The David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic.....

I don't often concede to requests like these that often come into ITM's inbox, but when it comes to Ortiz, warm weather, a good cause, and Dustin Pedroia talking smack on the golf course, I'll post it.....

If you weren’t able to attend the David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic this year, you can still catch all the highlights in a special Red Sox Report airing on Tuesday, December 21, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. EST on NESN. Produced by Emmy award-winning Red Sox Productions, the show chronicles all the weekend’s activities, including the welcome reception, pairings party, golf tournament and awards gala. There are exclusive interviews from a host of celebrity guests including Red Sox teammates, current and former Major League baseball stars, actors, comedians, and sports legends. The show is hosted by David Ortiz with help from the event emcees, MLB Network commentator and former Red Sox first baseman Sean Casey and actor/comedian Mike O’Malley.   (ITM note:  this guy has made a good gig outta being random MCs at Red Sox events huh?, nothing the rest of us couldn't do)
 At the 2010 Celebrity Golf Classic, David Ortiz was joined by a host of celebrity guests including


Red Sox Players Daniel Bard, Dustin Pedroia, Adrian Beltre, Darnell McDonald, Jed Lowrie, and Tim Wakefield; other MLB Players including Andre Ethier, Erick Aybar, Hanley Ramirez, Placido Polanco, Ubaldo Jimenez , Adam Jones and Pedro Martinez; and former MLB players and legends Luis Tiant, Jim Rice, George Bell, and Moises Alou. Also in attendance were legendary Boston Celtics player Bill Russell, actor Sam Page, comedians Rachel Dratch and Horatio Sanz, and Dr. Peter Slavin, president of Massachusetts General Hospital.


The show begins with one-of-a-kind footage of David Ortiz visiting Robert Reid Hospital in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The David Ortiz Children’s Fund is launching a program at the hospital to ensure nurses receive the education and equipment they need. During the visit, David met with nurses who will benefit from the program, including one nurse who cared for David when he was a child. The nurses program was inspired by David’s aunt Esperanza who is a retired nurse from Robert Reid Hospital.

The Red Sox Report, presented by CVS/Pharmacy, will be rebroadcast at the following dates and times: December 21 at 9:30 p.m.; December 22 at 12:30 and 5:30 p.m.; January 4 at 5:30, 7:00 and 9:30 p.m. and January 5 at 4:30 and 10:30 p.m.

Newly Signed Dan Wheeler on Crawford: Prepare to be Amazed

When speaking of Carl Crawford....

"I know Red Sox fans have seen him a lot over the years but when you watch him day-in-and day out you're going to see things that will amaze you. For me as a pitcher, I'm telling you, it's great to see him out there in left field. He's a highlight film on just about every play." - Dan Wheeler


You know, I always knew I liked you Dan Wheeler.  The man is from Rhode Island, and clearly he knows exactly what to say to get in good with an obsessive fan base.  I'm not going to lie, after reading that quote I wanted to buy a Dan Wheeler jersey almost as much as a Crawford one. 

No Debbie Downer here, D Wheel is in the here to rep RI and keep the positive clubhouse emotion alive.....and maybe eat some middle innings as well.

Keep up the good work D Wheel, you're just another piece in what is quickly becoming the perfect storm of an off season. I'm all sorts of excited.

Angels Owner is Pissed His Team Got Worked by Theo

“There were rumors out there, but we never made an official offer, and no parameters were discussed,” Moreno told the Times, adding later that when Angels GM Tony Reagins met with Crawford’s agent on the first day of the winter meetings, he was told that the outfielder already had an agreement in place, and that the Angels “never had a chance” to bid.

The Angels owner emphasized that the deal that Crawford signed with the Red Sox came with significant risk.

“It’s crazy. I paid [$183 million] for the team [in 2003], and now we’re talking $142 million for one player? Seven years on a player is a huge risk financially,” Moreno said in the story. “[Crawford's] greatest asset is speed, and he’s a very skilled athlete who would have fit perfectly in left field for us. But we didn’t look at him as a power hitter in our stadium.”

Oh cry me a river Arte. First you're complaining that you never had a chance to offer Crawford a contract and then you critize how much the Sox paid for him? Eat it Arte, you and your team got worked by Theo and everyone knows it.

He should be a lot more concerned with the fact that his Angels ball club is looking at another mediocre year if they don't make some serious moves. Maybe they should take on the Patriots mortar and just worry about themselves. Put the Halos in the AL East and they would win 75 games.

PS: blog posted while hungover on the T at 8:30am. I should get extra points.

This Story Could Only Come From Pedroia....

From WEEI.com (aka, the station that is getting their ass handed to them by Felger, Mazz and the rest of the Hub)....


Traveling back from vacation with his family, along with the family of Dodgers' outfielder Andre Ethier, Pedroia was having a difficult time getting his entire group through customs, making it difficult to make its flight on time.

"They wanted me, who just got cleared to jog, to sprint to the gate, which is on the other side of the airport, to hold the plane up," Pedroia said. "So I'm sprinting, testing out my foot with my shoelaces untied, holding my 30-pound son -- by the way, my foot felt phenomenal -- sprinting through the airport, and I get to the gate, and I'm like, 'Ma'am, did the flight leave?' She said, 'I'm going to give you three minutes.' I'm like, 'There's no way.' Andre's kid is a little bigger than [Pedroia's son] Dylan and he's running everywhere. Two seconds later, the pilot comes off the plane and goes, 'We've got a situation.' I thought, 'Jeez, now we're definitely staying here.'

"She pulls off this couple. Some woman was beating the [expletive] out of her husband on the plane. They pull those two off. This guy has a bloody face. He must have smarted off or something. The flight was delayed 30 minutes, and we got to get on the flight. I almost high-fived everybody. It was awesome."


"It was out of control. We ended up getting on. I was more pumped my foot felt good from sprinting with a 30-pound kid on me. We got on the flight. I was pumped. It was a good day."
If this happened to anyone but Pedey I'd call BS....but this is the type of thing that could only happen to me, Pedey, and probably T Murph.

Also, Pedey should have used his celebrity status to have the plane stopped.  The TSA just put the Red Sox season in peril....He should have told them to go ask Jeff Francis who he was.

Reason number 9,987 to be excited for Spring Training: priceless Pedroia quotes.

My Main Man: Iggy Being Iggy

As if you needed another reason to be excited for Spring Training and the future of the Red Sox....let's not forget about Iggy.  One of the best parts of landing AGon was that we didn't have to give up Iggy...aka, Boston's future shortstop (projected starter in 2012).

I'm not even sure what happened around the 13 second mark, all I know is I'm amazed.  The glove work alone has me excited to see what this kid can do at the big league level.  This video is actually from November after he poured all over the Arizona Fall League (earning a spot as one of the top performers in the league).

Also, Dice-K...listen up, the man already speaks better English than you do, and word on the street is that's he's doing more and more interviews in English, hoping to fully transition.  He's also studying US history.

Great work again Theo....now sign some quality bullpen arms would ya?

Stark: Ellsbury Trade A Possibility

"I think it opens that possibility," said Stark. "No doubt about it. The sense I get is that they are very content with how their team and outfield shapes up right now. But they've got four everyday outfielders and an everyday DH, so any time you are sitting in that spot it's a great place to be. They're in the driver's seat now, they can totally call their own shots here and control where their off-season goes from here. Anything they do now, they do from strength. That's not the case with the Yankees."

We have four everyday outfielders?  Really?  As far as I know JD can never be relied on for health, Mike Cameron is still very much a question mark, and Jacoby hasn't played baseball in a year......and Ryan Kalish (somewhat forgotten) is scheduled to start the year in Triple A.

I applaud the Phillies for keeping Lee out of the AL, especially the AL East, but let's not make a stupid deal to thank them (the thought is that Philly now has an abundance of pitching talent they may be willing to deal).

In addition, as a result of injuries etc, Jacoby likely returns less value now than ever.   Now doesn't seem like the logical time to move him.....plus, we're all drooling at the thought of double steals and not a single ball dropping in the left-center gap in 11'.....

Adrian Gonzalez: Straight Class Homey....

"My wife Betsy and I have been fortunate to call the San Diego area home - both during childhood and the past five seasons with the Padres.  While my baseball career continues on the "other" coast, family, friends, and Padres fans will remain close to our hearts.  It was a dream come true to play for the hometown team for five wonderful years.  It was a privilege to put on a uniform bearing "San Diego," and to live and work amidst so many wonderful people.  This is truly an amazing city.

Betsy and I will miss seeing so many of you on a regular basis.  You always raised our spirits and have a profoundly positive impact on our lives.  For this and so much more, we are grateful.

For now, I will refrain from saying goodbye; the Adrian & Betsy Gonzalez Foundation will continue to honor its commitment to helping area youth and we have every intention of doing our part to better this already great community."

Many thanks and God bless....and F the Yankees.

So I took the liberty of adding in the "F the Yankees" part, so what?  You and I both know he was thinking it.  

 Think Arod would ever even consider doing this?  No way, he's too busy holding Cameron Diaz's purse (...or is it actually his?).  

Either way, AGon is joining a team of hard workers and class.  Bring on Spring Training, bring on the Yanks.