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Dennis Eckersley HOF 2004 Upcoming Signing – 7/23/2010 Here are the details: Where: The Tunnicliff Inn When: 7/23/2010 Phone: (908) 258-7228 All Orders and Mail-Order need to be received by: 7/16/2010 Prices: Flats & Balls: $49 Caps & Equip: $59 Bats & Jerseys: $79 Inscriptions: $20
Place a presale order for the Dennis Eckersley Signing or check out   a full list of Upcoming Memorabilia Signings.

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As the Boston Red Sox continue to struggle early in the season, one has to wonder, when does the front office begin to panic? The most publicized issue that the team faces is what to do with designated hitter David Ortiz, who has been awful in the first month of the season. David Ortiz is hitting just .158 with no homeruns and 2 RBI while striking out in 40% of his at bats. If Ortiz continues to struggle, the Red Sox will be forced to sit him down and go out and somehow acquire a bat. There were rumors all winter that the club was trying to trade for Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez who would provide a much needed boost to the middle of the Red Sox lineup.

While Ortiz’s struggles were somewhat expected, the Red Sox did not anticipate that their starting rotation would have issues as well. Josh Beckett has recovered from a tough first outing against the Yankees, but Jon Lester and prized free agent acquisition John Lackey have struggled. Entering the season, many experts pegged the Red Sox starting rotation to be the deepest and best in baseball, but they have not come through for the team in the early goings. In order for the Red Sox to stay in contention in the toughest division in baseball, their starting pitching must carry the team until the front office goes out and upgrades the lineup.

by Josh Weiner at the Sports Fan Blog Network

RED SOX general manager Theo Epstein has no worries about the right side of the field. He knows who his right fielder will be next season. He knows who his second baseman will be next season. He knows, barring a dramatic trade for San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez, who his first baseman will be next season.

He even knows who his catcher and backup catcher will be now that he’s picked up his option on Victor Martinez and Jason Varitek has exercised his own option to return.

But the entire left side of the field remains in flux. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez is gone, at least temporarily, and no one knows how far apart the Red Sox are from left fielder Jason Bay in their negotiations. On top of that, Mike Lowell isn’t getting any younger and might be the poster child for the dramatic home-road splits that Epstein blamed for his team’s early exit in the playoffs.

It’s been a busy start to the offseason for the Red Sox, and the fun has barely begun.

Click here to read the full article – By BRIAN MACPHERSON of theunionleader.com

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Twice this season, Chris Woodward thought his time with the Red Sox had ended. On Aug. 15, the same day Boston reacquired Alex Gonzalez, Woodward was designated for assignment. And just last week, with the club needing a roster spot for Daisuke Matsuzaka, Woodward was outrighted to Triple-A Pawtucket. This, even though the Minor League season was over.

But there Woodward was again on Monday, embarking on his third roster stint with the Red Sox. The reason Woodward was needed is that utility infielder Nick Green’s health is very much in question.

Green last played for the Red Sox on Wednesday, the night he worked a dramatic game-tying walk in the bottom of the ninth inning of a comeback win over the Angels. As it turns out, Green could barely stand during that at-bat, as his right leg had a “dead leg” type of feeling.


Click here to read the full article – By Ian Browne of MLB.com

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If any team appreciates the beauty of the Wild Card, it’s the Red Sox.


History shows that Boston took full advantage of the American League’s fourth and final playoff spot back in 2004, when it captured its first World Series title in 86 years. The Red Sox have used the Wild Card entry to reach the postseason a Major League-high six times since 1998, and are in line to do so once again this year.

After taking the first two bouts of their three-game set against the Angels, the Sox enter Thursday’s series finale at Fenway Park 6 1/2 games ahead of the fading Rangers in the AL Wild Card standings. But make no mistake, they aren’t ready to don their Wild Card championship hats and T-shirts just yet.


Click here to read the full article – By John Barone of MLB.com

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If Josh Beckett’s past two starts have proved nothing else, it’s that the Red Sox’s ace is human after all.


The numbers weren’t pretty — quite horrid, actually — for the Boston right-hander in the pair of outings. Among the ghastly figures: 13 1/3 innings pitched, 18 hits, 15 runs (all earned) and eight home runs, five of which came in Sunday’s eight-run shellacking against the Yankees to set a new career high.

“Obviously, you tend to remember these [games],” Beckett said late Sunday night. “These are humbling deals. That was a whooping I got today. Those are the only words I’ve got to sum it up.”


Click here to read the full article – By John Barone of MLB.com

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Billy Wagner said yes to the Red Sox, after all, and despite appearing to have an eye on 2010, the veteran left-handed reliever joined the American League Wild Card race on Tuesday.

Four days after being claimed on waivers by the Red Sox, followed by days of intrigue and negotiations, Wagner was dealt by the Mets to Boston for two players to be named later.

Wagner waived his contractual no-trade clause in return for Boston’s acceptance of one of the two conditions he had requested. The Red Sox agreed to not exercise his 2010 option, but retained the right to offer him salary arbitration and thus be in line to receive compensation from another team signing him as a free agent after the season.


Click here to read the full article – By Tom Singer of MLB.com

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The record has stood for 36 years, and before that it lasted for 61 — a testament to the coziness of Fenway Park and the long-standing power of the Boston Red Sox.


But Jacoby Ellsbury is a different kind of Red Sox player. The 25-year-old center fielder, who has brought the dimension of speed to the usually unspeedy Red Sox, is about to become the team’s all-time biggest single-season thief. With 53 stolen bases, he is one shy of the record of 54 set by Tommy Harper in 1973.

Ellsbury just missed the mark last season, stealing 50 bases in his first full season in the Major Leagues. In between Harper and Ellsbury on Boston’s list of single-season stolen base leaders is Tris Speaker, who swiped 52 bases in 1912 — Fenway Park’s first season.


Click here to read the full article – By Bobbie Dittmeier of MLB.com

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In a move that had been expected for the past few days, former Cy Young Award winner John Smoltz was officially released by the Boston Red Sox on Monday.

Smoltz, who was 2-5 with an 8.33 ERA in a disappointing stint with the Red Sox this season, was designated for assignment by the club on Aug. 7. He will clear unconditional waivers on Wednesday at which point the 42-year-old right-hander will be able to negotiate with other teams.

Smoltz spent the first 20 years of his likely Hall of Fame career with the Atlanta Braves, for whom he won 210 games and saved 154 more


Click here to read the full article – By Lisa Winston of MLB.com

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The last time Victor Martinez played a postseason game at Fenway Park, his Indians lost, 10-3, to the Red Sox in Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS.


It was a disappointing letdown for the Tribe, which had led the series 3-1 before losing three consecutive games. Now Martinez is trying to help the Red Sox into the postseason, and is happy he’s in a position to do so.

Martinez has been with the Red Sox for only 17 days, but he is turning into a valuable cog for a team making a push toward the postseason. Martinez has hit .311 (19-for-61), played excellent defense at catcher and first base and been a leader for his new team.

Click here to read the full article – By Daniel Paulling of MLB.com

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