David Ortiz hit a pair of home runs last night as the Red Sox beat the Angels 6-3 behind a strong effort from Clay Buchholz on the mound. Buchholz picked up his 11th win of the season. Get the full links over at RedSoxLinks.com.

Sports rival claims ’EEI is padding Hub stats – We’ll start out the links with Jessica Heslam looking at the dispute over radio ratings. Jason Wolfe still sounds like a weasel.

Boston bats finally produce late – Sean McAdam has the Red Sox offense finally coming through in the late innings.

Martinez makes presence felt in return – Alex Speier takes a look at Victor Martinez’s return to the lineup.

A good place to start – Michael Silverman says that the Red Sox have needs as the trading deadline approaches, but starting pitching is not one of them.

Bard has quickly become one of game’s top relievers – Daniel Barbarisi with a look at the young fireballer’s development.

Ellsbury takes his first step back – Peter Abraham’s notebook has Jacoby Ellsbury finally getting into a rehab game.

The trials of training camp – Mike Reiss and Tedy Bruschi preview the start of training camp for the Patriots.

A look at six spots up for grabs at Patriots camp – Karen Guregian has a look at some positions where there are jobs to be won or lost on the Patriots roster.

These numbers might lie – Tom E Curran says that despite strong numbers, the Patriots running attack as a whole is not healthy.

Postional Previews – Wide Receivers – Patriots Daily with a rundown of the 13 receivers on the roster to open camp.

Finally…

Guess who?

Too bad Boras can’t speak for Hideki Okajima. Okie spit the bit Sunday, then refused to explain his strange decisions regarding his fielding of Mariners bunts. This prompted media members to complain about Okie’s lack of accountability, which in turn prompted assorted fanboys to say the writers are being crybabies. Let’s go over this one more time people: if players don’t explain themselves, they are snubbing you, not us. Personally, I don’t care if any of these guys ever say another word. We only ask them stuff because we presume you want to know. If you are OK with a guy turtling after coughing up a lead, then I’m OK with it.

Lets go over this one more time: I don’t care if Okajima talks to you or not, I just want him to stop being lousy on the field. I don’t feel snubbed because Okajima wouldn’t show his face after the horrendous outing. Does that mean I’m OK with his performance? Not at all.

Listening to 98.5 yesterday afternoon, Felger and Massarotti are not admitting defeat on this Brady situation, they’ve just changed their tune. Here’s how it goes now:

Felger: “Of course we knew Brady wouldn’t hold out, and we know that he’s going to get a new deal from the Patriots that will be close to Peyton Manning’s. But why did they make him BEG for it? They made this guy, who has won three Super Bowls for them, and made the Patriots the fifth most valuable franchise in professional sports, get down on his KNEES and BEG for it.”

Massarotti: “You’re absolutely right, Mike.”

Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

27 thoughts on “Big Night For Ortiz Powers Sox Over Angels”

  1. You want Dan Shaugnessy on that wall! You need Dan Shaugnessy on that wall!

    Your not smart enough to figure out for yourself that Okajima is not pitching well.

    Throw in a Curt Schilling rip and a Bob Kraft rip and I'll be in the green room at the Jim Rome Show if your looking for me.

    Love,

    Big Red Shaugnessy

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  2. Dan:

    Why? Why is he "snubbing" me if he doesn't explain his actions? Am I the one who hired him; who gave him instructions before the inning; who set the infield defense for that batter? Did I have any role whatsoever in the play other than passive spectator? You state your position as if it's a concluded fact, and if there's something wrong with me if I don't accept it as a concluded fact. But you say nothing regarding why this "fact" is true.

    If you go see "Iron Man" and think that Gwynneth Paltrow was terrible in it, does she owe you an interview? Does she have to explain her decisions in her performance, lest she be "snubbing" us and shirking her "accountability" to us? Why are professional sports games — which are ENTERTAINMENT, Dan, just like your opinion columns in the Globe — and their participants subject to additional scrutiny?

    You, Dan, often take contrarian and inflammatory positions, as is your right to do. When you're called on those opinions, I've often seen you lash out with a "fanboy" this or a "drinking the Kool-aid" that; ad hominem attacks that don't explain or illuminate why you took the position you did. Aren't you, therefore, also "snubbing" us? Aren't you lacking accountability, Dan?

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  3. Does anybody really think that Brady has to BEG for his contract.? Felger is an insipid ass. His act is so old that now he's just making stuff up.

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  4. That quote by Felger…is that a direct quote?

    It couldn't be further from reality…begging? He signed a deal and showed up for work – like a professional. He didn't beg, he didn't complain.

    Felger and Mazz are stone liars, which is much worse than Dan S. who is basically just a contrarian.

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    1. It’s not a word-for-word quote, but it is pretty close. I was in the car, so I had to go from memory as best I could.

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      1. I'll second that, Bruce. I heard the same nonsense yesterday. I actually tuned in once I found out that Brady was already at camp to see what F&M would say. I was shocked (and then a few moments after that, not surprised) that they said that Brady's angry because the Krafts made him beg for a contract.

        It's not a word-for-word quote but that's the gist of what those two Bozo's were saying.

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  5. In regards to the WEEI vs. WBZ Fm ratings battle I'd like to weigh in with one very humble opinion. First, I actually like both stations and flip to the other when one is on commercial. Secondly, living in Attleboro I always try to pick up 103.7 FM and let that take me as far as possible, north, south, east, or west, because it has a better sound than the AM side, which I also can pick up easily. I am actually very pleased that 98.5 has such a strong signal and that WEEI has picked up enough stations that I can listen to them in my travels around New England. As far as counting the Providence station towards their ratings, I, not knowing exactly how they count ratings, believe they should count the Providence station, as WBZ also stretches deep into Providence, and thus is probably counted in their ratings. Again just an opinion. Overall I'm just glad that there are 2 local sports options again, and hope they both do well.

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  6. Is Masterbater trying to make Smithers look like James Dean? I could understand if he were agreeing constantly with someone who was intelligent but Felger? I know one thing, Masterbater is no Andy Richter…

    As Burns would say to them "Can't you go five minutes without embarrassing yourselves?"

    CHB wrote a great article recently on the deceased media columnist and I guess that filled his quality quotient for the decade.

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  7. I don't know about you folks, but I don't feel the least bit "snubbed" by Hideki Okajima for him not speaking to the press after Sunday's game.

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    1. I don't know about "snubbed," but I'm certainly not impressed…Dan's a little over-the-top as usual, but I'm more on his side than on Okajima's.

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      1. Is anyone on Okajima’s “side?” I think everyone agrees that he’s been awful. This is about media vs. consumer.

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      2. I think most people, fans and media alike, would agree that the way Okajima handled himself isn't impressive. If, instead of using twitter and their columns to complain, which is undoubtedly what they all did, McAdam, Shank et. al had simply said it was unimpressive, weak or whatnot, that's a different story.

        Instead they use these accountability or voice of the fans arguments which ring rather hollow.

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  10. I found DS's comment that he "doesn't care if any of these guys ever say another word" pretty interesting. He does realize that is his bread and butter, right? Even as a columnist and not a reporter, if he isn't getting the story from "these guys", the fans have no use for him (Shaugnessy).

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  11. Didn't Steve Carlton go practically his entire career not talking to the press? Granted, he was Steve Carlton and not Hideki Okajima, so he was able to get away with it, but in the end, certain athletes not wishing to speak with the media really is nothing new.

    These guys need to get over it and stop whining.

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  12. I will never understand why the media in this region is so eager to cannabilize the Patriots. I guess they don't like a relevant football team in this town.

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    1. it makes no sense. I've never seen an entire country begrudge a team their success more than the Pats. They've been whining since the "tuck rule" game – even though it took place against one of the most reprehensible organizations in all of sports. You don't see similar things printed about baseball teams in the steroid era, the laughable state of NBA officiating, and any successful NCAA team with their "student athletes"that you do about the Pats. It makes zero sense, and the Herald and Globe are actively joining with the national media in giving the Patriots short shrift. It's awful.

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      1. My thoughts on why the Pats have had a constant Hater-Ade bath over the last 10 years are as follows:

        1–Belichick is not a media-friendly personality. They'd much rather deal with a guy like Parcells, who dumped on the press constantly, outwardly insulting them many times, but who at least was a GREAT quote machine for them. So the local and national media animus towards the Pats starts with the media's general dislike for the head coach. During Spygate, I remember reading a quote from an anonymous media member who said: "I know this is not a big deal, but he (Belichick) is a jerk and he deserves this beating." I'm paraphrasing of course.

        2–Their first two Super Bowl wins were considered "flukey" by national fans and media alike, so that annoyed a lot of people who couldn't understand why a team with no "superstars" was winning titles; and by the time people began to consider them a great team, they were well on their way to a 3rd Super Bowl win, which is when the jealousy and hatred that comes with being a successful franchise began to be directed towards them by fans across the country.

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  13. LMAO at the Felger/Tony Mazz conversation……..they've reached the point where they are more comical than annoying……..maybe that's what they're going for…….and Shank is full of CRAP. Sportswriters are some of the most sensitive people around. If an athlete won't talk to them they take it as a 'snub"……they care WAY MORE than fans if a player won't talk………I mean really, what was the guy going to say anyway??……..something along the lines of….."I thought I could get him at 3rd but I hesitaited..etc..etc.."………wow, my life would have been so much fuller………If every athlete in town boycotted the media, I wouldn't bat an eye…….I really couldn't care less if they talk………

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  14. Dan, please do not tell us with a straight face that you and many other sports writers get quotes for the reader. You do it for yourself and yourself alone. You hope for that gotcha moment where your "harmless little question" set off a player or coach. It can then be seen by every ESPN show, CSNNE, or NESN. You can make all the rounds like PTI, Rome, Sports Tonight or whatever show will want you. Your market value goes up as you were the one who not only made Okajima speak but had him throw a bulky role at you (see Kimble, George). Remember a few months ago when Nomar Garciaparra was being honored by the Red Sox? You should, you were living off of that for about three weeks. You told us what a miserable human being he was. He treated the media like dogs. Of course, this flies in the face of what you actually felt back in 2004 just before Nomar was traded. You talked about his injuries and how much it must hurt him not to be able to play. In 2010 though you have shown total revisionist history. Why, because it has helped one person, Dan Shaughnessy.

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    1. It's funny that the old guys in sports media misuse the term "fanboy". The term originated in comic book circles, to describe someone who was socially insecure and used comics as a shield from interaction, hence the disparaging connotations. Fanboys are often experts on minor details regarding their hobbies, such as continuity in fictional universes, and they take these details extremely seriously.

      So, it really doesn't fit someone who's just a "normal" fan.

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  16. More quotes = less original thought. It's a hell of a lot easier to be a stenographer than a writer. Let's not kid ourselves as to what the real issue is, especially in cities where the hotel bar closes at 12 and you have to drink your chardonnay out of the little mini bar bottles.

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