In my four years as a PawSox broadcaster, it would be hard to pick a favorite player.

But smartest player?  That's easy - Yale University grad Craig Breslow.

(photos courtesy of Kelly O'Connor)

Craig usually had a book in his hands on the long bus trips and I used to get a kick out of asking him about his latest reading material.  One season he decided to study the greatest speeches in history from the likes of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Winston Churchill.  Earlier this year, the Wall Street Journal named him "The Smartest Man in Baseball."

Oh yea, he's also a terrific pitcher.

Breslow pitched for the Pawtucket in 2006 and 2007 and was chosen for the Triple-A All-Star Game each season.  After appearing in 13 games for Boston, he's pitched for Cleveland, Minnesota and Oakland over the past two years.  This season he made 77 relief appearances to rank second in the American League and posted a 2.60 ERA in 60 games with the Athletics.

I'm writing about Craig today because on Saturday night (November 7^th) he's hosting "The 2^nd Annual First Pitch Celebrity Gala" at the Omni Hotel in New Haven, CT.  Nomar Garciaparra is the guest speaker and several major leaguers are scheduled to attend.

For more information, check this link or call 203-502-0007.

When Craig was 12-years-old, his older sister Lesley was diagnosed with cancer.  Thankfully, she underwent successful surgery and has been cancer free for 16 years.  But the memory of the ordeal his family went through helped inspire Craig to form "The Strike 3 Foundation" which raises funding for childhood cancer research.

"The visionary in me sees the day when all cancers are eradicated," Breslow writes on the foundation's website.  "The realist understands that the first steps toward this feat are to heighten awareness, raise support, and encourage cancer research. To that end, I am excited by the prospects that our partnership with some local cancer treatment centers offers. United in our goal, we hope together to hasten the arrival of the day when no child with cancer goes uncured."

Last year's gala raised more than $100,000 and Breslow is hoping to raise even more money this year.

If you live in New England and don't have plans on Saturday night, you should consider making the trip to New Haven and supporting a great cause.

Say hi to Craig for me.  And ask him what he's reading these days.

As I begin typing this blog entry, the first pitch is 10 hours and 40 minutes away.

38-year-old Pedro Martinez . . . on the mound . . . in the Bronx . . . trying to prevent the New York Yankees from winning their 27^th World Series title.

Talk about Must See TV!

Pedro held a news conference on Tuesday that was riveting (you can watch it here) as he discussed the opportunity to add to his Hall of Fame resume.

"I look at this situation as a blessing," Pedro told reporters. "I mean, what else would I want?  I'm doing the job I love.  I'm doing something that not everybody gets to do.  If you consider the fact that a few months back I was sitting at home not doing anything -- none of you were thinking of me whatsoever, none of you were asking me questions -- and today I am here, getting ready to pitch in probably one of the biggest games ever in World Series history."

Pedro pitched well in Game 2 with a repertoire that probably reminded PawSox fans of Abe Alvarez - slow, slower, and slowest.  In the first inning, he threw 70 mph curveballs and 78 mph changeups.  In his six-plus innings, his fastball topped out around 86 mph.

It's certainly not the Pedro that won three Cy Young Awards, but he's been extremely effective since signing with the Phillies on July 15^th for $1 million.  In 9 regular season starts, Martinez was 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA.  In 2 postseason starts, he's 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA.

"I think what you're going to see is something close to what you saw the last time out, because the last couple of times he's pitched he's been very consistent," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said on Tuesday.  "He's had tremendous command.  He has tremendous feel.  He knows how to pitch.  He knows more about hitters than probably people give him credit for, because he'll sit there and study the game and he'll study the hitters.  But also he still has talent. When he executes his pitches as a pitcher should, he's definitely capable of throwing a very good ballgame.  I'd look for him to definitely put us in a place where we can win the game."

Pedro has an all-time postseason record of 6-3, but all three losses have been to the Yankees - he's 1-3 with a 4.69 ERA vs. New York and hasn't won a playoff start against the Yanks since 1999.

Those numbers bring to mind his famous quote during the pennant race of 2004:

"I can't find a way to beat them at this point," Pedro said at the time.  "You have to give them credit.  They didn't beat my team.  They beat me.  They're that good right now.  They're that hot.  I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy."

That's why a sold-out Yankee Stadium will serenade him with "Who's your daddy?" chants tonight.  But Pedro knows that he'll have Red Sox Nation rooting for him.

"I know that they don't like the Yankees to win, not even in Nintendo games," Martinez said.  "And knowing that I am part of Boston, I consider myself a Bostonian, as well, too, I've been a Montrealer, a Bostonian, and now a New Yorker, and somehow I might become a Philadelphian now.  But I've only been there for a short period.  It's something that's a work in progress, and I'm pretty sure that every Boston fan out there can feel proud that I'm going to try to beat the Yankees, and I'm going to give just the same effort I always did for them.  They're special fans, and they will always have my respect."

He'll certainly have our undivided attention tonight. 

The first pitch is now 9 hours and 50 minutes away.

The return of the New York Yankees to the World Series brings to mind one of the most amusing experiences of my broadcasting career:  The time I was verbally abused by the fans at Yankee Stadium.

When I was a TV sports anchor and reporter, I had the good fortune of covering the Fall Classic on a few occasions, including the 1998 matchup between the Yankees and San Diego Padres.

Games 1 and 2 were in the Bronx and I was working for a Fox affiliate that televised the games so they sent me to New York.  Our local newscast went on the air immediately after the game broadcast was finished, so my job was to hustle into the locker room as quickly as possible to get a quick interview or two before doing a live postgame report from just outside of Yankee Stadium.

Everything went flawlessly until we set up the camera and turned on bright TV lights in the Yankee Stadium parking lot.  At that point, every loudmouth who had enjoyed one too many beers during the game saw the lights and was drawn to them like moths.

There were no security people present, so the hecklers were only a few feet away when I started my live report.

As I began describing the details of the Yankees win, you could hear the insults as clearly as you could hear me, including this classic slam:

"Yo Meatball . . . You're Too Ugly For TV!"

I had to admit, that was pretty good.  And I had never heard "meatball" as a bald man insult before. 

When you're working in TV, whenever there's an on-air blooper, the folks at the station watch it over and over again.  I wouldn't be surprised if one of my former co-workers pulled it off the shelf when the Yankees hosted Game 1 of the World Series this year.

I also wouldn't be surprised if a few broadcasters had similar stories to tell this year - especially since the two World Series cities are New York and Philadelphia.  In fact, I see that former PawSox pitcher David Wells took some abuse while working the earlier rounds of the playoffs for TBS.

"When I was in Philadelphia earlier this postseason with Cal Ripken Jr., Dennis Eckersley and Ernie Johnson for TBS, we got booed," Wells told Sports Illustrated.  "We were just doing our show out in center field and people were walking by saying, 'You fat piece of [bleep]. ... Tell Cal he's gay. ... Ernie Johnson sucks.'  I'm like, "Who the hell are these people?'  We've got no part of baseball.  We're doing the game and TBS stuff and these Phillies fans are just f-bombing us to death."

At least no one told him he's too ugly for TV.

One of the great mysteries of the 2009 season for Pawtucket was the early-season disappearance of outfielder/first baseman Zach Daeges.

Daeges with Daniel Bard (photo courtesy of Kelly O'Connor)

Daeges batted fifth in the PawSox opening day lineup and was expected to be one of the team's big run producers after batting .307 (.412 OBP) with 34 doubles in 2008 with Double-A Portland.

But Zach was plagued by an early season ankle injury that never got better.  After going on the disabled list in late April, he was sent to Florida on rehab but never returned to action.  Eventually we stopped asking for updates from PawSox manager Ron Johnson.

Well, the mystery has been solved - Daeges was born with one too many bones.

According to this story in the Providence Journal, Daeges is one of a rare few born with an extra bone behind his ankle, called the Os Trigonum.  Doctors determined that Daeges knocked the bone loose during a spring training game and it pressed on a tendon causing considerable pain.

Daeges had the bone surgically removed on September 18^th and is expected to be fully recovered in time for spring training.

Zach turns 26 in November, so the lost season makes him a bit older than most prospects going into their first full season in Triple-A.  But Red Sox farm director Mike Hazen says Daeges can make up for lost time.

"As a college kid that had already done what he needed to do at Double-A, it was going to be now, at Triple-A, about getting the at-bats, and getting ready to be a major league protection player," Hazen told the Providence Journal.

"He already was [ready], now it's just going to be about going out and performing, getting the opportunity. There's not a ton, on his overall game, that he needs to develop. Obviously there's some work that needs to be done, mostly defensively, but from an approach standpoint, power development standpoint, he has those things. He just needs more at-bats. The thing that he lost was the at-bats," Hazen said.

It's good to know the mystery has been solved . . . and good to know that the PawSox figure to have Daeges in the lineup in 2010.

Ron Johnson often jokes that he's in the 18^th year of his five-year plan to be a major league manager.

(photo courtesy of Shingo Nogomi of the Nikkon Sports News)

Johnson has been Pawtucket's skipper for the last five seasons and is under contract to manage the team again in 2010.  He's previously managed in Baseball City (1992), Wilmington (1993), Memphis (1994), Wichita (1995-97), Omaha (1998-99), Sarasota (2000-2001), Trenton (2002), and Portland (2003-04).

As much as I like him personally and respect the job that he does, I hope that RJ isn't back at McCoy Stadium next season - I hope that he's the new bench coach in Boston.

That was the first thought that came to mind when I read the news that Brad Mills - Terry Francona's bench coach for the last six years - was hired to manage the Houston Astros.

Mills' departure has created an opening on the Red Sox coaching staff, and Francona was asked if he might select an internal candidate for the position.

"I hope so, I really hope so," Francona told the Boston Globe.  "I think that's something that's important.  I've been here long enough now that it's something that definitely needs to be considered.  That doesn't mean that anybody's a lock to get a job."

The Globe speculated that three members of the current coaching staff - DeMarlo Hale, Gary Tuck, and John Farrell - could be candidates to switch to bench coach.  The Globe also speculated that minor league field coordinator Rob Leary could get the job.

The Boston Herald mentioned Hale and first base coach Tim Bogar as the logical internal candidates.  Reporter Sean McAdam also mentioned the possibility that Hale could follow Mills to Houston which would create another opening in Boston.

Joe McDonald of the Providence Journal was the only Red Sox beat writer to speculate that Johnson could be a prime candidate for the opening in  Boston.  However, McDonald writes that RJ might be more valuable to the Red Sox by staying in Pawtucket:

Could Johnson serve as a bench coach in the majors? Sure he could. He's a professional. He's one of the most jovial guys around the game. He's respected and trusted. Because of those qualities there's a pretty good chance he'll remain the manager for the PawSox.

Johnson gets the idea that winning is secondary to development in the minors. As valuable as he could be sitting on the bench next to Francona in Boston, Johnson's importance - at least in the Red Sox organization - will remain in Triple-A.

There's no doubt he will be on Boston's list of likely candidates, and he's earned that consideration. But the Red Sox probably believe he's more valuable in Pawtucket.

I hope that's not the case, and hate to think that being an outstanding Triple-A manager could cost RJ a well-deserved promotion to the big leagues.

I've written before that I think that Johnson would make an excellent major league manager.  When I ran into Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Brandon Moss while filling-in on a Cincinnati Reds' broadcast this summer, Moss agreed:

"I love RJ," Moss told me.  "He's the best manager I've ever had and it's shame he's not a big league manager yet.  If for some reason he doesn't get that opportunity one day, I'm going to boycott.  RJ would definitely be the biggest memory from those two years in Pawtucket."

Johnson's chances of becoming a major league manager would be greatly enhanced if he had "Boston Red Sox bench coach" on his resume.  That title helped Brad Mills become the new manager of the Houston Astros.

Ron Johnson is the perfect choice to replace him in Boston.

Have you seen news reports that ramps at the new $1.2 billion dollar Yankee Stadium are already in bad shape and will cost millions of dollars to fix? (Here's the NY Times story)

It makes you wonder if the Big Papi jersey that the Yankees spent $45,000 to dig out of the concrete was the only Red Sox jersey that was buried during construction.

I'm guessing that my man Hyder is chuckling at the Yankees misfortune, but PawSox President Mike Tamburro is sympathetic.

"Having to live in a facility as old as McCoy, you understand the issues that come along with facilities," Mike told me.  "As a facility operator, your heart goes out to people who have the problems that the Yankees seem to be having with the new Yankee Stadium."

McCoy Stadium - which was erected in 1942 and renovated in 1999 - is still going strong, but the PawSox spend a considerable amount of money every year to insure that it doesn't show its age.

"You have got to be dedicated to staying on top of all types of repairs in a building like this year-round," Tamburro said.  "It's certainly a big budget item for us, but it's one that we're happy to do to keep the facility in the shape that it is."

"Every year we try to our very best to improve the facility," Tamburro added.  "Right now we're taking care of some of the concrete repair.  There is a new traffic coating in the food court area.  There's probably going to be some painting done up and around the stadium.  And we're adding cup holders in all of the grandstand seating area."

(photo courtesy of the Providence Journal)

McCoy Stadium has become the Fenway Park of the International League.  While 10 of the league's 14 teams are playing in parks that have been built since 1995, the visiting broadcasters always tell us that no I.L. park has more charm or is a better place to watch a game.  Pawtucket fans share those sentiments.  

"There's no doubt about it," Tamburro said.  "If we go back to the late 90's when we were talking about whether to build a new stadium or rehab McCoy, all of the surveys overwhelmingly showed that the fans in this area wanted us to rehab this stadium and that's exactly what did."

"I think there are some tremendous new facilities out there, but personally, I love this old building and I think there's something magical about this place that makes it special and unique," Tamburro told me.  "They can build all the new facilities in the world, but they can't build what we have at McCoy Stadium."

 In the Bronx, they can't even build ramps.

Perhaps it's a little early for this, but I have a Christmas gift suggestion - albeit an expensive one - for the baseball fanatic on your list.

(If my wife Peg is checking out the blog these days, that absolutely includes me).

It's the mega-collection of World Series highlight films that has just been put out on DVD by MLB Productions (you can check it out here).

I grew up in Lakewood, NY (south of Buffalo) and rooted for the New York Mets as a kid because we got their telecasts on cable TV.  I'm pretty sure that the first three songs I committed to memory were Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Old McDonald Had a Farm, and Meet the Mets.

One of my most vivid memories of watching Mets games as a kid in the 1970's and early 1980's (aside from Lindsay Nelson's hideous jackets and Ralph Kiner's malaprops), was how excited I would be whenever there was a rain delay because that usually meant seeing the official highlight films of the Mets' World Series appearances in '69, and '73.

That's how I learned about Ron Swoboda's amazing catch, the "shoe polish" incident involving Cleon Jones, Charlie Finley's brazen attempt to get rid of Mike Andrews in the middle of the World Series for making two errors, and - sadly - an aging Willie Mays falling down in the outfield.

Those World Series films were so compelling that I hated it if the Mets game resumed before the movie ended.

Well, there's no longer a need to pray for rain. 

MLB Productions has put out a blockbuster - all 65 World Series films (on 20 DVDs) beginning with the 1943 matchup between the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals.  The DVDs are accompanied by a glossy commemorative book that includes a foreward by Bob Costas.  Like I said - it's expensive - the cheapest I can find it online is for roughly $180.

If I don't receive it as a gift from my wonderful, fabulous, gorgeous, incredible wife (how's that for a hint), I'm sure I'll plop down the dough and buy it myself because it would be perfect for PawSox bus rides next year.

That way, when Manager Ron Johnson wants to watch one of his favorite movies on the bus like Open Range or Ghost Rider for the 50^th time, I can pop a DVD into my laptop and relive great moments in World Series history.

I'll make sure Hyder isn't watching in the seat across the aisle when Mookie Wilson steps to the plate in the 10^th inning of Game 6 in '86.  I wouldn't want his screams to startle the bus driver and force us off the road.

The prospect of watching World Series DVDs doesn't necessarily make me eager to resume those long bus rides, but I am looking forward to Christmas morning.

Pretty subtle huh?

Back in April, I searched through rosters to see where former PawSox during my years in the booth (2006-present) were currently playing.  I figured it might be interesting to see how they finished in 2009 (I am not including current Red Sox).

David Aardsma - Seattle Mariners - 3-6, 38 saves, 2.52 ERA

Abe Alvarez - Reggio Emilia (Italian Baseball League) - 3-8, 2.96 ERA

Craig Breslow - Minnesota Twins - 1-2, 6.26 ERA and Oakland Athletics - 7-5, 2 saves, 2.60 ERA

Mike Burns - Nashville Sounds - 8-3, 2.62 ERA and Milwaukee Brewers - 3-5, 5.75 ERA

Kevin Cash - Scranton/WB Yankees - .221, 2 HR, 9 RBI and NY Yankees - .231, 0 HR, 3 RBI

Hee-seop Choi - Kia Tigers (Korean Baseball League) - .308, 33 HR, 98 RBI

Bartolo Colon - Chicago White Sox - 3-6, 4.19 ERA and Charlotte Knights - 1-1, 3.75 ERA

Bryan Corey - Triple-A Oklahoma City Redhawks - 7-9, 5.34 ERA

Keoni DeRenne - York Revolution (Atlantic League) - .289, 5 HR, 34 RBI

Keith Foulke - Newark Bears (Atlantic League) - 5-4, 11 saves, 5.02 ERA

Keith Ginter - Charlotte Knights - .262, 6 HR, 33 RBI

Matt Ginter - Triple-A Nashville Sounds (perfect for his banjo playing) - 3-3, 2 saves, 3.81 ERA

Craig Hansen - Pittsburgh Pirates - 0-0, 5.68 ERA (didn't pitch after April 20th due to injury)

Willie Harris - Syracuse Chiefs - .222 in 5 games and Washington Nationals - .235, 7 HR, 27 RBI

Lincoln Holdzkom - Double-A Altoona Curve - 0-1, 0.00 ERA (didn't pitch after May 17^th)

Travis Hughes -- York Revolution (Atlantic League) 1-2, 5.93 ERA and Calgary Vipers (Golden Baseball League) 3-0, 4.50 ERA

Eric Hull - Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers - 7-3, 1 save, 6.13 ERA

Chuck Jeroloman - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (Atlantic League) - .190, 11 HR, 38 RBI

Jason Johnson - Scranton/WB Yankees - 2-2, 5.50 ERA and Trenton Thunder - 0-2, 14.54 ERA

Bobby Kielty - Buffalo Bisons - .231, 1 HR, 3 RBI (didn't play after April 17^th)

Jason Lane - Triple-A Las Vegas - .253, 13 HR, 47 RBI

George Lombard - Long Island Ducks (Atlantic League) - .343, 11 HR, 49 RBI (With Pawtucket before I was doing the games)

Alejandro Machado - Rochester Red Wings - .222, 0 HR, 5 RBI, New Britain Rock Cats - .200, 1 HR, 6 RBI, Ft. Myers Miracle - .277, 0 HR, 3 RBI and GCL Twins - .556, 0 HR, 0 RBI

Edgar Martinez - Newark Bears (Atlantic League) - 1-3, 6.09 ERA.  El Guapo Lives!

"Super" Joe McEwing - Manager of Class-A Winston-Salem Dash - Went 73-65 to win Southern Division.  Lost in the playoffs to the Salem Red Sox.

Cla Meredith - San Diego Padres - 4-2, 4.17 ERA and Baltimore Orioles - 0-0, 3.77 ERA

Corky Miller - Chicago White Sox - .205, 0 HR, 5 RBI, Cincinnati Reds - .179, 1 HR, 10 RBI, Charlotte Knights - .143, 0 HR, 0 RBI, and Louisville Bats - .286, 0 HR, 8 RBI

Brandon Moss -  Pittsburgh Pirates - .236, 7 HR, 41 RBI

David Murphy - Texas Rangers - .269, 17 HR, 57 RBI

Jeremy Owens - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (Atlantic League) - .240, 28 HR, 80 RBI.  (Was actually with Pawtucket in 2004 before I was doing the games, but his name caught my eye)

David Pauley - Norfolk Tides - 9-12, 4.37 ERA

Wily Mo Pena - Buffalo Bisons - .276, 5 HR, 21 RBI

Joel Pineiro - St. Louis Cardinals - 15-12, 3.49 ERA

Alex Prieto - Long Island Ducks (Atlantic League) - .240, 7 HR, 31 RBI

Josh Pressley - Somerset Patriots (Atlantic League) - .314, 15 HR, 72 RBI

David Riske - Milwaukee Brewers - 0-0, 18.00 ERA (pitched in 1 game on April 9^th)

Bobby Scales - Triple-A Iowa Cubs - .278, 5 HR, 39 RBI and Chicago Cubs - .242, 3 HR, 15 RBI

Jimmy Serrano - Southern Maryland Blue Crabs (Atlantic League) - 0-2, 6.09 ERA

Chris Smith - Triple-A Nashville Sounds - 2-0, 17 saves, 1.27 ERA and Milwaukee Brewers - 0-0, 4.11 ERA

Kyle Snyder - Buffalo Bisons - 3-8, 1 save, 4.23 ERA

Chad Spann - Triple-A Round Rock - .246, 1 HR, 8 RBI and Double-A Corpus Christi - .129, 0 HR, 2 RBI

Junior Spivey - Camden Riversharks (Atlantic League) and Tucson Toros (Golden Baseball League) - .366, 3 HR, 22 RBI

Adam Stern - Double-A Huntsville Stars - .280, 3 HR, 32 RBI and Triple-A Nashville Sounds - .310, 1 HR, 8 RBI

Jon Switzer - Buffalo Bisons - 1-3, 4 saves, 3.29 ERA and NY Mets - 0-0, 8.10 ERA

Michael Tejera - Tigres de Quintana Roo (Mexican League) - 3-1, 3.83 ERA and Sultanes de Monterrey - 2-0, 3.04 ERA

Joe Thurston - St. Louis Cardinals - .225, 1 HR, 25 RBI

Michael Tucker - Newark Bears (Atlantic League) - .231, 0 HR, 0 RBI in 12 games.

Beau Vaughan - Triple-A Oklahoma City Redhawks - 4-2, 4.62 and Double-A Frisco RoughRiders - 3-0, 8 saves, 2.35 ERA.  Check out his blog here!

John "Way Back" Wasdin - Seibu Lions (Japan Central League) - Way before my time with Pawtucket (1998-2000), but interesting no?

Josh Wilson - Arizona Diamondbacks - .231, 0 HR, 2 RBI, San Diego Padres - .105, 0 HR, 1 RBI, Seattle Mariners - .250, 3 HR, 10 RBI, Triple-A Reno Aces - .260, 1 HR, 10 RBI, and Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers - .245, 1 HR, 3 RBI.  Also pitched in lopsided games for both Arizona and San Diego     

Let me know if I missed anyone!

There are a couple of things I would love to see the Pawtucket Red Sox do in 2010:

1.  Win a Governor's Cup championship for Ben Mondor for the first time since 1984.

2.  Adopt a child with cancer.

Through my association with the University of Cincinnati football team, I've become familiar with an organization called Friends of Jaclyn - an amazing program that matches children with brain tumors with sports teams.

(photo courtesy of the New York Times)

Cincinnati was the first major college football team to adopt a child through Friends of Jaclyn and 12-year-old Mitch Stone and his family have formed a close bond with the players and coaches.  There was a tremendous story about Mitch and his relationship with the UC football team in the New York Times on Thursday.  You can read it here.

So far, Friends of Jaclyn has matched 125 youngsters with sports teams - mostly college and high school squads.  I am not aware of any minor league baseball teams that are involved in the program - at least not yet.

Here's a more detailed description from the Friends of Jaclyn website.

FOJ is all about love, support, and friendship.  Once the team and child have been matched, there is a ceremonial adoption.  The child is surrounded by 20 or 30 new friends that rally around him or her.  A deep bond is formed between the child, the child's family, and the sports team. 

The child becomes the guest of honor at games and receives supportive text messages, emails, and phone calls.  Each child that is adopted helps to spread knowledge and understanding for pediatric brain tumors.  When the athletic community is exposed to the miraculous nature of each child and realizes the hardships that child has to endure, the community is forever changed. 

I've seem firsthand what Cincinnati's football team has done to lift the spirits of Mitch Stone, and also what he means to every member of the team. 

A Governors Cup title for the PawSox in 2010 would be wonderful.  But they don't need to win games to be winners.