FUN FACTS: RED SOX VS. YANKEES

Ten facts seems like a good number for today. We'll avoid all the basic "Did you know about Bucky Dent?" stuff; if you're into a detailed, if unsourced, history of this rivalry, check this out . The space station thing? That's everywhere, including our "Morning According to Us." Let's talk different stuff!

(1) Hard to argue that the most significant play ever between these teams was "The Steal." [Ed's note: Dent? OK, but the Sox were royally cursed then. Boone? Sure, but the Yankees lost that World Series] Dave Roberts, whom we had no idea was still in MLB [Ed.'s note: He just went on the disabled list!], was born in Okinawa, Japan. So was Jo Barrett, author of The Men's Guide to the Women's Bathroom, which is somehow being turned into a film starring Hugh Jackman. Barrett, despite spending her early years in Japan, often jokes the only word she understands is "sushi." Ouch.

(2) Clay Buchholz pitches tonight for the Sox. Everyone knows he's dating Erica Ellyson, i.e. The 2008 Penthouse Pet of the Year. Here's what you might NOT know: Ellyson is currently working towards a bachelor's in Architecture (Ha! What?) at the NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego.

(3) Big games tend to produce unlikely heroes, right? (Francisco Cabrera, anyone?) Who's the guy on the Yanks least likely to be deemed "a hero?" Chad Moeller, probably (backup catcher). Get this: dude went to Upton HS in Cali; his teammates there (at the same time!) included Morgan Engsberg (now a Yankee), Geoff Jenkins, Jacque Jones and Randy Flores. Nasty HS baseball team right there.

(4) Equivalent for the Sox? Maybe Jed Lowrie, who looks like his mom still gives him a bag lunch . His MLB.Com player page has no biographical information on it. We know where to find it, though! The blogs! Apparently he was the best college hitter in the country in 2004, at Stanford .

(5) Today is Lara Dutta's birthday, and Mariah Carey's new album just dropped, so you gotta wonder if Jeter is going to be a little distracted.

(6) Talk about being close to a lot of people with dubious pasts: Yankees P Billy Traber was involved in a huge trade once with Roberto Alomar (who once spit on an ump) and Mike Bacsik (who ultimately allowed Barry Bonds to finally enter the history books by giving up No. 756). On the plus side, Baseball America once said Traber had the best control in the entire minor leagues.

(7) David Ortiz's wife is from the same town in Wisconsin (Kaukauna) as conservative talk show host Mark Belling, who has been known to use the term "wetback" to describe Hispanics. Think the Ortizs have ever hosted that dude?

(8) Red Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan is the godson of Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella. This feels like something we should have known, but we had no idea.

(9) David Aardsma, a Sox pitcher, calls himself "friends with Kirsten Dunst." (Is that something to brag about?) His sister Amanda is an actress. Check out her IMDB . On CSI, she played "Sexy Mistress 1." On Kings of Brooklyn, she played "Wallstreet Babe." On Table One, she played "Rowdy Guy's Date." Hmmm. Can Dunst help her out? Oh, she's in rehab.

(10) In terms of famous athletes whose father is named "Tito," Terry Francona has to rank slightly above possible NBA ROY Al Horford, but may eventually rank below the offspring of Tito Ortiz and Jenna Jameson .

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