Warren: Art....another difference between the 07 Sox and the 78' team...Francona and companyare not afraid to make changes ...like dropping Lugo in the line-up and leading off with Pedroia...the 78' team led by Zimmer would have just plugged away with Lugo leading off.

Art Martone: Bingo. About the only move Don Zimmer made, personnel-wise, that whole year was dropping Bill Lee out of the rotation. He eventually did take Butch Hobson off third base, but Hobson actually asked to be taken out.

Warren: Hi Art....what was up with Papelbon last night...it looked like the was firing nuclear missles ?

Art Martone: Sean McAdam and I discussed this today on ProJo Sports Talk. Papelbon's usage pattern was so erratic for a while that he appeared to have a tough time finding his rhythm. The same thing happened to Mariano Rivera in New York, only for a different reason: The Red Sox were winning one-sided games and the Yankees were losing them. But now things have stabilized, the teams are playing a more normal pattern of games, they're getting more regular work, and they're both pitching much better.

Rhody Guy: art - do you think the state budget crisis will have a major impact on uri athletics? in particular the basketball program just when they on the verge of making a major run?

Art Martone: I would seriously doubt it will impact the basketball program. URI will decide how to allocate whatever state money it receives, but you can be sure the men's basketball team will feel as little a pinch out of this as possible. It only makes sense, because that's the department's revenue provider. The other sports, however, could be in jeopardy.

Warren: Art we all have read how the sox wanted to smooth feelings over with Clemens and such...how come no such apparent effort has been made for a reproachment with MO VAUGHN who was always a fan favorite....I know MO is busy in New York re-habbing housing...but can't we find a place for MO in the redsox family ? or is it he wants no part of it ?

Art Martone: That's a really good question, Warren. Vaughn has no quarrel with current management -- or vice-versa -- and there would seem to be no reason they should be estranged. And I don't know that they are, necessarily. But Mo lives in New York and is busy with his various enterprises, and their paths simply haven't crossed.

warren: Looks like the yanks are catching the mets this weekend at just the right time ? fasten your seatsbelts for more yankee propaganda.

Art Martone: You catch more of it than most, Warren, because you live there.

Warren: I got got off...Castiglione should make the call with lots of excitement...An Orbiter by Ortiz !

Art Martone: Stop it!

Warren: Art....Do you notice in the last two weeks there seems to be more life in JD Drew...it's like someone stuck a tac up his butt.

Art Martone: Or it's all just part of the natural ebb-and-flow of a season. Players -- and teams -- go up and they go down, and when it's all in the books they're usually right around where they should be. Drew has a lot of hitting to do to get back to where he normally is.

Rhody Guy: what do you think the Sox outfield looks like in '08?

Art Martone: I think the answer to that lies mostly in what Coco Crisp does or doesn't do in the second half of the season. If he continues to putter along as he's done for most of his Sox career, then I doubt we'll see a third year of Coco; I would think they'll attempt an upgrade. Now whether that means giving Jacoby Ellsbury a chance remains to be seen. (*That* could depend on how successful they wind up being; if they win the World Series again, they might take the opportunity to use some that public goodwill to ease him into the lineup while everyone's basking in the glow of success.) But if Crisp starts to emerge as the player they thought they were acquiring -- a line-drive-hitting sparkplug with speed -- then I think they'll stick with him and, unless they finally trade Manny, come back with the same outfield next year.

Mark: How negative will the fan reception be for Barry Bonds this weekend?

Art Martone: Pretty negative, I would bet. And why wouldn't it be? You've got a guy who's basically unlikeable to begin with, who's said nothing but bad things about your city over the years, and who's perceived to have cheated to get a chance at breaking one of sport's most hallowed records. You know what they say about three strikes . . .

Rhody Guy: if you are the Celtics... do you trade the pick?

Art Martone: I'd seriously consider it. You're unlikely to get an immediate impact player at 5, and I think selling yet more rebuilding -- "Yeah, we're young, but wait 'til we mature!'' -- to this fan base will be all-but-impossible. Trading the pick for a veteran will make you better in the short term and maybe even spark a playoff run. Right now, this franchise could use a little success.

Rhody Guy: well, how many strikes has Buddy had??

Art Martone: Some things just defy description!

Warren: Art...is there anyone guy in the minors that you are hearing about in terms like...wait till this kid hits the pro's...he is gonna knock em dead ?

Art Martone: Not in those terms. But people certainly are excited about Jacoby Ellsbury and Clay Buchholz and Michael Bowden, for starters.

Rhody Guy: to save some time I am going for a 3-pointer question... what do you think the patriots biggest weakness is going into the season? what is the latest on samuel? and how do you compare this current roster to previous Pats teams that won it all?

Art Martone: While acknowledging that the linebacking corps, even with the signing of Thomas, is a little long in the tooth, I think the secondary remains the team's biggest question mark. What we hear about Asante Samuel -- who is certainly one of the reasons the secondary is a question mark -- is that he's serious; he has a figure that he wants, which I've heard is somewhere around $80 million in a multiyear deal, and he won't come back until he gets it. But the depth on this roster in most areas compares favorably to '03 and '04 and dwarfs '01. Offensively this team is loaded with playmakers, which hasn't been the case in the past, and it should be a very exciting year.

Warren: Art....assuming we don't God forbid go after A-Rod...does it make sense to look at keeping Lowell...or move Youk to third and find a first baseman...Whom I don't know...and is Lowell likely to ask for crazy money...I thought we had a ption on him ...Am I wrong ?

Art Martone: You're wrong about them having an option on him, Warren; his contract is up at the end of the year. While they reserve the right to change their minds, Lowell is exactly the sort of player this management has tried to steer clear of: A good-but-not-great player inching into his 30s, because those are the types who decline rapidly. (See Nixon, Trot, for examples.) Now some of you may ask why, if that's the case, they signed Julio Lugo, and that's legitimate; I think it's because players who have speed as their central skill actually tend to decline less rapidly. In any case, I would imagine they're keeping their options open. If they can find a quality third baseman, like A-Rod, they'll keep Youkilis at first, If not, they may go for a first baseman and move Youkilis to third.

Rhody Guy: $80 million??? where did he and Bianco come up w/that number?

Art Martone: Comparison to other deals. I guess the *real* problem is Samuel considers himself an elite corner, and I don't think the Patriots would/will go quite that far.

Warren: Art...are the San Antonio Spurs that much better than the Cav's..it's like the Cav's are the Pittsburgh Pirates ;)

Art Martone: Experience is a big factor in final series, in any series. The Spurs have been there before and the Cavs haven't. Not that I think San Antonio isn't the better team, but don't discount the fact that this is all brand new for Cleveland.

Warren: Art....the Bruins re-upped Alberts...I am pumped...when do regular season tickets for the Bruins go on sale ;)

Art Martone: Whenever you want to buy them. Just let them know.

Rhody Guy: soxprospects.com has Bowden compared to Ben Sheets... any chance of that happening?

Art Martone: Possibly, but I think we need to see more -- much more -- before we can make the connection.

Warren: Art...isn't A-rod approaching the age where skill decline might start to be a distraction..not to mention alot of other distractions he has going for him ?

Art Martone: You just don't like A-Rod, do you? I've said it before and I'll say it again: If he came here, he'll break whatever home-run record Bonds ends up setting.

Warren: Art....at what point can we raise concern about the lack of Power by Manny....

Art Martone: It's only a concern if you think he's lost his power. I don't think he has.

Art Martone: Uh, oh, Warren, you're in trouble. Pam is in the room, ready to defend her Pirates.

Warren: Art....I read somewhere a few weeks ago that Hazel Mae was engaged....is it true ? Or is she a free agent ?

Art Martone: Can't say I'm up to speed on the social life of Hazel, I'm sorry to say.

warren: Art....say there is a player you want to find out what the pro's think of...who is Mr.Knowledge in baseball that you would go to and ask about a player's talent ?

Art Martone: The truth is, I ask the writers and *they* ask their sources.

Mark: It's taken until June 13 for the team with the highest payroll in baseball history to climb back to .500. Any idea what mercenaries the Yanks might add at the trade deadline?

Art Martone: I think the Yankees will be looking for a first baseman and some bullpen help. Since Todd Helton has said he won't approve a trade to New York, I would guess Mark Teixiera would be the main target if they go for a first baseman. As for bullpen help, we had a link in today's Sox Blog about available relievers (Chad Cordero and Eric Gagne were the most prominent names)

Warren: Art...speaking of Bonds....how can the league handle this controversial event without it getting black eye and looking stupid....

Art Martone: I don't know that they can, Warren

Warren: Pam is in the room...ah...well...ah...the Pirates have nice uniforms.;):whistle:

Art Martone: Nice try.

Pam: Yah. Hey Warren -- pick on someone with your own payroll.

Art Martone: Remember, Warren: You don't tug on Superman's cape, you don't spit into the wind, you don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger and you don't mess around with Pam.

Pam: My husband would say the same.

Warren: Art...I will be at Saturday's Met game....Yankee phenom Clippard is pitching...I will be watching closely...I was amazed his last start that he was allowed to stew on the bench after being pulled......I did not see Guidry go over and chat with the kid...nor did I see Roger his hero come over....I wanna see if anything happens this weekend....

Art Martone: Hope your seats look into the Yankee dugout, then.

Warren: Art...I know the sox are aware of the complaints about buying tickets on-line when they first go on sale...fans like me tried for 13 hours to buy a pair of tickets and got shut out...I know the sox are aware of stories like this...have you heard of any plans to fix this problem ?

Art Martone: They're trying to fix the software, so that it can handle thousands -- well, maybe it's really millions -- of simultaneous requests. It's slow going, though.