Boston Red Sox news and notes

Boston Red Sox mid season review

We continue our mid season MLB revue still in the American League East with the Boston Red Sox. They sit 43-29 1.5 games behind the division leading New York Yankees. They did get off to a slow start, but have rebounded nicely in the second quarter of the 2010 season. As of today over their last 10 games they are 8-2, but they have drawn some National League bottom feeders in interleague play. All things could be a lot worse, but it does seem that this is a team that could use a little something at the trade deadline.

2010 Boston Red Sox payroll

It should surprise no one that the Boston Red Sox have the second highest payroll in Major League baseball. They are in a division with the New York Yankees, and as a business operation have a key advantage over the other MLB clubs.

2010 MLB season preview: Boston Red Sox

Wow, have things changed in Bean Town. Five of their eight defensive positions will feature new starters in 2010 over opening day of 2009. It still looks like a solid team, but one has to wonder if they have enough offense. The Yankees got better, so the Sox may be left to compete for the American League Wild Card spot again. Since a number of their stars are in the final year of their contracts, one has to wonder if this is an on the fly rebuild project

Are the Yankees and the Red Sox ruining baseball?

Each and every off season we sit back, and watch the New York Yankees, and the Boston Red Sox compete in their annual arms race, and every high price free agent looks to cash in with one of these two teams. Since Major League Baseball has no salary cap, these two teams often wind up with the best players since they can afford to pay them more.

2009 MLB season in review: Boston Red Sox

Sure the Boston Red Sox made the post season, but in a town who has won two recent World Titles that simply is not good enough, and their exit at the hands of the Los Angeles Angels is one that is going to leave a sour taste in the mouth of Red Sox nation. Getting swept out of the first round of the playoffs tends to make a fan base sick, but this loss is one that seemed avoidable. Not once, not twice, but three times their, All Star Closer Jonathan Papplebon had two outs and two strikes on Angels’ hitters and yet they all reached a base, and the Red Sox season came to an end. However at the very lest 2009 was a successful campaign for the Red Sox.

Red Sox trade for Laroche

For the second year in a row the Boston Red Sox have traded with the Pittsburgh Pirates to add a power hitting offensive threat. Last year is was a mid summer deal for OF Jason Bay and this year it is a deal for first baseman Adam Laroche.

The trade details are as follows:

Boston gets Laroche, while Pittsburgh gets minor league Short Stop Argenis Diaz, and minor league pitcher Hunter Strickland.

MLB teams use concerts to add revenue

What should one do with a 40,000 seat venue, which may sit empty for half the summer. The answer seems kind of obvious, and MLB teams this summer used their venues to hold summer concerts to help pad their revenue streams. Thanks to a couple of big name concerts held in MLB ball parks a few MLB teams made a ton of dough from holding music concerts.

Should the Boston Red Sox buy the Boston Globe?

This is kind of an odd story from a couple of different angles. First and foremost the New York Times owns a 17.75 stake in the Boston Red Sox. The Times also happen to own the Boston Globe. For some reason John Henry, principal owner of the Fenway Sports Group, who owns the Sox, appears pretty desperate to buy back the Times company stake in his baseball team. So desperate that he has told the times that he would purchase the Boston Globe as part of the deal to get that 17.75% of the Red Sox back.

Roush uses Red Sox to draw in new sponsors

When we take the time to consider that it takes millions of dollars to run an elite NASCAR sprint Cup series team, and the fact that we are in a recession, we come to find that NASCAR team owners are doing whatever they can do attract new sponsors.