The Lineup

Red Sox/Yankees, NFL starting up, replay in baseball and discrimination (in the LPGA??). It's sure to be a fun week, so let's run down the lineup.

1. Kotsay in town - What a quiet but good move for the Sox getting this veteran. It reminds me a little of the Bobby Kielty deal from last season, which was also low risk and extremely high reward when Kielty hit the game winning home run in the World Series.

2. Big time Brady - Yeah, he hasn't played a preseason game yet, but he did find time to buy a $11 million home on the same street as Arnold Schwarzenegger. Wait, he didn't even get a house for $11 mil? Just land? Looks like we can't talk about how Brady doesn't get paid enough anymore.

3. The goat - Think you had a bad day? Not as bad as A-Rod. For your reading pleasure:George King, Joel Sherman, Tyler Kepner, Mark Feisand and Mike Lupica break down the man, the myth, the scapegoat for any Yankees failure.

4. QB battle in NE - No, it doesn't involve Brady or his ridiculously priced home...er...land. Matt Cassel will be fighting for just a roster spot against Matt Gutierrez this week. I'm putting my money on Matty Gutz.

5. Instant replay - Believe it or not, I don't mind it. Even the umpires have admitted that the new ballparks and features (Monster Seats) have made it almost impossible to call home runs. If it expands, I will regret these words, but for now I think it's a good idea.

6. Merriman to play - Wow, doctors told him to opt for surgery. Without it, he could get a career-ending injury or maybe never be able to walk without a cane. Hey, it's nothing a good steroid, I mean B-12 shot, couldn't fix.

7. Language barrier - So the LPGA is forcing its members to speak English now. Could be about marketing, or it could be about keeping the Korean players from continuing to dominate the sport. Either way, it sounds pretty discriminatory.

8. Good luck Eckel - The Pats waived the U.S. Naval Academy grad yesterday, and it wasn't much of a surprise. The backfield was simply too crowded, but I know Belichick expressed multiple times how much he respected Eckel (Belichick's father coached at Navy). He was a hard-nosed player for the Pats whose value on special teams was never recognized enough by the fans or media. He'll catch on somewhere for sure.

9. Darius Miles signs with Celtics - Why the hell not? At least maybe he can get us all free tickets to see Perfect Score 2.

The Lineup Card

Pennant races are heating up as we head into August, but it's time to change courses here at the lineup card. Since the Sox aren't playing, the Patriots are launching their always-exciting preseason (Matt Cassel showcase) and the Olympics are about to begin, this edition of the lineup card will be baseball free.

So here it is, without further delay, the lineup for August 7:

1. Who will play for the National Championship in college football this year?

We'll start things off with a little college football talk - it's really been too long. The sexy picks are USC and Georgia this season, but I'm going down a different path. Chase Daniel is a small QB, but he will lead Missouri through a relatively easy Big XII schedule to the title game, and in the process take home the Heisman. There, the Tigers will meet the Ohio State Buckeyes, who will finally be able to ... lose their third consecutive national title game. Georgia is already falling apart off the field, and the Bulldogs face a ridiculous SEC schedule. USC is overrated like always, and its schedule is also too rough. 

2. What coaches will get canned in college football this year?

OK in the interest of full disclosure, I have a personal agenda when it comes to this topic. Syracuse's Greg Robinson has posted a 7-28 record in three seasons, and he has succeeded in just one thing: destroying the present and future of Orange football. It's time for him to go, and there are some people in the media who are finally starting to agree. Check it out - Here, here and here. I could go on, but I might cry.

3. Why even watch the Olympics with all the athletes that have been caught doping?

The games have definitely lost their luster with all the doping accusations, but there's always a great story that comes out of the Olympics. The thing that scares me more than cheating is the fear of an international incident involving a reporter that isn't used to be censored by foreign press. (Here's a sport that apparently hasn't been ruined by drugs. It might surprise you.)

4. Will the Jets regret trading for Brett Farve?

Yes. Not only did it cost them a draft pick, it also cost them a reliable quarterback who wasn't going to win a lot of games, but also wouldn't lose a lot of games for you (Pennington) and the supposed quarterback of the future (Clemens) who will now lose confidence and have his progression stunted. They better win the Super Bowl, or they will regret this trade for years after Favre retires (four or five more times).

5. Is anyone else upset that the NBA allowed an owner to rob a city of a franchise?

Apparently only people in Seattle and Bill Simmons care. If there's something funny that comes out of this though it's the vindictive uniform designs on uni-watch. In fact, this whole article is hysterical, so check it out.

6. How will the Patriots' O-Line fill all the holes?

I'm not talking about the holes the Giants tore in the line during the Super Bowl. The Pats O-Line has been decimated, with Matt Light, Steven Neal and Ryan O'Callahagn all out. This is not a position you want to have a weakness at, but Belichick has been fantastic at developing O-linemen from within the organization. Look for Billy Yates to take big steps this season.

7. How good will the Celtics be on banner night (Oct. 28)?

Losing James Posey hurts, and probably makes the Hornets a championship contender, but the Celtics return the core of a great team next year. They're asking Tony Allen to step up and fill Posey's role, which sounds like a serious risk, but he has the skills if he puts it all together.

8. When will the NHL be relevant again?

No time soon. Once again, the NHL geniuses have decided to make their league's season-opener compete with the MLB playoffs and both college and NFL football. Good luck getting any viewers on Oct. 4 and 5. 

9. Will USA Basketball return to the pinnacle of the sport?

I want to say yes, but I think they will fall a little short. This is the best USA team in a long time, but the rest of the world has improved so much in the last decade. The other teams no the international rules better and configure their teams and strategies accordingly. The days of the American all-stars having their way in the Olympics are over. My prediction is another disappointing bronze.

This week's lineup

This is a new feature for the lineup card, which should be a standard from now on. Every week we'll give you a list of nine questions we hope can be answered going forward. 

The managers have just convened, and here's the lineup for this week; the special trade deadline edition.

1. Who's out there for bullpen help? 

Leading off, we must address the bullpen, the biggest concern for the rest of the season. Justin Masterson might turn into a reliable arm down the road, but the Sox are going to need to go outside the organization to address the need. Houston's Doug Brocail has come up in conversations today.

2. Will Manny stay or go?

Everyone is tired of his act off the field, but no one is tired of his production on the field. No. 24 hit his 20th HR of the year for the 14th consecutive season last night. If he goes, there will be a serious void to fill in the lineup, so Boston better get some serious talent back in return.

3. Will Big Papi stay healthy all year?

Wrist injuries are always scary, especially for a guy who gets paid just to hit the ball. The bad news is the injury will be there all season, all the Sox can do is manage it. The good news is, it's his left wrist that's hurt, which is not the hand he gets his power from. 

4. Who will hit cleanup?

If Manny's not the cleanup hitter by week's end, Theo and Co. better find a viable replacement from outside the organization to fill his spot in the lineup. If not, Ortiz will be the next Vlad Guerrero from 2004-2007; a great player who gets pitched around in every big situation. Is it Mark Texiera or Matt Holliday? It better not be Coco Crisp.

5. Which prospects can be used as bait?

All the teams will be asking for guys like Masterson and Clay Buchholz, but Boston is unlikely to move players who are essential to their Major League club. Michael Bowden (SP) is an attractive chip, along with Lars Anderson (1B), Ryan Callish (OF), Daniel Bard (SP) and Jason Place (OF).

6. Can Bowden help the big club in 2008?

If he doesn't go anywhere in a trade, and the Red Sox fail to pick up another bullpen arm, Bowden could be an answer. It's risky to pin high hopes on a prospect, but Bowden has had success in Portland (9-4, 2.33 ERA) and now Pawtucket (0-2, 3.60 ERA). 

7. Will the Sox add a catcher?

I know his leadership is invaluable, but his offense has been nonexistent this year. At 36, he's not the same player he was a few years ago, and there's no legitimate alternative to him behind the plate. Kevin Cash is valuable to the team as Tim Wakefield's catcher, which makes it less likely they will address their catching needs at the deadline.

8. Is Jed Lowrie good enough to play SS every day?

He's going to hit better than Julio Lugo (like that's hard), and considering Lugo's made 16 errors already this season, he will probably field just as well if not better. His play could convince the Sox not to make a panic move and overpay for a SS (see Miguel Tejada).

9. Is Coco going anywhere?

He's been a valuable part of the team this year. The Ortiz injury and subsequent Manny "injuries" meant the Sox needed another OF, and Crisp happily took the playing time. But now that Ortiz is back, and Brandon Moss is healthy as a potential fourth OF, the time might be now for a move.