New poll

If it was up to you, what would you do with the DH rule in baseball? Vote on the right, and comment here.

Manuel suspended

Mets manager Jerry Manuel has been suspended one game for making contact with first base umpire Bill Welke. He will serve the suspension today, with Sandy Alomar, Sr. taking his place.

Despite how blatantly wrong Welke was on the Victorino obstruction call, the suspension is still correct. The brim of Manuel's cap did make contact with Welke's face. It's only one game, so the Mets will deal with it today and move on.

Quote of the day

From Chris Thompson: (Edited for content, because Thompson makes that necessary. Read his blog here.)

"Nichols and Favre have to be f---ing on the side. They never send anybody else to do Favre stories. Always Nichols."

Chris, avoid the state of Mississippi for a long time if you're going to make accusations about Brett Favre.

Update: Vote Milledge

An update in the effort to vote Syracuse Chiefs outfielder Lastings Milledge into the MLB All-Star Game: there is now a Facebook group.

Join it, invite your friends, and Vote Milledge for NL Outfielder!

Westerly-Chariho on WBLQ

Tonight on 96.7 WBLQ: High school baseball- Chariho at Westerly. Zack Garceau, Eric Piccolo, and I will have the call. 6:50 pre-game, 7:00 first pitch. 96.7 if you're in the Westerly-Pawcatuck and Chariho areas, or on-line via WBLQ's website world-wide.

Ortiz scratched, updated Sox lineup

As if the Red Sox aren't banged up enough, David Ortiz is a very late scratch with what's being called a "stiff neck." Updated lineup:

Lugo DH
Pedroia 2B
Bay LF
Lowell 3B
Baldelli CF
Drew RF
Bailey 1B
Green SS
Kottaras C

Wakefield P

I think I'm going to be sick.

Lineups- 5/7

For the Sox, who look to split a two game set against lefty Jeremy Sowers and Cleveland:

Lugo SS
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Bay LF
Lowell 3B
Drew RF
Baldelli CF
Bailey 1B
Kottaras C

Wakefield P

Rocco didn't bring the Paw Sox uniforms back with him. Probably too busy catching up with some other Hendricken grads whose claim to fame is "I went to high school with Rocco Baldelli." He bats seventh against the lefty, with the nine million dollar utility man leading off. This team needs a healthy Youk and Ellsbury for the big weekend series.

For the Mets, who face Jamie "The Ageless Wonder" Moyer:

Reyes SS
Castillo 2B
Beltran CF
Delgado 1B
Wright 3B
Sheffield RF
Tatis LF
Castro C
Pelfrey P

Church will start this one on the bench for the second night in a row, with the lefty pitching for the Phillies. Castro behind the plate due to his good numbers against Moyer. Sheff gets a start against one of a handful of starters older than him.

Milledge '09

Something I first read on Metsblog, and then Sons of Sam Horn:

“Milledge is on the NL All-Star ballot. He needs to make the team. Nothing would be more NatsTown than having the Natinals’ (lone?) All-Star game representative be a AAA player for whom the organization has no plan.”

This is a great idea, in my opinion. The fact that 1) Milledge is on the ballot and 2) The ballot is out this early is ridiculous. That being said, vote Natinals outfielder Lastings Milledge for the 2009 All-Star Game!

Tonight's Sox and Mets lineups

For the Sox against the much-maligned Carl Pavano and Cleveland:

Drew RF
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Bay LF
Lowell 3B
Varitek C
Bailey 1B
Van Every CF
Green SS

Masterson P

The Pawtucket uniforms should arrive tomorrow. After witnessing Pavano mow down a Tigers lineup with my own eyes, this lineup might provide the opportunity for Carl Pavano to have... back-to-back... dominant... outings? THAT is a scary thought.

As for the Mets, who take on Chan Ho Park and the Phillies tonight at Citi Field:

Reyes SS
Cora 2B
Beltran CF
Delgado 1B
Wright 3B
Murphy LF
Reed RF
Santos C
Santana P

A few changes from last night. Castillo gets the night off, along with Castro and Church.

Jeremy Reed finally gets a start. Major props to fellow QUer Andrew Vazzano at The Ropolitans for calling that one last night.

Game is on ESPN tonight, and tomorrow night's is on MLB Network. So for two nights, I can forget about not having SNY or PIX for the next three and a half months.

Over/Under

In an effort to get myself updating this more, I've decided to start doing some fun little things duch as this. Here is the first edition of Over/Under, something I plan to do on about a weekly basis:

Technical fouls in tonight's Celtics-Magic game: 3

Innings pitched tonight for Chan Ho Park: 3 2/3

Innings pitched tonight for Carl Pavano: 6 2/3

Minutes of NHL coverage per hour on SportsCenter tomorrow: 4

Minutes of Brett Favre coverage per hour on SportsCenter tomorrow: 12

No Sheff, No surprise

Only change from last night's lineup: Ramon Castro behind the plate for Schneider. It's a day game after a night game, and Schneider took a foul ball off the knee last night, so he'll get a day off.

Jerry Manuel had said Gary Sheffield would start in right today, but Ryan Church's scorching start (10/19, 2 RBI) will force that plan to hold off until further notice. The Mets will likely go with the regular starters in the much-awaited Citi Field opener Monday, and with the off-day Tuesday, it's doubtful for Wednesday night's game.

-- MTM

Opening Day

The Phillies and Braves square off tonight in the first game of the 2009 Major League Baseball season, with 26 teams following suit tomorrow, and the Brewers and Giants opening their '09 campaigns on Tuesday. For diehard fans such as those who will be sitting in a rain-soaked Fenway Park, praying for Mother Nature to let their beloved Red Sox to take the field, Opening Day is an annual tradition. But this is a year when it is so much more.

Baseball has an important place in this country that often goes underappreciated or unnoticed. It is the national pastime, and in times such as this economic meltdown of the United States, baseball has united Americans in a way few other things can.

When the teams took the field to finish the 2001 season that paused for a week due to the events of 9/11, the late Jack Buck stood in a Cardinal red sportcoat in St. Louis, to silence the critics saying baseball had returned too soon, answering his own question of "Should we be here?" with a resounding "Yes!"

As commissioner Selig said earlier this week, "Baseball has always served as a diversion for its fans in difficult times." Ticket prices are tough to swallow sometimes, especially with the opening of two new ballparks in New York, and the always-expensive Sox ticket. However, with some good planning, finding discount games and/or buying tickets online from places like StubHub or eBay, fans can afford to go to games in 2009.

When this country has been knocked down, and when it has been up against the ropes, it has been the game of baseball that has often kept Americans going. And as the calendar has turned to Opening Day in what has already been a tumultuous 2009, there are only two more words to be said: Play ball.

-- MTM

Move over, Kelly Clarkson

I usually avoid music in my writing or while on-air, other than my passionate hatred for Kelly Clarkson's music.

After four of the most torturous minutes I have ever experienced, I have come to the conclusion that Asher Roth's "I Love College" might be the worst excuse for music I have ever heard in my life.

It's awful. Just plain awful. I'm not a fan of hip-hop as it is, but this is an atrocity to music. This kid throws every stereotype and cliche saying of college together, and somehow it's music? No.

College isn't just one continuous four-year long rager. Is partying a part of college? Undeniably. But for this four-minute long babble to become the anthem for college kids is embarrassing to those of us in college who actually appreciate music.

Heck, even "Behind These Hazel Eyes" seems more appealing right about now.

--MTM

Superweek '09

The final week of February is one of the biggest there is in terms of important dates in multiple sports. MLB Spring Training games begin this week. Many college and high school basketball conferences conclude the regular season. And the NHL and NBA are done with their All-Star breaks, and into their stretch runs. Therefore, there is no single week of the year more fitting of the title "Superweek" than this week. (With no disrespect to Chris Thompson's "Christober," celebrated annually from October 1st-5th. Read his blog here.)

Starting in 2009, I will truly celebrate Superweek, and I encourage you to do the same. Here is my schedule for Superweek '09:

Mon 2/23: Women's College BB: Fairleigh Dickinson at Quinnipiac, Hamden, CT

Tue 2/24: NHL: Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins, Boston, MA

Wed 2/25: Red Sox and Mets' first spring training games

Thu 2/26: Men's College BB: Wagner at Quinnipiac, Hamden, CT

Fri 2/27: RI Boys' High School Basketball (tentative): Mt. Hope at Westerly, The Fed

Sat 2/28: Women's College BB: CCSU at Quinnipiac, Hamden, CT

Sat 2/28: Men's College BB: CCSU at Quinnipiac, Hamden, CT

Celebrate Superweek. Or Justin Rutty will dunk on you.

--MTM

Interesting stat

Teixeira: 157 games played, .308 AVG, 33 HR, 121 RBI, .410 OBP, .552 SLG, 41 2B, 0 3B
Youkilis: 145 games played, .312 AVG, 29 HR, 115 RBI, .390 OBP, .569 SLG, 43 2B, 4 3B

Those paces over 162 games (averages obviously the same):
Teixeira: 34 HR, 125 RBI, 42 2B, 0 3B
Youkilis: 32 HR, 128 RBI, 48 2B, 4 3B

2009 Salary:
Teixeira: $22,500,000
Youkilis: $6,000,000

--MTM