Theo Epstein, the general manager who assembled two World Series championship Boston Red Sox teams, has officially resigned and will depart for the Chicago Cubs, where he has been named president of baseball operations.

The move comes after an epic September collapse and one of the most disastrous endings to a season in Boston sports history.

Epstein has long been rumored to be interested in the Cubs job, as the presidency is a major promotion. He could also perhaps bring a championship to the only team that suffered a longer World Series drought than the Red Sox.

The teams released the following statement:

The Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs jointly announce this evening that, effective immediately, Theo Epstein has resigned from the Red Sox in order to become the new President of Baseball Operations for the Cubs. The clubs also have reached an agreement regarding a process by which appropriate compensation will be determined for the Red Sox and that issue will be resolved in the near term.

Both the Red Sox and the Cubs intend to hold press events on Tuesday, October 25 during which the Cubs intend to announce Mr. Epstein, and the Red Sox intend to announce his successor as General Manager.

Out of respect for the World Series, both clubs have agreed to forego further comment until Tuesday, the next scheduled non-game day.

I’m not a sports journalist. I’m just a blood and guts cops reporter with public relations experience. As my fourth or fifth job, I’m teaching a public relations course at Newbury College this semester, and the concepts I’m lecturing on made me think of what the Red Sox should do to improve their image.

The Red Sox need an empowered public relations pro. I know they have a good PR team already, but the PR people need to be given more power. One of the biggest challenges PR pros face is in convincing management of its benefits — and encouraging management to empower public relations people AND spend money on the cause. Fixing the Red Sox will need both, not just a likely-planned guerrilla radio appearance.

But John Henry’s appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub was interesting, because he called the team’s crisis largely “external,” and he blamed the media for a lot of the team’s image problems. This is also common in the corporate world. The fact is, even if the team got along perfectly in the clubhouse and worked their asses off on the field, the public did not see either. That is a public relations crisis.

Of course, it’s pretty clear that some players did not get along, and a lot of players did not work their asses off. That is a second PR crisis.

The key to managing PR is in managing personnel. It’s the same as any corporation. The employees are the face of the company, and they have to sell a positive image in their words and — as importantly — their actions. If you believe the news reports, then this year the employees failed to do their part to cultivate a positive image for the company. At the same time, job performance suffered, the company lost money (playoffs = cash) and now people have lost their jobs.

Professional sports are a challenge, because such a high percentage of employees are constantly in the spotlight. There a lot of things they can do to mess up. Even well-intentioned actions or airing of inside jokes can hurt image since inside jokes are, by their nature, not meant for others to understand.

In the end, image is related to performance. The team would do better if it looked better and if its employees were on the same page.

This year, teammates did not seem to get along, forming cliques and sometimes flat-out disagreeing with each other in the public eye. You don’t always hear the term “team building” in sports at the professional level, but it’s surprisingly common. It’s something that teams like the Red Sox and New York Yankees need to invest a lot of money into, since they have a lot of star players with high paychecks and big egos. Whether it’s ropes courses, trust games or ballroom dancing, the final Red Sox roster needs to get away for a few days, privately, and have some professional team builders come in to work with them. These guys need to remove the “I” in team and learn to move as a unit.

PR pros have good ideas. Sometimes they are controversial ideas. Sometimes they are ideas that are expensive but that may have long-term financial benefits that are hard for management to understand.

Right now, the team needs two sweeping and broad new rules, and those rules need to be enforceable by fines, suspensions, etc. But the key to these rules is that if they work, fines and suspensions would not ever be needed.

Sweeping and Broad Rule No. 1: All healthy players will be in uniform during games and will sit in the dugout or bullpen.

The previous game’s starter can be in a box or away following their first day rituals. No players, including starting pitchers, inactive players, and injured players, are allowed in the clubhouse during games unless it is at direction of the coaching or training staff. No alcohol may be consumed during games.

Players on the Disabled List may be absent during games, may sit in the dugout with the rest of the team, or may watch the game from a team box.

Sweeping and Broad Rule No. 2: Players will adhere to a strict physical fitness policy. Conditioning staff will have the power to levy fines and suspensions for failure to work to the policy.

–

And now a player-by-player PR breakdown: (No stats here, just image)

Alfredo Aceves: Two words: Endorsement deal. Get this guy on television. How’s this for a Dunkin Donuts commercial — Alfredo’s alarm clock goes off at 4 a.m. and he rises, saying “Time to make the donuts.” A fan recognizes him at their local Dunkin and says “Whoa, Alfredo Aceves, you really are the hardest working guy in baseball.” “I just do my part,” he replies. “Here, try a pumpkin-spiced latte.”

Matt Albers, Scott Atchison, Daniel Bard: Maybe start a bullpen band like Timlin did in 2007? I loved that, and it showed friendship in the bullpen, which performed amazingly in 2007.

Josh Beckett: Keep him. He can turn his image around. Not through endorsements, but through community service. Beckett has to work to get the fans to support him again. Beckett took this year. He took beer, and chicken, and probably took wins away from the team in the process. Now he has to give back.

Erik Bedard: Gone.

Clay Buchholz: He needs to work hard this off-season. Injured for much of the second half of the season, Buchholz was actually spared much of the negative imagery thrown at the rest of the starting pitchers. If he comes back strong, healthy and in-shape and puts up the numbers, Clay can be a huge part of a resurgent 2012 team.

John Lackey: Lackey’s image can not be repaired in Boston. There is almost always a way to manage a crisis, but in this case, Lackey just has to go. Some employees are toxic to image.

This is where good public relations practice can cost a lot of money in the short-term but have a lasting positive impact. Even if the team needs to eat most of his contract, Lackey needs to be traded or released. He cannot contribute to the team’s image.

Jon Lester: Lester is in the Beckett division. He has to show that his lazy, chicken-eating, beer-drinking ways were a one-year digression. He needs to lose a few pounds and come back and win his first few starts. Starting hot next year (which he has struggled with in the past) will result in cheers and help galvanize the rest of the team.

It may be crass and controversial to think along these lines, but Lester’s cancer battle is a story that touches a lot of people. I didn’t hear about cancer one time this year with Lester.

Jonathan Papelbon: Re-sign him. If the Yankees gave up on Mariano Rivera after 2004, they would have missed out on more than six amazing years. Beyond that, Rivera has a reputation as a worker who puts the team first and always takes them on his shoulders when the game is on the line. People love that. Sound like anyone we know?

Tim Wakefield: He needs a sit down. Wake is one of the nicest guys in baseball history, and he does arguably more community service and charity work than anyone else in the game today. His comments at the end of the season about the fans “deserving” to see him chase the team’s all-time wins record instantly black-marked his tenure.

Also, the nine tries, over two months, to score his 200th win didn’t help his image much. Wake’s time may be up in Boston, but if can still pitch and can prove he’s still a team player, there may still be room for him.

Jason Varitek: It’s time to end this. Varitek’s alleged partake in the chicken and beer scandal tarnished his reputation as the captain who led the team to two World Series titles. He never should have been on the team this year, and it showed, badly, for him and the team.

This year, he earned a reputation as a lazy, broken down Old Yeller of a catcher who can’t throw to second and can’t hit. He is a symbol of what went wrong this year.

But beyond Varitek, something else has to go. The captain title is not required in baseball. It did nothing for a team comprised of individuals and egos this year. So next year, there should be no captain. As much as Dustin Pedroia might have earned it, 2012 has to be all about teamwork and less about titles, records, stats, and names. No Varitek in 2012. No captain in 2012.

Ryan Lavarnway and Jarrod Saltalamacchia: These are your catchers next year. Lavarnway is a good story. The smart Yale grad who stepped up when it mattered story goes far with fans. He’s not proven to be an everyday player yet, but Lavarnway has shown he can play at this level. Salty is the main catcher.

Internal public relations rules say that we need to make sure these guys get along with each other. They should make up a secret handshake. Seriously, where has that gone in baseball?

It’s a little thing, but people notice this: If one of them hits a home run, the other should be the first one out of the dugout to congratulate him.

Adrian Gonzalez: Gonzo doesn’t need any more endorsements. He needs footage of him coming in six hours before the game to work out and practice.

Jed Lowrie: Lowrie is partially a victim here. As the other half of Jacoby Ellsbury’s two-man clique, he has to go. Ellsbury needs to make friends with the rest of the team, and a good way to start is by getting rid of his sidekick. Plus, Lowrie’s reputation is falling. He’s unproven and injury-prone.

Dustin Pedroia: While there should be no captain, the team needs to build a brand around Pedroia, including using him more in advertising. He has emerged as a clubhouse leader, and he will receive more respect on a properly trained and team-built team.

Marco Scutaro: Scutaro worked hard this year, and he performed well when most of the rest of the team sucked it up. He earned a lot of respect for that, so the team should keep him.

Carl Crawford: Talk about someone who needs a public relations overhaul. Even the owner said he was against signing Crawford. Couple that with an abysmal year, and Crawford has a PR crisis of Lackeyian proportions. The difference is that Crawford is likely to stay. The team needs to take a stand with him. Do not shop him around. Either pull the trigger on a trade or keep him and stand by him. If he feels unwanted, he will not perform.

J.D. Drew: Done. Happy trails. Fresh start in 2012. Getting someone like a Michael Cuddyer from the Twins would improve this position’s reputation.

Jacoby Ellsbury: Ellsbury will be here for two more years, then it is likely that he will be gone. If Ellsbury is going to be a super star, then celebrate his stardom for as long as you have him. Don’t treat Jacoby like the speedy kid who can hit a little too. Treat him like Ken Griffey Jr.

Josh Reddick: He can’t field or throw. Be cautious if you’re going to have him replace Drew. Fans have a short fuse in right field.

David Ortiz: It might be time to part ways with Papi. Even if Ortiz goes to the Yankees, it will be on him, not the team. Complaining about a scorer taking away an RBI and interrupting his manager’s press conference are not the kinds of actions the team needs going into next year.

Kevin Youkilis: Kevin should be moved to DH. He is a worker, who tried to play through serious injury — something unique to the 2011 team. But now we know that he is injury prone, having lost much of the last two seasons. Convert him to DH, and know that he can play the corners if needed. National League park problem = solved.

Also, play up the friendship between him and Pedroia.

And Finally…

Daisuke Matsuzaka: Sometimes Tommy John surgery works and has amazing effects on a pitcher’s performance. If anyone can make a giant PR leap next year, it’s Daisuke. All he needs to do is win a few games early in the year, and he can be a shining beacon of change in Boston. Staff should monitor him closely. He has a bad reputation right now, but he was not part of the September collapse, the laziness, the beer, or the fried chicken. Imagine that? Daisuke is a breath of fresh air.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

If recent reports concerning the Red Sox historical collapse are any indication, the chicken may have been fleeing from the Boston clubhouse.

Among other accusations, Red Sox captain Jason Varitek and starters Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and John Lackey have been ousted for eating fried chicken and drinking beer in the clubhouse during games. This revelation, paired with the news that the trio decided to cut back on their training regimen, provides Red Sox Nation with an all too familiar feeling.

While the Curse of the Bambino may have had a more weighted mystique than the aura surrounding a bucket of Popeye’s chicken, it seems as though the end result is the same: overweight athletes are once again causing Boston’s problems.

However, rather than perpetuate the storm of negativity that has been raging since the Red Sox fell short of the playoffs, it seemed about time to take a glass half full perspective.

The following is a list of foods that could be deemed unhealthier than Popeye’s fried kryptonite that seemed to plague Fenway Park.

1. PB & C Milkshake – Cold Stone Creamery

This fun-filled beverage received the title of America’s Unhealthiest Drink in 2010. Weighing in at respectable 2000 calories, one of these shakes equals a days worth of calorie intake. Whether you like it, love it, or gotta have it, this is one desert that makes a fried chicken breast look like a mixed greens salad.

2. Fettuccine Alfredo – Olive Garden

The Fettuccine Alfredo dinner at Olive Garden contains 1,220 calories and 1,350 mg of sodium. If John Lackey had spent the seventh inning stretch digging into this delicious bowl of carbohydrates he might have shattered the Red Sox record for worst earned run average by a starting pitcher. Oh wait, he did that anyway.

3. Cheesy Breadsticks – Papa Gino’s

I’m not going to lie it stung a little to throw this particular menu item on the list. However, with a stat line of 1,300 calories and 3,730 mg of sodium in a small breadstick (2 servings), it couldn’t be avoided. The fact that this could be considered a precursor to a few slices of pizza makes for a scary combination.

4. – Large Tuna Melt – Quiznos

This large sub approaches the 2,000 calories club thanks to a generous serving of mayonnaise. The sub itself is big enough that it might’ve taken John Lester four whole innings to eat — which is pretty close to the length of his average start in September.

5. Chicken Carbonara Bread Bowl – Dominos

1,300+ calories and almost 200 carbohydrates are used in the construction of this fairly new addition to the Dominos menu. With Dominos uber-efficient online ordering system, the Red Sox rotation would’ve known exactly when it was time to go “stretch out” in the clubhouse.

6. Jalapeno Smokehouse Burger – Chilis

5,250 mg of sodium almost manages to overshadow the fact that this particular burger packs a whalloping 1,750 calories. Let’s just be thankful that it isn’t offered in bucket form.

7. Sausage, Egg, and Cheddar on Asiago Bagel – Au Bon Pain

You thought you were safe breakfast, but I couldn’t overlook your potential to ruin a John Lackey day-game start. This particular breakfast sandwich features 810 calories and 1,500 mg of sodium. If you’re going enjoy this breakfast item in bed, you may want to get comfortable.

8. Chicken and Spinach Salad – IHOP

That’s right, salad. Don’t let the leafy greens fool you. This IHOP menu item is making a run at the more traditional taboo foods with its 1,600 calorie count. It lures you in with the nutritional reputation of spinach, and next thing you know you paid $15 million for a salad that never meets your expectations, and spends every post game interview passing the blame to other salads. That got a little weird.

9. Crispy Calamari – Red Lobster

I cast my rod out into the Atlantic to find this seafood dish that boasts an impressive 1,500 calories and 3,060 mg of sodium. One time Marlin Josh Beckett may have met his match in terms of former sea creatures being detrimental to health of New Englanders (Clearly I’m still a little bitter).

10. Fried Chicken Breast – Popeyes

We have come full circle. It is time to put the star of the Red Sox dietary drama under the microscope. One fried chicken breast from Popeyes contains 440 calories and 1,330 mg of sodium. Okay, so maybe the guilty pleasure of Lackey and company can stand toe to toe with the rest of this list. However, I have to assume that if these three pitchers shared a bucket of chicken like they shared their inability to protect a 9 game wild card lead in September, then maybe it’s not so bad.

(TMZ)

John Lackey has filed for divorce against his wife, Krista, who has been battling breast cancer.

TMZ broke the story based on court documents.

According to the documents, the Red Sox picture filed for divorce in Texas on August 30, claiming “the marriage has become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities.”

The couple has been married since 2008.

TMZ reported that Krista had a double mastectomy in March and underwent chemo therapy in June.

The celebrity gossip website also said that Lackey filed the papers using only his and Krista’s initials, which Tony Parker/Eva Longoria and Sandra Bullock/Jesse James used in their also-very-public divorces.

The petition says that the Lackey’s have a prenuptial agreement.

It is unclear why Lackey filed for divorce. He has been given a lot of leeway for his poor performance because “his wife has cancer,” and it was thought to be a major distraction for him as he battled caring for his sick wife and trying to play baseball.

Lackey expressed anger yesterday when reporters asked him about the report during his postgame news conference. He was very upset that a reported sent him a text message asking about the divorce report.

“Let me tell you the truth. Thirty minutes before the game, I got a text message on my cellphone from one of you … somebody in the media, talking about personal stuff,” Lackey said. “And I shouldn’t even be standing up here having to deal with this. I’m sitting here listening to music. I don’t know who got my phone number, but that’s over the line.”

Beckett walks the red carpet with Avalanna Routh, a 5-and-a-half-year-old with a rare brain tumor.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett donned not  his cleats but those oh-so-attractive bowling shoes at Lucky Strike Lanes in Boston for the fifth annual Beckett Bowl, a star-studded bowling tournament to benefit Children’s Hospital Boston, the top pediatric hospital in the nation. The annual fundraiser, held this year on Aug. 29, was organized by the Josh Beckett Foundation, which supports community-based programs that improve the health and well-being of children, especially those who are seriously ill, disabled, poor or otherwise disadvantaged.

The night was clear and warm, a great relief in Boston, which had been battered by tropical storm Irene just the day before. As the sun began to set, an impressive lineup of Boston’s professional athletes and celebrities began to walk the red carpet with some very special guests: several of the pediatric cancer patients currently being treated at Children’s Hospital. Blast caught up with some of our hometown boys to get their thoughts on the event.

Though he’s modest about his bowling skills, Beckett said of the event, “This is something that’s close to my heart and any time you can touch other people’s lives, your life ends up being touched just the same.” Of course, we couldn’t let “Big-Game Beckett” walk by without getting his thoughts on this week’s Yankees series, especially with Jeter and A-Rod out. “It makes their lineup a little easier, but I’m sure they’ll replace them with somebody that’s pretty good, so you gotta go out and make the pitches,” he said.

Following Beckett, Sox second-baseman Dustin Pedroia described his bowling skills as “Not very good, but I’ll give it a shot,” he said. “I’m here to support my teammate, and it’s pretty fun. I’ve been here every year to support Josh and it’s just great to do anything I can to help him and his charity out.”

Other celebrities spotted lacing up for this great cause included John O’Hurley of “Seinfeld” and “Family Feud” fame, NESN broadcaster Heidi Watney, former New England Patriot Max Lane, several members of the New England Revolution, current Stanley Cup champions Bruins players Dan Paille and Dennis Seidenberg, and Staind lead guitarist Mike Mushok. Many of the Red Sox roster were also in attendance, including Adrian Gonzalez, Jon Lester, Jason Varitek, Mike Aviles, Jacoby Ellsbury, manager Terry Francona and Red Sox president Larry Lucchino.

Inside, Beckett kicked off the event by thanking the local sports and business communities, and helpingWilliam Oulton, a pediatric brain tumor patient from Medford, Mass., throw the first ball, which of course looked like a giant baseball.  William and his family, who are avid Sox fans, were excited about the event, which provided an amazing distraction during this tough time. Although his tumor damaged his optic nerve and left him legally blind in one eye, William sees no reason he cannot realize his dream of becoming a professional baseball player himself.

Beckett helps pediatric brain tumor patient William Oulton throw the first ball.

A few lanes over, Blast also spoke with Red Sox center-fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who was busily signing autographs and chatting with fans. “This is great. I’ve been coming each year and it seems to get bigger and bigger and it’s great to be here on behalf of the kids,” said Ellsbury.  While he felt “alright” about his bowling skills, Jacoby approached the Yankees with more confidence. “We’re excited. It’s a big series, and it should be a great three games. We want to win. We want to be in the playoffs, but we just want to keep on winning games and go out there each night and beat them,” he said. A great outlook for Ellsbury, who went on to smash a two-run homer over the Green Monster in Wednesday’s victory, proving why he is an American League MVP candidate.

The Josh Beckett Foundation also hosted the Beckett Bowl Ultimate Jeep Raffle presented by After FX Customs, where fans had a chance to win Monster Seat tickets to Red Sox games, autographed jerseys, or the grand prize of a fully customized 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 4-door. The tournament was followed by an afterparty where lucky fans mingled with their idols.

In just a few short years, the Beckett Bowl has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Children’s Hospital Boston, and funded the 2009 opening of The Josh Beckett Cancer Treatment Room, which features a miniature Fenway Park scene, giving patients the chance to experience a ballpark-like atmosphere.  Just back from a brutal travel schedule, and in-between a hurricane and a pressure-packed Yankee series, our Red Sox players took their only day off to give back to Boston and proved once again why they are heroes on and off the field.

The Boston Red Sox announced Tuesday that Dropkick Murphys and the Mighty Mighty BossTones will play two shows at Fenway Park in September.

The BossTones will be the opening act for both shows on September 8 and 9, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Massachusetts 9/11 Fund.

Tickets go on sale July 7 at noon and are available online at redsox.com/dropkicks, by calling 877-RED-SOX9, or at the Fenway Park box office.

Dropkick Murphys has performed at Fenway before, including their debut of “Tessie” in July, 2004, but this will be their first-ever concert held at the ballpark.

“We feel honored and privileged to share a connection and friendship with the Boston Red Sox,” said Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys, in a statement. “Our involvement in the 2004 and 2007 championship seasons are some of the greatest highlights of our career and our lives. But to be invited by the Sox to join the select few who have performed full concerts at the park is truly a dream come true!”

According to the Sox, the concerts will be done “bleacher theater” style, with the stage set up above the right field bullpens, and fans seated in the bleachers and grandstand sections. It is a more intimate setting than some of the larger concerts that have been played there.

Fenway Park has hosted Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Paul McCartney, Jimmy Buffett, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, The Rolling Stones, The Police, J. Geils Band and Aerosmith in past years.

"Johnny Baseball" is wicked fun.

If you like American musicals and like the pageantry, ritual and mythology of Red Sox fandom, you will love this. If you like the Sox stuff but don’t like musicals, you’re going to have a good time too, as long as you brace yourself a little, and keep an open mind.

I say this as a redeemed, post-apocalyptic Sox fan who reached the height of obsessive zealotry during the ’03-’04 season, who also loves theater, but has, let me be clear, a very low threshold for the American musical as a genre. I can’t get into the campy conventions, and generally, I don’t enjoy the style of music on offer. I faced both obstacles head-on in the audience of Johnny Baseball. If it weren’t of and for New England it’d be Broadway all the way.

In a nutshell though, this one works because it’s funny, and because, yes: they did their baseball homework. My guess is that the creators, designers and performers put in some serious time studying crowd reaction shots from that infamous, curse-breaking miracle series against the Yanks in ’04. They had the looks, the postures, the outfits, the rhythms and the attitudes of the suffering faithful down to a satirical tee.

Why adapt an already theatrical live event into a stage show—and in this form? Because this is undeniably the defining myth of New England. Because it has staggering parallels to the Greek tragedy—a sin committed nearly a century ago seems to displease the fickle Gods, plaguing a nation for generations, until a band of scrappy heroes comes together from far away lands to take collective action, reverse the curse and defeat the enemies keeping them down–but Greek as it is, it deserves an American form of expression. And finally, because there’s simply more to unpack about the strange experience of investing in the Red Sox for a lifetime, than can ever be explored on WEEI.

Funny and campy as it is, "Johnny Baseball" does not shy away from some of the darker elements of Red Sox history. In fact, it argues that the real sin and curse originate not with the management error of selling the Babe to the hated Yankees, but in the much worse one of being the last team in Major League Baseball to racially integrate.

The play’s central story follows fictional pitcher, Johnny O’Brien (Colin Donnell), a Worcester native and hurler savant, raised by nuns and plucked from obscurity to pitch in The Bigs. An instant baseball success and New England saint, Johnny’s downfall is his love for Daisy Wyatt (Stephanie Umoh), an African-American blues singer introduced to O’Brien by none other than the Babe himself,  who is played as a charismatic, gravelly-voiced degenerate by the very funny, Burke Moses.

When the racist Red Sox management conspires to sunder the couple, citing fears that the Boston fans won’t be able to handle their hero’s taboo romance, O’Brien gets so messed up mentally that he loses his celebrated "stuff."

While the evil plot ruins his career, it also inspires him years later to integrate the team he has wound up couching back in Worcester, and to push for his new African-American star pitcher, Tim (Charl Brown), to be the first to integrate the Sox, an achievement he imagines could redeem him, his ball club and its fans.

"Johnny Baseball’s" greatest strength is its depiction of these fans, from the hoity-toities of the gilded age who believe that God has blessed their team, to the hilarious Worcester Booster cheerleader-leading squad, to the sulky bleacher-bums of ’04.

There’s plenty to quibble with about this show. There’s the often-uninspired songs (I would have been happier with "Tessie," "Sweet Caroline," "Shipping off to Boston," and “Dirty Water") the melodrama, the baseball details it doesn’t get right, and the conspicuous avoidance of a truly important factor of any Red Sox story: the strange mixture of loathing, terror, and often, bitter envy toward the New York Yankees that motivates every aspect of fandom. Plus, some of you, I’m warning you, are not going to appreciate the accents.

It’s imperfect as a work of art to say the least, but in spite of it all, it’s still wicked fun. You can (and should) bring sausages and beer into the theater, and you should be sure to wear your colors—even if you sport a pink hat, or a blue one with a rigid brim.

"Johnny Baseball," written by Richard Dresser (book) and Willie Reale, (lyrics) with music by Robert Reale, directed by Diane Paulus, plays at the A.R.T.‘s Loeb Drama Center through June 27.

There’s a certain musical element in the air today at Fenway Park, and it’s not just “Sweet Caroline.”

Producer/artist Dr. Dre, music industry legend Jimmy Iovine and basketball phenom LeBron James will be at Fenway Park today to unveil the Red Sox Beats by Dr. Dre headphones from Monster.

We had an early chance to check out the officially licensed Red Sox Beats. These full-size headphones were pitched to us promising audiophile-quality sound and all the fashion that a diehard Sox fan could ask for.

We tested them out after unboxing a set yesterday of these headphones, which had been a secret until now. They sound great and are very comfortable.

And they should. After all, the headphones were designed by the legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine, who know a thing or two about good audio.

"The Red Sox are one of the most historic and respected franchises in all of professional sports," Iovine said about why he decided to run with the Sox as the first and right now only set of Beats sports headphones. Iovine and Dr. Dre have designed custom headphones for athletes like King James in the past, but this is the first officially licensed professional sports team to have a set of Beats.

A few drawbacks — the headphones need two AAA batteries to operate. It can be a bit of a nag to take off the battery cover and replace it.

They come with a protective carrying case, two 1/8-inch cables and a 1/4-inch adapter. The Red Sox logo and name look good on the phones. The luxury sports market is a tough nut to crack, but these look and sound great.

Also, these Beats are an investment. At $399.99, they’ll run you about as much as a day at Fenway for two with hot dogs and beer, so be ready to make an investment if you want to listen to tunes and movies on that new iPad while showing off your team pride.

It was December 2003. Brian Kinchen hadn’t played in the NFL in three years. He was teaching middle schoolers — bible classes.

Then the phone rang.

It was the call.

The hot, streaking, eventual champion New England Patriots needed a long snapper. Two months later, Kinchen was snapping the ball for the winning field goal in the Super Bowl.

Pulitzer Prize winner Jeffrey Marx tells this story in intricate, witty detail as only a true journalist can.

In sports today, we’re too often inundated with bad news. We see too much of players cheating and doping or violently breaking the law. With Paul Byrd’s epic comeback performance Sunday night for the Red Sox, these are the kinds of stories that keep us believing in sports. So go read “The Long Snapper: A Second Chance, a Super Bowl, a Lesson for Life.”

For sports fans who desire their information rapidly and already versed on the blogs, boards and even their teams’ Twitter feeds, there is a new game in town. Launched Monday, Spitter is a sports fan’s newest real-time source for news and discussion.

Powered by SpitterBot, Spitter searches the Internet for the best sports news headlines and fan discussions and presents them on pages organized by team. Registered members of Spitter — the spitters? — post comments and news links directly onto team-specific pages for the community to share. Thus, a Red Sox fan can go to the Red Sox page on Spitter.com and find real time news headlines with links to current coverage of the team, from a wide range of media sites, paired with fan discussion and commentary by other Sox fans. The site can also combine all of the teams that you’re interested in into a Twitter-style stream, becoming a one-stop destination for sports news.

A sample view of the Red Sox Spitter home page.

Spitter currently features specific page sites for the teams in NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, college teams, PGA golfers and drivers in NASCAR, FormulaOne and MotoGP.

In honor of Father’s Day and to mark the first day of summer, Fenway Park’s The Sausage Guy and Fox Searchlight’s “500 Days of Summer” teamed up Sunday to give away free sausages to the first 500 people in line after they opened. Blast covered the scene.

“500 Days of Summer” hits theaters in limited release July 17.

In a disappointing upset added to an even more disappointingly upsetting winter of un-action, the Red Sox announced the team was not a contender in obtaining star slugger Mark Teixeira.

In an e-mail to Boston media from Sox owner John Henry Thursday night, he explained that “we met with Mr. Teixeira and were very much impressed with him. After hearing about his other offers, however, it seems clear that we are not going to be a factor.”

Teixeira’s agent, Scott Boras released statement as well: “The Boston ownership was kind enough to request and travel to meet with Mark Teixeira. While it was a very positive meeting, Mark was candid and advised he is in the process of making a decision and is now attempting to eliminate teams.”

It is now unknown where he who wants to be the $200 million man will end up.

There is word, however, that Henry might just be calling Boras’ bluff. That remains to be seen.

Julio Rodriguez, a barber from Lawrence, Mass., pleaded guilty Tuesday to involuntary manslaughter after an October 2004 he killed a man and wounded two others over a Yankees-Red Sox playoff game

The Associated Press reports that Rodriguez, 62, was sentenced to five years in prison and credited for the four he has already served since he was arrested in 2004.

Prosecutors say Rodriguez, a Yankees fan, was watching a playoff game on television in Boston. The Red Sox won 6-4 and the group started teasing the New York fan. He then pulled out a gun and shot three of them, killing one.

The outburst was apparently alcohol-fueled, and Rodriguez says he has no memory of the incident.

Now you know what it feels like to be a fan.

It occurs to me, even at the quarter-life age of 24, that this year’s group of college freshmen were largely born in nineteen-ninety — to say nothing of you high schoolers.

That means that 2003 seems like a million years ago. That means you weren’t born in 1986.

With the success of the Red Sox, Patriots and now the Celtics in our Generation Y and Z lifetimes, we’ve not only become spoiled, we’ve become inundated with this new expectation that Boston has to win every year.

Don’t forget that the Celtics were a joke throughout most of our formative years. The Patriots were a bigger joke. Most living fans waited their entire lifetimes for the Red Sox to win a World Series.

We’ll lament together and hold hands at the bonfire of our baseball season going up in flames and — gasp — we might cheer for the Phillies on Wednesday. But don’t feel too bad about this loss. It sucks. It blows. Screw Tampa Bay and its fan base that stood strong at three fans last year. All that jazz. But don’t feel too bad.

In 1986 and 2003 we felt bad. We felt demoralized. All our hopes were crushed. Dreams were gone. The sun refused to shine in Boston for weeks after game 6 in 1986 and then Aaron-bleeping-Boone’s homer in 2003 opened up all kinds of wounds.

Some of you younger fans may feel that way tonight. I don’t. I think a lot of our parents will agree. Sure, it’s too bad we lost, but we lost to a better team. We lost to a group of straggly young rejects and journeymen who got together and formed something special. That’s how the Sox won in 2004, and we have nothing to be ashamed about by losing to the Rays.

With this new winning tradition comes a sad yet sure realization: sometimes we don’t.

BOSTON — One of the defining moments of sportsmanship in the Boston Red Sox 2007 season was when Tim Wakefield took himself out of the roster before the World Series because he knew he was hurt and couldn’t give the team 100 percent.

In case you forgot, the Red Sox won the World Series in 2007.

Josh Beckett is hurt and can’t give the team 100 percent, but he won’t admit that and clearly thinks he can dope his way around whatever injury he clearly has.

And he just got embarrassed by the Tampa Bay Rays.

No one can blame Mike Timlin for taking the loss Saturday (Sunday morning) because the Red Sox never should have been tied 8-8 after 10 innings.‚  All eight of those initial runs were charged to Beckett and his dead arm, shoulder or whatever it is.

Josh Beckett should not start another game until team doctors can medically prove he isn’t playing injured.

Give all the credit in the world to the Rays and their good, pure, young talent, but Boston set itself up to lose by starting a hurt pitcher.

Amalie Benjamin, the Boston Globe’s Red Sox beat reporter, called it in the pre-game show. Beckett is hurt. He’s not the ace if he’s hurt.

The Sox have depth, they’ll make due with what they have. Remember, the Rays closer, Troy Percival got hurt this year, and they stepped up with Dan Wheeler, whose 89 mph fastball embarrassed Boston hitters Saturday.

The Red Sox added veteran reliever Mike Timlin to their American League Championship Series roster Thursday afternoon, replacing infielder Gil Valazquez, a career minor leaguer who recently got his call to the show in September.

Timlin, had a 5.66 ERA in 47 appearances this season and was left off the roster for the ALDS against the Angels when the Red Sox decided to carry 10 instead of 11 pitchers. They’re taking more pitches in this potential 7-game series, manager Terry Francona.

It is widely reporter that Timlin will retire after this season. He had been keeping the last baseballs from his previous 2-3 relief appearances as a momento, in case it was the last go-around for the 18-season workhorse.

Blast loves Mike Timlin, especially after his 2004 and 2007 World Series contributions.

You don’t win pennants in the offseason.‚  You don’t win them during the season either.‚  You win them in the postseason.‚  It is now October and it’s time for some baseball.‚  After six months, eight of thirty teams remain.‚  In a little less than a month, we will have our champion.‚ 

Will it be a repeat for the Red Sox?‚  A curse-breaking for the Cubs?‚  Another series for the Southsiders while their uptown rivals wait yet another year?‚  An exorcising of the Devil for the Rays?‚  A trip to baseball heaven for the Angels?‚  A ring for the LA wedding of a former New York manager and former Boston slugger?‚  A win for the City of Brotherly Love and the team with the most losses in baseball history?‚  How about champagne flooding the streets of the Brew City?‚ 

The best part of October is that anything can happen.‚  Favorites fall.‚  Teams comeback from the brink of elimination.‚  Heroes cement themselves in the annals of baseball lore.‚  There are storylines.‚  Lots of storylines.‚  Here are this postseason’s most compelling:

The New Rivalry

The Red Sox swept the Angels twice en route to this century’s titles and are 9-0 in their last three postseason series against the California-Anaheim-Los Angeles club.‚  This time the Angels are the favorites as they return with a power offense (not to be completely overshadowed by Manny in the real LA, Mark Teixeira has been the answer to the Mike Scioscia’s prayers) and the deepest overall pitching staff in baseball.‚  Still, Terry Francona is 8-0 in the World Series and 7-1 in elimination games.

Josh Beckett

The Red Sox always hog all the stories and this feature is no exception.‚  Last season Beckett joined Gibson, Koufax, Ford and Schilling as one of the all-time great postseason pitchers.‚  The news swirling out of Boston is that Beckett won’t pitch until Game 3 at the earliest due to an oblique strain.‚  Will he go and how effective will he be?

C.C. Sabbathia

Three games on short rest, three wins to send the Brewers into the postseason since 1982 and the first time as a National League club.‚  How much farther is he going to carry the team?‚  The word here in the Brew City is that the Crew was planning on going with a one-man rotation in the play-offs, then realized that would not be right because with just one pitcher, there isn’t any rotating.‚  He’s even going to throw during the day to prevent tightness from setting in.‚ 

Manny Being Manny

Manny might be the best deadline deal ever.‚  Factor in that he’s one of the best postseason hitters of all-time, the Cubs are going to have their hands full trying to get him out.‚  Can he carry the Dodgers to a Hollywood ending, complete with himself, Nomar, Derek Lowe and Joe Torre sitting in the visiting dugout at Fenway?‚ 

A-Rod

Will A-Rod be able to break his 0-220 playoff slump to send Yankee Stadium out in style with a World Series win? ‚ No.

White Heat

It took the White Sox 163 games to make the playoffs.‚  Will they ride the energy through the Rays or did they spend it all getting to Tampa?‚  The pitching isn’t bad and the team loves the longball.‚  After years in Cincinnati, Ken Griffey Jr. is finally playing in October again. But for long?‚ 

New Kids on the Block

If the Rays sold their souls to the Devil, why didn’t he insist they keep his name?‚  This team never had a winning record until this year-when they won the AL East.‚  The Rays have their youth, the favorite for Manager of the Year, a considerable homefield (or home-can) advantage and little to lose.‚  They don’t have “playoff experience” but they also don’t have experience losing playoff games, and that might be worth the most of all.

The Storyline That TBS and FOX Will Beat to DEATH

One of four teams to return to the postseason, the Phillies were swept by the Rockies who were one of the hottest teams ever … until they were swept out of the World Series.‚  The Phillies again took the NL East after an amazin’ collapse by their rival and earned a first-round date with the Brewers.‚  Will Jamie Moyer and C.C. face each other in the most-opposite matchup between two left-handers in postseason history?‚  Will fans in Philly hold off on the “Let’s go Eagles” chants for a‚  few more weeks?‚ 

The Obvious

The Red Sox did it.‚  The White Sox did it a year later.‚  Now, will the Cubs finally shake their demons or will April on Addison be more like the past 100?‚  This is their best chance as they have pitchers with functioning rotator cuffs and an all-around potent offense.‚  Some credit Lou Piniella (he won the 1990 World Series with the “Nasty Boys”).‚  Some will point out the 2001 season in which Piniella’s Mariners won 116 games and were bounced out of play-offs in the first round.‚  Some will also bring up the 1995 and 1997 Mariners but that would just be cruel.‚ 

For the Record

As a fan, I can’t and won’t pick against the Red Sox so they’re my choice to win it all after beating the Rays in war of an ALCS.‚  As much as we’d all like to see a re-match of the 1918 World Series, I’m honestly feeling Dodgers over Brewers in the NL.

The Boston Red Sox acquired right-handed starter Paul Byrd from the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named and/or cash considerations.

He had not expected to be moved.

“I was kind of ambushed,” Byrd told MLB.com. “It kind of was a surprise to me and an emotional moment.”

“So, as he cleaned out his locker with the help of a clubhouse attendant, Byrd grabbed a pair of blue socks — the same socks he had worn in arguably the four best consecutive starts of his 14-year career — and wondered aloud if he should take the lucky pair with him,” wrote MLB.com’s Andrew Gribble.

Time to try a red pair, Paul.

Boston will pay about Byrd about $2 million — the balance of this year’s $7.5 million salary.

Despite being 7-10 this year, Byrd has been on a tear recently, winning four starts in a row with an ERA of 1.24. He’s been arguably the best pitcher in the American League since the All-Star break. He won 15 games last year, plus a win in Game 4 of the AL Divisional Series against the Yankees.

Byrd did admit during the ALCS against the Sox last year, that he had used human-growth hormone.

Red Sox struggling youngster Clay Buchholz lost his job in the rotation and may be headed for AAA Pawtucket.

Chris DeMatteo, one of the original Blast launch issue staffers, weighs in on the Manny Ramirez trade.

Friends, readers, websurfers, lend me your eyes.  I write to bury Manny, not to praise him.  His legacy in Boston will live after him.  A legacy that includes two World Series titles and a series MVP. 

I have been a Red Sox fan my entire life and a Manny Ramirez fan since before he arrived in Boston.  I will continue to be a Manny fan through his tenure with the Dodgers and wherever he goes and finishes his career.  I am not saying “good riddance,” but I am not denouncing the trade and I am not condoning his recent behavior. 

As a writer and a fan, I believe that Manny Ramirez represents the best and the worst in baseball.  He plays like a god but always reminds us that he is human.  Although this has become a trade deadline tradition, I spent much of today awaiting the news.  If Manny stayed with the Red Sox, I probably would have titled this column “Mo’ Manny, Mo’ Problems” and speculated on what would and should happen for the rest of the season.  For better or worse, the Manny Era for the Red Sox is over.  For better or worse, the Manny Era for baseball is far from it.

“Manny Being Manny.”  We have heard it, read it and quite possibly said it, but have we really thought about it?  Manny has been decried as a “man-child” and an “idiot savant of hitting.”  He has also-and accurately-been called the greatest hitter of his generation and a first-ballot Hall of Famer. 

In recent days he has been called “spoiled,” “bratty,” “whiny,” “insulting.”  He is portrayed as a clown, a slacker who is able to get by on his natural talent of hitting and not always try his hardest.  His teammates however, tell a different story.  They have said in the past that no one works harder in the cages than Manny (Julio Lugo recently said that Manny is the first one to the park).  They say that he has an aggressive personal workout.  They have said, for the most part and that may change now that he is no longer with them, that he is a great teammate in the clubhouse.  Manny Ramirez is not a man-child, brat or savant.  He is an enigma.  He is a baseball player.  We mortals cannot comprehend how someone can be so good at anything.  We cannot comprehend the money he makes.  We cannot understand him. 

Major League baseball is not the pure, innocent game that father and son enjoyed so idyllically at the start and end of “The Natural.”  There are big bucks and big egos.  We have seen drugs, gambling and cheating tarnish our game.  We also see tremendous talent and amazing games.  Baseball is a game.  Major League baseball is a business on both sides-the owners and players-and we have the strikes, disputes and contracts to prove it.  Manny’s departure comes in the wake of what has been called his annual “tantrum.” 

This is not the first time he has asked out of Boston nor is it the first time Theo Epstein and management tried to trade him.  (Before the 2004 season, he was placed on irrevocable waivers and was then tentatively traded for A-Rod).  This season was the last of the eight-year contract he signed with the Red Sox but the team had two $20 million options for 2009 and 2010.  While Manny did say at the start of the season that he hoped his options were exercised and that he wanted to finish his career with the Red Sox, he apparently changed his mind and decided he wanted to become a free agent.  There is nothing wrong with trying the open-market.  Now-former teammate J.D. Drew hit payday when he opted out of his contract to sign with the Red Sox for $75 million over five years.  His New York counterpart Alex Rodriguez opted out of his contract only to re-up with the Yankees for more years.  Manny wants to play more than two years and wants a longer contract.  I would hardly call it greed.  The league and owners make billions-it is only fair that their workers who help them earn their fortunes be paid what they are worth. 

While Manny without question dug his own hole, none more than this week, I do feel he was unfairly vilified by the media-both national and local.  Maybe it is because he did not talk to them.  Maybe not.  He is far from the first or the only player to do the things he did and even worse things. 

Manny never fell out of shape, went to another team, demanded a trade to a World Series winner so he could win a ring, sign a contract that allows him special travel privileges, play only half a season, then audition his suitor teams like he was on a dating show.  If he did, would his team’s radio announcer lose it on the air?

Manny has never been linked to steroids or any other performance enhancer.  He did not have any abnormal spikes in homeruns (his 1998 total was actually below what he hit most other years) nor did he suffer a mysterious drop after the league’s new testing policy took effect.  If Manny did admit to taking steroids, would growing a mustache make everything better again?

Manny’s trade was not caused by a feud he had with a teammate.  If that did happen, which player would go to Miami? 

Manny never gambled, corked his bat or ripped his teammates (note the word teammates and not team or management) in the media.  

There are different rules for different people.  Manny was always given a lot of leeway because of his talent.  Whether it was ducking into the Green Monster during a mound conference, not running out groundballs, watching and celebrating homeruns, showing up late to spring training, taking time off, demanding trades or any of his other antics, Manny lived above the law.  The elite do.  Manny’s incident with the team’s traveling secretary in Houston is reprehensible.  Unfortunately, unlike what another Boston writer said at the time, that what Manny did would not earn him an arrest if he were not a baseball player, is not true.  Manny is an elite player-he can only be compared to other elites.  Elite lawyers, surgeons, politicians, scientists, musicians?  It is doubtful one of them would have been punished for pushing one of his or her organization’s employees.  If you are that good, you can get away with a lot.  It is the same in every sport.  Who is to blame?  Everyone. 

Because we cannot comprehend the immense talent or the money that it deserves, we fall in love with the so-called “lunchpail” players like Trot Nixon, Kevin Youkilis and Jason Varitek.  While they are still far better at baseball and far richer than we are, we still think they are like us and love that they had to work hard.  The truth is that they are also blessed with amazing talent as much as superstars like Manny do in fact work hard.  In life as in baseball, getting one’s uniform dirty only goes so far.  Talent and performance ultimately win out. 

While Manny at his worst represents the worst in baseball, when he is at his best, there is nothing better in or about the game.  As much as we have seen his business side, we have seen him at his playful side.  We saw him having fun and making the game fun.  Although it was only in 2007, one of my favorite Manny moments was his homerun off K-Rod in the Division Series against the Angels.  As soon as he hit the ball, Manny raised his arms and the ball soared into the sky to win the game for the Red Sox.  In the ALCS against the Indians, Manny did the same thing when he hit a homerun even though his team was still down three runs and lost the game.  That was Manny being Manny: he went up there doing what he always did-hit.  He hit and he hit it far and that was what he celebrated.  For that moment in time, it wasn’t about the money, management or even winning.  It was about hitting.  When the Red Sox fell down 3-1 in that series, Manny drew ire when he said that it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if the Red Sox lost.  He was right.  As much as it pains the players and fans, there are far worse things in the world than losing a baseball game or a play-off series.  If only more people knew that.  Then the Red Sox came out playing loose, came back and won the series four games to three.  All because Manny was what he was, a baseball player, doing what he did best, hit.  There is nothing better than watching Manny hit.  It is the other things he does that cause issue. 

Manny will be remembered for a lot in his career, especially in his almost-eight years in Boston.  He will be remembered for his great moments, his funny moments and unfortunately, his departure.  The Red Sox won two titles in his eight years and those will go a long way in healing wounds.  Only time will tell how they do without him.  I wish he could have stayed and more importantly, I wish he wanted to stay.  He will return to Fenway.  If not as a Dodger in the World Series or interleague play or with another team during the season, then as a Hall of Famer when 24 is hoisted over right field near the worthy company of 1,4,9,8,27,42 and, by then, hopefully 14.  Until then, I’m surely going to miss him.

After years of Manny Ramirez trade rumors on deadline day, one finally went through.  The Red Sox sent Manny to the Dodgers, relief pitcher Craig Hansen and outfielder Brandon Moss to the Pirates, and received leftfielder Jason Bay from the Pirates.  The Dodgers sent the Pirates third baseman Andy LaRoche and pitcher Bryan Morris. 

This was as good a deal for the Red Sox as there could be in giving up one of the best hitters in the game and the best on their team.  It was a great deal for the Dodgers.  For the Pirates, maybe it will eventually make them a buyer at deadline day. 

Jason Bay will step right into leftfield for the Red Sox although he might not fill Manny’s cleanup spot in the batting order just yet.  Francona is very good at integrating players into a lineup and he may very well bat Kevin Youkilis or Mike Lowell fourth and Bay lower until he feels he is comfortable in the lineup.  Bay is not the hitter that Manny is (although his numbers this year are close).  He is however a better outfielder and baserunner (he can steal bases), younger, cheaper and definitely less of a distraction.  His runs and RBI will likely increase in the more-potent Red Sox lineup.  He does have the power that is needed to fill the Manny void.  Most importantly, he is under contract for only $7.5 million next year and may be locked into a long-term deal if he impresses this season and next.  Not to mention, he is a right-handed power hitter playing in Fenway.

Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss can hardly be considered losses.  Hansen has a live arm and high hopes but has yet to deliver for the Red Sox.  To his credit he was rushed, but still, he has had difficulty in pressure situations and when you are on a perennial contender, every relief situation is a pressure situation.  Now the Red Sox will not have the option to use him and that may in fact make their bullpen better.  He will probably do well in Pittsburgh.  Moss is a solid outfielder but he was never going to play regularly in Boston.  He does not have the power to take over for Manny in left, will not play center with Jacoby Ellsbury likely a fixture and will not supplant J.D. Drew in right.  For the Red Sox he was at best a fourth outfielder.  He can be an everyday player for a smaller team and may very well step up like former Pawtucket teammate David Murphy (who was traded to the Rangers with Kason Gabbard for Eric Gagne last year).  He was nothing more than a trade chip and now will benefit by receiving more playing time. 

Manny is one of the best hitters in baseball.  He will definitely help the Dodgers and will still hit homeruns in a more-spacious Dodger Stadium.  His defensive liabilities will show more but great hitting beats weak defense every time.  A new environment will also contribute to what will likely be a tear in August and September.  Manny always hits but he hits better when he’s happy and he should be happy in California.  The Dodgers are also a better landing spot than the Marlins.  There are more veterans-including former teammates Nomar and Derek Lowe-and a manager, former foe Joe Torre, who knows how to deal with larger-than-life players.  Moreover, the Dodgers are a big-market team that can afford to sign Manny when he becomes a free agent.  On top of that the Red Sox are paying the rest of his salary this year.  Despite the crowded outfield situation at Chavez Ravine, Manny will not be sharing time with anyone.

Andy LaRoche has played only a little in the majors but has shown he can get on base and may develop power.  In Pittsburgh, he will be able to play across the infield from his brother Adam who is the Bucs’ first baseman, currently on the DL. 

Bryan Morris is a 21-year old right-hander who has only played in the minors but is doing well in A-ball after missing last season due to Tommy John Surgery.  He was the Dodgers’ first-round pick in the 2006 draft and is considered a good prospect. 

Although trading Ramirez was a pressing need, it is hard to say that the Red Sox are better, mostly because they are not.  It is possible that the trade will inject some much-needed energy into an underperforming team but with a roster of veterans and professionals such as Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek, it is doubtful Manny’s antics were responsible for its woes.  The trade failed to address the bullpen and catching situation which are both pressing needs this year and next.  Still, a waiver deal or call-up can rectify the pitching situation.  Justin Masterson is already in the pen and the team may call up Michael Bowden.  If Bartolo Colon comes back, Clay Buchholz may be moved to relief duty where he might even be more effective.  While the Red Sox are paying the rest of Manny’s salary this year, it is only money. 

The Pirates have traded away their best players the past few weeks and have gotten even younger.  While the moves signify rebuilding, it must be stated that the Pirates have been “rebuilding” for years.  Maybe they will be buyers at the deadline.  One would think that if they had this much talent to trade away, they would have enough to use and augment with a trade for a veteran in their own stretch run.

The Red Sox, in a three-team deal, sent embattled slugger Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers.

The deal sends Jason Bay to Boston and the Pirates get four minor leaguers. Pittsburgh gets young talent from Boston in Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss, third baseman Andy LaRoche from the Dodgers and AA Dodgets pitcher Bryan Morris.

The $20 million club options on Manny for 2009 and 2010 were dropped, so he will become a free agent next year.

Bay is a two-time All-Star with a .376 career on-base percentage and .282 lifetime batting average. He’s hitting .282 with 22 homers and 64 RBIs this season. The British Columbia native was the NL Rookie of the Year in 2004, when he hit .282 with 26 homeruns and 82 RBIs.

Ramirez, one of baseball’s greatest hitters, was the 2004 Word Series MVP when he helped end an 80+ year “curse” in Boston.

Blast Magazine staff writer John Guilfoil contributed to this report from Boston

Boston Red Sox port-sider Jon Lester denied the Kansas Royals a single hit Monday night when he threw a no-hitter on 130 pitches. The 24-year old cancer survivor walked just two batters all night in the 7-0 victory and became the first pitcher in MLB to hold a team hitless this year.

Lester’s first career complete game was the second no-no for the Red Sox in as many years and their fourth in this decade. Hideo Nomo blanked the Orioles in 2001, Derek Lowe did it in 2002 against the Rays and Clay Buchholz no hit the Orioles last year. Incidentally, according to MLB.com, all four were caught by Jason Varitek, “breaking a tie held by several catchers.”

Thanks to our editor John Guilfoil for digging these up: The last Red Sox lefty to throw a no-hitter was Mel Parnell on July 14, 1956 and southpaw Dutch Leonard threw two between 1916 and 1918.

People need to get a life. When you get to the point when you hate smack talk so much that you have to kill someone, you deserve whatever punishment you receive. Ivonne Hernandez, 43, is about to find out exactly what that punishment is. Hernandez answered some “Yankees suck” chants outside a New Hampshire bar by running Matthew Beaudoin down with her car and killing him.

“She never braked, and she accelerated at a high speed for about 200 feet. She went directly at this group of people,” prosecutor Susan Morrell said of Ivonne Hernandez, who is charged with reckless second-degree murder in the death of Beaudoin, 29.

“She indicated to police that she wanted to scare this group of people. She thought they would get out of the way,” Morrell said.

Well, they didn’t. Arrested on the scene, Hernandez admitted that she was drinking, but refused a breath-alcohol test. The charges include aggravated drunken driving and she has being held without bail.

Professional sports teams continue to replace antiquated stadiums with modern, awe-inspiring facilities, designed to attract more fans, bigger sponsors and better players. Yet, there remain several historical structures that regularly accommodate scores of cheering crowds.

One of the greatest rivalries in all of sports is between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. And two of the most legendary parks in baseball belong to these teams in Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium.

This year, the Bronx Bombers play their final season in Yankee Stadium. The building served as home to players like Ruth, Mantle and DiMaggio and decisive championship moments forever etched in our memories. Like them or hate them, the Yankees’ home is one of the most storied ballparks in America.

So why is Yankee Stadium being torn down to be replaced by a new park? What pressures did the owners succumb to? Or what financial benefit do they see in the move? And, in that case, why are the Red Sox not following with their own new stadium?

There are six main ways baseball teams generate revenue: corporate sponsorships, luxury box sales, general ticket sales, concessions, local television contracts and merchandise.

Let’s compare Fenway Park to the new Yankee Stadium and see which team is mostly likely to have the strongest financial performance in each category.

Corporate Sponsorships: Even

The Red Sox and the Yankees are the most popular teams in baseball and both national and local companies are looking to sponsor with these clubs. Companies will line up to partner with these two teams, regardless of where they play. Revenues are strong for both clubs in this category.

Luxury Box Sales: Yankees

The new Yankee Stadium will contain three times as many luxury boxes as the current venue, far surpassing comparable boxes in Fenway Park. The Yankees are building more boxes at the expense of regular seats because the revenue from each box is larger and more consistent. The boxes will sell out and the Yankees will collect revenue whether or not the ticket-holders show up.

General Ticket Sales: Red Sox

The Red Sox have one of the smallest seating capacities of any MLB stadium, while the Yankees have and will have one of baseball’s larger venues. At first glance, it would appear that this is a win for the Yankees, but it may not be. Seats do not generate revenue; people in those seats account for ticket volume and the amount they pay for those seats drives ticket revenue.

Entering the 2008 season, the Red Sox sold out 388 consecutive games-a trend that does not appear to be ending any time soon. The Bombers do not always sell out. They do fill all the seats during big games and weekends, but typically leave thousands of seats empty during weekday contests.

The Red Sox also have the highest ticket prices in baseball and will be raising tickets an additional 9 percent for the 2008 season, according to the Boston Globe. How can the Red Sox charge so much? It is a matter of supply and demand, or scarcity as CNN Money refers to baseball ticket sales.

A team like the Yankees knows it will not sell out every game and therefore must keep prices lower to encourage those price-sensitive fans to come to a mid-week game. The Yankees are controlled by the supply, meaning that in order to optimize revenue, they can only charge as much as the last person is willing to pay.

The Red Sox, on the contrary, have a surplus demand. With more people willing to pay for every game than seats are available, the Red Sox can continue to raise prices until exactly the same amount of people are willing to pay the premium price as there are seats in the stadium. (This is not entirely true because tickets for sporting events and concerts are kept artificially low to allow more people the opportunity to afford the tickets).

Therefore, what revenues the Yankees generate from high ticket sales, the Red Sox match and will arguably surpass with revenues from higher ticket prices.

Concessions: Yankees

The Red Sox charge more for ticket prices, but a team can only charge so much for a beer and a hot dog before fans say “enough” and do not to eat at the game. Since prices are even, concession sales are then dependant primarily on attendance volume. This benefits the Yankees who have a larger stadium and will have more people to potentially purchase concessions.

Local Media Revenue: Yankees

The Yankees received more than $91 million in local media contracts, including $67 million from the YES Network to broadcast games on television, Forbes.com reports. While the organization will not keep all of that money due to the league’s revenue sharing agreements, they still retain a significant share.

The Bronx Bombers benefit from a larger market, as the New York metropolitan region is by far, the most populous in the country. The Yankees also have a higher net worth than the Red Sox and can demand larger contracts. While the Yankees and Red Sox have roughly equal numbers of national fans, the fact that more people live in the New York area benefits the Yankees.

Merchandise Sales: Red Sox

Unfortunately, no census is taken of all Yankees fans and Red Sox fans. ESPN reports that since winning the first of two World Series championships in the past four years, Red Sox merchandise sales have skyrocketed. Sales from Sox and Yankees gear account for more than half of all MLB merchandise revenue. USA Today reports, that when on the road, attendance at the opposing ballparks is about 1,300 fans more when the Red Sox are in town than the Yankees.

There are several other reasons why I give the edge to the Red Sox. First, international sales should be up for the Sox. The New York squad has better name recognition, but the Sox have won the Series more recently and played a pair of games in Japan to begin the season. Second, the Red Sox are not involved in the steroid controversy. Roger Clemens’ jerseys are not flying off the shelves this spring.

The Verdict?

Both teams have a distinct business strategy and both are positioned to perform very well.

The Red Sox, by not building a new stadium and leveraging Fenway’s small seating capacity to produce more ticket revenue, are positioned to yield higher profits and retain more of their earnings.

The Yankees are growing their revenues, but also are incurring costs of higher player salaries and financing a new stadium. They have positioned themselves to generate higher overall revenue to supplement their costs. Each strategy compliments the team’s business model.

Regardless of where they play, the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry will continue, escalating with the advent of October. Yankees fans will learn to love their new stadium and Red Sox fans will continue to fill every seat of every game at Fenway Park. A baseball stadium is, after all, is more than a home-it is the soul of a team and its fans.

According to WBZtv.com in Boston, Bill Buckner will throw out the first pitch today for Opening Day at Fenway Park. Chances are he will be cheered thoroughly since Red Sox fans finally got their championships since his incident in 1986. He deserves to be cheered, this guy was the player version of Steve Bartman.

You may or may not remember that he committed a costly error that may or may not have blown the 1986 World Series for the Red Sox. You can see that here:

But, let’s set the record straight on Buckner: It wasn’t his fault; leave him alone. Buckner was injured and shouldn’t have even been in the game. And if you want to blame someone, how about pitcher Calvin Schiraldi? He entered the bottom of the 10th inning in that Game 6 with a two-run lead. He got two guys out before giving up three straight singles and gave the Mets life.

Buckner is historically the goat for that World Series choke job, but his error was minor considering almost the entire team contributed to the screwup.

I had a chance to preview MLB Production’s official 2007 World Series Film narrated by superstar and devout Sox fan Matt Damon.

I never, ever get enough of watching the Red Sox win. After living for years under the shadow of my entire Yankee-loving family, I’ve acquired a library of books, posters and DVD’s from all things 2004 and 2007.

The 90 minute special premiere in high-def on the MOJO HD channel January 10, and here’s how they sum it all up:

The film captures all the drama as the Red Sox overcame a three game to one deficit versus the Cleveland Indians in the ALCS to secure a berth in the World Series. They then faced the red hot Colorado Rockies who had won 21 of their last 22 games and became the second team ever to win their first seven games in a postseason. With original game broadcast footage plusoff-the-field candid moments with players and coaches inside the dugout and the clubhouse, viewers can relive Boston’s amazing four game sweep for their second World Series championship in the last four years, including their exuberant clubhouse celebration.

The film includes Dustin Pedroia’s lead off home run and the back-to-back-to-back home runs of Youkilis, Ortiz and Ramirez — first time in World Series history. They also highlight J.D. Drew’s breakout grand slam, Jacoby Ellsbury’s emergence as a star-calibur player, and Mike Lowell’s MVP performance.

I really liked that they also included scenes from the victory parade, which I was front-row for.

The 2007 team was something special, like the 2004 team, they came back from the brink in the ALCS. Then they outright swept the World Series. They just wanted it more, and they have a nation of fans behind them.

You also have to give MLB Productions credit for telling the story of the 2007 Colorado Rockies also. They were basically out of it, but they seemed to win every game in the last month of the season to somehow make the playoffs — 13 wins in 14 games and a win in a one-game playoff against the San Diego Padres that took 13 innings, where they were down two runs in the top of the 13th, against the all-time saves leader, only to come back and win. Then they swept Philadelphia; then they swept Arizona. They easily could have been the story of the year.

Living in Boston, I’ve had a chance to see some amazing sports moments over the last five years — football, baseball, hopefully basketball this year. This film is another chance to take an closeup look at the team and the story.

The 2007 World Series Film will re-air January 23 at 9:30 p.m.

Unsung hero.

Workhorse.

Veteran.

In 1991 Mike Timlin, 41, broke out with the Toronto Blue Jays. He appeared in 63 games and finished the year with a 3.16 ERA. He bounced around — Seattle, Toronto, Seattle, Baltimore, St. Louis, Philadelphia, back to St. Louis. He was perfect in four World Series games between 1992-93 with the Blue Jays, allowing no runs and only two hits.

He came to Boston in 2003. In the heart-breaking American League Championship Series against the Yankees, Timlin was perfect. He appeared in five games, allowing no runs on one hit before Aaron Boone flopped a homer to left field off Tim Wakefield in the dreaded 7th game.

He appeared in 76 games for the 2004 Red Sox — five more games in the comeback effort against the Yankees in the ALCS and three games in the first World Series victory in 86 years. The tall Texan was there to break the curse of the Bambino.

This year, he was perfect in three ALCS appearances, allowing just one hit and no runs. Tonight it was Mike Timlin, who manager Terry Francona turned to to hold the lead in the clinching game of the World Series while the powerful and determined Rockies threatened in the late innings.

And hold that lead he did.

Congratulations are due to the MVP of the series, Mike Lowell for his amazing performance.

To Josh Beckett for his seamless starts throughout the post season.

To Jon Lester, who beat cancer and a stacked Colorado Rockies roster in game four.

To Jonathan Papelbon, for four saves in the post season, each of which went over an inning and stretched his arm beyond normal closer-role limits.

To Curt Schilling, who is the best post season starting pitcher ever.

To Jason Varitek, the captain who held the team together.

To Dustin Pedroia, who will be the 2007 American League rookie of the year.

To Jacoby Ellsbury, who may be the 2008 American League rookie of the year. (He didn’t have enough at-bats this year to be considered a true rookie)

To Coco Crisp, who accepted his defensive role for the good of the team.

To Manny Ramirez, who should always be Manny being Manny.

To Kevin Youkilis, who hit .388 in the postseason this year.

To J.D. Drew, the most criticized player on the team, for busting out with a grand slam in game six of the ALCS and showing us his true potential.

To David Ortiz, who is a good first baseman.

To Bobby Kielty, who never could have imagined, after the Oakland Athletics cut him this year, that he would hit the game-winning home run in the World Series in a few months.

To Julio Lugo, for never giving up.

To Doug Mirabelli, Erik Hinske and Alex Cora for being there.

To Manny Delcarmen, Javier Lopez and Erik Gagne for being ready in the bullpen.

To Daisuke Matsuzaka, for being worth every penny.

To Kyle Snyder, for staying ready and taking Tim Wakefield’s place on the roster when he realized he couldn’t pitch.

To Tim Wakefield, for putting the team first at all times.

But most of all, I thank Mike Timlin — not only for his pitching, but because he took the bullpen relievers and turned them into the next great American band. He was the ringleader behind the clanking and chiming in the outfield that created a motivational tune from the workhorse bullpen, started by the head horse, Mike Timlin.

Fellow baseball veteran, Tim Wakefield was being interviewed by the NESN television network during the celebrations early this morning when Timlin butted in and took the microphone.

“I just wanna say one thing. This guy right here, this win is for this man right here,” he said, Champagne dripping down his shirt, “because he was not on the roster and he showed so much heart by saying ‘I can’t be on the roster and it was good for the team.’ This is what kind of person is standing right here. I love this guy. I’m proud of this guy. It’s the hardest thing to do to take yourself out of the game for someone else, but he did it and I’m proud of him.”

Wakefield had to wipe away tears before his next interview.