Podcast Excellence Award

Check out my boys in Back in Blue Episode XXV getting it done at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. These guys did a tremendous job on this podcast. 

Fisher Cats Player Watch

Fisher Cats third baseman Mark Sobolewski has caught fire over the past 10 games, belting four homers and posting a .372 average and 1.121 OPS. Let's be honest. Brett Lawrie isn't going anywhere. I'd like to see Sobo involved in a trade or eventually get picked up in the Rule 5 Draft. He's one of those guys always doing extra work. Pulling for him.

Rehabbing Red Sox take on Fisher Cats

Update: Carl Crawford has joined the Portland Sea Dogs and will play the outfield in Tuesday's 6 p.m. game against Trenton. He had a workout at Hadlock Field today and spoke with Mike Antonellis here. Sea Dogs play at New Hampshire on Wednesday. Do you have a ticket to watch Crawford play center field? The Fisher Cats ballpark could become Fenway North with CC and Jacoby Ellsbury in the house. Maybe even Ryan Sweeney.


We've seen A.J. Burnett pitch for the Fisher Cats, and we've watched Lyle Overbay beat the Sea Dogs with a grand slam. Major Leaguers who made rehabilitation stops in Manchester, including the year and attendance:

2010 - Travis Snider, 7,598
2010 - John Buck, 6,238
2009 - John Smoltz, 8,903
2009 - Jed Lowrie, 6,014
2009 - Daisuke Matsuzaka, 7,860
2006 - A.J. Burnett, 7,575
2007 - Lyle Overbay, 7,424

Lots of buzz today about Jacoby Ellsbury joining the Portland Sea Dogs for a rehab stint in the Eastern League. If you had tickets for Sea Dogs-Fisher Cats series, looks like you're a winner! Red Sox manager told the media in Seattle that Ellsbury could be joining Portland on Tuesday. That means the World Series champ/All-Star/Gold Glover could be playing against the Fisher Cats in the three-game series beginning Wednesday, weather permitting. I talked to Ben Cherington today, and he said Ellsbury will spend Tuesday in Florida with the Gulf Coast League. No decision on his next stop. In April, Ellsbury went down with a shoulder separation. He has been working his way back to the majors, making his first rehab stop in the Gulf Coast League. Kevin Thomas of the Portland Press Herald was all over this on his blog earlier today ... Would be cool to have Ellsbury playing the outfield with Jackie Bradley, Jr., who I wrote about yesterday.

UM, NOT SO MUCH. I challenged Matt Bonner to a game of P-I-G at his basketball camp in Concord, N.H., and was skunked. Couldn't get the roll. Not to mention Mr. Red Rocket hit a crazy clinching shot from halfcourt: