In the fifth inning last night against the Toronto Blue Jays, it finally happened. Facing rookie pitcher Brett Cecil, David Ortiz broke through and connected for his first home run of the season – a bomb to the camera position in straight-away center field.

Hopefully it is the first of many more to come.

Adam Kilgore has Ortiz as the main story in the clubhouse following the Red Sox 8-3 win last night. Michael Silverman has Ortiz finally putting the “Big” back into Big Papi. Kevin McNamara has Ortiz’s father coming into town to offer support and advice. Jeff Goldberg has Ortiz putting an exclamation mark on things last night. Ron Chimelis has life returning to normal last night at Fenway. Bill Ballou has the Sox hoping that last night was just the start of things for Ortiz.

A warm and fuzzy Dan Shaughnessy says that the fans reaction to Ortiz is why the truly great players love to come here. Steve Buckley says that last night turned into an outrageously festive night at the old ballyard. Bill Reynolds says that fair or unfair, Ortiz is branded with baseball Scarlett Letter of steroid suspicion. Mike Fine has more on the return of Big Papi.

Tony Massarotti explores whether Ortiz will be able to make the necessary adjustments as he ages to in order to remain productive. Brian MacPherson notes that finally all is right with the world. Alex Speier looks at what we can learn from the end of the drought.

Nick Cafardo has Jacoby Ellsbury tying the major league record with 12 putouts in centerfield last night. McDonald has more on Ellsbury catching a major-league record last night. Joe McDonald notes that the Red Sox offense returned with Kevin Youkilis. Speier notes the struggles of another slugger in the Red Sox organization, Lars Anderson, who is hitting just .229 in AA Portland.

Kilgore has Jason Bay saying that he doesn’t want to play all 162 games this season, it just puts too much strain on the body. McNamara though, says that Boston’s new ironman doesn’t plan on missing any games. Buckley has the Grandfather of Daniel Bard, Fran O’Brien, who happened to coach baseball at MIT and Holy Cross, thrilled at being able to watch his grandson at Fenway Park. McNamara notes that it was a rough home debut for Bard.

Jon Couture has a look at Toronto second baseman Aaron Hill, who led the Wareham Gatemen to the 2001 Cape League title.

Kilgore’s notebook has Kevin Youkilis picking up right where he left off with three hits last night. Silverman’s notebook has more on Ellsbury tying the record. Chimelis’ notebook has more  on the return of Youkilis. Ballou’s notebook has the Sox weathering the storm in Youkilis’ absence, and glad to have him back. A notebook from Glen Farley reports that Mark Kotsay is heading to Pawtucket in preparation for a return to the Red Sox.

Patriots

The media got to take a look at the Patriots Organized Team Activity sessions yesterday, and though it was mostly for the young players and newcomers, there was plenty to report.

Karen Guregian has veteran Fred Taylor among those on the field yesterday. Mark Farinella has the Patriots uniform suiting Taylor very well. Shalise Manza Young has Taylor glad to be able to get on the field and have a chance to learn the playbook. Andy Vogt says that the running back seems Taylor-made for New England. Mike Petraglia has Taylor hoping to catch Jim Brown in the record books.

Ron Borges has Tank Williams believing that he can be a big part of the Patriots defense this season. Christopher L. Gasper has second year players Shawn Crable and Terrence Wheatley looking to make a big leap this season in the team’s defense. Vogt has Kevin O’Connell taking center stage at QB yesterday. Christopher Price has O’Connell ready to take another step forward.

Mike Reiss explores whether the IR system might be in line for a change. Bill Burt wants the Patriots to go out and sign Michael Vick when he is reinstated.

Farinella complains about Tom Brady speaking only to a team-run “media” outlet:

The quick Brady interview is another example of the Kraft organization’s growing inclination to sidestep traditional, non-affiliated media to produce “news” it can control and sanitize through its own outlets, which include the newspaper “Patriots Football Weekly,” the Webcasts under the “Patriots Today” label, television programming produced by the Kraft Group such as “Patriots All-Access” and “Totally Patriots,” and exclusive content to WEEI radio in which players and Coach Bill Belichick are contractually obligated to appear as live or phoned-in guests on WEEI programs.

Guregian’s notebook has Tom Brady saying that he feels great and is looking forward to getting on the field. The Globe notebook has more from Taylor and Brady. Farinella’s notebook has backup QB Kevin O’Connell talking to the media yesterday. Young’s Patriots journal has former Bears safety Brandon McGowan excited about getting a chance with the Patriots.

Celtics

Mark Murphy has Doc Rivers talking about the end of the season for the Celtics, and what they need next year to get back on top. Buddy Thomas says that the best thing that could’ve happened to the Celtics was losing on Sunday night to the Magic. David Willis thinks that the Big 3 have another year in them. Patrick Gilroy says that there are plenty of decisions looming for the Celtics.  Murphy’s notebook has the Kings adding Tom Thibodeau to their coaching search.

Michael Felger dumps all over the Celtics in his mailbag.

Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

25 thoughts on “Homer Odyssey Finally Comes To An End For Ortiz”

  1. Felger and Farinella are prime reasons why I don’t listen to WEEI, and the newspaper industry is on the ropes.

    Like

  2. Gerry Callahan this morning was saying that the homer doesn’t change anything, “another twenty feet to the left and it’s only a double”. At least Dennis was saying it cleared the 379 foot sign by 27 feet – meaning it was a shot to dead center. It’s hard to listen to that show.

    I wonder if anybody has compared Papi’s slump to what Gil Hodges went through in Brooklyn in the early 50’s. It seems like it was probably pretty similar. (big guy suddenly can’t hit for power – fans don’t boo but actually support the guy with cheers).

    Like

  4. So can we all agree now that it was Farinella who was the “media member” that was complaining on draft day about the Patriots using Twitter to announce their draft moves?

    Like

    2. No, it was not. I did not complain, nor hear the complaints made by others and did not know of them before reading about the “dust-up” reported by Kerry Byrne. In fact, I utilized the Patritos’ Twitter announcements to aid in my own reporting.

      Like

      1. Fair enough. I would say it is much more disconcerting when a political figure blocks media access and creates their own channels to avoid independent reporting (as Obama seems to be doing). But that’s a discussion for a non-sports media site.

        Like

        1. I AGREE WITH YOU. THIS IS FASHISM. ITS OUR RIGHT TO NO WHAT GOES ON WHEN THE PRESIDENT MEETS IN CLOSED DOOR MEETINGS WITH ENERGY COMPANIES, HIRES A MAIL PROSTETUTE TO DESSMINATE PROPOGANDA, AND TALKS TO THE CONNETICUT BASKETBALL TEAM WITH ALLOWING THE NEWS MEDIA FULL AXSIS!!!!

          Like

  5. Why would ANYONE take what Mike Felger has to say about basketball seriously? The only sports he knows anything about are hockey and football, period.

    Like

      1. OK, I’ll correct my first post.

        He USED to know football–or at least he used to do a pretty good job on the Pats’ beat–before he became one of this town’s biggest media whores.

        Like

  7. You know, I can see Farinella’s fingertips moving over his keyboard, but all I read is “Waaaaaah! Waaaaaaah! They won’t talk to meeeee!”

    Boo frickin’ hoo, Mark. You should realize that you aren’t covering important world events, you are merely a sports reporter, and a local one at that. If all these newspaper sports departments closed tomorrow, would that effect any professional sports team these days? If the Pats want to talk only to their own press corps that they own, big deal. It’s not like the local press corps has been covering themselves with glory as of late (see: Video Witch Hunt, “Get Rich To This”, Brady’s knee, Bruschi’s stroke, etc.).

    Sports reporters have always been the marketing arm of a team. The only reason why Mark has any access at all is because historically the teams needed to drum up interest in their product just to get people to fill the stadiums, watch the games on TV, buy their trinkets, etc. With the internet & cable TV offering 24/7/365 coverage, who needs newspaper sports reporters anymore?

    Like

  8. so once again the Boston Media bores us with THEIR PROBLEMS….I couldn’t give a Rat’s ass less who the Pats talk to and who they don’t talk to….as a matter of fact it wouldn’t bother me in the least if the Pats boycotted all media…..it’s all what happens between the white lines to me. ….just another example of how the Boston Sports media thinks it’s all about them

    Like

  9. Nothing should upset sports fans more than a franchise that blatantly avoids full disclosure, because absense of accountibility will usually lead to underachievement.

    Newspeople who fail to take clubs to task for such transgressions are shirking their duties and cheating their readers.

    Good for Mr. Farinella for accurately reporting that the Krafts’ Foxboro has become nothing more than Spin City.

    Like

    1. “full disclosure” about WHAT??…jeeze… it’s sports not the Watergate Investigation…….and just what are the Patriots “spinning”??

      Like

    2. Mitch,
      Okay, let’s look at the logical disconnect in your statement that an absense of accountability will lead to underachievement.

      Pete Carroll era: the press runs roughshod over the head coach. They also have moles in the locker room and in the front office. Carroll is very accountable. Drew Bledsoe is very accountable. The team gets worse each year, going from 10-6 (losing to the Steelers), to 9-7 (losing to Jacksonville), to 8-8 (and missing the playoffs).

      Bill Belichick era: the press is cut off from all coaches other than BB, and he doesn’t say much. Locker room leaks are plugged, and the front office becomes monolithic. BB is aloof. Tom Brady doesn’t talk to traditional media if he can help it. The team goes from 5-11 to winning three Super Bowls, a 21-game winning streak, and a 16-0 regular season.

      Yeah, it’s now perfectly obvious that a lack of accountability leads to underachievement. (rolls eyes)

      Like

      1. Great post.

        It’s like the notion that teammates have to get along with each other and sing “Kumbaya” together all the time in order for teams to win.

        The early-70s A’s and late-70s Yankees certainly disproved that notion.

        How many guys on the ’04 Red Sox would secretly have loved to set Schilling’s hair on fire? Probably a lot of them, but who did they want taking the ball to the mound before a particularly big game? That would be #38 in your program.

        Like

  12. Don’t the “Patriots Weekly” guys have somewhat of a free hand to criticize the team? Perillo certainly pulls no punches in his radio and TV appearances, I know that.

    But honestly, I agree with the majority here: we don’t care. Just win on the field. If you lose, the fans will know if you’re “spinning” the story, because they can see the results on the field with their own eyes. If you win, well then, there’s no need to “spin”, is there?

    Like

    1. Correct. I have no problem with criticizing the Pats, when they screw up in the draft room or the football field, but anything else is completely pointless.

      I’m sorry that Bill is mean to you people, but I really don’t care.

      Like

      1. I agree…..for instance I thought it was fair game to criticize the Pats for the way the went about trying to replace Asaunte Samuel ( the #1 guy they signed to replace him ended up geting cut)…but that didn’t get much airtime. Instead you had ass clowns like Mike “I’d rather have Deon Branch” Felger trying to pin every defeat on Randy Moss.

        Like

Comments are closed.