Sports Then and Now

David Ortiz captured the Home Run Derby title last night in a thrilling performance. The left-handed slugger came out hungry and while he was all smiles he had his eyes on the prize.

Papi did it with a smile per usual.

Coming out hitting sixth out of eight batters, Papi put up an eight spot which was good enough to move him onto the second round.

Then Papi got HOT.

He blasted 13 dingers in the second round which comfortably sent him to the finals where Ortiz met former Sox prospect Hanley Ramirez. Big Papi went first and set the tone with 11 bombs as he spread them between center, right center, and right field. Hanley could not come close to match his output and Papi claimed his first ever Home Run Derby Championship. David hit 32 homers over three rounds measuring in at over seven miles with the farthest going 478 feet.

This was Ortiz’s first appearance in the Derby since 2006 (he participated 2004-06) and he made it count. He was a class act all night cheering on his competition and his classic smile was ear to ear. A true ambassador to the game and a face of the Red Sox organization, Ortiz did good work for baseball on this evening.

The most consistent cog in this patched up Red Sox line up since May 1 (17 HRs), hopefully Papi saved some umph for the second half and doesn’t melt down like former champs (ie Bobby Abreau and Josh Hamilton).

Rather, perhaps this performance can spark his game like the Three Point Contest did for Paul Pierce and propel him and the team toward a run at the pennant.

Dick Radatz shares pitching tips with Boston's Cardinal Cushing

Both the calendar page and the greeting card companies dictate that the one day per year we are allowed to “honor thy father” (at least in this country) is the third Sunday of June. Since 1910, children around the globe have annually taken a mere 24 hours out of their busy lives to “celebrate fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society” by dousing Dads with a collection of humorous cards and never to be worn ties.

If nothing else, Father’s Day acts to provide a fitting and opposite book end to the prior months, Mother’s Day.

As a father of five, who, like most Dad’s, has regrets about not spending enough time with my quintet of off-spring, I like to take every opportunity, whether on Father’s Day or not, to bring to the forefront each loving relationship I stumble across that holds the Daddy-Daughter relationship in the brightest of lights.

I recently had the pleasure of catching up with Leigh Radatz, daughter of the Boston Red Sox late great pitcher, Dick “The Monster” Radatz. After losing her larger than life Dad to an in home accident in 2005, Ms. Radatz admits, “That there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wish he was here with us. He was loving, caring, understanding, funny and a role model in so many ways.” Read the rest of this entry →

Larry Legend and the Human Highlight Reel put on a show for the ages.(Photo NBA)

The playoffs are where superstars shine. Adrenaline and pure will take over.

If you believe you can’t be stopped, usually you can’t.

However, sometimes when your game goes to a new level, this challenge inspires your competitor to wrestle the spotlight away from you.

This happened on May 22, 1988.

It was the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.

It was Game Seven.

Celtics versus Hawks.

Bird against ‘Nique.

It was for all the marbles.

The question was what superstar would shine brightest on the big stage of the NBA Playoffs.

The answer.

BOTH of them.

Read the rest of this entry →

Dave Roberts announced on Monday that he has Hodgkin's Lymphoma

If you ask a Red Sox fan who Henri Stanley is, most will look at you funny, their heads cocked to the side like the RCA dog, and tell you they don’t have a clue.  Stanley was an outfielder who never played a Major League game, but exists as a footnote in the historic 2004 season that saw the Sox win their first World Series in 86 years.  Henri Stanley went from the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox to AAA Portland, the Dodger’s affiliate, in a trade deadline move, July 31, 2004.  The player the Red Sox got in return was Dave Roberts.

Roberts himself a journeyman with no aspirations of ever having a bust in the Hall of Fame, spent his ten year career playing for five different teams, patrolling various outfield spots and occasionally DH-ing.  He was brought to Boston that year predominantly to be a pinch runner.  In 45 regular season games with the Red Sox that summer, Roberts stole a grand total of five bases.  In the post-season, with zero at-bats, Roberts managed to steal one base – a close play at second that no Boston fan will ever forget. Read the rest of this entry →

Could Josh Beckett and the Red Sox bring home another World Series title in 2010?

The final countdown to the beginning of the MLB season has begun in earnest as we are now 5 days from opening night on ESPN where the Yankees face the Red Sox in what looks to me as it should be some of the closes races for all the divisions in recent years.

CC Sabathia vs. Josh Beckett should stir even the most casual fans as the Yankees attempt to repeat in 2010. They will be missing some key elements from last years championship club. Gone are Hideki Matsui, Johnny Damon, and Melky Cabrera and with Joba Chamberlain losing the battle for the 5th spot in the rotation to Phil Hughes, some of the experts are concerned that age may be creeping up on them as many of their key players, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada are all 35 years old and above.

Since the steroid issue is being monitored at it’s highest level since the testing began a few years back we are seeing less and less of career seasons from this age group. It’s nice to see the playing field becoming more level than in the past decade or so.

This still won’t stop the Yankees, Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays from fighting it out for the two spots for October baseball. They will clearly be the favorites in the American League along with the two other division winners to play in the post season.

However don’t be fooled into believing that the runner up in the Central Division won’t be fighting the AL East for the lone Wild Card position. Detroit, Chicago and Minnesota are all very capable of winning 90 plus games this year so all and all this could be real fun.

The two other long shot Wild Card contenders may just come from the AL West where the Angels, Rangers and Mariners are going to have a knock em out drag down battle for that crown. Read the rest of this entry →

Nomar Garciapara was star from the get-go in Boston.

Yesterday marked the end of the line to Nomar Garciaparra.  He announced his retirement from baseball at the age of 36, after playing 14 14 Major League seasons.  In a twist that will forever endear him to Red Sox Nation, Nomar signed a one day minor league contract so that he officially retire with the team where he began it all back in 1994 as a first round draft pick.

But besides the praise he’ll get from Boston faithful after a teary press conference and after throwing out the first pitch of a Grapefruit League match-up, the question now will be asked whether “Nomah” will be a possibility for Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Pros

Garciaparra has some seriously good statistics in his favor.  He batted .313 for his career.  His 229 home runs seems sort of low, but remember that Garciaparra was predominantly a shortstop.  The AL record for homers by a short stop is Cal Ripken, Jr.’s 345.  In the NL, the record is held by Ernie Banks at 277. Read the rest of this entry →