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BY JIM DAWSON SEPTEMBER 7, 2020 THE RED SOX As a Red Sox fan, I didn’t expect much from this bunch given the trade of David Price, and letting Porcello leave. They still had Chris Sale, Eduardo, Eovaldi and Martin Perez. Plus the bullpen was pretty good last year. Then Sale had Tommy John surgery. Eduardo got COVID-19, and it resulted in heart damage (myocarditis) which hopefully is not permanent. Eovaldi had a few good starts, but then got injured again. He may or may not come back from that calf strain. While I like Eovaldi’s pitching, his injuries every year are a concern. Perez has been better than I expected, but the loss of all those pitchers meant relievers would have to help out. Not in this poor excuse for a baseball season. On Sunday, one Andrew Triggs started. Per Steve Hewitt of the Herald (9/6), Triggs was the 13th different starter for the BoSox this season. I thought Triggs was a golf course in Providence. Triggs managed to get through 3 innings, giving up 3 hits, 2 walks and 1 run. He was followed by Matt Hall who in 1 and 2/3 innings gave up 4 hits, 4 walks and 6 earned runs. Not to be outdone, Robinson Leyer, in 1/3 inning, surrendered 4 hits a walk and 3 earned runs. I had never heard of Triggs, Hall or Leyer before. Some of these pitchers should be on a golf course instead of a pitching mound. No lead is safe with these flame throwers. Instead of wiping out their opponents, however, they torch their own team. Recently I predicted that pundits like Michael Felger and John Tomase would call out the Red Sox for tanking. Unlike those two, a writer I respect, Peter Abraham of the Globe (9/6), captioned one column ‘Red Sox clearly in tank mode’ and stated “The Sox have embraced tanking for a better draft pick.” Abraham then reminds the faithful that Rob Manfred can determine how the draft picks are apportioned, and it doesn’t have to be based on records. Rob Manfred and the grand poobahs of baseball have shoved this disgrace of a season down the throats of fans starving for some semblance of a season. That’s not what we have. Look at all the injuries. The Yankees have been decimated by injuries to positional players. Just ask Yankee fans Jim Dwyer and Eben Bates. Pitchers have come and gone at a rapid pace. It is clear that players did not have enough time to ramp up activities and get in ‘baseball shape’ even in a sport not known for physicality. Can’t wait to see what happens when football starts up. Injuries? CELTICS Tonight the Celts play the Toronto Raptors in Game #5 with the series tied 2-2. It is a must win situation. The Celtics should have won Game #3 up 2 with .5 seconds left. However a great pass by Kyle Lowry over 7’5” Tacko Fall to OG Anunoby who hit a winning 3 pulled out a stunning win for Toronto. Then, the Green fell again in Game #4 as the Raptors shot well from 3 point land, Lowry got to the basket too often and the Green couldn’t hit an outside shot, especially from 3-point range. Toronto also was the aggressor and played better defense than our lads from Boston. Go Celtics! THE PATRIOTS Our Patriots open their ‘season’ this Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. They have gotten down to their 53 person roster and expanded 16 player practice squad. Cam Newton won the starting QB job and the Pats kept 3 QBs (Jarrett Stidham and Brian Hoyer). Hoyer is described as a mentor to Stidham. Bill Belichick pulled his usual ‘huh?’ moment by cutting both his kickers, Nick Folk and rookie Justin Rohrwasser. They are on the practice squad but expect one of them, probably Folk, to be added to the regular roster soon. The Pats have at least one player, DL Beau Allen, who will likely be put on IR. NE had to wait until today to make that move so that Allen can come back after 3 games. No one could possibly predict how this Cam Newton-led team will play, even if COVID-19 wasn’t around. The receiving corps is thin and has only the dependable but 34 y/o Julian Edelman. That means that NE will need to throw to RBs James White and Rex Burkhart, and hope that their rookie TEs Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene can catch as well as block. The Pats will have to count on their Defense in however many games are played. We’ll see how long this travesty of a football season lasts. Injuries? + cases? EMAIL Hi Jim, don’t know why but thinkin’ Dolly Parton! Garry Gillett Good guess Garry but no not Dolly Parton. - Z Hello Jim, My average can use a little boost so I’m going to take a shot at this week’s question….is it Whitney Houston? Tom Robinson  Sorry Tom. The answer is not Whitney Houston. - Z Sportzine is also available at jimdawsonsports.com thanks to Buffalo Steve Lenz Jim - bit of a guess at the trivia Q. I believe Madonna was the best selling female artist at one point if I recall correctly. Either best selling or most popular - not sure if there is a difference. Don’t know if anyone has surpassed her recently. Peter B. Good try Peter, but no, it's not Madonna. - Z Just getting around to last week’s Zine. I’ll take a trivia guess at Whitney Houston. Second guess would be Diana Ross. Sorry to see the Celts wasting opportunities after the first two games. Roger Boudreau Hi Rog. No, not Whitney Houston nor Diana Ross. I hope the Celtics failure to win Game #3 (and now #4) doesn't come back to bite them. They face a must win today. - Z Your first few paragraphs absolutely nailed it! I couldn't agree with you more, and if you don't mind, I'll quote you on some, most, or all of it, my friend! Singer / actress puts me in mind of either Barbra Streisand or Dolly Parton. Tom Wallis Tom, thanks for the kind words. The answer is Barbra Streisand. - Z Hi Jim - GREAT 'zine, once again! Thanks for all the ink - WOW! Now I'll take my usual wrong stab at the quiz answer: Streisand? Buffalo Steve Lenz Yes Steve, it's Barbra Streisand. You got game! Only one other person so far got her and he had two choices. Thanks for the kind words. Always glad to give you ink. - Z Hi Jim - OMG, I actually got one right? YES! Do I win a new car? 😂 Now I'm going to play my fave Streisand song - "Stoney End" written by the late, great Laura Nyro. Buffalo Steve Steve, yes you got the trivia, but no car, sorry. I also liked Laura Nyro who died way too early. - Z It's a guess but I'll say Barbara Streisand. Just because you said "actress/singer." Matt Dawson Right you are Matt. - Z 34 top 10 albums is shocking. I can only remember the one with Barry Gibb.  Matt Dawson Hey, Jim! Nice piece on John Thompson. I remember listening to him play for PC on my transistor radio laying in bed in Greenville.  In the early 1980's I was stationed at the Pentagon and attended grad school at Georgetown. I used to go to a few games a year and watched every other one on TV. Big John was a force of nature on the floor. He always had a towel hanging off his shoulder, yelling and barking at the refs. Great times, especially vs Syracuse. . I enjoy telling people Patrick Ewing and I graduated the same year! HAHAHA!  And then one of my girls had to go to Villanova!  Dave Burlingame Thanks Dave, only thing I forgot was that John Thompson won 2 NBA championships with the Celtics as the backup center to Bill Russell. Loved your Georgetown story. Who could forget John Thompson with that towel over his shoulder. When my daughter Cara was choosing a college, I took her to visit Georgetown. She ended up going to Loyola Marymount in LA. - Z Sox musings: Sox move Pillar-outfield now Verdugo/Bradley/Martinez?-Thought Vasquez gone-Mets big "wanters" GM says price too high (did Sox want pitching?)---good prospects gained with Phillies & Padres trades-Bloom has tipped his hat as to direction-I believe Vasquez gone if Swihart still around. Ken Forestal Ken, didn't know about Pillar trade. They also sent Josh Osich to Cubs. Both involve 'the player to be named or cash'. Just read that the ‘player to be named’ must come from the pool of 60 players of San Diego and Cubs. Martinez was hit on hand. Not in there tonight. Peraza in left. Not sure what they have for OF at Paw't. Doubt that Sox would trade Vazquez, unless blown away. Plawecki has been much better than I thought he'd be. Chaim Bloom's job is to rebuild the minors after Dombrowski emptied it (but did win a World Series). And to get pitching. - Z Jim, Tough loss for the Bruins in OT last night. The Avalanche hung in there for another game with hopes that this third string goalie can pull off another one tomorrow night. Bruins came up just a bit short; I think that Rask would have been a major factor in helping them onward. Halak is a good backup, but I think he's a bit less talented for what they needed to get them to the finish line. Back to Boston and clean out the lockers. I think that they'll stand to lose Chara and maybe Krug. They should keep Krug and let Chara go if it means that money on the table can be used for a younger defenseman.  Frankly, I think Chara is done as a top four defender and that they need some younger legs back there. Bill LaPlante Hi Bill, glad that your Avs are still alive (Editor’s Note: The Avalanche were eliminated by Dallas in Game 7). Agree that Chara is probably done. Not sure what happens with Krug. Guess it wasn't meant to be for the Bruins. They didn't look like the same team on their return. - Z THE HOT CLUB Friday night at the Hot Club got revved up after Mark Allio suggested that we all pick our Top 10 rock albums. There were seven of us. We eventually decided to each pick 2 albums and continue the Top 10 next week with each of us selecting 2 more. Here’s how it went: Kristin chose The Beatle’s White Album and then Aerosmith’s first album Aerosmith (with Dream On). Dr. John went with The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds and The Eagles’ Hell Freezes Over. Captain Jack picked Michael Jackson’s Thriller and then passed on his 2nd pick. Peter B went with The Who’s Tommy and Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Mark chose The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin II. This writer chose Derek & The Dominos’ Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs and The Band’s Music From Big Pink. So you readers out there are welcome to submit your first two Top 10 rock albums. We were talking about Love Story. Bob said that the story was about the wife of Erich Segal (who wrote the book and the movie screenplay) except the death part. Everyone knows the sappy line “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Dr. John said he was at a wedding when the bride’s father gave the groom some advice: ‘When you’re wrong, say you’re sorry. When you are right, don’t say anything.” ANSWER TO LAST ISSUE’S TRIVIA QUESTION Last time I asked you to identify the singer/actress who is the best selling female artist of all time, and who holds the record for the most Top 10 albums (34) of any female. Buffalo Steve Lenz and Matt Dawson knew it was Barbra Streisand. Tom Wallis gets half credit as he submitted Streisand and Dolly Parton. Barbra Streisand (per Wikipedia) has sold 68.5 Million albums in the US and a total of 150 Million worldwide. Streisand is one of only a few performers to have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony Award. In a RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) article from 11/2/14, it is noted that Streisand has had 10 #1 albums and has had a #1 album in 6 consecutive decades. Wow! THIS ISSUE’S TRIVIA QUESTION This woman started as a folk/rock performer who sat in with David Bromberg and Jerry Jeff Walker, before eventually moving into the country genre. She has sung on records by Neil Young, Little Feat, and Bob Dylan. She has won 14 Grammys. Name?