Call me naive, but I really didn’t think Manny Ramirez was going to be caught using steroids and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that he tested positive on Thursday.

Then again, I was pretty damn surprised when a skinny scrub like Jason Grimsley got caught, too.

The point is, it seems like pretty much everyone is doing it and has been doing it, and we need to proceed with the belief that EVERYONE who played from the early 90’s until the present (and future) uses, and I’ll only be surprised when I find out a player definitively DIDN’T use.

The Red Sox have a productive thief working amongst them. He works on a Diamond and watches with great intensity the movement on the mound as the pitcher slowly adjusts his glove and ball and then lifts his leg…at the precise moment, Jacoby, who is already in position on first base has already moved up to his favorite position ready to pounce….and then like a streak of lightning he takes off and reaches second base. There, he’s thinking, I’ve stolen another one for the Sox. His mind is not satisfied with one base as he continues to watch, again with precision, at the pitcher and tries another steal.

What defines Justin Masterson? No, it’s not baseball. Baseball is something he likes to do but in no way does it define him. “ The Christian faith is what is near and dear to my heart. I follow Jesus Christ and try to set that perfect example every day. That is what’s most important to me.”

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS: 1999 Al-American Collegiate Player 2000 Conference USA All Star IF 2001 2nd Team College All American 3B 2001 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year 2002 Red Sox Minor League Player of the Year 2003 Futures Game All-Star 2003 Eastern League All Star Utility 2003 International League Post-Season All Star 2004 American League Rookie of the Month--May 2004 Word Series champion (Boston Red Sox) 2007 American League Gold Glove (1B) Most consecutive Errorless Games by a First Baseman (238 Games) 2008 American League All Star Starter (1B)

Dustin Pedroia has seemingly enjoyed nothing but success at the major league level, but this is, in fact, very far from true. Is it also true, then, that there is a chance Pedroia could for the first time in his career see a decline in his numbers, and if so, how will last year’s MVP handle it?

On January 12, 2009, James E. Rice was notified that he was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. His accomplishements include: 1. Jimmy was an eight-time All-Star:1977-80; 1983-86 2. He was the American League MVP in 1978 3. He had eight season with 100 or more RBIs 4. Seven seasons with a batting average of .300 or better 5. Six seasons in which he finished in the top five of the American League MVP voting 6. Four 200-hit seasons 7. He led the AL in HRs three times 8. Jim played in more than 2,000 games with the Red Sox 9. His Lifetime average was .298 and had 1,451 career RBIs.