Sunday Sox Notes

1. Tough first outing for Bronson Arroyo yesterday. Only 1 2/3 innings - although you can't scrutinize it too closely. It's only the first time he's thrown "live" this year - he even admitted in the post-game presser that he was pretty tired by the time he was removed. And I love his always positive attitude:

"I'm not disappointed at all. It's the first outing, man. If I were to give up 100 runs I'd go home and get a good night's sleep and come back tomorrow."

2. Great line on BDD this morning - it's a link to yet another article on Johnny Demon:

"Damon Breaks Silence on Leaving Red Sox" 8-)

3. CHB offers this:

Johnny Damon T-shirt seen in Florida: ''Looks like Jesus, acts like Judas, throws like Mary."

I want one of those!! (And I refuse to provide a link to that man's writings)


4. According the AP, this sign is displayed at Legends Field (Yanks' ST site):

''Thank you for expressing your concerns," the sign stated. ''We are sorry that certain players will not be present for portions of spring training. These players have elected to participate in the World Baseball Classic. The World Baseball Classic is an event sanctioned by the commissioner of Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association.

''The New York Yankess," the sign went on, misspelling the team's name, ''did not vote to support this event. Any comments you have regarding the World Baseball Classic should be directed to the commissioner of Major League Baseball or the Major League Baseball Players Association."

5. It was really great to hear Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo doing yesterday's broadcast on NESN. They were appropriately silly: Jerry waxing poetic on the Olympic Ice Dancing and Dick "Buttons"; discussing the pitchers who were "running" in the outfield; and wondering why Orsillo wasn't a part of the Italian WBC team!

6. How did Lenny DiNardo qualify for the Italian WBC team?

"The Miami-born 26-year-old...qualified because his great grandfather emigrated from Pogenza, Italy, in 1915...

DiNardo may be playing for Italy but his national pride is colored red, white and blue. Not only has he never been to Italy, no member of his family has been back since a great uncle serving in the U.S. military in 1942. When he tried on his Italy uniform for the first time last weekend, however, the significance of his heritage sunk in.
“It kind of caught me off guard,” said DiNardo, who also has maternal great grandparents from Ireland. “I’m proud to be an American and I’ve never set foot in Italy but it got me thinking about the importance of this.”

7. Academy Award tonight. My predictions:
Best Picture: Brokeback Mountain
Best Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote
Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon, Walk the Line
Best Supporting Actor: George Clooney, Syriana
Best Supporting Actress: Michelle Williams, Brokeback Mountain**
Best Director: Paul Haggis, Crash

**Actually, Rachel Weisz will probably win - but I thought Michelle Williams was better!