10 spot

Give me OC over Renteria any day! OC hustled, was a catalyst, and could field his position - three things Renteria didn't do for the Red Sox.

Kevin

3) I don't blame Tito at all. Heck, if Dan Iassogna knew the first thing about umpiring, he would've known that "ball" he called to Navarro was strike 3 and all of this mess could've been avoided and we could've been happily recalling a satisfying 1-0 win. I'm not too upset about the Beckett game...he was straight up outdueled by Shields.

9) I'm on the side of Renteria...one of 3 Red Sox fans. As much as I liked Cabrera during his time here, it seems like Cabrera isn't exactly the most upstanding gentlemen in the world. There's been rumors about his departure and all that stuff...however he DID give the Red Sox Jacoby and Lowrie by his signing w/ the Angels

Chad,

Been reading your stuff for about a year now and listen to you on WZON every week. Great stuff.

I was at all 3 Sox games this weekend. (There's a Mastercard commercial in there somewhere).

A few observations:
1. Akinori bleeping Iwamura.
2. I think Rays fans finally outnumber Sox fans at the Trop though it's still close.
3. They still try too hard as is evidenced by the blond mulleted wrestler type on the Jumbotron trying to fire up their fans into being louder than the big bad Sox fans -- ridiculous.
4. Cowbells suck.

I completely agree with your observations on the most recent episodes of The Office, but I have some concerns of my own. Mainly, can the writers effectively transition Jim/Pam from that yearing, longing back and forth, to a semi-normal relationship without sacrificing so much of what made the show special.

My initial response would be yes. They've brought a lot of the other characters back out of the woodwork, and expanded on them.

hey chad - love yer work, buddy... just wanted to point out that cabrera and renteria are from colombia, not venezeula... looking forward to the next column, man!

Damn, so much for a Celts blowout.

Chad, Kevin Durant is by far the best candidate for ROY. Don't get me wrong Horford is a beast but Durant had the better season and is hardly ineffeicient. I don't want to get all "stat-geeky" on ya but he shot 43% from the field while averaging 20 a game. Thats pretty effeicient actually. Plus he shot 87% from the free throw line. He didn't rebound too much because he spent a lot of time at shooting guard, playing on the perimeter. I hope he develops into a 3. He didn't play great, or even at times good defense but he wasn't exactly shakey either....by the time the second half rolled around he knew what he was doing. My only real knock on him was his 3 point shooting...under 30%. I'm sure that will improve though. Other stuff the stats didn't show in the last few weeks he was taking over games, taking last shots in close games, relishing the role and even nailing a couple game winners on a pathetic Seattle team. The last game he won on a buzzer beater and he celebrated like he just won the NBA Finals. To me, above any stat line thats why he is the ROY. Its a shame The Sonics are moving because Durant is going to be special. Horford almost averaged a double double but it was only ten points a game and his free throw shooting wasn't great. He had a good year, not nearly as good as Durant's though.

By the way, the dinner party episode of The Office was one of the funniest I've ever seen. The look on Jim's face when Michael tricked him into coming to dinner was pricelss as was Michael showing everyone his plasma. It was genius.

The way OC and Renteria have been pawned off by former teams the past few years I think it's safe to say they both have character issues. As far as which one I would take; OC played incredible defense while he was here so he's my pick.

I had to look to find out the Celts go 7 games. Best 2 of 3 has to be better than best of one, right? Does Tyree play for Atlanta?

Hopefully BB is happy, but according to most draft handicappers every one of his picks except Crable was a reach. So he may think he hit a goldmine but us sceptics believe he was thinking dollar bills first, talent second. Like you though, I am happy he concentrated on areas of need.

Great argument for Durant, MK. You've convinced me - I think I just looked at his shooting percentages a little bit out of context, forgetting about how much he was asked to do for that team. And I do like him a lot. I'm just a little biased toward Horford because I spent the past two years arguing with a buddy that he was a better player than Joakim Noah.

By the way, was that really a gang sign Pierce flashed, or is this being blown out of proportion. It seems out of character for him.

.291 .255 .214 -- these are that "good hitter" Akinori Iwamura's OBP, SLG, and BA this season. I like Tito but I would have brought in Oki or Pap.

Small sample size. He had an OPS+ of 105 as a rookie last year (not great, but above average), and once hit 44 homers in a season in Japan. He's a good hitter.

Complaint about last night's game - Why did Doc stick R. Allen on Joe Johnson for so long last night? The C's would've been better off taking Allen out and putting in a better defender like Posey or Tony Allen to guard Johnson with about 5-6 minutes left. I'm a big Ray Allen fan, but last night he just couldn't keep Joe Johnson down.

One correction is that he did not hit a good pitch. That was a hanging curve if I ever saw one

Doc's doing a lot of inexplicable things in this series. I've given him the benefit of the doubt all year - heck, they won 66 games, he must have done something right - but all of my worst fears about him are coming true in this series.

Yeah, the pitch did hang a little, Tom, but Iwamura was also sitting on it. I think Buchholz had whiffed him twice on curves previously.

Either way, I'm skeptical of anyone who says they were calling for Okajima at that moment.

I think the "throw" from J.D. Drew stopped rolling halfway to Varitek after the attempted pickoff. Wow! Starting pitching has looked real good. The Rays will be tough for a long time,wait till they get Kazmir back.I said before local kid Rocco Baldelli is/was a bigger,stronger version of Jacoby Ellsbury, hopefully he can make it back sometime soon,

Dirt & KF - I agree with you about Doc. I'm no basketball genius, but I know leaning on Johnson like you're drunk and he's a lamppost isn't defense. It's desperation. I also know Posey played GREAT when Pierce got into foul trouble. I have no idea why Doc isn't using him more often, especially when Pierce stops going to the rim, which in the last 2 games has been way too often.

Wouldn't be surprised to find out Pierce is hurt.

Seems like Doc is messing with the rotation that got them 66 wins. I'm still in therapy from the Pats loss. Not sure I can handle a 1st round exit.

J White - I was at the Rays-Sox extra inning game Friday night and have to completely disagree with you on Rays fans outnumbering Sox fans. We pulled into the parking lot and I thought I was in Foxborough with all the Sox and Patriots jerseys on. Then when the Sox scored the first run, the place erupted. Way more Sox fans. They've even got a designated Sox souvenir store on the third-base side.

That said, I agree with Chad's thoughts on the up and coming Rays. They make you want to root for them, now that all the guys that caused the bad blood between the Sox are long gone (who can forget Gerald "Ice" Williams rushing Pedro?, or Trot "letting the bat slip" toward Rupe?). I just wish they were in the NL so I could root for them. They will be heard from within the next couple years. Longoria' s the real deal, and they've done a nice job shoring up their pen. If they can get that gorgeous new park built, they'd really be rolling. The Trop is a complete joke.

CF, remember at the beginning of game one when one of the Atlanta guys sat on Pierce's head? I wouldn't be surprised if he had a minor concussion! I was really curious last night why the C's didn't just play more physical with Johnson and knock him to the floor at least once. If what happened to Pierce in game one was okay, then why would it have been such a horrible idea to try and throw Johnson off his game? Then again, I don't watch a lot of basketball so I don't really know much about rules.

About the Buccholz game... I thought Tito should have taken him out when he gave up the single to Navaro, but not really for any good reason. I was just guessing that Buccholz was more likely to make a kind of mistake that would result in a two-run homer than either Paps or Oki, and it turns out he did. I'm not saying Tito was wrong, I'm just saying I would have done it differently. The Sox might have lost anyway.

Is it me, or are people starting to think "Oh no - it's Dallas Golden State all over again"? The Celts look like two completely different teams from the first 2 games to the second 2 games. Where'd the team that blew the Falcons out by 20 go? It CAN'T just be home court for Atlanta. I know they're pumped up (and, it seems, playing casual and having fun out there - which might be a big key. The Celts seem like they're awful tight right now) but Atlanta didn't get new players during the plane ride back home. These are the same guys who had that lost expression on their faces during Games 1 & 2. What's going on??

I think Pierce is hurt. Another writer already mentioned it but I was thinking the exact same thing last night when I was watching him, he reminded me of Antoine Walker (only more accurate). Paul Pierce just doesn't morph into Antoine Walker. Then again he's never been very good in the clutch. But I still think he's injured going back to game 2.

By the way I don't know where the "gang sign " came from. I was always of the impression he was a gym-rat, AAU/Nike tournament kid growing up. I didn't think he was into anything thuggish.

Doc is driving me nuts. Cassel is totally outmatched when he's in there, offensively and defensively. I think I saw Eddie House trying to guard Joe Johnson at one point. Ray Allen, even in his best seasons has never been a good 1-on-1 defender. I'm not defending Doc here but I don't think Posey was in becasue he had such a poor shooting night in the second and third quarters. He still should have been on Johnson last night.

While am at it, Rondo should have been on Bibby, Pierce on Childress, KG on Horford, Posey on Johnson, and Powe on Pachulia. When you get the ball back you can call timeout and sub in your shooters. In fact Chad, Doc may be unaware of this, you should forward him this post. I don't think he'll get it coming from me.

Horford is much, MUCH better than Noah. I think Horford will be an All-Star (not on the same level as Howard but an All-Star). Noah, at best is a starter, but probably more of an off-the-bench energy guy, if he can ever get along with his teamates, reportedly a problem this year. He may be on the fast track to playing in Italy or Spain in 5 years.

I agree, Iwamura is a good hitter and more than that a good ball-player. I don't have any stats to back that up, just what I've seen of him in the field and AB to AB.

Glad to hear your in the Durant for ROY camp now.

Made a mistake with the what should have been the defense. Should have been Powe/Perk on Horford and KG on Smith. I don't think Pachulia was even in during crunch time. Bad mistake by me I know, but seriously KG should be on Smith all night long and Powe/Perk can handle Horford, not really but you know their not going to him in crunch time anyway So why not put KG on Smith? One note though, Powe should be on him in crunch time. Again, Chad, forward to Doc please.

I'd keep Buchholz in the game 11 times out of 10. He was three inches away from striking out Navarro (I think it was a good pitch but it looked like it was a bit low) before he poked a weak single to right. I think he had retired 13 straight at that point.

Chad, great call - if Okajima comes in and gives up a jack, Tito's an idiot with a short leash. The bottom line is that the Sox squandered their two best pitching performances of the year on back-to-back days by scoring a combined one run, further proof that wins are a terrible stat when judging pitchers. For proof of this, consider Nolan Ryan in 1987. 5th in the Cy Young voting, 1st in ERA, 3rd in WHIP, 1st in H/9, 1st in K/9, 9th in IP, 1st in K, 142 ERA+... and an 8-16 W-L record.

Chad I deffinatly agree with you on the Buchholz part. Also I thought Mike Timlin was actually gonna retire last year but was obviously wrong and I don't think the Red Sox should have even thought of signing him for this year. You could see that he was pretty much blown out at the end of last year and I still don't know why he is here this year. Shouldn't even be pitching..........

Re: Papi's career arc... I wouldn't be surprised if he has a short peak and a rapid descent. Big guys with what Bill James has called "old player's skills" (power and OBP but no speed) don't usually age well. Kent Hrbek, Cecil Fielder, Boog Powell. Jason Giambi's last great year was 2002, when he was 31.

Now, Ortiz has taken better care of himself than any of those guys, but he faces some long odds.

Yeah, that's a fair point. Big guys in baseball do not usually age well. Interestingly, Papi's other age 31 comp is Carlos Delgado, who had an OPS+ of 131 at age 34.

I'd take Orlando Cabrera over Edgar Renteria and Julio Lugo! But I will never boo Renteria - I will always remember him as the last out of the World Series back in 04. And I guess Renteria can do ok in the AL as long as its not here. Maybe he just plays well in the Midwest.

Really trying to have Celts column posted before tomorrow's game, so be sure to check back.

(Longtime readers know the odds of this actually happening are about 15 percent . . . but I'm trying.)

Glad to see Phil Hughes (3.2 IP, 6 ER, 8 H, 2 K) take a nice, steaming dump all over the mound again today.

Meanwhile, Santana (5.2 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 7 K) was one out away from his 4th victory but Freddy Sanchez blooped a single off Billy Wagner with two outs in the 9th and Johan got the ND.

Somewhere, Hank Steinbrenner is threatening George Costanza.

Hughes was one of my fantasy sleepers. Fortunately, I didn't get him. I can't understand why he's been so terrible. He has ace stuff.

No way does Mo Vaughn draw that walk...

Not every pitcher can succeed under NY's microscope, in fact many do not. The jury is still out on these kids.

Same should be said of Boston.

Re: post 22

HAWKS, not Falcons. Ooops. I mixed up the sub-par Atlanta teams. Not hard to do, really. Both have bird names, both kinda suck...

New column will be up around 7 . . .