Red Sox Beat The Rays Again, 7-5 This Time

When the Rays look back on the 2012 season after they miss the playoffs, they can point to the last two nights as one of the main reasons they are watching October on TV like the rest of us slobs. Somehow a nine-inning affair took 4:09 and honestly, it felt like longer than that.

The Red Sox (68-81, 35-38 away) rallied for a 7-5 win tonight at Tropicana Field, the second game in a row that they've beaten Tampa Bay (78-70, 39-34 home) to start this critical series for the sons of Joe Maddon.

Ironically, Boston has won four of five and looks somewhat rejuvenated while Tampa Bay appears lifeless and accepting of the fact that they are done. The Rays have lost seven of their last eight games and four straight. Unbelievably, the Red Sox are 9-5 against the Rays this season, including a 5-2 mark at the Trop.

Felix Doubront (11-9) was effectively wild. In six innings, he allowed three earned runs on one hit with five strikeouts and five walks. After Ben Zobrist's two-run single in the third and Evan Longoria's sacrifice fly, he settled down immensely.

Jeremy Hellickson was kept on a short leash. He went four innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.

The Red Sox chipped away as the Rays struggled to get anything going at the plate (3 hits, 8 walks). James Loney had an RBI single in the fourth then Boston tied it with two in the fifth on Jacoby Ellsbury's RBI single and Dustin Pedroia's sacrifice fly.

The go-ahead run scored on an error by Sean Rodriguez in the sixth. Jarrod Saltalamacchia had an RBI single in the seventh and Ryan Lavarnway (2 hits, run, walk) stroked an opposite field two-run double in the following at bat.

Clayton Mortensen was charged with two runs in the seventh (on a two-run single by Zobrist) but Craig Breslow had a clean eighth inning after inheriting a runner and Andrew Bailey recorded his fifth save with a scoreless ninth.

Cody Ross was 2 for 4 with a double, two runs, a walk and stolen base.

Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-5) faces rookie Chris Archer (0-3) tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN) in what amounts to a must-win for Tampa Bay.

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Patriots Cap A Busy Day At Gillette By Bringing Back Deion Branch

When wide receiver Deion Branch was cut on August 31 as the Patriots trimmed their preseason roster down to 53 players, it was a pretty surprising development. However, I think most smart fans realized there was a good chance that he would be back soon enough this season in Foxborough.

It only took a little more than two weeks (and two games) and I'm happy to report that Branch has reached an agreement to return to New England. Apparently it was such a foregone conclusion that the team left his locker in place at Gillette Stadium. Aaron Hernandez's injury likely was the main catalyst for Branch's return since they'll need to find a way to duplicate Hernandez's production with multiple guys.

At 33, Branch is pretty long in the tooth for an NFL receiver but he put up decent numbers last season: 51 catches for 702 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games. Most importantly, he knows Tom Brady better than probably anyone that has ever played with him. Plus he's an outstanding leader and great teammate so you can always use a guy like that, especially in a time like this with the uncertainty surrounding the Wes Welker/Julian Edelman situation.

To make room for Branch and Kellen Winslow, the Pats released wide receiver Greg Salas, linebacker Mike Rivera and fullback Lex Hilliard. It's not hyperbole to say that those were probably the last three guys on the roster anyway. Salas never played since coming over from St. Louis a few weeks back, Rivera was only on special teams and Hilliard occupies a forgotten position.

It'll be interesting to see how much Branch and Winslow play on Sunday against the Ravens. It's shaping up to be a huge game since both teams are 1-1 and each are coming off a disappointing loss last Sunday. Baltimore has won 20 of its last 21 games at home so it is going to take a special effort from New England to beat them. If I had to put money on it, I would guess that Branch is more likely to see the field since he knows the playbook from last season and this preseason. One would think Winslow will need more time to get up to speed.

UPDATE 9/19: Filling that last roster spot, the Patriots also brought back linebacker Niko Koutouvides. He played in the last 11 regular season games and three playoff games last season. He was a staple of all four special teams units, which were a disaster on Sunday against the Cardinals.

Salas will return to the practice squad according to ESPNBoston.com's Mike Reiss.

UPDATE 9/20: With Salas back, wide receiver Kerry Taylor was released from the practice squad.

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RIP Steve Sabol

Few non-athletes have ever impacted my sports experience and education like Steve Sabol, who passed away today after an 18 month battle with brain cancer.  He was 69.

As a co-founder of NFL Films, Steve Sabol's vision, knowledge, and innovation taught me and countless others more about professional football than anyone else. Following in the footsteps of his father Ed, Steve was in many ways the face of the NFL's history. He was the host of one of my favorite VHS tapes growing up, True Value Hardware's "Quarterbacks on Quarterbacks". He seemed to produce every blooper reel, highlight film and Super Bowl recap throughout my formative years.

Steve Sabol and NFL Films WAS the NFL Network before the NFL Network was created. He said once that the "shape of a football field is the shape of a movie screen. There's something about the way the spectacle of the game, the visceral nature of the game...it lends itself to making movies." He did exactly that.

I remember staying up late at night to watch the highlights of past Super Bowls, especially when ESPN2 used to run the all night marathon the Saturday before the big game. It was because of these films (and that's precisely what they were) that I and many others were able to connect with the game's history in an emotional way. My friends and I had all heard of Marcus Allen, Bart Starr, Lynn Swann and John Riggins. But it was because of Steve Sabol and his vision that these players became something bigger, something legendary. He told us a story in a way that no one else could. It was epic.

From the amazing soundtrack by Sam Spence to the fantastic (and often slow-motion) camera work, to the flawless editing, these games were larger than life. He brought a kind of literary genius to the sport. Football was a spectacle, and Steve Sabol did an amazing job creating this theater for his audience. In a world of Top 10's and useless segments-Cmon Man's comes to mind, it is remarkable that these old, grainy highlight tapes still feel so fresh, so lively, so timeless.

It is because of Steve Sabol that we have the NFL Network, which does an amazing job carrying on his tradition with regards to documenting football history as it happens. So this Sunday, think of Steve Sabol while you watch the games, and even if you don't realize it, thank him for impacting and changing the way you experience the sport of football.

Here are some of his numerous classics:


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Every NFL Team Can Always Use More Soliders: Patriots Sign Kellen Winslow

All it took was a serious ankle injury to Aaron Hernandez in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals for the Patriots to swoop in and sign free agent tight end Kellen Winslow to a one-year deal this morning.

He worked out in New England a few weeks ago but reports surfaced that his knee was a mess and they didn't end up signing him at the time. That should tell something about his physical condition since the Pats were more content with Daniel Fells and Michael Hoomanawanui at the time along with the fact that the Seahawks cut him in training camp.

Still, if he's healthy, Winslow is an above average tight end in the NFL. He was a Pro Bowler in 2007 with the Browns (82 catches, 1106 yards, 5 touchdowns). The sixth overall pick by Cleveland in the 2004 NFL Draft, Winslow was a star at the University of Miami and the son of legendary NFL Hall of Famer and fellow tight end Kellen Winslow (Chargers).

After spending four seasons in Cleveland (two productive, two injury-plagued), Winslow played the last three years in Tampa Bay. He was durable-appearing in all 16 games each season-and put up numbers so it's curious that the Bucs would let him go without anyone really coming up behind him or them bringing in a better guy (sorry washed up Dallas Clark). In 2011, he had 75 catches for 763 yards and two touchdowns. He's averaged 73 receptions for 792.3 yards the past three seasons.

It is silly to expect him to jump right into a new system with a new quarterback and team without any type of growing pains. Plus, unlike with the Buccaneers or Browns where he was the No. 1 or 1A target most of the time, now he'll be at best Tom Brady's fourth option behind Rob Gronkowski, Brandon Lloyd and Wes Welker (if he gets off the bench).

By signing him now, the ever cost-conscious Patriots don't have to foot the bill for his entire $3.3 million salary. Also, by agreeing on a one-year deal, that means that if things don't gel properly, they can let him go quickly (think Albert Haynesworth or Chad Johnson) without many repercussions. For everyone's sake, let's hope that Winslow has more of an impact than those stiffs. Basically it's a no-lose for the Patriots since Hernandez is not expected back until at least October. We all saw how out of whack the offense was against Arizona after he departed so perhaps Winslow will allow offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Brady to get into a better rhythm starting this Sunday against the Ravens.

In honor of the newest Patriot, you know I had to look up one of my all-time favorite YouTube clips: Kellen Winslow calling himself a solider when he was at the U.


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The Night The Rays' Playoff Hopes In 2012 Died

Some easy tell-tale signs that a baseball team is on life support or worse in 2012: 1) They lose to the Red Sox, 2) They argue with each other in the dugout and 3) They lose six of seven and score 21 total runs in that miserable span.

Tonight, in the series opener of four games that the Rays (78-69, 39-33 home) absolutely have to win, they fell 5-2 to the Red Sox (67-81, 34-38 away) in a mostly empty and depressing Tropicana Field.

Things had been going so well for Tampa Bay up until a 1-5 road trip last week against the Orioles and Yankees and now they find themselves fading quickly in the playoff hunt: 5.5 games behind New York for 1st place in the AL East and 5 games back of the Orioles for the second wild card spot.

Aaron Cook (4-10) outdueled Alex Cobb (9-9) and after Cobb drilled Jose Iglesias in the back with a pitch, Cobb and his catcher Jose Molina had an animated argument in the dugout. Cook went six innings, allowing one earned run on five hits with one strikeout and one walk. Cobb went six innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on two hits with four strikeouts and three walks.

Jacoby Ellsbury (3 for 5) and Mauro Gomez provided Boston with all the runs they would need. Ellsbury's two-run homer (his 4th of the season, really) made it 2-1 in the sixth and he added an RBI single in the seventh to extend the Red Sox lead to 5-1. Gomez had a pinch-hit two-run single earlier in that frame to open it up.

The Red Sox and Rays both only notched six hits but Tampa Bay couldn't do nearly as much. Boston was 3 for 8 with runners in scoring position, Tampa Bay was 0 for 2. B.J. Upton (3 for 4, run) had half of their hits while Ryan Roberts' ground out in the fifth and Ben Zobrist's ground out in the ninth accounted for their two runs.

For a team that has really overachieved the last few seasons, you wonder when Tampa Bay's front office will realize that they need another big bat to pair with Evan Longoria (out tonight with an injury). All the young talented arms are nice but in October, you need timely hits just as badly. Something to keep an eye on since it looks like the Rays will go home early this season.

Rich Hill (7th) and Junichi Tazawa (8th) both had clean innings with two strikeouts apiece for the Red Sox.

Tomorrow night (7:10 p.m., NESN), Felix Doubront (10-9) faces Jeremy Hellickson (8-10). Expect Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon-one of the best in MLB-to pull out all the stops to try and coax some runs out of his awful lineup and lifeless squad.

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Laces Out Zoltan!!! Pats Lose Heartbreaker 20-18

In what could be described as a very frustrating loss, the Patriots waited until halfway through the fourth quarter to show any signs of life offensively and in doing so, allowed the Arizona Cardinals to leave Gillette Stadium with a 20-18 victory this afternoon.

After a 5-yard touchdown reception by Rob Gronkowski (6 catches, 75 yards) cut the lead to 20-18 with 2:06 left, Arizona simply had to run the clock out to close out the victory and escape Foxboro with the upset.  However, because they are the Arizona Cardinals, they let the Patriots have one more crack at a comeback. 

After moving the chains a few times, Arizona just couldn't turn the ball over but second-year running back Ryan Williams had other plans, coughing it up on a fumble caused by Brandon Spikes (7 tackles, 5 solo, 2 quarterback hits, 1 tackle for loss) and recovered by Vince Wilfork to give the Patriots the ball with just over a minute left in the game.

I was ready to declare it a miracle when Danny Woodhead ripped off a huge touchdown run to take the lead (and win the game) but reverted back to cussing at my television once replays showed Gronk holding onto a Cardinals defender, nullifying the game winning score.

No matter, because the Patriots then found themselves in scoring position once more, lining up for a 42-yard field goal attempt by Steven Gostkowski.  Gostkowski, having had hit four other field goals in the game (46, 34, 51, 53) can make that kick in his sleep.  Keeping with the team's horrible day on special teams however, Gostkowski wasn't even close, letting Williams and the Cardinals off the hook.

Tom Brady (28 of 46, 316 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) and the Patriots offense didn't look comfortable all day long, as he was sacked three times.  He was intercepted on a tipped ball on the first offensive play from scrimmage and lost Aaron Hernandez early in the game to a nasty ankle injury.  As I write this, Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com reports that  he has a high ankle sprain and will most likely miss up to six weeks.  Perfect.

Wes Welker (5 catches, 95 yards) seemed to have a bigger role in Hernandez' absence and his first catch of the afternoon broke Troy Brown's franchise record for career receptions.  Still, he spent time as the third receiver and played less snaps than Julian Edelman.  I didn't read too much into his lack of production last week, and I don't think he is necessarily being "phased out" of the Patriots' offense, however this is getting weird at this point.  I guess we will have to see how he is used next week against Baltimore.

Game Notes

*Stevan Ridley took a little bit of a step back today and although he did rush for 71 yards, there were some key rushes on short yard situations that he simply couldn't convert.  Granted, the offensive line looked like absolute dogshit for long stretches of the game but Ridley might not be a 100 yards per game guy like we thought.

*Rough day for the special teams units out there.  Whoa.  Yes, Gostkowski kicked four field goals but also shanked the most important one.  Also, Zoltan Mesko had a punt blocked in the third quarter pretty much giving the ball to Arizona on the goal-line for one of their scores.  I believe it was the first blocked punt of his short career.  Let's not forget the false start penalty on Danny Aiken the long snapper, who flinched slightly as Mesko was trying to draw Arizona offsides on a fourth and short that would've moved the chains.  Belichick is going to work these fools into the ground this week.

*As you can expect with Pats fans these days, everyone took to Twitter to bitch about the false start and the Gronkowski hold, both were clearly penalties by the way.  Sure, the replacement referees have been wrong and comical at times, but if you let some Pats fans tell it, it's like they cost the team the game.  Relax you weirdos, the Patriots played like shit, get over it and stop looking for scapegoats.

*More from the fraud Patriots fan file:  After Ryan Williams gave the Patriots another life with his fumble, Fox cameras cut to a ton of Patriots fans literally running back to their seats just seconds after presumably leaving for the day.  Just Gillette being Gillette.  God I hate that place.

*John Lynch and Dick Stockton were decent on commentary for Fox, and lord knows it's nice to get a break from Simms and Nance, but they beat the whole "put pressure on Brady" thing into the ground.  Hey John Lynch, what quarterback does like pressure?  that being said, the O-line does need to do a better job protecting Brady da Gawd.  If he is "uncomfortable" and still puts up over 300 yards, imagine what some better protection would do.

*Losing Hernandez is HUGE.  No sugarcoating it.  I'm not blaming the team's lethargic start on his absence but the entire league knows how versatile he is and how key he is to the New England offense.  You know he's important when Wes Welker came in to essentially spell him.  It's going to be interesting to see how Josh McDaniels responds to such a huge loss.  *coughbringbackDeionBranchcough*

*Next week is a huge Week 3 game at Baltimore (1-1) on Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m., NBC).  Baltimore dropped a close one 24-23 today to Michael Vick and the Eagles and should be pissed come next week.  In a game that could have playoff seeding implications come January, the Patriots have got to play better than they did today or else Brady might get murdered.

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Bruins Assign Many Of Their Top Young Players To Providence In Wake Of The NHL Lockout

Last night, while most of America was out getting hammered, Gary Bettman and the NHL owners officially locked the players out, who were probably out getting hammered themselves since their summer vacation has been unexpectedly (well kind of) extended.

Before the official announcement, many teams including the Bruins assigned some of their best young talent to their AHL affiliates, assuring that those prospects wont take a step back in development no matter how long the NHL is shut down.

Headed down Route 95 to Providence will be Matt Bartkowski, Carter Camper, Jordan Caron, Ryan Button, Colby Cohen, Tommy Cross, Craig Cunningham, Justin Florek, Michael Hutchinson, Jared Knight, Torey Krug, Kevan Miller, Adam Morrison (not the basketball player), Tyler Randell, Max Sauve, Ryan Spooner, Niklas Svedberg, Zach Trotman and David Warovsky.

Although there were rumors of Tyler Seguin making the trip down to Providence, the recently extended winger will most likely find something else to occupy his time.  It would have been a blast to see him absolutely tear it up in the AHL, a step that he completely skipped in his brief professional career.

Bruins fans looking to see the defenseman of the future Dougie Hamilton will have to either wait until the lockout is over or travel and watch him play for the Niagara Ice Dogs.  Malcolm Subban will also remain in the OHL, playing for the Belleville Bulls, although it was unlikely he would have made the big club anyway.

So this is what we have to deal with for the time being.  Luckily, we happen to live in New England where there are no shortage of hockey alternatives.  I for one plan on spending a lot of time at the Dunkin Donuts Center (yes the name is corny/awful/borderline offensive) watching the P Bruins as well as at Schnieder Arena checking out my Providence College Friars.

Providence Bruins games are always a good time, and if you have never been, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.  the Dunk is newly renovated and very accommodating for fans.  ticket prices are relatively low as well, which is always a good thing.

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