Extra Bases Blog reports today that Tim Wakefield has been stratched from his scheduled start this Tuesday against Texas, as he has been having problems with the back of his right shoulder. It is the same injury that kept him off the roster in last year's World Series. The Red Sox have not decided on a replacement yet, and have until Tuesday to make a roster move in that regard.
Kevin Youkilis was also scratched from Sunday's game, as he has soreness in his right shoulder. His injury is considered day-to-day.
The Red Sox got a good performance out of Daisuke Matsuzaka on Saturday night, as he went eight innings and allowed just one earned run as he picked up his 13th win of the season. He was helped out by four double plays behind him, as the Red Sox won 6-2 over the White Sox.
I went to the Brooklyn Cyclones game at KeySpan Park last night (a Cyclones 2-0 loss to the Batavia Muckdogs) and got back just in time to see the Sox score 4 runs in the seventh. It was capped off by a David Ortiz double with the bases loaded, driving in three. Jacoby Ellsbury added a home run in 8th. He had three more hits last night and has really found his stroke once again.
The Red Sox gained no ground as Tampa Bay came back from an early 5-0 deficit to beat Seattle, 8-7 in 11 innings. So the Red Sox stay 3 1/2 games back. They gained ground on the Yankees, as the New York bullpen imploded in the 7th and 8th innings. A 3-1 lead turned into an 11-4 loss to the LA Angels and put the Sox 4 games up on New York. Did you ever think you'd hear Yankee fans wishing they had Kyle Farnsworth back?
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Saturday, August 09, 2008
The Manny Divorce
This article also appears today at Bornintoit.com.
I waited until the dust settled from this past July 31st, so now it's time to look back at one of the crazier times in recent memory: the Manny Ramirez final days in Boston.
It's a polarizing issue for everyone concerned. We've been down this road so many times with the goofy slugger, who seemed to change his mind about playing in Boston as often as normal people change their socks. I honestly thought this was another of those times when it looked like he was gone but would still be in a Red Sox uniform when the calendar reached August 1.
Not this year.
This time it was quite different. Manny began running his mouth off about his contract around the All-Star break, saying he didn't want to get any BS from the front office about the 2009 club option and wanted to know where they stood. Red Sox owner John Henry sent out an email about how offended he was with Ramirez' statements, something we'd never heard from the Sox' head man.
Manny's status was definitely affecting the club, as they went into a July tailspin. The mood around the clubhouse was not good. Manny begged out of the final game of the road trip in Seattle, claiming a sore knee. Then, when an important three-game series with the Yankees was about to begin at Fenway, once again he asked out, after his name had been written out of the lineup. This absolutely incensed those in the Red Sox front office, including manager Terry Francona. (The Sox sent him for an MRI that day on BOTH knees, just to be sure. They both turned up nothing.)
While Ramirez' numbers in July were good (he hit .347 for the month), at times he looked like he wasn't giving the best effort possible. What stood out most was the grounder he hit in the 7th inning in the no-hit game John Lackey was working on against the Sox on July 29. It was a ball that appeared he could have made it to first on, but was thrown out and the fans let him know about his lack of hustle. While it certainly wasn't the first time Ramirez was accused of loafing, it was one that really stood out, especially since all the trade rumors were growing.
But for me, when the news leaked out that Theo Epstein approached the Red Sox veterans after they were swept by the Angels on July 30th about how they felt about the situation was most telling. Only David Ortiz stood up for Manny, as everyone else felt it was time to send Manny on his way. The fact that his teammates, who were always among Manny's biggest supporters, had had enough of him said that it was time for Theo to take some action.
The Red Sox were not dealing from strength, so they would not get any fair value. A rumored deal with the Pirates and Marlins fell through on July 31, as both teams got greedy and upped what they wanted from the Red Sox. So it looked like no trade would happen. But Epstein got the Dodgers back involved, and offered $7 million (the remainder of Ramirez' deal for 2008), dropping the 2008 and 2009 options on Ramirez, along with sending Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss to the Pirates. So, just moments before the deadline, Manny Ramirez was shipped off to Los Angeles, with Jason Bay coming to the Red Sox.
It was shocking when it finally happened. But in the end, it HAD to happen. In the moments after the trade was completed, Ramirez' agent, the notorious Scott Boras, called the Red Sox and said that if the Sox just dropped the options, Manny would stay and "behave himself." (Boras still denies the conversation took place.) That was all the Sox needed as confirmation that it was all an orchestrated move by Boras and Ramirez to get out of the contract. Theo said thanks, but no thanks; the deal was on.
I am convinced beyond any doubt that Boras was behind this whole scenario. Once I heard last winter that Ramirez switched agents and brought on Boras that trouble would soon follow. But as the spring training started, it didn't appear that way. Manny was in fine shape and seemed to have a positive attitude. He was more open with the media and talked about finishing his career in Boston.
But just a few weeks back it all seemed to go sour. I am certain that Boras got it into Manny's head that one final, big payday was out there for him (as well as Boras, who doesn't make a penny if the Sox exercised the two Manny options). He's convinced him that a four-year deal worth about $100 million is out there from somebody. Manny just needed to get out of his Boston deal, especially the two option years.
So then Ramirez started making waves, and everyone in Boston's life miserable. It became such an intolerable situation that a trade had to happen. And the Sox wanted out of it as well, as the current brain trust didn't sign him to the eight-year, $160 million deal in 2000, Dan Duquette did.
The Red Sox were taking a gamble trading one of baseball's best all-time righthanded hitters, but for the long range benefit of the team, as well as the 2008 season, it had to be done. Jason Bay is a quality player, who is under contract through 2009 (and thankfully is NOT represented by Scott Boras). He is 29 years old, seven years younger than Ramirez. No, he's not Manny Ramirez, but then again, who is?
The Red Sox also took a monumental gamble dealing another moody superstar in 2004, namely Nomar Garciaparra. But like this one, the front office didn't want to deal with a player who didn't seem to want to be in Boston any more, and you couldn't tell from day-to-day whether he'd be in the lineup or not. A divorce between the two parties was probably in everyone's best interest.
Manny Ramirez is a future Hall of Famer who left a mark on the Red Sox that will endure forever. He was an essential part of the Red Sox winning two World Series, including the most incredible comeback in all of sports history. He hit 274 home runs and batted .312 in 7+ seasons in a Red Sox uniform. In the days following the trade I've heard Red Sox fans call him a traitor, and some even going as far as calling for his suspension, due to the fact they feel was "laying down" in his final days in a Red Sox uniform. (MLB is probing whether there is any validity to this, but I doubt anything will come out it, seeing Ramirez' numbers in the final weeks were still overall pretty strong.)
Manny deserves the standing ovations that former Red Sox stars like Pedro Martinez, Dave Roberts, Trot Nixon, Orlando Cabrera and Kevin Millar got after they returned to Fenway Park with other clubs. He was a huge part of the Red Sox turning the page once and for all on their "tortured" past. He should be recognized for that.
As long as his return to Fenway, if it does happen, isn't in a certain team's pinstriped uniform.
Thanks for the memories, Manny. Especially for 2004. Sorry it had to end this way.
I waited until the dust settled from this past July 31st, so now it's time to look back at one of the crazier times in recent memory: the Manny Ramirez final days in Boston.
It's a polarizing issue for everyone concerned. We've been down this road so many times with the goofy slugger, who seemed to change his mind about playing in Boston as often as normal people change their socks. I honestly thought this was another of those times when it looked like he was gone but would still be in a Red Sox uniform when the calendar reached August 1.
Not this year.
This time it was quite different. Manny began running his mouth off about his contract around the All-Star break, saying he didn't want to get any BS from the front office about the 2009 club option and wanted to know where they stood. Red Sox owner John Henry sent out an email about how offended he was with Ramirez' statements, something we'd never heard from the Sox' head man.
Manny's status was definitely affecting the club, as they went into a July tailspin. The mood around the clubhouse was not good. Manny begged out of the final game of the road trip in Seattle, claiming a sore knee. Then, when an important three-game series with the Yankees was about to begin at Fenway, once again he asked out, after his name had been written out of the lineup. This absolutely incensed those in the Red Sox front office, including manager Terry Francona. (The Sox sent him for an MRI that day on BOTH knees, just to be sure. They both turned up nothing.)
While Ramirez' numbers in July were good (he hit .347 for the month), at times he looked like he wasn't giving the best effort possible. What stood out most was the grounder he hit in the 7th inning in the no-hit game John Lackey was working on against the Sox on July 29. It was a ball that appeared he could have made it to first on, but was thrown out and the fans let him know about his lack of hustle. While it certainly wasn't the first time Ramirez was accused of loafing, it was one that really stood out, especially since all the trade rumors were growing.
But for me, when the news leaked out that Theo Epstein approached the Red Sox veterans after they were swept by the Angels on July 30th about how they felt about the situation was most telling. Only David Ortiz stood up for Manny, as everyone else felt it was time to send Manny on his way. The fact that his teammates, who were always among Manny's biggest supporters, had had enough of him said that it was time for Theo to take some action.
The Red Sox were not dealing from strength, so they would not get any fair value. A rumored deal with the Pirates and Marlins fell through on July 31, as both teams got greedy and upped what they wanted from the Red Sox. So it looked like no trade would happen. But Epstein got the Dodgers back involved, and offered $7 million (the remainder of Ramirez' deal for 2008), dropping the 2008 and 2009 options on Ramirez, along with sending Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss to the Pirates. So, just moments before the deadline, Manny Ramirez was shipped off to Los Angeles, with Jason Bay coming to the Red Sox.
It was shocking when it finally happened. But in the end, it HAD to happen. In the moments after the trade was completed, Ramirez' agent, the notorious Scott Boras, called the Red Sox and said that if the Sox just dropped the options, Manny would stay and "behave himself." (Boras still denies the conversation took place.) That was all the Sox needed as confirmation that it was all an orchestrated move by Boras and Ramirez to get out of the contract. Theo said thanks, but no thanks; the deal was on.
I am convinced beyond any doubt that Boras was behind this whole scenario. Once I heard last winter that Ramirez switched agents and brought on Boras that trouble would soon follow. But as the spring training started, it didn't appear that way. Manny was in fine shape and seemed to have a positive attitude. He was more open with the media and talked about finishing his career in Boston.
But just a few weeks back it all seemed to go sour. I am certain that Boras got it into Manny's head that one final, big payday was out there for him (as well as Boras, who doesn't make a penny if the Sox exercised the two Manny options). He's convinced him that a four-year deal worth about $100 million is out there from somebody. Manny just needed to get out of his Boston deal, especially the two option years.
So then Ramirez started making waves, and everyone in Boston's life miserable. It became such an intolerable situation that a trade had to happen. And the Sox wanted out of it as well, as the current brain trust didn't sign him to the eight-year, $160 million deal in 2000, Dan Duquette did.
The Red Sox were taking a gamble trading one of baseball's best all-time righthanded hitters, but for the long range benefit of the team, as well as the 2008 season, it had to be done. Jason Bay is a quality player, who is under contract through 2009 (and thankfully is NOT represented by Scott Boras). He is 29 years old, seven years younger than Ramirez. No, he's not Manny Ramirez, but then again, who is?
The Red Sox also took a monumental gamble dealing another moody superstar in 2004, namely Nomar Garciaparra. But like this one, the front office didn't want to deal with a player who didn't seem to want to be in Boston any more, and you couldn't tell from day-to-day whether he'd be in the lineup or not. A divorce between the two parties was probably in everyone's best interest.
Manny Ramirez is a future Hall of Famer who left a mark on the Red Sox that will endure forever. He was an essential part of the Red Sox winning two World Series, including the most incredible comeback in all of sports history. He hit 274 home runs and batted .312 in 7+ seasons in a Red Sox uniform. In the days following the trade I've heard Red Sox fans call him a traitor, and some even going as far as calling for his suspension, due to the fact they feel was "laying down" in his final days in a Red Sox uniform. (MLB is probing whether there is any validity to this, but I doubt anything will come out it, seeing Ramirez' numbers in the final weeks were still overall pretty strong.)
Manny deserves the standing ovations that former Red Sox stars like Pedro Martinez, Dave Roberts, Trot Nixon, Orlando Cabrera and Kevin Millar got after they returned to Fenway Park with other clubs. He was a huge part of the Red Sox turning the page once and for all on their "tortured" past. He should be recognized for that.
As long as his return to Fenway, if it does happen, isn't in a certain team's pinstriped uniform.
Thanks for the memories, Manny. Especially for 2004. Sorry it had to end this way.
Beaten By The Other Sox
The Red Sox had a devil of a time with Mark Buehrle last night, and couldn't get a man to third against him in 7+ innings. It was a bit surprising, as the Sox have owned Buehrle over the last few years. He was 0-4 with an ERA of over 7.00 in his last four starts against the Red Sox, and he got absolutely hammered in Kansas City in his last outing, giving up 14 hits in 4+ innings.
So naturally the Red Sox looked feeble against him as Chicago won, 5-3.
Dustin Pedroia hit a three-run homer against Octavio Dotel in the eighth to get the Red Sox on the board, but Manny Delcarmen gave any momentum back in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run to Carlos Quentin. Jon Lester pitched 7 innings and gave up four earned runs. It was his first loss since May and ended his seven-game winning streak.
Tampa Bay won so the Red Sox fell to 3 1/2 games back in the AL East.
Before the game it was announced that Brian Giles refused a trade to the Red Sox from the Padres. Giles was claimed off waivers, but had the right to refuse a trade to nine teams, and the Red Sox were one of them. It was curious that Giles, whose career has really suffered playing in a pitchers park like Petco Park, would decline a trade from the Padres, who are hopelessly out of it in the NL West. It would put him in the middle of a pennant race. It would mean he would sit on the bench as a reserve player, but he would also get a $2 million relocation fee for the trade as well.
But Giles is from the San Diego area, and doesn't want to leave his family, which is understandable. He likes his situation in San Diego very much, but the Padres don't. The Padres would love to have gotten out from under his $9 million contract, which also has an option for the same amount next season. You don't get opportunities to revive your career like this every day. Giles seems to be the polar opposite of Ken Griffey, who left the Reds for a postseason shot to help the White Sox as a part-time player.
So naturally the Red Sox looked feeble against him as Chicago won, 5-3.
Dustin Pedroia hit a three-run homer against Octavio Dotel in the eighth to get the Red Sox on the board, but Manny Delcarmen gave any momentum back in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run to Carlos Quentin. Jon Lester pitched 7 innings and gave up four earned runs. It was his first loss since May and ended his seven-game winning streak.
Tampa Bay won so the Red Sox fell to 3 1/2 games back in the AL East.
Before the game it was announced that Brian Giles refused a trade to the Red Sox from the Padres. Giles was claimed off waivers, but had the right to refuse a trade to nine teams, and the Red Sox were one of them. It was curious that Giles, whose career has really suffered playing in a pitchers park like Petco Park, would decline a trade from the Padres, who are hopelessly out of it in the NL West. It would put him in the middle of a pennant race. It would mean he would sit on the bench as a reserve player, but he would also get a $2 million relocation fee for the trade as well.
But Giles is from the San Diego area, and doesn't want to leave his family, which is understandable. He likes his situation in San Diego very much, but the Padres don't. The Padres would love to have gotten out from under his $9 million contract, which also has an option for the same amount next season. You don't get opportunities to revive your career like this every day. Giles seems to be the polar opposite of Ken Griffey, who left the Reds for a postseason shot to help the White Sox as a part-time player.
Friday, August 08, 2008
A Special World Series Trophy Photo
Last night was a really special night at Professor Thom's, as we had a public viewing in The Loft of "Blessed! Still We Believe 2." We had a nice turnout of folks who came in and enjoyed the film. Many of us who appeared in the film, like my friends Chris Wertz, Chris Johnson (who looks amazingly like David Ortiz), Matt, Eric and a few others came out to check out the film. It was great to relive those special memories once again.But after the film, I was introduced to Peter Nash, who is an author and a filmmaker, and he produced the splendid documentary "Rooters: The Birth of Red Sox Nation." He had a special surprise for all of us in The Loft last night.
He brought in the actual 1912 Red Sox World Series championship trophy. (Actually it's not an "official" trophy, as MLB didn't give out an official WS trophy until 1967.) It's a really small trophy, but it is nearly 100 years old, and in the middle contains the actual ball that Red Sox infielder Larry Gardner hit for a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning to win Game 8 (there was one tie that year) and the Series for the Sox.
Like the 2004 and 2007 Red Sox championship trophies, we all took turns taking pictures with it (and there I am). Peter told us some great stories about the trophy. It was originally given to Sox manager Jake Stahl back in 1912 by Boston mayor John "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald, who was John F. Kennedy's grandfather.
My thanks to Peter for bringing it in and letting us get some photos with a real piece of Red Sox history.
"Dirty Water: A Red Sox Mystery"
I recently finished a new novel that will be coming to a bookshelf near you next month. It's called "Dirty Water: A Red Sox Mystery," and it is by "The Poppy Rice Mysteries" author Mary-Ann Tirone Smith and her son Jere.As a matter of full disclosure, I have known Jere for a few years, as he has a terrific blog that I check out daily, "A Red Sox Fan From Pinstripe Territory." I first met Jere when we both went to a screening of the Michael Keaton film "Game 6," about a Red Sox fan from New York living through Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.
Jere was also kind enough to ask me to write something about him in the introduction of the book, which I was very pleased to do.
So with all of that of out of the way, I really did enjoy the book he collaborated on with his mother. It is a fictional story with many real people in the book. It is a mystery that begins when an abandoned month-old boy is discovered in the Red Sox clubhouse at Fenway Park during the 2007 season. He is brought to the hospital and is named "Ted Williams" by the hospital staff.
The central figures of the book are two Boston detectives, Rocky Patel and Marty Flanagan. A number of other events occur after the baby's discovery: a woman turns up dead in the shadow of Fenway; a young Dominican pitcher for the Red Sox AA team goes missing; and a player's agent gets caught up in a weave of blackmail over Cuban baseball players.
It's up to the detectives to connect the dots and figure exactly why these events are all related to each other.
There is also a mystery blogger, who runs a Red Sox fan site, who seems to have information taken directly from someone inside the Red Sox front office. The Smiths have a blog passage at the end of each chapter from the mystery man, and use some real-life bloggers in the fictional posts (including Yours Truly).
The detectives, with valuable help from the blogger, begin putting the pieces together, and it leads to a final confrontation that wraps the whole story up. I don't want to give too much away, but the Smiths have put together a fascinating story of murder, blackmail and intrigue.
The book will be released in early September, and if you'd like to preorder the book through Amazon.com, please go here.
Jere has also put together a blog for his book, and you can the progress of the book here as well.
The Smiths are rightly proud of their book and it was such a pleasure to read it. I wish them all the best with the book, and if you enjoy reading murder mysteries and like a bit of baseball thrown in, I know you'll enjoy their fine novel.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Ellsbury's Got It Going
It was another big night for Jacoby Ellsbury (pictured) last night in Kansas City, as he had three hits including a big three-run homer as the Red Sox won the series over the Royals with another 8-2 win. He also made a fabulous defensive play in center to save a run early in the game as well.Ellsbury had been struggling big time going into the series, and actually didn't start on Monday night. But he went deep for the first time since June 15th, as he hit a blast to dead center off Ron Mahay to ice the win. He was batting in the seventh slot for the first time, and Terry Francona said he will move him back to leadoff again when Ellsbury is ready.
He sure looked ready last night.
Tim Wakefield pitched six solid innings in allowing just two runs to get his 7th win of 2008. It looked like it might be another night when the Red Sox wouldn't score for him, as it was scoreless into the fifth. But with two outs, Alex Cora started the rally with a single. J.D. Drew walked, and Jed Lowrie, who continued his impressive turn at the plate, doubled in two runs. David Ortiz singled him in to finish the scoring that inning. The Sox added two more in the sixth to make it 5-2, before Ellsbury's slam in the 7th.
Kevin Youkilis left the game in the first after being hit in the right wrist with a pitch. X-rays were negative, and like all of us in this life, is day-to-day.
Tampa Bay won, scoring six in the ninth to beat the Indians, 10-7, so the Red Sox remain 3 back. The Sox begin a four-game "wrap around" series in Chicago tomorrow after an off day today. BTW, did you hear about the spectacular game Jeff Karstens pitched in Arizona yesterday for the Pirates? He retired the first 23 batters before Chris Young doubled to end the perfect game. He pitched a two-hitter for a 2-0 win. He's 2-0 and hasn't given up an earned run in 15 innings for the Pirates. Do you think the Yankees would like to have him back? So much for the theory that the Yankees gave up nothing in that trade with the Bucs last month.
And a reminder to all of you in the New York area. We will be having a screening tonight at Professor Thom's of the documentary film, "Blessed! Still We Believe 2" in the bar's Loft. It's free, and it begins at 8 PM. Yours Truly appears in the film with some of my friends, and I'll be on hand for tonight's viewing.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Playing Wall Ball
The Red Sox bounced back nicely last night from the difficult defeat of Monday night, as Jason Bay had four hits and Josh Beckett pitched 6 2/3 solid innings as the Sox won, 8-2 in Kansas City.I watched the game on and off as I was hosting Trivia Night, so I can't really watch very closely. But I did see the ball that Jason Bay hit that I thought was going to go out. Royals centerfielder Mitch Maier had the ball hit off his glove (pictured) and it rolled along the wall until leftfielder Ross Gload knocked it down to the ground and held Bay to a double. (Jed Lowrie knocked him in with a RBI triple right after the play occurred.)
It just goes to show you that you never know what you may see at a baseball game.
It was a nice bounce back for Beckett, who had his worst start of the season last time against the LA Angels. He allowed just 2 runs on 4 hits, and struck out seven in getting his first win, his 10th of the year, in almost a month.
Jacoby Ellsbury also had a great night, as he had two hits and stole two bases. Those were his first steals in over five weeks. The Sox really need him to be more consistent, and be the offensive catalyst they know he can be.
The series concludes tonight with Tim Wakefield taking the hill against KC's Luke Hochevar.
Trivia Q&A: August 5
On a night when the air conditioning went out in Professor Thom's and was being repaired, we still had 19 teams come in on Trivia Night. We at Thom's really appreciated all of you who had to live with a myriad of fans to stay cool.
The scores were generally very strong, and the scores on Summer Olympics Trivia and General Knowledge were particularly good. The top five teams going into IQ Trivia were separated by just two points.
Two teams ran in the table in IQ Trivia, and one was the first place team going in, Monty is a Dog, so they were crowned champions. They won by just two points. Congratulations to Matt and his friends on their well-earned victory. (One his friend Amy predicted to me before the contest began.)
Current Events
1. Amidst accusations of corruption, Ehud Olmert announced he will resign as prime minister of this country after a party election in September.
2. Name 1 of the 2 foods that manufacturers agreed to reduce the levels of carcinogens in in a deal with the California state attorney general's office last Friday.
3. LAPD Chief William Bratton last week said that this Hollywood actress "had gone gay" in an interview with NBC.
4. Late last month, this type of transplant was successfully done for the very first time ever in Germany.
5. This 1980s sitcom star signed a one-day contract to play minor league baseball, but last Friday was ejected after the bat he used was discovered to have been corked with superballs.
6. 145 people died in this Asian country after a heavy rain caused stones from a wall to fall and triggered a stampede of pilgrims at an annual outdoor religious festival.
7. Las Vegas oddsmakers have this Olympic sport the favorite to have a competitor stripped of a medal for failing a drug test.
Answers: 1. Israel; 2. potato chips and french fries; 3. Lindsay Lohan; 4. double-arm transplant; 5. Gary Coleman; 6. India; 7. weightlifting.
Summer Olympics Trivia
1. In which Summer Games did Cassius Clay (aka Muhammad Ali) win a gold medal in boxing? a. 1956; b. 1960; c. 1964; d. 1968.
2. Which country has won a gold medal at every Summer Olympics? a. USA; b. France; c. Great Britain; d. Australia.
3. What was the first US city to host a Summer Olympic Games? a. Los Angeles; b. St. Louis; c. Chicago; d. San Francisco.
4. What sport is being removed from the Olympics following the 2008 Games? a. baseball; b. archery; c. badminton; d. table tennis.
5. Which city is schedules to host the Summer Games in 2012? a. Tokyo; b. Madrid; c. Rio De Janeiro; d. London.
6. Which country did Nadia Comaneci win a gold medal for in gymnastics in 1976? a. Bulgaria; b. Yugoslavia; c. Romania; d. Soviet Union.
7. How many gold medals did swimmer Mark Spitz win at the 1972 Games to set a new record? a. 6; b. 7; c. 8; d. 5.
Answers: 1. b; 2. c; 3. b; 4. a; 5. d; 6. c; 7. b.
True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. In the 1998 Winter Olympics, the only sport that women did not compete in was bobsledding.
2. Lightning is primarily caused by the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon.
3. Tendons connect bones to muscles.
4. Kierkegaarde is considered to be the father of existentialism.
5. Since 1914, all presidential and congressional elections have been held on a Tuesday.
6. In the game of dice, "boxcars" is the name for when you roll double fours.
7. Marilyn Monroe's last film "The Misfits" was also the last movie Clark Gable ever made.
8. Singers Naomi and Wynonna Judd are actually sisters.
9. A tercel is the male of the crocodile.
10. Grover Cleveland was the only president to also be a Supreme Court justice.
Answers: 1. true; 2. false, tides; 3. true; 4. true; 5. true; 6. false, it's double sixes; 7. true; 8. false, they are mother and daughter; 9. false, it is a hawk; 10. false, William Howard Taft was.
General Knowledge
1. On a standard cubic dice, what's the sum of the numbers on any pair of opposite faces?
2. What group of over 100,000 people were pardoned by President Carter in 1977?
3. What is believed to be the most likely cause of Arizona's Barringer Crater?
4. After the Iowa Caucus of 2004, which presidential candidate delivered the now-infamous "I Have a Scream" speech?
5. If you were in Shanghai and dug a hole straight through the Earth's surface, what South American capital city would you be in on the other side?
6. In Soviet Siberia, the main administration for corrective labor camps was known as what?
7. What US city was deep dish pizza first introduced in 1943?
Answers: 1. seven; 2. Vietnam draft dodgers; 3. meteorite; 4. Howard Dean; 5. Buenos Aires; 6. gulag; 7. Chicago.
IQ Trivia
1. What's the only nation with two territorial claims on Antarctica, despite being further from Antarctica than almost any country on Earth? ( 4 points)
2. What world religion is divided into the Theravada and Mahayana schools? ( 4 points)
3. The first island spotted by Columbus in the New World in 1492, San Salvador, is part of what nation? ( 4 points)
4. What was the name of the ship that Charles Darwin made his famous treks to South America on in the 1830s? ( 5 points)
5. On what part of the body would an avid mountaineer wear crampons? ( 3 points)
Answers: 1. Norway; 2. Buddhism; 3. The Bahamas; 4. HMS Beagle; 5. feet.
The scores were generally very strong, and the scores on Summer Olympics Trivia and General Knowledge were particularly good. The top five teams going into IQ Trivia were separated by just two points.
Two teams ran in the table in IQ Trivia, and one was the first place team going in, Monty is a Dog, so they were crowned champions. They won by just two points. Congratulations to Matt and his friends on their well-earned victory. (One his friend Amy predicted to me before the contest began.)
Current Events
1. Amidst accusations of corruption, Ehud Olmert announced he will resign as prime minister of this country after a party election in September.
2. Name 1 of the 2 foods that manufacturers agreed to reduce the levels of carcinogens in in a deal with the California state attorney general's office last Friday.
3. LAPD Chief William Bratton last week said that this Hollywood actress "had gone gay" in an interview with NBC.
4. Late last month, this type of transplant was successfully done for the very first time ever in Germany.
5. This 1980s sitcom star signed a one-day contract to play minor league baseball, but last Friday was ejected after the bat he used was discovered to have been corked with superballs.
6. 145 people died in this Asian country after a heavy rain caused stones from a wall to fall and triggered a stampede of pilgrims at an annual outdoor religious festival.
7. Las Vegas oddsmakers have this Olympic sport the favorite to have a competitor stripped of a medal for failing a drug test.
Answers: 1. Israel; 2. potato chips and french fries; 3. Lindsay Lohan; 4. double-arm transplant; 5. Gary Coleman; 6. India; 7. weightlifting.
Summer Olympics Trivia
1. In which Summer Games did Cassius Clay (aka Muhammad Ali) win a gold medal in boxing? a. 1956; b. 1960; c. 1964; d. 1968.
2. Which country has won a gold medal at every Summer Olympics? a. USA; b. France; c. Great Britain; d. Australia.
3. What was the first US city to host a Summer Olympic Games? a. Los Angeles; b. St. Louis; c. Chicago; d. San Francisco.
4. What sport is being removed from the Olympics following the 2008 Games? a. baseball; b. archery; c. badminton; d. table tennis.
5. Which city is schedules to host the Summer Games in 2012? a. Tokyo; b. Madrid; c. Rio De Janeiro; d. London.
6. Which country did Nadia Comaneci win a gold medal for in gymnastics in 1976? a. Bulgaria; b. Yugoslavia; c. Romania; d. Soviet Union.
7. How many gold medals did swimmer Mark Spitz win at the 1972 Games to set a new record? a. 6; b. 7; c. 8; d. 5.
Answers: 1. b; 2. c; 3. b; 4. a; 5. d; 6. c; 7. b.
True or False Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. In the 1998 Winter Olympics, the only sport that women did not compete in was bobsledding.
2. Lightning is primarily caused by the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon.
3. Tendons connect bones to muscles.
4. Kierkegaarde is considered to be the father of existentialism.
5. Since 1914, all presidential and congressional elections have been held on a Tuesday.
6. In the game of dice, "boxcars" is the name for when you roll double fours.
7. Marilyn Monroe's last film "The Misfits" was also the last movie Clark Gable ever made.
8. Singers Naomi and Wynonna Judd are actually sisters.
9. A tercel is the male of the crocodile.
10. Grover Cleveland was the only president to also be a Supreme Court justice.
Answers: 1. true; 2. false, tides; 3. true; 4. true; 5. true; 6. false, it's double sixes; 7. true; 8. false, they are mother and daughter; 9. false, it is a hawk; 10. false, William Howard Taft was.
General Knowledge
1. On a standard cubic dice, what's the sum of the numbers on any pair of opposite faces?
2. What group of over 100,000 people were pardoned by President Carter in 1977?
3. What is believed to be the most likely cause of Arizona's Barringer Crater?
4. After the Iowa Caucus of 2004, which presidential candidate delivered the now-infamous "I Have a Scream" speech?
5. If you were in Shanghai and dug a hole straight through the Earth's surface, what South American capital city would you be in on the other side?
6. In Soviet Siberia, the main administration for corrective labor camps was known as what?
7. What US city was deep dish pizza first introduced in 1943?
Answers: 1. seven; 2. Vietnam draft dodgers; 3. meteorite; 4. Howard Dean; 5. Buenos Aires; 6. gulag; 7. Chicago.
IQ Trivia
1. What's the only nation with two territorial claims on Antarctica, despite being further from Antarctica than almost any country on Earth? ( 4 points)
2. What world religion is divided into the Theravada and Mahayana schools? ( 4 points)
3. The first island spotted by Columbus in the New World in 1492, San Salvador, is part of what nation? ( 4 points)
4. What was the name of the ship that Charles Darwin made his famous treks to South America on in the 1830s? ( 5 points)
5. On what part of the body would an avid mountaineer wear crampons? ( 3 points)
Answers: 1. Norway; 2. Buddhism; 3. The Bahamas; 4. HMS Beagle; 5. feet.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
I Give These Writers an "F"
I'm getting really tired of this nonsense.
It's this inane crap of so-called expert sportswriters (who I consider in the same league with politicians, lawyers and snake oil salesmen like Giuseppe Franco) who feel compelled to give teams "grades" or call what they did or didn't do at the trading deadline either 'winners" or "losers."
Many times they are made to look like fools when down the road the real story unfolds. Right now there is simply no way to judge whether the Red Sox did the right thing or not in trading Manny Ramirez. Not enough time has passed to judge. Management simply couldn't deal with him any more, so it was done. Will Jason Bay do what Manny accomplished in Boston? Probably not. But the move was made for the good of the club and its future. Many have called them "losers" for doing it, because they didn't get back enough for Ramirez and had to sacrifice two young players as well.
Hours and the first days after the deadline ended is no criterion for making a judgment. Do I need to remind these dimwits that everyone seemed to think the Red Sox were big "winners" last July when they swung the deal for Eric Gagne? (No need to rehash what happened after that, as we all know the story.) Or back in 2004, when everyone said the Red Sox were big "losers" for not getting enough when they traded Nomar Garciaparra to Chicago? Or the Mets were big "winners" when they picked up Kris Benson and Victor Zambrano at the deadline that year? (Again, no need to rehash that either. However, Zambrano takes his place in the Mets' infamous trading history with Jim Fregosi and Juan Samuel.)
It's as fruitless and stupid grading these teams as those knuckleheads who grade the NFL Draft every year. That is something you can't properly grade for at least 1-2 YEARS after it's happened. How many times have you seen guys who no one thought anything of and were drafted in the later rounds (Tom Brady) become stars, while guys who were "can't miss" turn out to be total busts (Blair Thomas)?
But of course, these sportswriters have to write about something, right?
Leave the grading to the school teachers, guys.
It's this inane crap of so-called expert sportswriters (who I consider in the same league with politicians, lawyers and snake oil salesmen like Giuseppe Franco) who feel compelled to give teams "grades" or call what they did or didn't do at the trading deadline either 'winners" or "losers."
Many times they are made to look like fools when down the road the real story unfolds. Right now there is simply no way to judge whether the Red Sox did the right thing or not in trading Manny Ramirez. Not enough time has passed to judge. Management simply couldn't deal with him any more, so it was done. Will Jason Bay do what Manny accomplished in Boston? Probably not. But the move was made for the good of the club and its future. Many have called them "losers" for doing it, because they didn't get back enough for Ramirez and had to sacrifice two young players as well.
Hours and the first days after the deadline ended is no criterion for making a judgment. Do I need to remind these dimwits that everyone seemed to think the Red Sox were big "winners" last July when they swung the deal for Eric Gagne? (No need to rehash what happened after that, as we all know the story.) Or back in 2004, when everyone said the Red Sox were big "losers" for not getting enough when they traded Nomar Garciaparra to Chicago? Or the Mets were big "winners" when they picked up Kris Benson and Victor Zambrano at the deadline that year? (Again, no need to rehash that either. However, Zambrano takes his place in the Mets' infamous trading history with Jim Fregosi and Juan Samuel.)
It's as fruitless and stupid grading these teams as those knuckleheads who grade the NFL Draft every year. That is something you can't properly grade for at least 1-2 YEARS after it's happened. How many times have you seen guys who no one thought anything of and were drafted in the later rounds (Tom Brady) become stars, while guys who were "can't miss" turn out to be total busts (Blair Thomas)?
But of course, these sportswriters have to write about something, right?
Leave the grading to the school teachers, guys.
Another Rough Start On the Road
It was another rough outing for Clay Buchholz, as he dropped his fifth consecutive decision. He's now 2-7, as he gave up four runs in six innings as the Red Sox lost once again on the road, 4-3, to Kansas City. The Red Sox are now 24-33 away from Fenway.
Buchholz gave up a solo homer to Alex Gordon in the second, and then gave up three runs in the third, and it was capped by a hit batsman with the bases loaded. He has not won since his return from the DL and his last win was in early May against Tampa Bay.
Buchholz is a great talent and a top-of-the-line starter. But just not now. He's just doesn't appear to be ready to make that leap just yet.
The Sox opened the game with two quick runs off Gil Meche in the first, as Kevin Youkilis doubled in a run and David Ortiz grounded out with the second run scoring. (Papi after the game said that he felt a "click" in his recovering left wrist in the ninth inning. Pray that is nothing.) But Meche settled in and struck out 9 over the 6 innings he worked.
Kansas City held the lead until the ninth, when the Red Sox staged a rally. They loaded the bases and with two outs, Jason Bay hit a grounder that Alex Gordon and Tony Pena collided trying to field, scoring one run. But Sean Casey hit a liner to right that first appeared to me was going to fall in for at least two runs. But it held up long enough for Mark Teahen to catch and end the game.
The Red Sox lost no ground, as Tampa Bay lost to Cleveland. New York lost in Texas, but they may have suffered a bigger loss as Joba Chamberlain left the game with a stiff right shoulder after allowing two home runs and five earned runs. I remember hearing that his right shoulder and knee were both major concerns, and a possible disaster waiting to happen, as he had troubles with both at Nebraska. It was also a big reason he fell as far in the MLB draft that he did. If the Yankees lose Chamberlain for any stretch of time, their playoff chances maybe cooked.
Buchholz gave up a solo homer to Alex Gordon in the second, and then gave up three runs in the third, and it was capped by a hit batsman with the bases loaded. He has not won since his return from the DL and his last win was in early May against Tampa Bay.
Buchholz is a great talent and a top-of-the-line starter. But just not now. He's just doesn't appear to be ready to make that leap just yet.
The Sox opened the game with two quick runs off Gil Meche in the first, as Kevin Youkilis doubled in a run and David Ortiz grounded out with the second run scoring. (Papi after the game said that he felt a "click" in his recovering left wrist in the ninth inning. Pray that is nothing.) But Meche settled in and struck out 9 over the 6 innings he worked.
Kansas City held the lead until the ninth, when the Red Sox staged a rally. They loaded the bases and with two outs, Jason Bay hit a grounder that Alex Gordon and Tony Pena collided trying to field, scoring one run. But Sean Casey hit a liner to right that first appeared to me was going to fall in for at least two runs. But it held up long enough for Mark Teahen to catch and end the game.
The Red Sox lost no ground, as Tampa Bay lost to Cleveland. New York lost in Texas, but they may have suffered a bigger loss as Joba Chamberlain left the game with a stiff right shoulder after allowing two home runs and five earned runs. I remember hearing that his right shoulder and knee were both major concerns, and a possible disaster waiting to happen, as he had troubles with both at Nebraska. It was also a big reason he fell as far in the MLB draft that he did. If the Yankees lose Chamberlain for any stretch of time, their playoff chances maybe cooked.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Summer Olympics Trivia on Tuesday
With the Beijing Olympics beginning this Friday, I thought it would be only appropriate to mark the occasion by having a round of "Summer Olympics Trivia." It will be seven questions about the Summer Games, so you don't have to worry about any questions about luge, bobsledding or skiing. All the questions will also be multiple choice.We will also have True or False Trivia this week as part of "The Q Train." And we'll also have the usual other categories to go along with it. (For those of you in cyberspace looking for the Summer Olympics Trivia Q&A, it will be posted after the contest on Wednesday morning.)
This week's Sneak Peek question is:
What US city was deep dish pizza first introduced in 1943?
I hope many of you can make it in for Trivia Night this Tuesday.
Breaking News: Giambalco Shaves!
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's true.La Moustache is no more.
Jason Giambi, from today's NY Daily News:
"There's no more hits in it," the freshly shaved first baseman said as he boarded the team bus. "No more hits."
I guess there are no more "rebels" on the Yankees now, no more guys flouting the rules. Yep, the Yankees restore the stuffed shirt, corporate image now.
Wow, that makes my day. In the immortal words of the late, great George Carlin, "I get more excited picking out socks."
Sweep Salvages the Homestand
It was one of the more bizarre homestands in the history of the Boston Red Sox.
It began with Manny Ramirez sitting out the first game of the series against the Yankees, claiming a sore knee that had kept him out of the final game of the road trip in Seattle. The Red Sox dropped five out of six games to New York and L.A. Angels, who came into Fenway Park as the hottest team in the game.
The rumors began circulating that Ramirez was gone, one way or the other, by Thursday's trade deadline. Everyone had had enough, especially his teammates, who agreed it was time Manny go elsewhere. A rumored deal with Florida and Pittsburgh fell through, and it looked like no deal was forthcoming.
Then, 20 minutes after the deadline, the news came out that Ramirez was gone. Gone to Los Angeles. And the bizarro stories started, about how Manny would behave himself if the Red Sox just dropped the two options years they held on his contract. No chance, said Theo Epstein, and he was history.
Enter Jason Bay. He gets his Red Sox career off to a great start, scoring both runs in Friday's win, hitting the game-winning home run on Saturday, and gets two hits and throws out a runner going from first to second on a base hit in Sunday's win. That was exactly what Bay needed to do. Get everyone feeling good about Thursday's deal.
Not to mention a sweep of the Oakland A's, who are basically playing for next season. They salvaged the homestand, where they went 4-5. Daisuke Matsuzaka picked up his 12th win, and Jed Lowrie tripled in two runs to pace the attack. The Red Sox remain three back, as Tampa Bay swept Detroit this past weekend also.
The road trip begins today in Kansas City. The Sox will be there for three before moving to Chicago, to play the White Sox, who they have not seen yet this year, for four games.
It began with Manny Ramirez sitting out the first game of the series against the Yankees, claiming a sore knee that had kept him out of the final game of the road trip in Seattle. The Red Sox dropped five out of six games to New York and L.A. Angels, who came into Fenway Park as the hottest team in the game.
The rumors began circulating that Ramirez was gone, one way or the other, by Thursday's trade deadline. Everyone had had enough, especially his teammates, who agreed it was time Manny go elsewhere. A rumored deal with Florida and Pittsburgh fell through, and it looked like no deal was forthcoming.
Then, 20 minutes after the deadline, the news came out that Ramirez was gone. Gone to Los Angeles. And the bizarro stories started, about how Manny would behave himself if the Red Sox just dropped the two options years they held on his contract. No chance, said Theo Epstein, and he was history.
Enter Jason Bay. He gets his Red Sox career off to a great start, scoring both runs in Friday's win, hitting the game-winning home run on Saturday, and gets two hits and throws out a runner going from first to second on a base hit in Sunday's win. That was exactly what Bay needed to do. Get everyone feeling good about Thursday's deal.
Not to mention a sweep of the Oakland A's, who are basically playing for next season. They salvaged the homestand, where they went 4-5. Daisuke Matsuzaka picked up his 12th win, and Jed Lowrie tripled in two runs to pace the attack. The Red Sox remain three back, as Tampa Bay swept Detroit this past weekend also.
The road trip begins today in Kansas City. The Sox will be there for three before moving to Chicago, to play the White Sox, who they have not seen yet this year, for four games.
Sunday, August 03, 2008
You Know What They Say About Opinions
I knew it was just a matter of time until the "silly letters" popped up in the papers about Manny Ramirez. And from today's New York Post, I wasn't disappointed (no names mentioned here):
Manny Ramirez should spite his ungrateful Red Sox bosses by insisting that he go into the Hall of Fame in his Boston Red Sox uniform. All Ramirez did was lead the Red Sox to two world championships after 86 years of futility. "Manny being Manny" is what allowed him to become the superstar that he has been. His new manager Joe Torre will know how to handle Ramirez, and the Dodgers will see a tremendous improvement in run production.
Ungrateful Red Sox bosses? Yeah, so ungrateful they paid him $20 million a season, making him one of baseball's highest paid players. I guess this guy doesn't know what a grousing malcontent Ramirez has been over the past couple of months by basically alienating just about the entire front office and just about all of his teammates. Ramirez did everything but lay down on the warning track to get himself out of Boston, sir. Hey, the Sox front office is partially responsible for indulging him with all of his quirks, but they had absolutely no choice to move him.
(Check out this article from today's Post from Joel Sherman. Quite interesting.)
I must also inform you, sir, that Manny (and no other future Hall of Famer) has the choice of which hat (not uniform) that they will wear on their plaque. The Hall makes the choice, and Ramirez will undoubtedly go in with the Sox hat on. And that's fine, as Manny became a legend in Boston. And Red Sox fans, whether they like Ramirez or not, know that, and really hope he goes in with the "B" on the hat.
"Manny being Manny" is not what has allowed Ramirez to be the superstar that he is. Being one of baseball's all-time great right handed hitters has allowed Manny to have the status he has now, whether he's quirky or not.
Joe Torre is so sure how to handle Manny that he actually called Terry Francona right after the trade to ask him about Ramirez (undoubtedly asking about how to "handle" him).
And don't be so sure the Dodgers run production will go up markedly. Dodger Stadium is the toughest park in MLB to hit home runs in this season. And Manny has almost no protection around him. (Guys like Jeff Kent and James Loney don't exactly strike fear in opposition managers.) So if the Dodgers are in a legitimate playoff race in September, opposition pitchers will treat Manny like Barry Bonds at his height. Manny will be drawing tons of walks, either intentional or not. I would bet he will hit 10-12 home runs the rest of this season, but I wouldn't bet LA's run production will soar all that remarkably.
But here's another letter on the same page:
How long until Manny Ramirez starts complaining about his new team? A month? A week? A day? Or has he already begun?
Anyone want to take any bets?
Manny Ramirez should spite his ungrateful Red Sox bosses by insisting that he go into the Hall of Fame in his Boston Red Sox uniform. All Ramirez did was lead the Red Sox to two world championships after 86 years of futility. "Manny being Manny" is what allowed him to become the superstar that he has been. His new manager Joe Torre will know how to handle Ramirez, and the Dodgers will see a tremendous improvement in run production.
Ungrateful Red Sox bosses? Yeah, so ungrateful they paid him $20 million a season, making him one of baseball's highest paid players. I guess this guy doesn't know what a grousing malcontent Ramirez has been over the past couple of months by basically alienating just about the entire front office and just about all of his teammates. Ramirez did everything but lay down on the warning track to get himself out of Boston, sir. Hey, the Sox front office is partially responsible for indulging him with all of his quirks, but they had absolutely no choice to move him.
(Check out this article from today's Post from Joel Sherman. Quite interesting.)
I must also inform you, sir, that Manny (and no other future Hall of Famer) has the choice of which hat (not uniform) that they will wear on their plaque. The Hall makes the choice, and Ramirez will undoubtedly go in with the Sox hat on. And that's fine, as Manny became a legend in Boston. And Red Sox fans, whether they like Ramirez or not, know that, and really hope he goes in with the "B" on the hat.
"Manny being Manny" is not what has allowed Ramirez to be the superstar that he is. Being one of baseball's all-time great right handed hitters has allowed Manny to have the status he has now, whether he's quirky or not.
Joe Torre is so sure how to handle Manny that he actually called Terry Francona right after the trade to ask him about Ramirez (undoubtedly asking about how to "handle" him).
And don't be so sure the Dodgers run production will go up markedly. Dodger Stadium is the toughest park in MLB to hit home runs in this season. And Manny has almost no protection around him. (Guys like Jeff Kent and James Loney don't exactly strike fear in opposition managers.) So if the Dodgers are in a legitimate playoff race in September, opposition pitchers will treat Manny like Barry Bonds at his height. Manny will be drawing tons of walks, either intentional or not. I would bet he will hit 10-12 home runs the rest of this season, but I wouldn't bet LA's run production will soar all that remarkably.
But here's another letter on the same page:
How long until Manny Ramirez starts complaining about his new team? A month? A week? A day? Or has he already begun?
Anyone want to take any bets?
Big First Leads to Romp
It didn't start off well at Fenway last night, as Jon Lester was getting hit hard in the first. He gave up four hits, including a two-run home run to Emil Brown. Almost everything he was throwing was up and getting belted. With two on and one out, he got Carlos Gonzalez to rap into a double play. Then Dana Eveland, Oakland's starting pitcher, had an even rougher first.He gave up a single to Dustin Pedroia and a home run to Kevin Youkilis (pictured). Two hits later, Jason Bay came up and hit a bomb to left center for his first homer in a Red Sox uniform to make it 5-2.
Lester settled in and went seven strong innings. The first was his only rough inning. The Sox added four more in the third, with the big hit coming from Jed Lowrie (once again), who doubled with the bases loaded to basically put the game on ice. The Sox coasted into an easy 12-2 win, with Youk going deep in the eighth to put an exclamation point on a big night for the Sox. Lester now has 10 wins, and has gone into the seventh inning in eight of his last nine starts.
Tampa Bay and New York were both victorious so no one made any move at the top of the AL East. The Red Sox remain 3 behind the Rays and 2 1/2 ahead of the Yankees.
Did you notice who much Mike Lowell was hobbling in the game last night? He's got a sore hip, which was reaggravated on Friday night. But he went out there and put on a defensive clinic, making three tremendous plays in the field. He also had two hits and legged out a double before leaving after the sixth inning.
Lowell is the absolute definition of a professional baseball player, someone who will do anything to win, including playing (and playing hard) when not 100%. Unlike some other players (no names mentioned here) who couldn't be bothered to hustle to first to possibly break up, say a no-hitter, and like to pull all kinds of crap to get themselves traded so they could possibly get a better multi-year contract somewhere else.
Again, I won't mention any names, but I think you know who I'm talking about.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
Proof of a Boras Conspiracy
The Manny Ramirez Era had to have an incredible end. And according to Gordon Edes in today's Boston Globe, it really had an amazing one.
Apparently, when the news reached him he had been traded to Los Angeles, Ramirez had his agent, the notorious bastard Scott Boras, contact the Red Sox that if they dropped the two options they held on Ramirez that "he would not be a problem for the rest of the season."
Theo Epstein said thanks, but no thanks. Hit the road, pal. You're gone.
This just proves that all the crap Ramirez pulled over the past few weeks was all a calculated attempt to get the Sox to trade him so he could get a long term deal after the season from some other team. (Does he really think he's going to get a four-year, $100 million deal from ANYONE?)
And you know as sure as shootin' that that weasel Boras was behind the whole thing. I'm convinced that once Manny hooked up with him last winter it would lead to trouble. And sure enough, he got his tentacles into Ramirez and trouble reared its ugly head.
It's an eye-opening article from Mr. Edes, and well-worth checking out. Here it is.
Apparently, when the news reached him he had been traded to Los Angeles, Ramirez had his agent, the notorious bastard Scott Boras, contact the Red Sox that if they dropped the two options they held on Ramirez that "he would not be a problem for the rest of the season."
Theo Epstein said thanks, but no thanks. Hit the road, pal. You're gone.
This just proves that all the crap Ramirez pulled over the past few weeks was all a calculated attempt to get the Sox to trade him so he could get a long term deal after the season from some other team. (Does he really think he's going to get a four-year, $100 million deal from ANYONE?)
And you know as sure as shootin' that that weasel Boras was behind the whole thing. I'm convinced that once Manny hooked up with him last winter it would lead to trouble. And sure enough, he got his tentacles into Ramirez and trouble reared its ugly head.
It's an eye-opening article from Mr. Edes, and well-worth checking out. Here it is.
A Great Start For Bay
It was really important for everyone concerned that newly-acquired Jason Bay get off to a good start for the Red Sox. And he made a statement in his first game last night against Oakland.Bay received a huge ovation in his first at-bat in the second inning, Red Sox Nation's way of welcoming him to the team. He promptly drew a walk, and then moved to third on J.D. Drew's double. He then scored on Jed Lowrie's sacrifice fly to make the score 1-0.
It looked like that would hold up, as the score remained 1-0 until two outs in the eighth. Hideki Okajima gave up a pop fly home run to Jack Cust that barely made it to the top of the wall to tie the score. It took away a win for Tim Wakefield, who pitched 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball and got a no-decision.
The Red Sox had opportunities to win it, which included Jed Lowrie flying out with the bases loaded in the 10th with two outs. But with two out in the 12th, Bay hit a ball that on TV looked like it was going out. But it just went midway up the wall and Bay legged out a triple. After an intentional walk to Drew, Lowrie became the hero when he hit a ball up the middle that Bobby Crosby had trouble getting a handle on, and Lowrie beat the throw to first to give the Red Sox an important 2-1 win. Tampa Bay won, and New York lost, so the Red Sox remain three games back in the AL East.
It was an emotional day as the Sox turned the page on Manny Ramirez, and brought Jason Bay on board. He went 1-for-3 with two walks, a hit batsman, and scored both runs. He also made a nice sliding catch in left to save a run. (BTW, did anyone else notice that Bay is wearing number 44, the same number Orlando Cabrera wore when he came over exactly four years ago? The parallel continues to be striking.)
Also, Ramirez went 2-for-4 in his Los Angeles debut. But he banged into a double play in the ninth to kill a rally, and the Arizona Diamondbacks went on to win, 2-1.
And guess who Ramirez replaced on the Dodgers roster to make room for him? Yep, Nomar Garciaparra, who's been put on the DL for about the 200th time since leaving Boston.
I'll say it again. The parallels are striking.
Friday, August 01, 2008
An Ode to a Deadline Deal
Trivia Night regular and Red Sox fan Rob sent me a poem today about the trade of Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers. He didn't know who wrote it, but I thought I would share it with all of you.
T'was the night before August and all through the Nation
The fans on their feet in a standing ovation
Ramirez -- the baby -- is off to L.A.
So who is this guy they call Jason Bay?
He bats from the right and throws that way too
And produces the home runs; he has 22
Will he ever be Manny? "Not a chance" might be true
But when he hits his first homah, we'll all say "Manny who?"
He'll protect our Big Papi and with Mike at his back
He'll make up for what with Ramirez we lack:
Good defense in left field, base-running skill too
And he'll run out the grounders unlike you-know-who
If you look at the stats, Bay's a star on the rise
While Manny – his stature – is shrinking in size
Just look at the stats. Can you guess who is who?
AVG. HR RBI OBP SLG
Player 1: .282 22 64 .375 .519
Player 2: .299 20 68 .398 .529
(I'll give you a hint: Good-Bye Player 2!)
With the A's due in town, get the offense on track!
But will Papi and Bay will be a formidable attack?
At the end of the day brings an unnerving truth:
Yes, Papi and Manny were like Gehrig/Ruth
So here's some advice from a local Sox fan
Please try to get it right if you can:
Say "Wall"; not "Green Monster"
Pronounce "Pahk" with no "R"
Produce like you've been doing and you'll be a star.
The "bleachers" are in right field
Pesky's Pole's "down the line"
Say "I hate the Yankees"
And you'll fit in just fine.
By the way Red Sox Nation, raise your glass in a toast
Pay homage to an old friend who's on the West Coast
He's a friend of the Nation and a really good sport:
Thank you, thank you, oh thank you dear old friend Frank McCourt
So we hope for the best as the day turns to night
I'll just finish my poem and turn out the light
But as I try to sleep, I turn and I toss
Jason Bay for Ramirez, Hansen, and Moss?
Did we make the right choice? Did we give up too much?
Will Jason Bay ever hit in the clutch?
I find I can't sleep and I sit up in fright
I know Manny was wrong; God I hope Theo's right.
But what about Manny? How hard will he play
Now playing with Nomar and Lowe in L.A?
I promise you this, there's more to his story
As you head off to bed, say a prayer for Joe Torre!
Thank you, Mr. Anonymous.
T'was the night before August and all through the Nation
The fans on their feet in a standing ovation
Ramirez -- the baby -- is off to L.A.
So who is this guy they call Jason Bay?
He bats from the right and throws that way too
And produces the home runs; he has 22
Will he ever be Manny? "Not a chance" might be true
But when he hits his first homah, we'll all say "Manny who?"
He'll protect our Big Papi and with Mike at his back
He'll make up for what with Ramirez we lack:
Good defense in left field, base-running skill too
And he'll run out the grounders unlike you-know-who
If you look at the stats, Bay's a star on the rise
While Manny – his stature – is shrinking in size
Just look at the stats. Can you guess who is who?
AVG. HR RBI OBP SLG
Player 1: .282 22 64 .375 .519
Player 2: .299 20 68 .398 .529
(I'll give you a hint: Good-Bye Player 2!)
With the A's due in town, get the offense on track!
But will Papi and Bay will be a formidable attack?
At the end of the day brings an unnerving truth:
Yes, Papi and Manny were like Gehrig/Ruth
So here's some advice from a local Sox fan
Please try to get it right if you can:
Say "Wall"; not "Green Monster"
Pronounce "Pahk" with no "R"
Produce like you've been doing and you'll be a star.
The "bleachers" are in right field
Pesky's Pole's "down the line"
Say "I hate the Yankees"
And you'll fit in just fine.
By the way Red Sox Nation, raise your glass in a toast
Pay homage to an old friend who's on the West Coast
He's a friend of the Nation and a really good sport:
Thank you, thank you, oh thank you dear old friend Frank McCourt
So we hope for the best as the day turns to night
I'll just finish my poem and turn out the light
But as I try to sleep, I turn and I toss
Jason Bay for Ramirez, Hansen, and Moss?
Did we make the right choice? Did we give up too much?
Will Jason Bay ever hit in the clutch?
I find I can't sleep and I sit up in fright
I know Manny was wrong; God I hope Theo's right.
But what about Manny? How hard will he play
Now playing with Nomar and Lowe in L.A?
I promise you this, there's more to his story
As you head off to bed, say a prayer for Joe Torre!
Thank you, Mr. Anonymous.
Thanks For the (Good) Memories
I read this from Gordon Edes of the Boston Globe this morning. And it's the reason why the Red Sox made the deal they made, and why Manny Ramirez is now in Los Angeles.Management had taken an informal poll of the club's veteran leaders; what it was hearing was that Francona was in danger of losing the clubhouse if RamÃrez was allowed to continue in the same vein, begging off from playing because of injuries teammates privately questioned, obsessing on his contract, playing hard when the mood suited him.
Uniformed personnel and management also felt there was a risk RamÃrez would quit on the team, even though he had plenty of incentive to play hard with a new contract at stake.
OK, now it's time to turn the page. The deal is done. Time to forget all this hogwash and move on and try to win another championship.Thursday, July 31, 2008
Jason Bay: 2008's Orlando Cabrera?
As the entire world knows by now, the Red Sox acquired Jason Bay from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday afternoon in exchange for disgruntled Manny Ramirez.Bay is a terrific outfielder with pretty good speed and is a good base runner. His numbers compared to Manny's this year are strikingly similar. But I could not help but see the parallel between this trade and the one the Sox made four years ago today when they sent Nomar Garciaparra packing to Chicago.
The fans reacted to Nomar being traded for Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz with: "Was that all?" It seems to be a very similar reaction today, that the Sox got rid of Manny, along with Craig Hansen and Brandon Moss and all they got was Bay (and no pitching back).
Like in 2004, the Sox were looking to move a disgruntled superstar they felt they could not count on down the stretch, as it was health issues with Nomar and just about everything else with Manny. I have heard that Manny's act, especially over the last few weeks, has poisoned the Red Sox clubhouse, and cast a pall over the club. A divorce was definitely coming between Manny and the Sox, but I really thought they'd wait until the season concluded to let him walk and get two draft picks for him. Now they have gone out and gotten a talented player in Bay, who unlike Cabrera, is under their control through next year. (OC was a free agent after 2004 and eventually walked.)
For those of you wanting to know Bay's numbers, go here.
Jason is 29, which is seven years younger than Ramirez. This is the fourth time he's actually been traded. He was originally drafted by Montreal in 2000, dealt to the Mets in 2002, and was traded to the Padres in 2003. He was then dealt to the Bucs in 2003 at the deadline date for Brian Giles. He didn't make his MLB debut until he reached Pittsburgh. He's also making $5.5 million this year, more than three times less than what the Sox were on the hook for Manny. He's put up some terrific numbers in Pittsburgh, which is primarily a pitchers park, but of course, he's done it with a lousy Pirates team all these years. He now moves over to the Big Stage of Fenway, and has to fill some very large shoes in Manny Ramirez.
It behooves Jason to get off to a good start with the Red Sox. He makes his debut tomorrow night at Fenway, and should be warmly received in his first game. Bay's originally from Canada, British Columbia to be exact. (Let's hope he works out better than that other Canadian the Sox picked up last July 31. No names need be mentioned here.)
I do have one question: will Jason be given number 38? Curt Schilling said he would consider giving up the number if a large contribution is made on behalf of ALS. (Schill might be done with the Sox as we all know. But I really don't think that will happen.)
Manny now goes to Los Angeles, and can be a free agent after the season, as the options in his contract were dropped. Should he return to Fenway Park as an opposition player one day, I'm sure he'll get a night of standing ovations, the way players like Cabrera, Dave Roberts and Kevin Millar. He'll always be One of the 25.
But should he show up one day wearing That Uniform, you know the one with those pinstripes, well, that would be a different story.
Welcome to Boston, Jason Bay.
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