Why does Coco Crisp seem to come up lame every time his name is mentioned in trade rumors?

The recent stories out of New York involving the Yankees, and the placement of a David Ortiz jersey in the newly poured concrete of the stadium being built for the Sons of Steinbrenner, are an absolute hoot. When construction worker, Gino Castignoli, informed the local press that he had buried the jersey intending to curse the Yankees, the team’s initial reaction was to deny the story.  Then Mr. Castignoli provided documented proof, via pictures, that he had indeed placed the jersey in the setting concrete in an area where a restaurant is planned.  The Yankees then proceeded to play into the media’s hands, and dig it up, recording the event for all to see. The funny thing is, this is just the kind of absurd behavior that the citizens of Red Sox Nation have come to expect from their team.  In the frustrating years before 2004, Red Sox fans regularly heard about ridiculous measures undertaken to end “The Curse of the Bambino.” We had a multitude of exorcisms performed by many different people, some of them quite dubious I might add.  There was a diving crew sent to the bottom of a Sudbury, Massachusetts’ pond (where Ruth once lived) to raise a piano that allegedly belonged to Ruth.  There were countless stories in the media; books on the subject, and…well, you get the idea.  Anyway, the Red Sox organization allowed themselves to get caught up in all this curse stuff right up to their collective eyeballs. Then, the team won the World Series in 2004, and “The Curse” was deemed over, and the Red Sox organization has since avoided anything resembling that kind of nonsense.  They are now looked upon as the more professional, well - run organization, and it’s the Yankees that are now playing around with all this curse stuff.  It is almost as though the two organizations have reversed their former roles and traded places.  Whereas the Red Sox team, and Red Sox Nation have no interest in fooling around with all this superstitious garbage, the Yankees are wallowing in it by having their ceremonious digging up of the Ortiz jersey, with the media and several upper level management representatives in attendance for the photo op.  The citizens of Red Sox Nation are laughing their tails off, watching all this nonsense playing out in the NY newspapers.  Imagine that, the Yankees believe in all that curse stuff!  Besides, don’t they realize that by digging up the jersey, they actually ended Big Papi’s slump?  Since the jersey was unearthed, Ortiz has had two hits, and appears to be coming out of it.

For those of you who believe Curt Schilling is a blowhard, I think I have found someone who is much, much worse.  Schilling is far surpassed as a blowhard by his personal orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Craig Morgan.  Morgan was a guest on a sports talk radio station Wednesday, where he discussed Schilling’s shoulder injury, and revealed a startling conversation he had with Schilling.  He reiterated his belief that Schilling will never pitch again without having surgery on his shoulder, and that the current rehab will not work, short of a modern miracle.  Then Morgan went on to tell a story about a phone call he got from Schilling a month or so ago.  Morgan claims that Schilling called during a time when he was experiencing daily intense pain in his shoulder, and that Schilling told him that he would sign with the Yankees next season, if that is where he had to go to prove he can still pitch.  Supposedly, Schilling said this to Morgan at a time when he was angry at the Red Sox organization for forcing him to go through the rehab process and avoid surgery.  Later in the day, Schilling appeared on the same radio program and denied it all, saying it was a “non-story” and that he would “never play for the Yankees.”  Schilling followed up that appearance with an entry in his personal blog in which he wrote pretty much the same thing.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but doesn’t a doctor have an obligation to keep conversations with his patient confidential?  If Morgan were my doctor, he would be fired immediately for the comments he made. Talk about your blowhards!

A couple of days ago, Mets GM Omar Minaya, announced that Pedro Martinez would be lost for another 6-8 weeks with his hamstring strain, and that the team did not want to take any chances with his long-term health. Today, comments attributed to Martinez in an interview for a Dominican Republic TV station, indicate that he intends to return before the end of April. Whatever you say, Petey!

Let’s take a look at a few tasty tidbits from last night’s box scores.

The Indians have got to be getting worried about their Cy Young award winning pitcher, Crooked Cap Sabathia.  He got smoked for the third straight game last night, giving up 9 runs for the second game in a row, something that no Cy Young winner has ever done the year after winning the award.  Sabathia’s troubles date back to the playoffs last year.  After going 4-0 in September and only walking 6 in 38 innings that month, he went out and walked 6 in just 5 innings, against the Yankees in the playoffs.  Since then, he has been a different pitcher.  Sort of reminds me of Mitch Williams after Joe Carter’s devastating home run.  Let’s hope Sabathia doesn’t go there.

After a frustrating season, filled with assorted nagging injuries in 2007, Rafael Furcal is 100% healthy and it’s showing.  He hit his second home run of the season last night, just one of four hits he had, along with two runs scored and two RBI, raising his average on the season to.407 with an OBP of .500. Wow!

Brandon Webb hurled another gem last night against the Giants, allowing just one run on three hits, striking out five over eight strong innings.  He improved his record to 4-0 with the win.  You have to go all the way back to September of 2005 to find a game he lost to the Giants. He is 8-0 against San Fran since then.

Lou Pinella has no faith in Felix Pie, and now Alfonso Soriano is on the DL with a strained calf, so there is speculation that the Cubs will again be interested in making a deal with the Red Sox to Xbring Coco Crisp to the Windy City.  Wouldn’t you know it, Crisp is hurting and expected to sit out the next couple of games. Does anybody else see the irony in that? Every time it looks like there might be a market for Crisp, he comes up lame.  Strange, to be sure.

Last night, the Tigers had 17 hits, put 13 runs up on the board, and drew 9 walks off of Indians pitchers.  Pudge Rodriguez went 0 for 6 with no walks.  In Spring Training, Rodriguez batted .429 with 6 home runs.  So far this season he is batting .189 with one home run.  I know spring stats don’t matter, but one would think he would have been better than this.

King Felix Hernandez had his best outing of the young season last night against the Oakland A’s.  Hernandez threw a complete game in which he scattered 8 hits, gave up just one earned run, and struck out 8 A’s.  However, he threw 115 pitches in the outing. Do they never learn? Have they forgotten his injury issues?  Do they have that little confidence in their bullpen? Anyways, his record is now 2-0, with a 1.47 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 30 innings of work. Hail the King! (And hope he stays healthy!)

That’s all from me today, folks. Shake it easy.