Day 153: Buchholz Makes Second Rehab Start, May Be Ready For 2014.

Just kidding with the 2014 thing. Sorry to scare you. But it really does seem like with the pace he's improving, he'll never make it back to the mound for the Red Sox this season. Clay Buchholz injured himself on June 8 when he experienced tightness in his neck and was diagnosed with neck strain. Now I've had neck strain and I understand it hurts, but it never incapacitated me for over two months!

It's a real shame the Red Sox haven't had Buchholz's arm in the rotation over the last two months. Who knows what the case would be right now had he continued on his torrid pace. How many of those losses would be wins? How many games in first would that equate to? When he went on the 1,200 day DL, he was 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA in 12 starts.

So now he's on track to come back... exactly when is anyone's guess. The rehab has been slow to say the least. His first time out with the Lowell Spinners didn't exactly wow us. He faced seven batters, issued three walks, gave up a hit and needed a whopping 38 pitches to record just two outs. Yeesh.

He seems to be improving though. Friday night in Pawtucket, he threw 53 pitches in 3 1/3 innings, allowed seven hits and one run. He didn't walk a batter and he struck out two. A much improved outing overall and he topped out at 94mph, so that's promising.

But this is what really makes me laugh... Buchholz went out on the DL right around the same time the Bruins were making their Stanley Cup run. Bruins forward Gregory Campbell broke his leg a few days before Clay tweaked his neck. Broke his leg and still continued to play for nearly a minute. Broke his leg and still skated and defended and made a difference. Now there's a rumor going around that Campbell might make his return to the ice before Buchholz makes his return to the mound.

Imagine if baseball players had the mental and physical toughness of a hockey player... there might be no such thing as a DL.

Day 152: Patriots Release Some Guys... And Other Stuff.

Oh my gawd, you guys...football starts in like nine days and I'm so excited!! Mostly I'm excited because football season means summer is over and fall is here and I hate summer. And there will also be those Sundays in September when the Patriots and the Red Sox are on at the same time and you can lay on the couch and flip back and forth between the two. Heaven, I tell you.

Much has been going on over the past week with the team. It's that crunch time when guys get cut — guys you thought might have a chance and poof, they're gone. It's time when they're trying to work out those last few kinks. And most importantly, figuring out the best team to put on the field that will earn them the win.

Last night, the Patriots played their final preseason game against the NY Giants and won 28-20 on the back on Tim Tebow who had two touchdown passes. This gives them a final record of 3-1 and puts them in good position for the regular season... at least I hope. So Tebow? Two touchdown passes? Does this solidify his spot on the team? The suspense is killing me.

Tom Brady didn't play last night which made me happy. Every time he steps on the field, I immediately think someone is going to rip both his legs off his body and beat him about the head with them. That scares me. And then... now this is really mean... there was some rumor floating around the interwebs that Brady was in a car accident the other night and broke both his legs. Really, really mean.

The Patriots released 10 players today including veterans Jake Ballard, Marcus Benard, Daniel Fells, Johnathan Haggerty and Mike Rivera. I'm confused as to why a team whose two regular tight ends are currently unable to play — you know, because one's in jail and all — would release two tight ends. The Pats must have their roster down to 53 by tomorrow at 6pm.

Little side note: Robert Kraft has a new buddy. Tiger Woods was on the Patriots sideline during the game before it started. He'll be playing in the Deutsche Bank Championship started today at TPC Boston in Norton, Mass. I wonder if they're going to go on a double date?

Oh and guess what? Aaron Hernandez is still in jail. Because he's a murdering dumbass.

Day 151: Drew Blesoe Back on the Football Field

Former New England Patriot quarterback, Drew Bledsoe is back in football. The 41-year-old has recently accepted the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coaching job at Summit High School in Bend, Oregon where Bledsoe and his family live. He's following in the footsteps of his dad who coached for 35 years.

Most of the kids he's coaching weren't even born during the height of Bledsoe's career. If you do the math, even the seniors were still babies when he led the Patriots to their second Super Bowl appearance in 1996. And none of them was around when he was drafted #1 in 1993. Drew Bledsoe played 14 years in the NFL with New England, Buffalo and Dallas and who knows where he may have ended up had he not been lambasted by Mo Lewis in 2001.

After retiring seven years ago, Bledsoe has had quite the non-football career. He's started a winery, a private investment firm, a specialty coffee roasting company and the Drew Bledsoe Foundation. And he was inducted in the the Patriots Hall of Fame. Not bad for a guy who was always just an average quarterback.

It appears Bledsoe has his hands full this season. The Summit Storm was outscored by almost 200 points and finished last season with a 2-7 record. Good news is that they're returning 12 starters and their senior quarterback. It will be interesting to see if he turns this team around.

Good luck, Coach Bledsoe!

Day 150: Victorino Comes Up Big in Red Sox Victory

The Red Sox did it up nice and special Tuesday night at Fenway Park for the Jimmy Fund patients and their families. I heard someone say they lost this same night last year—figures. But not the 2013 Red Sox. No way. This group of guys would've sold their souls to the devil to win for this crowd. That strong bond with the Jimmy Fund fueled the Sox bats and powered the team to 13 runs on 14 hits and a decisive 13-2 victory over the Orioles.

The top third of the lineup—Ellsbury, Victorino and Pedroia—each had three hits, with Pedey getting his batting average back up over .300 after experiencing a bit of a post big contract signing slump. But the real super hero was Shane Victorino, who basically beat the Orioles all by himself. He went 3-for-3 with seven RBI, two home runs and four runs scored. The seven runs batted in was a career high for the 32-year-old Flyin' Hawaiian. He also walked once and was hit by a pitch, after which he tossed the ball back to the pitcher. Gotta love this guy!

When the Red Sox signed Shane Victorino over the off-season for what some thought was a ridiculous three-year, $39 million contract, there was a lot of head shaking. He's got a great glove but has never been known for doing anything too spectacular offensively. But he's a great guy. And that was desperately needed if the Sox were ever going to shake off that negative stink left on them after Bobby Valentine's departure and their failure to make the post season the past two seasons.

The best thing about this Red Sox team? They look happy. They look like they're enjoying their jobs. They look like they're enjoying each other. And they're so much fun to watch. I'm having way more fun watching the likes of Victorino and Gomes and Napoli than I ever would if the Sox had signed a prima donna pansy like Josh Hamilton. It's nice to have a team that lacks whiners.

So we may have been skeptical in the early stages as Ben Cherington diligently constructed this team, but now we know. Every thing is done for a reason... everyone is here to play a role.

Also, is there a Locks of Love for facial hair? If so, this team would be a goldmine.

Day 149: Red Sox and The Jimmy Fund: 60 Years Strong

Tonight's one of those nights when you're watching the Sox game on TV, you really wish you were there. The weather is perfect for a ball game, the Red Sox bats are lively and it's a night when Jimmy Fund patients are celebrated at Fenway Park. Kids get the star treatment. Ask young Declan Cassidy, a four-year-old diagnosed with large optic tract glioma after he lost his vision, who has the special honor of saying the two most important words at the ballpark, "Play Ball!"

Today marks the 12th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon—a 36 hour event that has become one of the Jimmy Fund's biggest fundraisers. In 2012, this event raised $3.4 million and, of course, they're hoping for more this year. This emotional two-day event teams the folks from NESN, WEEI and the Red Sox as they take to Fenway Park and the phones to raise funds for research. This year also marks the 60th anniversary of the Jimmy Fund and Red Sox relationship.

When I turned on the television this morning and I saw that the radio-telethon had started, I nearly turned it off. The stories told by the survivors and their families, as well as the families who have lost someone to cancer reduce me to a sobbing mess before I even leave the house for work. I'm not sure how these on-air folks hold it together—especially when young patients at the Jimmy Fund that have been on their shows for years have since lost their battles. If you listened to any of this today, you know to keep your tissues handy.

If you're interested in donating, there are many ways—call 877-738-1234, visit www.jimmyfund.org or visit www.weei.com/jimmyfund. A with most events like this, every little bit counts and as of the writing of this post, the current total for this year stands at just over $900,000. I only wish I could give more...

Day 148: Red Sox Take Two From Dodgers, I Call That Success!

On June 22nd, the Los Angeles Dodgers were 9.5 games out of first place and dead last in the National League West. On August 26th, their story is a little different. That same team—the hottest team in baseball—now has a commanding 9.5 game league in the NL West after going 46-12 since June 22. And this past weekend, another hot team headed to the City of Angels to face some old teammates.

The Red Sox came into the weekend series in a tiny August slump, but had just taken two of three from the SF Giants so they were on a little bit of a roll. Unfortunately for the Sox, the fiery Dodgers continued on their tear and prevailed Friday night in a pitchers' duel decided by a single two-run home run by former Red Sox prospect, Hanley Ramirez. The Sox bats were held to just two singles and John Lackey took yet another tough loss.

On Saturday, things turned around and Jon Lester earned his 12th win behind a four-run first inning—all the runs the Sox would need. Lester pitched 7.1 innings, giving up just one run while striking out six. And it appears that Mike Napoli's bat is starting to come around, going 3-for-4 in the effort. Jonny Gomes hit a three run home run in the first to put the game away. And let's not discuss the horrific base running blunder by Jacoby Ellsbury in the top of the ninth...pay attention kids, don't let this happen to you. Luckily, it had no effect on the game's outcome.

But the gem of the weekend happened on the first anniversary of the historic trade between the Red Sox and Dodgers on August 25, 2012. It was a ballsy trade, but one that turned the financial future of Boston around and allowed them to make deals in the off-season to better the attitude and atmosphere in the team's clubhouse. The nine-player deal saw $200 million in salaries change hands. The Red Sox unloaded the ridiculously enormous contracts of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, as well as the ridiculously enormous head of Josh Beckett. Good riddance, I said.

So what better way to celebrate such a significant day in Red Sox history, than with a convincing win over their old friends. Jake Peavy pitched his best game to date in a Sox uniform—a complete game, three hitter. He allowed just one run and struck out five. On the other side of the ball, the Sox pounded out eight runs on 12 hits, including round-trippers from Saltalamacchia, Victorino and Napoli. Not a bad way to finish off the short west coast swing.

The Red Sox returned home to an off day today, and then play the Orioles, White Sox and Tigers at friendly Fenway. With just 30 games left of the 2013 season, I can honestly say I never imagined this team would be in first place. But I'll take it!

Day 147: First Base Coach Hands Out Ball... and Advice

You may not know Rene Lachemann, but he has been a part of major league baseball for a really long time. Nearly 50 years, actually. He managed a few teams — the Seattle Mariners, the Milwaukee Brewers and he was the very first manager of the Florida Marlins. So it's safe to say Mr. Lachemann has a lot of advice to dole out to those of all ages — not just about baseball, but life too.

Lachemann is currently the first base coach for the Colorado Rockies and he has become famous for handing out souvenir baseballs to fans both at home and on the road. But that souvenir doesn't come totally free. The specially chosen young recipient, must sit through a lecture where Lachemann offers some life advice. Sometimes these lectures are lengthy and always entertaining.

Last week, during a game against the Phillies, Comcast Sports happened to be close enough to one of these encounters to get it all on video... take a look, some of this is seriously good advice!

"When you go to the bathroom, lift the toilet seat up. Don't be peeing on the toilet seat." Those are some profound words of wisdom right there, folks.