UConn Sweeps Big East Awards After Huge Win

Photo © 2010 by Vito J. Leo for HTNP.com Sports

For the past 6 years, when the UConn vs. West Virginia game pops up on the Huskies schedule, I have a gut feeling that the game will end poorly. For 6 years now, I have been right. In 2009, the Huskies gave up a huge 50+ run to Noel Devine in the final minutes to blow their lead and for the 6th straight time, my hopes were shattered. On Friday night on ESPN2, I had a gut feeling again that maybe this was exactly the game the Huskies needed to turn their below .500 record around and make a push for a bowl game. With 1st string, relegated to 3rd string, back to 1st string QB Zach Frazer and a plethora of injuries throughout the club, the team needed to play a solid game on both offense and defense. After falling behind 10-0, the Huskies defense gained momentum and stepped up when they needed them the most for a thrilling OT victory, 16-13. It is now official, in it's short span in Division 1/FBS, UConn has beaten every team in the Big East at least once. (more after the jump)

Box Out, Frazer to Start

Photo: Autumn Driscoll / Connecticut Post

After suffering a head injury during the Louisville game last week, QB Mike Box was unsure about his playing status for this Friday night’s contest against the West Virginia Mountaineers. We found out today that in fact Mike Box is out for this week's game and Zach Frazer will return to the field and take snaps under center once again. After starting the first 3 games for the Huskies in 2010, Frazer was replaced by Cody Endres during the Buffalo game. Since that point, Frazer fell to 3rd on the depth chart and is now returning due to suspension and injury. There was a report that Frazer was dropped on the depth chart due to his poor attitude when he was benched on September 25th, but regardless, he now needs to step up and lead this team to victory.

Spy Forces UConn to Practice Indoors

In a ridiculous twist, the UConn football team had to practice indoors the last few days, but not because of inclement weather. Randy Edsall moved his practice indoors because some information from a practice earlier in the week was posted publicly without permission from the University. It appears someone has been spying on the UConn practices and has been coming away with some in-depth information about plays and formations. In a week leading up to the biggest game of the year for the Huskies on Friday night on ESPN2 against West Virginia, this is a scary and disturbing revelation. This is not the 1st or last time a team will spy on another team (if in fact it is another team spying on them), but it is a dirty and troubling act. Edsall has moved his practices indoors for the time being and is trying not to let this story distract his team. (more after the jump)

Nagy Gets Nod in Arizona

The UConn baseball program has never been a force in NCAA athletics with the exception of a few strong seasons and some individual stars mixed in over the years. One of the most well-known UConn baseball products is 14-year major league veteran Charles Nagy, who retired from playing in 2003. Since 2009, Nagy has been the pitching coach for the Columbus Clippers (Cleveland's AAA affiliate), but has just gotten his break in the majors. Nagy was named the Arizona Diamondbacks pitching coach on Tuesday and will look to take the knowledge he gained from his 297 major league starts and apply it to a fairly young pitching staff. Born in Bridgeport, Nagy is not only a UConn alum, but a home grown CT product and in the baseball world, there aren't many that fit into that category.

UConn Goes Hunting for Mountaineers

With their season on the rocks after 2 tough losses in the Big East, the UConn Huskies have an opportunity to jump right back to .500 overall and 1-2 in the conference on Friday night. The catch? West Virginia is coming to town and in the 6 years these 2 teams have matched up, UConn is a whopping 0-6. Not a great omen for a team that is struggling at the moment and is currently starting their 3rd different QB this season, but a home game on a Friday night on national TV (ESPN2) may be just the right recipe for their 1st victory against the West Virginia Mountaineers and their 1st victory in the conference in 2010. Long shot? Perhaps, but if the team comes in with the relaxed, have fun attitude I keep hearing about this week, they have a chance.

I'm Back! Who's Excited?

It's been a long time since I post unique content here on The Life of a Sportsaholic. I have been, and still am, writing over at BoSoxInjection.com focusing on the Boston Red Sox, but felt a void in my life. Being a fan of many different sports and teams, just writing about 1 team or 1 sport wasn't enough. Recently, I began to dabble over at Orble.com and have a Dallas Cowboys blog that I am testing out, but am also a passionate college sports fan and hockey fan. For now, my focus here at The Life of a Sportsaholic is simple. I am going to write about topics in sports that I find interesting. Most of my focus now will be on UConn athletics, with a hint of Boston Bruins hockey and maybe even some unexpected sports happenings. No matter the content, my pledge to you is that I will not post anything unless I find it interesting or somehow amusing. Fair? Let's start...

MLB Draft is Key for Sox Success

This week, Keith Law of Scouts, Inc. gave his analysis of the top farm systems in baseball. The #1 spot went to the Texas Rangers for the second year in a row, but sitting in the #2 spot was our own Boston Red Sox. This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, considering the depth of pitching prospects in the system, but how does that impressive farm system translate to success on the Major League level? Continue Reading »

Another Japanese Pitcher on Sox Radar

KYODO PHOTO

According to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com, the Red Sox are expressing interest in another Japanese pitcher. The pipeline the Sox have built from Japan is as strong as ever and Hisanori Takahashi may be the next to take the overseas flight to Boston. The 34 year-old pitcher has expressed interest in signing a major league deal this off-season and interest has gathered from a handful of clubs (Orioles, Dodgers, Mets, Red Sox and Giants). Continue Reading »

6-Man Rotation or Odd Man Out?

Over the past few days, the Boston media has been buzzing about the Red Sox rotation in 2010. The conversation was spurred by a few interviews with Tim Wakefield, one of which was last night after he accepted the Bart Giamatti Award. Wake stated that he has “earned the right to be one of the five starters” in 2010 and feels the rotation will work itself out. If Wake is part of the 5-man rotation, then who is the odd man out? Continue Reading »

Wakefield’s Impact On and Off the Field

On a day when most headlines will speak of the three big name signings in MLB, Xavier Nady, Ben Sheets, and Jon Garland, a Tim Wakefield acheivement, like most in his career, will get overlooked. At the B.A.T. (Baseball Assistance Team) Dinner in New York tonight, Wakefield will be honored with the Giamatti Award. Back in 2000, watching Wakefield pitch from the Infield Box at Fenway Park, I learned what it meant to be a real baseball fan. Continue Reading »

Hermida and the Sox Reach Agreement

According to ESPNBoston.com, Theo’s streak of not going to an arbitration hearing is extended for one more year. The Sox reached an agreement with 4th outfielder Jermey Hermida, bridging the nearly million dollar gap between the two original offers. Hermida will make $3.35 million in 2010 to back-up J.D Drew, Mike Cameron, and Jacoby Ellsbury. Continue Reading »

Will Ellsbury Be Traded?

Check out my thoughts on the Red Sox potentially including Jacoby Ellsbury in a trade to the San Diego Padres for Adrian Gonzalez before the trade deadline on HotStove.com. The HotStove.com guys are doing a great job keeping everyone updated on the latest trades and rumors.

The Least Wonderful Time of the Year

As I was walking to work this morning, on a rainy and windy 50 degree day in Boston, I couldn’t help but think of the weather as a metaphor for this time of year. The Sox are preparing for Truck Day in a few weeks and then Spring Training workouts will begin a few weeks after that, but what to do until then? Continue Reading »

Jason Bay's Worn Out Story

The first thing I do in the morning on a daily basis is scour the net for any interesting information about the Red Sox. I check out several blogs and all of the newspapers in the area to see what I missed overnight. Over the past few weeks, Jason Bay and his health has been the primary topic of conversation. Am I the only one who doesn’t give a crap about Bay’s health anymore? It’s the Met’s problem now. Continue Reading »

Decade’s Top 10 Greatest Red Sox Facial Hair Decisions

Over the past 10 years, there have been some interesting facial hair looks from Sox players. In anticipation of the 2010 season, let’s look back at the top ten greatest beards, goatees, and ’staches.  Continue Reading »

Man Behind the Staff: John Farrell

The Sox have promoted a plethora of young pitchers to the big leagues over the past few years. Many factors go into the success of a young pitcher including the catcher he works with and his manager’s willingness to give him opportunities to pitch. One major factor that is often overlooked, however, is the pitching coach. Continue Reading »

Help Wanted: Middle Relief

With upgrades to the starting rotation and defense, the Sox have a solid foundation for the 2010 season. Right now, the only glaring weakness is the bullpen. The Sox have the closer and setup men in place (Pap, Bard, and Okajima), but are missing the pieces to bridge the gap if a starter only goes 5 or less innings. When perusing the list of free agents still available, a few names jumped out at me. Continue Reading »

Damon Struggling to Find a Home

Damon, Damon, Damon. Johnny Damon used to be a name Red Sox fans loved and were excited about. His long hair and unwieldy beard made him a legend in Boston from ‘02-’05. Damon brought speed to a historically slow and lethargic Red Sox club and acted as a spark plug in the lead-off spot, setting the table for the big guns (Ortiz and Ramirez). Damon helped bring a championship to the city of Boston, but, in one swift moment, became the enemy. Continue Reading »

Sox Avoid Arbitration, Sign Papelbon

This afternoon, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com broke the story that the Sox had avoided arbitration with Jonathan Papelbon by agreeing to a one-year $9.35 million deal. Keeping the streak alive, Theo Epstein has never gone to an arbitration hearing since taking over as GM of the Sox in 2002. For a while, it was looking like this was going to be the first, but the Sox were able to offer Papelbon a significant pay increase from his 2009 salary of $6.25 million, a deal that was struck  just minutes before the negotiation period was ending. Continue Reading »

Arbitration for Dummies

With all the chatter surrounding Jonathan Papelbon and the potential for an arbitration hearing, I figured I would explain the process for those who are unfamiliar. The process is not extremely complicated, but has several deadlines and steps that sometimes get overlooked. Continue Reading »

Offerman Attacks, AGAIN

Just when you thought Jose Offerman’s big league career was over, he keeps on swinging. The only problem is that he’s swinging at umpires. What is so hard for Jose to understand? You can’t just attack anyone at will. After his vicious bat attack a few years ago, one would have thought either Offerman would be in anger management classes by now and far away from the game of baseball. Continue Reading »

2PM LIVE on Monday

Head over to www.hotstove.com at 2pm on Monday to hear me chat and answer questions about the Sox. Have you ever wondered what I thought about the defensive approach for the Sox this off-season or if Adrian Gonzalez will come over at the trade deadline this season? I will answer those and other questions about the off-season, Papelbon’s future in Boston, the impact Lackey’s signing will have on the Sox, and much more. Check it out!

LIVE Webcast on Monday

I have been speaking to the guys over at www.hotstove.com and they have asked me to come on their live webcast on Monday to spend 5-10 minutes chatting about the Sox. I’ll give some insight on the Red Sox off-season moves, improved defense, Papelbon wearing out his welcome and some more fun topics. Stay tuned for more details on the time, but I hope you can all check it out!

Papelbon: Past, Present and Future

As I was sitting at dinner talking baseball with my finacee, Sarah, Mr. Jonathan Papelbon became the topic choice. Sarah brought up the conversation of Papelbon’s rise to cockiness and how disappointing it is to watch young players fall into the enlarging-head, ego trip trap and become jerks in front of our eyes. Does anyone remember the good old days when Pap was a young starter trying to make a name for himself? Continue Reading »

Reliever Depth is Key in 2010

The Red Sox made a move on Wednesday that know one even heard about. When perusing the Sox transaction log, the blog OverTheMonster came across an interesting name, Brian Shouse. The 41-year old lefty was signed by the Sox to a minor league deal this week, in hopes he could be a lefty specialist in the bullpen. The Sox philosophy that you can never have enough pitching comes into play here, with several possible arms and only Papelbon with a defined role for 2010. Continue Reading »

McGwire is Still a Liar

After watching the interview with Mark McGwire on MLB network and taking a few days to soak it in, I am even more outraged than before. McGwire’s timing is certainly suspicious, coming just days after finishing 9th in the Hall of Fame balloting with only 23.7% of the votes. Add to that McGwire’s complete refusal that steroids helped him hit home runs, make this entire ‘confession’ contrived and not believable. Continue Reading »

David Ortiz is Hilarious and in Shape?

A few weeks ago, I got a text message from my buddy. Like 6000 billion other people, he was at the theater to see Avatar in 3D. The movie had just begun, when who walks in and sits in front of him? David Ortiz. Big Papi himself. The two things he told me were that Ortiz was actually skinny and his diamond stud earring was so freakin’ big that he kept getting distracted. Continue Reading »

McGwire Finally Admits to Steroid Use

According to the Associated Press, Mark McGwire finally admitted to the world that he used steroids for on and off for over a decade during his playing career. File this one into the ‘you should have admitted it 5+ years ago’ column. Everyone and their mothers knew that McGwire was using steroids and yet he still refused to admit he was using when testifying in front of congress. Now all of a sudden he becomes the hitting coach of the Cardinals and feels compelled to admit his use. Continue Reading »

Chapman to the Reds

After all the dust settled, Aroldis Chapman signed with the Cincinnati Reds. The Reds? Really? Cincy was the apparent high bidder for the left-handed Cuban defect at $25 million for 5 years, with an option for a sixth year. According to Alex Speier of WEEI.com, the Red Sox were not involved in the Chapman race after their initial $15.5 million dollar offer back in November. Shortly after that offer was submitted, Chapman switched agents and in turn ended negotiations with the Red Sox. Continue Reading »

Westmoreland is the Future

When reviewing the Sox top prospects, one name always filters to the top: Ryan Westmoreland. The 19-year old outfielder had an excellent 2009 campaign in Lowell hitting .296 with 7 HR’s, 35 RBI, and 19 stolen bases in only 60 games. The trouble for Westmoreland came when he fractured his collarbone after running into the wall tracking down a fly ball in late August. After having surgery to insert a plate in his chest, Westmoreland has been rehabbing to try and get ready for the 2010 season. Continue Reading »

Dice-K Hiding Leg Injury

As if Dice-K hasn’t already had a tumultuous few years with the Red Sox, new information came today regarding a leg injury sustained prior to the World Baseball Classic in January 2009. Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reported this troubling news story this evening, which creates an even bigger question surrounding the pitcher’s relationship with the Sox ownership. The fact that Dice-K kept the injury hidden until now is extremely troubling. As a fan, I am pissed-off at his complete lack of consideration for the Sox organization and have lost what was left of the little respect I had for him. Continue Reading »

Familiar Voices in the Booth

As we hit the home stretch of the the off-season, with just over a month left until pitchers and catchers report, I begin to get excited for the upcoming campaign. I realize all of the little things I miss during the off-season. Sitting watching the Boston University vs. Boston College hockey game outside at Fenway last night, I was reminded of a member of the NESN broadcast team who often gets overlooked: Tom Caron. Continue Reading »

Lowell's Future in Flux

At 10:30 (EST) this morning, Theo Epstein introduced Adrian Beltre as the Red Sox new third baseman. Now that the deal is official, it re-raises the question about what to do with Mike Lowell. When Theo addressed the situation this morning he made it clear that there was no immediate move lined up to unload the veteran third baseman. Continue Reading »

Bill Hall for Casey Kotchman

Earlier today the deal sending first baseman Casey Kotchman to Seattle for utility man Bill Hall became official. With the addition of Adrian Beltre, there was no longer a role for Kotchman and it was a logical move for Theo and the gang. Overall, I think the Sox benefit greatly by receiving a utility man who can come off the bench to play any position, a minor league prospect to be named later, and cash. Continue Reading »

Decision Imminent for Aroldis Chapman

The Cuban defect Aroldis Chapman has gotten a boatload of attention this off-season. Getting interest from 15 clubs when he worked out in Houston mid-December, the race has slowly been dwindling down ever since, with the Red Sox right in the middle of the pack. According to Juan C. Rodriguez of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Chapman is likely to make a decision within the next few days on where he is going to begin his career in the US. Continue Reading »

Randy Johnson Finally Retires

Randy Johnson Retires. A headline most would have expected several years ago, but he wasn’t ready to close the door on his life’s work. Now, we are saying goodbye to one of the most intimidating left-handed pitchers of all time. His long hair and 6′10″, 225 pound frame instilled fear in every hitter stepping into the batter’s box. Once the hitter began to relax at the plate, Johnson would throw his fastball inside and scare the hitter again to keep him off balance. Johnson can retire happy, having won almost every award possible in his 22-year career. Continue Reading »

Jacoby to Left a Good Move?

A day after the Beltre signing, the Sox made another roster move, but without adding any new players. Reported by Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe, Francona announced that Ellsbury will be playing left field next year and Mike Cameron will move into the center field slot. I understand why the move makes sense, but worry it is putting Ellsbury in a difficult spot under the shadow of the Green Monster. Continue Reading »

Holliday Celebration for the Cardinals

After seemingly endless negotiations with the biggest bat in free agency, the Cardinals got their man. Matt Holliday is off the market, ladies. Even with hardly any competition, Boras still got his client a 7-year, $120 million dollar contract with an option for an 8th year in 2017. As expected in November, Holliday pulled in the biggest contract of an free agent this winter. With his signing, all of the top tier free agents have signed deals this off-season, and it is time to start gearing up and getting excited for Spring training. Continue Reading »

Kotchman to Mariners

According to ESPN, the Mariners are close to acquiring Casey Kotchman from the Sox. It appears that it will probably be in exchange for at least one minor league prospect, and probably not much more than that. There is very little information known, but Seattle is in need of a corner infielder since Adrian Beltre signed with the Sox yesterday. Kotchman would get a ton more playing time in the Northwest than with Boston, making it a win-win-win situation for both ball clubs and Kotchman. More information to come.

Wang on Sox Radar?

According to Chien-Ming Wang’s agent, the 29-year old right-handed free agent has heard from 15 teams thus far this off-season who have showed at least a little interest. If true, it is an impressive number, but there are still a plethora of questions and concerns for Wang’s future employer. Continue Reading »

Sox Agree on Deal for Beltre

Not minutes after I posted about the Sox offer to Beltre. the Sox agree to a tentative 1 year, $10  million dollar deal with the third baseman. Beltre is a career .270 hitter with 250 HR’s and is an extremely talented defensive player. It was clearly in line with the Sox philosophy this off-season, which was to improve pitching and defense. For my thoughts on comparing Beltre to Lowell, check out my post from a few weeks ago. Continue Reading »

Dice-K Concerns: 2010 Edition

When the Sox invested $100 million dollars in a young hot-shot pitcher over from Japan, fans were excited about the possibilities. Matsuzaka first year in America in 2007 was a decent one, posting a 15-12 record with a 4.90 era, but walked batters constantly and had high pitch counts, leading to only one complete game.  The media was quick to defend the Japanese hurler, saying that the more comfortable he gets with the league and in the country, his numbers would improve. Continue Reading »

Sox Make Beltre an Offer

The Sox interest in Adrian Beltre has been well documented this off-season, but it appeared to be put to rest once the Mike Lowell trade fell through. According to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com, the Sox have been engaged in conversations with Beltre behind closed doors for awhile and made him an offer of a 2 year contract. This offer raises the obvious question of what to do with Mike Lowell if Beltre comes to Boston. Continue Reading »

Sox All-Decade Team: Outfield

Over the past decade, the Sox have had some great outfielders, but only three can make the All-Decade Team. The three selections cover a wide-range of types of players including a lead-off man, a power hitter, and a lower in the line-up model of consistency. Although two of the selections would be booed if they returned to Fenway, all three made great contributions to the history of a storied franchise. Continue Reading »

Sox All-Decade Team: Middle Infield

The Sox All-Decade Team continues with the middle infield. The second baseman and shortstop are the motor that keeps the defense going and combine to create a mean double-play combo. Although the two following players never played together, they both had outstanding performances over the past 10 years. Continue Reading »

Sox All-Decade Team: Corner Infield

As the decade came to a close last night, I couldn’t help but think back to what was one of the best 10 years in Red Sox history. The Sox finished the 10 year span with a record of 920-699 and made an appearance in the playoffs 6 of those seasons. The most memorable moments of the 2000s are, of course, the 2 World Championships in 2004 and 2007. Over the next few days, I am going to look back at some of the greatest players to play each position during these past 10 seasons beginning with the corner infielders. Continue Reading »