If you’re a parent, you may be calling this the most wonderful time of the year.

It’s that time of year again, time to go back to school. For college students, it’s that time again to get that dorm room straightened out, and buy those outrageously expensive textbooks.

However, it’s not a great time to be a collegiate coach, especially if your name is a marquee one.

This guy refused to lose...and in efect play by the rules.

Newly minted Kentucky Basketball coach John Calipari has done once again what he does best, leave before the house is set ablaze. Memphis has been forced to vacate their 38-win 2007-08 Final Four season due to an SAT cheating scandal.

First, how is it even possible to cheat on the SAT, when it’s part of the plot of an MTV Films movie starring one-time Celtic Darius Miles? Allegedly, former Memphis guard Derrick Rose used a stand-in to take the SAT in 2006.

The NCAA allegations also state that Robert Dozier had a crazy spike in SAT scores and was eventually denied admission to the University of Georgia.

Secondly, doesn’t this story sound a little too familiar? Let’s hop in to the time machine and go back to 1996.

Back then Calipari became the virtual patron saint of Bay State Basketball miracles in turning the laughingstock UMass Minutemen into a national powerhouse, virtually overnight. The key to that team’s success was National Player of the Year, Marcus Camby.

Camby reportedly took gifts consisting mostly of money and women. The university out in Amherst was forced to vacate its best basketball season in history due to the scandal.

What did Calipari do? Why, he left the college ranks for a plum job coaching the NBA’s New Jersey Nets, right as the 1996 scandal was breaking.

We’ve all heard the statement that practice makes perfect while growing up. Clearly Michigan’s head football coach, Rich Rodriguez has made that old adage a cornerstone to life. Allegedly, the coach made his team practice much more than the 20 allotted hours set forth by the NCAA.

This was first reported in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press, as former players say the program has repeatedly violated the NCAA regulation limiting the amount of time college gridders spend on the field. Former Wolverines wideout Toney Clemons backs up the allegations, saying that he was on the field for over twelve hours.

“On Sunday it was lifting, film, dinner, and practice,” Clemons told ESPN’s Joe Schad this week. “I usually got out around 10:20. I truly don’t want to be associated with the program back there. But I am going to help benefit my teammates back there by speaking and giving testimony.”

As much as the above mentioned Derrick Rose would argue, these student-athletes are students first. It was wrong of Rodriguez to hold practices that lasted this long, but it allegedly happened.

But, seriously, what are we talking about here? Allen Iverson can tell us for sure.

After 13 seasons, nine trips to the playoffs, three Super Bowl rings and one great comeback, the Patriots have lost one of its most recognizable faces and names. On Monday morning, Tedy Bruschi announced his retirement from professional football, putting a cap on a spectacular career, all spent in Foxborough.

Tedy Rules the LEEInks today!

How does one go about ranking the top five moments of such a storied career? Bruschi himself couldn’t do it at Monday’s's press conference.

The LEEInks will take on such a daunting task in an effort to put Bruschi’s career in perspective. Without further ado, here are some of the LEEInks favorite moments during 13 great years from Bruschi in reverse order:

5.) Fun in the Snow

Let’s face it: some of the best moments in recent Patriots memory have happened on a cold New England winter day with the white, fluffy stuff falling from the sky.

Some of Bruschi’s best moments came in the snow too. Who can forget Tedy’s interception against Miami? How about his heroics in the 2003 AFC Championship Game against the Colts?

Whether it was stopping a crucial third-and-one against the Raiders in the “Snow Bowl” last game ever played at Foxboro Stadium or that interception against Miami, Bruschi brought it during the winter precipitation.

4.) Super Bowl Heroics

Throughout Bruschi’s career the linebacker has been able to stand on the sport’s highest stage as a Super Bowl champion three times. Bruschi also played in the Patriots two Super Bowl losses.

Bruschi had an interception in Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville to help the Patriots en route to a win. He was a mainstay in Belichick’s 3-4 dynastic defense.

In terms of interceptions, Bruschi’s best years were those Super Bowl years. In seasons where the Patriots won the Super Bowl, the University of Arizona-product snagged eight interceptions. Check out the rest of his statistics here.

Just looking at the numbers, Bruschi has made an impact on a team that has certain made an impact on professional football.

3.) Making One Little Wish Come True

We here in New England have known for a long time about the caliber of player Bruschi is  both on and off the field. His efforts off of the gridiron had as much, if not more of an impact on his community. Just ask young Andrew Geracoulis. Geracoulis had heart surgery as an infant, and looked to Bruschi as his favorite player because of the hulking linebacker’s own surgery.

ESPN captured the meeting between the two as a part of July 2006′s My Wish series.

2.) The Family Man

As earlier stated, Tedy Bruschi made an indelible mark on his career by playing in the Super Bowl. Before Super Bowl XXXIX, one of Bruschi’s best moments was caught on film.

Prior to that game against the Eagles, Tedy Bruschi made his mark as the ultimate family man when he played with his kids on the Alltell Stadium turf.

That moment would become a big part of the Bruschi legacy when Bruschi’s biggest health scare hit weeks later. Days after the Pro Bowl, Bruschi suffered a minor stroke which sidelined him for much of the ensuing season.

1.) He’s Back!

It was October of 2005, and the Patriots were about to go into their bye week after playing against the Denver Broncos. Two weeks later, Bruschi became the first player to ever come back from a stroke to play professional sports.

Bruschi triumphantly came back against the Buffalo Bills two weeks later. Bruschi was already a hero in these parts, but with is valiant comeback, that heroism was amplified.

After coming back Bruschi helped make PSA’s about his comeback and stroke awareness like this one.

Bruschi embodied much of what sports fans believe as the ideal sports hero. The man won a lot of football games but ultimately won the collective hearts of football fans in each of the six New England states.

The LEEInks gives its best and  most heartfelt wishes to Tedy as he embarks on his retirement! Thanks for these and many more memories over the years, Tedy.

Good morning New England!

Last night, as most you were likely fast asleep, top major league pitching prospect, Stephen Strasburg became the highest paid baseball draftee in the history of the game. Now the property of the Washington Nationals, the newly-signed hurler inked a record-high 4-year $15.1 million deal late last night.

Here's Lookin' at you, Strasburg!

Strasburg’s deal eclipsed the old record held by Mark Prior’s contract, a five-year $10.5 million deal back in 2001. With such a rich deal, it’s no wonder who Strasburg’s agent is, as super-agent Scott Boras helped get the deal signed, sealed, and delivered.

Even with how rich Strasburg’s deal is, he isn’t the first athlete to sign a lucrative deal before stepping foot on the field of play. As the ink is undoubtedly still drying on Strasburg’s contract, it’s time to take a stroll down memory lane and look at the some other young athletes who got well-paid long before they played.

The year was 2003, and the Cleveland Cavaliers were on the verge of selecting can’t-miss hoop prospect and Buckeye State product, Lebron James. James, who would later become an NBA superstar shortly thereafter, struck endorsement deals before he had even received his high school diploma from Akron’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

Lebron inked a seven-year $90 million deal with Nike, and one with Upper Deck. James is reportedly being paid $1 million per year for his image to be on trading cards.

In the not-so-financially-powerful world of MLS, 14-year-old soccer phenomFreddy Adu became both the highest-paid and youngest player in the American soccer league. Adu’s rookie deal was for four years and $2 million deal.

Not exactly of David Beckham’s stature, but for MLS, it literally was a big deal. After all, he did appear on MTV’s Total Request Live shortly after signing that deal.

It’s not all fun and games with professional teams offering huge contracts to rookie players. In fact, this very practice has become controversial in the National Football League.

Last year, former Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan signed a six-year, $72 million deal with an Atlanta Falcons franchise still reeling from the outrage of Michael Vick’s dogfighting and head coach Bobby Petrino’s abrupt exit from the sidelines. With the deal, Ryan went from starring  on the gridiron at the Heights, to the heights of being one of the highest-paid players in the sport before even stepping on the Georgia Dome’s turf.

Money surely does talk in the NFL, as players like 49ers draftee Michael Crabtree are making their actions speak louder than words. The Texas Tech product has reportedly threatened to sit out this season and enter next year’s draft if he doesn’t get a contract that is to his satisfaction.

It has almost become unfathomable that athletes who have yet to prove themselves on a professional level, have truly hit the jackpot. Even Gordon Gekko doesn’t endorse that kind of greed.

For the last 41 years, American homes have been transfixed by what has become an American institution, 60  Minutes on CBS. The television news-magazine has covered everyone and everything making global headlines, from Richard Nixon to the latest scientific breakthroughs to current president Barack Obama.

In recent years, the world of sports has seemingly bought a time-share on the show. Steroid scandals polluting professional diamonds and America’s high schools, college football coaches aiming to help the community around their schools, a look at the impact the NBA’s most famous name has, and the controversial Michael Vick have all been recently examined by the country’s longest running prime-time television program.

On Sunday, 60 Minutes correspondent James Brown interviewed Michael Vick after the Virginia Tech alum signed a contract to return to the gridiron after being imprisoned on dogfighting charges. The interview was the first one-on-one that Vick had done since going to jail in 2007.

Vick appeared on the show with a representative for the Humane Society and his NFL-assigned advisor, former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy. In case you missed last night’s piece, the interview can be seen below in two parts.

In March, LeBron James was interviewed for a segment on the show that examined the hardwood superstar. What most will remember from this piece was Lebron’s half court behind-the-back shot that was used in promos for the show.

Interviewer Steve Kroft even went to Lebron’s hometown of Akron, Ohio, to get a better sense of the athlete. James told Kroft that he wants to become a global brand like his NBA hero, Michael Jordan.

If you missed that piece,  check it out below.

Even former Patriots coach, Pete Carroll has appeared on the show. 60 Minutes correspondent Byron Pitts looked at the coach and his work on the mean streets of Los Angeles.

Carroll goes into some of the poorest neighborhoods of the City of Angels and aims to help decrease gang violence in Los Angeles. Here’s Pitts’ take on coach Carroll.

Makes you think he’s a better guy than those consecutive 10-6, 9-7, and 8-8 seasons would indicate, doesn’t it?

Finally, President Obama has even chimed in on the world of sports not long after his historic win in the 2008 Election. An avid sports fan in his own right, Obama told Steve Kroft that he would like to see a playoff system to determine a college football national champion.

Aside from meeting each and every champion thanks to visits to the White House, Barack Obama clearly looks like the first fan.

The scene at Cambridge’s St. Peter’s Field this past Monday could have very easily been confused for that of Ray Kinsella’s Iowa farm turned baseball Valhalla.

As WEEI’s Big Show listeners have heard on many a “Last Call,” Boston Herald columnist and frequent guest Steve Buckley has been promoting for months, the 16th annual Oldtime Baseball Game will take place on Thursday night in Cambridge. The game has been a summer baseball tradition in Cambridge since its inception in 1994.

That summer 15 years ago, Major League Baseball was mired in a work stoppage that even cancelled World Series. As enthusiasm for the professional variety of the game was waning, Buckley unintentionally got the ball rolling on what has become a local late-summer tradition.

As a host of a show on WEEI, Buckley very hastily suggested that he and his listeners have their own game to outweigh the negative effects of the strike. Little did he know that such a comment would strike a chord with so many in New England.

People called the show and pledge donations to take to the field. Paul Ryder of the Cambridge Park and Recreation even donated the use of St. Peter’s Field, which set the stage for baseball to played during the 1994 strike.

However, there needed to be a charitable cause to help fuel the game. The first charitable cause was to help pay for college scholarships for the children of Cambridge postal worker Eddie Fitzmaurice. Fitzmaurice was killed in a motor vehicle accident. The game’s proeceeds helped start a scholarship fund for the late postal worker’s two children.

This year’s charitable cause for the game is Hospitality Homes. The organization provides temporary housing for patients and families undergoing medical care in the Boston area.

The game’s charitable partner changes each summer. The Oldtime Game’s players, including former Red Sox infielder Lou Merloni, believe the charity tie-in gives the game some extra incentive for good play.

“Seeing as though it’s for a good cause, it’s not life or death and it’s not the big leagues,” Merloni said. “But the pressure is still there because you don’t want to be the guy kicking balls and striking out.”

In addition to the charitable donations of the monetary variety, many local citizens and companies, like Royal White Laundry, donate their time and services. It clearly takes a village to raise the annual game.

“Everyone sees it as something that’s parochial, provencial, and local,” said Buckley. “This is all people who love baseball.”

Merloni isn’t the only local luminary to lace up the spikes for this year’s contest, as Massachusetts State Senator Anthony Galluccio is also playing in the game. Like Merloni, this is Galluccio’s second consecutive appearance.

Aside from the charitable aspects of the contest, Senator Galluccio is playing in this year’s game to settle a small score with Cambridge native Bobby Fournier that dates back to last year.

“I had come back from vacation and I found out that he was going around the city saying that he was going to strike me out,” the Senator said. “I didn’t realize he had made this prediction, so it upped the ante a lot.”

Last year’s one at-bat showdown saw Senator Galluccio make contact on the first pitch he saw from the Salem State hurler. However, Senator Galluccio grounded out in his only at-bat last year.

Monday’s media day gave the local press a chance to see the players of tomorrow in the uniforms of yesterday. Merloni will be wearing the game’s oldest throwback uniform, representing the 1890 Boston Beaneaters .

Those uniforms made their debut during the 1998 game. According to Buckley, the uniforms were donated by Technical Personnel Services.

According to Buckley, the Beaneaters were an entrant of the Players League, and were the pennant-winning squad in the league’s only year of existence.

What began as a truly organic idea to deviate from the frustrations felt by baseball fans in the greater Boston area during one of professional baseball’s darkest and lowest points in its history, has turned out to become a summer tradition in the city of Cambridge.

If Steve Buckley and friends build it, history (much like that of the national pastime being celebrated at the game) has shown that many people will come.

For more information please visit the Oldtime Baseball Game official website.

Good Morning New England!

After a frustrating weekend in the Bronx, something needed to liven up the 2009 Boston Red Sox. Last night at Fenway Park, the team might’ve found their source for reinvigoration.

Last night became fight night at Fenway Park as Kevin Youkilis and Rick Porcello mixing it up after the 20-year-old Tigers righty hit the Sox first baseman during the second inning of last night’s game. In case you somehow missed last night’s slugfest, check it out below.

The stroll down memory lane with regards to Red Sox-related fights is a relatively short one. Last year during a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Coco Crisp charged the mound against James Shields.

Crisp threw a haymaker at Shields and missed in the ’08 scrum. This wasn’t the first fight between the Sox and the Rays — just ask Pedro Martinez and Gerald Williams.

Martinez, who also makes his first start for the Phillies tonight, plunked Williams, which caused the then Devil Ray to charge the mound against the lanky righthander.

Aside from Martinez using his glove as both a weapon and a shield, the LEEInks two favorite parts of this brawl comes courtesy of former Red Sox General Manager Dan Duquette. In interviews after the brawl, the Duke called Williams a “thug”, and Martinez channeled a little Tom Hanks and reminded us all that there’s no crying in baseball.

The LEEInks can’t help but find some similiarities between last night’s fight and the Alex Rodriguez-Jason Varitek fight on July 24, 2004.

On the fifth anniversary of that fateful game WEEI.com’s own Alex Speier took a look back at that afternoon’s events. Could last night’s brawl be the spark this year’s Sox need to mount a run to the World Series?

Brawling to help bond a team towards a playoff run wasn’t invented in 2004 though, as former Sox manager Dick Williams saw with his 1984 San Diego Padres in a game against the Atlanta Braves . The fight brought 13 ejections on the field and five off of it, and a shirtless Ed Whitson jawing with fans in Atlanta.

Walkoff Walk recounts the 25th anniversary of this fight on their blog today. They also have an embedded link to video of the fras on their site.

Brawling isn’t restricted to the big league version of the Red Sox either. In 2001, Red Sox farmhand Izzy Alcantara goes all Karate Kid on an opposing catcher before charging the mound in a game in Pawtucket.

Red Sox pitchers have been on the recieving end of mound charges as well. Just ask Aaron Sele, as Chicago’s George Bell charged the mound back in 1993.

Thankfully for Sele, Mo Vaughn did his best Andre Tippett impression and tackled Bell who, like Coco Crisp a decade and a half later, missed a haymaker. For more ”base-brawls” including a few mentioned in this space, check out Sportscenter’s top ten list here.

Last night, Guillermo Mota hit Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder in the thigh during the 9th inning of a 17-4 Dodgers win. Sounds harmless enough, right?

Well, if it weren’t for several teammates and Dodger Stadium security guards, Fielder would’ve gone after Mota into the Dodger clubhouse. In one of the more unbelievable alibis in recent memory, Fielder told reporters that “he was just going to talk to Mota.”

(A footnote is in order here: Mota was a member of the Sox for a brief period of time in 2005-06, when he was acquired in the Josh Beckett/Mike Lowell/Hanley Ramirez trade and then spun to Cleveland in the Coco Crisp deal. Since those trades, he has been with four teams (Indians, Mets, Brewers, Dodgers), produced a 4.40 ERA, made about $10 million, been suspended for the first 50 games of the 2007 season for failing a drug test, and enjoyed Tuesday’s flap with Fielder. Now THAT is a resume.)

Prince has been known to get a little feisty before. Just ask Manny Parra. Fielder’s actions last night got the LEEInks thinking about some of the other off-the-field fights and incidents over the years.

Let’s start outside of the ring, bringing us to Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick. Holmes, one of the top heavyweight fighters back in 1991, was holding a press conference in a hotel lobby.

Berbick then crashed the press conference and had words with Holmes. What then transpired can only best be described through the video below.

Keeping with boxing outside-of-the-ropes brings us back to 1988. Reaganomics were in full swing, Rick Astley had a huge hit with “Never Gonna Give You Up,” and Mike Tyson was a punishing force in the boxing world.

Tyson had fought Mitch “Blood” Green in a title fight in 1986. Iron Mike won in a 10-round bout against the unheralded Green.

However, Green believed that he was owed a great chunk of money from that fight. Obviously, at this point, the best idea is for two literally crazy fighters to duke it out on the streets of Harlem. In the end, Tyson broke his hand, which put his next scheduled fight in serious jeopardy.

Finally, here’s a recipe for disaster: popping off bullets at a gun range, excessive amounts of alcohol, and two angry, drunken 300-pound men. In 2005, after a nice day at an FBI shooting range for Chicago Bears teammates Olin Kreutz and Fred Miller, that’s exactly what happened until fightin’ words were exchanged.

After plain old roughousing escalated to an all-out brawl between the hulking lineman, Kreutz was asked to leave. Kreutz hit Miller in the face. Miller then retaliated by repeatedly hitting Kreutz in the head with a 5-pound weight.

Naturally, the FBI did what they do best, and investigated the matter.

LEEInks believes that most of the wisdom of Rolling Stones lyrics also applies the sports world. There is no place for a street fighting man.

Good afternoon New England!

Please welcome the game of baseball back in to your consciousness after yesterday’s night off. Tonight’s game starts an immensely important stretch of the current road trip in Tampa/St. Pete against Dick Vitale’s favorite team.

On the hill for the Rays is ALCS Game 7 winner and genuine hothead Matt Garza. Garza found himself in a little bit of some hot water  for telling the press in New York that he plunked Mark Teixeira on purpose last week.

Of course, the whole incident reportedly boiled down to the right-hander coming to the aid of a teammate. Garza claimed he was simply defending teammate Evan Longoria, who had been brushed back numerous times in New York, most notably when Joba Chamberlain fired a pitch at his head.

The Rays will also throw another of their ALCS Game 7 heroes in David Price. Price was the 2007 first overall draft pick out of Nashville’s baseball factory, Vanderbilt.

Last summer, Michael Smith did a profile on the young lefty as a contributor to ESPN’s E:60. Price, a starter, came out of the bullpen and closed the door on the Red Sox Nation’s World Series hopes on that upsetting October night, striking out J.D. Drew in the eighth inning and then blowing through the Sox in the ninth.

The Rays also feature all-world outfielder Carl Crawford. Crawford introduced himself to the world with a Griffey-like catch to rob Colorado’s Brad Hawpe of a home run.

Crawford also leads the AL in steals. In one game earlier in the season, Crawford lit the basepaths ablaze against the Sox swiping six bases in earlier this season.

Crawford told WEEI.com’s Alex Speier that he  would love to steal 100 bases–even more than winning a batting title. If Crawford were to reach that milestone, he’d be the first to do so since Vince Coleman, 22 years ago. Though Crawford was on that sort of pace early this year while stealing bases with impunity against the Sox, his pace has slowed in recent days, to the point where it’s not even clear if he’ll lead the American League in steals. As John Tomase of the Boston Herald notes, Jacoby Ellsbury has shown ridiculous closing speed in order to pull virtually even with Crawford — whom Ellsbury described as a good friend — in the category.

Finally, our little Tour de Tampa takes us to the home of the Rays, Tropicana Field. Just ask WEEI’s own Mikey Adams, he’ll tell you how much he loves the place and the Rays in general.

Last spring, Seattle Times reporter Geoff Baker gave fans a sweet YouTube tour of the venue. Not included in the tour is any mention that Tropicana Field used to have the very Mad Max-esque name in the past, as it was called the Thunderdome from 1993-1996.

The Thunderdome was the home of Manon Rheaume and the Tampa Bay Lightning until the team “bolted” for Ice Palace (now called the St. Pete Times Forum in 1996).  The Trop was also the setting for one of New England’s proudest NCAA Hoops moments when the University of Connecticut cut down both the vaunted Duke Blue Devils and the nets in Tampa Bay back in 1999.

Where have you gone, Khalid El-Amin?

Despite Monday being the 37th anniversary of the House Judiciary committee’s vote to impeach then-president Richard Nixon, the LEEInks would like to take the time for a much more jovial occasion and send out big birthday wishes to Red Sox Nation’s favorite “villain,” Alex Rodriguez. Today, the Yankee third baseman turns the big 3-4.

Even A-Rod is perplexed--What do you get a guy like this for his birthday?

It begs the question, what do you possibly get a man who gets paid $27.5 million a year? If LEEInks were in charge of it, here are some of the gifts we think should be unwrapped by the Yankee slugger.

With the Yankees on the road in Tampa this week, Rodriguez will likely be away from movie star girlfriend Kate Hudson. To tide him over, why not get A-Rod a copy of Ms. Hudson’s finest film, Almost Famous.

Speaking of famous blondes who have been romantically-linked to Rodriguez, why not give A-Rod Madonna’s Immaculate Collection? With Madge overseas on her world tour, it’s quite possibly the next best gift.

Also on the musical front, snagging A-Rod a copy of Guitar Hero:World Tour might not be a bad idea. After all, Rodriguez already showed the game some love when he, Tony Hawk, Kobe Bryant and Michael Phelps appeared in a Risky Business-style commercial for the game.

This past offseason, Rodriguez made waves when  he admitted to using steroids as a member of the Texas Rangers earlier this decade. We at the LEEInks think a GNC gift card is a healthy, natural, and downright legal gift idea for the Yankee.

As WEEI.com’s own Alex Speier pointed out last week, Friday was a fifth anniversary of the famed Red Sox-Yankees brawl that had Rodriguez in the center of the fray. The pitcher who threw at Rodriguez that day was right-hander turned troubadour Bronson Arroyo. Despite other dubious history between Rodriguez and Arroyo, the LEEInks thinks it time for bygones to be bygones. We suggest giving A-Rod, Bronson Arroyo’s debut album, Covering the Bases.

Finally, Alex Rodriguez has famously flirted with the World Baseball Classic almost as much as he has with Hollywood celebrities. Rodriguez committed to play for Uncle Sam and then switched allegiances to the Dominican Republic earlier this year.

We suggest getting him both a USA and Dominican Republic jersey. Maybe he’ll chose which one to wear based on the direction of the wind.

With all of those suggestions, the LEEInks would like to say Happy Birthday to Alex Rodriguez!

Or should we say Feliz Cumpleanos?

Welcome to a special Welcome Wagon edition of the LEEInks! Today the Red Sox have acquired Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Adam LaRoche for minor league shortstop Argenis Diaz and pitcher Hunter Strickland.

Adam LaRoche is psyched to be the newest member of the Boston Red Sox!

So who exactly is this guy? First things first: LaRoche is a 30-year-old native of California. He has split his six-year career in both Atlanta and Pittsburgh.

According to this Pittsburgh Post Gazette report from earlier this month, the brothers LaRoche genuinely liked playing with each other. The LaRoches certainly weren’t the first set of brothers to play on the same squad, and likely won’t be the last.

With the acquisition, the Red Sox bring aboard an additional first baseman to a recently slumping club looking for depth at the corners. LaRoche is the third Pirate starter this year to be jettisoned by the club, following outfielders Nate McLouth and Nyjer Morgan.

Pittsburgh G.M. Neal Huntington wrote season ticket holders a letter explaing the logic behind the McLouth deal. The Pirates may be investing in more team stationary after today’s deal.

LaRoche already has some friends among his new teammates here in Boston, including former Pirates outfielder Jason Bay. It’s a good thing the slumping Mets didn’t snag him, since he and Carlos Beltran would have some serious making up to do. After a three-game sweep of the Mets earlier this season, Beltran claimed that he was embarrassed to lose to the Pirates. LaRoche then upped the ante and claimed that Beltran had zero class and zero professionalism.

Finally, it looks as though LaRoche will fit right in with guys like Tim Wakefield and Josh Beckett due to a shared passion for hunting. LaRoche has even been a guest on the show Buck Commander.

This clip from Buck Commander can also give Red Sox fans an unusual scouting report on the newest member of the club.