Boston Red Sox

Mike Nicotera, the agent for Red Sox center fielder Mike Cameron, writes that his client has returned to Boston to meet with team doctors sometime this morning after an initial diagnosis that he may be suffering from a kidney stone(s).

Nicotera wrote: “I spoke to Cam last night. Seems to be a kidney stone that he needs to pass. He’s going to follow up with doctors in Boston today.”

Francisco Liriano’s performance as a rookie in 2006 caused people to draw comparisons between him and teammate Johan Santana, but an August elbow injury sent him to the disabled list and ultimately led to offseason Tommy John surgery.

After missing all of the 2007 season, he returned to the major leagues in April 2008. He performed admirably in 2008 (6-4, 2.91), but last year was disastrous (5-13, 5.80).

He had lost his fastball and his ability to throw strikes. Most importantly, he lost his confidence.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona currently faces two questions that are in essence one and the same; how much longer can he, in good conscience, continue to write David Ortiz's name into the lineup each day, and how much longer can he not write Jeremy Hermida's name into that lineup?

The baseball season is all of 12 days old and already we think a player is done for the year? What we have failed to realize is that the somewhat odd need some fans and members of the media have to jump on a topic and run with it. Apparently, the story of the week is David Ortiz's struggles.

This might be compounded by the fact all the talking heads in March decided that the Red Sox would rise or fall based on how Ortiz did. They also said the Sox would have a hard time on offense. 

"I can't think of a player who contributes in so many ways...David embodies what we want a Red Sox player to be.  It was just an easy decision for us that David as a player and David as a person is someone we want to commit to and commit to for a long time." - Theo Epstein, April 11, 2006.  

For the second time in his professional career, right-handed pitcher Santo Luis has been claimed by a team named Sox.

During the Minor League portion of the 2007 Rule Five Draft, the White Sox claimed the Dominican Luis from the Houston Astros.

Is that Mariano Rivera?

Joe West is regularly one of my least favorite umpires. He’s like that teacher you had in school who is ridiculously strict about everything you do, but cannot do those same things himself.

West complains about long game times, and then calls the Sox-Yankees game “pathetic and embarrassing,” going on to say that they were “a disgrace to baseball.”

Laugh with me.

Red Sox and Yankees are a disgrace to baseball? OK. So the two best teams in the league are what’s disgracing it?

In a poll currently running on Boston.com, 77 percent of respondents have said they think Red Sox manager Terry Francona should be utilizing 3B Mike Lowell as designated hitter.

At the outset, let me start by stating that the Boston.com poll is flawed. The site gave voters only two responses (play Ortiz, play Lowell) when there are really three options available—Tito also has the choice of platooning the two depending on whether a right-hander or left-hander is the starting pitcher for the opposing team.

Caption: KC RF Rick Ankiel was left holding just his bat handle after his eighth inning showdown with Sox fireballer Daniel Bard. Unfortunately, Ankiel flared a base hit into left-center field on this swing to deliver the game-tying and game-winning runs in KC's 4-3 come-from-behind win over the Red Sox.