BRUINS SIGN MICHAEL RYDER, AND ARE OFFICIALLY OUT OF THE RUNNING FOR MARIAN HOSSA

The Bruins signed former Montreal Canadien Michael Ryder to a multi-year deal. The signing reduces the Bruins' salary cap space, making it impossible to sign Hossa. I don't mind that the Bruins got a guy who can score goals (30+ in his first two seasons with Montreal, although he only scored 14 last year), but I'm disappointed that they didn't pull a rabbit out of the hat with Hossa. The Edmonton Oilers offered him a deal worth $9M a year, and the price for the Slovak winger will only go up from there, but the Bruins seemingly did next to nothing to try to create that cap room. They couldv'e shipped Glen Murray to Providence, eaten his salary, but completely removed him from the salary cap equation. But they didn't.

That's just the unending pain of being a Bruins fan.



Source:
Boston Herald

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File

A-ROD OPTS OUT OF HR DERBY

Alex Rodriguez keeps coming up with new and original reasons for people to hate him. This time, he's snubbing Yankee fans and the rest of baseball by not participating in the Home Run Derby. This will be the first and last time that the competition will be held at historic Yankee Stadium. But Alex Rodriguez feels as though it might affect his swing. Funny, he participated in three Derbies before becoming a Yankee. Maybe he has performance anxiety. Maybe he's afraid of hitting only 1 or 2 homers in the first round in front of the home fans.

Even sour puss Nomar Garciaparra was able to put on a smile in 1999, and participate in the Derby at Fenway. Why can't A-Rod toughen up and do this at the Stadium? It would be a nice treat for the Yankee fans who help pay his grotesque salary, and for baseball fans around the world.

A-Rod is worried his swing might get messed up. Apparently his swing is as sensitive and soft as he is.

frustRAYtion

Matt Garza and the Rays shut down the Sox offense last night for a 3-1 lead, extending the deficit in the AL East to 2.5 games.

Wakefield had another good start wasted. 7 innings, 2 runs (1 earned). It was actually his 7th straight Quality Start, but he's 2-3 in that stretch, and the Sox are 3-4.

The offense was simply pitiful. Drew, Ramirez, Lowell, and Youkilis, hitting 3-4-5-6, combined to go 0 for 14 with 4 Ks. The Sox didn't get a hit until the 4th. They also left the bases loaded in the 8th.

Think how unimaginable this thought was before the season: If the Rays win tonight, they'll have swept the Red Sox TWICE this season. That's amazing for the Rays, and it's flat out sad for the Sox.

Source:
ESPN.com

Photo Credit:
AP Photo/Chris O'Meara