Pieces found along the trail
Picked-up pieces while bracing for Barry Bonds's Fenway visit next month, which looks more and more like a showdown with Hank Aaron's home run record . . .
Something "Evita"-esque about Roger Clemens in George's private suite Sunday. He could have been Madonna as Eva Peron on the balcony of Casa Rosada, singing, "Don't Cry For Me, NESN Tina."
The Hall of Fame still makes the call on what cap Clemens gets on his plaque when he's ushered into Cooperstown, but this latest move might edge the Rocket toward the Yanks. Even though he spent 13 seasons here and won 192 games for Boston, it's hard to think of him as a Red Sox pitcher in the wake of what's just happened. His future receptions at Fenway aren't likely to make him pine for the good old days in the Hub.
There's a long-held theory that Boston fans spend a lot more time thinking about New York than the other way around. Never was this more evident than in last Thursday's Boston Herald and New York Post. When a photograph of Tom Brady wearing a Yankees hat surfaced, it was front-page news in Boston. The cap was not even mentioned when the same photo ran on Page Six of the Post that day. Clemens going to the Yankees was Page One, above the fold, in the Monday Globe. It was below the fold on the cover of the Times. And he was going to a New York team.
Must reading for baseball fans: Frank Deford's novel, "The Entitled," and Tim Kurkjian's "Is This a Great Game or What?"
Remember when the Kentucky Derby was a big deal? Like boxing, daily Mass, and newspaper home delivery, thoroughbred racing is slowly going away as young people turn to new things. Maybe that's why we all missed a great statistical oddity during last year's Triple Crown season. The Derby (Barbaro), the Preakness (Bernardini), and the Belmont (Jazil) were all won by horses wearing No. 8. Last Saturday's No. 8, Hard Spun, led the Derby most of the way before running second to Street Sense. The last human Triple Crown winner, of course, was our own No. 8, Carl Yastrzemski.
Bonds hit No. 745 last night at home against the Mets, and some projections put him on the doorstep of 755 in mid-June, which is precisely when the Giants come to Fenway for their first visit since the 1912 World Series. Here's hoping we see a Bonds-Curt Schilling matchup. Big Schill called out Bonds on the radio yesterday. Meanwhile, Barry's pursuit has a chance to resurrect the image of one Alex Rodriguez. Fans across the nation are going to rally 'round A-Rod in hopes that the record will eventually be held by somebody who didn't cheat.
Labor leader Donald Fehr, the man most responsible for baseball's inflated steroid-era numbers, told the Associated Press that 10 or 15 years from now, "This kind of debate or discussion probably won't seem very significant." Fehr said folks would probably be wondering, "Why did we spend all this time on steroids and Anna Nicole Smith?" Wow.
Manny Ramírez and -- to a lesser degree -- David Ortiz have elevated watching their home runs to an art form. Good thing Bob Gibson is not still around. In the old days, hurlers did not take kindly to being shown up by hitters admiring their majestic blasts. Bet Brendan Donnelly and Julian Tavarez wouldn't stand for it, but the majority of AL hurlers seem OK with being embarrassed by the Sox sluggers.
Warriors over the Mavericks in six is why we still love sports. Meanwhile, give me the Pistons in every series. Gotta love a roster populated by grownups who know how the game is played.
Didn't we all like Alex Gonzalez and Mark Loretta a whole lot more than Julio Lugo and Dustin Pedroia? The keystone change at Fenway has done wonders for the career of Alex Cora.
You simply would not believe what a big deal it's been in Los Angeles since the Dodger Stadium parking fee was bumped from $10 to $15 this year. The Ripoff Bros. lots around Fenway get $35 without argument.
Red Sox-Yankees in China next March for preseason? In Japan to open the regular season? That would be interesting. The Yankees opened the 2004 season against the Devil Rays in Japan, and Mike Mussina is still claiming it threw him off his game. Rodney Harrison told WEEI that it was just about the happiest moment of his life when he learned the Patriots weren't going to China this year.
Hard to look at the Steve Nash bloody nose photo without thinking of Hannibal Lecter.
I want to learn more about the beefy Fenway cop who always gives the high-fist to Jonathan Papelbon when Pap comes out of the bullpen for the ninth.
Tony Pena not only has a son playing shortstop in the major leagues, he has a second boy, Francisco, a 17-year-old catcher, who has already turned professional with the Mets. "He's a big kid," says the Yankee coach. "He's going to make it big someday. Keep an eye out for him."
George Brett, a Hall of Famer in every way, picked up the tab for the Ivy League educations of his niece and nephew, children of the late, great Kemer Brett.
Ruptured tendon, right middle finger. Does this mean Joel Zumaya won't be able to throw 103 miles per hour when he comes back?
Starting June 8, the Mets have consecutive series against the Tigers, Dodgers, Yankees, Twins, A's, and Cardinals. That'll be a test.
Jonathan Kraft says the Revs have not changed their philosophy regarding the character of their ballplayers. Hooligan futbollers are still not welcome in Foxborough.
It gives me the creeps when Paul Pierce tells our Jackie MacMullan, "I'm the classic case of a great player on a bad team, and it stinks." Really, Paul? We know you are a great player. Must you refer to yourself as a great player? Hard to imagine that coming out of the mouth of the Cooz. And how do your comments make your teammates feel?
Ever ahead of the curve, the Detroit Lions used a fourth-round pick on Texas Tech offensive lineman Manny Ramirez.
Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. His e-mail address is dshaughnessy@globe.com. 
