BOSTON -- Nothing like a pre-dawn phone call from Red Sox slugger David Ortiz to get you out of bed in the morning. Dax Raymond Jersey .At least thats the idea behind a Boston Public Schools initiative that starts next month, when middle- and high-school students will be able to sign up for wake-up calls from Big Papi.Wake up! Its David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox. Get out of bed and get ready for school. Your future is yours, he says on the calls.The 40-year-old All-Star designated hitter has said hell retire after this season. He leads the majors in slugging percentage, on-base average and extra-base hits this year.Boston schools superintendent Tommy Chang said Monday the goal of the Ortiz calls is to help kids get to school on time and fight absenteeism.Boston Mayor Marty Walsh called it a fun, outside-the-box approach to a chronic problem. Nationwide, the U.S. Department of Education says more than 6 million students -- 13 percent of all school-age Americans -- missed at least three weeks of school in the 2013-14 academic year, the most recent for which figures are available.Red Sox president Sam Kennedy said he hopes the calls, which are being offered free of charge, will help inspire, motivate and encourage children to attend school. The calls will be available in English and several foreign languages, though Ortiz wont be speaking all of them.Bostons school system ran a pilot of the wakeup calls last year, trying them out on two dozen students at the Edward M. Kennedy Academy for Health Careers, a charter high school in the shadow of Fenway Park.Xaquiel Martinez, a 9th-grade student there, acknowledges he was tardy to school nearly every day before getting the wake-up calls, which helped him get out the door on time.With Ortiz wrapping up his final season with the Sox, Changs office says it may tap the New England Patriots for a future call.No word on whether Tom Brady or Rob Gronkowski could be rousing students next.---Follow Bill Kole on Twitter at https://twitter.com/billkole . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/journalist/william-j-kole . Kyle Long Jersey . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Charles Leno Jr Jersey .com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre. http:///...llah-anderson-jersey . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Jake Odorizzi is focused on a strong second half and not trade speculation.Odorizzi pitched masterfully into the seventh inning, Logan Forsythe and Corey Dickerson hit solo homers in the first, and the Tampa Bay Rays cooled off the surging New York Yankees 5-1 on Friday night.Scouts from many playoff contenders were in attendance with Mondays non-waiver trade deadline looming.Im not really worried about it, to be honest, Odorizzi said. Im worried about what I do here, and coming out in the second half and starting off well, which I think we have. Thats what my purpose is, to get better because in the first half I wasnt happy with myself.Odorizzi (5-5) struck out five and allowed six hits over 6 2/3 innings. Alex Colome entered with two on and one out in the ninth, and got two straight outs for his 23rd save.Odorizzi went eight scoreless innings in previous start Friday at Oakland, a game that Tampa Bay lost 1-0 in 13 innings. The Rays are 6-5 since losing 24 of 27.Odos last two starts were tremendous, Rays manager Kevin Cash said.Teams represented included San Francisco, the Chicago Cubs, Florida, Cleveland, Washington, Toronto, Baltimore, Texas and the Chicago White Sox.Ivan Nova (7-6) gave up five runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. When pulled by Yankees manager Joe Girardi, Nova dirrected several comments toward plate umpire Laz Diaz walking toward the dugout and then fired his glove against the wall after reaching the dugout steps. Kerrith Whyte Jr. Jersey. Ivan wasnt pleased with his strike zone, Girardi said. Its hard for me to tell, but I thought there were some pitches that looked pretty good.Nova didnt blame the strike zone for his loss, but bad pitch command.TRAINERS ROOMRays: RHP Alex Cobb (Tommy John surgery) resumed a minor league rehab assignment after taking 2 1/2 weeks off due to fatigue and struck out two over two hitless innings for Class A Charlotte.MOVING DAYTampa Bay placed 1B Logan Morrison (right forearm strain) and OF Oswaldo Arcia (right elbow strain) on the 15-day disabled list. RHP Brad Boxberger (strained left oblique) was reinstated from the 15-day DL and INF-OF Nick Franklin was recalled from Triple-A Durham.A-RODGirardi said DH Alex Rodriguez could start Saturday night after being out of the lineup six straight games. A-Rod, who singled as a pinch-hitter in the ninth, is in a 2-for-22 slump.UP NEXTRays LHP Drew Smyly (2-11) looks to end an 11-start winless streak -- that includes seven losses -- as he goes against Yankees RHP Nathan Eovaldi (9-6). 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