A Bad Sign in Cambridge

 

A couple of months back I wrote about bad signs in my old stomping grounds in Jamaica Plain.

On Saturday afternoon, I saw a troubling sign here in Cambridge. I spent that afternoon attending the second edition of Cambridge Porchfest. Amid the proceedings, I noticed an unusual number of people wearing keffiyehs. 

Late in the afternoon, I made my way to the Cambridge Community Center to take in a performance by my friend Don Hammontree. Approximately 100 feet away from where Don was performing, I figured out why I had seen so many keffiyehs. There was an event called Cambridge for Palestine.

There was a lot of commotion coming from that way. Fortunately, Don has a big voice and was able to drown out most of the nonsense. Later in his set, however, a large number of people began dancing in the street. At the end of his set, they began chanting, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."

It is not the first time I have come across such a chant in the past couple of years in Boston and in New York. But every time I hear this phrase, it is said with more and more confidence. After all, they have the wind at their back. They now have a majority of Americans on their side, not to mention the rest of the world.

When I hear the phrase, 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,' what this tells me is that not only will there be more October 7ths in Israel, but that we will see it here in the United States. I have already predicted such an event will happen in Zohran Mamdani's New York. I also cannot rule out the possibility of such an event coming to pass in other American cities - Los Angeles, Chicago and, of course, Boston and perhaps across the river in Cambridge.

In which case, I must view my neighbors with the utmost caution. To be sure, most people in this community would not see fit to kill Jews. But were the murder of Jews in Boston and Cambridge were to come to pass, I can easily see those neighbors either looking the other way or looking on in approval.

Ro Khanna Pulls a Tucker Carlson in Israel

California Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna has pulled a Tucker Carlson in Israel.

Khanna claims he was detained by settlers and the IDF during a visit to Israel last week.

In point of fact, Khanna and the group he was with approached an IDF base near the West Bank off limits to civilians. He and his group were questioned, warned against trespassing and sent on their way without incident.

If Khanna had done the same with regard to a U.S. military base, he would be subject to the same treatment and he knows it. This is nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt to launch a White House bid.

Khanna took a page out of Tucker Carlson's book. Back in February, Carlson claimed he was detained by Israeli authorities at Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. In point of fact, Carlson was asked standard questions by Israeli officials as he entered the country. Given Carlson's notoriety was done in a VIP lounge. Quick!!! Invoke the Geneva Conventions. 

The problem, of course, is that anti-Israel sentiment runs so deep that both Carlson and Khanna can make up a bullshit story to whip up their anti-Semitic followers as well as drive mainstream media attention.

Not only is there no meaningful difference between the Far Left and the Far Right, but they end up meeting at the same place.

Red Sox Reach All-Star Break With 9 Straight Wins & In The AL Wild Card Hunt

The Boston Red Sox bested the New York Mets 3-2 in 10 innings to finish the first half of the 2026 MLB season with 9 wins in a row. 

Although the Red Sox have an overall losing record of 46-48, they have enjoyed a remarkable reversal of fortune over the past 2½ weeks. They are now only ½ game back of both the Seattle Mariners and the Minnesota Twins for the third AL Wild Card spot.

After earning an AL Wild Card berth last season, the Red Sox struggled to get out of the gate. After a 10-17 start, the Red Sox abruptly fired manager Alex Cora and nearly the entire coaching staff. The team Chad Tracy, who had been the manager of the Red Sox's Triple-AAA affiliate in Worcester as their interim manager.

Things were little better under Tracy. Between April 25th and June 24th, the team went 21-29 under Tracy's stewardship. As of June 24th, the Red Sox had just lost two out of three games to the Colorado Rockies who had the worst record in all of MLB. Overall, the Bosox were 32-46 & 15½ games back of the New York Yankees and in last place in the AL East, 6 games back of the third AL Wild Card spot. For bad measure, they also had the worst record in the AL.

But then a funny thing happened. The Red Sox hosted a four-game series against the Yankees at Fenway and swept the Bronx Bombers. The sweep was highlighted by a near no-hitter by veteran pitcher Sonny Gray.

However, the good feelings appeared to have been short-lived after the Red Sox lost two of out of three games against the Washington Nationals. In both losses, Red Sox first baseman Wilson Contreras was ejected. In the latter game, Contreras exploded after Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli uttered a racial epithet against him. Contreras has been the team's best offensive player hitting .285 with 20 HR and 61 RBI earning him a second career All-Star selection.

The long and the short of it is that the Red Sox have rallied around Contreras and have not lost since the incidents in question. Since June 25th, the Red Sox are 14-2 and have forced themselves back into contention.

What is remarkable is that outside of Contreras, the Red Sox do not have much of an offense. They do have a good outfield with Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela & Wilyer Abreu with third baseman Caleb Durbin filling the lofty shoes left by Alex Bregman in free agency. But their offense has been generally anemic with their 382 runs scored the second fewest in the AL. The Cleveland Guardians have scored two fewer runs although they go into the All-Star Break tied for first in the AL Central with the Chicago White Sox.

The Red Sox strength has been in their starting pitching led by a resurgent Sonny Gray who did not get selected for the All-Star Team despite his 11-1 record. The back end of their bullpen in Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman has to be among the very best in baseball.

Come Friday, however, the Red Sox will be tested as they host a four-game series against the first place Tampa Bay Rays. Despite the Red Sox recent resurgence, the team has struggled at Fenway going 17-27 as opposed to a 29-21 record on the road. Both All-Star Ranger Suarez and Connelly Early are on the IL as is Garrett Crochet. How far can Gray and Peyton Tolle go before the bell tolls? And will four days off halt the momentum they have built up since late June?

At least for the moment, the 2026 Red Sox are headed in the right direction. If the Red Sox continue to excel then perhaps Chad Tracy will be get the interim tag removed and become the team's full-fledged manager.

Thoughts on the Sudden Passing of Lindsey Graham

Before I went to bed, I learned of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham's sudden passing.

At that moment, I was too tired to write anything. One ought to be as clear minded as possible before expressing oneself.

Now that I have had some sleep and time to reflect, here are a few thoughts.

For starters, I do not care for the glee with which Graham's demise was celebrated on Bluesky.

To behave in such a manner makes one no better than the MAGA acolytes they claim to decry.

Because of this I appreciated the sober commentary provided by sportswriter Jeff Pearlman on his Facebook page. 

Like Pearlman, I have profoundly disagreed with many of the things he has said and done in the service of Donald Trump over the past decade or so. 

Among other things, I took issue with Graham disputing the results of the 2020 election up to and including his improper call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. He exhibited similar behavior in the 2022 mid-terms on the Nevada Senate election between Democratic incumbent Catherine Cortez-Masto against Republican challenger Adam Laxalt. Graham claimed that any result which didn't see Laxalt elected to the Senate was "a lie".

I took issue with Graham when he called for the impeachment of President Biden over the U.S. withdrawal in Afghanistan. Policy disagreement isn't grounds for impeachment and Graham, an attorney, knew that full well.

I did not care for Graham's treatment of Ketanji Brown Jackson when President Biden nominated her to the Supreme Court in 2022. Graham claimed, "The radical left has won President Biden over yet again." Mind you, Graham was perfectly happy to confirm her to the D.C. Circuit Court less than a year earlier.

Nor did I care when Graham called any prosecution of Doanld Trump over the handling of classified documents would result in riots. As I argued at the time, Graham's statement was far more damning of MAGA than it was of the DoJ under President Biden.

After Trump returned to the White House, I did not care for Graham's role in the Venezuelan coup. Oh, I don't lose a minute's sleep over Nicolas Maduro. However, Maria Corina Machado is the rightful President of Venezuela. But the will of the Venezuelan people counts for nothing. 

After Trump and Vance publicly berated Ukrainian President Zelensky at the White House, Graham publicly mused if Zelensky was "redeemable" and suggested that Ukraine "send us somebody else we can deal with." It is worth noting that Graham died only hours after meeting with Zelensky who stated, "America and the world have lost a resolute leader." Zelensky treated Graham with far more grace than Graham extended to him.

All of the above words and deeds of Graham to which I object were done in the service of Donald Trump, not in the interests of the United States.

A decade ago, Graham (who had sought the White House himself) declared, "If we nominate Trump, we will get destroyed.......and we will deserve it."

And then he kissed Donald Trump's feet.

After the events of January 6th, Graham declared, "All I can say is 'count me out.' Enough is enough."

And then he came back for more.

Yet it must be remembered that Lindsey Graham was a politician. And what do nearly all politicians covet more than anything else?

Power!!!

Graham is not the first politician to go down this road, and he will not be the last.

For Graham, this meant becoming Trump's humble servant. Even if it meant having to suck it up when Trump denigrated his close friend John McCain. Like many other Republicans, Graham made excuses for Trump's behavior claiming they simply hated Trump. Well, I think Trump questioning McCain's service to this country is fairly contemptible and, at one time, so did Lindsey Graham.

Of course, Graham's words and deeds in the service of Trump must be remembered because Trump is transitioning this country from democracy to authoritarianism. They will be a significant part of his legacy.

Yet I don't see how delighting in Graham's death accomplishes anything. Someone else, presumably his successor in the Senate, will gladly worship at the altar of Trump and there's a good chance that such an individual will have far less scruples than Graham. R.I.P.

ICE Killed Lorenzo Salgado Arajuo for Making a Living

 

Lorenzo Salgado Arajuo was just trying to make a living as he had done for over three decades as a resident of Houston, Texas.

While on his way to work a construction job two days ago, Salgado was confronted by ICE agents and killed in cold blood.

For their part, ICE claims that Salgado was evading arrest and using his vehicle as a weapon and that their officer shot him in self-defense.

I do not believe ICE.

Given ICE's dishonesty in the cold-blooded murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis earlier this year, ICE is not entitled to the benefit of the doubt.

As it happens, the individuals who assailed and assassinated Salgado were not wearing their bodycams.

Well, isn't that convenient.

Salgudo's son Ronaldo believes his father may have believed he was being carjacked for his tools as he was approached in unmarked vehicles which is ICE's stock and trade.

The notion that a man who had no criminal record in the 35 years he resided in this country was a lunatic intent on murder doesn't pass the smell test.

Lorenzo Salgado Arajuo was a productive, hard-working member of his community who raised a family send his three American born children to college.

In other words, he was the embodiment of the American Dream.

But for the Trump Administration, his brown skin and his immigration status made him subhuman and thus unworthy of life and liberty let alone any notion he might have of pursuing happiness. 

He would have been happy to live a quiet life, but the Trump Administration wasn't going to allow that happen.

Salgado's family will clamor for an independent investigation. Of course, the Trump Administration might decide to target them next for daring to keep their father's memory alive.

Worst of all is that Salgado won't be the last person to be murdered by ICE. Not as long as it operates as Trump's secret police.

R.I.P. Lorenzo Salgado Arajuo.

Justin Verlander to Retire at End of 2026 Season

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander announced on Wednesday that he will retire at the end of this season. 

The announcement came after MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred selected Verlander as the legends pick for the AL All-Star Team. The 2026 MLB All-Star Game will be played in Philadelphia next Tuesday.

In February, Verlander returned to the Tigers with whom he pitched from 2006 through most of the 2017 season before he was traded to the Houston Astros with whom he would win two World Series rings in 2017 and in 2022. 

At the time, I expressed excitement about Verlander joining a Tigers rotation with back-to-back AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and his former Astros teammate Framber Valdez. I mused that Verlander, who is eighth on MLB's all-time strikeout list, had the chance to surpass Don Sutton, Tom Seaver and Bert Blyleven. 

This proved to be a rose-colored assessment. Verlander has only pitched in one game this season back in March against the Arizona Diamondbacks who roughed him up for five runs on six hits in only 3.2 innings pitched. He went on the injured list with hip inflammation in April. Then last month, as he was set to return to action, he strained his hamstring. 

But he could still help the Tigers who for the most of this season have been arguably the most disappointing team in the AL especially after going 6-22 in May. However, the Tigers have won four in a row, 7 out of their last 10 and are only 4 games back of the third AL Wild Card spot. The Tigers are not out of the playoff picture by any stretch of the imagination, and neither is Justin Verlander.

Phil Regan Was Truly a Baseball Lifer

Former MLB pitcher, scout, coach and manager Phil Regan passed away today at the age of 89.

A native of Michigan, Regan signed with the Detroit Tigers prior to the 1956 season and would reach the big-league club in 1960. Regan spent parts of six seasons with the Tigers primarily as a starting pitcher. Hi best season in a Tigers uniform came in 1963 when he went 15-9 with a 3.86 ERA striking out a career high 115 batters. However, by 1965, Regan had lost his form, and the Tigers demoted him to their Triple-AAA club in Syracuse.

Following the 1965 season, the Tigers traded Regan to the Los Angeles Dodgers for infielder Dick Tracewski. Regan would thrive in Chavez Ravine working exclusively out of the bullpen as he was a crucial component of a Dodgers team which would win the NL pennant in 1966. Regan went 14-1 with a 1.62 ERA while leading the NL in saves with 21. He would earn his lone All-Star selection, finish 7th in NL MVP balloting and earn NL Comeback Player of the Year honors.

It was during that season that Regan would earn the nickname "The Vulture" from teammate Sandy Koufax. When Regan would come into the game, the Dodgers would often be tied or down a few runs only for the Dodger bats to wake up to earn him the win. Unfortunately for Regan, the Dodgers would be swept in the World Series by the upstart Baltimore Orioles.

Early in the 1968 season, the Dodgers dealt Regan along with utility player Jim Hickman to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pinch hitting specialist Ted Savage and pitcher Jim Ellis. Regan would save a career high 25 games for the Cubs that season along with a 12-5 record and sterling 2.27 ERA.

By 1970, Regan's effectiveness began to diminish. He would finish his pitching career in 1972 splitting the season in Chicago between the Cubs and the White Sox. In 13 big-league seasons, Regan made 551 appearances (including 105 starts) for a record of 96-81 with a 3.84 ERA along with 92 saves in 1372.2 innings pitched.

In 1973, Regan returned home to Michigan to become the baseball coach at Grand Valley State University, a position he held for a decade. In 1983, Regan returned to the professional ranks as a minor league pitching instructor and advance scout for the Seattle Mariners. The following year, the Mariners would appoint Regan as their big-league pitching coach. 

After three seasons in Seattle, Regan returned to the Dodgers organization as an advance scout from 1987 through 1992. In 1994, Regan served as the pitching coach for the Cleveland Indians and the following year was hired as the manager of the Baltimore Orioles. Regan was on hand when Cal Ripken, Jr. surpassed Lou Gehrig's consecutive game streak. Unfortunately, the O's left Regan go in favor of Davey Johnson after a single season.

In 1996, Regan rejoined the Dodgers yet again to manage their Triple-AAA affiliate in Albuquerque. He would return to the Cubs organization in 1997 and serve as their pitching coach for two seasons before returning to the Indians as their pitching coach in 1999. 

In 2000, Regan was the pitching coach for Team USA at the Summer Olympics in Sydney. In 2002, Regan rejoined the Tigers organization to manage the West Michigan Whitecaps, their High-A affiliate for two seasons.

After managing several Venezuelan winter ball clubs, Regan would eventually join the New York Mets organization in 2009 and serve mainly as a minor league pitching coordinator. In the middle of the 2019 season, Regan would return to the big leagues as the Mets pitching coach after Dave Eiland was dismissed. Unfortunately, Regan's relationship with the Mets ended on bad terms and he ended up suing the club and then GM Brodie Van Wagenen for age discrimination and wrongful termination in 2023.

Phil Regan spent parts of eight decades in baseball. He was truly a baseball lifer. R.I.P.