Managerial Move by Red Sox Exhilarates Wall Street Everybody's Happy ... Except the Divas Players
A managerial move by the Boston Red Sox to lessen the damage done by September's collapse that was led by self-centered independent, lazy, drunken stars with little time to commit to winning exhilarated investors Wednesday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average soaring 490 points and easing fears of a NESN ratings crisis similar to the one that followed the 2009 collapse that led to a bridge year. It was the Dow's biggest gain since March 2009 and the seventh-largest of all time.
Bobby V Accolades Continue to Pour Into Boston from Around the World More #BobbyVfacts: Valentine Was the 7th Member of SEAL Team Six Has Bill Buckner Been Added to Sox Staff as Bobby's First Base Coach Yet?
Prima Divas Are Up in Arms That They Will Be Held Accountable for Winning And Not Just Cashing Big Checks Every Month in 2012
Buster Olney, ESPN: "As Valentine emerged as a managerial candidate, some Red Sox players have been upset; they've been grumbling to each other, through texts and phone calls. Maybe it's because they heard Bobby critique their play on the air. Maybe they haven't liked his tone. Maybe they haven't liked his smile. Maybe they've heard bad things. And the fact is they had no power to do anything about it, because the September collapse completely undercut the credibility of the Red Sox players. If one of them had called the front office to register concerns about Valentine, they might've heard laughter on the other end of the line. The Boston players had complete control of the clubhouse in 2011, and we know what happened."
Joe McDonald, ESPNBoston.com: "A Boston Red Sox official told at least one player at the beginning of the managerial search that they 'weren't going to hire Bobby Valentine or someone like that,' a clubhouse source told ESPNBoston.com last week... 'They're going to have a mess on their hands,' the source said when asked what would happen if Valentine, who at that time was just one of several candidates, was hired."
Can Someone Please Tell Jimi Lamont That Larry Lucchino Runs the Red Sox?
It's the Boston V Party Thursday at Fenway Joel Sherman: Red Sox Get Their Lightning Rod Our Long National Nightmare Is Finally Over ... Or Is It Beginning? The Smartest Man in the Room Has Moved Into Our House Sox Source Says Ben Cherington to Be Notified By the 'End of the Week' The Deal Is Good to the Day John Farrell Crosses the Border After the 2013 Season Chicken and Beer Stories Now Half Off at Bobby V's Sports Gallery Cafe in Stamford And Can Someone Get Bobby a Coffee When He Lands from Japan, Please? The First Tabloid Screaming Headline We Want to See Courtesy of Bobby V: 'Hey Murray Chass, You Can Kiss My Astronomically Enormous Ego' Just In: V Benches Crawford for Season Just to Get That Out of the Way Early Reports Say Valentine and Carmine Getting Along Just Fine Fenway to Change Slogan to 'America's Most V-Loved Ballpark' Working Title for Bobby V Show: The Hangover, Part 3 Tim Kirkjian: Bobby Valentine Is One of a Kind, Won't Be Boring Did V Ride in the Space Shuttle and Cure Cancer, Too Tim? Is 'Bobby Magic' Better Than 'Morgan Magic?' Finn's Five Thoughts on Bobby Valentine
Tim Kurkjian, ESPN colleague of V: "It is the perfect time for him. The Red Sox have tremendous talent and nearly unlimited funds, but they need someone to change the culture in the clubhouse that apparently has had too much beer and fried chicken. And the Red Sox need a good will hunter to placate a fan base that is as angry as it is adoring. Wherever Valentine goes, change -- usually for the good -- follows. There is no better salesman. There is no one in the game that has more energy."
"The goals for this summer are to learn, have fun, and win. If we can do that we'll have a successful season." -- Rick Miller, New Bedford Bay Sox Manager... probably a better pick than Bobby or Gene at the end of the day ...
"If I look a little worn out it�s because I sweat the whole day. I�ve been very excited about this. I haven�t been as nervous or whatever it is for anything in a long, long time. It was invigorating, challenging and stimulating; all those good things." -- Bobby V after the interview... somebody get him a cup of coffee, a Red Bull, or that godawful 5-hour energy...
July 2007: Bobby Valentine and U.S. Meat Export Federation President Philip Seng show "Ryan & Bobby" special lunch boxes of rice topped with grilled U.S. beef and pork during a press conference in Tokyo.
Bobby V to Meet the Media After Ceremonial Interview at Fenway Today Sox May Finally Say Goodbye to Beer and Chicken Before Turkey Day The Headline Henry Wants to See: Bobby V Fever Grips Hub Edes: Will He Be Our Valentine?
Even Though Verlander Stole the Players' Trophy Today Everybody Knows Ellsbury's the Real AL MVP
Verlander Becomes 10th Pitcher to Take Home Cy and MVP Award
Jacoby-Was-Robbed Ellsbury Came in Second with 242 Points The Lone Wolf Gave It His All and Delivered More for a Mess of a Team But Papelbon Left Town on a Turtle Compared to What You'll See From Ells in 2 Years One Christmas Card to Jed Lowrie in the Mailbox. Done. The Kid Took a Ribbing and Keeps on Kicking
Cherington Frontrunner Introduced as Cubs Manager By Theo Epstein Today Boring, Tall, Slightly-Younger Francona Doppelganger Was Not Lucchino's Cup of Tea What's Next? Will Tom Werner Hire Wendy Nix to Replace Heidi? It Feels a Little 2003 Around Here
My Bobby Valentine
(ESPN handout)
Get Ready for High Ratings on NESN if Sox Brass Hires Bobby V
"Off the field is a factor and Valentine contributed to some of that himself. When the team went through that terrible losing streak in August, Bobby went through some days of soul-searching and wretched soliloquies that painted the picture of a manager who was adrift -- this at a time when the team needed someone to reign it in and keep it together. I don't think that helped Bobby. Fred Wilpon is very concerned with the image of the New York Mets. He always has been, going back to when they broke up that rabble-rousing bunch of the late '80s. I'm sure the off-the-field distractions were a factor in Valentine's dismissal." -- SI's Tom Verducci on Bobby V's dismissal, 2002
(2008 ALDS Game 4 / Steve Silva -- Boston.com Photo)
Watney's Out at NESN
Worst Kept Secret in Town: Say Goodbye to Heidi The Amazing Race Out of Boston Continues, a.k.a. Anywhere But Here Not Since the Beloved Cole Wright Left Town Has Boston Been This Devastated Rumors Swirl That Tom Werner's Trying to Lure Roseanne Barr Out of Retirement
�Heidi Watney will not be returning to NESN next year. She is pursuing other opportunities that would bring her closer to her family on the west coast. We respect Heidi�s decision and would like to thank her for everything that she has brought to NESN over the past 4 years and wish her the very best." -- NESN CEO Shean McGrail... not telling you how he really feels
"The whole situation I�m in, a lot of teams in the American League need players like myself, and of course they�re going to try to chase me. Hopefully, the Red Sox get it done." -- David Ortiz to John Tomase... File Under: Big Posturing
The Biggest Loser
(McDonalds.com Image)
Before Popeyes Reopened in Kenmore Square and Stole All the Media Thunder McDonald's Was the Fat Food of Choice for Red Sox Pitchers During Games
Don't Hold Your Breath for the Papelbon Thank You Ad in the Globe Anytime Soon Pap Shows No Love, Says No Goodbyes to Boston Fans After All These Years Hello Presser Is All About His Loyalty and Respect for 'Classy' Philadelphia Old Closer Told His Agent He Just Wanted to Go to Play for Phillies Virtually No Talks With Red Sox Since the Season Ended
-- Jonathan Papelbon from his 'Hello Philadelphia' press conference: "I can't say enough about the organization, about the class, just going through physicals today. It's been pretty evident to me how classy this organization is. Secondly, to play under a manager like Charlie Manuel who is obviously one of the most respected managers in the game, and finally to be on a team who I've played against the last four, five years. Been in the other dugout and have nothing but respect for the guys in that clubhouse and I can't wait to meet the guys and go to war with them.
"It happened pretty quick, it really did. I was on the phone with my agents for a couple days and it happened pretty quick, quicker than I thought. For me and my personal decision, to come here was solely based on the guys showing interest in me here, and Reuben [Amaro, Phils' general manager] showing interest in me, and I'm the type of guy that I'm loyal to those who are loyal to me and these guys showed me that they wanted me and it really didn't boil down to going back to the Red Sox and seeing if they wanted me back. I knew that these guys wanted me and I made my decision right then and there. There was no hesitation.
"The Phillies were very high on my list. I would say that they were probably the No. 1 team on my list because of the simple fact that it's an environment that makes me tick. This is an environment that I love to pitch in. It's an environment that the fans are in every pitch. The fans are knowledgeable of baseball and I think that's what makes me the kind of pitcher that I am, is playing at home for 82 games in this type of environment. I think that the fans are going to expect anything more than what I'm going to expect out of myself. I'm excited to go and play in front of the fans and show the fans what I can bring to this team...
"You know my agents call me every day with what could possibly happen and this and that. I think one day I finally told them I said, 'Listen, I want to go play for the Phillies. Let's make it happen.' And I think they called me two days later and they made it happen...
"The Phillies showed that they were interested in me and I wanted to make this decision quick and get it over with, and the Phillies showed the utmost loyalty to me and I didn't want to sit there and debate about whether I should go back to Boston or whether I should come to Philly. It was the Phillies that wanted me, and they showed me that they wanted me so I showed them the same respect...
"The guys in this clubhouse. The way they play the game of baseball is the way I play the game of baseball... "
"Mr. Papelbon, you know nothing of war. I've spent three years at war. I'm in Iraq now and heading to Afghanistan in December. I know the people I want to go to war with. You sir are not one of them. You sir, are a grown man who plays a boy's game for a tremendous amount of money. I'm not knocking that, if I had the talent to play baseball for money I would. However, don't compare your game to what I do for a living. What I do has life an death consequences. What you do is a game. Nothing irks me more than men who play little boys games for money comparing their games to war." -- John J. Faria, member of the US Armed Forces
"There were no talks with the Red Sox as far as getting something done and both of us agreeing on... There were talks, but I don't think that anything evolved." -- Papelbon via CSNNE.com
"There's something in my heart that feels like I was meant to be here and play in front of these fans... I don't think for a closer, there's no difference between leagues. I gotta go out there and preserve wins for the team, that's the bottom line. I've had my fair share of ups and downs, those situations make you better, and I definitely feel that the situation in Boston last year will make me a better pitcher. I'm not going to shy away from being a cannibal as a pitcher. I've always gone about my business that way." -- Papelbon via Philliedelphia
Todd Zolecki: "Why the $58 extra in your contract?"
Papelbon: "That's a good question. I don't know. You're going to have to ask Cinco Ocho that question. I had nuttin' to do with that. I can give you his phone number if you need it. [uncomfortable laughing... think Nomar]"
"Pap has worked extremely hard to put himself in position to go into free agency..." -- Ben Cherington ... and that's all you need to know about this deal
Jonathan Papelbon on March 4, 2008: "I'm at a point to where I feel like the position I'm in, there's a certain standard that needs to be put in place here. I feel like with me being at the top of my position, I feel like that standard needs to be set and I'm the one to set that standard. And I don't think that the Red Sox are really necessarily seeing eye to eye with me on that subject right now. Hopefully, we can get somewhere.
"We're chugging away at this thing and we want to get it done, believe me, and we can move on. At the same time, I feel a certain obligation to not only myself and my family to make the money that I deserve, but for the game of baseball. Mariano Rivera [who had recently signed a three-year, $45 million deal] has been doing it for the past 10 years. With me coming up behind him, I feel a certain obligation to do the same."
Papelbon's Annual 'Give Me Free Agency or Give Me Death Speech' in Jan. 2010 to Gordon Edes: "Wouldn't you want a guy to pitch in Boston, New York and Philadelphia who you know has consistently had just three or four blown saves a year. That's a rarity in itself.
"If in the beginning of the year, you're in Boston or New York or Philadelphia, and somebody tells you this guy is going to blow only three or four saves all year, who else are you going to get to do that, you know?
"Understand, I'm in the prime of my career. Why would I give up something? I'd give up something if it's fair to both sides, but I want to do things for my fellow closers, just like Mo paved the way for me. I want every closer out there, man, to get every penny they deserve.''
ESPN's Keith Law: Papelbon a Mistake for Phillies:"I thought signing Ryan Madson for four years and $44 million was a bad idea, even though he is the best free-agent reliever on the market for both the short- and long-terms. The history of signing relievers to deals of that length is simply too awful to ignore.
That contract was a bargain relative to the one the Phillies are about to give Jonathan Papelbon -- more money, plus a lost draft pick, for an inferior reliever who gives up more fly balls.
Papelbon was the second-best relief option on the market, but even in one of his best seasons in 2011, he was only worth two to three wins above replacement, and I'd put the over/under on his WAR for this deal at around eight, which would still make it a pretty bad contract. But the real issue with any reliever and with Papelbon specifically is their high attrition rates -- they don't last, and their peaks tend to be short."
Jonathan Papelbon, former Red Sox closer after the season ending loss in Baltimore: "What do you expect my reaction to be. We just lost... how am I supposed to answer that? [What are you feeling? Disappointment, frustration, sadness, shock]. Yea, all of the above ... it's just a classic [after the first two outs]... I was pumped up to be in that situation. Those are situations that I enjoy and just overthrowing the ball, not focusing on location, not really focusing on location and ... it boils down to pretty much, just not executing. I felt great. I felt great all year. ... For me to sit here and say fatigue was an issue would be looking for excuses. And I'm not looking for excuses and everybody's fatigued, you play 162 ballgames, I don't care who you are, you're going to be fatigued, but that's not the issue here."
We'll Always Have the 2009 Postseason ...
(Jim Davis / Globe Staff | Boston Globe File)
Stinko Ocho Channels Schiraldi at Fenway
Papelblown, Papelbum, Papelgone Baby Gone Pride and Broom for Angels | Rally Chimps 7, Really Chumps 6 In the End, We Could Have Used Daniel Bard's 2 No-Hit Innings Was That Schiraldi's Ghost Exiting Through the Open Door in Center Field? Papelbon Not Ready for Prime Time (Why?)
But Thanks for 2007
(BDD Image)
He's the One with the Bud Light Can Case on His Head
With 99% of Struggling Red Sox Fans Unable to Occupy Fenway The 1% Crowd Will Sitting in the Overpriced Seats Every Night
Sox Brass Won't Drop Red Sox Ticket Prices for 10th Consecutive Season Henry, Werner, Lucchino Continue to Charge Champagne and Caviar Prices But Will Starving Red Sox Fans Keep Getting Served Chicken and Beer? More Great Seats for 2012 Coming to Red Sox Ace Tickets Soon Just In: Yawkey Way to Be Renamed Park Avenue
"Over the last several years, many in Red Sox Nation have experienced economic difficulties, and every fan has gone through some trying times � particularly at the end of the 2011 season � as the team fell short of our goal of reaching the postseason." -- Larry Lucchino on keeping Red Sox ticket prices sky high
If Cherington Is Adding More Managerial Candidates Maybe It's Time to Cowboy Up, Again?
Kevin Millar May Be Just the Man for the Managerial Job Experience With Chicken, Beer, and Jack Daniels? Check. World Series Pedigree and Never Say Quit Attitude? Check. World Class Postgame Interviews? Check. Iron Fist? Not So Much
Back in the Saddle
(Nancy Palmieri / Boston Globe File, July 2003)
The Architect of the 2004 World Series Champs Is Back Wonder If He'll Name Joe Kerrigan as His Manager?
"I said, 'Hey, what's going on here? It seems like you've pulled the plug a little bit. Why?' He looked down at the ground and looked back at me and said, 'I don't know why. I can't answer that question.' [That] was kind of a shock...
"The bottom line is we weren't ready to play physically, fundamentally or mentally the way we should have been, like a championship team should have been...
"We got to the end of the year and we had four guys that we thought didn't make it to that part of the season where we hoped they would be..." -- Fired Red Sox strength and conditioning coach Dave Page on WEEI
Apparently John Henry no longer has a say in who stays: "... Talking to a few people, one thing thus far I�ve been able to establish is that the pitchers did their work. They did their cardiovascular. This organization is as good as any in baseball � I�m told � at doing their work. What is their work? Cardiovascular, shoulder exercise is very important, something we have very little in the way, in this organization, of shoulder problems, compared to other organizations, and they did their leg work. Some of the people, including the person you mentioned [Josh Beckett], are adamant � that�s what they do. They don�t shirk those responsibilities...
"Were there nutritional issues? That�s another question I asked. Yes, I believe there were nutritional issues. One of the things we�ve learned in getting involved with English football is they have sports science, and the science of fitness is very advanced among football (soccer) teams around the world, at least the top football teams. We�ve learned a lot recently, and our people within the Red Sox have learned a lot. There�s much more we can do." -- John Henry on WEEI, Oct. 2011
Dale Sveum Gets to Third Base with the Red Sox, But Will They Be Waving Him Home?
First Things First with the Former Third Base Coach: No Pocket Square And Who Shaves His Head, Yet Leaves a Three-Day Stubble on His Face? If You Want a Taller, Younger Terry Francona... He's Your Guy
"If I see something that's disrespecting me or disrespecting the game or the teammates that I'm managing, I'll have a problem with that, and I'll take care of it at that given time. What format that may be? I don't know, depending on the problem at hand at that time... But most of the time, you're just getting your players to respect you. Most times, when things get out of whack, you have to discipline people for the most part just because something they did either disrespected myself, the organization, or the teammates that are playing every day -- their own teammates." -- Dave Sveum after the show
It Appears 'The Puff' Is His Pocket Square Fold of Choice It's Pronounced Ma-CAN-in, But Feel Free to Keep Saying MACK-a-nin Joe Maddon Is Filing a Lawsuit Against Mackanin for Stealing His Look Mackanin Already Shooting New Dunkin' Donuts Ad with Dustin Pedroia ... But He Won't Be Playing Chutes and Ladders with Pedey Every Day Mackanin Hopes to Show Players How To Do Things 'The Expos Way' If Selected, Mackanin Will Have Francona's Head of Hair in Just Two Years Dale Sveum Thinking of Sporting a Tuxedo on Wednesday Mackanin's Got My Vote. Sincerely, Joseph Abboud
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.
