Late last week, the Boston Red Sox claimed Billy Wagner off waivers. Today, the Red Sox and the New York Mets agreed on a trade that will send Wagner to Boston. In return, the Mets will receive two players to be named.
With the Red Sox, Wagner will likely become the team’s setup man in front of closer Jonathan Papelbon. Although Wagner has been one of the best closers in the history of baseball, he said that he’s willing to alter his role in hopes of winning a World Series championship.
Last season, Wagner was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery after …read more

Yesterday we mentioned how cool it was to be at the Red Sox-Indians game on Tuesday night. Since The Bee (Johnny Pap, as in Paparazzi) took some awesome pics, we decided to share a few:

David Ortiz (”Big Papi“) at the plate. (As if the “at the plate” part wasn’t obvious)

Jonathan Papelbon’s “Hey, let’s have tea some time!” look. Or maybe a beer?
 
Jason Varitek greeting fans after the win: He was a nice guy and shook hands with just about everyone in the front row around the field.

Kevin Youkilis in champagne-ready goggles.

Casualties of the on-field celebration.

Fifteen innings of pretty good ball for the American League versus National League All-Stars resulted in sleep loss for the East Coast and the 12th consecutive win for the AL (except for that 2002 tie).
Here are five reasons why the AL came up with a victory yet again:
 1. Ichiro Suzuki’s pre-game F-Bombs. Move over, Bobby Knight. The Seattle Mariners‘ perpetual All-Star has a nifty peptalk ritual for his AL teammates every year.
2. Florida Marlins second baseman and probable never-again All-Star Dan Uggla set—wait for it, this one’s nice and corny—an Ugg-ly record by committing 3 errors in the game.
3. The NL probably isn’t quite accustomed …read more

To invoke one of the few people associated with New York Yankees whom we actually like besides Joe Torre, Yogi Berra once said it ain’t over till it’s over.
Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon agrees, at least when it comes to the Tampa Bay Rays.
For those of you MLB fans who’ve been living in a cave on a island off the coast of Chile (and you know who you are), this all goes back to the Coco Crisp touchy-feely slide, the Sox-Rays brawl, and who knows, maybe even his post-brawl remarks.

Image: Used with permission of www.newscom.com
ESPN reports Papelbon’s take:
“In my …read more

We’ve been so caught up in the goings-on of the NFL (not to mention Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo) that we almost forgot one last tidbit to the Hank Steinbrenner–Red Sox Nation “controversy.”
Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, always good for a quote (or a dance move; see below) offered his two cents on Hank Steinbrenner’s trash-talking, per ESPN: 
“ I don’t know if he’s trying to stir things up or not,” Boston’s closer told the Hartford Courant. “I sure as hell don’t care, because he sure as hell hasn’t stepped foot on a baseball field. He needs to just stick to pencil-pushing, …read more

Imagine you fork over $900 a pop for two tickets to Super Bowl XLII. You’re ays away from watching the 18-0 New England Patriots and the feisty underdog New York Giants go toe-to-toe. Tom Brady versus Eli Manning; Bill Belichick versus Tom Coughlin. The stuff of NFL history.
And then Buddy, your black lab, treats your tickets like an unattended porterhouse steak.
This “glad it wasn’t us” mishap took place when the courier delivering the tickets slid them under the door rather than—as requested—under the doormat.
But all’s well that ends well. Buddy had a good snack and his owner’s tickets will …read more

Looking for a Christmas gift for that special dog or puppy in your life? Never mind browsing the aisles in Petco for run-of-the-mill chew toys. Why not get Fido, Fluffy, or Dudley some 2007 World Series memorabilia to chomp on?
But if “the Series-winning ball pitched by Jonathan Papelbon” tops your list, you (”and your little dog, too,” she cackled, like the Wicked Witch of the West) are out of luck. That chew toy honor belongs to none other than Papelbon’s own pet pooch, “Boss.” The Red Sox closer/Irish step-dancer revealed to a newspaper that Boss, rawhide aficionado that he is, helped himself to the ball …read more

All of New England is doing a happy dance today thanks to a small feat called “WINNING GAME 7 OF THE ALCS” by a score of 11-2. Josh Beckett nabbed MVP and Ex-Girlfriend-Turned-Cleveland’s-Go-To-Anthem Girl Danielle Peck wasn’t even there to sing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” (The nerve, you know?)
Alas, there’s a shortage of midnight oil here due to the game’s late night/early morning end. Sox fans are tired and some of us *cough* including me *cough* were late for work today. This was such a big win that I know at least ONE Yankees fan—I’m lookin’ at you, JMB—might return from the Dark Side …read more