Daily Red Sox Links - Bobby Valentine, Andrew Bailey, Josh Beckett, and Theo Epstein

We're going to do things a bit differently here at DL for at least a bit. You may have noticed the excellent Red Sox Notes column that Marc and Ben have been writing recently. The upshot is Daily Links can now be less notes and more links. More links, less blabbering. Enjoy, and happy Opening Day!

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Bobby Valentine will be doing a weekly radio show. In New York. (Gordon Edes; ESPN Boston)

Last year Steve Berthiaume picked the Houston Astros to make the playoffs. The Astros lost 106 games, worst in baseball. This year, to Mr. Berthiaume's credit, he owns his prediction and what's more writes eloquently about how predictions themselves are kinda silly. We know, Steve, we know. Still. Nice piece. (Steve Berthiaume; ESPN Sweet Spot)

Forget first place, nobody at CBS thinks the Red Sox will finish higher than third. (Matt Snyder; CBS.com)

If you had a magic crystal that let you go back in time and you could go back and undo the Josh Reddick/Andrew Bailey trade now that Bailey is injured, Ben Cherington would ask you politely not to. (Alex Speier; WEEI.com)

Josh Beckett's mysterious thumb injury is totally fine. Sure, it may require surgery but it's totally fine. (Peter Abraham; The Boston Globe)

Finally, old friend Patrick Sullivan was interviewed about his Tumblr, Bad Spring Training Twitpics. It's funny. (David Roth; The Classical)

The Sox will start the season with $65 million worth of payroll on the disabled list. (Matthew Pouliot; Hardball Talk)

Steven Goldman has a recipe for fixing opening day. (Steven Goldman; Bleacher Report)

Theo Epstein walks on water. For serious. (Peter Abraham; The Boston Globe)

The number of former Expos still in baseball is dwindling. (Bill Parker; Baseball Prospectus; free!)