In a press conference Wednesday morning, Red Sox legend Nomar Garciaparra first announced that he signed a one-day, minor league contract with the team, and then announced his retirement to officially end his 14-year playing career in a Red Sox uniform.

“I was not lying when I said I would always have a dream. This is where I started, this is where the dream to play baseball in the big league started here, with the Red Sox. Once I got to play in front of all these fans, and the way this city and all these fans embraced me, I mean, I always just felt that connection. Like I said, for me, I always said I truly wanted this to be the last uniform I ever put on. And today, I get to do that. And that’s why it’s so important to me,” Garciaparra said (quote from Boston.com).

Nomar and his representatives apparently reached out to the Red Sox about the gesture, and Theo Epstein and co. were happy to oblige.

“I think last time I was in Boston when the Oakland A’s came to town [last season] . . . I was talking about always having a recurring dream to be able to retire in a Red Sox uniform. I want to thank John Henry, Mr. Werner, Mr. Lucchino, and Theo, and the Red Sox organization, because today I get to retire and fulfill that dream and retire as a Red Sock,” Garciaparra said.

Nomar, now 36, will now move on to ESPN as a baseball analyst.

Career Highlights

He played for the Sox from 1996 until he was traded to the Cubs in 2004, months before the team won their first World Series since 1918. He was a fixture in the Boston lineup during that time, hitting .323. He claimed two batting titles after hitting .357 in 1999 and .372 in 2000, becoming the first right-handed hitter since Joe DiMaggio to lead the league in hitting two years in a row.

Before the 2004 season, the Red Sox were desperate to make the team better. After the infamous collapse in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees, the Red Sox were hungrier than ever to win it all. The team traded for veteran starter Curt Schilling and signed closer Keith Foulke. The team also desperately tried to trade Manny Ramirez for All-Star shortstop Alex Rodriguez, which would’ve triggered a trade of shortstop Nomar Garciaparra for Chicago’s Magglio Ordonez. After the A-Rod trade was disallowed by the MLBPA, the Sox retained Manny and Nomar.

Seemingly unhappy, and suffering from lingering injuries, Nomar was traded to the Cubs in 2004 in a shocking four-team deal at the deadline. In the trade, the Sox dramatically improved their defense, acquiring shortstop Orlando Cabrera and first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz. Months later, the Sox won their first World Series since 1918. Nomar received a ring, but his departure was more important to the team’s success than his being there.

Injuries to his groin, calf, hand, among other body parts, tore apart the rest of his career. He won the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2006 while playing first base with the Dodgers, but his career continued its downward spiral until Wednesday, when he signed the one-day contract with the Red Sox.

© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | 3 comments
Filed under: Featured, Red Sox, Top Story.

Tuesday night saw the Boston Celtics traveling to the Bradley Center to take on the Milwaukee Bucks. It was the debut game for new Celtic Michael Finley (five points in eight minutes of play). Both the Bucks and the Celtics had been playing well recently, and both were clearly in the playoff picture. One would expect a good game from two teams such as these, and that’s exactly what one got. There were double-digit ties and lead changes in this game, minimal turnovers (15 apiece), and some high-energy defense. In the end, the Bucks went on one run more than the Celtics did, and beat Boston, 86-84.

The Celtics on Offense

The big story of the night offensively was the Boston bench. They put up a combined 29 points, as compared to the mere 8 put up by the Milwaukee bench. The Boston starters had their fair share of stars as well. Rajon Rondo put up a pretty little 20-point game, while Kevin Garnett put up a double-double, scoring 14 while rebounding 10.

It wasn’t as if energy was the problem for the Celtics against Milwaukee, at least not offensively. They outscored the Bucks on fast-break points 28-3, and it never seemed like they were really lagging behind. The problem lay more in the starters’ sluggish shooting. While Rondo and KG played fine, Paul Pierce really only got it going from the free-throw line (where the Celtics held a 19-10 advantage), and the other two starters never got started at all. When starting shooting goes cold, no matter how well the bench plays, you’re going to lose.

The Celtics on Defense

The biggest critique of the Celtics defense was that they had no answer for Bucks center Andrew Bogut. Bogut led all scorers in the game with 25 points, and he had 17 rebounds to go with them. All night long the Celtics defense experimented with various double-teams and traps, but Bogut was just too big and strong. He was especially strong in situations where he was playing against a Boston bench player. In one particularly memorable play, he backed Glen Davis all the way to the ground, then turned around and dunked on him. Davis looked over-matched and over-powered against the larger, more experienced, and stronger Andrew Bogut.

The Game in Review

This was a preview of a potential first-round playoff match for the Celtics, and it did not go the Celtics’ way. They looked sluggish at the start of all four quarters, allowing Milwaukee to build momentum across each period. This slow-start habit of the Celtics is one they can ill-afford if they want to go far in the playoffs. Milwaukee is about at the level of play the C’s should expect come the first round: high energy, some good shooting, quality defense.

The Celtics were able to match the Bucks for three and a half quarters, but then the starters failed to hold it down for the win. It’s hard to look at this game and point to the one factor that killed the team. It would seem Boston’s biggest problem is just the chemistry of its starters. They’re still not playing like a seasoned, congealed unit, the way you would expect this late in the season. If they can’t start well and they can’t finish well, it doesn’t matter how well they play in the middle: they’re going to lose games.

This match was a measuring stick game, allowing the team to gauge how ready it is for the playoffs. And the sad answer is that it’s not quite ready yet. Wednesday the Celtics return home to face Memphis, a team looking to move into playoff contention on Boston’s back. The starters will have to rally from this loss and rally quickly, or they may find themselves slipping further down the playoff ladder.

© Matt Goisman for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | One comment
Filed under: Celtics, Featured, Top Story.

The Patriots and cornerback Leigh Bodden finally agreed on a contract Tuesday, signing a four-year deal through 2013. Bodden had visited with the Houston Texans on Monday, but always maintained his interested in re-signing with the Pats.

Bodden’s agent, Alvin Keels, announced the deal via Twitter:

Leigh Bodden has officially agreed to terms with the New England Patriots on a 4 year deal thru the 2013 season.

Bodden, 28, finished with 55 tackles and five interceptions in his first year with the Patriots.

Jarvis Green Joins Broncos

In other Pats news, defensive end Jarvis Green joined the Denver Broncos, signing a four-year deal for a maximum value of $20 million. Green will get $7 million in guaranteed money.

Green had 36 tackles and one sack last season for the Pats. His best year came in 2006, when Green finished with 7.5 sacks.

With Bodden staying and Green going, the Patriots have just four unrestricted free agents still left on the open market: DE/OLB Derrick Burgess, RB Kevin Faulk, P Chris Hanson and TE Benjamin Watson.

Patriots Sign LB Marques Murrel

The Pats have signed former Jet Marques Murrel, according to Bob Kraft (who interviewed on WEEI on Tuesday). Murrel will help the Pats out on special teams, just as he did the last two years with the Jets.

If the name sounds familiar to you, it should: Marques is the younger brother of former Jets running back Adrian Murrel.

© KC Downey for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | No comment
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With 5:37 left in the game on Sunday, Marc Savard was decked in malevolent fashion by the Penguins‘ Matt Cooke. Aside from the initial jawing, nothing was done by the Bruins as payback. Isn’t that what you do when someone commits such a grievous act against your team? Don’t you fight them and punch their lights out? What’s five minutes in the penalty box to your team’s honor? True, it’s hard to think about it in the heat of the moment, but there could be more to the obvious than meets the eye. It was probably a good thing for the Bruins not to get hotheaded a la Bruce Banner. Why, you ask? I’m glad you asked:

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

The Penguins are obviously the favored team whenever they meet the Bruins. If the hit had occurred in the 1st or 2nd period, or even early in the 3rd, things may have been conducted differently. But there was just 5:37 left to go. Could the Bruins have gotten something going in that short amount of time? Maybe they could have, but the way the season has been going for Boston thus far, it takes them a while to come up with offense, and play calling isn’t always the best. The Bruins almost had terrible timing, as the Penguins started attacking right as Thomas was coming out of the net. With everything going against them, including time and timing, the Bruins probably thought they would just cut their losses, especially with a reasonable lead and tiebreakers over the lower teams.

The Infinite Cycle of Revenge

Why weren’t the referees watching the puck in an attacking zone? A penalty (and ejection) should have been called on the play, but it wasn’t. And as of press time, no penalty had been brought down on Cooke by the NHL. Say the Bruins had gone after Cooke as they had to have wanted to (I myself have had visions of jamming the butt of a stick into Cooke’s throat or temple, or slashing various body parts with a skate blade). We attack them as revenge, but they inevitably think we went too far (see above vision). Then they attack us again even worse. Then we attack again. It doesn’t take long for an arms race to replace the hockey game, beating and busting all players until no one is available to finish the game.

Both teams would be right; both teams would go too far. Can you imagine the fines and suspensions that would blanket the hockey landscape like ash from Vesuvius? The Bruins got a tough run of things. There’s no need to make it even worse. Cut your losses and be the bigger men.

Savard the Martyr

Of course the Bruins are angry. But anger is a powerful weapon, if used correctly. Fighting back is not using it correctly. Basic psychology dictates that if you stay focused, and use your anger as fuel, you increase your strength, hit harder shots, check harder, and get more aggressive on the rink, in a way the Bruins desperately need. If Savard’s injury serves the purpose of igniting such passions in such a manner, then there might be a silver lining. If the Bruins can focus their emotions like a gamma ray burst, then they will strike fast and furious like said burst and heat up at the right time of year, when the playoffs are looming. If the Hurricanes can make the Conference Championship as #6 in the East, then surely the Bruins can do better. Remember when as #8, the B’s took the #1 Canadiens to seven games?

What Lies Ahead

With 18 games remaining, the Bruins are in good shape. Only the Capitals should provide a big challenge to the Bruins. The Devils will also provide a challenge, but the Bruins have kept their last two meetings to one goal losses, including one in a shootout. The Sabres haven’t been too much of a problem. The Canadiens have, but still have a comparable record despite having played three more games. The Flyers might be a little tough. The one and only season match-up with the Flames could be a wild-card. But still, the Bruins don’t have much to fear in terms of landing a playoff spot. Just concentrate on offense, use Savard as motivation, and a spot in the brackets will come. Just keep an eye out on Thursday March 18 when the Penguins come to the TD Garden.

© John for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Bruins, Featured, Opinion, Top Story.

Some would say that Roy Halladay and Cole Hamels is the best one-two punch in baseball. Others would argue that Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee will lead the Mariners to the post season. The there are some who say C.C. Sabathia and A.J. Burnett are two of the best starters in the American League. I mean they did just win a World Series. However, is there a starting rotation that has ever been as deep as the Boston Red Sox?

During the offseason, the Red Sox made a huge splash by landing John Lackey. He was the guy who helped the Angels defeat Boston last post season. According to the Red Sox official depth chart, he is now the teams third starter. It is absurd that he is joining a rotation of Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka, with Clay Buchholz and Tim Wakefield battling for the fifth spot. Boston has six guys who can go out any given night and take over a game, so let’s see any other team compare to that.

THE ORDER:

1. Jon Lester:

He is the last Red Sox pitcher to throw a no-hitter, back in 2008. Since then, he has had seasons going 16-6 and 15-8 with an ERA of 3.31. Last season he had a career high with 225 strikeouts. Lester earned a five-year contact before last season and now has the lead as the Red Sox’s go-to guy. As long as his four-seam fastball is averaging in the low-to-mid-90’s, he will be the Boston ace.

2. Josh Beckett:

Last season, Beckett had two significant milestones. He pitched in 212 innings, a new career high. It was also the third time he went over 200 innings with Boston, a feat he never reached with the Marlins. Beckett also won his 100th career game in a season where he went 17-6 with a 3.86 ERA. The former World Series MVP opened the regular season last year for Boston in a win over Tampa. He will still fight for that right again this spring training, but fans cannot complain when he is the team’s No. 2.

3. John Lackey:

The last time the Red Sox saw Lackey on the field, he pitched the Angels to a 5-0 win over Boston in the ALDS. The win sparked a three-game sweep and propelled the Angles past the Sox for the first time in postseason play. Then in the offseason, he was the best free agent pitcher available. The Red Sox signed him, even though they were stacked. Still, you can not overlook a guy who has ten or more wins in seven straight seasons. He received his 100th win last season, going 11-8 on the year. He comes in as Boston’s third starter. He is rarely placed on the DL and could be huge for the Boston rotation.

4. Daisuke Matsuzaka:

Last season saw major ups and downs for Matsuzaka. He led Japan to the World Baseball Classic Championship for the second time, winning his second MVP. However, he could not get going with the Red Sox. Undisclosed injuries, recovery complaints, and bad outings hurt Matsuzaka’s image and he was no where close to the dominant 18-3 season he had in 2008. In 2009, he only appeared in twelve games, going 4-6 with a 5.76 ERA. There are reports that Dice-K is back and better then ever and could be the most dominant fourth starter in baseball.

5. Clay Buchholz:

2009 was a redemption year for Buchholz. In only his second start in 2007, he pitched a no hitter. He struggled in 2008 and began 2009 in the minors. He was brought up after the All-Star break only to be discussed in potential trades for Roy Halladay. When the talks subsided, Buchholz came out blazing, going 6-1 in his final seven starts, including a win over Halladay on August 19th. He finished the season with a 7-4 record and had a career high with 92 innings pitched. He is expected to come out strong in 2009, showing the Red Sox he can be the future of the rotation and not just mid-season trade bait.

6. Tim Wakefield:

Going into the All-Star game last year, no one was better then Tim Wakefield. He had an 11-3 record and made his first All-Star appearance at the age of 42. After, injuries cut his season shot, appearing in the fewest games since his rookie year in 1992. Now he is looking to become the most decorated pitcher in Red Sox history. He is 17 wins behind Cy Young and Roger Clemens for the most wins by a Red Sox pitchers. Also, he needs four wins at Fenway Park to over take Roger Clemens for most wins in the stadium. The long time knuckleballer might not get the most starts this season, but should he remain healthy, he will have the opportunities to prove that the beginning of 2009 was not a fluke.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

The Red Sox might have the deepest rotation in the Majors. Lester, Beckett, Lackey and Matsuzaka all have the ability to win 15 games. Expect huge seasons from Dice-K and Lackey now that they will be playing other teams third and fourth best pitchers. Most likely, Buchholz or Wakefield will be moved into the bullpen, but both will have their opportunities to shine. Boston has done all it can to win another World Series and if they don’t make it, they shouldn’t have their starting pitching to blame.

© Teddy for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | No comment
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Right before the trade deadline I wrote an article suggesting the Celtics should trade Ray Allen to the Warriors for Monta Ellis. Well Ray, I apologize. Mr. Allen made me and all of the other doubters out there look pretty silly as he nailed a game-winning three-pointer with 17 seconds remaining in Sunday night’s 86-83 victory over the Washington Wizards. With the Garden crowd on their feet, Allen came off of a screen by Kevin Garnett, received a pass from Rajon Rondo, and swished a 25-foot dagger.

The game ended up being much closer than most thought it would be, and the Celtics trailed for almost the entire game before turning it on down the stretch. Boston trailed by six points at the half, and found themselves in a dicey situation, down by four points heading into the fourth quarter.

Staying within striking distance through the first three quarters allowed the Celtics to use the energy of the crowd to help mount a furious comeback in the last eight minutes of the game. Boston went on a 20-4 run to close out the game, during which an inexperienced Wizards squad, which had been shooting over 50 percent from the field for most of the game, couldn’t hit a big shot. The Celtics finally decided to play a little defense while Allen, who missed a few open looks early in the game, refused to shy away from the spotlight, and pulled through in the clutch. Allen finished 10-15 from the field and scored a game-high 25 points.

A depleted Wizards squad benefited from strong performances from Al Thornton and Andray Blatche. The two young talents gave Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett all they could handle and then some, out-performing Boston’s All-Star veterans. Thornton, an offensive machine while playing at Florida State, finished with a double-double, scoring 24 points and grabbing 11 boards. Blatche, 23, hit 50 percent of his game-high 20 FG attempts, finishing with 23 points and nine boards.

After a few very strong performances during the Celtic’s three-game win streak, KG had one of the worst offensive outings of his career, going a dreadful 0-7 from the field in 31 minutes. He scored all of his eight points from the free throw line. Boston didn’t get much help from their bench either. Rasheed Wallace, Marquis Daniels, Glen Davis, and Nate Robinson combined for just nine points.

The win helped the Celtics reach the 40-win mark for the third straight season, and extended their current winning streak to four games. For whatever reason, the C’s have struggled at home this season, where they are 18-11. Without Allen’s game-winning shot, the Celtics would have lost to two of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference, at home, in the same week. That’s a scary thought. On the bright side, their success on the road means this team might be OK entering the playoffs as the third or fourth-seed in the East.

Game Notes

• The Celtics won despite shooting 35 percent from the field.
• Recently acquired Michael Finley did not dress for the game.
• Two of the shortest players in the NBA, Nate Robinson ( 5-foot-8) and Earl Boykins (5-foot-5), went head-to-head.

© Andrew Kipp for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | No comment
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The Bruins dropped a tough one to the defending champs in Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon (a 2-1 defeat), but a loss that may hurt their playoff chances even more occurred with less than six minutes to play. At that point, Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke came at Marc Savard with a high elbow hit to the head that leveled the Bruins center. Savard was carted off the ice on a stretcher, but did have motion in his extremities, giving the crowd a wave as he departed.

While no one on the team or on the coaching staff was able to shed any light on Savard’s condition, the Bruins Web site reported that Savard suffered a concussion and will remain in the team hotel in Pittsburgh overnight while the team travels to Toronto. The hit, by the way, went un-penalized by the game officials (VIDEO: View the hit).

After a scoreless first period, Boston was able to get themselves on top of Pittsburgh early in the second when Blake Wheeler notched his 14th goal of the year, shoving the puck past Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. The Pens evened the score five minutes later on a Pascal Dupuis goal, which was very similar to the way Wheeler forced his puck in.

Russian Olympian Evgeni Malkin had an early third period goal that proved to be the game-winner, as his 23rd goal of the year was a tough one for Tim Thomas and the Bruins to swallow. Malkin now has points in 16 of the last 17 games.

The road ahead is long and windy for the Black and Gold. Just two games down, with five more to go on this season-long seven-game road trip. Next on the schedule, a familiar foe: Phil Kessel and the Eastern Conference cellar-dwellers, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

© Brian Kintz for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | 5 comments
Filed under: Bruins, Featured, Top Story.

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Bruins pulled out a close 3-2 victory over the Islanders. The Bruins got an early power play, 1:27 in, but could do nothing with it. They largely did nothing despite many 1st period opportunities (they out-shot New York 16-4 in the period), but they did manage to strike first blood when Milan Lucic put the puck into the net with 1:34 left in the 1st.

The 2nd period did not go as well. Patrice Bergeron was called for interference 50 seconds in, despite the contact being clearly accidental as Bergeron was looking away and drifting over the ice. Josh Bailey turned it into a power play goal after Tim Thomas made the original save, but failed to notice the puck next to him until it was too late. Bailey tapped it in, and from the overhead angle, it looked like Thomas might have helped tap it in with his right arm.

Thomas nearly bobbled a save into his own net a minute later, and half a minute beyond that, the Islanders’ goalie (Dwayne Roloson) was knocked over after a collision following a save, but a golden opportunity on the second chance was not followed through by Boston. Still, David Krejci seized the opportunity 5:04 into the 2nd when Roloson was unable to defend. Marc Savard added a power play goal 4:16 later to give the Bruins a two goal lead for the first time in ages.

Then, with 3:54 left, Michael Ryder took out Blake Comeau with a hard check from behind into the boards. Ryder was given a game misconduct and checking from behind major. Comeau was able to get up, which makes it a good thing for firing up the Bruins for the final 20+ minutes. Taking the game into the 3rd period, the Bruins were able to kill off the five minute penalty, and hold off most of the Islanders’ attempts, including over a minute with an empty net (that did not result in any goals). The Islanders did score 5:43 into the 3rd period, but could not erase the Bruins’ insurance goal as well.

B’s Boss of the Game: Marc Savard

The league’s worst offense needed a multiple goal lead so they could feel good during a game. Seizing a great chance on a power play, Savard gave them that.

B’s Bust of the Game: Tim Thomas

Sitting there dumbfounded before the Islanders’ first goal wasn’t something any goalie should do, nor was helping to knock it in. Allowing the Islanders to score their second to get back in the game shouldn’t have happened either.

JERRY!! JERRY!! Moment of the Game:

Aside from the Ryder incident, which didn’t even evoke any ill actions from anyone, the game was unfortunately quite civil.

That’s What He Said:

“You know … out of a bunch of teams that compete every night, they have a reputation for competing night in and night out.” – Tim Thomas after the game on the lowly Islander’s performance.

Game Notes:

• The Bruins have now scored first in nine of their last ten games.
• Keep your eyes peeled for a suspension and/or fine for Ryder after his hit.

© John for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | No comment
Filed under: Bruins, Featured, Top Story.

The Patriots finally ponied up the dough for the key logjam in their defense, as the team and NT Vince Wilfork have agreed on a contract extension.

After weeks of speculation which included a franchise tag, the two sides have come together and the Patriots have secured the most important piece of their defense. The deal is worth $40 million dollars over five years, with $25 million guaranteed.

Wilfork, 28, has just 7.5 sacks in six seasons, but his value as the anchor of a stellar Patriots defensive line is well known. This move locks up the big fella for the remainder of his prime.

© Jeff Christenbury for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | No comment
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There were many fans that were hoping the Patriots would land the coveted Julius Peppers in free agency. However, it was not meant to be. ESPN is reporting that Peppers just inked a six-year deal with the Bears for apparently $12 million per year, and he could get $40 million within the first three years. Peppers was expected to get a big contract, and the Bears went above and beyond to ensure Peppers would be in Chicago next season.

So what does that mean for New England? Believe it or not, this could be a lucky break for the Patriots. There were reports that New England and Philadelphia offered Peppers a similar contract, but not quite as much as ‘Da Bears.’ If New England wanted, they could have upped their offer, but it would have limited their ability to make a push at other free agents.

Sure, having Peppers would have given the Patriots a great pass rusher. His age (30) was called into question, but he has proven that his endurance and health is nothing to worry about. Still, New England had other holes in their team that needed to be addressed. On the Patriots shopping list is help for the secondary, a healthy running back (sorry Fred Taylor), a second wide receiver to fill the temporary Wes Welker void, and a pass rusher.

Who Else is Out There?

Some possible targets are already gone. Chester Taylor joined Peppers in Chicago. Nate Burleson and Kyle Vanden Bosch are heading to Detroit. Gary Brackett is back with the Colts. Brandon Marshall seems Seattle-bound.

• Still, there is Thomas Jones, who is being linked with the Patriots.
• As for that pass rusher, Karlos Dansby is still out there and the Patriots are thought to be on his wish list.
• Also, with the Bears signing Brandon Manumaleuna, Greg Olsen might be on his way out of Chicago and possibly on his way to New England to replace Ben Watson.
• The Pats are rumored to be in the mix to trade for Anquan Boldin, or they could even sign a free agent like Antonio Bryant.
• There could also be Jason Taylor, Joey Porter, or Antonio Pierce that could be brought in for a fraction on the price of Peppers.

Banta-Cain Gets Three-Year Deal

The best part of Friday, so far, was the Patriots locking up Tully Banta-Cain for three years. Banta-Cain was right there with Peppers in sacks and he even had more tackles. Should the Patriots find a complement to Tully, then they will have a strong one-two attack.

So, do not worry that New England was unable to land Julius Peppers. Instead, be happy that they have financial freedom to secure several other players. Plus, there is always the chance that Peppers could be this year’s Albert Haynesworth. If that’s the case, then New England just avoided a potential disaster.

© Teddy for Sports of Boston, 2010. | Permalink | 2 comments
Filed under: Featured, News, Patriots, Top Story.