SoSH

Say what you want about Johnny Damon's exit from Boston and his life as a clean shaven MFY...you cannot deny the fact that this man played a gigantic role in making our lives a whole helluva lot better 5 years ago. Happy 36th Birthday, Johnny Damon!

No, Tito Francona never played for the Boston Red Sox. But, you know you'd wish him a happy birthday if you saw him walking down the street. Thank You, Tito Francona, for your contribution to the creation of Terry Francona! Happy76th Birthday, Tito Francona!

19 seasons, 8 gold gloves, a .300 average(yeah yeah, avg ain't everything, i know) in 2 World Series! The man was a beast! J.D. Drew is all well and good, and I really liked Trot Nixon. But let's not kid ourself. Dewey was the best. Happy 58th Birthday to Dwight Evans!  Dwight Evans is 58! How old does that make you feel?!

Happy Birthday, Sam Horn! That's it. Seriously. Sure, it's Orlando Cabrera's birthday, but you're not at SonsOfOrlandoCabrera.com. Did you know Sam Horn played for the MFY Triple A team in 1994?

When Johnny Damon signed with the New York Yankees, the Red Sox went out a few weeks later and traded for Coco Crisp, with the hope that he would fill the offensive as well as defensive void left by Judas. Well, Coco had 8 hits in his first 5 games with the Sox, so things started out well.  Then Coco busted his finger and spent the next month and a half on the disabled list. It just never really got back on track for Crisp, as we all saw Jacoby Ellsbury steal the centerfield position over the next two seasons. Crisp made some unforgettable catches in centerfield, including the tremendous catch in the 2007 ALCS that sent the team to the World Series. The Red Sox did acquire Ramon Ramirez for Crisp, so the Red Sox got pitching and Kansas City got a guy who brought veteran experience to Kansas City. Crisp went on to the Kansas City Royals, and his season ended in June with a torn labrum. For his contributions to the 2007 World Series Champion Red Sox, Happy 30th Birthday, Coco Crisp!

Happy Halloween! Ken Keltner was a 6 time all-star and among the lead leaders for hits, home runs, triples, and other categories several times during his 13 year career. Sadly, none of that was while playing for the Boston Red Sox. Keltner was a great Cleveland Indian, and played just 13 career games with the Red Sox at the end. However, Keltner did play a role in ending Joe DiMaggio's 56 game hit streak when he made two catches in centerfield. Anything that ends something unique, special, or otherwise positive for a Yankees player is worth celebrating. Keltner died in 1991, but we should celebrate his 93rd birthday, anyway. Happy 93rd Birthday to the Ghost of Ken Keltner!

Old Friend Mark Portugal won 7 games, lost 12, and managed to toss a complete game during his one season with the Red Sox. It also happened to be his final season at the Major League level. His complete game came against the Detroit Tigers, a team that couldn't really beat anyone in the 1999 season. He wasn't a great 5th starter, but hey, not everybody can be. Happy 47th Birthday, Mark Portugal!

Got a favorite sports related iPhone app? Tell me about it and I'd love to review it. This weekend I downloaded  Baseball Stats Pro and loved it. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into at first. I mean at first glance it seemed like something that would help me find those crazy stats they put on the scoreboard. (Kevin Youklis hits .500 when there are runners in scoring positions, two outs, a full moon and it rained the day before ... you get what I mean.)  Anyways that's pretty much what it was (without the lunar and weather portions.) It was super easy to use and very fun finding pretty crazy stats. We had a blast playing with it late into Saturday night at the bar. I can't wait to see what kind of enhancements or updates the designer releases. View Website Get Baseball Stats App

I love crockpots, the Red Sox and hairy men wearing g-strings.

If he were alive, Lou Boudreau would be celebrating his 92nd birthday.  Though Boudreau died in 2001, his hall of fame legacy is secure at the very least with his MVP season in '48, the same season he helped bring the second(and most recent) World Series Championship to Cleveland as a player manager. His most famous baseball connection is also a Red Sox connection, as Lou Boudreau is known for implementing the extreme infield shift dubbed the 'Boudreau Shift'(or the 'Williams Shift'), a shifting of infielders to psych out power pull hitters. Though used on Ted Williams first, it has since been used by teams on players like Barry Bonds and David Ortiz. Boudreau wrapped up his playing career with the Red Sox, playing alongside the same Ted Williams he used the infield shift against only 5 years before. Though once an MVP shortstop, Boudreau spent his first season with Boston backing up Johnny Pesky during the 1951 season. As a manager, his '53 season as the Sox skipper was his best as the team finished in fourth place with a 84-69 record. After a subpar 1954 season, he moved on to manage the Kansas City Athletics and Chicago Cubs before retiring to the announcers booth with the Chicago Cubs. For the 'Williams/Boudreau Shift' and the Red Sox hits that still find their way through the gaps, happy 92nd birthday to Lou Boudreau!