Horrible news for Westmoreland and the Red Sox. Westmoreland must undergo brain surgery after being diagnosed with a cavernous malformation in his brain.

Cavernous malformations could lead to seizure or brain hemorrhage, which can be fatal. The Mayo Clinic's Web site says the malformations are "groups of abnormally tiny, and larger, thin-walled blood vessels filled with blood that may slowly seep into surrounding tissue."

Hopefully surgery is successful and Ryan makes a full recovery and is able to play baseball again. He is a terrific talent and its always difficult to see such a young, talented player encounter such a medical condition.

I am not sure if this is similar to what AJ Price suffered at UConn but if it is then hopefully he can have the same luck and make it back to being healthy.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Red-Sox-prospect-Ryan-Westmoreland-having-brain-;_ylt=Aqvgg2A0sTmMpfvhALlXCW8RvLYF?urn=mlb,227810

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http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/backpage/goose_rivera_not_all_time_best_closer_q4xNwG9zgcPxusHuFkSbvJ

Mariano Rivera is considered the best closer in baseball history by most. Just don’t count Goose Gossage in that category.

The former Yankees closer said Rivera is the best right now, but not all-time.

"I think that he is a tremendous relief pitcher,” Gossage told Players Press. “He's the best, current-day, modern reliever. When I was inducted into the Hall of Fame, I was told that I had 53 saves with seven-plus outs. I was told that Mariano had one and Trevor Hoffman had two. So I think that says it in a nutshell."

Gossage had 310 saves and 3.01 ERA in a 23-year career, but as he points out many of those were of the two- or three-inning variety. Most of Rivera’s 526 saves were one-inning efforts.

Gossage was passed over for the Hall of Fame eight times before being voted in 2008 and entering Cooperstown as a Yankee. Rivera is expected to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer after he retires.

But Gossage saved his harshest talk for Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez, who has been criticized for his sometimes over-the-top celebrations after finishing off a game.

"K-Rod is a clown," Gossage said. "I don't think there is any place for it in the game. You respect that other team."

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