(Boston Globe Staff Photos / Barry Chin, John Bohn )
White Sox Aren't Scaring Anyone Again While Pedroia Strikes Fear into Everyone
Friday Night Box: Boston 8, Chicago 0 Nice-K Matsuzaka Turns in a Big Money Performance Speedy Pedey: 2 Steals for Dusty, Plus a Perfect 4-for-4, Another Double Bad News Dept. Beckett to 'Bama, Goes on the DL Saturday Night Box: Boston 8, Chicago 2 Pedro Goes 4-for-4 Again and Adds More Hustle and D Ellsbury, Kotsay Chip in with 3 Hits Each Bowden's Just Another Young, Poised Pitcher Courtesy of Theo & Co. Bang the Drums for the Bullpen Band and Their 4 Clean Innings Sunday Box: Chicago 4, Boston 2 An Off Day for the Offense, Except for Ells Wake Up Call: Thome Tags Tim Early Even Pedey Can't Save the Day Game
"I never thought I would walk a jockey." -- 8.30.08 Ozzie Guillen on Boston's little big horse
8.25.08, Bob Eckstrom, BDD contributor: By most accounts, it�s been a good month in the Bronx. The Yankees got a mulligan from the New Boss, who says $207 million doesn�t buy enough depth to withstand injuries. That means Empire subjects get a reprieve from defending their underachieving heroes, even with the $16 million stopgap additions of Pudge Rodriguez and Xavier Nady. Shortly after, Yankee-killing Chris �Mad Dog� Russo departed the New York airwaves, taking his Tampa Bay cap and decidedly anti-partisan sentiment with him.
That�s all well and good, but nothing stokes The Empire�s misplaced euphoria quite like Manny Ramirez�s trade. For nearly a month now, Yankee Fan has driven up and down the Cross-Bronx Expressway wearing a faded �2000 World Series Champs� tee and that sinister smile reminiscent of the Grinch when Max�s snowy snout inspired him how to stop Whoville�s Christmas from coming.
There�s even a prognosis offered for Manny�s departure: Yankee addition by Red Sox subtraction.
And for good reason. Ramirez destroys the Yankees. As a Red Sox, he hit .341 with 38 homers and 105 RBI against New York in 137 games, including 14 in the postseason. His splits are even more eye-popping in the 58 games he played since the 2004 ALCS comeback - .409 with 20 HR, 57 RBI, and an OBP of .512. He hit safely in 43 of those 58 games, helping Boston to a 24-19 record. By contrast, the Sox were 3-12 when Manny went hitless.
So tonight, Jason Bay and the Red Sox open the swansong series between these rivals at Old Yankee Stadium and Manny will be hitless. The Empire is chomping for the first returns on its newfound fortune, some of that old Yankee Addition. But if past performance has any say, the wait could last until next winter�s thaw. Neither this week�s series nor the season finale in Boston will be affected by Manny�s absence, because he wouldn�t have played against New York so late in the regular season in the first place.
We�ve crossed the Manny Line, that vertical obstruction on the calendar beyond which the former Sox left fielder comes down with Blue Flu. In his Boston tenure, Manny missed only 20 Yankee games, seven from a broken finger incurred in his 2002 headfirst slide into home plate. Of his remaining 13 DNPs, 12 came after August 21 and were shrouded by ailments that still can�t be found on WebMD. In just the last two seasons, Manny missed nine of the ten Yankee games played after August 21.
Given the effort needed to get him on the field during two Yankees series last month, the Manny Line would seem to have settled in a bit early this year. Not even the absence of hard-throwing Joba Chamberlain was likely to stir him into duty this week.
Nor should Yankee Fan have quivered when he was penciled in. Since signing Ramirez for the 2001 season, the Sox have an aggregated 25-44 (.362) record against New York after July 1. Manny�s hitting clinics have done little to mitigate the Yankee hex. Boston is 20-37 (.351) over those games with him in the lineup and 5-7 without. They�ve been swept in six of those series � five with Manny, including 2006�s Boston Massacre II. Seems there really isn�t much market share left for Steinbrenner & Son to gain with Manny�s departure.
There was a day when the Yankees didn�t concern themselves with who was in your lineup. They just motored through the A.L. East, and Yankee Fan took pride in a devout self-absorption. Goings-on beyond the Bronx were of little consequence to him in his tidy world of pennants and rings. Now, he spends his days preoccupied with Red Sox implants, resuscitating old curses, and fretting over starting left fielders - not of his own team but of one 200 miles away that has never seemed closer.
Next year, despite a plethora of pinstriped left fielders, he�ll covet Manny as his own. It would be one more ex-Red Sox trophy for the mantle. And he may well be rewarded because, in his house where Yankee Pride and Best Interests of the Game are now checked at the door, Manny will be more than welcome. If so, we in Boston can offer a prognosis for his arrival.
Sunday Afternoon Box: Boston 6, Toronto 5 Globe: Hunting for Postseason, Red Sox Land Big Game Rare Power: Coco Goes Deep at the Dish Did You See That Catch J-Bay Made, Manny? Who-lio Lugo, Take Your Time, Don't Rush and Risk Injury! Another Big Homer: Pedey Giving Youk a Run for Sox MVP Jacoby, Tell Me How That Wall Taste? Sincerely, Shaq> Tip of the Cap to Blood-and-Guts Ellsbury Stop the Presses: Papi Breaks 0-for-11 Skid 'Tek Could Be Hitting Over .230 Soon He Can Two It: Pap Win Saves Sox Manny Being Jonathan 8-K Matsuzaka
"I hit the wall pretty good. It didn't feel good, I can tell you that." -- 8.24.08, Jacoby's not on the fence about his running catch
Saturday Box: Toronto Turns It Up to 11, Boston 4... Hits, No Runs Globe: Lester, Sox Out of Whack Litsch Locks Offense Down, Jays Pens Bolts It Shut More or Les? Is Dr. Dependable Now Mr. Unreliable? Sox Highlight: Alex Cora Double; Timlin's 1,050th Appearance Lowlight: Mr. Smith's 2 1/3 Innings Vernon Wells Being the Old Vernon Wells
"Today he just seemed a little flat, up in the zone." -- 8.23.08, Tito on the Lester letdown
"I didn't pitch my greatest. It was six innings of survival. It was like Boy Scouts, just making do with what I had." -- 8.22.08, Paul Byrd gets his first win for Sox
Manny Stole Your Money, Our Summer, Maybe the Fall, and Now the Two-Faced Tendinitis Trotter Is Swiping Bases in LA
� 'We started out a little flat but Manny seemed to pick us up with that stolen base,' Torre said. 'It just seemed like we were waiting for something to happen. We got a lift (on the stolen base) but we also got a giggle out of it.'
It was Ramirez's first stolen base with the Dodgers. He also had one earlier this season in 100 games with the Red Sox.
The West Coast Spin: Red Sox Nation Was Too Big, And Boston Was Way Too Small for the Man to Sit on a Couch After Having Sushi at Ginza
LA Times - T.J. Simers: �He likes to be comfortable, and says he never really was in Boston. "I couldn't breathe there; it's a small city and all on top of you. Here it's spread out. I love it. I went out for sushi, sat back on a couch and no one cared. It's like there's 20 pounds less on my back here."
And yet, here he is carrying the Dodgers, an air of excitement in the stadium again, and while the bitter folks in Boston might consider it fool's gold, who are they kidding?" -- 8.21.08, T.J. Simers... thinks you're bitter
LA Times - T.J. Simers: �He says he will donate $1,000 to Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA for every homer, $300 for every RBI, $100 for every single and while the bitter folks in Boston say he never makes good on his charitable pledges, he has the Dodgers take the donations directly out of his pay -- the first check already hitting the hospital.
He says he'd rather not make the donations known publicly, agreeing to do so only when told it might encourage others to help the kids.
He's nothing like the bitter folks describe him in Boston, the e-mail continuing to pour in, "just wait," they say -- the Red Sox apparently no longer as interesting to watch, so Boston fans needing to do something with their time." -- 8.21.08, T.J. Simers... thinks you're bitter
But Back in Boston, After 7 1/2 Years and $160M, the Kids Waited for Something That Never Came... The MR24 Foundation Promises...
�Manny's official foundation is amid the process of being established. Nevertheless, he has already begun to participate in charity events and has made donations in Florida, and once his foundation is up and running he has pledged to start helping organizations in New York City, as well as in Boston." -- MannyRamirez.com
Buch Stopped in Baltimore, Headed for Portland Will He Ever Make It Back to Boston?
Wednesday Night Box: Baltimore 11, Boston 6 Globe: Buchholz Pummeled Again, Then Demoted Make It a Double-A: Another Confidence Builder for Buchholz And It's a Crisp 202-Pitch Effort for the Staggering Sox Pitching Staff 10th Player Award: That's Just the Oriole Ballgirl Being a Sox Fan at Fenway He's Not a Third-Inning Guy: David Gets Hit Haardsma With Game Well Out Out of Reach, Oki Comes Through The Cooler Strikes Again: Tito Sits Red Hot 'Tek Note to Tito: Can't Trust Lopez Going Forward Mora the Same as Melvin Owns Boston Sure, Give Cora a Relief Shot, Why Not? Lowrie Bumbles on the Basepaths J-Bay Loves Baltimore Photos: Scars of Clay
"People have tough games. I've had a tough season. Down there is where you develop. Up here it's a pennant race. ... If you ask if the decision was right, I'd say it was." -- 8.20.08, Clay saying his goodbyes
Fenway Southern Hospitality
(Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
That's Just PinkHats Being PinkHats at Fenway South
Dicey Matsuzaka Gets In and Out of Trouble Again, But 15 Wins Is 15 Wins
Tuesday Night Box: Boston 7, Baltimore 2 Globe: Matsuzaka Walks Away with a Win He's Not Toast in a Jam: Hitters 0-for-14 with Bases Full on Dice-K The Bullpen Tax Man: Matsuzaka Tosses 105... But Only Gets Through 5 He's Swinging Single: 'Tek's Got the Old Stroke Back The Youk, Now Hitting Like Old No. 24, Hits HR No. 24 Ells: He Hits, He Steals, He Scores... He's Acting Like a Leadoff Hitter A Little Chill Pill for Pedroia? A Needless Dust Up with the Ump for Pedey Give Masterson a Piece of That Win
"I think I'd like to reach 15 wins every year, if possible." -- 8.19.08, Matsuzaka possibly not realizing he's expected to win 20 for his money
Bullpen Troubles Now Overshadowed By Banged-Up Rotation: The New Beckett List: 1. Numbness. 2. Lingering. 3. Tingling. 4. Tommy John? Beckett Won't Get Hammered Again by Toronto, but Will He Be Ready for New York? Buchholz Has the Start of His Major League Life Tonight Wakefield Remains a Disabled List Question Mark Byrd Could Go South On His Next Pitch Dice-K Gives You a Shaky 5 Every 5 Days And Colon's Just Throwing Up in Pawtucket
"This is a big deal for the organization and for Beckett,� Dr. Robert Shalvoy of University Orthopedics in Providence said. �He won�t get better by missing a start.� Shalvoy, who has preformed ulnar collateral ligament surgeries, described Beckett�s issue as 'prime symptoms' for any pitcher who will eventually need Tommy John surgery to repair the damage." -- 8.20.08, Providence Journal
J-Bay Bangs Out Two, Even 'Tek Hits One And Lester Keeps Getting It Done
Monday Night Box: Boston 6, Baltimore 3 Globe: Sox Feel Right at Home in Baltimore Lester Stops the Bleeding, Steps In as Staff Ace Again Manny Delwalkman Keeps Making Us Nervous Breaking News: Varitek Finds Some Bat Speed from the Left Side Jacoby Just Doesn't Jump Start the Offense
"I don't think my mind-set has changed any since April. More consistent, pound the zone. If you can show guys you're ahead in the zone, they're going to swing at pitches early in the count that aren't necessarily good pitches to hit. I was able to do that tonight." -- 8.18.08, Jon Lester
Byrd Lends a Hand, Sox Can't Fly Past Halladay and the Jays
Saturday Night Box: Toronto 4, Boston 1 Halladay Puts Sox on Ice Ellsbury Bottoms Out at the Top Again Byrd: No Walks, No Strikeouts, and No Win at Fenway Can We Get Texas Back in Town?
�Man, he should make a pitching video." -- 8.16.08, Dustin Pedroia (HR) on Halladay
�When he settles in, when there are runners on base he executes pitches. He gets comfortable, gets in his delivery and gets in the flow of the game and really pitches well." -- 8.14.08, Terry Francona on the enigma that is Daisuke Matsuzaka
Wednesday Night Box: Boston 8, Texas 4 Globe: Sox Hitters Again Find the Range Against Texas Les is Best: The True No. 1 Starter Improves to 11-4 Mr. Cleanup: The Youk, The Youk, The Youk is On Fire Jeddy Ballgame Bangs Out Another Double; Bay Drives in Two Now Comes Timlin Time, a.k.a. Cryin' Time Again The Single Life: Coco's Still Got His Speed
�He comes to play hard. He comes up with big hits. The energy he brings, you can't measure it." -- 8.13.08, Sox first baseman Sean Casey on third baseman Kevin Youkilis
Tuesday's Texas Mess Box: Boston 19, Texas 17 Globe: Sox Pull It Out as Things Run Amok at Fenway It's a Good Old Fashioned Hitter's Duel at Fenway After a Worst First, Youk Hammers Texas and Brings the Swagger In the Big Inning: Papi Strikes Deep in the Heart of Texas Fenway Security Wakes Up and Tosses Fans for Interfering with Balls in Play He Hits at Home, Too: High 5 for Pedey, the Ideal No. 2 Hitter Byrd is the Word for Texas, Too: Marlon Bangs Out 5 Hits Himself Aardsma, Delcarmen in '08: Not Exactly a Winning Ticket Bad News: Banged Up Lowell May Have to Sit Coco Can't Catch a Break from Ump Sorry Charlie: The Zinkerball Era Was Short Lived
"At some point, you're thinking about going for a field goal." -- 8.12.08, Tito on the Texas mess
Now It Can Be Told: Booing Brings Out the Best in Youkilis
"I also felt the emotion of the boos today. So the roller coaster ride in Boston's always fun. Luckily, we got the cheers at the end." -- 8.12.08, Kevin the Hot Head is Back Youkilis, booed after two first inning strikeouts, is finally getting how it works in Boston
Newsday today: "We'll see," Manny said in the Dodgers' clubhouse before Monday night's game against the Phillies when asked if he was going to cut his hair. "We're talking about it."
"I'm not negotiating anything," Torre said, not laughing, when the conversation was recounted to him a few minutes later in the Dodgers' dugout. "He'll do it. He told me he'll do it. When he first got here, I asked him, 'How important is the hair to you?' And he asked me, 'Do you want me to cut it?' So I said, 'I want you to clean it up a little."'
That's the Beckett The Sox Traded Hanley Ramirez For
Monday Night Box: Boston 5, Chicago 1 Globe: Beckett the Ace Trumps White Sox' Danks Did He Leave It in Cleveland? So When Is Coco Crisp Going to Become The .300 Indians' Hitter Who Had Some Pop? 4-Year Deal Going Down the Drain: 'Tek Now Batting an EmBorassing .216 Clap, Clap, Clap: Dusty Gave It a Nice Run on the Road He Probably Wants a Bonus: Papelbon Passes the 50 Inning Mark Wrist Watch: Papi Takes a Seat J-Bay, 2 K's; J.D. Comes Through
"He looks like he's primed to go ahead and be the guy that we need." -- 8.12.08, Terry Francona on Josh Beckett looking like Josh Beckett finally
Sox Drop 2 Out of 3 in Chicago; Buchholz Banged Around Again
Sunday Afternoon Box: Chicago 6, Boston 5 Globe: New Bump for Buchholz It Is What It Is: Clay Drops to 0-6 with an 8.19 ERA in Last 7 Starts It's a Home Run Parade for ChiSox on South Side Error, Error: Lowell Crushes Late Rally in 7th 'Get Masterson Back in the Rotation!' More Bad News: Wake Out; Youk Scratched Bright Side: Pedey Streak at 29
"Today was actually a confidence booster; I threw quality pitches and got hit. � But I feel like I�m getting better and better." -- 8.10.08, Clay Buchholz... umm, nevermind...
"Oh, yeah. Papi knows when the ball is gone. I guess Mother Nature doesn't want me to hit it out tonight." -- 8.09.08, David the Admirer, just like the old left fielder
Pedey Steps Up and Socks One in the 8th, But Buehrle Buried Sox for Seven
Friday Night Box: Chicago 5, Boston 3 Globe: Red Sox Find No Holes in White Sox Lowrie Gets It Wrong on Pierzynski Play Manny Being Manny: Delcarmen Hangs One Out to Fly for Mike 0-for Lowell's Free Ride in Boston Is About to Expire Lester's Luck Runs Out
"There's no consistency. I'm searching for it. I'll go back at it tomorrow, see what we can do. Trust me, I want it a lot more than you." -- 8.8.08, Lowell, 15 straight at-bats without a hit and counting
Shaughnessy: "Feeling a little duped, Red Sox Nation? Still wondering if this whole thing was on the level?
"You are not alone. The commissioner's office is investigating the circumstances of Manny's final hours with the Red Sox. The Globe has learned (from a source with direct knowledge of the inquiry) that Bud Selig directed Major League Baseball executive vice president Rob Manfred to contact all parties for an explanation of how things unfolded around last week's trading deadline. According to the source, Manfred has yet to report back to the commissioner.
"Here's why Selig's office is looking into the matter:
"The Red Sox had an option to retain Ram�rez in 2009 for $20 million. They had the same option for 2010. Ram�rez, who will turn 37 next season, wanted to be a free agent at the end of this season. His agent wanted the same thing. Boras inherited Ram�rez's old contract and stood to earn nothing until Manny signed a new one. It was in the interest of the player and the agent to have the options dropped.
"Manny's only leverage was withholding services and playing at half speed. So that's what he did. Sitting out games against Seattle and the Yankees, jogging down the first base line (and maybe even looking at those three strikes against Mariano Rivera), he sent the message that he wanted out. He made sure the Sox knew he could not be trusted to play hard if they kept him until the end of the season with the options intact." -- 8.8.08, Dan Shaughnessy, Boston Globe
Red Sox Nation In an Uproar Over Getting Ripped Off
"If this is a colusion job by Manny and Boras then, then Selig needs to ban Ramirez for life just like Pete Rose was. Boras should lose his license and be very heavily fined. The whole thing is sounds very fishy to me." -- 8.7.08, Bruce via Extra Bases comments
Ramirez Is Ripping Around the Bases in Blue
(AP)
The Former Tendinitis Trotter Suddenly Recovered and Found His Wheels
But He Was Loafing Up the Line in Boston
(Jim Davis / Boston Globe Staff)
"He'll do that a lot." -- 7.29.08, Tito on Manny's "effort" up the line
"We had a conversation a little while back, talking about what he should do and how things are gonna go and there's just really not a reason from a business standpoint for the Red Sox to do anything right now. There really wouldn't... Why would they? Given your age and the contract situations. Why would they not just kind of wait and see how things played out. I think there was, maybe there's some feeling on his part that if he did what he did last winter and he came out and had a monster first couple of months that they'd sit down and say 'OK we want to keep you here the next four years, let's get something done,' and it felt like to me that the second he realized that that was not an option, this just went straight downhill." ...
�I think absolutely he�s absolutely had a hand in this � I think he absolutely has a piece of this. Scott Boras stands to make zero dollars if the Red Sox pick up Manny�s options the next two years. Manny�s not 1- years from retirement, he�s maybe four obviously, that�s where he�s at. So does Scott Boras want to get a two year-deal for Manny or a four-year deal for Manny?" -- 7.31.08, Curt Schilling on WEEI
"The Red Sox don't deserve a player like me. During my years here, I've seen how they [the Red Sox] have mistreated other great players when they didn't want them to try to turn the fans against them." -- 7.30.08, Manny Ramirez to ESPNdeportes.com's Enrique Rojas on the phone from Fenway Park
Bud Will See If Boras Was Pulling the Strings from Behind the Scenes to Get Manny Shipped Out of Boston
"... I think when you have great players and you have a team that's a great team, those decisions become all the more difficult mainly because the fact that you have two interests at hand, one being a player who has rights and a club who has a strong interest in being very successful in the postseason and during the season so, the fact of finding a fit and putting things together is more difficult in that situation." -- 7.30.08, Scott Boras playing it close to the vest... and keeping quiet about future commissions...
Don't Forget The Friday Night Fenway On-Strike-Sit-Out
"So, after the game, Ortiz left without a word from a clubhouse - and a front office - roiled by Ram�rez's decision to cite a sore right knee as a reason not to play, just as he had done for the last game in Seattle Wednesday. One player privately called it a disgrace and said he would not be surprised if the team tried to trade Ram�rez. The team captain, Jason Varitek, begged off from answering questions." -- 7.26.08, Gordon Edes, Boston Globe
And the Self-Proclaimed Sore Knee in Seattle That Took the Medical Staff by Surprise
"He showed up this morning, I wasn't ready for that,'' Francona said. "He said his right knee hurts.'' Francona then joked, "The (expletive) jaywalking, if you do it right, you won't hurt your knee.'' Ramirez told reporters his knee has been bothering him for about a week. "I've just been trying to play it out," he said, while jokingly singing for tips at his locker in the clubhouse, with his I-Pod docked to a speaker and a cup out seeking donations from teammates. "I decided it was time to give it a rest." Asked if he would be ready for the Yankees series, which begins Friday, Ramirez said, "I don't know. I'm day-to-day at this point." -- 7.23.08, Boston.com, Extra Bases
"The thing that most people are forgetting and haven't talked about is the strikeout in Yankee Stadium," Lobel said. "The bat on the shoulder for the three pitches from Mariano Rivera. That was a big [expletive] to the Red Sox after the fine. I'm just telling you ... there are things in the front office that are perceived ... I'm saying that there is a strong feeling that that [three-pitch strikeout] was the message to the Red Sox and it's a strong feeling that that's unacceptable ... there's a feeling that he didn't give it his all, let's put it that way ... I'm just saying the front office has not forgotten that moment. It's akin to Nomar sitting on the bench [in a game in which Derek Jeter dove into the stands at Yankee Stadium in 2004]. It's the same thing. It's an at-bat that resonated very strongly in the front office."-- 7.18.08, Bob Lobel on WEEI
The Beginning of the End: Adding Insult to Fake Injuries, Manny Stole a Page from Pedro's Exit Plan
�I want no more (expletive) where they tell you one thing and behind your back they do another thing. I think I�ve earned that respect, for a team to sit down with me and tell me this is what we want, this is what we want to do.� -- 7.16.08, Manny Ramirez to the Boston Herald
Wednesday Night Box: Boston 8, kAAAnsas City 2 Globe: Sox Clout Royals It's About Tim: Sox Finally Swing the Bats with Wakefield on the Mound If We Had a Nickel for Every Perfect Knuckle Wake Threw, We'd Be Rich Jed Pow-rie: The Kid Stays in the Picture When Yugo Returns No Clicking, No Whining, Just a 1-for-5 for .252 Ortiz Bay Watch: 2-for-5 Is Just J-Bay Being J-Bay The Sun Comes Up, The Sun Goes Down, and Youk Gets Nailed Up High Nice Catch for Owater Boy
"It was welcome support, that's for sure." -- 8.6.08, Wake gets what he deserves
"Duquette recalled that Boston wanted to sign Ramirez to a seven-year contract but the agent and the player wanted eight years. 'We went to eight and were able to gain the two option years,' said Duquette. ...
Tuesday Night Box: Boston 8, Kansas City 2 Globe: Sox Come Up Aces vs. Royals The Beckett of Old Almost Goes 7, Whiffs 7, Improves to 10-8 J-Bay Got 4 Hits Last Night, Just 2 for LA Ram: Advantage Theo Will He Leave Tris Speaker in the Dust? Pedro Hits in 26th Straight Road Game In the Beginning, Ortiz Gets Sox Clicking, Offense Keeps on Ticking The Track Star Gets Back on Track with 2 Hits, 2 Steals Iron Mike Lowell Plays Through the Pain, Sincerely Manny Ramirez Chris Smith Makes It Look Easy, Sincerely Jon Papelbon Pied Papi Pops J-Bay
"He's a good hitter, bro. We needed that." -- 8.5.08, David Ortiz... coming to grips with the loss of Manny
"The center fielder almost caught it, so we'll take what we can get," Bay said. "I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. That's one of the most interesting plays I think you'll ever see." -- 8.5.08, Jason Bay on the rolling double
Has Joe Torre Lost His Juice?
(AP)
LA Ram Is Apparently In No Rush to Get His Hair Cut Get Used To Getting Kicked in the Teeth Joe That's Just Manny Being Manny
"My understanding is he [Manny] didn't want the trade. He eventually wanted to stay in Boston. He's making a promise that he'd play hard, he'd do this and that, and that all sounds good, but the fact is we've been down this road before with him..."
"You can't take his word that 'yes I'm going to be great the rest of the year,' because we've seen in the past as a track record, even though it's a contract year, that something's going to flip him the wrong way and he's liable to say my knee hurts, my hamstring hurts, and all of a sudden he's on the DL for 15 days. That was probably the biggest thing they had to discuss in the front office before making this deal Can we trust him to be that way or is he going to be Manny of the past..."
"That's exactly what I heard [Edes report that Boras wanted to stop the trade]. I think when push came to shove I don't think Manny thought the Red Sox were going to trade him. Then when all of a sudden when a trade came down, Manny decided, who's kind of a creature of habit, 'I don't want to go anywhere, I'm gonna stay here and I'll be a good boy,' well it was too late by that point." -- 8.6.08, NESN analyst Jerry Remy on WEEI
Now It Can Be Told ...
(Boston Dirt Dogs Photo Illustration / Meir Weinberg)
Boras Wasn't Behind Manny's Boorish Behavior After All Ramirez Learned from the Best in the Business
Monday Night Box: Boston 4, Kansas City 3 Globe: Sox Burned in KC, Buchholz Continues to Struggle Clay Can Wear As Many Pieces of Flair Around His Neck He Wants in Pawtucket Not Leading Off: If Only Jacoby Could Get On Base Half as Much as We Hear Him Pitching Flavored Water in Radio Spots Wonder if Scott Boras is Pulling the Strings Behind Our Catcher's Critical K's Too? J-Bay Keeps the Game Alive, but He's Not the Game Breaker You-Know-Who Was Ron Mahay Gets His Revenge on Sox for Putting Him on Waivers Last Century Lowrie Comes Back to Earth, Plays One Like Lugo The Mighty Casey Just Flied Out
"My last at-bat, it kind of pulled back a little bit. You feel that click and you get a little concerned about it." -- 6.4.08, David Ortiz, Boston Herald
Plenty of Broom for Improvement as Pathetic Athletics Are Just What the Doctor Ordered to Get Sox Back on Track
Sunday Afternoon Box: Boston 5, Oakland 2 Globe: Sox Feeling Neat After Sweep of A's Daisuke Matsuzaka (12-2), the Six-Inning Win Machine Jed Wowrie: Red-Hot Shortstop Drives a Triple to the Triangle Bay Watch: He's No Ram, But J-Bay Has Two Hits, Two Runs, and a Fires His Gun Manny Trade Makes Okajima, Delcarmen, and Paps Pitch Better Too At the End of a Manny-Less Weekend, Bay and Sox 3 Games Behind Rays
"He's giving us a lot of production. In limited at-bats he's gotten some big hits, some timely hits, but he's played the game and blended in like our young guys do. Mixed in with some veterans, he's helping us win games." -- 8.3.08, Terry Francona of starting shortstop Jed Lowrie
"WOW!! I went to the game on Friday and Sunday, and unless you're there, it's hard to describe the engery in the ballbark with Manny there. Lots of fans stand up and give him a standing ovation before he comes to the plate, or runs off the field...pretty amazing! I think the fans (me included) are showing their appreciation for a guy who can deliver with runners on base.
"And you can just tell by reading the body language of the other players that they are also engergized and it looks like they are having fun too!!...maybe Manny is reminding these guys that baseball is a pretty simple game, you see the ball and hit the ball, so have fun playing ball!" -- 8.3.08, Adrian, Blue Notes comments
Youk Bangs Two, Bay Bashes One, Oakland Comes Undone
Saturday Night Box: Boston 12, Oakland 2 Globe: Bay Helps Show the Way as Sox Crush A's In Tonight's Performance Kevin Youkilis Will Be Playing the Role of Manny Ramirez Should Kevin Be the New Captain of the Bay Era Red Sox? Now That's a Bay Statement: 3-Run Homer Something to Watch A Man Named Jed: 2-for-3, and 3 RBIs for Lowrie... Lugo Resting Not-So-Easy Iron Mike Lowell Plays Through the Pain Easy Night for the Ace: Lester Improves to 10-3 Committee Redux: Masterson in the 8th, Smith in the Ninth
"I don't think two games and two wins makes a career, but it's two wins and I'm happy to be a part of it." -- 8.2.08, J-Bay, so far, so good
"I've already made $160 million. I like it here. I'm looking for peace. I want to stay here. At the end of the season, if the Dodgers want me to end my career here, we'll sit down and talk." -- 8.2.08, Manny It's-Not-About-the-Money Ramirez
Boras Could Have Stopped Manny From Acting Out If the Sox Had Just Given In
"If the Sox dropped the option years on his contract - which they had agreed to do if they traded him - Boras said Ram�rez would not be a problem the rest of the season. ...
For the Sox, the source said, Ram�rez's pledge of good behavior only served as a tacit admission that his disruptive conduct of the last couple of weeks had been calculated, and they had had good cause to suspect more was in the offing if they did not trade him. The Sox told him thanks but no thanks, what was done was done, and pack plenty of sunscreen." -- 8.2.08, Gordon Edes, Boston Globe
What a Difference a Bay Makes It's a Walkoff Win as J-Bay is Right at Home at Fenway
Friday Night Box: BaySox 2, Oakland 1, in 12 Bay Statement: New Guy a Big Hit in Sox Debut Offense Still Anemic With or Without Manny There's No Point Denying It, Fenway Feels Different Without Manny Bay Area Defense: J-Bay Has Range and a Better Glove Than You-Know-Who Long Stop at Short: Lowrie Comes Through and Drives in Two, One Is the Winner Wake Starts Strong and Pen's Impressive Close and Late Three K's for Youk and Three Hits, Too Dustin Getting It Done Up Top Timlin the Win
"Having met these guys eight hours ago, everybody's been extremely positive, You jump around with those guys, I felt like I'd been here all year. We were like little kids."
-- 5.1.08, Jason Bay on being in Boston
It's Manny's Dodger Blue Debut
(AP Photo )
It's Like Seeing Your Ex Walking Down the Street with Her New Boyfriend for the First Time
"I got to cut it [hair], guys, I'm going to look like a baby now...They got some rules here. I don't want them to treat me different than the other guys." -- 8.1.08, LA Ram... who now wants to play by the rules and be one of the guys
It's a Manny Miracle ...Tendinitis Cured!
(Reuters Photo)
Bud Selig Should Look Into Manny's Sudden Recovery
Manny's in Hollywood But We've Got a Honeymoon: Theo, Tito Celebrate Bay Marriage in Massachusetts
Bay Banks on the Sox But Theo Sheds No Light on What Went Down with Manny Like After 8 Years, It's Just That Easy to Forget About Him and Move On Maybe We Should Call a Duquette Press Conference for Some Info on LA Ram No. 44 Meets the Big, Bad, Boston Media
"There was an environment that was not conducive to winning around this club."
-- 8.1.08, Red Sox GM Theo Epstein... not necessarily talking about Manny Ramirez... [cough]...
"I'm not trying to replace anybody, which I think is [how] a lot of people are going to look at it. I'm not trying to be Manny Ram�rez. Let's be honest, he's one of the best players in the game. I'm not going to hit 50 homers. I like to say I do a handful of things that are going to stand out. I try to be solid. First and foremost, I'm just trying to be me." --Jason Bay, Boston Globe, 8.1.08
The "Curt�s Pitch
for ALS" program is a joint effort by Curt and Shonda Schilling and The
ALS Association Mass Chapter to strike out Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig�s Disease.
Shaughnessy: "Feeling a little duped, Red Sox Nation? Still wondering if this whole thing was on the level?
