Visiting The Bailey Bowl, Meeting Our New Closer & Manager

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the Bailey Bowl, an event to benefit the 3 Strikes Foundation, raising money to help kids with cancer. It took place down in New Jersey near Philadelphia, where Andrew Bailey, our new closer, grew up. It was a really fun night and I was thrilled to meet a former Sox player, a future Sox player, and our new manager Bobby Valentine. Big thanks to MLB.com's Tara Gore for letting me tag along with her. Felt a little like a kid again. Got so excited that I even waxed the 'stache for the occasion!

Craig Breslow, recently traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks (seriously, who approved that name?) but having pitched 13 games for the Red Sox in 2006, he's part of the Red Sox legacy and is therefore able to sign my Sox ball. Really nice guy and founder of the foundation. Also I'm a fan of the shirt that he was wearing.

So I've had this ball since I was about 10 and it's been signed by numerous Sox players, first from baseball card shows, at a baseball camp, at the Fenway Park parking lot when I was a kid, and most recently at the Bailey Bowl. The players who've signed it range from Rico Petrocelli who joined the Sox in 1963 to Bailey, who's joining in 2012.

Here's my friend Tara Gore interviewing Craig for MLB.com.

Me with the new Sox closer Andrew Bailey, who organized the charity event with the money going to help kids with cancer.

Tara interviewing Bailey.

Bobby Valentine getting mauled by the Phillie Phanatic.





Here's the video that Tara and company posted about the event. Check me out about 60% of the way through it for footage of Bobby V signing my Red Sox ball!

John McCauley of Deer Tick shows his colors

New (To Me) Sox Bar In Manhattan, Yanks vs. Sox

Watched the game with Toby at the Hairy Monk, a new-to-me Red Sox pub around 25th & 3rd. Was a good game for a while until the Sox broke it open with a pair of runs late. John Lackey hung in well against the Yankees. Happily surprised to see the Sox hit CC Sabathia hard. Jacoby Ellsbury, particularly, is on a roll. I'll be back at the Hairy Monk for the postseason.

Me on MLB.com

In the ego-boost category, MLB.com interviews me, as head of the band Leland Sundries, on music and baseball.



We start our first national tour on Monday.

Sox Hitters Destroying The Ball in May

Admittedly, this is a little bit lopsided after those two blowouts this week but check out the batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS for all Sox hitters in May. Wowza!: .298 / .360 / .481 / .841.

Run Differential Finally Positive

Sox have now scored 4 more runs than they've allowed on the season. They must've passed the zero mark over the weekend.

Masterson Faces Sox in Possible Breakout Year

Justin Masterson, whom the Sox traded for Victor Martinez and who faces his old team tonight, is having what might be a breakout year for him. He's 5-2 with a 1.22 WHIP and a 2.52 ERA. Opposing players are hitting .249 / .318 / .321 off of him, with that last number being most impressive of all. He has given up just one home run in 60+ innings over 9 starts this year. I wonder if Theo wishes we still had him.