Boston Red Sox

Poor Niuman Romero. No one knew who he was until last night, and soon he will be forgotten.

Niuman, pronounced as Newman, was Kevin Youkilis' replacement Tuesday night as Youk left the game with a cramp in his ankle.

Let's just say, Romero's debut wasn't memorable. Today, Romero was designated for an assignment and was replaced by Ryan Shealy from Triple A Pawtucket. 

Orioles southpaw Brian Matusz pitched shutout ball for seven innings at Fenway Park this afternoon, leading the Baltimore Orioles to a rare win in Boston, beating the Red Sox, 6-1. He held the Red Sox to two hits — one each in the third and fourth innings — while walking three and striking out seven in earning his first win since April 18th. He had lost his last nine decisions.

The fans may not have given the Red Sox much love when casting their ballots for the all-star game, but opposing players and managers- as well as Major League Baseball itself- certainly did as six Red Sox were chosen to play in the Mid-Summer Classic next week in Los Angeles.

And now Sox fans can help to make certain that another player gets to go along too, as a seventh player (1B Kevin Youkilis) is one of five non-selectees nominated in the MLB.com Final Vote.

Eighty-one games…that is the midpoint of the season.

Admit it, Red Sox Nation, if you knew what you know right now back on Opening Day you would have been thrilled to be 17 games over .500 and just a half game behind the NY Yankees on Independence Day (by the way, happy 4th of July to everyone!).

Both the calendar page and the greeting card companies dictate that the one day per year we are allowed to "honor thy father" (at least in this country) is the third Sunday of June. Since 1910, children around the globe have annually taken a mere 24 hours out of their busy lives to "celebrate fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society" by dousing Dads with a collection of humorous cards and never to be worn ties.

If nothing else, Father's Day acts to provide a fitting and opposite book end to the prior month's holiday, Mother's Day.

Giacomo Casanova once said, "By recollecting the pleasures I have had formerly, I renew them, I enjoy them a second time, while I laugh at the remembrance of troubles now past, and which I no longer feel." We could say that about quite a few players on the Red Sox roster, and the Red Sox franchise itself. It's funny how you can use a quote by a ladies man and use it for baseball, isn't it?

The Red Sox have traded minor league infielder Angel Sanchez to the Houston Astros in exchange for catcher Kevin Cash.

Cash, 32, hit .204 with two homers and four RBI for the Astros this season before being designated for assignment on June 23rd.

The acquisition was prompted by an injury to team captain Jason Varitek, reportedly a broken bone in his foot that will cause him to miss four to six weeks.

Cash spent part of the 2007 and 2008 with the Sox, hitting .207.

A Major League source has told Nick Cafardo (Boston Globe) that the Red Sox will place righthander Manny Delcarmen on the disabled list with a right forearm strain.

Cafardo did not know who would be called up to replace him on the roster for tomorrow night’s game against Baltimore, but the Globe is reporting the two most likely candidates are right-handers Robert Manuel and RHP Fernando Cabrera.

Delcarmen has faced 14 batters in his last three appearances, retiring only three and surrendering nine hits.

A series of toppled dominoes have rearranged the catching depth chart in the Boston Red Sox organization. As a result, Juan Apodaca and Daniel Butler are now making their new home for the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Red Sox’ triple-A affiliate.

Neither 23-year old figured in the equation as one of the top five catchers in the Sox’ system when the year started, yet both are now getting an opportunity to carve out a more permanent role in Pawtucket.

On the heels of another abysmal outing from staple lefty Hideki Okajima, who allowed a two-run jack over two-thirds of an inning Tuesday night, the Boston Red Sox have signed former Chicago Cubs lefty Rich Hill to a minor-league contract.

The move comes one day after Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein told WEEI's Alex Speier that he would prefer not to deal prospects to bolster the Red Sox faltering relief corp.