Dennis Eckersley Rips Jack Morris over Clay Bucholz accusations

The recent noise that has been flung around the league about Clay Bucholz and whether or not he is cheating is getting louder and louder.

As we should expect, it's the loudest in New England, and Red Sox Commentator, and Hall of Fame pitcher Dennis Eckersley has weighed in with strong criticisms of Jack Morris and other accusors.

Junichi Tazawa could be the ace the Red Sox have been searching for

If you look closely to the Red Sox pitching staff you could find one hidden gem, without much fanfare.
26 year old Junichi Tazawa is now three years removed from Tommy John surgery, and maybe he is the ace the Sox have been searching for.

Back in 2007 Craig Shipley and Jon Dibble of the Red Sox were the first scouts to see Tazawa in an industrial league in Japan. One game  they saw him strike out 19 with no walks and throwing 95 consistently.

Boston signed the 22 year old Tazawa in the fall of 2008 and less than a year later, at age 23,  he was starting in Fenway.

Tazawa missed all of 2010 following surgery, and when he came back in 2011 his fastball was at 89-91.

In 2012 his velocity jumped up to 96-97, with a great split and slider.

Tazawa only pitched 44 innings in 2012 in Boston with 45 strikeouts. In Pawtucket last season he hurled 42.1 innings with 56 strikeouts. 91 strikeouts for 2012.

The Red Sox probably feel pressure to keep him in his middle inning role, mainly because Daniel Bard was such a failure at the same move last year.

But Tazawa is not Bard, his control separates him from any comparison.

Anyone that throws strikes all the time in the mid nineties, with two other dominate pitches, should be in the rotation if they are healthy.

When you step back and just look at the talent alone, Tazawa deserves a chance to be the ace of this rotation.

Curt Schilling’s performance-enhancing drug accusations shot down by MLB

Former all-star pitcher Curt Schilling’s recent claim that he was told by the Boston Red Sox to use performance-enhancing drugs (PED) has been shot down by investigators. Major League Baseball and the Red Sox organization looked into the matter and found there was no substance to it. Schilling had said that Mike Reinold, a member of the Red Sox medical team, urged the pitcher to use PEDs to help treat a shoulder injury that he suffered back in 2008.

The accusations were recently made by Schilling to Terry Francona, who was the Red Sox manager at the time, as well as Theo Epstein, who was the club’s Theo Epstein in 2008. However, the investigations proved to be fruitless. Schilling had told Colin Cowherd of ESPN Radio that a member of the Red Sox medical staff suggested that he try taking the illegal substance as one way to help heal his damaged shoulder.

In later interviews, Schilling mentioned Reinold as the person who made the suggestion to him. Reinold was hired by the Red Sox in 2008 as the team’s rehabilitation coordinator. He remained with the club until leaving in 2012. However, according to investigators, Reinold has never been involved with PEDs in the past or the present and they feel the incident simply didn’t take place.

Youkilis in talks to Possibly join Yankees

Could a former Boston Red Sox great possibly join the evil empire?

Apparently, it’s a possibility.

Free agent Kevin Youkilis is reportedly being pursued by Yankees GM Brian Cashman to play third base, after news broke that Alex Rodriguez could miss time to start the regular season because of injury.

David Ortiz and Red Sox agree to two year deal worth $26 million

David Ortiz and the Boston Red Sox have agreed on a new deal. Under terms of the new deal Ortiz will receive $26 million over the next two seasons. Sam McAdam of Comcast Sports Net was one of the first to break news of the completed deal.

It was never a question to whether Ortiz would return to Boston. The 36-year-old had a .318/.415/.611 line with 21 home runs and 60 RBI in 90 games last season.

Wrong Field of Dreams

Former Major League catcher Carlton Fisk may have been looking for Kevin Costner's "cornfield" in "Field of Dreams" - instead, he ended up drunk, and arrested for DUI in the center of a "cornfield" in New Lenox, Illinois. Police found the 64-year old Hall of Fame member asleep behind the wheel of his pick-up truck, with an open bottle of liquor on the truck's floor. Taken to the local hospital for treatment, Fisk was released from police custody after posting bail. He has a November 29th court appearance for DUI.

Fisk's most famous baseball moment came in the 1975 World Series against Cincinnati when his 12th-inning homer won Game 6 for the Red Sox. You know the scene - while running down the first base-line he's waving the ball fair with his arms. That video footage is shown over and over when promoting the game of baseball.

Fisk played 11 seasons with the Red Sox and another 13 with the Chicago White Sox. In a Boston uniform

Fisk wore the No.27 on his back - wearing a Chicago uniform Fisk turned the numbers around, and wore No.72.

MLB: Red Sox hire Farrell as new manager

The Red Sox are preparing to announce that John Farrell will be their new manager, according to a baseball official with knowledge of the deal to bring the former Boston pitching coach back one year after the ballclub first tried to give him the top job.

The announcement was delayed by the unusual logistics of hiring a manager under contract with another team, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the final procedural steps had not been cleared. But the three-year deal to replace Bobby Valentine could be announced as soon as Sunday, the official said.

Red Sox spokeswoman Pam Kenn said the team had no announcement to make. Blue Jays spokesman Jay Stenhouse did not immediately respond to a voice mail seeking comment.
Comcast SportsNet New England was first to report the deal.