Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon follows through on his pitching delivery

Boston Red Sox is one of the most famous baseball teams in America, and a charter member of the American league. Their current owner, John Henry, bought the club in 2002 for 380 million dollars, and runs it with Thomas Werner. Before this Henry was the owner of the Florida Marlins for a short time. It is also noteworthy that Henry’s company, the Fenway Sports group also owns 50% of the premier Sprint Cup racing team Roush Fenway racing.

Currently Forbes has the value of this franchise listed at 833 million dollars. They had a 2009 season opening day payroll of 121,795,999 dollars. As of the second week of July 2009 they had a record of 49-31 which places them in first place, one full game ahead of their rival New York Yankees in the East division of the American League. Their current General Manager is Theo Epstein.

Epstein became the Sox’s GM when Henry and his new ownership group took over the team at the end of the 2002 season. After three years on the job, and the successful creation of a World Series championship winner, Epstein stepped down as GM. Even though he had erased the 86 year curse of the Bambino, and remained wildly popular with the Sox nation, Epstein felt he no longer had the desire to continue running the team. He left his office disguised in a gorilla suit on 10-31-2005.

While he still remained under contract with the front office of the club, Epstein took some time to mull over returning to the team, and on 1-19-2006 announced to the pres that he was returning to the team as GM with the additional title of Executive Vice President and had signed a three year deal. One year later in 2007 Epstein crafted the team that won Boston their second title in four years. He has recently announced that he has signed an additional thee year deal that will keep him in the Red Sox’s front office through 2012.

The Current Red Sox have one of the deepest starting rotations in the entire league. It features, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, Brad Penny, John Smoltz, and knuckle-baller Tim Wakefield. Smoltz is a certain lock to be elected to the Hall of Fame when his playing days are done.

The Sox bullpen is as strong, but not quite weak either and then feature star pitcher Jonathan Papplebon as their closer.

Their roster also features reigning AL MVP Dustin Pedroia and Designated hitter David “Big Poppy” Ortiz. Along with Sox captain Catcher Jason Varitek, outfielders Jason Bay and JD Drew.

On the recent 50 greatest current players list compiled by The Sporting News the Sox had four players listed, Beckett at 16, Dustin Pedroia at 18, Kevin Youkilis first baseman at 36, and Bay at 41. Together these men make 25.5 million dollars a year or 20% of the Sox 2009 opening day payroll.

Recently the Sox had four of the players selected to play in the 2009 MLB All Star game. Pedroia, Bay, and Beckett were elected by the fans to start. While Closer Papplebon will represent the team as a reliever.

In more than 100 years of competition that Rod Sox have only called two places home. From 1901 to 1911 they played their home games at the Huntington Avenue Baseball grounds. It is interesting to note that from their inception in 1901 till 1908 the Boston team had no nickname. There were simply called the Bostonians. In 1908 after the National League franchise in Boston gave up their trademark Red Stockings that then owner John Taylor adopted those red stockings and nicknamed his club the Red Sox.

Since 1912 the Red Sox have called Fenway Park home. Currently it is the oldest ballpark still in use in the MLB. It cost just 450,000 to build and now seats 38,805 fans after the current ownership group added seat to the top of the famed Green Monster in left field.

Originally the Sox did not own Fenway Park, and it made ownership of them quite precarious. It was owner Harry Frazee that finally bought the stadium in 1920. It was also Frazee that sold one Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees, and brought about the 86 year long curse involved with that move.

Twelve members of the baseball hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York are wearing Red Sox uniforms most notable Wade Boggs, Ted Williams, Carl Yastremski, and Carlton Fisk. 21 other members of the Hall of Fame also played periods of the career with the Sox including Ricky Henderson and Cy Young.

Through out their history the Red Sox have won 7 world titles, 12 American League pennants, six AL east division titles, and 6 wild card playoff births.

Their minor league operations are as follows:

Triple A- Pawtucket Red Sox

Single A Short Season- Lowell Spinners

Rookie Ball- Gulf Coast League Red Sox

Tags:

American League, Bambino, Boston Red Sox, Brad Penny, Dustin Pedroia, Epstein, Florida Marlins, John Henry, John Smoltz, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett, Theo Epstein, Thomas Werner, Tim Wakefield, World Series championship

No one else is the baseball world is such a lightning rod for the love and lately the hatred of his fans like Alex Rodriguez. Alex may well be the best regular season player of his era, but his continual failures in the post season make him a mark for ridicule by his fans and teammates alike.

There are a lot of reasons for baseball purists to dislike Alex. Twice now he has signed the largest contract in baseball history. In his career he has made more than 230 million dollars in baseball salary alone. On top of that though a lot of baseball purists were looking to Alex to break the cheater Barry Bonds Home Run record and return that most sacred baseball stat back to something that could be respected and really trusted.

Since Alex was the youngest baseball player to accumulate 500 home runs it seemed a virtual lock that he would one day take down Bond’s career mark. All of that changed earlier this year when he finally admitted to steroid use. Of course even his admission wasn’t really an admission since his story seemed to make little logical sense.

It now seems that Alex’s career, once a virtual lock from election to the Hall of Fame, will simply join the wreckage of the others brought to shame by their cheating in the steroids era. Things looked a whole lot different for Alex and baseball fans way back in 1993.

Alex had signed a letter of intent to play College baseball at the University of Miami. The school was also interested in Alex to Quarter back it’s highly successful football team as well, however that summer at the young ago of 17 in he first round of the MLB entry draft by the Seattle Mariners. Alex declined to play at Miami and embarked immediately on his pro career.

It should be noted that Alex remains a big fan of the University and can be regularly seen in attendance of its sporting events. On top of that when the University needed money to renovate its baseball facility Alex donated 3.9 million dollars to aid the University in that pursuit.

Once Alex had graduated from High school he was signed by the mariners and placed with their Triple A affiliate the Calgary Cannons. In 32 games he hit .311 with 6 home runs and 21 RBI’s. Those stats earned him a shot with the Major League club and Alex made his MLB debut at Boston’s Fenway Park on July 8,, 1994. Of course Alex may have had a breakout year right then and there had the 1994 strike not cancelled the rest of the season.

He spent the 1995 season between the mariners and their new Triple A affiliate the Tacoma Rainers finally earning his full promotion to the mariners on June 12th of that year.

Alex spent the next five years in Seattle becoming the best short stop o his generation and a perennial all star. At this point he was one of the most popular players not only in Seattle but in all of baseball, unfortunately all of that was about to change.

Tom Hicks who had bought the Texas Rangers in 1998 for 250 million dollars offered Alex a 10 year 252 million dollar deal, the largest deal in MLB history by some 63 million dollars. For the fans it meant Alex was a sell out.

While all of that money helped Alex put up a huge amount of numbers eventually winning the AL MVP in 2003, Alex’s time in Texas may have been where he learned about steroids. However with all the stats and accolades the Rangers had amassed no significant accomplishments as a team and following the 2003 season Alex was traded to the New York Yankees for Alfonso Soriano, a player to be named later, and with Texas agreeing to pay 67 million dollars of the 179 million left on his deal.

Alex’s time in New York has been more defined by arguments with teammates, or his philandering with women more that it has been about his playing ability. While a member of the Yankees Alex won the AL MVP for the second time in 2005, but his struggles in the post season continued.

For a guy who has made some 230 million dollars his career stats are not all that impressive his career BA is .305, with 567 home runs, 2,446 hits, and 1,649 RBI. His record in the post season is a whole lot worse, career post season BA is .279 with 7 home runs, 41 hits, and 17 RBI.

Alex is recently divorced, and has been romantically linked to famous people such as Madonna and such other non famous people as strip club dancers from Scores.

His recent behavior in public, following his steroids admission has been fairly narcissistic and it continues to turn the fans of baseball off.

Tags:

AL MVP, Alex Rodriguez, Alfonso Soriano, MLB, New York Yankees, RBI, Tacoma Rainers, Texas Rangers, University of Miami

Yesterday, the stars were aligned just right.  Every now and then when picking MLB, that happens.  Our 9-3 Monday will be hard to duplicate tonight, but if you had played our card, you would be smiling this morning!

Today’s card is a bit more difficult.

Check our How To Bet MLB page.

Phillies @ Atlanta – 1900 – Blanton v Lowe – Lowe getting rocked lately and the Phillies still have some punch.  Phillies win.

Red Sox @ Orioles – 1905 – Smoltz v Hill -  A tough one.  Smoltz is a wild card.  Don’t believe he is recovered.  Hill gives up some runs, but take the O’s.

Chisox @ Indians – 1905 – Richard v Lee – Chisox on roll, Indians falling hard.  Stick with White Sox.

Seattle @ NY Yankees – 1905 – Morrow v Chamberlain – Seattle does not go down easily.  Yankee bats prevail.

Cubs @ Pirates – 1905 – Lilly v Ohlendorf – Two teams that are not very good.  Fighting Cubs are less bad.  Take Chicago.

Tampa @ Toronto – 1910 – Garza v Richmond – Garza stuff gets it done tonight.  Tampa surging.  Bet the Rays.

Arizona @ Cincy – 1910 – Haren v Arroyo – Not sure why but it feels like a Reds night.  Arroyo bounces back.  Take Reds.

Nats @ Marlins – 1910 – Stammen v West – Marlins in drive mode.  Moving up the ladder.  Too much for Nats.  Marlins win.

Mets @ Brewers – 2005 – Santana v Burns – As bad as the Mets are, it is tough to bet against Santana.  Go with Mets.

Angels @ Rangers – 2005 – Saunders v Feldman – Rangers sinking, Angels rocking.  Stick with LA Angels.

Twins @ Royals – 2010 – Baker v Bannister – Royals get another one.  Three in row.  Royals win at home.

Giants @ Cards – 2015 – Johnson v Carpenter – day’s best game.  Carpenter is better than Johnson.  Cards win.

Tigers @ A’s – 2205 – Galarraga v Gonzalez – Tigers are floundering.  The do not seem to know how to win.  Tigers back on track tonight.  Detroit wins.

Astros @ Padres – 2205 – Hampton v Banks – Hampton has good outing.  Astros win.

Rockies @ Dodgers – 2210 – Marquis v Billingsley – Time for Billingsley to show he is Grade AAA beef.  Needs to throw less pitches.  Dodgers bullpen getting worn down.  Stick with Dodgers until Rockies show they can get the job done.

Tags:

Arizona, Astros, Atlanta, Chisox, Cubs, Dodgers, Indians, Marlins, Mets, NY Yankees, Orioles, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Rangers, Red Sox, Rockies, Seattle