watch nascar's sights and sounds from fontana here ... race rewind can be viewed here

pool standings after week #5 <> the auto club 400

• scott -- 194 points / 1 winner


• justin -- 161 (-33) / 1 winner


• jason -- 157 (-37) / 2 winners


• kevin -- 151 (-43)


• tom -- 145 (-49)


• rich -- 134 (-60)


• robin -- 129 (-65)


• jim -- 111 (-83) / 2 winners


• candy -- 109 (-85)

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nascar 2011 pool picks for week #5 <> auto club 400 from auto club speedway in fontana, ca (for most points <> for race win)

• scott -- jimmie johnson (48) <> kyle busch (18)


• justin -- tony stewart (14) <> tony stewart (14)


• robin -- denny hamlin (11) <> kyle busch (18)


• tom -- david ragan (6) <> jimmie johnson (48)


• jason -- matt kenseth (17) <> carl edwards (99)


• kevin -- juan montoya (42) <> jimmie johnson (48)


• candy/tommy -- denny hamlin (11) <> kyle busch (18)


• rich -- ryan newman (39) <> juan montoya (42)


• jim -- paul menard (27) <> carl edwards (99)

watch nascar's sights and sounds of the jeff byrd 500 here ... race rewind can be viewed here

pool standings after week #4 <> jeff byrd 500

• scott -- 151 points / 1 winner
• justin -- 129 (-22) / 1 winner
• robin -- 123 (-28)
• tom -- 123 (-28)
• jason -- 117 (-34) / 2 winners
• kevin -- 116 (-35)
• candy -- 103 (-48)
• rich -- 94 (-57)
• jim -- 87 (-64) / 2 winners

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nascar 2011 pool picks for week #4 <> jeff byrd 500 from bristol motor speedway in bristol, tn (for most points <> for race win)

• scott -- kyle busch (18) <> tony stewart (14)
• justin -- martin truax, jr (56) <> carl edwards (99)
• robin -- mark martin (5) <> jimmie johnson (48)
• tom -- matt kenseth (17) <> jimmie johnson (48)
• candy/tommy -- jamie mcmurray (1) <> kevin harvick (29)
• kevin -- paul menard (27) <> tony stewart (14)
• jason -- kyle busch (18) <> kyle busch (18)
• rich -- carl edwards (99) <> tony stewart (14)
• jim -- matt kenseth (17) <> kyle busch (18)

jed lowrie was a red sox 1st round draft pick in 2005 ... his rookie year in boston was 2008 ... jed started that season as backup to julio lugo (ss) & mike lowell (3b) ... and ended it as the starting shortstop ... lowrie missed much of 2009 (wrist surgery) & 2010 (mono) ... he finished 2010 impressively replacing a wounded pedroia at second base ... now, as the 2011 season quickly approaches ... it appears jed lowrie has a job but doesn't have a job

jed sees himself as a major league starting shortstop ... i believe the personnel people at fenway see lowrie as an above average hitter & fielder who can play everyday if he can stay healthy ... i also believe theo views jed as a talented bridge to the future who he needs to showcase before the arrival of jose iglesias

there are a bunch of teams jed lowrie could start for ... not in boston ... at the moment, marco scuturo holds that position ... and marco will continue at shortstop until he loses the immense respect & confidence his manager has in him ... or theo trades him ... leaving lowrie to back up scuturo and 3 guys who rarely miss games ... adrian gonzalez (1b), dustin pedroia (2b) and kevin youkilis (3b)

like i said ... jed lowrie has a job (he'll get paid) but doesn't have a job (he won't get much opportunity to play) ... and while jed sits idle in the sox dugout this summer ... everytime he looks over his shoulder he will see jose iglesias looming ... tough position for a good kid approaching prime career years

saw the headline "johan santana refutes report of setback" on espn earlier today ... reminded me that sometimes the best trades are those never actually made

recall the fall of 2007 ... johann santana was on the trading block in minnesota ... the fellowship of the miserable was demanding the red sox trade whatever to aquire santana ... we were told minnesota asked for jon lester, jacoby ellsbury, jed lowrie & justin masterson ... we heard theo say lester or ellsbury or buchholz but not more than one ... minnesota countered the yankees had offered melly cabrera, phil hughes and prospects ... theo told the twins he was done playing ... jon lester and clay buchholz and jacoby ellsbury and jed lowrie would remain red sox of the future

2011 is that future ... jon lester will win the 2011 cy young award!

ten minutes to go ... selection sunday nears

the big east will dominate this unveiling ... a record 10 big east teams (11 if marquette is in favor) will get invites to play madness in march ... pittsburgh will be a #1 seed, notre dame will not (contrary to what espn's experts are saying) ... syracuse will be a #3 seed, most likely in the east

best team going into this year's tournament is ohio state

three "good health" reasons the 2011 boston red sox will win more than their 2010 total of 89 games

+ cf jacoby ellsbury (144 games missed)
+ 2b dustin pedroia (87 gamesd missed)
+ 3b kevin youkilis (60 games missed)

watch nascar's sights and sounds of the kobalt tools 400 here ... race rewind can be viewed here

pool standings after week #3 <> the kobalt tools 400

• scott -- 104 points / 1 winner
• justin -- 101 (-3) / 1 winner
• robin -- 91 (-13)
• tom -- 83 (-21)
• candy -- 80 (-24)
• kevin -- 76 (-28)
• jason -- 65 (-39) / 1 winner
• rich -- 51 (-53)
• jim -- 42 (-62) / 1 winner

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nascar 2011 pool picks for week #3 <> the kobalt tools 400 from las vegas motor speedway in las vegas, nv (for most points <> for race win)

• scott -- matt kenseth (17) <> carl edwards (99)
• robin -- matt kenseth (17) <> kyle busch (18)
• tom -- mark martin (5) <> jimmie johnson (48)
• justin -- carl edwards (99) <> carl edwards (99)
• candy/tommy -- matt kenseth (17) <> matt kenseth (17)
• rich -- kyle busch (18) <> kyle busch (18)
• jason -- trevor bayne (21) <> jeff gordon (24)
• kevin -- ryan newman (39) <> jimmie johnson (48)
• jim -- greg biffle (16) <> carl edwards (99)

three reasons the boston red sox will win more games in 2011 than their 89 wins of 2010

<> cliff lee (a philadelphia phillie)
<> andy pettite (retired, for now)
<> matt garza (a chicago cub)

watch nascar's sights and sounds of the subway fresh fit 500 here ... race rewind can be viewed here

pool standings after week #2 <> the subway fresh fit 500

• scott -- 65 points
• robin -- 57 (-8)
• tom -- 57 (-8)
• justin -- 49 (-16)
• candy -- 46 (-19)
• rich -- 45 (-20)
• jason -- 41 (-24)
• kevin -- 37 (-28)
• jim -- 20 (-45)

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nascar 2011 pool picks for week #2 <> the subway fresh fit 500 from phoenix international speedway in phoenix, az (for most points <> for race win)

• justin -- jamie mcmurray (1) <> jimmie johnson (48)
• robin -- carl edwards (99) <> kyle busch (18)
• tom -- carl edwards (99) <> kyle busch (18)
• kevin -- david ragan (6) <> carl edwards (99)
• scott -- kurt busch (22) <> kyle busch (18)
• rich -- greg biffle (16) <> kyle busch (18)
• jason -- matt kenseth (17) <> jeff gordon (24)
• candy/tommy -- kyle busch (18) <> kyle busch (18)
• jim -- carl edwards (99) <> kyle busch (18)