Well, Broderick Bunkley wasn't available when the Pats picked today. Dr. Z featured a mock draft where he had the Pats picking him. I don't know that I could get around that name. By the time I got around Tubucky Jones' name, he was in New Orleans (of course, now he's back...) I'm actually pleased they chose a running back. Grooming a successor for Corey Dillon and with a core of Dillon, Faulk and now Maroney, the running game should be solid this year and going forward. The question then is, whose the odd man out? Patrick Pass or Kevin Faulk?

Addressing another need at WR, The Pats took another good pick in Chad Jackson. Curious they're not taking defense...

Now, to another note...the Red Sox. My beloved Crimson hose are killing me. WAY too many LOB, so many squandered opportunities. No sooner do I turn on the game, I get to watch Wily Mo ground weakly to second with the bases loaded and two out. Ack. Already 4-0...zounds.

Talk about a study of contrasts. While Cleveland was consistent over the last couple of games, taking the bat to the Sox both games, the Sox have been all over the place. Manny finding his stroke in game 1, last nights game was awful. Wily Mo finally comes even with Bronson Arroyo in the HR department, but that was the only high point last night. Although, Arroyo still leads in HR given up - He's coughed up the gopher 5 times, Wily Mo's only given up 1. (Doink - off the glove into the 'pen). SPeaking of Arroyo - he's looking like a superstar. Man, to have him back right now.

A developing theme is the Sox can't seem to get over the LOB issue. Tuesday's game featured offense for sure, but poor baserunning (on both teams part) and the number of runners LOB have been very disappointing. Cleveland made the most of it's hits last night, scoring almost all of their baserunners.

This seems to be trend now over the last few years for the Sox. We've been focusing on OBP, figuring that the more guys on, the greater opportunity to generate runs with power particularly when the starter has to throw more pitches to more batters, but when we get all these stranded runners one has to think that we may need to go back to the drawing board on what it is that we're measuring. The team with the highest OBP or the most LOB isn't necessarily the team with the most R, and afterall THAT is the number that counts at the end of the day.

Wake didn't look quite as sharp last night, but it really is hard to win when you're getting a run of support each game. What's going on there? Bard HAS to figure out Wake's knuckleball. THe past balls are killing him. I'm wondering if he's getting matched up poorly, I don't know. What I do know is that the Sox have - by design - not been the HR derby team of the past few years, and that seems to be killing Wake. He's been a much better pitcher than his record thusfar would indicate. He's given up 3 HR, and his ERA is 3.9. Which means of course that he's losing games on average 4-1. C'mon, he's thrown a complete game loss already. Noted, he's walked a bunch of guys and that doesn't help matters, but the bats just fall silent.

For anyone following the tempest around the ball Doug Mientkiewicz fielded for the final out of the 2004 World Series, the issue has apparently been resoloved. According to the Boston Globe, Mientkiewicz (now of the Royals) and the Sox have reached an agreement whereby the ball in question is heading to the hall of fame.

I remember watching the post game interviews and Mientkiewicz said he had the ball and was keeping it. It wasn't until months later when the Sox brass decided they wanted it. In what I would consider a black eye for the organization, they've been pursuing this issue for over a year and a half now. Had Mientkiewicz thrown the ball into the stands, the issue would have been over. The fact is balls are routinely given away - witness the ball attendants - and players routinely keep game balls - witness Derek Lowe who is in possession of the ball that won the 2004 ALCS.

Honestly guys - it's a ball. Mientkiewicz isn't the multi million dollar player who could sweat out the horde of angry lawyers sicked on him by Lucchino et al. The Sox just made it not worthwhile for him to hang on to the ball in a rather specious pursuit of it themselves.

Honestly...it's a baseball. Give the guy a break.