Boston

Sam Fuld is a Durham, N.H. native and alumnus of Exeter Academy. On Monday night he made his first career visit to Fenway Park as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays.

I have made a decision: The 2011 major league baseball season began on April 8th.

I don't need to hear you tell me that I'm crazy, or stupid, or ugly, or a pervert; the voices in my head tell me that all the time (especially Paul; he's such a jerk!) This is not about logic, this is about survival. And we all know that the most important thing any organism can do, after eating deep-dish pizza, of course, is to survive. Don't argue with me, I didn't make the rules.

Josh Beckett of the Boston Red Sox seems to be pulling a "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" act this spring.

Last night, he pitched fantastically, giving up just two hits and striking out 10 batters in eight scoreless innings as he led the Sox to a much-needed 4-0 win against the New York Yankees.

The Boston Red Sox needed a big performance from their pitching staff, and got one before a nationally televised audience Sunday night as they won their first series of the season, 2-1 over the New York Yankees.

Pitcher Josh Beckett was masterful, going eight innings, allowing two hits and striking out 10 batters. The win was the finest performance this season by any Red Sox pitcher.

On Wednesday, I wrote that it was too early to leap off the bandwagon of the 2011 Red Sox. I still believe that—however, alarm bells have started to ring as the 0-6 Sox limp home to Fenway Park to face their hated rival, the New York Yankees.

The vaunted offense of the Sox has disappeared over the last four games.

Daisuke Matsuzaka hasn't won a game for the Boston Red Sox in a long time.

In his first start of the 2011 season, the Red Sox were defeated Wednesday night by the Cleveland Indians, 8-4. Matsuzaka pitched five innings, giving up six hits and three earned runs.

His last winning start was on September 2, 2010, against the Baltimore Orioles.

The Red Sox are 0-4, one of only three winless teams in the majors behind the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays. Their pitching has looked shaky, and the offense has disappeared the past two games. John Lackey, supposedly ten pounds lighter, looks like the same bum from last season. Carl Crawford, their prized $142 million acquisition, is hitting a mighty .133 and has been bounced around in the order twice in four games. They now turn their lonely eyes to that bastion of consistency, Daisuke Matzusaka, to put an end to their misery.

A mere four days ago, Red Sox Nation was bursting at the seams with anticipation as the new baseball season was about to get underway in Arlington, Texas. Visions of a hundred-win season and a World Series championship danced in the heads of Sox fans everywhere.

Nicknames and baseball go together like peanut butter and jelly. 

There are literally thousands of different nicknames that baseball players have acquired though their careers, and we all have our favorites. 

Making a list of the top 50 nicknames is difficult, because there are some great players and nicknames that have to be left off the list.  So I guess I'm apologizing in advance if I left your favorite off the list.

Here are the top 50 nicknames in MLB history:

Although the Red Sox began the 2011 season with an embarrassing three-game sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers, the Sox still have plenty of time to validate the media’s enormous expectations and secure a playoff spot.

However, in order to emerge victorious from a competitive American League East, the Sox must step back from the spotlight and focus on winning each individual game.