Jon Lester went the distance last night, giving up just one earned run while striking out nine. Kevin Youkilis and Adrian Beltre homered for the Red Sox, who posted a 6-2win over the Minnesota Twins to sweep the quick game series at Fenway Park. Get the complete coverage from last night at RedSoxLinks.com.
Merloni is still a fan favorite – Chad Finn’s media column in the Globe focuses on CSN and WEEI personality Lou Merloni, who has remained a fan favorite even after his playing days.
‘I’m not paying attention to any of [the media’s] crap anymore’ – Transcript of David Ortiz’s interview on WEEI yesterday afternoon.
Lester goes distance in 6-2 Sox win – Bill Ballou notes that complete games have gone the way of the Buffalo.
Sox have found their winning blueprint – Joe Haggerty says that the Red Sox seem to have dusted off that old Epstein baseball blueprint with these last two wins.
Ellsbury set to punctuate key week for Red Sox – Alex Speier says that the return of Jacoby Ellsbury could provide a boost for the Red Sox.
Beckett’s back will take time to heal – The ProJo Red Sox Journal picks up many of the remaining pieces.
The Red Sox have the right man for the job – Rob Bradford says that this stretch should remind us of the value of Terry Francona.
Doubront on the up and up – Peter Abraham’s Minor League notebook has Felix Doubront taking a step forward.
The Celtics will wait another day before resuming their Eastern Conference Finals series with the Orlando Magic tomorrow night at the TD Garden. Down in Orlando, columnists are trying to rally the fans (as heard on D&C this morning) and tell them that the series is not over, pointing to the Bruins collapse against the Flyers.
Kryptonite Kendrick – Michael Muldoon looks at the job Kendrick Perkins has done on opposing centers.
Celts’ defense shutting down Magic’s 3-point shooting – Scott Souza examines how the Celtics defense has come alive in the postseason.
Paul Pierce has always talked the talk – Steve Bulpett notes that the Celtics Captain was a talker even when the team wasn’t any good.
Pierce’s fire has been lit – Chris Forsberg says that the Magic’s decision to have Vince Carter “defend” Pierce seems to have lit a fire under the Captain.
Celtics should raise Kevin Garnett’s No. 5 to the rafters – A little early for this, Ron Chimelis?
Doc Rivers tries to keep focus – Dan Duggan’s Celtics notebook has the coach trying to preach humility to his team.
Julian Edelman talked to reporters at Gillette yesterday, as the second-year receiver prepares for a larger role in the Patriots offense in ’10.
Big task awaits Patriots’ Edelman in 2010 – Glen Farley has Edelman better able to focus on getting better this offseason.
Edelman wants more in second season – Mike Reiss says that Edelman will need to take a giant step forward this season.
Edelman looks to build on a rookie season for the ages – Christopher Price notes that Edelman accomplished quite a bit last season, and is looking for more.
Boston soccer’s (low-key) version of Becks and Posh – Frank Dell’Apa has a look at Revolution defender Cory Gibbs and his pop-star wife Zena McNally, who have kept a pretty low profile in Boston.
Today’s non-link is Steve Buckley’s column, which is basically a re-write of the WEEI appearance yesterday (linked above) of which Buckley was a part. Did he write it in the studio while he was on the air? The transcript is softened up a bit in terms of the questions, as Buckley had a “tone” in some of his questions as if he was trying to challenge Ortiz or get him mad, it was pretty annoying, in fact. (You can also listen to the interview on WEEI.com as well – though fair warning, Mike Adams hosted the Big Show yesterday.)
Toucher and Rich went after Ortiz this morning as well, saying he should leave the public eye if he doesn’t want to be criticized by the media. They claim that the media “created” Ortiz, so he can’t really be mad at them. That type of self-important reference is not something that T&R usually do, so it was a bit disappointing to hear it come from that show.
Meanwhile, Mike Lowell speaks out the day after a devastating loss, saying he has to play, and instead of getting any criticism, gets a warm fuzzy from Gerry Callahan in print yesterday. Ortiz has been crushing the ball this month – .358 batting average, 7 home runs, 17 RBI, 1.171 OPS (Last 7 days – .417, 4, 10, 1.379) – yet the talk from the media is still that he is “done” and that Lowell needs to be in the lineup.
Why the difference in coverage?
Boston Sports Media Watch 
I'll be interested to see if you here from Buckley on this – he seems mighty thin skinned…
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To Toucher and Rich, get over yourselves. Ortiz cemented his fame thanks to being the best clutch player in Red Sox history from 2003-2007. I do want you guys to beat Dennis and Callahan in the ratings but it has nothing to go with your talent. It is just you are the lesser of two evils.
My guess is that Ortiz was mad at a certain few members of the media who were hammering him early. Michael Holley, Tony Massarotti and especially Dan Shaughnessy who said it was all over for Ortiz after TWO GAMES. If there has ever been a guy who likes to prod people with a stick it is Shaughnessy. He knows he can easily get under the reader or listeners skin. I think he maybe worse than Felger in not believing in anything he says. I would like to know when Dan has admitted he has been wrong, probably as many times as Borges. Michael Holley at least admits when he was wrong. I love it when Shaughnessy will start off with " I know we are early in the season and the sample size is small but…" Then runs off twenty reasons why Ortiz is done. God is he aggravating.
A couple of days ago Sportsjuke said the following:
"Why are we getting all upset about people talking about clubhouse issues? Theo and Company gave us a team that sits 8.5 out of the East and 4.5 out of the Wild Card. They are forcing everybody to talk about these issues. The Sox are pretty pathetic right now, so don't these broadcasters have the right to talk about the negativity in the Boston's clubhouse?"
I agree with it. If there are issues that are in the clubhouse they should definitely be reported. It gives the reader, listener or viewer good insight as to what is going on and why things are the way they are. The issue is when people like Ordway and Shaughnessy dress up in cheerleader outfits and act like a couple teenage girls when they just got a secret on another girl. Shaugnessy was literally snickering when reporting on the Red Sox clubhouse with Lowell in it. Are you kidding me? Ordway was the same as he was basically saying I told you so.
P.S. Sportsjuke has a nice blog. I just looked at it. Good Job.
Finally if anyone can decipher what Andy Gresh was talking about today. You deserve an award. He was talking about Ortiz and how it fits in with steroids and that is why he is going after the media and… (what I am writing makes no sense just like the big jawjacker Gresh himself)
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The only possible excuse I can give for T and R is that they've been crankier than usual recently. Maybe it's toucher's mother-in-law, Adolfo driving a car, or the awfulness that is the Bruins collapse, but the Ortiz criticism is silly.
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From the ORTIZ INTERVIEW on WEEI……don't know who asked the question but LOOK HOW THEY PHRASED IT
"After all that you’ve done for the fans since 2003, how do you react to fans who abandoned you during your slumps this year and last year?"
Typical GUTLESS MEDIA……they once again try to put all the criticism of Ortiz on the "FANS" because they were doing a LIVE interview with Ortiz. …..They were TOO SCARED to put themselves out there so they had to drag "THE FANS" into it………The MEDIA has been MOCKING Ortiz all year…….why not just ask the question like this…..
"David, you've been struggling for quite awhile do you think you still have what it takes to play in the big leagues?"………..I'll tell you why, BECAUSE THEY ARE GUTLESS and have NO BALLS……credit goes to Ortiz for the way he answered the question
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