Cleaning up yesterday's Tasch

In yesterday's post recapping our conversation about Jack Taschner's crappy performance and lack of a nickname, I forgot to say that it started with Christine lamenting, "Where's J.C. Romero?" when things started to turn bad.

"I dunno, off doing steroids," I snarkily replied.

Well, turns out Christine wasn't the only one missing J.C. for Sunday's game. While most reporters obsessed about moving Jimmy Rollins out of the leadoff spot, Scott Lauber focused on the Phillies playing a tight game without their best reliever of the past three seasons.

"That would have been J.C.'s role if he was here, definitely, without a doubt," Manuel said later, standing outside his office in Citizens Bank Park. "That's how we did it last year. That's what got us through to [closer Brad] Lidge."

[...]

"I gave up three base hits, and not one of them did I consider to be well struck," Taschner said. "It's just the way the game goes. I'm the one to blame for this one."

Somewhere, Romero must've felt responsible, too.

Red Sox: Dan Duquette defended his regime against the steroid accusations leveled by Lou Merloni. Their stories aren't entirely dissimilar; it's just a matter of interpreting whether the doctors were purely educating about the risks of steroids or how to do them safely. I don't want to be dismissive, but I'd be more concerned if it involved the current ownership.

I didn't like one answer because it's more implication of Manny Ramirez's Red Sox years:

On whether he was surprised by Manny Ramirez's suspension:

Duquette: "I was disappointed. I wasn't surprised."

Last night's game: I struggled to stay up as Jonathan Papelbon struck out the side to preserve the 4-3 win after starting the inning with a walk and a hit. Other than the time (and an injury to Dustin Pedroia, who wasn't playing shortstop, as first reported by the Globe), it was a pretty good game - solid start by Josh Beckett and another late clutch hit for Jason Bay.

Pat Burrell jumped out of the box when the crowd erupted in reaction to the Celtics playoff win.

With Hideki Okajima on the mound, much of the crowd started applauding for no reason that was evident on the field. Burrell, in fact, was confused enough that he stepped out of the batter's box and looked around.

Glen Davis's jumper at the buzzer had just gone in, and the Celtics had evened their series with Orlando.

"I didn't know if there was a big fight going on or did somebody run on the field," Burrell said. "Definitely, it was time to get out of the box. No idea.

"And then as soon as I thought about it, I said, 'Oh, it's probably hockey.' The home plate umpire said, 'I think it's basketball.'"

Sign here

I'll conclude my latest series of stuff I salvaged from my parents' attic with some autographed mementos.

To the left is the most personal. It's on stationary I created in graphic arts class in middle school. I was neither a good poet nor artist. The awkward-looking Red Sox cap is actually quite good for my abilities. The writing - "I'm the number 1 fan of the Boston Red Sox clan!" - isn't.

The autographs are Jeff Reardon (long before he robbed a jewelry store) and Mike Greenwell. I met them when family friends invited me along to the Benevolent Loyal Order of Honorable and Ancient Red Sox Diehard Sufferers of New York luncheon. The BLOHARDS are a group of displaced Red Sox fans who get together when the Sox invade New York.

Usually, players or someone associated with the team addresses the crowd. I don't remember much from the speeches, only that I was certain to bring along the stationary. I don't think either commented on it.

In high school, a classmate's father, upon learning that I was a Red Sox fan, said he knew Dave Morehead, a subpar pitcher from the 1960s. But at the time - before Hideo Nomo, Derek Lowe, Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester - he was the last Red Sox to pitch a no-hitter. He shut down Luis Tiant and the Indians 2-0 on Sept. 16.

I thought it was neat and kept the picture tucked in my bedroom mirror for several years.

Finally, and most embarrassing, is a pair of signatures I actually paid for outside of Fenway. One is a nice shot of the park, but it's muddied by the John Hancock of then-General Manager Dan Duquette.

The other was a shot of Aaron Sele, the guy I thought would take Roger Clemens' spot as ace of the staff.

Things didn't quite turn out as I expected, but Sele did have a pretty good career for the 23rd draft pick in 1991. He was much more productive than Brian Taylor, the huge bonus baby taken No. 1 by the Yankees who injured his arm in a bar fight and never made it to the majors.

The Phillies pick that year? Tyler Green - taken two slots ahead of Doug Glanville and three ahead of a certain third baseman named Manny Ramirez.

What a day

Thankfully the Phillies are off tonight because the Red Sox have given us more than enough to chew on. Consider the day's events: a threat against black and Latin players on the Rays and Sox; a Manny Ramirez altercation with the team's traveling secretary; and, oh yeah, the team was in Tampa to try to reclaim first place against their new rivals.

When Manny fought with Kevin Youkilis I initially, and incorrectly, blamed the petulant star. I don't think I'm wrongfully jumping to conclusions for blaming him for shoving to the ground the traveling secretary who couldn't accommodate a ticket request. Manny apologized, and Jack McCormick said there's no ill will. Another stupid distraction for a team when it's faced with a young, hungry challenger. And, oh yeah, if I were Manny I'd be real pissed that the team couldn't get 16 of my friends into Houston to watch me drop two of three against the Astros.

More serious: Someone threatened players on both teams. I thought we were past that.

On a lighter note of law enforcement, former GM Dan Duquette is in trouble with the Massachusetts Ethics Commission for selling 2004 World Series tickets to a local mayor at face value. Duquette wanted his minor league team to play ball at a park in the mayor's town. Both the Duke and the mayor deny wrongdoing. I appreciate this story on so many levels.

Finally, David Ortiz says he won't play in the All-Star game. Still no word on whom will take his spot in that stupid home run derby promotion that got Hank Steinbrenner in a tizzy.

That's it. No more news today. Oh yeah, Sox lose 5-4 to Rays. 1.5 games out. We'll get 'em tomorrow.

A tale of two first basemen

It seems like the Phillies and Ryan Howard are entering their now annual contract tiff. Arbitration figures show they're $3 million apart. Some say the Phillies should bite the bullet and just give him a deal eclipsing the 7-year, $85 million given to Chase Utley.

I'd prefer them to just overpay in the short term. Avoid the negative arbitration process this year and offer $9 million or so.

I dunno, there's something about Howard that just screams Mo Vaughn. Remember him? I do. I still wear his shirt.

Dan Duquette, who is owed an apology for getting grilled on the Clemens career twilight comments, got hammered for letting MVP Mo walk, but ask the Angels and Mets whether he made a mistake. (When did I become a Dan Duquette apologist again?)

Howard could be a Hall of Famer. Or he could be Mo, or the others on his list of comparable players whose careers flamed out, like Cecil Fielder, Tony Clark or Ryan Klesko. He's already shown a warning sign with a balky knee.

Toward the end of '06, Ryan Howard was a clean Barry Bonds. Pitchers wouldn't pitch to him, and during the rare times they did, he punished them. In '07, with so many strikeouts, it got to the point where in a big spot you no longer had the same faith and would hope for a sacrifice fly instead of another embarrassing swing and miss.

The next few years may be better, but I wouldn't bet a ton of years on him. Let some other team get saddled with the big contract.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, are only $1.2 million apart from Youkilis. They might be working on a long-term deal, but if he's only asking for $3.7 million this year, ink him at that. Some argued that last year he was more valuable than Howard when counting defense. I don't know if I quite buy it, but Youk gets on base and plays flawless defense.

In other sports: I went 2-2 last week picking all favorites. But I'm not complaining since one of the upsets involved the Giants and the other didn't involve the Patriots. I've been enjoying the Giants' run, but my head still can't jump on the bandwagon, so I'll back the favorites again. When the two teams thaw, it'll be perfection vs. America's QB in the Super Bowl.