Morning briefing

Red Sox vote will be a challenge

While on the campaign trail as a Republican presidential candidate, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani couldn’t help but chime in on the New York Yankees in between discussing oil prices, the war in Iraq and push polling.

In recent weeks, he expressed hope Joe Torre would be back as manager and recently said former right fielder Roger Maris should be in the Hall of Fame.

He also discussed the team’s intent to re-sign third baseman Alex Rodriguez.

“I’m glad to have him back,” Giuliani said. “If you give up a player like A-Rod, you’ve got a lot of rebuilding to do.”

Giuliani’s affinity for the Yankees is no secret. He is a regular at Yankees games, with a seat next to the team’s dugout.

Which might hurt his chances of winning primaries in the Boston area.

Trivia time

When the American League most valuable player is announced today, Rodriguez is expected to win for a third time, which would tie him with four others for the most in league history. Can you name the players who have won three?

Just the flax

The indictment Thursday of Barry Bonds on perjury charges brought to light one side effect of his battle with the steroids controversy.

Enlarged head? ‘Roid Rage?

Nope, a boom in the flaxseed oil business.

“We’ve doubled our revenues since last year,” Stephanie Stober of www.flaxusa.com told CNBC. “When we started this business eight years ago, nobody even knew what flax was.”

Bonds has maintained that he thought he was using flaxseed oil, not steroids, as a dietary training supplement.

Star on ice

Jussi Jokinen of the Dallas Stars scored four goals in about 6 minutes 30 seconds of ice time Friday night -- one more goal than he had in the first 17 games of the season.

He needed only five shots to score the four goals and had a hat trick in the second period. He was the first Dallas player with four goals in a game since Brett Hull in 2000, yet he only had 11:04 of ice time for the game, which prompted Dallas Coach Dave Tippett to become king of the obvious.

“I’m upset I didn’t have him on the ice more,” Tippett said.

Penny saved

The Miami Heat defeated the New Jersey Nets, 91-87, on Saturday night to improve to 2-8 for the season. At least one Heat player was more than encouraged despite losing six of eight to start the season.

“We may be the most confident team at 2 and 8 in the history of the NBA,” Penny Hardaway said.

To which NBA fans around the country responded: “Penny is still in the league?”

Brady bunch

The Dallas Cowboys are America’s team, so it’s no surprise that quarterback Tony Romo’s jersey ranks No. 1 in sales, ahead of LaDainian Tomlinson, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, according to NFLshop.com.

The real eye-opener comes at No. 7, where you’ll find the jersey of rookie quarterback Brady Quinn of the Cleveland Browns. Quinn has never played a down in the NFL, which makes you wonder whether confused shop workers toss Quinn’s jersey in a box instead of a Patriots No. 12 whenever an order comes in for “a Brady jersey?”

Trivia answer

Jimmie Foxx (1932, ‘33, ‘38), Joe DiMaggio (‘39, ‘41, ‘47), Yogi Berra (‘51, ‘54, ‘55) and Mickey Mantle (‘56, ‘57, ‘62).

And finally

O.J. Simpson wasn’t all that concerned when he found out he would face trial for his involvement in a hotel robbery in Las Vegas.

“This is what we expected,” Simpson said. “As always, I rely on the jury system.”

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peter.yoon@latimes.com