Coveroo TRIVIA: Returning 2004 Red Sox players

How many former 2004 Red Sox players have returned to Fenway Park with a new team?

Sox Catch Tampa Bay, Minor Additions: Ryan Shealy

Sox Catch Tampa Bay The Sox finally playing inspired baseball, the club has been rolling with a 14-5 record in June. Meanwhile, the Devil Rays have stagnated, posting just an 8-9 mark over that period. It has been a long time coming, but the Red Sox have finally drawn even at second place with in-division foe Tampa Bay. It’s difficult to do justice to how great of an accomplishment this is. A team that appeared dead in the water not one month ago has risen from the ashes back to contention -- all the while combating debilitating injuries and emergency call ups. Should Daisuke Matsuzaka and Josh Beckett, especially, come back strong from their injuries, the club could once again have the MLB’s best rotation. A 1-2-3 of Beckett, Jon Lester, and a surging Clay Buchholz would rival that of any in the league. John Lackey and Matsuzaka at 4 and 5 would make the Rays and Yankees green with envy. With Ellsbury in left and Hermida the fourth outfielder, the lineup will see a tremendous boost. The best is yet to come. Or is it?

6/20 Online Seats Game Thread: Dodging the Broom

GAME NOTES Not that Vincente Padilla strikes fear into the hearts of Bay Staters, but the Los Angeles Dodgers will be playing with a chip on their shoulder after their loss last night to the Boston Red Sox who will send Tim Wakefield to the mound.

Could the Red Sox Have the Next David Wright?

Perhaps all you have to know about how high the Red Sox rated David Renfroe is that the $1.4-million signing bonus they gave him (which is going to be spread out over five years) was the second-highest given to a third-round pick in the 2009 draft. “We fell in love with his athleticism,” said Boston general manger Theo Epstein. “Our scouts did a really thorough job with him as a position player (i.e. shortstop, third base and pitcher) and really fell in love with the kid. “There’s a lot to like with this prospect. As of (when he was drafted), his highest upside is as a position player and we see a potential impact bat.”

6/19 Online Seats Game Thread: Showing Manny Who Is Boss

Not that Vincente Padilla strikes fear into the hearts of Bay Staters, but the Los Angeles Dodgers will be playing with a chip on their shoulder after their loss last night to the Boston Red Sox who will send Tim Wakefield to the mound.

Another reminder to delay all reactions

As it stands today on June 19 2010 the Boston Red Sox are only one game out of first in the division and two games in the loss column. Making any claims about a team with as much talent as the Red Sox being out of the Playoffs because of a early deficit is only a fools guess. We can also be reminded of this by David Ortiz who once again waited until everyone in baseball wrote him off and turned it on. His updated ZiPs projection now projects a 32 home run season with a line of .263/.370/.538. Making any snap judgments in April and May not backed by early preseason projections is a fools errand and we learned that again. The Red Sox still have a long way to go as they still have to pass the Yankees or Rays and hold the lead. Those are two fully loaded teams and will be there till the end this year if all teams stay healthy. Let's be reminded we need to wait a bit longer before writing off seasons.

6/18 Online Seats Game Thread: LA Again?

Just when you couldn't get enough LA in your life, the Dodgers come into town bringing gifts of Manny Ramirez. Have no fear, though, as the Boston Red Sox will turn to trusty ole Felix Doubront... wait a second....

A Fix for Interleague Play

We are in the middle of inter-league play. Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers are coming to Boston. It is going to be an exciting weekend, but the last series with the Diamondbacks does not get circled on any fan's schedule in January nor does the All-Star Game unless it is in your home city. A few slight schedule changes could assist in making inter-league play tolerable for even the purists. As my colleague mentioned a few days ago, inter-league play generates too much revenue to be eliminated in the near future. But below is a plan to alleviate the two major negatives to those contests: too many games and the unbalanced schedule.

6/17 Online Seats Game Thread: Saving Time for the Celtics

John Lackey and the Boston Red Sox are nice enough to start their last game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at tad early. Let's just hope that the Celtics take advantage as they face the Laker's in Game 7.

How will you choose to remember Manny?

On Friday, Manuel Aristides (Onelcida) Ramirez returns to Fenway Park for the first time since July 31, 2008.

How do you feel about this?

Red Sox fans are an emotional group with long memories. 2008 was not all that long ago. Nomar Garciaparra received a standing ovation when he came back to Fenway as a member of the Oakland A's, but that was five years removed and a precipitous decline in production later. Also, for the most part, Garciaparra did not do as much to anger the Sox fan base before he was shipped out of town as Ramirez would do four years later. Also, Nomar's trade brought valuable pieces to a team that eventually won the World Series for the first time in 86 years.