Boston Red Sox (53-31)

Preseason report:

In my AL East Season Preview, I said the Red Sox would finish first in the East. I thought the signing of Dice-K was huge and the additions of J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo gave the lineup great balance. My bold prediction was J.D. Drew would have a career year.

What has gone right:

The pitching (3.69 team ERA, third-best in MLB) has been key for Boston as Josh Beckett (12-2, 3.44 ERA, 92 K) has finally emerged as an ace, Dice-K (10-5, 3.53 ERA, 119 K) has lived up to the hype, Jonathan Papelbon is having another great season (20 saves, 1.69 ERA, 0.84 WHIP) and Hideki Okajima (0.88 ERA in 38 games) has been the best middle reliever in baseball. The offense hasn’t been as good as expected, but Dustin Pedroia is hitting well (.322) and David Ortiz, Mike Lowell and Manny Ramirez made the All-Star team.

In a second tryout for the prestigious Area Code games, Highland Park's Jonathan Perlman and Rowlett's Brandon Loy shined at Houston's Baseball USA. The tryouts were moved to Houston this week.

Perlman, a third baseman for the Scots but projected by many colleges at second, posted an impressive 6.80 60-yard time in the morning and had a good arm. At the plate showed some strength in his swing, according to the daily report on studentsports.com

Loy, a standout shortstop and son of former Ranger Darren Loy, posted one of what seemed to be many sub 7.00 60-yard times with a 6.60. Studentsports.com reported Loy had an average arm with quick hands. During the defensive evaluations, he threw the ball on target and on a line. During BP he showed that he is a contact hitter who constantly squares the ball.

McKinney right fielder Devin Arnold also qualified for Houston's tryout after getting an invitation following the Weatherford tryout.  The 21st Area Code Baseball Games are  Aug. 5-10 at Blair Field in Long Beach, Calif.

The Area Code game rosters will be announced in the next week to 10 days.

 Defending Class 5A state champ Duncanville and national power Oak Hill have agreed to play Dec. 19 (Wednesday) at SMU in a national boys basketball matchup that very well could matchup the nation's top two teams in '07-'08.

Duncanville went undefeated in winning the state title and returns standouts Brian Talley, Kevin Butler, Shawn Williams and Roger Franklin, all considered among the state's top players. Duncanville coach Phil McNeely said he's pleased with how his young players are meeting high expectations.

"They're down to earth," McNeely said. "They haven't gotten carried away.

Oak Hill, located in Mouth of Wilson, Va.,  has been voted six national titles and produced more than 150 college players, including Mavericks Jerry Stackhouse and DeSagana Diop among  22 McDonald's All-Americans.

Oak Hill played San Antonio Cornerstone at Dallas' Ellis Field House last December as part of a triple-header including Duncanville defeating two-time defending 4A champ South Oak Cliff.

Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie continues to capitalize on his former Texas A&M connections. DeSoto God's Academy 6-0 sophomore point guard K.C. Ross-Miller has become a 2010 commit for Kentucky. Gillispie first offered Ross-Miller a college scholarship when he was an eighth-grader according to rivals.com.

Gillispie's first commit to Kentucky was '09 McKinney PG GJ Vilarino a week after Gillispie left A&M for Kentucky in April.

BASEBALL HIRES

In the ever increasing competition among high school baseball, several new coaches have been named. Corsicana will approve Billy Harlan at its Monday school board. Aledo has hired Jimmy Brockway and Wylie is recommending Dustin Toth as its new coach.

West Mesquite will have a new baseball coach in former assistant Jason Wright after longtime coach Chuck Flanery moved on to other pursuits. 
At Fort Bend Elkins, one of the state's premier Class 5A programs, Richard Thistlewaite of Lamar Consolidated will replace Rick Carpenter (Prosper's new coach.) Thistlewaite is a former Elkins assistant.

At Corsicana, Harlan was an all-state Corsicana catcher in 1989 who went on to play at Texas A&M. He's been an assistant at Dallas Baptist and previously at Corsicana. He returns to high school coaching after having been a principal in the Dawson school district.

At Aledo, Brockway comes from North Crowley and is a former Crowley player in the state baseball tourney and a protégé of Derek Matlock.

 At Wylie, Ricky Griffin resigned to accept a position with Argyle and assistant Toth is being recommended to be promoted to head coach.