We’re in the PLAYOFFS!!!

Now, my question for all of you is who do you have start Game 1?  Game 2?  Game 3?  Game 4?

I’m curious to hear what you think!

All the best,
“The Voice of the Nation

ONE is the lonliest BEST number!

With just one more Red Sox win or Texas Rangers’ loss, we’ll be headed to the playoffs!!!  Here’s hoping Clay will get us into the playoffs tonight!

All the best from a very hopefull Front Office,
“The Voice of the Nation

With any combination of our wins and losses by the Rangers totalling two, we will officially be in the playoffs!!!  Personally, I’m hoping this happens tonight (despite the fact that Texas has a late game and our guys wouldn’t be able to celebrate with our fans).

Now, don’t get me wrong, I think it would be great if we could celebrate with the fans, but I’d rather just get in than wait for the perfect time to make it in the playoffs.  I think I’m just a little superstitious…

All the best from inside the Front Office!
“The Voice of the Nation”

Entering the final homestand, we have our last player-music update for the season…so enjoy!!!

Magic Number counting has officially begun – We’re at 12 right now!

All the best,

“The Voice of the Nation”

 

Martinez will be changing his music when the team gets back in town.

Batters:

 

Ellsbury – “Let It Rock”, Kevin Rudolf (f. Lil’ Wayne)

Pedroia – “Dre Day”, Dr. Dre

Ortiz – “I Get Money” and “Man Down”, both 50 Cent; “Get Up Get Out”, Outkast

Youkilis – “Just A Friend”, Biz Markie

Martinez – (three tracks, all unknown)

Drew – (no music)

Bay – “Alive”, Pearl Jam

Lowell – “Bombtrack”, Rage Against The Machine

Varitek – “Kryptonite”, 3 Doors Down

A. Gonzalez – “Salio Del Sol”, Don Omar

Kotchman – (no music)

Baldelli – “All Along The Watchtower”, Jimi Hendrix; “Strange Times”, Black Keys

Green – “U Can’t”, One Chance

Reddick – “Chicken Fried”, Zac Brown Band

Kottaras – “Going Back To Cali”, The Notorious B.I.G.

Lowrie – “The Kids Aren’t Alright”, The Offspring

 

Undecided:

Brown, Gathright, Anderson

 

Pitchers:

Beckett – “Living Hard”, Gary Allan

Lester – “I Use What I Got”, Jason Aldean

Matsuzaka – “My Time”, Fabolous

Buchholz – “This Town”, O.A.R.

Byrd – “I Am Free”, Newsboys

Wakefield – “How Bad Do You Want It”, Tim McGraw

Tazawa, “Fireball”, Ichiban f. Daville

Delcarmen – “Boston”, MAV Entertainment

R. Ramirez – “Lucha”, Nancy Amancio

Saito – “Bad To The Bone”, George Thorogood & The Destroyers

Okajima – “Oki-Doki ’09”, Tatami f. Deli

Bard – “Strangle Hold”, Ted Nugent

Wagner – “Redder Than That”, Montgomery Gentry

Papelbon – “I’m Shipping Up To Boston”, Dropkick Murphys

 

Undecided:

Bowden

 

Today, we announced the new initiative described below, aimed at helping veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

Thought you all might find it interesting.  The program will also be celebrated tonight in a pre-game ceremony.

 

All the best!

“The Voice of the Nation”

 

 

For immediate release                                                 

Sept. 17, 2009        

                                                    

 

 

 

Red Sox Foundation, Mass General Team Up to Help Veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq Wars

New Program to Target Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury

 

BOSTON – The Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital today will announce a multifaceted initiative aimed at helping veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq who are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Called the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program, this new partnership, working in cooperation with the Department of Veterans Affairs, will:

·         provide diagnosis and clinical care for veterans with PTSD and TBI;

·         offer outreach and support services to families of affected veterans;

·         conduct innovative research to deepen the understanding of the disorders and develop better treatments for them; and

·         educate veterans, families and health care providers about diagnosis and treatment of these disorders.

 

            Thousands of soldiers who have returned from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan struggle – often silently – with PTSD and TBI, referred to as “the invisible wounds of war.” According to a 2008 RAND Corporation study, one in five service members from these combat theaters suffers from depression or stress disorders, including PTSD. In addition, nearly 20 percent of veterans of these modern wars have experienced concussions or other traumatic brain injuries during their tours of duty. In total, one-fourth of returning servicemen and servicewomen will have considerable difficulty adjusting to civilian life. 

 

These deployment-related disorders too often go undiagnosed and untreated because of the unfortunate stigma associated with the emotional and psychological scars of the combat experience. The Home Base Program seeks to reach out to veterans who have – or may have – PTSD and TBI to encourage them to get the vital care and services they need to begin the healing process.

 

“It takes tremendous courage for a veteran to step forward and ask for help,” says John A. Parrish, MD, director of Home Base, who served as a medical officer in the Marines Corps during the Vietnam War. “In New England alone, thousands of veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars who may be in rough shape psychologically avoid treatment because of this stigma. You see the devastating effects of PTSD and TBI in the growing rates of unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness and suicide among veterans. Home Base is committed to rebuilding lives, restoring families and finding better ways to treat these disorders.”

 

The idea for Home Base grew out of visits the Red Sox made to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington following the team’s World Series victories in 2004 and 2007. During these visits, players, coaches and team officials met with servicemen and servicewomen afflicted with combat-related injuries, both physical and psychological. The connections between ballplayers and soldiers were powerful and poignant.

 

“Like many Americans, I found myself frustrated with the reality that so many of our recently returning veterans and their families are facing the additional challenge of PTSD and TBI as they’re transitioning to civilian life,” says Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner. “The Red Sox Foundation determined that we must find some way to use our unique position in New England to encourage those veterans to find meaningful help. We want every returning soldier, sailor or Marine who may be facing PTSD or TBI to know that Red Sox Nation respects them, cares about them and is offering a ‘Home Base’ where they and their families may find solutions that make their homecomings less challenging.”   

           

            The Red Sox Foundation enlisted the assistance and advice of physicians from the MGH to help develop, plan and implement a program that would address some of the unmet mental health and family support needs of veterans. The late Sen. Edward Kennedy became a champion of the program and convened key officials from the Red Sox Foundation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to discuss ways to coordinate with one another to serve the needs of more veterans and their families. Sen. Kennedy had been helping to shape and build Home Base for the past two years and was involved in the discussions right up until his death in late August 2009.

 

            “From the start, Senator Kennedy saw the potential of these organizations working together to make a significant impact on the lives of so many veterans and their families in New England,” says Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH. “The tremendous outreach of the Red Sox Foundation may prompt a reluctant veteran to take that all-important first step toward treatment. And when that happens, we will be ready to offer the clinical and scientific expertise of Mass. General and valuable support services to family members. These veterans, who risked their lives for our country, deserve so much more than just our profound gratitude. They deserve the very best care we can deliver and the most hope we can offer.”

 

Slated to open early in 2010, the Home Base Clinic for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan will provide diagnostic, treatment and referral services at Mass. General and through various community resources in cooperation with a wide array of programs provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The clinical program will offer a multidisciplinary approach to care and provide opportunities for veterans to participate in cutting-edge research protocols aimed at increasing understanding of PTSD, TBI and related disorders. Mark Pollack, MD, director of the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at MGH, serves as program leader of the Home Base Clinic.

 

The Home Base Family Support Program, which also will begin serving families in early 2010, will focus on helping children and spouses of military service members and veterans better cope with a parent or loved one who is experiencing serious problems adjusting and integrating into home life after deployment because of PTSD or TBI or other combat-related issues. Paula Rauch, MD, director of the Marjorie E. Korff PACT (Parenting At a Challenging Time) Program and chief of the Child Psychiatry Consultation Liaison Service at the MGH, serves as leader of the Home Base Family Support Program.

 

The Home Base Research Program is already under way, with a wide variety of ongoing PTSD and TBI studies at the MGH moving under the Home Base banner. The research component will draw upon the collaborative model used in the Center for the Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT), a consortium of hospitals, universities and other organizations in which scientists from a range of disciplines
share ideas, expertise and perspectives to find solutions to specific clinical problems. CIMIT consortium members include founding members MGH, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Draper Laboratories and the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, along with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Medical Center, Boston University, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Newton-Wellesley Hospital and VA Boston Healthcare System. Roger Pitman, MD, director of the MGH Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Psychophysiology Laboratory, is leader of the Home Base Research Program and heads up PTSD research, while Ross Zafonte, DO, chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at MGH and vice president for Medical Affairs at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, leads the TBI research effort.  The Home Base Research Program will augment ongoing research collaborations among the MGH, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and the VA Boston Healthcare System.

 

The Home Base Education Program will offer information and training through web-based learning and on-site seminars that will broaden the network of community providers trained to care for veterans with PTSD and TBI and their families. The program will use the educational resources available through the structure of the MGH Psychiatry Academy and the MGH Academy to reach health care professionals. The educational program will also provide interactive information, materials and resources for veterans and families. The curriculum is being designed in conjunction with experts from the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder at the VA Boston Healthcare System. Bob Birnbaum, MD, PhD, MGH psychiatrist and executive director of Postgraduate Medical Education, serves as Home Base Education Program leader.

           

            The Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program will be formally announced during the pre-game ceremonies of the Sept. 17 Boston Red Sox-Los Angeles Angels game. The on-field ceremony will include leadership of the Red Sox Foundation, the MGH and the Home Base Program; US Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki; and ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff, who was injured in an explosion while on assignment in Iraq; and several veterans who have publicly shared their personal experiences with PTSD and TBI.

 

            “The coordination of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ programs with those of other departments and agencies, philanthropic and volunteer organizations, and with world-class foundations and volunteer groups, is critically important,” says Shinseki. “When those efforts include distinguished institutions such as the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital, veterans win.” 

 

PTSD is a debilitating condition that often follows terrifying physical or emotional experiences, causing persistent, frightening thoughts and memories, or flashbacks, of the ordeal. Common symptoms of PTSD are sleep problems, nightmares, irritability, violent outbursts, difficulty working or socializing, depression, lack of interest in activities and difficulty showing affection. TBI occurs when the brain is physically injured, which can occur in combat from the shock waves of a blast or explosion or from a sudden force that causes the brain to jolt backward and forward, hitting the skull and damaging the internal lining, tissues and blood vessels. Symptoms can include diminished motor function; impaired thinking abilities; reduced sensation; and impeded language and communication abilities.

 

For more information about the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program, visit www.homebaseprogram.org.

 

About the Red Sox Foundation

 

The philanthropic arm of the Boston Red Sox team, the Red Sox Foundation is committed to using the power of Red Sox Nation to create new and strengthened community partnerships that will improve the lives of children, adults and families across New England. The Foundation’s efforts are primarily focused on improving health, educational and recreational opportunities, as well as social service programs in urban neighborhoods. A 501(c)3 nonprofit, the Red Sox Foundation raises most of its funds through special events, donations from supporters and other fundraising activities. Founded and initially funded by the Red Sox and their partners, the Red Sox Foundation has won numerous awards for its innovative programs and impact in the community.

 

About Massachusetts General Hospital

 

Founded in 1811, Massachusetts General Hospital is the third oldest general hospital in the United States and the oldest and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. Each year, the 907-bed academic medical center admits nearly 50,000 patients, performs more than 37,000 surgical procedures, delivers more than 3,600 babies and takes care of nearly 1.5 million patients in its extensive outpatient programs and Emergency Department on its main campus as well as in suburban ambulatory care centers and neighborhood health centers. The MGH conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the United States, with an annual research budget of $550 million. In 1994, the MGH, along with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, founded Partners HealthCare, an integrated health care delivery system that includes the two founding academic medical centers, community hospitals, primary care and specialty physicians, specialty hospitals, community health centers, nonacute services and other health-related entities. Mass General consistently ranks among the top few hospitals in the nation in the U.S. News & World Report best hospital survey, and the MGH was the first hospital in the state to be designated a Magnet hospital, the highest honor for nursing excellence.

 

About the VA Boston Healthcare System

 

VA Boston Healthcare System (VABHS) provides comprehensive health care to more than 65,000 veterans and is the principal medical, surgical and mental health referral center for veterans from throughout New England. Care is provided at three major campuses, in Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury and Brockton, and six community outpatient clinics. The VABHS’s comprehensive mental health services for veterans include highly specialized care for PTSD and TBI. The VABHS is home to two divisions of the National Center on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and a VA Center of Excellence on Traumatic Brain Injury and PTSD; VABHS investigators have developed two of the most widely used evidence-based treatments for PTSD. The VABHS is strongly affiliated with Harvard Medical School and the Boston University School of Medicine and provides training and research opportunities to more than 2,500 medical and nursing students, residents, fellows and allied health professionals. VABHS is home to one of the largest research programs in the national VA system.

 

####

Personally, I can’t wait for the series in San Francisco (I think I’m going to try to make that trip), and to see the new open-air stadium in Minnesota!

 

All the best,

“The Voice of the Nation”

 

 

For Immediate Release          

September 15, 2009

 

RED SOX 2010 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED;

WILL HOST PHILADELPHIA, ARIZONA, AND LOS ANGELES IN INTERLEAGUE PLAY

–Boston to play two exhibition games against Washington at the conclusion of 2010 Spring Training–

 

BOSTON, MA–The Boston Red Sox are scheduled to open the 2010 season by hosting the New York Yankees on Monday, April 5 at Fenway Park. The club will also play two exhibition games against the Washington Nationals at the conclusion of the 2010 Spring Training season, Friday, April 2 at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, FL and Saturday, April 3 at Nationals Park in Washington, DC. Major League Baseball and the Red Sox today released the complete 2010 regular season schedule.

 

The Red Sox are scheduled to play a total of 72 games with their American League East Division rivals, 18 each with Baltimore, New York, Tampa Bay and Toronto. After a scheduled opening at Fenway Park from April 5-8, the Sox and Yankees are scheduled to play a pair of weekend series in Boston, May 7-9 and October 1-3, the final three games of the regular season. Boston will visit Yankee Stadium for games on Monday and Tuesday, May 17-18 to be followed by two weekend series in the Bronx, August 6-9 and September 24-26.

 

After the Red Sox and Yankees complete the season’s first series on Thursday, April 8, Boston travels to Kansas City for three games before playing the Twins in the first ever series at Target Field in Minnesota, April 12-15.

 

The Sox return to Fenway Park to face Tampa Bay, Texas and Baltimore in the first of two season-high 10-game homestands, April 16-25.  Boston takes on the Angels, Yankees and Blue Jays in the other 10-gamer, May 3-12.

 

Boston will have 18 games versus National League opponents, hosting Philadelphia, Arizona and Los Angeles for three games apiece while playing three-game series at Philadelphia, Colorado and San Francisco.

 

The Red Sox complete 2010 schedule is attached. Game times for the 2010 season will be finalized and announced at a later date. All dates included in the attached schedule are subject to change.  

 

RED SOX 2010 SCHEDULE BY OPPONENTS BREAKDOWN

 

Team                                      Home              Road

Baltimore Orioles                    9                      9

Chicago White Sox                 3                      4

Cleveland Indians                   4                      4

Detroit Tigers                          3                      3

Kansas City Royals                 4                      3

Los Angeles Angels                7                      3

Minnesota Twins                     2                      3

New York Yankees                9                      9

Oakland Athletics                   3                      6

Seattle Mariners                      3                      7

Tampa Bay Rays                     9                      9

Texas Rangers                         7                      3

Toronto Blue Jays                   9                      9                 

 

Interleague Games

Arizona Diamondbacks          3                      0

Colorado Rockies                   0                      3

Los Angeles Dodgers             3                      0

Philadelphia Phillies                3                      3

San Francisco Giants              0                      3

 

–— RED SOX —

Definitely not trying to get ahead of ourselves or jinx anything here, but in the case that we are so fortunate to make the playoffs this year, I wanted to pass along this information to all of you, so that you might have a chance to get tickets (again, if we’re so fortunate).

 

There’s a long way to go in the last few weeks here, and the Rangers are still coming on strong, so we have to hope we keep playing hard the rest of the way!

 

Hope all is well and you all enjoyed our weekend sweep!!!

All the best from inside the Front Office,

“The Voice of the Nation” 

 

 

For Immediate Release

Monday, September 14, 2009

 

REGISTRATION FOR CHANCE TO PURCHASE

RED SOX POSTSEASON TICKETS BEGINS TUESDAY

Fans will have chance to purchase tickets for possible postseason

games at Fenway Park through random drawing

 

BOSTON, MA – Registration for a random drawing for the opportunity to purchase tickets for any 2009 Red Sox postseason games that may be played at Fenway Park begins tomorrow, Tuesday, September 15, at 12 noon EDT.  Fans may register for the drawing online at www.redsox.com.

 

The random drawing for tickets to any American League Division Series games that may be played at Fenway Park will take place on Monday, September 21. Fans that are selected for the opportunity to purchase tickets for ALDS games will be notified via e-mail on or about Tuesday, September 22.  The e-mail will provide winners with instructions on how to purchase online between 12 noon and 9 p.m. on Friday, September 25.

 

For fans who do not have internet access, or those not selected in the online random drawing, a limited number of tickets will be set aside for purchase by telephone (while supplies last) beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday, September 25 at (888) RED-SOX6.  No tickets will be available at the Fenway Park ticket office.

 

Fans with disabilities may call (877) RED-SOX9 beginning at noon on Friday, September 25 to purchase accessible seating (while supplies last).  Hearing impaired patrons may call the TTY line at (617) 226-6644.

 

There will be a one-game, two-ticket purchase limit for each winner selected.  Ticket prices for the ALDS are $130 for Field Box Seats and Loge Box Seats, $100 for Pavilion Box Seats and Right Field Box Seats, $55 for Grandstand Seats, $35 for Bleacher Seats and $30 for standing room.  All orders for the American League Division Series will be subject to a $6 per-ticket convenience fee and a $15 per-order processing fee.

 

Registrants not selected in the ALDS drawing or those who register after 12 noon EDT on Monday, September 21 will still be eligible for the American League Championship Series and World Series drawings provided that they have selected to be included in the ticket opportunities for each respective series. 

Please see the schedule below:

POSTSEASON REGISTRATION PERIOD BEGINS:	12 noon EDT, Tuesday, 09/15/2008
ALDS REGISTRATION PERIOD ENDS:	12:00 noon EDT, Monday, 09/21/2009
ALDS RANDOM DRAWING:	Monday, 09/21/2009
ALDS WINNERS NOTIFIED VIA E-MAIL:	On or about Tuesday, 09/22/2009
ALDS SALE FOR WINNERS:	12:00 noon – 9:00 p.m. EDT, Friday, 09/25/2009
ALCS REGISTRATION PERIOD ENDS:	12:00 noon EDT, Friday, 10/2/2009
ALCS RANDOM DRAWING:	TBD
ALCS WINNERS NOTIFIED VIA E-MAIL:	TBD
ALCS SALE FOR WINNERS:	TBD
WS REGISTRATION PERIOD ENDS:	12:00 noon EDT, Friday, 10/09/2009
WS RANDOM DRAWING:	TBD
WS WINNERS NOTIFIED VIA E-MAIL:	TBD
WS SALE FOR WINNERS:	TBD

Sale dates for potential 2009 American League Championship Series and 2009 World Series games played at Fenway Park will be announced at a later date. Such winners will be selected from the pool of registrants for each subsequent drawing and notified via email with instructions on the ticket purchase process including dates and times for these sales.

 

— RED SOX —

For Immediate Release

September 12, 2009

 

FENWAY AREA WEATHER UPDATE (As of 4:30 p.m.)

 

The current weather forecast (provided by the Red Sox private weather service, Meteorlogix) in the vicinity of Fenway Park calls for the possibility of rain showers in the area during the afternoon and evening hours.

 

The Fenway Park gates will open at the regularly scheduled time of 5:10 p.m., and the Red Sox are hopeful that tonight’s game with Tampa Bay, which is scheduled for 7:10 p.m., will be played.  However, the Red Sox want to alert our fans to the current forecast and to the possibility of delay.

 

This forecast is of course subject to change as the day progresses. Additional updates will be provided as necessary.

 

— RED SOX —

For Immediate Release

Friday, September 11, 2009

 

RED SOX ANNOUNCE MAKE-UP DATE FOR TONIGHT’S RED SOX-RAYS GAME

POSTPONEMENT

Teams to Play Day-Night Doubleheader on Sunday

With Tonight’s Postponement Starting at 12:00 p.m.

 

BOSTON, MA -The Red Sox tonight announced that the postponement of this evening’s game with the Tampa Bay Rays will be made up as the opener of a day-night doubleheader, Sunday, September 13 at 12 noon.

 

Fans holding tickets to the regularly scheduled night game for TONIGHT, Friday, September 11, may use those tickets for the 12 noon game on Sunday. The gates at Fenway Park will open at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.  The decision to move tonight’s game to Sunday, September 13, was made due to the current forecast for Saturday, September 12, that calls for rain during the daytime hours.  At this time, the 7:10 p.m. game tomorrow will be played as scheduled.

 

The start of the regularly scheduled game between the Red Sox and Rays on Sunday, September 13 has been moved from 1:35 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The gates at Fenway Park are expected to open 45 minutes after the conclusion of the first game for that contest.

 

Both Sunday games will be broadcast on NESN and WEEI.

 

Tonight’s Red Sox game versus the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park was postponed due to rain and the forecast for continued steady rain, heavy at times, throughout the evening.  The game was officially called after one-third inning of play.

 

Based on the forecast information that was available at the time from the Red Sox private weather service, Meteorlogix, the gates were opened and the game started as scheduled.  The forecast indicated that play was possible and every effort was made to get the game in. 

                                                                                 

The decision to postpone tonight’s game came at the direction of the umpires, in consultation with Major League Baseball and the Boston Red Sox, after reviewing the revised long-range forecast.  As this is the Rays’ final trip to Fenway Park this season, every effort is being made to complete a full series of games this weekend.

 

This is the second postponement for the Red Sox this season, both at Fenway Park.

 

 

 

 

— RED SOX —

For Immediate Release

September 11, 2009

 

FENWAY AREA WEATHER UPDATE (As of 4:00 p.m.)

 

The current weather forecast (provided by the Red Sox private weather service, Meteorlogix) in the vicinity of Fenway Park calls for the possibility of rain showers in the area during the afternoon and evening hours.

 

The Fenway Park gates will open at the regularly scheduled time of 5:10 p.m., and the Red Sox are hopeful that tonight’s game with Tampa Bay, which is scheduled for 7:10 p.m., will start on time.  However, the Red Sox want to alert our fans to the current forecast and to the possibility of delay.

 

This forecast is of course subject to change as the day progresses. Additional updates will be provided as necessary.

 

— RED SOX —