SEND IN THE CLOWNS MAY 18, 2010

You win as a team and lose as a team. That said, everyone is accountable. Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, after 9 straight saves to start the season, blew his first one, wrenching a hard fought win away from the Sox and giving it to the Yankees (well they stole it).

J Pap spoiled what would have been the best BoSox comeback win of the year. Maybe Papelbon learns something from the game and uses it to shut down the Damn Yankees every time they meet from here on forward.

This was a gut punch of a loss. The Red Sox finally showed some spleen, bouncing back from a 5-0 deficit courtesy of Daisuke-san who looked lost. They hit 5 homeruns. Drew’s 3-run job off the fair/foul pole so excited Jerry Remy that he said the score was tied.

It was in this game that the Red Sox showed hearts were still beating inside their uniforms. It was as lively as this current bunch has been. So what now? Fans are in disbelief. Rumor has it that Foot Joy has already bailed on Boston’s baseball season.

This game will mark either the recovery of the Red Sox or the defining point for what could be a catastrophic season. This current crew does not make it for me. They are missing something, and I don’t mean Manny. This team is a circus and Sox fans like me aren’t laughing.

If Cameron has to have groin surgery, he’ll be out 2-3 months and possibly for the year. Jacoby Ellsbury sounded less than enthusiastic about starting his rehab in the minors. Peter Abraham (Globe – 5/16) quoted Jacoby when asked if he were ready to return as saying: “Not really.” Not really? That is not a good response.

Neither is the news on WEEI today that there was some ‘miscommunication’ between Matsuzaka and his catcher Victor Martinez last night, and today, Victor was less than team-like in distancing himself from Daisuke.

There have been some good signs: Martinez had homers from both sides of the plate Monday. JD Drew is on fire. Big Papi is flexing his warm muscles. Youk and Pedroia are, well, Youk and Pedroia.

Problem is that you have failed prospect Jeremy Hermida in LF and career minor leaguer Darnell McDonald in center. This was not what Theo planned. Against the Yanks Hermida missed a ball that Ellsbury might have had. Darnell McDonald didn’t listen to ‘The Coach’ Monday, and failed to use both hands to catch a ball. It was ruled a hit!

You know that Big Cannon that they roll out in the circus tent? Theo needs to bring out that Master Blaster and blow up this team before it’s too late. Send in the clowns.

PUT SOME SOUTH IN YOUR MOUTH

RECAP

There was a point that the Bruins were up 3 games to none on Philly and the Celtics had just gotten pasted at home in Game #3. Proper thinking sports fans could see the Bruins in the Eastern Finals and the Celts in their vehicles going home for the summer.

And then the Green Machine stunned the basketball world by clubbing the Cavaliers in Cleveland in Game #5. On TNT, Charles Barkley for once was speechless (thank God), able to mutter only ‘I can’t believe it’. Then in Game #6, the Celtics completed the Coup de Grace and Coup d’État (since the Cavs and King James had already been anointed 2010 NBA champs). Poor LeBron. He’s going home now. Maybe to Cleveland.

While I can’t feel sorry for the Cleveland fans (sorry Ken Arnold), it was piling on, kick’em when they’re down, for ESPN to show all the sports failures that Cleveland teams have suffered over the years. This is the kind of crap that Red Sox fans had to put up with until 2004.

While the Celtics were astounding the Basketball Blogosphere, the Boston Bruins were stunning the Hockey World (but not their fans) by blowing that 3-0 lead over Philly. Boston joined two other pathetic puck poseurs (Red Wings ’42, Penguins ’75) who suffered the same ignominious fate. Oh and the Yankees were added making it 3 other teams of unworthies who have suffered defeat after leading a series 3-0. In some sadistic sense of symmetry, not only did the Bruins blow a 3-0 lead in games but they also blew a 3-0 lead in the 7^th and deciding game.

The Big Bad Bruins were only as good as their checking and that seemed to cease from Game #4 on. Compounding matters was the wrist fracture that David Kreci suffered, knocking him out for the rest of the Philly series. The Bruins, having already lost Marco Sturm, were left with little scoring power. More like the Big Bad Broken Bruins.

Oh and they have a bad defense that makes a habit of coughing up the puck at crucial points. I don’t care what Dennis Wideman brings to the offensive end, his defense is offensive and he should be sent on his way. And he is not the only culprit.

The Bruins have the #2 pick in the NHL draft which will give them one of the two best scorers, either a wing or a center. But Peter Chiarelli had better work on adding defensive defensemen or the Bruins will just have higher scoring losses next season.

The Bruins underachieved in the regular season but then played over their heads in the Buffalo series. The Celtics were hurt and underperformed in the regular season. Now they are playing great defense and sharing the ball. In Game #5, it was clear that whoever was the better team would win, and the Celtics were that team. Now they have beaten the Orlando Magic in Game #1, again looking much the better team. We’ll see.

Sportzine is also available at jimdawsonsports.com (Thanks Buffalo Steve)

This series isn’t over by a long shot, but my booze bet with Foot Joy (5 of my beers versus 1 of his vodkas) is looking better every day. So much so that Foot Joy wouldn’t bite when I suggested we up the ante and make the bet 10 of my beers to 2 of his vodkas.

BULLETS

• There was a rumor Monday on WEEI that Delonte West was dating LeBron James’ mother. Not sure if this means that LeBron is definitely out of Cleveland.

• Ken Griffey took a nap during a game. Bet he isn’t the first. Where’s Manny?

• The Celtics were able to get almost any shot that they wanted in Game #1 vs. Orlando. And Rajon Rondo had just a so-so game (8 pts. 8 assists, 4 rebounds). Stan Van Gundy should be worried. Oh and since Dwight Howard shoots less than 50% at the foul line, he will be buffeted, bothered and hopefully bewildered by the array of Boston Big Men. • I’m going to channel Bill Reynolds’ Bullet Column - Let me get this straight: Woody Allen is coming to the defense of Roman Polanski? Whoa, Woody, go make a movie.

• Apparently it’s the Hess Homeruns this year and not Giant Glass.

• Wes Welker had only a left knee ACL repaired and not the MCL as well. That’s good news for Welker and Pats’ fans.

• According to the Herald’s Inside Track (5/16), 98.5 FM’s Andy Gresh is getting married to financial planner Betsey Hall (in 2011). So who gets the last word?

• Dale and Holley/WEEI read Peter King’s 2010 predictions for the Top 12 NFL teams to make the postseason. New England is not one! King has them on the bubble at #14. • JD (David Jonathan) Drew now leads the Red Sox in RBI with 26.

• Jason Bay is up to .278 and stole his 5^th base. Ex-PawSox Chris Carter is with the Mets.

E-MAIL

Jim,

Please remind “Z” that it’s a 6 month season – 7 with playoffs. In Boston that means 2 months cold/cool (April & May), 3 warm (June, July, August), and cool/cold again for the balance of 1 to 2 months.

Do the math on the calendar – waiting for “Big Puppy’s” muscles to warm up (and hoping that they don’t cool off again in the fall) is not a viable option.

Rick Nadeau

Rick, hold the math and the calendar. Big Papi may not need until the end of the May. His bat is warming up now just fine. - Z

Hi Jim,
Well, very impressive win by Celts yesterday (Sunday). Their ‘D’ is kicking in (shades of ‘08?), and except for a few bad offensive lapses at the end of the game, they are taking
pretty good care of the ball. The bench is coming through too (Tony Allen, Wallace
and Big Baby all contributed). Can’t take the foot off the pedal now and be satisfied with taking one of two in Disney World (though, I guess we should be happy that they have taken back the home court ad). Go Celts and Go Sox.

Darb  

We’ll know tonight if the Celtics can maintain that Defense that can catapult them to another Championship. If they do, this could be one of the sweetest ever since even Jackie MacMullan had given up on them (but not Michael Holley nor me).   -   Z