Shocker: C.C. Wins the Cy Young; Lloyd Carr Done At Michigan; Sup With These Young Boys? Posada Reportedly Signs; Braun, Pedroia Rookies Of the Year

First off, I have to say Happy Birthday to my lil sis. Thanks for all you’ve done Gina. I love you very much :)

Birthday wishes also go out to Ron Artest. Happy Birthday brotha. Thanks.

Props to Dwil for his SOMM mention in Jemele Hill’s latest.

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C.C. Sabathia wins Cy Young Award

Wasn’t a surprise to me brotha

I’m shocked. Beckett second.

Sports writers were swinging on Beckett’s jock the last two months of the season. There is no denying Beckett was a monster during the playoffs. Anyone outside of Cleveland who seriously entertained the notion Sabathia would win this award is a liar. Straight up. If anything, I thought his teammate Fausto Carmona would takes some votes and Beckett would win in a landslide. He’s the first Indians pitcher since Gaylord Focker Perry won the award in ’72. Does it make up for Albert Belle not winning in ’95? Of course not.

C.C. was 19-7 with a 3.21 earned run average. Maybe the reasoning behind Sabathia winning was he pitched 40 more innings than Beckett. Becket was on the dl–most likely to rest the ace–and maybe durability was a question.

Sabathia received 18 of 29 first place votes.

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Buck Honored (finally!); Beckkkkkkkkket; Bonds Upset; Grady Jackson Cut?; Ricky Davis Loves the Heat, The Chargers Do Not

 

(Kansas City Monarchs, Satchel Paige far right, Buck O’Neil with cap to the side)

Buck O’Neil was honored by the Hall of Fame for a lifetime achievement award in Boston before Game 1.

It’s about time!

As writers, there’s always some kind of muse that spurs the emotions and drives us to finish any particular piece.

Buck O’Neil, at least for me, was something way more special.

Beckett to Cleveland: Not Yet!

(Boston Globe Staff Photo / Jim Davis)

Twice the 2007 ALCS has produced a dream pitching match up between Josh Beckett and C.C. Sabathia and twice, Beckett has out pitched the Cleveland ace. Sabathia didn’t pitch bad, but Cleveland’s inability to consistently get out Boston’s potent 3-4-5 hitters is beginning to add major drama to a series that seemed all but finished. Conceivably, the game was over when Kevin Youkilis powered a first inning Sabathia fastball deep over the left field fence. Beckett pitched a masterpiece and kept the Indians baffled all night with a mixture of high velocity heaters and hitter wrist twisting breaking balls. Beckett allowed one run–Grady Sizemore scored when Travis Hafner hit into a double play–gave up five hits, walked one and struck out 11 in running his 2007 post season record to 3-0. Though he’s only 27, Beckett is fast climbing the list as one of best post season pitchers in recent memory. In a game Boston had to win, Beckett proved once again he can put up a fight when the time is right.

Manager Terry Francona is looking like a seasoned coaching genius for making sure his ace had the proper rest necessary to come through with such a dominant performance.

Will Francona’s decision come back to haunt his team if they can somehow rally their way to a Game 7 appearance?

Cleveland Sends Message to Red Sox Nation: Indians 7, Boston 3

(Photo Credit: AP)

All year long MLB has forced fed the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox down baseball fan’s collective throats. This practice has masked just how good the rest of the league has become. The Colorado Rockies have won 21 out of 22 games to make their first World Series appearance. The Cleveland Indians, seemingly another team of destiny, have shown the world they are for real and trust that Red Sox nation doesn’t know what hit ‘em.