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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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How did what was once a Cy Young-award caliber season for Josh Beckett go badly off the track over the past three starts?

The way Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell looks at it, the ace has been hit by the combination of faulty command and mechanics, two elements that have clearly gone hand-in-hand.

As always, Beckett worked tirelessly in between starts, trying to fix a three-start skid in which he’s given up 10 home runs while posting a 9.82 ERA.

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

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Below are links to memorabilia available for Josh Beckett.

With momentum clearly on their side, the timing might finally be right for the Red Sox to end their near two-year slump at Tropicana Field.


Since the start of the 2008 season, the Red Sox are 2-15 under the roof of clanging cowbells — not to mention the home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Red Sox will not only open their series at the Trop following a Monday off-day, but they will do so riding 10 wins over their past 13 games.

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

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Below are links to memorabilia available for Jon Lester.

Red Sox right-hander Tim Wakefield woke up feeling a little better on Sunday and his limp was less noticeable. The next step toward recovery from recurring back pain will be a cortisone shot on Monday, something the veteran knuckleballer hopes will enable him to reclaim his spot in the rotation in about a week.


Wakefield doesn’t plan on another six-week disabled-list stint, something that happened last time when the back problem turned into a nerve issue that caused weakness in his left leg.
“We’ll go from there and see if it takes, and if so, I’ll be pitching in a week or so and be back,” said Wakefield.

Click here to read the full article – By Ian Browne 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

Boston Red Sox Sports Memorabilia
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Below are links to memorabilia available for Josh Beckett.

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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Below are links to memorabilia available for Jacoby Ellsbury.

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

Boston Red Sox Sports Memorabilia
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Below are links to memorabilia available for John Smoltz.