Thursday Morning Links

Harumph, so the poor, beleagured sports fans in Boston finally have something to cheer about.

Mac Engel takes the completely reasonable position that the Rangers should have thrown Nolan Ryan a "Sorry You Were Deposed in a Palace Coup" party before he left town because I'm sure that wouldn't have been awkward or tense at all.

Evan Grant ushers us into the silly season by looking at Nelson Cruz and Joe Nathan and wondering if we really want to use most of our offseason budget on that odd couple. Grant also confirms that, as expected, the Rangers will make a qualifying offer to Nelson Cruz.

Todd Wills continues his Defining Dozen series by looking back fondly on the seven game winning streak that finished off the season proper.

Finally, here's an article in Discover about why it is that old world diseases were so harmful to aboriginal peoples in the new world, instead of the reverse being true.