Daily Red Sox Links: Andrew Bailey, Xander Bogaerts, David Ortiz

Well, sheesh, sure is tough to be optimistic at this point.

It looks like Andrew Bailey might be back in time for the 2012 Red Sox to officially sink below the water line. Maybe if Bailey could start that would be something to get excited about. For now though, having Bailey makes the Red Sox marginally better and that, it seems, just doesn't particularly matter right now. Anyway. Bailey is close to returning. Yay. (Alex Speier; WEEI.com)

One of the most exciting prospects the Red Sox have had in a decade has just been called up to Double-A. If you weren't paying attention to the career of Xander Bogaerts before, now is about the time to start. (Jon Meoli; ESPN Boston via Sox Prospects)

Gordon Edes says the Red Sox have to get hot now or their season will effectively be over. After yesterday you kinda hope he's wrong on that. (Gordon Edes; ESPN Boston)

After trading Scott Podsednik to Arizona, Podsednik refused an option to Triple-A and became a free agent. Last night he re-signed with the Red Sox. (Ken Rosenthal via Twitter) The Sons of Sam Horn have a thread with some interesting ideas on the topic. (Sons of Sam Horn)

The job of a radio play-by-play broadcaster is somewhat vague. You have to entertain along with informing, but the very first obligation of any radio announcer doing a baseball game is to accurately report what is going on on the field. That is where Jon Sterling, play-by-play announcer for the Yankees, fails again and again. And yet, this might just be a new low. Really, really low. (Joe Pawlikowski; River Avenue Blues)

It's always refreshing to read the writing of Steven Goldman. Nobody blends baseball history and present like he does. (Steven Goldman; Baseball Nation)

The Orioles called up their best prospect, Manny Machado, from Double-A. That's a debatable decision, as the team risks over-exposing the young player and damaging his psyche. However, that outcome is far from guaranteed. In fact, Dave Cameron of Fan Graphs likes the Orioles thinking here. (Dave Cameron; Fan Graphs)

David Ortiz may make his triumphant return to the Red Sox lineup this Sunday, so says Tim Britton. (Tim Britton; The Providence Journal)

First Derek Lowe got his walking papers from the Indians. Now Johnny Damon has received his. (Aaron Gleeman; Hardball Talk)

Catcher defensive rankings? Well, sure, why the heck not? (Matt Klaassen; The Score)