Musings from Mandy

Do me a favor...google, "A Rod is a little bitch" ...how great is that. I'm so famous. Thanks to Ashley for pointing that out!

Dear Thomas Edward, Hi, how’s it going? I know you’re a little busy these days with Baby Brady and birthday celebrations and whatnot, but I just had to write you a quick little long rambling note. First, let me tell you a few things about me. When I get 12 cents in change, I think of you. When I picked up one of the new David Ortiz hats at the Reebok outlet the other day and realized that it had come in contact with an Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl Champion hat, I threw it back, and then went and washed my hands. So, maybe right now, you’re thinking, “So, you’re completely out of your mind! So I have a Yankees hat on my head! Who cares? You shouldn’t care, just so long as I keep winning you football games.” And that theory is well as good, except you play football here. In New England. And I’m not your average fan Mr. Brady, incase you haven’t noticed. (although I know there are plenty out there like me). I worry constantly. I fret. I overanalyze. I was depressed for months after the A...

So, the other day I was reading my ESPN the Mag, and there was a section about the best way to get autographs. Now, I have to say, autographs have never done much for me. I'd much rather get my picture taken with the player then have them sign something that will end up in a photo album and then eventually get ruined when the basement floods. In my autograph collection, I have Nancy Kerrigan (at Toys “R” us when I was maybe 12). (Funny side story, I need a piece of paper, so my dad handed me a notebook that we hadn’t bought yet, and I thought for sure I was going to get arrested. And then, my dad wouldn’t even buy the notebook that I had used to get the autograph, he just tore out the page and put it his pocket…and I was horrified we were stealing paper!). My second autograph is ML Carr. My mom won some contest when she worked in the bakery at Shaw’s (I’m serious, she worked there). So my dad and I got to go play basketball on the court at the Garden. The real Garden, not TD Bankno...

*The Sox had a solid weekend in Arizona, although the bats are still quieter than I would like. Joshua dominated Friday, Julian took care of buisness, and Dice-K pitched good enough to win yesterday, says Jeff Horrigan . The Sox have today off, and get back at it on Tuesday they host the Rockies, and Soxgal. *If you haven't read Curt's recap of his near no-no, please do so immediately. *The Sox are now 40-22 on the season, and 9.5 up on the 2nd place New York Yankees, and 11.5 up on the last place Tampa Bay Devil Rays. *After 6 weeks as #1 upon the ESPN Power Rankings, the Sox dropped to 2nd, with the Padres taking over the top slot . *The Nuggets had a rough week, with J.R. Smith being thrown from a car during an accident and one of the passengers in the car having severe head injuries, and another Nugget DeeMar Johnson was tasered and arrested outside a night club. *Julian Tavarez has his own cure to fix his own blister problem. *Mike Reiss, as always has some good stuf...

Even the New York Times loves Mike Lowell; After Saturday’s game, he wore a gray T-shirt that said “Red Sox Strength.” When a reporter asked him what he had said to Derek Jeter as they walked back to toward second base after the injury to Mientkiewicz, Lowell answered with a deadpan look and a reference to Friday’s game. “I told him I made one play off him yesterday and he has Wang hit me in the hand,” Lowell said. When some listeners were not too sure how to take his remark, Lowell looked at one of the press credentials and finished his thought (and at least one of their articles) by adding, “ ‘Ha, ha, ha,’ he said jokingly.”

*Doug Mientkiewicz was kept overnight at Mass General last night with a concussion, cervical sprain, and a broken wrist. I am absolutely, 100% shocked the Yankee trainer didn't collar and board him and send him directly to the ambulance. It was entirely possible with the way his neck twisted and hit the pavement that he had broken something. Red Sox MLB had this to say, "I feel bad for Doug. You don't want anything like that happening. We go way back, I mean, I played against him when I was 15 years old in high school. We hit together this offseason, and I've got a lot of respect for him." *Lowell also took out Robinson Cano who thought it was a "dirty" play but Joe Torre thought it was fine. Not that I care what either one of them think. Also, it says here Michael has a WS ring from 1998 for playing a few games for the Yanks that year. *Here's the game report on a rough one at the Fens yesterday, where Curt pitched good enough to lose.

*To lead off for this latest batch of ramblings, some words about everyone's favorite dirt dog, who I did not talk nearly enough about this week. (I hate when my job gets in the way of my blogging). - Being there when Trot was introduced quickly moved its way into my favorite Fenway moments. I won't keep you wondering... 1. The Sox coming back against the Yankees on Red Auerbach night and Ok-a-jima coming in for the save. 2. Walk off against the Texas Rangers last July. 3. First Red Sox game. 1990, and the Sox clinched the pennate. 4. Trot coming home. 5. Mother's Day walk-off earlier this year. - I didn't get to see it till the next day, but the little ceremony for Trot and Kathryn honoring them for their work on the Jimmy Fund was nice. Dr. Steinberg loves stuff like that. - Trot mic'd up for NESN before the game and him asking everyone whose path he crossed, "How's your family?" (how great is he?) - I loved how Curt and Josh stood at the back of...

"I'm surprised and I think it's bush. You don't do that. If the umpire was on the ball, he'd have probably called him out and kicked the guy out of the ballgame. I never heard of such a thing. I'm surprised at A-Rod. He didn't strike me as being that kind of player, but for God sakes, he's done so many bush things this year, I'm a little suspect of him now," - Johnny Pesky.

Even the NY Daily News is hopping on Stray-Rod bandwagon. This has all kinds of good gossip .

#482 I don't know why the video won't post here, but you can go to the link here . *And, for good measure, A-Rod being chased for autographs by a bunch of kids wearing Jeter shirts.

* Someone is going to be in the dog house . *Trot Nixon deserves the tip of a dirty hat . The only other time I've heard applause that loud was when the Sox came back against the Yankees and Okajima got the save earlier in the year. It was awesome. *The Sox right now, it appears, can do no wrong . Josh Beckett came back from his 15 days on the DL and got his MLB leading 8th victory . *Roger Clemens will not make his first start against the Sox, and the Red Sox are skipping Tavarez's start to align their rotation against the Yanks. It will be Wang and Wake Friday, Moose and Schill Saturday, and Andy and Joshua on Sunday. Tavarez's next start will be against the A's on Monday, with Matsuzaka taking the ball the following day. (Also in there it says Ortiz took BP yesterday, but his hammy is still bothering him.)

Not much to talk about with no game last night. The Sox are in Dallas (bored, I'd imagine), and Dice-K is on the hill tonight. Everyone have a good weekend. I'll check in if anything big happens this weekend, otherwise, see you Tuesday. Go Senators! *LeBron almost beat the Pistons again. He takes the shot in game 1 and gets the foul call in game 2, this whole series could be different. Or, so I've been told. Haven't actually watched one minute. *Youk is great . *Sean McAdam says the Sox have three weaknesses... J.D. Drew, the bullpen, and CF . * Did A-Rod apologize to Pedroia ? Does anyone care? *John Smoltz got his 200th and denied Tom Glavine the chance to move closer to 300. *NFL security is offering to help Virginia in the Vick dog fighting case. * Things got fiesty in Florida last night between the Marlins and Phillies. *Jeter passed Joe Dimaggio on the all time Yankee hit list. That's crazy. * Josh Hancock's dad is suing the restaurant that ...

"It doesn't matter. I could throw a perfect game and in my next start throw a perfect game... Jon Lester comes back here and this job belongs to him. . . . That lefthander is going to be one of the greatest in baseball.. . . I'd be more than happy to give him his position. This is not about being the No. 5 starter or about hoping that Jon Lester doesn't come here quick. If there's one thing that I want in my life right now it's that Jon be healthy and come back and play for this team because he's going to help us get to the World Series." Julian Tavarez