Boston Red Sox Blog and Schedule with MLB News » yankees

Red Sox, Yankees Only Teams Hit With Luxury Tax

inseclassus — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 19:29:48 +0000

APNewsBreak: Yankees hit with $13.9M luxury tax

By RONALD BLUM

AP Sports Writer

(AP) — The New York Yankees were hit with a $13.9 million luxury tax bill Thursday, their lowest since 2003.

The fee, assessed by Major League Baseball under its labor contract, is down from $18 million last year and $25.7 million in 2009, when the Yankees won the World Series.

Boston, which missed the playoffs for the second straight season, is the only other team that will have to pay a tax. The Red Sox received a bill for $3.4 million, up from last year’s $1.5 million.

Season-ending payroll information and the tax was sent to teams and obtained by The Associated Press.

According to the collective bargaining agreement, checks to pay the tax must be sent to the commissioner’s office by Jan. 31.

New York has paid the tax in all nine years since it began, $206 million of the $227 million raised under the penalty for high payrolls. The only other teams to pay have been the Red Sox (a total of $18.8 million), Detroit ($1.3 million) and the Los Angeles Angels ($927,000).

The Yankees pay at a 40 percent rate on the amount of their payroll over $178 million, a figure that includes the average annual values of contracts plus benefits. Boston, which exceeded the threshold for the second straight year, pays at a 30 percent rate. For purposes of the tax, New York’s final payroll was $212.7 million and Boston’s was $189.4 million.

Under the new labor contract, the Yankees’ rate would increase to 42.5 percent next year and 50 percent in 2013 if they continue to exceed the threshold, and Boston’s rate would go up to 40 percent next season.

But if in any year a team goes under the threshold, its rate decreases to 17.5 percent the next time it pays the tax.

As an added incentive for the high-spenders to decrease payroll, if they get under the threshold they will become eligible to get back some of the money they contribute in revenue sharing. The tax threshold stays at $178 million through 2013, then goes to $189 million in each of the following three years.

New York’s payroll under the conventional method of calculation – salaries and prorated shares of signing bonuses – increased from $215 million to $216 million, still below its high of $222.5 million in 2008.

Boston remained second and finished at $174 million, an increase of $3 million. Philadelphia stayed third at $165 million, a rise of nearly $20 million.

Even before adding Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson, the Angels were fourth at $143 million, followed by the financially troubled New York Mets at $142 million, an increase of $14 million and a figure that likely will drop by $30 million or more next season. They were followed by the Chicago teams, who both missed the playoffs, with the Cubs at $141 million and the White Sox at $126 million.

World Series champion St. Louis was 11th at $113 million, and AL champion Texas was 13th at $104 million. Milwaukee (16th at $93 million), Arizona (24th at $66 million) and Tampa Bay (29th at $45 million) made the playoffs from the bottom half of payrolls, while the 2010 champion San Francisco Giants ($125 million) and Minnesota ($115 million) were among the high-spending teams to miss the postseason.

The Marlins, who have added free agents Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle and Heath Bell as they prepare to open their new ballpark, were 25th at $62 million. The Los Angeles Dodgers kept their payroll steady at $110 million as owners Frank and Jamie McCourt argued in divorce proceedings that helped cause the team to file for bankruptcy. The Dodgers’ payroll had been $132 million in 2009.

Kansas City dropped from $77 million to last at $45 million. Houston, sold during the season, fell to $81 million from $90 million last year and $108 million in 2009.

Overall payroll was $43,000 shy of the $3 billion mark, up from $2.91 billion last year.

Payroll figures are for 40-man rosters and include salaries and prorated shares of signing bonuses, earned incentive bonuses, non-cash compensation, buyouts of unexercised options and cash transactions, such as money included in trades. In some cases, parts of salaries that are deferred are discounted to reflect present-day values.

The commissioner’s office computed the average salary at a record $3,039,161, up 3.6 percent from last year’s $2,932,162. The players’ association, which uses a slightly different method, pegged the average at $3,095,183 earlier this month, up 2.7 percent from $3,014,572.

Updated December 23, 2011

Subscribe to our feed!.

Valentine Honored, Excited to be Red Sox Manager

Sobdraida — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 05:01:40 +0000

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox may have already gotten what they were looking for from Bobby V.

In a move that had reverberated from Kenmore Square to the backyard of the rival New York Yankees, the Red Sox introduced Bobby Valentine as their new manager on Thursday, turning to him to lead the ballclub back to the playoffs and help Boston forget this season’s unprecedented September collapse.

“I am honored, I am humbled and I am pretty [darn] excited,” Valentine said during the news conference in a Fenway Park premium club. “It’s more than a special day. It’s the beginning of a life that’s going to extend beyond anything I thought I’d be doing. The talent level of the players we have in this organization is a gift to anyone, and I think I’m a receiver of this gift.

“I think we’re going to do this, man,” he said, smiling and turning to shake hands with general manager Ben Cherington. “And I really and truly appreciate this opportunity.”

The 61-year-old former Mets and Rangers manager agreed to a two-year deal with club options for 2014 and 2015. The news conference was attended by owner John Henry and his wife, by Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino, by an entourage of friends from Stamford, Conn., by dozens of team employees and by about 100 members of the media, many of them from New York outlets that covered Valentine in his days with the Mets.

“There is a buzz,” Lucchino said, acknowledging that Valentine’s personality and his history in New York could enhance an already intense AL East rivalry with the Yankees. “I think it does add a little bit of kerosene to the fire.”

The event was catered — wraps were served, naturally, for the man who claims to have invented them. The director of public safety in Stamford, where he runs a restaurant and an athletic training facility, Valentine is also a cooking and ballroom dancing aficionado, the son-in-law of former major leaguer Ralph Branca and, most recently, an analyst on ESPN.

Valentine, who also guided the Chiba Lotte Marines to a 2005 championship, greeted one reporter in Japanese.

“Bobby’s a big personality,” Henry said. “I think that’s a plus.”

Valentine brings to Boston a reputation as a polarizing figure who wasn’t afraid to criticize his players publicly — something former Red Sox manager Terry Francona never did — and who bickered with his boss at the Mets. But he takes over a team with a bit of a reputation problem of its own: After going 7-20 in September and missing the playoffs by one game, the Red Sox have been hounded by reports that players drank beer and ate fried chicken in the clubhouse during games instead of sitting in the dugout to support their teammates.

“I didn’t see it first hand,” Valentine cautioned, before saying about the team what he could have said in his own defense: “Reputation is something other people think about you. Right now maybe this group of guys has a reputation that is not warranted. … I can tell you I look forward to working with this group and establishing a culture of excellence.”

Vowing to get to know the players personally first, Valentine said there was no single way to restore discipline to a clubhouse.

“I don’t have a Ten Commandments of Baseball that I’m going to recite to them,” he said.

Valentine took the Mets to the 2000 World Series, where they lost to the Yankees, but he was fired after a last-place finish led to clubhouse turmoil two years later. Depending on whom you believe, he was either a relentless self-promoter or honest to a fault.

“I think people who take the time to get to know me understand I have some qualities in my character that are OK,” he said. “I’m not a monster who breathes fire who some people refer to me as. I’m a guy, a regular human being with regular feelings.”

Valentine said that he had learned from his previous managerial jobs.

But one thing won’t change.

“I’m still going to get frustrated when things aren’t done in an excellent way,” he said. “I’m still going to get out early to try to fix everything in the world and I’m still going to go to bed [angry] that I didn’t do enough.”

Valentine was a late entry in Boston’s managerial search — at least publicly, as the Red Sox left him off their initial short list because he was in a visible position as an ESPN analyst at the time. Pete Mackanin, Sandy Alomar Jr., Dale Sveum, Torey Lovullo and Gene Lamont were also interviewed; Lamont was also a finalist.

“It was not a tightly ordered, linear process,” Lucchino said. “It never is.”

Cherington denied reports that Valentine was forced on him by Lucchino and Henry.

“It’s just not true,” said the new GM, who was promoted when Theo Epstein left to become president of baseball operations for the Chicago Cubs. “I feel very strongly we found the right person in Bobby Valentine.”

Valentine said he didn’t allow himself to believe he could get the job until he received a text message from Cherington — pulling out his cellphone to read reporters the time: 8:37 a.m. on Nov. 29. “I would wake up at night thinking there’s a chance and then say, `Don’t go there. You’re going to get your heart broken,”‘ said Valentine, who was in Japan on a goodwill visit when he got the news.

Valentine paid homage to the team’s tradition by selecting the uniform No. 25, which was worn by his one-time roommate Tony Conigliaro. The former Red Sox outfielder’s career was cut short after he was hit in the face by Jack Hamilton’s fastball in 1967.

“I would gladly take it off to put it up on that wall,” Valentine said, pointing to the facade where the Red Sox retired numbers hang.

“I understand the rich tradition of baseball in this city, of sports in this community. I understand the rivalries this team has. And I understand the great talent on this team.”

Valentine said he got a taste of a Yankees rivalry with the Mets. But they only played six times a season in interleague play; the division opponents play 18 games in 2012.

“I’m really excited,” Valentine said. “I know the Yankees always have a team where you have to put your best foot forward when you’re playing them.

“I think we’re going to be able to match them,” he said. “It’s not going to be the best team that wins, but the team that plays the best.”

That’s all for today.

Valentine’s Day: Boston Red Sox introduce Bobby Valentine as their new manager

bexsweate — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 08:12:38 +0000

BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox may have already gotten what they were looking for from Bobby V.

“I am honoured, I am humbled and I am pretty (darn) excited,” Valentine said during the news conference in a Fenway Park premium club. “It’s more than a special day. It’s the beginning of a life that’s going to extend beyond anything I thought I’d be doing. The talent level of the players we have in this organization is a gift to anyone, and I think I’m a receiver of this gift.

“I think we’re going to do this, man,” he said, smiling and turning to shake hands with general manager Ben Cherington. “And I really and truly appreciate this opportunity.”

Valentine, who also guided the Chiba Lotte Marines to a 2005 championship, greeted one reporter in Japanese.

“Bobby’s a big personality,” Henry said. “I think that’s a plus.”

“I didn’t see it first hand,” Valentine cautioned, before saying about the team what he could have said in his own defence: “Reputation is something other people think about you. Right now maybe this group of guys has a reputation that is not warranted. … I can tell you I look forward to working with this group and establishing a culture of excellence.”

Vowing to get to know the players personally first, Valentine said there was no single way to restore discipline to a clubhouse.

“I don’t have a Ten Commandments of Baseball that I’m going to recite to them,” he said.

Valentine said that he had learned from his previous managerial jobs.

But one thing won’t change.

“It was not a tightly ordered, linear process,” Lucchino said. “It never is.”

Cherington denied reports that Valentine was forced on him by Lucchino and Henry.

Valentine said he didn’t allow himself to believe he could get the job until he received a text message from Cherington — pulling out his cellphone to read reporters the time: 8:37 a.m. on Nov. 29. “I would wake up at night thinking there’s a chance and then say, ‘Don’t go there. You’re going to get your heart broken,’” said Valentine, who was in Japan on a goodwill visit when he got the news.

“I would gladly take it off to put it up on that wall,” Valentine said, pointing to the facade where the Red Sox retired numbers hang.

“I understand the rich tradition of baseball in this city, of sports in this community. I understand the rivalries this team has. And I understand the great talent on this team.”

Valentine said he got a taste of a Yankees rivalry with the Mets. But they only played six times a season in interleague play; the division opponents play 18 games in 2012.

“I’m really excited,” Valentine said. “I know the Yankees always have a team where you have to put your best foot forward when you’re playing them.

“I think we’re going to be able to match them,” he said. “It’s not going to be the best team that wins, but the team that plays the best.”

Leave your comments on the news below.

Epstein, Cashman go to bat in fundraiser to help Vt. farms damaged by flooding from Irene

sarahwestmorelander — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 08:21:53 +0000

The gathering was part of a fundraising effort to benefit Vermont farms damaged by flooding from Tropical Storm Irene. The event was organized by ESPN baseball writer Buster Olney, who grew up in the area.

The discussion was followed by an online auction of baseball memorabilia donated by players and teams. The funds raised will go to the Vermont Farm Disaster Relief Fund, set up by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture and The Vermont Community Foundation. The organization already had raised $1.8 million for flood-damaged Vermont farms before Saturday’s event.

Much of the spotlight fell on Epstein, the former Red Sox general manager who bolted Boston last month to become president of the Cubs. The Massachusetts native spoke openly about the difficulty of leaving Boston after leading the Red Sox to two World Series titles in his nine years as its GM.

“It’s a part of me, it will always be part of me. I’m not going to try and fake it,” Epstein said. “I think we’re all allowed one (American League) team to pull for.”

Epstein talked about his former team’s historic September collapse, in which it went from having the best record in the AL to missing the playoffs altogether.

“How do you describe a death spiral?” he said. “We knew we had issues going into September (even though) we were on pace for 100 wins. We just couldn’t stop bleeding. A lot of things happened at the same time. We lost a few key guys to injury, a few guys had a significant downturn in their performance, and all of a sudden we looked up and we didn’t have enough pitching.”

Epstein also addressed reports of Red Sox starting pitchers drinking beer, eating fried chicken and playing video games in the clubhouse during the team’s disastrous September.

“There weren’t players getting drunk during games. And it wasn’t widespread — it might have been one, two, three guys,” Epstein said.

He acknowledged that some of the Red Sox players “didn’t respond to adversity well,” but said reports of the team’s clubhouse debauchery were exaggerated.

“If you compare the 2011 team to the (World Series champion) 2004 team, they were a bunch of choir boys. The difference is we won the last game in ‘04.”

Epstein wasn’t the only panelist who had to answer questions about a new contract. Cashman just signed a new three-year deal to remain the Yankees general manager — known as one of the most demanding jobs in sports.

He was asked what persuaded him to remain in the Bronx.

“I’m working on that with my therapist,” Cashman joked. “I stayed because I love the game, I love baseball. If they keep saying ‘yes’, if I have the energy, I’ll keep going.”

Cashman said he expects this offseason to be relatively quiet for the Yankees — a rarity for baseball’s biggest spenders.

“We’ve gotten better at adding patience into the franchise,” he said. “I’m pretty happy with our offense. I don’t feel any need to make changes there. But I’m not satisfied with where we are pitching-wise. We’re the Yankees. We’re going to get connected to every (free agent) out there. But it will probably be a conservative winter.”

Now that Epstein is no longer with the Red Sox, Cashman said he looks forward to potentially making deals with the new Cubs team president in the future.

“We don’t really deal with the Red Sox, they don’t deal with us. You don’t see Yankees and Red Sox doing business too easily,” Cashman said. “Unless it’s for something like this.”

Leave your comments on the news below.

Jets’ Pace calls Pats ‘Evil Empire’; Ryan says rivalry like Ali-Frazier

FexGuilifex — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 03:30:44 +0000

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — A Boston Red Sox cap hangs in Calvin Pace’s locker, a curious accessory for a guy who seriously dislikes his team’s next opponent: the New England Patriots.

Don’t worry Jets fans, he’s no traitor.

“When it comes to baseball, I like certain players, and with the Red Sox, I like Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez,” the New York linebacker said with a big smile Friday. “I’m not a Red Sox fan. So, for anybody who’s reading or happens to see me out with the Red Sox hat on, I’m not a fan of the team. I’m a fan of certain players. So, I get a hat for the guys I like.”

Just as he did for Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp. He also owns a Mets cap, and thinks they should re-sign shortstop Jose Reyes.

“I’m a bandwagon fan when it comes to certain sports,” Pace said, laughing. “I’m not going to lie. I am.”

Pace has a Yankees cap, too, and a fool-proof plan for the Bronx Bombers to win their 28th World Series title next year.

“The Yankees should sign Albert Pujols and put him at third base,” Pace said. “People have been killing A-Rod, so you put Pujols at third, Alex Rodriguez at DH and then you have Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter? Man. You know the Yankees would spend the money.”

Which is why Red Sox president and CEO Larry Lucchino once called the Yankees “the Evil Empire,” a label Pace used Friday to describe the Patriots. Not that New England has outspent its opponents. The Patriots are just not looked upon too favorably in these parts, mostly because of all the winning they’ve done.

This is one of the NFL’s most intense rivalries and the next round will play out Sunday night when the Jets (5-3) host the Patriots (5-3) in a showdown for first place in the AFC East.

“It ought to be a great game,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “It’s almost like Ali-Frazier.”

They’ve been so evenly matched through the years, the teams are tied 52-52-1 in their series heading into this game.

“I’m sure this will be a great atmosphere down there,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “I’m looking forward to it: big division game on the road, teams that know each other well. This will be a good football game. I think everybody’s looking forward to it.”

Ryan is a big boxing fan and has brought up classic bouts before big games such as this one.

“Those were great fights,” Ryan said of the Ali-Frazier bouts. “I remember that growing up and things, so hopefully this can be that kind of game and hopefully we’ll end up on top. Whether we’re Ali or Frazier, I don’t know.”

Lately, the Jets and Patriots have fought to a draw, with each winning three of the past six meetings — although one of New York’s victories came in the playoffs last January.

“The only one that was horrible was that Monday night massacre where we got knocked out in the first round,” said Ryan, referring to New England’s 45-3 victory last season. “But usually you have two good teams going at it.”

Not only that, but a pair of teams with lots of history. The Jets and Patriots are two of the original AFL franchises, but many of the current bad feelings started in 1997 when Bill Parcells left New England after a loss in the Super Bowl to become the Jets coach. Running back Curtis Martin followed Parcells a year later and became one of the best players in Jets history and a possible Hall of Famer.

Then, there was that bizarre day in 2000, when Belichick was all set to replace Parcells as Jets coach. Instead, he bailed after one day as the “H.C. of the N.Y.J.” and became the coach of the Patriots.

“At that point in time, that situation, I did what I felt like I needed to do and I don’t have any regrets about that,” Belichick said Friday. “Certainly a lot of things could have been handled differently or whatever, but anyway, it doesn’t matter now.”

Things got ramped up in 2006, when Eric Mangini left Belichick’s staff in New England to become coach of the Jets. Then came the “Spygate” scandal, when New England was penalized $750,000 and a first-round draft pick by the NFL for illegal sideline videotaping of the Jets.

Ryan has had his own moments, such as a few months after he was hired by the Jets in 2009 when he said he wasn’t in New York “to kiss Bill Belichick’s rings.” Ryan has, however, often repeated that he respects Belichick and all he has accomplished with the Patriots.

“I don’t know what the big beef is between New York and Boston,” Pace said. “Seriously, I mean, you’ve got the Knicks-Celtics, Yankees-Red Sox and us against the Patriots. There are so many championships between all of them, but I guess that’s what makes it the rivalry it is. It’s so personal, and that’s why I say the Patriots are the ‘Evil Empire.’”

Ryan shrugged his shoulders and smiled when asked of Pace’s assessment.

“Well, that’s been in a bunch of papers and all that stuff with Belichick and Darth Vader,” he said. “Yeah, why not?”

That’s as far as Ryan will go in terms of trash talking this week. The Jets haven’t been as chatty as they have in some weeks, but Ryan said his team is “relaxed, focused, loose.”

“You look at some of the best rivalries in pro football, like Baltimore and the Steelers, that’s Micky Ward-Arturo Gatti,” Pace said, referring to another classic boxing matchup. “Somebody’s going to come out bloody and they’re going to beat themselves to a pulp. I think our game is a little bit more of a chess match.”

Meaning, the Jets and Patriots try to flip the field position, force turnovers and usually make it come down to a final drive. And this time, this matchup might decide who has to hit the road for the playoffs, and who gets to enjoy the comforts of home.

“We’re so similar, and I don’t think anyone ever wants to admit that,” Pace said. “It’s just funny that it always comes down to Jets-Patriots. These games are so big.”

Feel free to leave your comments below.

Trio from Red Sox earn Silver Slugger Awards

rzlkkmcf — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 07:56:25 +0000

Updated: November 2, 2011, 11:30 PM ET

Three Boston Red Sox players headlined this year’s Silver Slugger Awards, which were distributed Thursday to the best offensive players at every position in each league.

Winning from the Red Sox were first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and designated hitter David Ortiz, who won the award for the fifth time — but first since 2007 — after batting .309 with 29 home runs and 96 RBIs.

It was the first honor for both Gonzalez and Ellsbury.

The New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers all had a pair of Silver Sluggers.

Second baseman Robinson Cano and outfielder Curtis Granderson represented the Yankees, while outfielder Justin Upton and pitcher Daniel Hudson of the Diamondbacks also won.

It was Cano’s third Silver Slugger and first for the others.

Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun won his fourth award while first baseman Prince Fielder won his second.

Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann was a fifth-time recipeint, and Texas Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre won for the fourth time.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista, Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp earned their second awards.

Winning for the first time were Cleveland Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila, Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips and Chicago Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez.

The Silver Slugger Awards are voted on by coaches and managers from both leagues, and voters can not reward players on their own team.

That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow.

Fall Classic at Fenway Park (Blu-ray)

Phenryreale — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:36:39 +0000

The Movie:

The 2011 Major League Baseball season was full of highlights and lowlights, and for two teams in particular, the season was especially painful. The Atlanta Braves and the Boston Red Sox both held presumably commanding leads and inside tracks to postseason appearances in the playoffs, only to blow leads of eight and nine games in September to find themselves golfing at home and watching baseball on TV. The Braves’ elimination might (and possibly should) be the more painful of the two, seeing as how the Red Sox (and Boston sports in general) have enjoyed a victory lap of unprecedented levels. Combined with the Boston Bruins’ Stanley Cup win, the Sox can take solace in their two World Series wins in the last seven years, especially with the help of Fall Classic at Fenway Park

The disc’s premise is very simple: Major League Baseball does official films that highlight and celebrate each team’s win in the Fall Classic, with the films usually being narrated by a famous fan. With the 2004 disc, Denis Leary (Rescue Me) got the nod, while Matt Damon (The Bourne Trilogy) handled voiceover for the 2007 installment. Each of the films follows the same style, with the first fifth or so of the feature looking at the regular season, with the rest covering the postseason and World Series games. The films themselves are fun and brief retrospectives on the Red Sox’ triumphs, clocking in at 1:31:21 and 1:12:03 respectively for the 2004 and 2007 films. Featuring a mix of highlights and a mix of interviews with the key players in the series and on-field microphone episodes, it does suck you into the drama of watching the Sox play out each postseason, even if you know what happened. In fact, with both World Series ending in four-game sweeps (’04 over St. Louis, ’07 over Colorado), the fact that the filmmakers were able to accomplish this suspense from anticlimax is commendable.

This isn’t to say neither accomplishment was boring: the 2004 American League Championship Series has become downright legendary already in a short amount of time. The Yankees had taken a three games to zero series lead, culminating in a 19-8 curb stomping of the Sox at Fenway Park. The Sox, who didn’t lower their heads in depression, rallied to win Game 4 6-4 behind an extra-innings home run from David Ortiz, and Ortiz returned to nearly duplicate his feat with a base hit in the fourteenth inning in Game 5. Game 6 brought us Curt Schilling and his heroic pitching performance on a bloody right ankle, willing the Sox to win 4-2, and in the decisive Game 7, Boston scored six runs in the first two innings, and the Yankees never had a chance afterwards, losing the game 10-3 and the Sox handing the tag of “chokers” over to the Yankees on their home turf. The road to the ’07 Series was just as dramatic yet goes virtually ignored, largely due to the win over the Yankees. The Red Sox were down three games to one against Cleveland and steamrolled them in the next three games to win that Series, disposing over Colorado in relatively easy fashion.

Throughout the films, Leary and Damon’s controlled enthusiasm for their home teams is commendable, though they do get a chance to toss in a moment of familiarity (and in Damon’s case, a clip of high watching a game at Fenway during the ’04 campaign). Moreover, the film footage itself is entertaining to revisit, if nothing else to see if any of the same fans who celebrated then are fretting now. Sox fans may be wondering what could have been if they limped into the 2011 playoffs, but the magic could not likely have been matched by what transpired in both ’04 and ’07, and Fall Classic helps the Boston baseball supporter relive that joy once again.

The Blu-ray Disc:
The Video:

Both films are presented in 1.78:1 widescreen and use the AVC codec . I have seen parts of both films in high-definition on sports channels in the past and when looking at both now, I’m reminded of how solid they look. Flesh tones are accurate and the disc has several different types of media in it, including handheld cameras, original game broadcasts and interviews adeptly. Colors are reproduced naturally and the films both look good on Blu-ray, being faithful reproductions of the original material.

The Sound:

DTS-HD Master Audio two-channel lossless for both films. Honestly there isn’t that much to be worked up over when watching either portion. The action sounds clear from the front of the soundstage and sounds clear without any channel panning or directional effects. Subwoofer engagement was flirted with though ultimately was fruitless. Both films juggle a variety of sound sources (TV and radio) rather easily and without issue, and the result is straightforward listening material.

Extras:

Extra footage is available for both films, with the 2004 feature (24:20) having a bit less film than the 2007 version (37:20). Each include the same general highlights, such as the clinching of the American League division and League titles, and some key moments that were part of the run, along with celebration footage in the locker room following each Series win. A nice, albeit brief, complement to the disc.

Final Thoughts:

I’m doubting the city of Boston is adding the 2011 collapse onto the mythology, considering their recent success in all of the major sports, but Fall Classic at Fenway Park is a nice consolation prize to help take the sting out of things. Technically the disc is fine and from an extras perspective is about as close to the same, and this should help warm the cockles of any Bosox fan during the coming winter months while a new team hoists the World Series trophy.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

RED SOX: Pressure is on ownership

Rubdifs — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 10:00:05 +0000

Posted: October 9
Updated: Today at 9:59 PM

Morning Sentinel Staff

In 2003, the Boston Red Sox fired Grady Little.

In 2011, Red Sox did not pick up the options on manager Terry Francona’s contract.

Was there a difference?

Yes and no.

Despite the wording and spin, the Red Sox got rid of Francona just as they did with Little.

But this was not a case of perceived incompetence, as it was in 2003, but of deteriorating effectiveness.

Fair? Absolutely not. But when is baseball ever a matter of justice? If it were so, then John Lackey would be fired, and Carl Crawford would experience a pay cut.

Francona is a superb manager. The fact that ownership thinks it can do better puts the pressure on them.

• Who will Boston hire to replace Francona? Several names have surfaced.

The following four, currently on other teams’ coaching staffs, could be four frontrunners:

Trey Hillman, 48, Dodgers: Has managed the Kansas City Royals (2008-10) and was a minor league manager in the Yankees system. Was Director of Player Development with the Rangers. Was a middle infielder in the Indians organization, but never reached the majors.

Tony Pena, 54, Yankees: Has also managed the Royals (2002-05), and has been with the Yankees the past six years, the last three as bench coach. Played in the majors for 18 years, a five-time All-Star catcher..

Pete Mackanin, 60, Phillies: A bench coach with the Phillies since 2009, Mackanin has also been interim manager for both the Reds and the Pirates. Has been a bench coach, third base coach, scout and minor league manager. Was an major league infielder for four clubs over nine years.

Dave Martinez, 47, Rays: Has been with the Rays the past six years, the last four as bench coach. Played outfield and first base in the majors for for eight different teams over 16 years.

Hillman and Pena make the most sense since they have managed over a number of years. Hillman has the resume bonus of being a player development director — something the Red Sox will be attracted to. Some may be concerned about his lack of major league playing experience, but he is a respected baseball man.

• Ron Johnson was fired by Boston this past week, ending a 12-year relationship with the Red Sox, which included two seasons as the Portland Sea Dogs manager, 2003-04.

Johnson, 55, moved on from Portland to manager Triple-A Pawtucket for five years. When it appeared that he might become a minor league lifer, the Red Sox hired him as the first base coach.

No reason was given for Johnson’s dismissal, but Johnson confirmed it with the media.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed,” Johnson told csnne.com. “I always considered myself a Red Sox for life ?But that’s baseball and things happen, and it’s time to start a new chapter.”

• The Arizona Fall League is only a couple of days old, and at least one Sea Dogs pitcher is hoping for better times.

Jeremy Kehrt, a reliever for the Scottsdale Scorpions, entered in the sixth inning of Wednesday night’s season opener.

The first three batters he faced all homered.

Kehrt was relieved with two outs in the inning.

Earlier in the game, Brock Huntzinger pitched two innings of relief. He gave up one run (on a wild pitch) and struck out four.

Caleb Clay and Will Latimer both pitched one inning on Thursday, giving up one hit apiece.

Offensively, four players with Sea Dogs connections are playing. Outfielder Alex Hassan, third baseman Will Middlebrooks and catcher Dan Butler each have one hit. Infielder Ryan Dent subbed in one game.

Not much else going on in the MLB planet today.

Editorial: Boston Red Sox sully season further with firing of Terry Francona

Angelvevy — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:50:40 +0000

The Boston Red Sox completed their September of embarrassments by firing manager Terry Francona.

They’re a private company and can do whatever they want even though Francona, ever the good soldier, said it was his decision to leave.

Draw your own conclusions, but we think his “decision” was a case of “constructive discharge.” That’s lawyer talk for fired.

One truth remains clear: Francona deserved better.

This is the guy who won two World Championships during his eight-year tenure with the team, succeeding in a multiple-tiered, difficult process – in competition with 29 other major league clubs in both leagues each year.

And look at his winning percentage. Besides winning the World Series in 2004 and 2007, Francona’s win percentage was .529, the second highest in franchise history.

It wasn’t his fault that players got hurt and underperformed this year, or that some of the overpaid stars the front-office types brought in this year did less well than some of the overpaid stars they lost to other clubs.

Besides, Francona was an articulate, civilized and humane spokesperson for the Red Sox and the entire Massachusetts philanthropic community.

And let’s not forget that it was Tito and “his band of idiots” that brought the World Series trophy to Boston after an 86-year drought.

Getting rid of the manager whose leadership helped transform the Sox from perennial losers into a team to be reckoned with was bush league – the type of dumb move that isn’t exclusive to the Red Sox, however. The New York Yankees did the same thing to Joe Torre in 2007 when his players failed to measure up to their hype.

In this instance, being in the same league as the Yankees is far from a point of pride.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

Intriguing days in the Boston Red Sox manager search

celestegy — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 21:17:45 +0000

In case you missed it, here are the results of our paper’s reader poll on the best baseball movie of all-time.

We’ve seen over the past week just how demanding it can be to work in the Boston baseball marketplace. Terry Francona could have managed his team to a third World Series title this year had a few things bounced his way.

Instead, he’s now out of a job. GM Theo Epstein might soon leave the team as well, according to the latest reports.

Francona’s predecessor? That would be Grady Little, who came within five outs of going to the World Series in 2003, only to stick with starter Pedro Martinez a little too long in the famed Aaron Boone Game 7 of the ALCS.

Yes, the bar is raised pretty high in Beantown.

The folks in Boston are speculating about who will take over for Francona. It’s a lot like the New York speculation about how it’s inevitable any player in the top 10 percentile of league talent will make his way to the Yankees via free agency or forcing a trade.

You have guys like Joe Maddon being mentioned. The same Maddon whose Tampa Bay team looks like a favorite to advance to the World Series this year. Why would he go to Boston, again? Oh yeah, because it’s Boston. Or, so the thinking goes.

Eric Wedge, you might notice, is on the list as well. Is he going to go all Lane Kiffin on the Mariners after only one season? That’s highly doubtful. In fact, it’s not going to happen. Wedge has built a reputation as a lunchpail work ethic type of guy who finishes what he starts. If he bolted now, just one season into another complete teardown/rebuild of the Mariners, he’d be exposed as one of the bigger frauds of all-time.

Photo Credit: AP

That’s not going to happen. So, sleep easy. If any onetime M’s manager is going to take over the Red Sox, it’ll be Don Wakamatsu. But again, that might not happen. Wakamatsu’s handling of the whole Ken Griffey Jr. situation and his clubhouse’s descent into anarchy in 2010 in Seattle will likely be held against him.

If Red Sox pitchers really are drinking beer in the clubhouse on non-pitching days, that team will need more of a Jim Riggleman type of iron fist. Too bad Riggleman’s strong-willed ways will likely be held against him as well.

But the Red Sox need a warden, not a teacher, right now. That’s why tough guy/teacher Wedge is being mentioned (he’d let Boston have it both ways, clamping down first, then “teaching”). Again, it won’t happen. Red Sox or not, people aren’t going to throw away their reputations to go work in Boston. This isn’t college football, where teams can bribe coaches away with money piles. Kiffin got $4 million per year to leave Tennessee for USC after only one year and very little on his coaching resume other than scandal.

That’s about the same annual money Joe Torre got to go to the Los Angeles Dodgers after being one of the most successful managers of all-time with the Yankees.

Wedge is no Torre. The money won’t be good enough to make him consider destroying his image west of the Ohio River.

Sleep tight.

There is the quick update of the day.

Boston Red Sox need to make themselves accountable for late season collapse

Aksahantur — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:11:02 +0000

The demise of the Boston Red Sox had a very familiar ending Wednesday.

When the Red Sox lose, they don’t do it the conventional way. They do it in style. They make it excruciatingly painful for their ardent fans to digest.

In the aftermath, the players have to learn to make themselves accountable for the team’s hardships.

Multi-million dollar slugger Adrian Gonzalez reportedly stated the team’s late season woes were the result of a string of critical injuries.

For Gonzalez to make such a statement, even in the wake of a gut-wrenching loss, is an absolute disgrace.

Every team has injuries. It’s part of the game. Gonzalez needs to look at himself in the mirror. Sure, his numbers look extraordinary, but he repeatedly came up small in the clutch.

Simply put, the Red Sox choked, and Gonzalez needs to be man enough to step up and admit it.

I’ve been a die-hard Red Sox fan since 1968. I’ve seen all the failures unfold from one season to the next.

I remember the Sox losing the American League East Division title to the Tigers in the strike-abbreviated 1972 season.

I remember the sad and sorrowful fall of the 1974 team, which led the Orioles by eight games in late August before folding.

And I won’t even get into what went down in 1978, 1986 and 2003.

Wednesday’s loss hurt me just as much as all the rest, but in a different kind of way. It wasn’t about me feeling sorry for myself. This team has broken my heart so many times that my body is immune to it.

It was about my 10-year old nephew, Zachary, a hard-core Red Sox fan who lives and dies with every pitch from April till October.

It ‘s painful for me to think of the wide range of emotions he went through Wednesday night. One minute he was jumping for joy with the Red Sox clinging to a 3-2 lead and Tampa Bay losing 7-0 to the Yankees in the eighth inning.

A short while later he was crying his eyes out when a night with so much promise had such a horrific ending.

I got a guilty conscience when I realized I’m responsible for funneling Zachary into Red Sox Nation, thus subjecting him to a lifetime of heartache and misery.

Why? Because being a Red Sox fan is like smoking cigarettes — once you’re addicted it’s hard to quit.

The Red Sox have self-destructed many times, but this one takes the cake.

Finally, the 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers and 1964 Philadelphia Phillies can rest easy.

The 2011 Red Sox just pulled off baseball’s biggest collapse — EVER!

Leave your comments on the news below.

Boston Red Sox lose to Toronto Blue Jays

mallorca reisen — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 07:43:41 +0000

TORONTO — Ricky Romero reversed a string of rotten results against the Boston Red Sox.

Romero won for the seventh time in nine starts, J.P. Arencibia hit a three-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Red Sox 7-4 on Thursday night, Boston’s seventh defeat in 10 games.

“The one thing Ricky does, he doesn’t leave anything on the field,” Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. “He gives his all every single time he walks to the mound, and when you go up against opponents like tonight, you have to be at your best.”

Romero (14-10) came in 2-6 with an 8.08 ERA in 11 career starts against the Red Sox, including an 0-3 record and 10.62 ERA in five home starts. But the left-hander turned his luck around in this one, allowing three runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings. He walked three and struck out seven.

“It feels good to beat those guys,” Romero said. “They’ve been on me for the past few years. I finally had a good outing against them and it’s definitely satisfying.”

Romero has lost just once since July 21, dropping a 6-4 decision at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 3.

“It looked like he could throw any pitch at any time in the count,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “That’s the way you pitch with success.”

Romero is 7-1 with a 2.71 ERA in his past 10 starts.

“He had good stuff, man,” slugger David Ortiz said. “He’s one of the good pitchers in the game. He wasn’t making many mistakes out there.”

Rookie David Cooper went 3 for 4 and had two RBIs as Toronto evened its record at 72-72.

“(Cooper) handled himself extremely well at the plate tonight,” Farrell said.

The Red Sox dropped to 2-6 in September and failed to gain ground on the Yankees, who lost 5-4 in 10 innings to Baltimore earlier in the day. The Red Sox are 2 1/2 games behind New York with 19 left to play.

“I don’t really get too concerned about what they’re doing,” manager Terry Francona said of the Yankees. “We try to spend our energy worrying about what we do.”

Still, catcher Jason Varitek called it “an opportunity lost,” while struggling second baseman Dustin Pedroia said the Sox need to improve.

“We’re trying to win the division,” Pedroia said. “Playing like this, it’s not going to happen, so we’ve got to play better.”

Despite the slow start to September, Ortiz hasn’t lost any confidence.

“That’s part of the game, that’s part of the long season,” Ortiz said. “We’re good at dealing with it. I’m pretty sure everybody is going to pull themselves together and fight for the rest of the season.”

Edwin Encarnacion and Eric Thames added solo shots as the Blue Jays won back-to-back games for the first time since Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at Baltimore.

Casey Janssen replaced Romero and worked 1 1-3 innings before Frank Francisco pitched around Varitek’s leadoff homer in the ninth to finish it.

A two-out error by Kelly Johnson and a base hit by Marco Scutaro brought Pedroia to the plate as the tying run, but Francisco struck him out to end it.

Pedroia finished 0 for 5 and fanned three times. He went 1 for 20 in the series.

“He’s probably trying a little too hard,” Francona said. “He feels so much responsibility when we’re not clicking to do it by himself. That’s one of the characteristics we love about him.”

Toronto opened the scoring with four in the second against left-hander Andrew Miller (6-3). Johnson reached on an infield single, advanced to third on Brett Lawrie’s base hit to right and scored on a single by Cooper. Arencibia followed with a drive into the third deck in left, his 22nd and second in as many days.

“That one inning just really snowballed and I wasn’t able to stop it quick enough,” Miller said.

Encarnacion hit a one-out shot to right off Miller in the third, his 16th.

Miller allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings to lose his second straight start. He walked two and struck out three.

The Red Sox chased Romero with a three-run seventh. Varitek drew a one-out walk and Darnell McDonald hit a two-out single before Ellsbury scored Varitek with a double. Janssen came on and gave up a two-run single to Scutaro, then got Pedroia to ground out.

Thames homered to right off Michael Bowden in the bottom half, his 10th, and Cooper made it 7-3 with an RBI double off Felix Doubront in the eighth.

Varitek’s leadoff blast in the ninth was his 11th.

Notes: Ellsbury extended his hitting streak to 13 games. … Boston 1B Adrian Gonzalez and LF Carl Crawford got the day off. … Toronto 1B Adam Lind (right wrist) missed his second straight game but is expected to play Friday. … Toronto RHP Dustin McGowan will start against Baltimore Sunday. After more than three years out with injuries, McGowan returned to the majors Tuesday, pitching four innings of relief. … Boston RHP Tim Wakefield will start again next Tuesday. Wakefield is one win away from 200 for his career. … Toronto OF Colby Rasmus (right wrist) took batting practice Thursday and reported no pain. Rasmus has not played since Aug. 23.

There is the quick update of the day.

Rangers 11, Red Sox 4

ViGTaililiz — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:11:57 +0000

BOSTON ?

While the Red Sox and Rangers, or the Red Sox and Yankees, may certainly meet in the playoffs come postseason time, this past week wasn’t exactly a playoff preview.

There is no way to invent the intensity of postseason play, and even minor changes in the lineup, batting order, bullpen or pitching rotation can make big differences.

No, the lousy homestand that the Red Sox finished yesterday with a dismal performance in an 11-4 loss to Texas has no implications beyond this week other than that Boston did not play very well against two good teams and has not played very well for a while.

“It means nothing at all,” Jarrod Saltalamacchia said. “We went into their place and took three out of four.”

The Sox have been a mysterious team at times this season, but with the notable exception of the Phillies, that can be said for 28 other teams. The Sox were just 4-5 on the homestand, and are playing .500 ball since Aug. 9, going 12-12.

Yesterday, Boston was sloppy. For most of the week, the Red Sox have seemed tired. They look like hitters who bust their butts going down the line on every routine ground ball, but somehow find an extra burst of energy on a grounder deep in the hole.You can’t invent incentive, and right now, the Sox do not have much of it.

Over the season, they have played well enough for long enough to leave themselves some margin for error in qualifying for the playoffs. The Red Sox are 1-1/2 games out of first place, but beating the Yankees for the AL East title is much more important to the millions of fans who grew up watching Boston teams finish second than it is to the 25 or so Sox players who grew up in Texas, California or on Caribbean islands.

One of the Texans, John Lackey, was a driving force behind yesterday’s awful afternoon of baseball. To some extent, Lackey’s season has ridden the same kind of waves that the Red Sox’ season has. He was unimaginably bad early, then bounced back and put together a winning streak of six straight decisions.

Since then, he is 1-3 in four starts, with those starts coming against good teams — the Rangers twice, the Yankees and the Rays.

Lackey has seen the Rangers an awful lot during his career, and familiarity usually favors the batter, but he really is just an OK pitcher who needs a lot of run support to win. The Red Sox usually do that for him. But on days like yesterday, when they did not score until the seventh inning, Lackey is in trouble.

In some respects, the Rangers are like the Red Sox teams of the 1970s. Their offense is so good that when they face mediocre pitching, when the weather is right or when the ball is just falling in, they can make the opposition look helpless.

When that’s not happening, it goes the other way, which is why in 10 games this year between Texas and Boston, the Rangers have won three of them by scores of 12-5, 11-0 and 9-4, and the Red Sox have won three by 11-5, 13-2 and 12-7.

Texas also seems to have more Red Sox killers in uniform than most teams. You know, the Frank Catalanottos, Joe Carters and Lyle Overbays. With the Rangers, it’s Mike Napoli — who hit one of the longest Fenway homers of the 21st century — and former Sox outfielder David Murphy, who was shipped to the Rangers in the Eric Gagne trade in 2007.

Murphy has been a pretty good player for Texas since then, but not great. Still, Boston would be better off today with him in right than J.D. Drew, Josh Reddick or Darnell McDonald. In this three-game series, Murphy was 7 for 14 with a triple, home run and three RBIs.

A career .280 hitter overall, Murphy is a .333 hitter against his old team.

The Rangers have always been “one of those teams” for the Red Sox, and that goes back to their first year in Texas, 1972, when Ted Williams was their manager. Given how well Napoli and Murphy hit against them, and given how often strange things happen — usually bad — in games against them, it would be reasonable to think that the Sox hope it’s a long time until they see the Rangers again.

Except if it means the Sox are in the playoffs in October.

Feel free to leave your comments below.

Ellsbury powers Red Sox past Yankees

mymnamelm — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:53:10 +0000

Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury follows through on his two-run home run against the New York Yankees during the sixth inning of Wednesday’s game at Fenway Park.AP

“;
aryZooms[imgCounter] = “javascript: NewWindow(870,625,window.document.location+zTemplate+’&img=”+imgCounter+”‘)”;
bolImages=true;

September 01, 2011 2:00 AM

“; aryZooms[imgCounter] = “javascript: NewWindow(870,625,window.document.location+zTemplate+’&img=”+imgCounter+”‘)”;

BOSTON — Jacoby Ellsbury hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the sixth inning, Josh Beckett improved to 4-0 against the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox came from behind for a 9-5 win on Wednesday night.

The Red Sox, who lost the series opener 5-2 on Tuesday night, extended their AL East lead over the Yankees to 1½ games and improved their record to 11-3 this season against their division rivals.

David Ortiz and Jason Varitek also hit two-run homers for Boston.

The Yankees scored four runs in the sixth off Beckett (12-5) — the same amount they managed in his other 32 innings against them this season — and went ahead 5-4.

In the bottom of the inning, Phil Hughes (4-5) retired the first batter. Then he went ahead of Josh Reddick 0-2 before walking him, and Reddick scored the tying run on Varitek’s double. After Marco Scutaro flied out, left-hander Boone Logan came in to face lefty Ellsbury. On a 3-and-1 count, Ellsbury hit his 24th homer into the left-field seats above the Green Monster.

Beckett allowed four earned runs and six hits through seven innings. He struck out eight and walked three.

Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon each pitched a scoreless inning and the Red Sox improved to 62-3 this season when leading after six.

The Yankees had taken a 1-0 lead in the third on Derek Jeter’s RBI single. The Red Sox went ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the inning, scoring on Dustin Pedroia’s groundout with runners at second and third and on Jed Lowrie’s RBI single.

Jeter got his second single in the top of the fifth, moving into 20th place all-time, ahead of Craig Biggio, with 3,061 career hits. He was left stranded.

Boston made it 4-1 in the fifth on Ortiz’s homer deep into the center field bleachers after Adrian Gonzalez singled. It was Ortiz’s 28th homer of the year and extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

The Yankees regained the lead in the sixth, helped by an error by right fielder Reddick.

Mark Teixeira was hit by a pitch leading off the inning, took second on a wild pitch by Beckett and scored on a double by Robinson Cano. Nick Swisher then walked and Eric Chavez followed with a liner down the right field line. It got by Reddick and Chavez was credited with a double. The error allowed him to take third and Swisher to score. Eduardo Nunez’s sacrifice fly put the Yankees on top 5-4.

Varitek gave the Red Sox a four-run cushion in the eighth with his 10th homer.

NOTES: Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez missed his fourth straight game with a sprained left thumb. … Red Sox 3B Kevin Youkilis, on the DL since Aug. 18 with a low back strain, played his second straight rehab game for Triple-A Pawtucket and can be activated on Friday. … Boston RF J.D. Drew missed the second game of his scheduled two-day rehab assignment at Pawtucket on Wednesday night with a sprained middle finger. He was hurt Tuesday night when he went 3-for-3. Plans for the Red Sox to activate him today may change. He went on the disabled list on July 26, retroactive to July 20, with a shoulder injury. … Yankees C Russell Martin, with a sore left thumb, missed the game. Manager Joe Girardi said he planned to use him tonight in the finale of the three-game series. … Struggling RHP A.J. Burnett (9-11) faces LHP Jon Lester (14-6) tonight.

Reader Reaction

We reserve the right to remove any content at any time from this Community, including without limitation if it violates the Community Rules. We ask that you report content that you in good faith believe violates the above rules by clicking the Flag link next to the offending comment. New comments are only accepted for two weeks from the date of publication.

Thanks for reading! .

Red Sox win 9-5, extend their lead in AL East

Creguaree — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:01:45 +0000

Click photo to enlarge

Jacoby Ellsbury watches his tie-breaking home run in the sixth inning Wednesday night.

Thursday September 1, 2011

The Red Sox, who lost the series opener 5-2 on Tuesday night, extended their AL East lead over the Yankees to 11Ž2 games and improved their record to 11-3 this season against their division rivals.

David Ortiz and Jason Varitek also hit two-run homers for Boston.

The Yankees scored four runs in the sixth off Beckett (12-5) — the same amount they managed in his other 32 innings against them this season — and went ahead 5-4.

Beckett allowed four earned runs and six hits through seven innings. He struck out eight and walked three.

Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon each pitched a scoreless inning and the Red Sox improved to 62-3 this season when leading after six.

The Yankees had taken a 1-0 lead in the third on Derek Jeter’s RBI single. The Red Sox went ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the inning, scoring on Dustin

Pedroia’s groundout with runners at second and third and on Jed Lowrie’s RBI single.

Jeter got his second single in the top of the fifth, moving into 20th place all-time, ahead of Craig Biggio, with 3,061 career hits. He was left stranded.

The Yankees regained the lead in the sixth, helped by an error by right fielder Reddick.

Varitek gave the Red Sox a four-run cushion in the eighth with his 10th homer.

NOTES: Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez missed his fourth straight game with a sprained left thumb. … Red Sox 3B Kevin Youkilis, on the DL since Aug. 18 with a low back strain, played his second straight rehab game for Triple-A Pawtucket and can be activated on Friday. … Boston RF J.D. Drew missed the second game of his scheduled two-day rehab assignment at Pawtucket on Wednesday night with a sprained middle finger. He was hurt Tuesday night when he went 3 for 3. Plans for the Red Sox to activate him on Thursday may change. He went on the disabled list on July 26, retroactive to July 20, with a shoulder injury. … Yankees C Russell Martin, with a sore left thumb, missed the game. Manager Joe Girardi said he planned to use him Thursday night in the finale of the three-game series. … Struggling RHP A.J. Burnett (9-11) faces LHP Jon Lester (14-6) tonight.

What are your opinions.