Trivia Q&A: August 25

We had 14 teams in for Trivia Night on Tuesday, and the bar was less crowded than usual. I would guess with the upcoming Labor Day holiday and the end of summer on the horizon, a few regulars decided to go elsewhere last night.

Anyway, we had an unusual round for The Q Train, as the numbers for all teams but one were either 5 or 6 correct (the other had 4). It was one of the toughest lightning rounds we've ever had. The scores were also lower for Current Events, but they were better for The 1980s Trivia and General Knowledge rounds.

Going into IQ Trivia, we had six teams separated by five points, but the first place team going in slipped to third, and we had a tie between Megan Wants a Restraining Order and Prestige Worldwide, both at 39 points at its conclusion. We broke the tie with a question about the movie "Casino" I asked back in May about how many "F-words" are in it (which happens to be a record for a feature film). Prestige Worldwide was closest (422 is the actual answer) and we were crowned champions for this week. Nice going guys.

Current Events
1. The mayor of this midwestern city was hospitalized last week when he was attacked at a state fair coming to the aid of a woman who was being menaced by a man wielding a pipe.
2. Don Hewitt, the longtime producer of this TV show, died last week at age of 86.
3. John Marek became the 68th death row inmate to be executed in this state by lethal injection since the death sentence was reinstated in 1979.
4. Hans-Rudolf Merz, president of this European country, apologized to the Libyan government after arresting Moammar Khadafy's son on charges of abusing domestic employees there, but the case was later settled.
5. This MLB team was sold for about $900 million to Tom Ricketts, capping a process that began over two years ago, and it will be the largest sale of any team in baseball history.
6. This US state was rocked by two earthquakes last week, with one that registered 5.0 and rattled buildings in the state's largest city.
7. More than 90 wildfires have been raging across this European country since Saturday, with thousands evacuated from thie homes and fires have threatened two ancient temples.

Answers: 1. Milwaukee; 2. "60 Minutes;" 3. Florida; 4. Switzerland; 5. Chicago Cubs; 6. Alaska; 7. Greece.

The 1980s: Yes or No Trivia
1. Germany as a nation is reunified officially following the Berlin Wall's collapse.
2. The USSR invades Afghanistan.
3. The San Francisco 49ers win the first of five Super Bowl titles.
4. John Lennon records "Double Fantasy," his comeback album after five years away from the music business.
5. Seoul, South Korea hosts The Summer Olympics.
6. "Rain Man" wins Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
7. The Chicago Bulls win their first NBA title over the LA Lakers in five games.

Answers: 1. no (1990); 2. no (1979); 3. yes (1982); 4. yes (1980); 5. yes (1988); 6. yes (1989); 7. no (1991).

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Edgar Rice Burroughs, author of "Tarzan," is buried in Tarzana, California.
2. The Hawaiian Islands are an archelpago.
3. Gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in the human body in terms of volume.
4. In the board game "Risk," the winner is determined by drawing cards.
5. The USA has the most TV sets in the world.
6. It will take a person more than 400 years to watch every video on YouTube.
7. Victoria Woodhull was the first woman ever to run for US president.
8. Soccer is the biggest participant sport in the world.
9. The average person says about 5,000 words in a day.
10. Over the last 40 years, food production has increased faster than the world's population.

Answers: 1. true; 2. true; 3. true; 4. false, rolling dice; 5. false, China (300 million); 6. true; 7. true; 8. false, fishing; 9. true; 10. true.

General Knowledge
1. In England, a "boot" is what part of a car?
2. The line "When you've got nothin', you've got nothin' to lose" is from what Bob Dylan song?
3. The Erie Canal links Lake Erie with what other body of water?
4. The new iPhone 3GS has a touchscreen with an "oleophobic coating" which is specifically designed to do what?
5. What Broadway play tells the story of John Merrick?
6. What bad habit has the technical name "rhinotillexomania?"
7. If you have three bills, each one with a different face from Mt. Rushmore, how much do you have in total paper currency?

Answers: 1. trunk; 2. "Like a Rolling Stone;" 3. Hudson River; 4. not show fingerprints; 5. "The Elephant Man;" 6. nose picking; 7. eight dollars.

IQ Trivia
1. What scientist first determined that human sight results from images projected onto the retina? ( 5 points)
2. When Barack Obama and his future wife Michelle went on their first date in 1989, what film did they see? ( 4 points)
3. In the classic film "The Bridge Over the River Kwai," what country is the River Kwai in? ( 4 points)
4. By definition, where does an abyssopelagic animal live? ( 4 points)
5. Who was the director of "The Manhattan Project," and was also known as "The Father of the Atomic Bomb?" ( 3 points)

Answers: 1. Johannes Kepler; 2. "Do The Right Thing;" 3. Thailand; 4. bottom of the sea; 5. J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Wagner Traded to Red Sox

Well, after all the posturing and whatnot, Billy Wagner agreed at the last minute this afternoon to a trade to the Red Sox. The Sox had claimed him off waivers, and had until 1 PM today to swing a deal with the Mets. The Sox will send two players to be named later to the Mets.

The Red Sox will pick up his contract for the final month of this season, which will be about $2 million. The Sox will not pick up his $10 million option for 2010, so Wagner can walk away as a free agent after this season. The Red Sox can offer him arbitration, and can get two draft picks as compensation should he walk.

Wagner figures to be used as a lefty setup man for Jonathan Papelbon.

Bats, Chisox Goof Pick Up Buchholz

It looked for all the world like Clay Buchholz was sending the Red Sox to a loss in the opening game of the four-game series with the White Sox. Chicago scored two in the second and two more in third on rookie Gordon Beckham's two-run blast.

But with the score 4-1 in the bottom of the third and the bases loaded with two out, Big Papi hit a 3-0 pitch down the first base line that looked like a sure third out. But pitcher Jose Contreras booted the ball allowing Ortiz to reach and made it 4-2. A walk and a wild pitch later and it was 4-4. Mike Lowell (pictured with David Ortiz) really made Contreras pay as he launched a pitch onto Lansdowne Street to make it 7-4 and end the night for the White Sox pitcher. He should have been out of the inning with a 4-1 lead intact, but six unearned runs later he was taking an early shower.

The Red Sox added two more runs and it looked like an easy win was on the horizon. But Buchholz continued to struggle, and allowed a three-run shot to Paul Konerko to make it 9-7 in the fifth. Terry Francona took no chances and pulled Buchholz just one out away from a win. (That's the second time Buchholz has missed a win by just one out in the fifth inning this year. Remember the 18-10 win in Baltimore?) He wound up allowing 7 earned runs and struck out 3 while walking 3.

The bullpen took over and allowed just one run over the remaining 4 1/3 innings. The Sox tacked on three more runs in the eighth, highlighted by a home run by J.D. Drew.

Ramon Ramirez got the win, and the Red Sox are now 1 1/2 games up on Texas in the Wild Card, who were idle last night. They open a series in the Bronx tonight against You Know Who. I'll just watch that series and see what happens.

Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon On August 27th and 28th

This week the 8th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon will be happening at Fenway Park. It will kick off at 6 AM on Thursday and will feature an array of amazing stories and features of those brave folks who are battling now or have fought cancer.

It will run each day from 6 AM to midnight, and a number of celebrities will be on hand to lend their support to the cause, such as Denis Leary, Lenny Clarke and Jimmy Fallon. This year the target is to raise $5 million. (An eBay auction just concluded yesterday that included with a number of cool items that included throwing out the first pitch at Fenway with Mr. Leary and Mr. Clarke.) All proceeds from the Radio Telethon benefit the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

It will be jointly broadcast by both NESN and WEEI. Red Sox Nation has always been extremely generous with the Sox' charity, and hopefully this will be the biggest Radio Telethon ever.

A Fine Day at The Fens

Here are some shots my buddy Governor Chris Wertz took at Fenway Park this past Saturday:


Being acknowledged on the scoreboard in the second inning.

Hanging with my buddies at the Baseball Tavern before the contest.A partial shot of the group in Section 3 of the RF Grandstand. (Yours Truly is in the middle row looking off to the left.)Doing a spirited version of "Sweet Caroline" with the Red Sox up 12-1. (I'm on the far left.)My friend Bravo wearing one of the more popular shirts in Fenway that day.

Pizz Honors America

Here is a YouTube clip of my friend and jazz great John Pizzarelli doing "The Star Spangled Banner" before last Saturday's Red Sox game. John told me he had to get song in within 90 seconds, and I was timing him as he sang it. He did it in 75 seconds, and it's terrific take.

Back to the 1980s On Tuesday

This Tuesday night, our Special category for Trivia Night will be: "The 1980s: Yes or No Trivia." It will be seven statements about the decade of the 1980s, and you have to tell me if that fact occurred in that decade. It will also be a double points round, as if you give the right year it happened, you will also get an additional point.

The Q Train lightning round will be "True or False Trivia." After last week's Match Game debacle, that category will be shelved until we can work the bugs out of it.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
What Broadway play tells the story of John Merrick?

We will get going at usual time of 9 PM. It's been gratifying to see such large crowds week after week at Professor Thom's, even during the hot summer. So I look forward to seeing many of you Tuesday.

A Tale of Two Becketts

Before last Tuesday's start in Toronto, Josh Beckett was making a serious case for the AL Cy Young Award. He had 14 wins, and was simply dominating, especially in his starts at Fenway.

But the wheels came off in the SkyDome, as he allowed seven runs in five innings. Most fans thought it was an abberation, and the old dominating Beckett would return for his outing against New York and C.C. Sabathia.

Beckett got his head handed to him on Sunday night, and became the first Red Sox pitcher to allow at least five home runs against him since Tim Wakefield gave up six against Detroit in 2006. It was also a career high in homers allowed by him in a game. It brought back bad memories of 2006, when Beckett was allowing homers by the tractor-trailer load, trying to do nothing but blow people away.

It was ugly from the start and didn't get any prettier. Beckett wound up going eight innings and allowed eight earned runs. His last two starts, the numbers are simply brutal: 13 1/3 innings, 15 earned runs. And he had a stretch in these two starts where he allowed runs in an astounding ten straight innings, before finally getting a scoreless one in the sixth last night.

You have to seriously wonder if Beckett is hiding an injury to go from one extreme to the other. I really hope this isn't a repeat of late last year, where it came out after the playoffs that he was really injured and trying to push his way through. A hurt Beckett may end any chance of the Red Sox going to the postseason this year.

It all added up to an 8-4 loss to New York, and the Sox are now 7 1/2 games behind in the AL East, and one up in the Wild Card. Safe to say te division is now gone. And unfortunately this week, Texas is playing New York in the Bronx. Does that mean we have to root for... well, I'd rather have all my back teeth pulled out than do that.

The White Sox play the Red Sox for four starting tonight, with Clay Buchholz taking the mound tonight. They are no pushover, and the Red Sox better find a way to regroup and make the push for the Wild Card.

This Could Only Happen to the Mets

Eric Bruntlett of the Phillies became the 15th player in MLB history to pull off an unassisted triple play, as he did it the way it's been done so many times.

The Mets had first and second with no outs and the runners going with Jeff Francoeur at the plate. Francoeur hit a smash up the middle, with Bruntlett running over from second to cover the bag. He caught the ball, stepped on second, and tagged Daniel Murphy as he was coming down from first.

It ended the game, giving the Phillies a 9-7 win. It was some inning for Bruntlett, as he made two errors earlier in the 9th. It's the third time in history it has happened in the ninth inning, and the second time that ever ended a game, the other being in 1927. (Thanks Jere.)

Asdrubal Cabrera of the Indians was the last man to do it, back in May of 2008. Two Red Sox players have done it in their history: George Burns in 1923 and John Valentin in 1994. Here is the list of players who've turned the unassisted triple play, which is as rare as perfect games.

Are They Kidding?

Are the Wilpons kidding with this? No, I guess they aren't.

Talk about living with blinders on. I was really dismayed to see the back cover of today's New York Post with the headline, "They'll Be Back."

The Mets' "Brain Trust" has decided that the total and complete mess their team has become is NOT the fault of either Omar Minaya or Jerry Manuel and they say both will be back in 2010.

My sympathies to all Mets fans out there.

How much more do the Mets have to be run into the ground before the Wilpons see what's going on with this team? They gave Minaya an idiotic three-year extension last year and they are on the hook to him through 2012. They don't seem to want to do what's in the best interest of the team and bring in new blood. Granted they would have to eat Minaya's deal and pony up more cash for someone who actually has a clue as to what they are doing.

We all know what has happened on Minaya's watch so I won't list the gruesome stats here. But I feel nothing but sad for all my friends and relatives who are devoted followers of the Mets. This team really needs a complete overhaul and the Wilpons just don't want to do it. They don't have their fans best interest at heart, just the bottom line.

This team will be mediocre at best in 2010. It's painful to watch the Yankees get all the headlines in this town and the Mets are basically just an afterthought. I want to see the Mets become THE team in town again. But it's pretty apparent that that won't happen with Fred and Jeff Wilpon running this sinking ship.

13-1 in 1999, 14-1 in 2009

There are fewer things in life I enjoy more than being present when the Red Sox lay it into the Yankees good.

And I was a present witness on Saturday afternoon for the ass hammering the Sox gave the Evil Empire, 14-1. It was quick and fast, and erased the bad memories of Friday night. The Red Sox now lead the season series, 9-5, and one more win will give them the season series for 2009.

The Red Sox have now outscored New York in this series 25-21. Who would have thought that in the fifth inning of Friday night's game?

The Sox scored three in the first and four in the second, pummelling A.J. Burnett and fat contract for a 7-0 lead. It's the third straight time the Sox have given Burnett a whipping at Fenway. (Didn't the Yankees get this guy because his lifetime numbers against the Red Sox were so good?)

The bats were alive, as Kevin Youkilis went deep twice and had six RBI, David Ortiz blasted a solo shot and had three RBI, and Alex Gonzalez hit his first homer back in a Red Sox uniform. The Sox also scored twelve of their runs on Saturday with two outs.

I went up to Fenway with my pal Governor Chris Wertz of Red Sox Nation-NY and about 100 others from the New York area. (Chris did an absolutely amazing job organizing the whole event.) We were sitting in section 3 in right field, and had a great view of the contest. We were joined by former Red Sox pitcher Jerry Casale and his family, and jazz guitar great John Pizzarelli, who did a wonderful job singing "The Star Spangled Banner." John told me the Sox wanted him to do it in under 90 seconds, and I clocked him at 75 seconds.) I enjoyed chatting with Jerry, who sat right behind me and told me stories of his Red Sox career. (Nice job the Red Sox with their trivia question on the board: "What former Red Sox pitcher gave up Carl Yastrzemski's first MLB home run in 1961?" Answer is "Jerry Casale.")

We also held up signs for Red Sox Nation-New York, and in the second inning, we were on the huge video scoreboard in centerfield. (Chris has been promised a copy of it by the Red Sox. Can't wait to see that.) And in the sixth inning, the Fox team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver mentioned us on the air, and a couple of friends of mine at the park got text messages about it. Nice job by the Fox guys there.

I thought going into yesterday's game that Junichi Tazawa (pictured) might get his head handed to him after what happened on Friday, but the kid looked terrific. He scattered eight hits but showed some great poise, getting out of two jams early on. He pitched six solid innings for the win. He will obviously get the next start later this week, and with Tim Wakefield coming back Wednesday, Bard Penny seems to be odd man out.

We had a great trip up to Fenway on the buses, and an even better time at the park. (On the way back we discovered Tampa Bay beat Texas to extend the Sox Wild Card lead to two.) I have now been to Fenway twice to see the Red Sox play the Yankees, and the composite score is: Red Sox 27, New York 2. The other time I was there you may remember was October 16, 1999: Red Sox 13, Yankees 1. I affectionately call that game "The Clemens Massacre."

I should see the Evil Empire at Fenway more often. 15-1 Red Sox next time?

Always Look On The Bright Side of Life

No comment about Friday's game. I didn't see a second of it as I had dinner with a dear friend of mine. And I'm so glad I did.

Tim Wakefield pitched what could be his final rehab start with Pawtucket, allowing just two hits and one run in 5 2/3 innings against Rochester. He could be activated over the weekend, and pitch either next Wednesday or Thursday against Chicago.

The Sox have badly missed Wake, as well as Daisuke Matsuzaka. I think it's time to admit Brad Penny is as big a failure as John Smoltz was. Time to forget about bringing in reclamation projects and spending the money toward better use. The back end of the rotation has really cost the Red Sox dearly.

Jacoby Ellsbury tied Tommy Harper's 1973 team stolen base record with 54, as he swiped one in the first inning.

Another positive is that Tampa Bay beat Texas tonight, so the Red Sox lose no ground in the Wild Card race, which is looking more and more important all the time. They still hold a one-game lead.

Momentum Going Back to Boston

Lots and lots to like from last night's sweep in Toronto.

Jon Lester threw eight solid innings, allowing just a run and three hits, after loading the bases and allowing the run in the first.

J.D. Drew banged out two home runs and Victor Martinez hit a rocket out of the SkyDome (I will always call Toronto's home that) and the Red Sox coasted to an 8-1 demolition of the Blue Jays.

The last two games by Lester and Clay Buchholz really spared the pen and gave them a good rest going into this important series with the Yankees.

The Sox scored 25 runs in the sweep over a falling Blue Jays team, but it was good to see the bats rocketting at just the right time.

Texas won at home last night, so the Red Sox Wild Card lead remains at one game.

Brad Penny, Junichi Tazawa and Josh Beckett will pitch this weekend's series against New York. Yours Truly will be in attendance on Saturday, along many other members of Red Sox Nation-New York to root on our boys against The Evil Empire. We will be sitting in section 3 in right field in the back five rows (there will be 100 of us). So if you're at the game, stop by and say hello.

RemDawg Returns Friday

It was terrific news to hear that out very own President of Red Sox Nation, one Jerry Remy, will return to the Red Sox broadcast booth on Friday in time for the showdown with the Yankees. I only wish I could see it. (In NYC, we are stuck with the YES boneheads, with NESN blacked out. Boo. Hiss.)

Here's more from Extra Bases.

Eck, Dave Roberts, Frank Viola, Jim Kaat, Gordon Edes and everyone else did a wonderful job filling in with Don Orsillo, but there is only one RemDawg.

Welcome back, Mr. President. We missed you.

And the Red Sox had a big night on Wednesday, beating Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays, 6-1. Clay Buchholz pitched six good innings for the win, and Big Papi and Jason Bay went deep yet again for the Red Sox, along with Victor Martinez to cap it off in the ninth. Texas was beaten again by the Minnesota Twins, so the Red Sox now stand alone with the Wild Card lead of one game.

The Red Sox go for the sweep of the Blue Jays on Thursday with Jon Lester taking the hill.

Jack Cust Should Do His Homework

I read an article today online that Jack Cust, the Oakland A's outfielder/DH and one of those players mentioned in the Mitchell Report, is miffed at George Mitchell because of the "lack" of Red Sox players named in the report.

In Cust's words:

"Were there any Red Sox on the report? To me, that's kind of a joke. How does that happen? It's coming out now with guys on that team. The guy worked for the Red Sox - they spent all kinds of millions of dollars - and then no one there had their name brought up."

Uh, excuse me, Jack, there were Red Sox players named in the report. But Cust is pissed that because Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were outed by the New York Times recently as being on the infamous List of 104 from the steroid survey of 2003, somehow Mitchell was "covering" for them because neither was in the 2007 report from Mitchell.

Once again, George Mitchell had NO access to that List of 104. It was sealed by the feds in early 2004 because of the upcoming BALCO trials, so Mitchell and investigators had no possible way of knowing who failed the test in that survey. And they still don't, as it's a federal crime to leak any information from those sealed documents.

Here is the complete list of players named in the Mitchell Report, and you can see some obvious names of players connected to the Sox. But Cust is like many others who is not satisified that none of the big "stars" were named in it.

Hey, I don't see Alex Rodriguez' name on this list, either. Was Mitchell covering for him too, Jack? Do your homework before you run your mouth, pal.

Determined to Give One Away, But Not Succeeding

Last night had all the earmarks of a game the Red Sox would lose. They jumped out strong, scoring four runs, and added to it. But Josh Beckett had a rare bad night, allowing the Toronto Blue Jays to come back, allowing home runs to Ricky Ruiz (who?), Travis Snider and Rod Barajas, and seven runs total in 5 1/3 innings.

It was 7-7 at Beckett's departure, but the Red Sox scored three in the eighth, based on some sloppy Toronto defense, to grab the lead. But Daniel Bard struggled (as he has been lately), allowing two runs back, and Jonathan Papelbon loaded the bases in that inning before finally getting a long fly to preserve the lead.

David Ortiz and Jason Bay hit home runs earlier (Papi scored three times) and it looked like the bats would give Beckett enough support. But the Jays were keeping with Beckett, and the righty was getting tagged pretty good.

Papelbon held on in the ninth for his 29th save. Good news came out of Texas as the Minnesota Twins came from behind to beat Texas, 9-6, to put the Sox and Rangers in a tie for the top of the Wild Card standings.

Trivia Q&A: August 18

It was a mighty interesting night at Thom's for Trivia last night. We had 20 teams and a rather spirited crowd. We had some strong scores early, and they were really good for Woodstock Trivia. But then we tried out something new called "Play The Match Game" which was substituting for the Q Train lightning round.

It was a disaster. We have been successful in the recent past introducing new things to Trivia Night, but this didn't work out well at all.

We had two people from Thom's answer a sentence like from the old game show, with the teams also giving their best guess. But no one matched either player, so we were forced to scrap the round. I will take the blame here, as we rushed into trying this out. We got off to a good start, playing the old "Match Game" theme, but it went downhill from there. We will try to work on bringing back at some future. My apologies to all the Trivia Night players, and The Q Train will be back next week.

We had a close match going into IQ Trivia, but the team of Holding Down The Fort managed to get all five questions correct, and won easily and by six points. They came from being tied for fifth going into the last round. Nice job guys, and congratulations on the win.

Current Events
1. A mine fire and explosion in this European country last Thursday killed 20 people in that nation's worst ever mining disaster.
2. Rafael Correa was sworn in for a second term as the president of this South American country last week.
3. Rugby and this sport were added to the Olympic Games of 2016, and it will mark the first time it will be in the Olympics in 112 years.
4. This British pop star was arrested in England on Saturday after being in a car accident, but was released later without being charged.
5. This Hollywood star is suing an Italian photographer who he claims jumped over a fence at his villa and took pictures of his houseguest in a bedroom.
6. Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, who attempted to kill this politciian in 1975 and spent 34 years in federal prison, was released from custody last Friday.
7. Usain Bolt of Jamaica set a new world record in this track and field event at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin this past weekend.

Answers: 1. Slovakia; 2. Ecuador; 3. golf; 4. George Michael; 5. George Clooney; 6. Gerald Ford; 7. 100 Meters.

Woodstock Trivia
1. What folk singer was the opening act of the Woodstock festival?
2. What guitar legend was the final act at Woodstock?
3. What political activist did Pete Townshend knock off the stage with his guitar when he interrupted The Who's performance?
4. What method of transportation were performers who were delayed getting to the venue by traffic jams brought in by?
5. Name 1 0f the 3 female artists who had solo performances at Woodstock.
6. Between Led Zeppelin, CCR and The Grateful Dead, which one did NOT perform at Woodstock?
7. Which classic rock band played the logest set at Woodstock in terms of number of songs: 25?

Answers: 1. Richie Havens; 2. Jimi Hendrix; 3. Abbie Hoffman; 4. helicopter; 5. Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, and Melanie; 6. Led Zeppelin; 7. The Who.

General Knowledge
1. What are the two primary substances that make up the metal alloy brass?
2. What US president was nicknamed "Old Hickory?"
3. The Brandenburg Gate is located in what European city?
4. What actor joked in 2008 that his desire for quality roles was surpassed by his yen to make "Booty Call II?"
5. In what country is the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp found?
6. What singer wrote the 1998 best-selling book "A Pirate Looks at 50?"
7. The Beach Boys and Marky Mark and The Funky Bunch both had number one hits with what song of the same title?

Answers: 1. copper and zinc; 2. Andrew Jackson; 3. Berlin; 4. Jamie Foxx; 5. Poland; 6. Jimmy Buffett; 7. "Good Vibrations."

IQ Trivia
1. The logo of the Shell Oil Company is a stylized version of what type of shell? ( 3 points)
2. What president signed into the law the bill to create the Medal of Honor? ( 4 points)
3. In the 1994 film "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," what is Priscilla? ( 5 points)
4. What three colors are used to build all the colors on a color computer monitor screen? ( 4 points)
5. The Dry Tortugas are a group of islands located off the coast of what US state? ( 4 points)

Answers: 1. scallop; 2. Abraham Lincoln; 3. bus; 4. red, green and blue; 5. Florida.

Favre Joins The Vikings. What a Shock.

I hope the Vikings know what they are doing.

Brett Favre officially becomes a member of the Minnesota Vikings today, as he will sign a contract for two years, at $25 million. He was already in camp earlier today in Minnesota taking snaps at QB.

Both Tarvaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels are nursing injuries, so Favre becomes the number one guy right away. I am not one who was pushing for the Vikings to do this, but now it is done. It has nothing to do with him as a former Green Bay Packer. He looked old and worn down at the end of the 2008 season with the Jets. He had surgery on an ailing rotator cuff back in May and says he's ready to go.

I will reserve judgment on this move. Favre has a lot to prove in my eyes, and beginning this Friday night against the Kansas City Chiefs, he will get that opportunity.

Remembering Woodstock on Tuesday

This Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of the conclusion of the Woodstock music festival in upstate New York, so we at Trivia Night will be celebrating that fact with "Woodstock Trivia," seven questions about that historic weekend.

The Q Train lightning round will be taking a break this week, and it will return next week. In its place we will be doing something a little different. We will have a round we are calling "Play The Match Game." We will have seven fill-in-the blank questions, and you have to give your answer to it, like the classic game show. We will have two folks from Thom's give their answers, and if you match one or both, you'll get a point. (Two if you match both.) Yours Truly will be acting as Gene Rayburn, and we'll see how this goes.

The Sneak Peek question this week is:
"The Brandenburg Gate is in what European city?"

We will get going at the usual time of 9 PM. The crowds continue to be excellent, so you may want to get in to get some choice seats. See you then.

Another Lead Disappears

A rotten Sunday afternoon in the heat of Texas: Red Sox leave runners everywhere, Tazawa gives up four runs, and the Red Sox lose, 4-3.

They are now officially in second place in the Wild Card race, as Texas now has the lead by a half-game.

Another important road series, and the Sox lose it once again. I looked at this six-game swing in Texas and Toronto before it began and thought they really needed to take 4 of 6 instead of the usual spilt of a road trip. Now they need to sweep Toronto to make that happen.

David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia both went deep but they were both solo shots.

I had a feeling this was going to be a rough day when I saw Brian Anderson and Alex Gonzalez at the bottom of the order. You can live with Gonzo at shortstop with his weak bat and good glove, but Anderson is simply a stiff at the plate. He can play the outfield but it's no wonder the White Sox finally gave up on him, as he's a .225 lifetime hitter. And yet, Terry Francona let both hit in the eighth down by one with one out. And both struck out against C.J. Wilson in the Sox' final threat of the day.

Now it's off to Toronto for three. I'm waiting for that hot streak, that 15 out of the next 20 to happen to propel the Red Sox, but I'm seriously wondering if we won't see that until 2010.

"King's Call"

Here is one of the best tributes to Elvis Presley, courtesy of Thin Lizzy. It's the late Phil Lynott's tribute to the King, with the great Mark Knopfler on lead guitar, recorded in 1980. So in honor of the 32nd anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, here is the video, courtesy of YouTube. (With thanks to my friend Steve who put the clip up on Facebook today as well.)

It's hard to believe it's been 32 years since Elvis' death, and that Phil Lynott has been gone 23 years now.

God bless both Elvis and Phil.

Texas Thieves Run Wild

For the second time this season, Brad Penny was on the mound and a team swiped eight bases against the Red Sox, and this time the Texas Rangers coasted to an easy 7-2 win in Arlington last night.

Penny has now lost his last four decisions, and went 5 2/3 innings last night. He struggled mightily, allowing four runs in throwing 121 pitches. He was fortunate the score wasn't worse than it was at the time of his departure.

The Red Sox could manage only solo home runs from Jason Bay and Victor Martinez against Derek Holland.

It was emabarrassing seeing Texas run at will against Penny and Jason Varitek. Opponents now have a better than 90% success rate against Red Sox catchers, and 91 steals against Varitek.

The Sox' Wild Card lead is back to a 1/2 game, and today's series finals is a critical one, with Junichi Tazawa taking the mound, looking for his second career win.

Tex Calls For Help and V-Mart Obliges

My buddies over at Surviving Grady today have a post about last night's thrilling Red Sox comeback in the ninth, and features Tex (aka Donna), seen in the above photo calling on help from above as Victor Martinez was at the plate in the ninth. (Hey, the Vikings won in Indy, too!) Tex is a frequent visitor to this site, and one of the Red Sox most devoted fans in the Lone Star State. (And she's wearing a cool Surviving Grady/Youk t-shirt, too!)

Unfortunately, I had the Texas Rangers feed on the MLB package, so I did not see this scene. But as we all know, Martinez came through with one of the biggest hits of 2009 for the Red Sox, as Frank Francisco got a big time ass hammering, and the Red Sox won, 8-4.

I spent a good part of last night at the Brooklyn Cyclones game in Coney Island (they won) and got home in time to watch Texas take a 4-2 lead in the seventh. Every time I checked my cell phone at the game, the news wasn't good.

Jon Lester allowed a two-run home run to Michael Young in the first, and it stayed 2-0 until the sixth. As I was getting on the subway at Stillwell Avenue and heading home, David Ortiz belted a two-run dinger to make it 2-2.

But it looked like it would be Texas' night, as they added a runs in the sixth and seventh. But the Sox staged an incredible rally in the ninth. David Ortiz and Jason Varitek both reached to get it going, and Jacoby Ellsbury singled in Papi. Clay Buchholz went in to run for Tek. But Dustin Pedroia's drive off the wall in left looked like it would tie the game, but Buchholz got caught in-between second and third and hseittated, and got thrown out at home for the second out.

As Terry Francona was about to be roasted in the papers the next day for putting a pitcher in to run, Victor Martinez saved his bacon, doubling in two runs. Jason Bay singled him in and J.D. Drew slammed a two-run shot to right to make it 8-4. Jonathan Papelbon came on in the bottom of the ninth to lock down the win and give the Sox a much-needed win to start the important six-game road trip.

A loss would have put Texas in the Wild Card lead, but now the Red Sox are up by 1 1/2 games. The Red Sox also acquired Alex Gonzalez, who played for them in 2006, in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds for a minor leaguer, and designated Chris Woodward for assignment after the game ended.

Brad Penny takes the mound tonight in Arlington against Derek Holland.

Buzzsawed

Not much to say about Thursday afternoon's game and finale of the four-game set with the Tigers other than the Red Sox ran into a pitcher throwing some serious gas and got shutout, 2-0.

Justin Verlander was hitting 99 and 100 MPH from the beginning and by the time he departed after eight innings, he was still hitting 100, on his 122nd pitch. He allowed just four hits, and the Red Sox had golden opportunities to score runs in the first and third innings, but came away empty.

Clay Buchholz was terrific yesterday. It was probably his best start of the year, allowing just a run on an infield out in the fourth and a home run to Ryan Raburn in the seventh. He certainly pitched well enough for a win, but the Sox ran into a pitcher who just flat-out awesome yesterday.

Terry Francona rested Dustin Pedroia and J. D. Drew yesterday in anticipation for the start of the important three-game series with Texas tonight. The Sox are a half-game up on the Rangers in the Wild Card, as they won in Cleveland yesterday.The Red Sox begin a six-game road trip to Texas and Toronto. Needless to say they've got to make some hay over the next week.

Always Good To See Old Friends

The Red Sox rolled to their third straight win over the Detroit Tigers, 8-2 at Fenway last night. Lots to like: Mike Lowell and Jason Bay both going deep again (and both are heating up big time), and Josh Beckett is making a strong case for the AL Cy Young Award, winning his 14th game of 2009, the first pitcher in MLB to reach that mark.

He allowed just two solo shots, to Carlos Guillen and Marcus Thames, in going seven strong innings. He retired the first 11 hitters he faced and didn't allow a hit until Guillen's homer in the fifth. He now has a record of 6-0 and an ERA of 1.20 in his last seven starts at the Fens.

It was Bay's third homer in the last five games, and Lowell's third in two nights. Lowell will definitely be in starting lineup for the forseeable future, as Kevin Youkilis was hit with a five-game suspension for the fight on Monday night, and is accepting it and will set through the Texas series on Sunday. Rick Porcello was also hit with a similar suspension but is appealling.

The Red Sox gained no ground in either race (division or Wild Card), as both New York and Texas both won.

But the best news of all was the surprise return of Jerry Remy to the NESN booth in the second inning last night. He looked good and talked with Don Orsillo and Dennis Eckersley about the trials and tribulations of the past few months. (He talked also with the media about the depression he's been battling since he's been away.) He gave no indication of exactly when he's be back, but he looked better than I thought he would. He was introduced to the Fenway Park crowd in-between the top and bottom of the second, and received a rousing ovation. (With thanks to Joy of Sox for the above photo.)

Welcome back, RemDawg. Hope to see you back soon.

And congratulations to old friend Pedro Martinez, who got his first win of 2009 with the Phillies, going five innings in his debut and allowing three runs to the Cubs in a 12-5 win.

Not Your Average Fenway Night

Last night's Red Sox-Tigers had so many things in it:

Hit and brushed back batters (an extension of Monday night).
Youk and Rick Porcello getting friendly on the mound. (I hope Joba Chamberlain was paying attention to this after his game.) Both benches emptied and both players were ejected.
John Farrell and Jim Leyland having some cross words.
Terry Francona getting tossed after arguing a call at second and throwing his gum.
Mike Lowell coming in for Youk and blasting two home runs, the first Sox player to do that since 1967. (I was wondering, has anyone ever come off the bench and hit three HRs? Not sure if that's ever happened.)
Jason Bay getting hot, blasting a three-run shot across Lansdowne Street.
A rain delay coming out of nowhere.
A rookie pitcher pitching his first MLB start (Junichi Tazawa), struggling in the first but settling down and getting the win.

It sure wasn't dull.

Does this light a fire under the Red Sox? We'll see. A 7-5 Red Sox win, after being down 3-0 after the top of the first. New York won so there's no change in the East, but Texas lost, so the Wild Card lead is now at 1 1/2 games.

SABR Trivia Answers

I was a little derelict in putting up the answers to SABR Trivia contest, which I posted here last week. The New York Times printed them Monday, so here they are:

1. Who are the three members of the 500 home-run club who also pitched in the Major Leagues?

Babe Ruth (1914-21, ‘30, ‘33), Jimmie Foxx (1939, ‘45) and Ted Williams (1940).

2. Who is the player with the most career hits who never managed in the Major Leagues? Who is the pitcher with the most career victories who never managed in the majors?

Hank Aaron with 3,771 hits (Pete Rose and Ty Cobb both managed); Grover Alexander with 373 wins (Cy Young, Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson all managed).

3. Who is the only player to get at least 250 hits for the American League’s Milwaukee Brewers and the National League’s Milwaukee Brewers?

Jeff Cirillo (472 and 528, respectively).

4. Who are the three men who defeated the Yankees in a postseason series as both a player and a manager?

Rogers Hornsby (1926 World Series as player/manager); Billy Southworth (1926 World Series as player and 1942 World Series as manager), and Mike Scioscia (1981 World Series as player and 2002 A.L.D.S. as manager)

5. Rickey Henderson, the new Hall of Famer, made postseason appearances with which five teams?

Oakland A’s (1981, 89-90, 92), Toronto Blue Jays (1993), San Diego Padres (1996), the Mets (1999) and Seattle Mariners (2000).

6. Name the five Hall of Fame pitchers whose Major League careers began after the advent of the Cy Young Award in 1956 but never received the post-season honor.

Rich Gossage, Juan Marichal, Phil Niekro, Nolan Ryan and Don Sutton.

7. Which three Major League pitchers later served in the United States Congress?

John K. Tener, Vinegar Bend Mizell and Jim Bunning.

8. Which four players won a batting title in a season in which they played for more than one team?

Nap Lajoie (1902 Athletics and Bronchos); Dale Alexander (1932 Tigers and Red Sox); Harry Walker (1947 Cardinals and Phillies); Willie McGee (1990 Cardinals and A’s).

9. Which player hit a home run in all three games of the 1969 N.L.C.S., the only Championship Series games in which he played?

Hank Aaron.

10. Who took the cut-off throw from Willie Mays after “The Catch” in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series?

Davey Williams (second base).

11. Name the last team to win Game 7 of the World Series on the road.

1979 Pittsburgh Pirates (at Baltimore).

12. Which three future Hall of Famers finished within seven-ten-thousandths (.0007) of each other atop the 1931 National League batting leaders?

Chick Hafey (.3489), Bill Terry (.3486), Jim Bottomley (.3482).

There are also some good fan trivia questions in the link, so check it out. Personally, I got six of the twelve correct. Not bad.

Trivia Q&A: August 11

We had another huge crowd for Trivia on Tuesday night, with 22 teams in attendance. We had a great reaction to the Special category of "John Hughes Trivia." Most teams did fairly well, and the scores were equally good for the True or False and General Knowledge rounds.

IQ Trivia was a different story. The questions may have been some of the harder ones I've ever come up with. (No one got the World Series one.) We also had an occurrence that has not ever happened before on Trivia Night. We had two teams tied for the lead in all four rounds going into the finale. Both were regulars: Stop Looking Up Answers: Coffee's For Closers and A Lady Walks Into a Bar With a Poodle Under One Arm and a Two Foot Salami Under The Other. The latter team was one of three teams to get eight points (2 out of 5) and squeeked out a one-point win over the rival.

Nice job by Rob and his crew for getting back to the winner's circle after a long absence.

Current Events
1. Budd Schulberg, a sceenwriter and producer who won a Best Screenplay Oscar for this classic 1954 film about mob violence and corruption, died last Wednesday at age 95.
2. This rock star, on his web site, is urging President Obama to have Americans observe "Meatless Mondays."
3. This rock star was injured last Wednesday when he fell from a concert stage at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, suffering head, neck and shoulder injuries.
4. Ronnie Biggs is being released from prison soon because of ill health. What 1960s crime was he one of the masterminds of?
5. Fidel Castro called this country "disloyal," claiming that a pending military deal they have with the US could be used to attack other Latin American countries.
6. Mel Martinez, a Republican senator from this state, told his supporters that he was resigning last Friday, 16 months before his term expires.
7. An environmental group in Brazil are running ads on TV stations there urging people to do this to save the rainforest and water.

Answers: 1. "On the Waterfront;" 2. Paul McCartney; 3. Steven Tyler; 4. The Great Train Robbery; 5. Colombia; 6. Florida; 7. urinate in the shower.

John Hughes Trivia
1. What was the first film directed by John Hughes?
2. What movie directed by John Hughes starred Steve Martin?
3. What John Hughes-produced (but not directed) film was the highest grossing film of 1990?
4. What 1983 film with Michael Keaton was one of John Hughes' first big successes as a screenwriter?
5. Several of John Hughes' earliest films are connected with what popular humor periodical, a magazine for which he worked during the 1970s?
6. In "Nate and Hayes," one of John Hughes' earliest films, what 1994 Oscar-winner starred as Hayes?
7. "Does Barry Manilow know you raid his wardrobe?" is a famous line from what John Hughes film?

Answers: 1. Sixteen Candles; 2. Planes, Trains and Automobiles; 3. Home Alone; 4. Mr. Mom; 5. National Lampoon; 6. Tommy Lee Jones; 7. The Breakfast Club.

True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Introduced in 1992, the McLaren F1 is an extremely fast boat.
2. A scallion is a type of onion.
3. The city of Memphis took its name from an ancient Egyptian capital.
4. Only 17% of the world's inhabitants live in a country with total media freedom.
5. About 20% of the US population are left-handed.
6. Michael Jackson owns the rights to the South Carolina State anthem.
7. If coloring weren't added to Coca-Cola, it would be blue.
8. The toothbrush was invented in the 15th century.
9. Prince Charles and Prince William never travel on the same airplane, in case of a crash.
10. Colorado is the biggest Rocky Mountain state in terms of area.

Answers: 1. false, car; 2. true; 3. true; 4. true; 5. false, 7%; 6. true; 7. false, green; 8. true; 9. true; 10. false, Montana.

General Knowledge
1. INTERPOL is based in what European country?
2. What shoe company shares its name with a type of antelope?
3. According to the Bible, who named all the animals on Earth?
4. What major city straddles the border between Europe and Asia?
5. Sub-Zero is best known for selling what product?
6. Shubunkin is a popular variety of what?
7. MI6 is the secret intelligence agency of what country?

Answers: 1. France; 2. Reebok; 3. Adam; 4. Istanbul; 5. refrigerators; 6. goldfish; 7. United Kingdom.

IQ Trivia
1. What sea animal is known as a "medusa" during its adult stage? ( 4 points)
2. Who was the last road team to win Game 7 of the World Series? ( 5 points)
3. What 19th century US president is the only one ever elected from state of Indiana? ( 4 points)
4. The Toven Specimen is an extremely rare example of what type of US coin? ( 4 points)
5. Barack Obama is a two-time winner of what award? ( 3 points)

Answers: 1. jellyfish; 2. Pittsburgh Pirates (1979); 3. Benjamin Harrison; 4. penny; 5. Grammy.

A Night at the Beacon With "The Royal Scam"

In 1995, I saw Steely Dan for the first time at the Meadowlands in New Jersey, and it was a fabulous show. For years, I thought I'd never see them live, as both Donald Fagen and Walter Becker despised touring, and had gone their separate ways after making "Gaucho" in 1980.

But they got back together, and now they have returned with "The Rent Party Tour 09" and they are concluding their eight-show stand at the Beacon Theater this week. They are featuring one of their classic albums in their shows (or "Internet Requests" other nights), and last night I got to see their classic "The Royal Scam" played in its entirety.

The jazz group The Sam Yahel Trio opened the night, playing a nice 30-minute set. After a five-minute break, the 10-piece band came out on stage to tremendous applause. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker came out a few moments after the rest of the band as they warmed up. And they got right down to brass tacks, burning right through "The Royal Scam" album. It was interesting to see both Becker and Fagen leave the stage for "The Fez," as they left their three girl backing group to do the honors with the vocals.

The songs were played in the order they were released on the album, and when the second side was about to begin, one of the girls walked over to a turntable on the right side of the stage and turned over an album on it, to great applause from the audience.

"The Royal Scam" took just under an hour to play, and Fagen said very little until the final song, the title track was completed. That was the end of the first act, and he bantered a bit with the crowd, who was really into it.

One of the highlights of last night was drummer Keith Carlock. As "Aja" was beginning, I thought that if his drum solos can send shivers down my spine in this song, he's done his job. Well, he did that and more. It was as good as Steve Gadd's original, if not better.

Walter Becker did the vocals on "Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More" and I thought the choice of "Parker's Band" was a nice surprise. But I was a bit suprised to see that they did not play "Deacon Blues" at all, as I thought for certain it would be in the encore. I was also hoping for a little more older stuff, like more from "Countdown to Ecstasy" (although "My Old School" was terrific), one of my favorite albums from the boys. The leaned heavier on "Aja" and "Gaucho" for The selected favorites. I was also hoping guitarist Larry Carlton might pop out, as he is making some select appearances on the Steely Dan tour, but he won't be back until the NYC finale Wednesday.)

But overall, it was a terrific two-hour show. The band was extremely tight, and the audience had a great time (a guy in front of me was dancing for most of the show). Steely Dan play two more shows at the Beacon, tonight, and tomorrow night (which was rescheduled from any earlier cancellation).

Here is the set list from last night:

The Royal Scam:
Kid Charlemagne; The Caves of Altamira; Don't Take Me Alive; Sign In Stranger; The Fez; Green Earrings; Haitian Divorce; Everything You Did; The Royal Scam

Select Favorites:
Hey Nineteen; Daddy Don't Live In That New York City No More; Aja; Black Friday; Home at Last; Parker's Band; Third World Man; Josie; My Old School

Encores:
Peg; Reeling in the Years

Home Is Where The Wins Are

The hideous six-game losing streak is over.

And the season isn't over, no matter what the New York media says.

The Red Sox scored two runs from the first two hitters against the Tigers and Edwin Jackson last night, matching what they did in the previous 33 innings. Dustin Pedroia (two-run shot in the first), Jason Bay and Nick Green all hit home runs, and Brad Penny went his usual six innings.

I checked for updates during the Steely Dan show last night (see my next post), as I didn't see the game. The Sox had a 5-3 lead into the seventh, but Manny Delcarmen allowed two runs and it was tied. Green's sac fly in the bottom of the inning gave the Red Sox the lead back.

But Ramon Ramirez, who has been an adventure lately, put two on with two out and Terry Francona brought in Jonathan Papelbon, and he got the final out on a foul out. Pap got Detroit 1-2-3 in the ninth (he threw a total of 11 pitches), to put the Red Sox back in the win column.

New York lost at home to the Blue Jays, 5-4, so the deficit is back to 5 1/2 games. Texas was idle last night, so the Sox go back to 1/2 game lead in the Wild Card.

Junichi Tazawa gets his first MLB start tonight at Fenway against the Tigers in Game 2 of the four game set.

Honoring a Film Legend on Tuesday

The Special Category this week for Trivia Night will be "John Hughes Trivia," in honor of the late filmmaker and writer who tragically passed away from a heart attack last week at the age of 59. It will be seven questions about him and his films.

The Q Train lightning round will be "True or False Trivia." We will also be keeping the time limit to get the answers in after the round as it proved to be a success last week.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
According to the Bible, who named all the animals on the Earth?

We should get rolling at the usual time of about 9 PM. The Red Sox are playing the Tigers at Fenway on Tuesday (and hopefully showing some more life than they did last weekend), but that won't stand in our way. Hope to see many of you come out for another great night of Trivia.

Thank You

Thank you, Boston Red Sox, for not showing up in the Bronx this weekend.

Thank you for embarrassing your loyal fan base with a simply horrid display of offensive baseball against your longtime rival and nemesis, and at the worst possible time. I will offer no excuses to anyone for the crap I've witnessed since last Thursday.

Thank you for going 0-6 against the two division rivals in the most important week of the season.

Thank you for making the Yankees look like they belong in the playoffs and you don't.

Thank you for totally wasting outstanding pitching efforts from Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz the last three days. (20 innings, 3 earned runs, no wins.)

Thank you for setting off a panic in the Nation right now.

Thank you for bringing back terrible memories of three years ago.

Thank you for allowing the Texas Rangers to tie you in the Wild Card race. (And I'm sure not looking forward to seeing them next weekend.)

Thank you for raising my blood pressure this weekend.

And thank you for making me as angry as I've ever been at you in one hell of a long time. The season isn't over by a long shot, but the ship better get righted this week, starting on Monday night.

I'm glad I have tickets for Steely Dan tomorrow night, as I need to get away from you guys for a bit.

Now, I'm going to bed. I've vented enough.

At Least Texas Lost

Another putrid display of baseball in the Bronx on Saturday.

Clay Buchholz wasn't bad ( 6 innings, 2 runs) but the offense was AWOL once again.

5 1/2 games back. The Texas Rangers were beaten in Anaheim by the Angels, so the Red Sox Wild Card lead remains at one game. (I think we should pay a little more attention to them now.)

The last 24 innings: 8 hits, no runs. 0-5 in the two most important series of the year this week. It's beyond embarrassing.

I know Terry Francona will never do this, but I think we may have reached the point where he should lock the clubhouse door, turn over the postgame spread table and get really pissed at these guys.

And David Ortiz claims he never used steroids.

Don't ask me, I don't know what to believe any more.

McCarver Again Pushes Innuendo As Fact

I was watching today's Red Sox-Yankees game on Fox (no need to discuss that), and in the fifth inning, the subject of discussion between Joe Buck and Tim McCarver was the Red Sox historic comeback in the 2004 ALCS. And once again, as he's done a few times before when the two teams have played each other, McCarver brought up a myth that he's now passing off as fact.

"The Red Sox were congratulating the Yankees before Game 4 of the ALCS, and wishing them well for the upcoming World Series."

Bullshit. They never did anything of a kind.

In previous Red Sox-Yankees games in recent years, McCarver would bring up a story about having Jon Lieber, the former Yankees pitcher, on his old "Tim McCarver Show" in 2005 and he talked about how "unnamed" Red Sox players came up to "unnamed" Yankees players and "congratulated" them on the ALCS they were about to win before Game 4. Lieber mentioned none of the players on either team, and gave no evidence that it actually happened. No one backed up his story from either team. He came off as an angry loser, as well as a chickenshit liar. I did a Google search on it years ago and I could find no story anywhere about this ever happening.

You can read more about this, as I talked previously about this happening during the 2007 World Series in a post called "Why Can't McCarver Let This Go?"

Now McCarver is saying this statement as a fact, with no background to the story. It's no wonder he continues to be one of the most despised broadcasters doing baseball today. I guess in his mind, he doesn't have to back up the story anymore because it's now fact.

Really pathetic.

Put Up or Shut Up For Buchholz Today

As bad as Thursday night was, Friday hurt worse.

It was a game the Red Sox really could have won. And really should have won. But didn't.

Josh Beckett once again is proving he is the leading candidate for the AL Cy Young Award. He was simply superb. Allowed just three hits in seven innings in The Wind Tunnel. But the offense decided not to show up at all last night.

Four hits in fifteen bloody innings. Yikes. The bullpen was terrific, pitching 7 2/3 innings of scoreless ball.

A.J. Burnett was also superb, allowed just one hit in over seven innings. But the Red Sox had to find a way to win this. And they couldn't. Slappy hit with a two-run home run to end the scoreless tie off rookie Junichi Tazawa to put the Red Sox now 4 1/2 games back, and they are now just one game ahead of the Texas Rangers in the Wild Card race. Tampa Bay lost in Seattle in extra innings last night, but they trail the Sox by only 2 1/2 games.

Now the focus shifts to Clay Buchholz. He has to step up and show he belongs in the majors, and that the no-hitter of two years ago was no fluke. Earlier this year he questioned why he was still in the minors as he was pitching so well at Pawtucket. He's been less than impressive since his first start in Toronto, and last Sunday he was simply absymal. When your offense gives you 14 runs in five innings, you should win. Otherwise he maybe just a glorified AAA pitcher who can't make it in the majors.

Granted, New York seems to have the advantage with C.C. Sabathia pitching today, but the Red Sox have hit him in the past. And they have to hit him today. A split is still possibility, and it's really manditory now. So now it's time for Buchholz.

Put up or shut up today.

"A Glove of Their Own"

I wanted to call to your attention a very worthy project that is gaining the attention of the literary world as well as the baseball world called "A Glove of Their Own." The book is the brainchild of Bob Salomon, who came up with it at a child's birthday party and his desire that all children should have access to baseball equipment and the chance to play America's game.

Mr. Salomon hooked up with three authors and an illustrator and the book was born. And it has taken off like a rocket on the Fourth of July. Groups like Fortune 500 companies, non-profit corporations and many baseball players have lent their support to Mr. Salomon's project. Among those groups who lent their support to it are The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Rawlings, Louisville Slugger and Upper Deck.

The book was released in October 2008, is 32 pages long, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit three non-profit organizations: Pitch In For Baseball, Good Sports, and Sports Gift.

Many athletes have thrown their names and support behind "A Glove of Their Own" such as Joe Torre, Ken Griffey, Craig Biggio, Luis Tiant, Sean Casey and Dick Drago.

Mr. Salomon's goal with the book is to raise awareness as well as money, but the most important part of it is to "play it forward," like donating baseball equipment to those youths who are in desperate need of it.

Mr. Salomon has a web site for his book that you can check out by going here. He has done a wonderful job and has brought nationwide attention to the problem of children who don't have any access to baseball equipment. It's helping our great game grow with young people, and I hope you will check out his web site and throw your support to his special project.

The Smoltz Experiment Ends

John Smoltz was designated for assignment this afternoon, thus ending his Red Sox, and possibly his MLB, career as well. It's a sad way for Smoltz to go out, but it's clear that his starting days were finished. The Red Sox brought up Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa, who started the year at AA Portland, and will be in the Red Sox bullpen for the rest of the weekend series.

The Red Sox also designated Billy Traber for assignment, as he was the sacrificial lamb after Smoltz was knocked out and spared the bullpen last night. The Red Sox also claimed utility man Cris Woodward off waivers from Seattle as well. He can play many positions including shortstop, as the extent of Jed Lowrie's forearm injury is still unknown.

David Ortiz' press conference will be held at 12:30 PM tomorrow, and the baseball world will be tuning in.

Done.

The above word sums up one John Smoltz, who got raked over the coals in the Bronx on Thursday. The numbers are simply butt-ugly. It makes no sense in going over the highlights, as there are none.

I said before this game that if Smoltz gets bombed by New York, giving up say, five or six runs in about four innings, then the party would be over. He wasn't even that good, as he allowed a staggering 8 runs in just over 3 innings.

Smoltz could be an effective member of the pen, but I would bet he doesn't want to do that. His signing over the winter was heralded as the equivalent of a great deadline deal, as he'd be in the Sox rotation by mid-season.

Smoltz has been a colossal failure. No sense sugarcoating it. I can't see how any kind of positive spin can be put on this, or how the Red Sox can continue to trot him out there every five days. He's a great pitcher who has seen his best days. And it's sad to see him struggle like this.

John Smoltz is finished as a starting pitcher. It just isn't there any more. Lefties are eating him for dinner. He's a first-ballot Hall of Famer, and nothing, no matter how bad this is, can change that.

I pray the Red Sox realize that, and now. Who takes Smoltz' place if they do?

With Tim Wakefield out for the forseeable future, the options aren't great. There doesn't appear to be anyone in the minors ready to make the big step.

The Red Sox took a chance on Smoltz, a chance worth taking. But it didn't work out. It's time to move on.

Yep. Everybody Else Is Dirty But Us.

In the ninth inning of yesterday's Red Sox game with the Rays, I saw some Rays fan holding up a sign that actually made me laugh when I saw it.

It was one of those taunting signs (that no doubt many of the hypocrites in the Wind Tunnel will be carrying tonight) that had asterisks next to the two Red Sox championships, but it also had this:

WE PLAY BY THE RULES.

Oh really? Can you prove that? Are those Rays fans that naive? I guess their team is "playing it straight" while everybody is dirty, right? (Where have I heard that before?) Do they really think they've got a "clean" team, while the evil Sox are "dirty?"

Might be something in the water down there in Florida, or they've just become Rays fans last year (probably the latter).

Steroids infested this game over two decades ago. I defy anyone to show me ANY team that is clean and above board since. And another sad part is that with no valid test for HGH, PEDs are still around. And will be for the forseeable future.

SABR Baseball Trivia Contest

The recent SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) convention had a trivia contest among its members, and the New York Times had an article about it. As you know, I am all about baseball and trivia (and baseball trivia, of course).

I took the test, and I will be curious about my score when the test answers are revealed at the New York Times on Monday. Here is the complete list of twelve questions, and some of them are doozies. You can also leave your guesses here. I will have a follow-up post on it on Monday as well with the answers.

No Offense and a Used Up Bullpen

This certainly wasn't the way the Red Sox wanted to start the most important stretch of games this season.

With the exception of home runs by Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis, the offense didn't make an appearance versus Matt Garza and the Tampa Bay Rays. In fact, the 5 through 9 hitters last night went a paltry 1-for-21, as the Rays outlasted the Sox, 4-2 in 13 innings.

Jon Lester was superb through 6+ innings, striking out 10. But Daniel Bard had a rare bad outing, giving up a home run to Evan Longoria that tied the game in the eighth. It was a mixed bag night for the bullpen, as the Rays had the bases loaded twice with no outs (once in the 8th and again in the 10th) and came away with nothing. (The Red Sox had a golden opportunity to score in the top of the 10th, as they loaded the bases with one out, but Dustin Pedroia banged into a double play to end it.) Terry Francona completely used up the pen (they were one man short since the trade of Justin Masterson), as Takashi Saito last one in there starting the 12th.

He had Clay Buchholz throwing in the bullpen in case the game reached the 14th, but it never did, as Saito gave up a two-run blast to Evan Longoria with two outs to wrap it up. Francona could have walked Longoria, as first base was open. But with Ben Zobrist on deck, it was a pick your poison moment.

Yep, just want you wanted to start this important six-game week: blow out your entire bullpen. And the news wasn't as better in Toronto, as New York beat Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays, 5-3, to put the Red Sox 1 1/2 games back. Brad Penny takes the mound tonight as the Red Sox attempt to get a split in St. Pete.

Trivia Q&A: August 4

We had 20 teams in for Trivia Night, and it was a noisy night in Professor Thom's with a huge crowd in. The Special category of "Album Debut Trivia" may have set the record for some of the lowest scores of a multiple points round. Out of a maximum of 20 points for it, the highest score was just 8 points. I guess I made this category way too difficult!

The scores were definitely better for "Julia Roberts Film Trivia" and we also put a new wrinkle in for the round. I put a time limit of two minutes for all the papers to be handed in, or the late team would be given a zero. Wow, I've never seen papers handed in to me in such a rapid and timely fashion! We will be keeping the time limit for now on since it worked so well.

We had a close match going into IQ Trivia, but the team in third place going into the last round, Are You Wearing Your Trivia Shirt? ran the table for 20 points and wound up winning by three points. Nice job guys.

Current Events
1. Corazon Aquino, who was president of this country for six years and survived seven coup attempts, died last Friday at age 76.
2. 34 private radio stations were shut down in this country last Friday, and the minister for Public Works and Housing commented, "Freedom of expression is not the most sacred freedom."
3. This Oscar-winning actor was presented with an award by the Cuban government in Havana last week in recognition of his body of work, especially two of his recent films about one of the country's heroes.
4. Ted Kennedy, Sidney Poitier and Billie Jean King were among 16 people given this award last week.
5. Charles Taylor, former leader of this African country, at his war crimes trial in The Hague, denied charges of cannibalism or that he ordered militias to eat their enemies.
6. Two newly discovered pieces of piano music by this classical music immortal were recently played publicly for the first time in the city of Salzburg, Austria, the city of his birth.
7. This Hollywood actor and his band escaped injury when a stage they were about to perform on collapsed when a sudden storm knocked it down, killing one and injuring 15.

Answers: 1. The Philippines; 2. Venezuela; 3. Benicio Del Toro; 4. Presidential Medal of Freedom; 5. Liberia; 6. W.A. Mozart; 7. Kevin Costner.

Album Debut Trivia
1. Frank
2. Can't Buy a Thrill
3. Come Away With Me
4. Unknown Pleasures
5. I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
6. Ten
7. Hints, Allegations and Things Left Unsaid

Answers: 1. Amy Winehouse (2003); 2. Steely Dan (1972); 3. Norah Jones (2002); 4. Joy Division (1979); 5. Aretha Franklin (1967); 6. Pearl Jam (1991); 7. Collective Soul (1993).

Julia Roberts Film Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. Two Weeks Notice
2. Everyone Says I Love You
3. Defending Your Life
4. Flatliners
5. Ocean's Thirteen
6. Wrestling Ernest Hemingway
7. Conspiracy Theory
8. Hope Floats
9. The Pelican Brief
10. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Answers: 1. no; 2. yes; 3. no; 4. yes; 5. no; 6. no; 7. yes; 8. no; 9. yes; 10. yes.

General Knowledge
1. A chesterfield is what type of furniture?
2. True cashmere comes from the soft hair of what kind of animal?
3. What band recorded the 1999 hit song "I Want It That Way?"
4. The southern part of what ocean is known as the South Sea?
5. Irving Stone's novel "The Agony and The Ecstasy" is about what artist?
6. A Snellen Chart is generally used for what purpose?
7. What is the only US state that has a unicameral legislature?

Answers: 1. sofa; 2. goat; 3. Backstreet Boys; 4. Pacific; 5. Michelangelo; 6. eye chart; 7. Nebraska.

IQ Trivia
1. What woman won eight Oscars in her prolific career as a movie costume designer? ( 4 points)
2. In the epic poem, Beowulf defeats what monster? ( 4 points)
3. Elwood Edwards is the voice behind what famous recorded three-word phrase? ( 5 points)
4. What award-winning play's two parts are titled "Milennium Approaches" and "Perestroika"? ( 3 points)
5. Former Federal reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan is married to what TV journalist? ( 4 points)

Answers: 1. Edith Head; 2. Grendel; 3. "You've got mail;" 4. "Angels in America;" 5. Andrea Mitchell.

WTC Run to Remember

This September 6th, I will be running in the inaugural "World Trade Center Run to Remember," a 5-kilometer run/walk that will benefit many 9/11 charities. (I will be running for The Voices of September 11th.) It will be held at Governor's Island on the Sunday before the eighth anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

I will also be running in memory of my friend Joyce, who was one of the 3000 unfortunate victims of that horrible day nearly eight years ago.

If you'd like to sponsor me, that would be really special. I have a goal of $100, and if you'd like to help me out you can do so by clicking this link, and you can put down any amount you choose. (If you'd like to donate to me privately, you can send me an email about it at: jbq1462@hotmail.com.)

I really appreciate any and all help you can give me. It's always important that we never forget those beautiful souls we lost nearly eight years ago any way we can.

Album Debuts On Tuesday

On Tuesday night, our Special category for Trivia Night will be "Album Debut Trivia." I will give you seven debut album titles from famous musical artists, and you will tell me who they are. They will be from the Rock-n-Roll Era (but they all are not necessarily rock artists). And of course, "Please Please Me" from the Beatles will NOT be part of the quiz.

We will also be having as the Q Train lightning round: "Julia Roberts Film Trivia." A couple of weeks ago we did "Robert De Niro Film Trivia" and most people seemed to enjoy the category. So I thought, why not an actress this time? So I will give you ten famous films, and you will tell me if the lovely Ms. Roberts appeared in that film.

The Sneak Peek question for this week is:
The southern part of what ocean is called The South Sea?

We get going right around 9 PM. The Red Sox have a big game against the Rays in St. Pete, so we may have a good crowd in. But we always do for Trivia Night! See you then.

Martinez Leads Rout of O's

The offensive explosion that I'd been waiting for finally happened with the Red Sox on Sunday, as they pounded the Baltimore Orioles for 18 runs on 23 hits (both season highs) in getting a sweep at Camden Yards, 18-10.

Victor Martinez had five hits and is absolutely scalding the ball right now. He a double and 4 RBI to cap off a memorable first weekend in a Red Sox uniform.

The Sox jumped out 4-0 after the top of the first against Jason Berken, and it was 7-0 by the third. But memories of last July 1st came roaring back when Baltimore got six runs back off Clay Buchholz in the bottom of the inning.

But the Red Sox answered those six runs back with seven of their own in the top of the fourth to make it 14-6. The game was nearly two hours old by then, and it looked like it might take the rest of the day and night to finish.

Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell each had three hits, and Pedroia ,Youk and J.D. Drew each had three RBI. (Drew left the game after his RBI double sue to a groin strain he's recently been battling.) There were two home runs in the game, and both solo shots by Rocco Baldelli and rookie Josh Reddick.

Despite the offensive blowout, it was troubling to see Clay Buchholz struggle again. He couldn't make it out of the fifth, as he allowed seven runs and was pulled with the score 14-7. Manny Delcarmen came on and pitched 1 2/3 innings for his fourth win.

New York salvaged their four-game series in Chicago yesterday, so the Sox continue to be 1/2 game back in the AL East. The Red Sox are off today, and face the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Pete for a two-game series beginning tomorrow night.

Word is that Tim Wakefield may not be back as soon as everyone thought, as he has a problem with sciatic nerve, in his left calf. It's affecting his hamstring, and there's no timetable yet on when he might be back in the rotation.

Hypocrites Sound Off On Mitchell

You knew this was coming.

The hypocrite Yankee fans have come out of the woodwork, and in today's New York Post's "Sound Off" column (which at times can be a great source of comedy). Fans comment every Sunday on local sports, and today's column was titled, "Mitchell Report a Mockery."

Now since the news came out about Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz this week, the muttonheads have turned their venom on George Mitchell. They are convinced Mitchell covered up Red Sox players in his December 2007 report. One even says that the Sox were the only team not mentioned in the report. Wrong. (At least the Post had the good sense today to mention that 12 players with connections to the Sox were named in the report.)

They printed three letters that have basically called Mitchell a "crook" and "he should apologize" in light of this week's revelations.

Let's get one thing straight guys: George Mitchell never had access to the List of 104. And if he did, wouldn't reporters be knocking on his door day and night trying to get those names? The names were sealed by the federal courts, and Mitchell's investigators couldn't get at them. The fact Ramirez and Ortiz were outed this week had no bearing on Mitchell. And by the way, how come Alex Rodriguez, the first major player whose name was leaked from the 2003 survey, wasn't mentioned in the Mitchell Report? Because Mitchell had no evidence to put him in, like with Manny and Papi. Mitchell is known as a man of integrity, and wouldn't ruin a lifetime of excellent public service by covering for Red Sox and turning his report into a sham. (And you know if there were Red Sox players whose names were left out of the report on purpose, it would have come to light by now. You also know someone like Dan Shaughnessy would have jumped all over that.)

And the reason why there are so many Yankees in the Mitchell Report (as well as many Mets in it) is because Mitchell got lucky getting Brian McNamee and Kirk Radomski to come clean and cooperate, and they are both New York-based. (If he had gotten some LA-based dealer, you'd bet you would see more Dodgers and Angels in it, for example.)

And that last of the three letters. All I can say is: Oh brother.

This guy thinks that "we can put an asterisk next to the 2004 and 2007 Champions and that the Curse is back!"

Talk about hypocritical. So, are we also going to put them next to your beloved Yankees champions of 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000, too? Of course not. Asterisks are ludicrous. We are in an era where steroids polluted the sport, and affected every team, whether they were winners or not. I would suggest you read George Vecsey's New York Times piece on that subject (which I featured here yesterday).

Yep, the Curse is back! Boy these Yankees fans will do anything to get their beloved curse back. Yes, theirs, because their fans were the ones obsessed with idiotic stupidity like curses for years.

Fine pal, you've got it back. We live in America. Believe whatever you want to believe. Now go back to sleep.

Yankee fans. Always a high source of comedy.

Baker's Dozen For Beckett

Victor Martinez made a successful debut in a Red Sox uniform on Saturday night, and Josh Beckett became the American League's first thirteen-game winner as the Sox rolled to their third straight win, 4-0.

Beckett pitched seven solid innings, striking out five and giving up six hits. Hideki Okajima pitched a scoreless eighth and Daniel Bard looked tremendous in the ninth, striking out the final two Orioles to cap the shutout.

Martinez went 1-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Kevin Youkilis went 4-for-4 and Dustin Pedroia homered in the first to open the scoring. The Red Sox had many opportunities to score runs, but left the bases loaded twice and two men on three times, for a total of 15 left.

Rookie Josh Reddick, who was called up from AA Portland on Friday, had two doubles for his first two MLB hits. He will most likely play on Sunday, as Jason Bay left in the 6th inning on Saturday with a leg cramp.

New York was soundly thrashed by the White Sox on Saturday afternoon, 14-4, so their lead in the East has now been sliced down to just one-half game. Clay Buchholz takes the mound today in Baltimore as the Red Sox go for the sweep at Camden Yards. And his batterymate today will be Victor Martinez, catching his first game in a Sox uniform after playing first base last night.

2004: An Epic Run For The Ages. Get Used To It.

I found this terrific column from George Vecsey of the New York Times today about what the 2004 Red Sox did is part of baseball history and can't be changed.

I like Vecsey's take on steroids and it should be must reading, especially for those dimwit Yankee fans who will no doubt give it to Big Papi next week during the four-game series at The Wind Tunnel.

Red Sox Bail Out Smoltz

So, how much longer will John Smoltz stay in the Red Sox rotation?

He did nothing to improve his case to stay, as the Baltimore Orioles banged him around pretty good last night. The Red Sox staked him to a 3-0 lead, courtesy of a two-run shot by David Ortiz last night. (He got a mixed ovation on his first at-bat. Red Sox fans cheering and Orioles fans booing.) This now makes two games since the list revelation and a home run in each.

But the 3-0 lead disappeared, and the Sox fell behind 4-3, as Smoltz gave up homers to Nolan Reimold and Aubrey Huff. Jacoby Ellsbury also went deep, had three hits and stole a home run from Luke Scott in the sixth (pictured). But the Red Sox took the lead back when Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run shot in the seventh to put them ahead to stay.

Ramon Ramirez (1 hit), Hideki Okajima (2 walks) and Jonathan Papelbon (1-2-3) pitched scoreless relief to wrap up the win, with Pap getting his 27th save.

Smoltz got his second win with the Sox, but it was the offense that rescued him. He went six innings and gave up all five runs. More and more, Smoltz looks like just a one or two inning pitcher. Tim Wakefield is scheduled to come off the DL tomorrow, so does Smoltz go to the bullpen, and Clay Buchholz stays in the rotation? That's for Terry Francona to figure out and everyone else to speculate about.

Victor Martinez joins the Red Sox today, and will wear number 41.

Justin Masterson has a classy final post on his CSNNE blog about the trade to the Indians.

The Red Sox are now 1 1/2 back, as New York blew an early 3-0 lead to the White Sox and lost, 10-5. Josh Beckett takes the mound tonight in Baltimore against David Hernandez, who gave the Sox all kinds of fits last Sunday.

And BTW, Brian McNamee filed his own defamation suit against Roger Clemens yesterday. And in a real shocker, there's a poll at the above article: "Who do most believe: Roger Clemens or Brian McNamee? It's running 92%-8% in favor of McNamee.

Time to give it up, Rog. The Feds are waiting...