Top 5 Boston Sports Columnists/Personalities

Kind of a slow day, so you know what that means??? Yup, a random ranking of something! Today is my favorite local sports personalities for Boston. No players, just writers, and TV personalities...

1. Jackie MacMullan - Yea, I'm shocked a woman tops the list, but it's hard to argue it. She has the best stories, gets the inside scoop on everything (especially basketball), and is very well spoken. Oh, and she actually has a good sense of humor. Probably the only person that isn't a player or a coach that I have an appointment to listen to every week. She is also really good on Around the Horn.

2. Michael Smith - Another person that is just great to listen to. He is probably the most "fun" to listen to. He has jokes that don't just reference the 1950's (cough couch Bob Ryan), and overall just seems like a cool guy. Another person that is really well spoken, and seems to be everywhere lately (WEEI, Around the Horn, SportsNation, PTI, ect).

3. Tony Massarotti - Some people really hate him, but I have always been a big fan. He covers baseball so well. He isn't the best to listen to, but his columns are always very entertaining and interesting, which says a lot to someone who hates reading articles that are longer then a page.

4. Bill "The Sports Guy" Simmons - A couple years back he probably would've been #1 or #2, but I feel his work has kind of fallen off since he moved out to LA and had a family. He is the king of movie/TV references, which when you're a TV junky like me makes for an entertaining read. Most of all I love his basketball coverage.

5. Michael Holley/Dale Arnold - I couldn't put one on without the other. Holley is a great basketball mind, and I find him pretty funny. I like Dale because he is the only guy on WEEI that actually talks about the Bruins and knows hockey. These guys should have the morning show instead of the ass clowns Dennis and Callahan.

Other "notables": Bob Ryan, Peter Gammons. I just didn't feel right putting Gammons on since he is basically retired. Best baseball writer ever.

Most Hated: Jerry Callahan, John Dennis, Jon Meterparel, Michael Felger, Dan Shaunessey.

Ellsbury Doesn't Want To Play?

Interesting article today in the Globe by Tony Massarotti. The article is about Ellsbury and his "reputation" of not wanting to play baseball.

"Before we go any further, we all need to understand something here. This is not solely about this season and about whether Ellsbury has bruised ribs or hairline fractures. This goes well beyond that. During his rookie season of 2008, Ellsbury missed small chunks of time with various assorted ailments. He came to the Red Sox having earned a reputation in the minor leagues of being someone who required a great deal of, well, maintenance. Last year, during a rock-solid season in which Ellsbury batted .301, stole 70 bases, and played in 153 games, manager Terry Francona spoke of how Ellsbury was beginning to understand the "responsibility" of playing in the major leagues, which was a nice way of saying that Ellsbury had an obligation to his manager and teammates to play through minor issues and be in the lineup.

Then came last offseason, the departure of Jason Bay, and the acquisition of Mike Cameron. Ellsbury was bumped from center field to left, a change that clearly did not sit well with him. In Kansas City April 11, Ellsbury collided with third baseman Adrian Beltre and suffered his existing rib injury, and you could hear all the pink hats in Camp Jacoby groan simultaneously (Boston Globe)."

I had no idea he had this "reputation" in the minors. I really hope it isn't true, and that Ellsbury is hurt, but I respect a lot of what Tony Mazz writes, and this scares me a bit. He also goes on to say that Boras is now his agent, and he doesn't like his players playing at less then 100%.

In the end, the Sox can't afford to have another JD Drew. Ellsbury changes this lineup so much when he is in it, but this is definitely something to keep an eye on.

Red Sox Already Giving Up On 2010?

Tony Massarotti (by far my favorite Boston sports writer) wrote an interesting article today about the Red Sox being willing to give up on 2010 for bigger things down the road.

"When Theo Epstein starts talking like this, he is trying to tell you something. He is trying to tell you that the Red Sox are in a developmental gap and that they are likely to suffer from it in 2010 (Boston.com)."

Massarotti goes on to say that he think the Sox will sign Bay or Holliday, but that their big acquisitions will likely stop there. We all know that neither of those players wil be enough for the Sox to overtake the Yankees, or even get by the first round of the playoffs (if they even make it). Seattle seems to be gearing up for a run, the Angels are still players, the Yankees are only getting better, and yet the Sox are standing still.

Nothing is in stone, but from the looks of things the Sox aren't going to make the deal to run at a Championship this year. I know sometimes you have to, and I respect that. I really do try to look at the big picture, and I usually side with their choices, but how do you justify raising ticket prices again in a terrible economy with a team that you already know doesn't have what it takes. The Boston Red Sox are a "large market team", and though I don't believe in reckless spending to the point that the Yankees do it, I know the Sox have enough money to make the moves necessary to build a Championship caliber team without giving up their entire farm system.

Once again, nothing is in stone, but I don't like the way this offseason is heading...

Massarotti Talks About Trading Beckett

The Sox Have Options

I just read a good article by Tony Massarotti (by far the best sports writer in Boston) about what the Sox might do with a 6 man rotation. Basically it says that they will rotate starters to the DL to rest them for the postseason.

"As much as any other team in recent years, the Red Sox have made it a priority to protect their pitchers, especially given the team's hopes and expectations of playing in October. As such, the Sox frequently have tried to build in a two-week break for their starters during the regular season. (Under the reign of general manager Dan Duquette, manager Jimy Williams, and pitching coach Joe Kerrigan, the Sox invoked a similar practice with Pedro Martinez.) Last year, for example, the Sox set up their pitching in such a way that Jon Lester got 12 days off between starts on July 8 and July 21, a period that included the annual major league All-Star break.

While scheduling such a program for six starters is an obvious challenge -- and, perhaps, a long shot -- the Sox have had some discussion recently about giving all of their starters a break at some point, be it via the disabled list or otherwise (Boston.com)."

I would suggest reading the rest of the article, because it makes a lot of good points, and it has to be something the Sox are considering.

To read the rest of the article: CLICK HERE

Finally Someone Agrees With Me: Sox Will Break Bank For Teixeira

I thought I was the only one who thought that Teixeira is really coming to Boston, but apperently Tony Massarotti (Boston Globe) agrees with me. "By the time this is over, win or lose, the Red Sox effectively will have made Mark Teixeira the largest contract offer in the history of your storied franchise."

With the Yankees out of the running, and the Sox having a good relationship with Scott Boras (even though I can't stand him), there is a really good chance Teixeira will be entering the Sox locker room for the 2009 season. I think it take a while, since Boras will make sure Teixeira gets top dollar. If this was to happen, it would be very interesting to see where, and how the Sox would deal Mike Lowell.

-BMack