Time to stop worrying about stolen bases

A big to-do has been made lately about the Red Sox being dead last in stolen bases. My question is this: Why?

Just for a little background, the Red Sox are now dead last in Major League Baseball with 20 stolen bases on the season. The league average is 41.

Don't get me wrong, stealing bases can be a valuable weapon. The Tampa Bay Rays make a living off of stealing bases and they're a pretty good team. But let me be clear about one thing - the Red Sox are not in trouble because they don't steal bases.

The main reason a team steals bases is to get runners into a better position to drive them in. Surprisingly, that's the one thing the Red Sox have been able to do this season. The Red Sox have the baseball's highest team OPS and are second only to Toronto in extra base hits. So the Red Sox have proven themselves capable of getting men into scoring position without the need for the stolen base.

And you know what? Boston has done a pretty darn good job of bringing those guys in. The team ranks second in the majors win runs with 365, just one fewer than the New York Yankees.

On top of that, let's review the Red Sox' style of play generally. The Red Sox are not a small ball team. They never have been. It is not an essential part of the Red Sox game plan. Last year the Red Sox were fifth in baseball with 126 stolen bases, 70 of those by Jacoby Ellsbury. What happened that year? The Red Sox were swept by the Angels in the ALDS. So how did the stolen base help them?

Bottom line is it didn't. For the Red Sox the stolen base is a novelty, not a necessity. The offense is doing just fine without it. It's not that the Red Sox lack speed. While not true stolen base threats J.D. Drew, Marco Scutaro, Dustin Pedroia and Mike Cameron are all capable runners on the bases when it counts - when the ball is in play.

So stop worrying about a part of the game that is extremely overstated when it comes to the Red Sox. The pitching is there. The defense is solid. The offense is overachieving, even without the stolen base.

The Longer Papi Waits, The More Guilty He Looks.

It has now been over four days since David Ortiz told the media and the public he'd get to the

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bottom of the positive drug test in 2003 that supposedly blindsided him.

And with each moment that passes, he loses more and more credibility. Not that he has a lot left anyway.

He claims he didn't know he failed a test, yet a Boston Globe article published August 1st claims otherwise, that he and others were in fact notified. Granted, they were not notified immediately, but they were notified in 2004, which means that there is no reason that in 2009 he should have acted surprised by the report.

He says he wants to get to the bottom of all this and let us all know what he finds. But wouldn't you think he would want to find everything out as soon as possible? Wouldn't it be prudent for the man who made the Red Sox trip to the 2004 World Series possible to make e

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very effort to be as forthright as possible?

The one thing that has given Ortiz some leeway with Boston fans and the nation is largely because he is that lovable teddy bear. His personality gives him some room to play with when it comes to questions of character. Big Papi being Big Papi has created a reaction that wasn't seen from fans when Manny Ramirez tested positive earlier this season or when Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Sammy Sosa or Roger Clemens were implicated. Fans are more willing to make excuses, more ready to try and make sense of it all, rather than just make blind accusations and point fingers.

But how long will that last when the big man remains silent?

And how smart is it for him to stay quiet? After today's off day, the Red Sox face a tough six-game stretch against Tampa Bay and New York that could either aid or severely

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hamper their hopes of winning the AL East. In a very similar respect, Ortiz's moves over the next few days could go either way. Does he really want to go into New York with so many questions still revolving around him? Sure, every answer will spawn a new question. That's the way it works. But the only thing that would make that a real issue is if he gets caught lying and he can't keep his story straight. If he comes out and says what he knows, he has a chance to reclaim some of his credibility.

There is the possibility that he is one of the eight players on the list who tested positive for a supplement called 19 norandrostedione, which contains nandrolone, a muscle-building substance that was not banned in 2003. But if Ortiz suspected this was the culprit of his failed test, wouldn't it behoove him to find out for a fact that's what it was and shout from the rooftops that he didn't do anything wrong?

But instead, there's been no sense of urgency on Ortiz's part. We're left waiting for answers and he looks more and more like someone trying to make calculations on the next step he takes in terms of damage control. But time is up. It's time for him to speak. The man who once said that players who test positive for steroids should be banned for a year needs to stand up and say something.

Where Have You Gone, Jason Bay?

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It's hard to get on a guy who's leading the league in RBI in a season that will by far eclipse any season he's had in his career, production-wise.

But I'm going to do it anyway.

Sure, Jason Bay is first in the league and third in all of baseball in RBI behind two pretty good hitters in Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols. But folks, let's remember that he's been stuck at 72 RBI's since July 9 and has only had three RBI in the month of July.

I realize those numbers were sure to be down with a four-day break right smack dab in the middle, but let's face it, the man has been slowly fading away for some time now.

Month by month, Bay's batting average, on-base percentage and slugging have all slid. Observe:

With the exception of a better on-base percentage in July, everything has dropped off the table, especially over the last two months.

15 of Bay's 20 home runs came in the first two months of the season, that is to say 50 games. He averaged a home run every 11.8 at-bats. He had almost an RBI a night. In the last 37 games, he's hit five homers at a clip of one per 27.6 at-bats with 23 RBI. While he only hit .230 in June, it was acceptable because he was still driving in runs, knocking in 20 over 28 games. Still respectable. But what he's done since has to be cause for concern.

And while Bay has never been known as one to keep his strikeout totals down, lately, his number of quality at-bats has plummeted. This month alone he has 19 strikeouts, setting a pace for him to fan almost 40 times in a month that featured the All-Star break.

To what can we attribute this dramatic free fall? We all knew that Jason Bay wasn't going to hit 60 home runs with 170 RBI. But no one expected the kind of disappearing act he's pulled.

Could it be he's missing the presence of a legitimate bat behind him? Mike Lowel

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l has spent most of the year batting behind Bay, but missed a great deal of time towards the end of June with soreness in his surgically repaired hip. Before returning yesterday, Lowell hadn't started a game since June 25. David Ortiz then batted behind Bay from the 26th until Lowell was put on the disabled list on July 1, so it would seem to blow up that theory. Bay struggled with Ortiz behind him, including a dismal five-strikeout performance on July, despite the fact that Ortiz had a very, very good June, posting high totals in both power and average. Still, it seems he's late on fastballs and perhaps isn't quite as intimidating as he once was. With the monster first half Bay had, he still seems to be the more dangerous of the two hitters and maybe, just maybe, pitchers would much rather face Ortiz at this point.

Then Tery Francona aparently thought the best way to get Bay going was to take away any protection in the lineup whatsoever as Ortiz moved ahead of Bay. From July 2 until Lowell's return last night, Bay was followed in the order by the likes of Jacoby Ellsbury and his .747 OPS (four times), Jason Varitek, who is batting a robust .237 (twice), Mark Kotsay and Rocco Baldelli.

The Red Sox can only hope that the steady presence of a legitimate bat behind him will spark Bay. You can't blame it solely on the lineup. He just hasn't been seeing the ball well. But it's a lot easier to see the ball, hit the ball when you're seeing more good pitches.

Lowell doesn't have to be a savior. He just has to hit the ball and be a threat. Make them pitch to Bay and good things will happen again.

Lesnar Is Champ, But Don't Crown Him King Yet

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Brock Lesnar survived his first title defense in the UFC.

Now, isn't THAT the biggest understatement of the year?

Lesnar, the UFC heavyweight champion, dismantled interim heavyweight champion (whatever that means) Frank Mir and won by TKO at 1:48 in the second round of UFC 100's main event.

People criticize Lesnar saying that he only wins because of his incredible size and that he is not incredibly skilled. To a point, I believe this is true, but you have to know how to use that size in order for it to be an advantage for you. We also can't forget Lesnar was an NCAA wrestling champion.

Lesnar outweighed Mir by 20 pounds, with the former weighing in at the maximum 265, while the latter showed up at 245. Lesnar had a good game plan going in against Mir and more importantly, he was able to execute it. He took the fight to the ground early and controlled the action almost from the start, not allowing Mir to showcase his alleged improved striking or his jui jitsu. Mir only once appeared to make an attempt at a submission when he made a half-hearted attempt at an armbar that Lesnar quickly caught on to.

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So does this mean Brock Lesnar is the best heavyweight in the world? Not by a long shot.

The fact that Frank Mir was the number one contender for the UFC heavyweight crown just lends to the idea that it is the weakest weight class in the organization. Let's not be mistaken. Frank Mir is a good fighter. He's a former champion and has done an amazing job reconditioning himself as a fighter after his devastating motorcyle accident that nearly cost him his career. But he got his opportunity to fight Lesnar a second time after beating Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, who is considered by some to be past his best days. Lesnar took the title by beating a 46-year-old Randy Couture, who is a legend, but also isn't the same fighter he once was. These are the best the UFC has to offer.

Some might consider a Josh Barnett (undefeated over the last two years), Shane Carwin (won his last three fights by knockout or TKO due to strikes) as potentially better competition.

Then there's still a guy out there by the name of Fedor Emelianenko. It's been just about eight and a half years since Fedor has lost a professional fight. It just doesn't happen. While Fedor would give 30-35 pounds to Lesnar, remember that he has beaten much larger opponents in the past.

But will we see any of these matchups anytime soon? Fedor is still under contract with Affliction, though that ends after his next fight, so that will have to wait. Barnett will have to wait as well since, well, he's the guy fighting Fedor.

In the meantime, surely Couture, who felt like he was winning the first fight before getting caught on the top of the head with a punch, would like another shot at Lesnar. A Mir and Lesnar rubber match could also be on the horizon. Does Big Nog get a shot at Couture for a chance to face Lesnar next? Any of those would seem to be better matches for UFC president Dana White, who knows that the average or casual MMA fan knows those names and will tune in. A Shane Carwin might not be as big of a draw in terms of pay-per-view sales.

We can only hope that White decides to go with quality over the name, because right now you can't call Brock Lesnar the best heavyweight. He hasn't fought the best. Once he's done that, the conversation can begin.

Wakefield's Good, But An All Star He's Not

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Tim Wakefield should thank the fact that baseball is a sport that embraces history. Otherwise, there would be no way he would be going to an All Star game as anything other than a spectator.

When it's all said and done, Wakefield very well could hold the all-time record for wins by a Red Sox pitcher. At his current pace, the 42-year-old knuckleballer will have 184, leaving him nine wins away from being the winningest pitcher in one of the oldest teams in baseball's history.

Quite a feat. But Wakefield has managed to do that by being one thing - consistently there. Reliable. But does simply being reliable mean that you should get an all star nod?

This year Wakefield has been the Red Sox' most consistent pitcher. But his numbers are far from outstanding. He leads the team with 10 wins, which also puts him in a four-way tie for first in the American League and he only has three losses. He's currently on pace for his first 20-win season. The most wins he's had in a season in his 17-year career is 17, which he's done twice.

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But going into Sunday's games, his 4.30 ERA was ranked 29th in the leage, behind the likes of Andy Pettitte and Gil Meche, neither of which are even close to being considered all stars at any point this season. Last time I checked, what separated an all star from a good player was the ability to be dominating. an ERA over 4.00 hardly suggests dominance on the mound.

Still, he's been a steady hand for a team that has suffered ups and downs from most of its other pitchers, from Daisuke Matsuzaka, who has completely imploded, to Jon Lester, who had a horrendous start to the '09 season.

It seems that Wakefield is being rewarded for two reasons, and neither of which have anything to do with being a dominating force on the bump.

The first reason is his ability to stick around, which is admirable. Remember that this was a guy who at one time with the Red Sox was the whipping boy, someone they threw out there to eat up innings when things got out of hand. He bounced around from middle relief, to long relief, to spot starting to acting as the team's closer for a brief period of time and back again. You can't say he never did it without complaint, but he stuck with it and eventually became a fixture in the Red Sox rotation.

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The second reason is the fact that he plays for the team with the best record in the American League. The Red Sox have averaged more than six runs per game in games he has started and have scored double digits in runs in four of his 16 starts. It's pretty easy to rack up the wins with that kind of run support.

Is Tim Wakefield a bad pitcher? No. But he's no all star. He is what his numbers this year - other than the wins - suggest he is: a decent pitcher on a very good ballclub. He's done everything the Red Sox could expect of him and that's commendable, but not Midsummer Classic worthy.

McNair's Death Forever Taints His Legace

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While the violent death of anyone will cause shockwaves throughout a community, the death of a well-respected athlete resounds throughout the entire world of sports.

Such is the case of Steve McNair, who was shot and killed yesterday, July fourth.

As a player, McNair was an icon in Tennessee. He was a three-time Pro-Bowler, went to one super bowl and was the Co-MVP with Peyton Manning in 2003 when he led the league with a 100.4 QB rating. He was one of the longest tenured Titans, first becoming a member of the franchise when it still resided in Houston. In 13 years, he compiled a 91-62 record as a starter. His 31,304 passing yards are 28th on the all-time list.

Most notable of all was the way "Air" McNair played the game. Constantly injured, McNair missed more than two games in a season just twice. Fearless on the field, the injuries he sustained more often than not were because he battled for every yard and was not afraid to take a hit to in order to make something happen.

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Even after he left Tennessee, something he was none too pleased about having to do, McNair stayed active in the community through charity and humanitarian work.

But with his death comes the reminder that we are all human and that even icons are not perfect. More and more information is coming forward that the woman found with McNair, who was married with four children, was his girlfriend.

According to friends of this woman, who has been identified as Sahel Kazemi, McNair "was making her believe they were going to be together and everything would be perfect."

When authorities found McNair, they found he had been shot several times, while Kazemi was found with a single gunshot wound to the head. The gun was found under her body. While the police are trying to be as quiet about this and cover their bases without jumping to any conclusions - which is the right thing to do - they're not actively looking for a murder suspect and for most of us the writing is on the wall.

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As more and more information comes to light, the sensationalism that drives our society no doubt will augment the scandal. It is always unfortunate when someone of McNair's stature passes away. What's even more unfortunate, however, is that despite all of his accomplishments, this is the lasting impression we will have of McNair - a cheater, a man who betrayed his wife and family and payed the ultimate price for it.

Don't get me wrong. I don't condone the manner in which McNair apparently conducted his social life. But the man is dead and as one who always admired the way he played and the community work he did, it's sad to see his reputation is too.

Signing Recchi The Right Move

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It's not a huge splash, but the signing of Mark Recchi is a key move for the Boston Bruins.

With very little room to play with in terms of salary cap, thanks largely to the ridiculous contract given to the overrated Tim Thomas, the B's need to figure out how to piece things together. The Bruins had just over $5 million to dish out before the Recchi signing, meaning the money has to be spent in a very effective manner, getting the most they can for the least amount of money. A veteran with a solid postseason resume is a good place to start, even if he happens to be 41 years old.

Recchi was a major spark and possibly the second-best pick up made by a team at the trading deadline, the best being Bill Guerin by the eventual champion Pittsburgh Penguins.

Recchi added an element of experience that the talented young group lacked. He fits the Bruins' style of hockey, mixing skill with a little bit of the hard-nosed stuff. But Recchi's contributions didn't end solely in the locker room. He tallied 16 points - six goals, 10 assists - in 18 games with the Bruins after escaping hockey purgatory in Tampa Bay. He followed that up with three goals and three assists in 11 playoff games.

He's no savior. In fact, he's not likely to see much time outside of the third line unless someone gets hurt. But he fills a key roll at a reasonable price, and that's what the Bruins need more than anything.

Taking Out The Garbage

By buying out the last year of Peter Schaefer's contract, the Bruins have gotten themselves out from under a big mistake.

Schaefer was due to make over 2 million next season, despite not playing a game at hockey's top level last year. In a time when money is tight, cutting the dead weight is a huge necessity.

Schaefer was a huge disappointment for the Bruins, who signed him before the 2007-08 season. That year he recorded just 26 points, including a mere nine goals, despite playing with a playmaker like Marc Savard for most of the season.

His best year came in his rookie campaign when he had 50 points - 20 goals, 30 assists - for Ottowa and had a plus-16 plus/minus. His numbers regressed each year since unt

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il the Bruins felt he wasn't worth a roster spot this season.

Putting On The Bitz

The signing of Byron Bitz may have some scratching their heads, but Bitz once again is a cheap player that fills a key role. A big man who can throw his weight around on the fourth line, Bitz also had surprizingly soft hands with the puck and could provide a little bit of a scoring punch that was lacking from that line.

Shawn Thornton is clearly the enforcer on the line, but really was not able to do much with the puck on his stick and could stand to lose time because of the move. He led the team with 17 fighting majors and was tied for ninth in the league in that category, but he had just 11 points and just one in the playoffs during the 2008-09 season.