How many tries must this have taken? Either way, crazy shot. This guy should be getting paid. The ball looked like a late-breaking slider right before in slammed in. And I’m pretty sure this isn’t like those old Michael Vick Powerade commercials.

The Red Sox’s Kevin Youkilis, with his Japanese warrior-like batting stance, is out for the remainder of the season after tearing a muscle in his right thumb. See ya later Boston’s playoff chances..

Youkilis had been feeling pain in the thumb for about two weeks. He played through it, but after lining out in his first at-bat against the Indians on Monday night, Youkilis felt more pain and knew from the blue color and swelling there was something seriously wrong, something he could no longer play through, according to ESPNBoston.com…

“It really stinks,” Youkilis said. “[This injury] is very rare. Zero athletes have had it, at least as far as the doctors have said. It was a freak accident. I don’t know how it happened or the reason behind it. It just happened.”

Hmm, maybe if you held the bat like a normal, American ballplayer your thumb would be fine. Just a thought.

The Boston Celtics are fresh off a crushing NBA Finals loss, and their graying roster isn’t getting any younger – but it’s a “win now” mentality they still believe in.

This past week, the Celtics added a pair of veteran O’Neal’s: Shaquille and Jermaine. How fitting that the Irish surnamed superstars would head East to Boston? One thing is for sure, this 2010-11 roster has some serious depth and experience.

Just look at the player options Boston has…

• Point Guard: Rajon Rondo, Nate Robinson
• Shooting Guard: Ray Allen, Avery Bradley
• Shooting Forward: Paul Pierce
• Power Forward: Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O’Neal, Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis
• Center: Shaquille O’Neal, Kendrick Perkins

After a 46 at-bat scuffle, Alex Rodriguez has finally hit his 600th home run. At 35 years old, he’s the youngest to tackle the feat.

But who’s to believe he only used steroids from 2001-03 (with the Texas Rangers)? For all we know, the vaunted slugger may have been using performance-enhancing drugs his entire career.

So how do we react to this milestone? Applaud? Jeer? Accept? Dismiss?

New Jet, LaDainian Tomlinson, is receiving a cotillion-esque form of criticism from former Charger teammates…

[Philip] Rivers had told the San Diego Union-Tribune that it was a “relief” to start camp without Tomlinson looming over the team.

“I don’t know how everyone feels or if they felt it,” Rivers told the newspaper, according to ESPN.com. “Maybe it was a little bit of a relief. Maybe it’s a feeling of, ‘I can do a little more without wondering what he thinks.’”

…Antonio Gates: “When you talk about great player, you have to be careful what you say. Obviously, I miss LT…But sometimes you got the sense of stardom status and you can only take it so far.”

Tomlinson pleaded innocence, and shoddily compared his situation to one former great Bolt, Junior Seau.

“It doesn’t hurt me,” Tomlinson said, “but nothing surprises me because guys want to speak their opinion on things. Junior Seau went through the same thing with guys when he was the big star and he left the team and guys said how they felt about him. It’s the same situation.”

One thing is wrong here: Junior Seau retired, and with plenty left in the tank. The Chargers threw him a goodbye party. Then he screwed them over by coming out of retirement and signing with New England.

Tomlinson, plain and simple, just wasn’t wanted anymore in San Diego. He’s past his prime – his declining stats support that – but his ego tells him he’s still a star. Let’s all just relax and get pruny in an LT sponsored Caldera Spa.