedroia for A.L. MVP, and why his chances just increased
• the current opening-round playoff series for the PawSox, including the underlying story of the series so far, what to look for the remainder of the series, and why the game tonight should be very interesting
• and what happened at Wrigley Field in Chicago this past week that might give Manny Ramirez some ideas, for better or for worse

Click here to listen to Part 1 of the sports show, with Pats and Red Sox talk

Click here to listen to Part 2 of the sports show, with PawSox and Manny talk