MVN: Most Valuable Network

The picture shown above from the Boston Herald may be one of the funniest I have seen in awhile. Dejected ten-year-old die-hard Red Sox fan holding a message from Yankees slugger Shelly Duncan that reads simply "Red Sox Suck. Shelly Duncan." I'm not sure what this kid expected a Yankees player to do when a kid decked-out in full BoSox regalia asks him for an autograph. I'm sure Duncan has been told that he and his mates "suck" (and probably far worse) by legions of Red Sox fans, many younger than the ten-year-old in the picture.

But here's the silver lining kid: e-Bay. That autograph is worth big bucks to some well-to-do Yankees' fan so why not sell it and use the money to buy yourself some good playoff seats (or failing that, at least a 20" plasma to watch the game on in your room).

Speaking of Boston....Apparently rookie Daisuke Matsuzaka endured some hazing from the veterans on an overnight trip from New York to Toronto.  Matsuzaka, and other Red Sox rookies, had to wear costumes on the trip with the former Japanese star donning a Teletubby outfit.  It is unclear if he was Tinky Winky, Dipsy, La-La or Po but Manager Terry Francona was apparently amused according to GMANews.TV:

"I didn't think there was anything that could make me laugh last night. There was," manager Terry Francona said Monday.

In addition to Matsuzaka, Boston's veterans dressed reliever Hideki Okajami and outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury as female pirates, pitcher Clay Buchholz as Minnie Mouse and outfielder Brandon Moss as Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz."

Francona said watching Matsuzaka clear customs at Toronto airport was "hilarious."

But the Boston Skipper recalled an incident earlier in his career when the hazing did not turn out so well:

"I went through this in Philly with (Vicente) Padilla, where he didn't get it and it wasn't good," Francona said. "The way guys handle those things helps the team. We got in at 4 in the morning, but it was a good plane ride."

I could not locate a picture but here is a link to video.