Rays @ BoSox: On Bobby V, Maddon and the organist

Posted May 26, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated May 26, 2012 at 06:29 PM

ROGER MOONEY
BOSTON It’s getting interesting here at Fenway Park.

First Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine accuses the Rays coaches of being too aggressive during Friday night’s bench-clearing altercation between the two teams.

“I thought their coaches were really aggressive and as a matter of fact I took offense to the aggressiveness of their coaches. I thought it was very unprofessional and I really was proud of the way my coaches were trying to do what they were supposed to do in those situations. They seemed very immature and out of control.”

Of course, Joe Maddon said the same thing Friday about the Red Sox coaches.

Then Maddon goes out of his way to talk about “how much respect he has for the Red Sox players.”

Then B.J. Upton sets up a beatbox next to the batting cage because Fenway Park suddenly goes silent when the Rays take BP.

Then the Fenway Park organist belts out Shannon’s smash 1980s hit, “Let the Music Play.” You know the one …

“We started dancing and love put us into a groove
As soon as we started to move …”

Followed, of course, by the can’t get it out of your head chorus …

“Let the music play, he won’t get away
Just keep the groove and then he’ll come back to you again
Let it play
Let the music play, he won’t get away
This groove he can’t ignore, he won’t leave you anymore”

Ah yes, it can be a hot time in the Old Towne tonight as the Rays and Red Sox resume this three-game series that say a bench-clearing dustup during the ninth if the Rays 7-4 win Friday.

Maddon said he expects the umpires to issue warnings.

Luke Scott, wearing a bruise behind his right knee courtesy of a 97 mph fastball from Franklin Morales is in the lineup.

David Price faces Josh Beckett.

The game will be televised cost-to-cost by Fox.

This could get interesting.

Heck, even the organist is ready to mix it up.

Here are the lineups:

RAYS
Peña 1B
Upton CF
Joyce LF
Zobrist RF
Scott DH
Sutton 3B
Rodriguez 2B
Molina C
Johnson SS
—
Price LHP (6-3, 2.88)

RED SOX
Aviles SS
Pedroia 2B
Ortiz DH
Youkilis 1B
Gonzalez RF
Middlebrooks 3B
Nava LF
Shoppach C
Byrd CF
—
Beckett RHP (4-4, 4.38)

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Rays-Red Sox, Round II: Can Rays afford a beanball war?

Posted May 26, 2012 by Roger Mooney

Updated May 26, 2012 at 03:45 PM

ROGER MOONEY
BOSTON Getting ready for Rays-Red Sox Round II here at Fenway Park.

After last night’s ninth inning dustup when Red Sox reliever Franklin Morales threw behind then hit Luke Scott, it will be interesting to see how the teams respond tonight in front of a Fox TV national audience.

Rays manager Joe Maddon didn’t hide his disgust for Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine after the Rays 7-4 victory.

“Quite frankly I think it was ridiculous, and I think it’s absurd, idiotic, and all those different words,” Maddon said.

“I’m kind of curious as to who put out the hit, because I know it wasn’t one of their players by the way their players reacted to the entire situation. It’s kind of incompetent behavior. It’s the kind of behavior that gets people hurt,” Maddon said.

“We don’t initiate anything, I promise you that. It’s not what we’re about. I like to believe we handle ourselves in a classier manner than that. … But we will respond to others who do attempt to do it to us. I promise you that, too,” Maddon said.

Those are fighting words, or at least pitcher throwing at batter words, and with Red Sox fire-baller Josh Beckett on the mound, anything is possible.

But will Rays starter David Price throw at a Red Sox?

And can the Rays risk the suspension that could come from a bean ball war? Maddon points to the ones handed out after the Rays and Red Sox went at it in June 2008 when he talks about all the injuries and adversity his team had to fight through that year.

With 10 players currently on the disabled list, can the Rays risk losing another player or players?

We’ll find out.

Game time is 7:15 p.m. on Fox.

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Robinson product Gibson advances to NCAA track finals

Posted May 26, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated May 26, 2012 at 12:29 PM

Former Robinson High track star Darrin Gibson, now a junior at Florida State University, earned his first berth in the NCAA Championships’ 800-meter run at Friday’s East Preliminary Round at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

Gibson, a state champion in the 800 his senior year at Robinson, finished strong in the second round of the 800 at UNF to finish third in his heat and ninth overall with a time of 1 minute, 48.84 seconds.

Gibson was one of seven FSU athletes Friday that qualified for the NCAA Championship meet, pushing the Seminoles’ two-day team total to 11 qualifiers. The NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships are June 6-9 at Drake University.

“We had some huge breakthroughs,” Braman said. “[Darrin] Gibson earning his first trip to nationals, all three 100 guys getting through and then the girls steeple.”

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Panini previews Gold Standard autographs

Posted May 26, 2012 by Bob D'Angelo

Updated May 26, 2012 at 11:55 AM

Panini America released photos of some of the autograph cards that will be appearing in its Gold Standard set, which is set for release on July 5. Talk about an aptly named product—some of these autographs are going to be like gold to you if you pull it from a pack.

There will be signature cards from legends like Bill Russell, Jerry West, Larry Bird, Wes Unseld, David Robinson, John Stockton, David Thompson, Bob Lanier and Dolph Schayes. Current stars like Shane Battier, Stephen Curry and Paul George also will be part of the set.

This is going to be a high-end product. One pack to a box, and 10 cards to a pack. A case will contain 10 boxes.

Five of the cards in the pack will be hot cards: one 2011-2012 Dr aft Class redemption autograph cards, two other autographs, and two memorabilia cards.

Russell is always an interesting autograph card. I say that because for years, the Boston Celtics’ Hall of Fame center refused to sign autographs. He said he didn’t like giving away a piece of himself in that way, that it was too impersonal. Times change of course, and wallets were opened up. And soon, Russell began signing.

I don’t blame him; in addition to being a great player and man, Russell was always a smart businessman. If you’re as old as I am, you will remember Russell doing commericials in 1973 for the Bell System phone company, where he sits in a chair and sinks a shot from across the room. The ad went like this: “Score some points the easy way ... (takes shot and scores) ... by long distance (then he cracks up laughing because he didn’t think the shot would go in).

Here’s another ad he did for the same company, same general theme, also in 1973:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY9t2WeMX1c

Russell was better known for his rebounding, but he still enjoyed making a good shot, as you can tell.

As far as autographs go, when Russell saw he could make some good money and the autographs would be limited, he signed on.

A favorite card in my collection is a 1/1 dual autograph, yellow plate card from 2007 Topps Triple Threads. The autographs are of Russell and John Havlicek.

The autographs in Panini’s set look to be large and bold, and the gold background on the card certainly enhances the signature.

Gold Standard will have a new design for its Gold Rush cards, as each card will have a disk of gold embedded into it. Solid Gold cards will be 1/1 offerings and would be a very nice pull. And the 14K Memorabilia Prime cards will feature players who have scored more than 14,000 points in their NBA careers. These cards also will have a “24K” version.

So if you have the cash to invest and like the idea of possibly pulling a legendary player, this set could be up your alley.

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UD unveils Military Machines inserts for 2012 Goodwin Champions set

Posted May 25, 2012 by Bob D'Angelo

Updated May 25, 2012 at 07:37 PM

Just in time for Memorial Day weekend, Upper Deck released images of its Military Machines insert set that will be part of the 2012 Goodwin Champions set that will be released this summer.

There will be 25 cards in the set and it will contain cards honoring airplanes, Jeeps, patrol boats, tanks and helicopters. Famous battleships like the USS Maine, USS Arizona and USS Indianapolis will be featured. Civil War buffs will enjoy the inclusion of the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia.

The cards will be randomly inserted in packs of Goodwin Champions.

Previously, Upper Deck has worked with non-profit organizations like Operation Gratitude to donate sealed packs of UD product for inclusion in care packages to soldiers serving overseas. The company restated its commitment to the troops and will continue to donate cards, but this year wanted to take it a step further.

In a news release, Upper Deck product development manager Grant Sandground said the Military Machines inserts “touch upon historical and cultural themes that are not often offered in mainstream products.”

“These amazing machines represent an important time line of achievements in military engineering throughout the 19th and 20th century and we’re proud to incorporate this slice of history into 2012 Goodwin Champions,” Sandground said. “We hope members of our armed forces and military enthusiasts enjoy the inclusion of this insert series.”

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