|
2 0 0 4 BACK FOR MORE
Chat and Discussion Manny's own Red Sox discussion board
"I like to be fun... life is
Join the discussion now The interview room: Youkilis, Robert Parker, Johnny Pesky, Daubach, Leigh Montville, more. Remdawg's board Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer
The Nitpicked Venue of "Slavish" - Sean McAdam
"The Internet geeks are getting all the
interviews" HEADLINES 2004 2003 Please email for more information or questions. Contents Copyright 2001-2004 Boston Dirt Dogs, except logos used in accordance with the Fair Use provision (section 107) of U.S. Copyright Act. Photographic images posted with permission of Associated Press unless otherwise indicated.
|
|
Sun. Feb. 29 Best Performance for a Motion Pitcher
Deron Snyder Gets His Manny
(Here's the scoop, Deron knows Manny from his days in Cleveland)
Next week, Manny will sit
down with the Poughkeepsie PennySaver for a Gordon Edes can just hold his breath. Trot's Not About the Money (are you listening Nomar? Pedro?) "Money's great, but it's not what makes the world turn," Nixon said. "I think a lot of people really believe that it does, but it's not. Don't get me wrong, it's beautiful, the comfort, the stability I'll have for the next three years. The biggest thing is, I want to win a championship here. If other guys aren't looking for that in this clubhouse, then it's time to move on and go elsewhere." - Trot Nixon to Dave Heuschkel of The Courant.
Chasing Steinbrenner is the story of two journeys through baseball's most warped division. It chronicles the 2003 season of both the Red Sox and Blue Jays, and the people who run them. A few of the chapters regarding the Red Sox include the Contreras/Millar off-season, following Theo during opening day, and the inner-workings of a trading deadline deal.
Exclusive Excerpts from Chasing Steinbrenner: Now, with these strangers from a strange land putting the heat on, Kevin was being reminded of the family's mantra. "It!" was tattooed on his arm, and it was being ingrained in his brain. Midway through the group's second meeting, it was Chuck who almost allowed his son's preparation and pre-get-together focus to slide into oblivion. Kevin's dad initially appeared to be on his game, telling the Chunichi folks that with the impending military action in Iraq he wanted his entire family to be stateside. Chuck still had two sons in elementary school and didn't want them worrying about their big brother's safety overseas. Team Chunichi said no problem, the team would put the kids up in one of the area's best schools and hire a security detail to protect them. And if that wasn't enough, the Dragons offered Chuck $1 million and a house. That's when the kicking started. Kevin saw the look on his dad's face, and didn't like what he saw. The son started booting his father under the table, leading the pair to take an impromptu bathroom break. Once in the rest room the Millars just broke into laughter. Chuck was a lab technician who would commonly work two shifts a day, but was on the verge of turning his back on $1 million and a free house. It was all too surreal. If there weren't going to be laughs, there would be tears … some tears of frustration, but more tears of joy. The kid who didn't even hit cleanup for his youth baseball team was now telling his dad to politely dismiss more 0's on one check than either had thought they would see in a lifetime. The Millars had come a long way, with a hotel bathroom suddenly serving as the journey's most memorable checkpoint. - Read more of Chasing Steinbrenner and the Millar saga Sat, Feb. 28
Fri. Feb. 27
Pedro Sick of "Pedro" (and WEEI) 2.27.04: Boston Herald, Gerry Callahan: He said some people - he's not sure who - accused him of faking an illness last season to avoid pitching against the Yankees. He said that was bad, but this was worse. He said some people on the radio were making fun of him while he was in a Boston hospital last week caring for his sick, 5-year-old son. He said those people were accusing him of showing up late to spring training this year for no good reason. "And my son's lying there in bed,'' he said. "How would you feel? The doctors were more upset than I was. They heard about it and they wanted to write a letter, but I said I didn't need that. I'm just tired of it. I'm tired of talking, I'm tired of being the guy everybody comes to. I'm tired of everything.'' When he says everything, he means it. Moments before he lashed back at his stealth critics, Martinez was engulfed in Sox fans, signing autographs and smiling for photographs for hundreds of giddy snowbirds for half an hour. At one point, the crowd broke into a chant of "Ped-ro! Ped-ro!'' It was a nice gesture, but he really doesn't want to hear it anymore. "I'm tired of my name,'' he said. "Hey, Pedro, Pedro, Pedro. That's all I hear. Pedro, Pedro, Pedro. I want to change my name.'' - Pedro's the man
Thu. Feb. 26 A Little Scary
"After Ramirez refused to pinch hit at Veterans Stadium, 10 of his teammates went to Grady Little and told the former manager to bench Ramirez. If you don't do something, they told Little, you are going to lose this team." - Michael Holley, Boston Globe (And the insane clown posse still blames "the media" for the incident) BMWhaat?
Schilling BMW .gif courtesy of SoSH's manny25 Shaughnessy Spinning His Wheels "Schilling's cars have made a big splash in Fort Myers. The white BMW (760) with the spinning hubcaps is nifty, and then there's the vintage Hummer that changes colors depending on where you stand (blue to purple to green to teal)." - 2.21 Globe, Shaughnessy (Look for a correction in the Globe this week) But It's Not Curt's Car "Just for clarities sake, and for the sake of good honest reporting, I don't own a "Beemer", nor do I have hubcaps that spin, though my son does on his John Deere Tractor I think." - 2.21 Curt Schilling Schill Gets Excellent Mileage in Florida "Just something as stupid as... I don't own a white Beemer, how that got out that I don't... and then when you find out that the guy checked with the clubhouse guy to get his facts, my concern is that if you can't figure out that I'm not driving two cars to the park every day, you know, we're gonna have trouble here in August." - 2.24 CS on D&C WEEI Wed. Feb. 25 PROS AND CONTRACTS Not a Happy Camper
"How Would You Feel?" Nomar News Conference: The seat still fits. Can you believe after these three months, I'm still here in Fort Myers? That's pretty good. I'm glad. I was like, man, I wonder if the seats are still warm. They're still warm, which is nice. I'll tell you what, from my standpoint right now, all of this stuff is in the past, at least it's going to be put past me for the next eight months. I'm excited about our team. I agreed a couple of years ago not to talk about details of the contracts, and I'm still going to uphold that promise on my part. Talks have been going on. There have been some discussions back and forth. Where are they at right now? Where we're at right now is I'm here at Spring Training working out and getting ready to go. I'm going to fulfill that contract (I signed). We assumed we were going to resume the talks at the end of the season. But they were focused on something else. Who knows how its going to go from hereon out. I didn't know what camp I was going to come into this year. Right now all I can look into is one day at a time. I talked to Kevin, he's probably going to take me out to dinner tonight. All you guys are invited. We put that behind us, and now everything is really good. ...I was probably surprised when I heard about it (A-Rod to NY). I'm not about enhancing my position, that's not what I'm focused on. On his future in Boston: It's just day to day, 'cause that's all I can go by right now. That remains to be seen and everything and I'm not really worried about that (next contract), and I'll let have someone else kind of focus on that and take care of that for me, cause that's really what I pay them good money to them as well and my job is really to go out there and play the game, that's really what I'm really focused on looking at that when that time comes and it's something that I can really look at, and take serious, then I'll address that issue when it comes. Continued Gammons says Nomar Negotiations Not Going Well. The Red Sox look at it like 'well, you know, if you take the numbers, Edgar Renteria is the same player as Nomar Garciaparra, and Cabrera isn't that far down below. I don't know if their willing to go to $16 million, I don't think Nomar is going to be willing to cave in." - Peter Gammons on Nomar "Nomar understandably isn't real happy. His last meeting with Theo and Lucchino didn't go well, as he felt Henry might well have been there. No hometown discount. Hometown could have been Comiskey Park... The Dodgers are not going to be a $100m team, and Paul DePodesta will be hard to buy on Nomar... He will never make excuses, but I think he had a tired wrist at the end of the season. I am told he is in unbelievable shape, and while his relationship with the club, may be strained, he is up for his best season since '99." - 2.23: Peter Gammons on TheRemyReport.com "Nomar will leave treadmarks getting out of Boston next winter. " - 2.23: Another National Sportswriter
Pedro is in the House
"I think the hammer is with
Pedro, this (A-Rod to NY) impacts him much more than Nomar, because
clearly the Red Sox have become obsessive about the Yankees, and
let's face it, the hammer out, their worst scenario is Pedro ending
up a Yankee. Which I think Steinbrenner would go for in a heartbeat,
if he went out on the market."
On expectations: Game 7 is over, let's move on... I hope it is that we are the team to beat, but I don't want to say it, I want to do it, that's the main role. We have to go out there and prove it, not just talk. Yapping you won't win ballgames. On he and Schilling to push each other to higher levels: No. I don't expect anybody to push me. I expect to be healthy and push myself. I don't need anybody to push me. I would like to help him and I would like him help me when I need him, if I need any advice or something he can pick up, but I don't think I need an extra push. Anything different this off-season: I rested a little bit more, I rested for like a month and a half and it paid off because I gained the 10 lbs. I lost last year and I feel great physically. I actually feel like in those young days when it was easy to pick up a ball and just gas it somewhere, so I hope I can maintain that. On Zimmer incident and (making up with New York for some reason): I don't need to call him, he doesn't need to call me. I didn't do anything wrong. I was trying to protect the man, and he kind of tried to punch me, so I had to let him go. I was totally aware that I did not want to hurt the man. I did not intend to hurt him or throw him on the ground. I just had to let him go because he tried to hurt me, he tried to punch me and he was very embarrassed and he apologized. I didn't feel like I had to because I didn't do anything wrong, I went out there like everybody does whenever there's a fight, and I would do it again, and this time I hope I don't find somebody like Zimmer and I would do whatever to protect my teammates and I'm pretty sure he understands that, and that's the only reason I went out. I didn't go out there with the intentions to hit Zimmer or anybody. I actually respect him a lot. I respect Joe Torre and the whole coaching staff. When I went to my head like this I just said "I remember" not "I'm gonna plunk somebody on the head." I'm a professional and I know what a life is to a person, so I did not mean to say "I'm hitting you in the head" like a lot of the people in New York actually, put in the papers, I just said "I will remember" in Spanish to Jorge, I remember what you're saying and that he mentioned my mamma's name, in a bad way. On going into the season without a contract: No that won't bother me, I'm actually aware that it's not up to me to get a new contract, I'm just gonna go and compete like I have to. Like a professional, for my year contract, that I have and if they don't want to sign me, that's fine, I'm pretty sure I'll probably get a job with somebody else. But if they do, I'll be more than happy to stay here. There are no talks, none. And I'm not expecting it, I'm not looking forward to it. I just expecting to work this year and actually let them make the move. The ball's is in their court. Continued Tues. Feb 24 On "Dirt Dogs" Gaining Value in the Post Steroid Age "Absolutely. With the threat of testing last year, no one hit 50 homers. This spring, heads and necks may seem smaller, and we will hear the expression "personal nutritionist" ad nauseum. Good, I want to see the Nixons, Variteks, Millars, Ortiezes, et al do well." - 2.23: Peter Gammons on TheRemyReport.com Juice Guy
Mon. Feb. 23 He's Insulted
Steinbrenner's Mad as Hell Over Henry's Remarks Georgie Porgie will file a grievance with Commissioner (Hello dummy, let's face it – you put the 'suck' in success you hockey puck of an owner) Padres owner John Moores: "George is one of the most profoundly selfish people I've ever known. I don't know if Steinbrenner is losing his mind as he gets older. I guess he wants to win 162 games a season. This is one terribly bad deal." Big Daddy Arrives
Ortizzle Only Spoke to Manny Once this
Offseason "I had a good relationship with Manny and Manny doesn't talk much. I don't know what he's got on his mind right now. Manny's a bagful of news and I just hope everything works out the way everybody expects.... I always say that it's good to love the game but it's not good to get in love with the team that you play for because things happen... Boston is a great place to be," Ortiz said, "but tomorrow you don't know where you're going to be." - David Ortiz 2.23 Sun. Feb. 22 It's a stretch to say "injured" but Foulke (and Schilling) Tweak Calves in Workouts Sunday (Schilling ready to go with his Hank Aaron 44 schirt today)
Last Episode of Sex and the City.
(And parents really need to talk to their kids about Sox.
He is A-Fraud "He (Alex Rodriguez) also spent a considerable amount of time, in his conversations with the Sox, telling them how much he hated the Yankees, the industry source said. When Rodriguez first told Texas owner Tom Hicks he would waive his no-trade clause for two teams, the Yankees and Red Sox, he included the Yankees only to give Hicks, and himself, some leverage in dealing with the Sox. - 2.22 Globe, Edes
Saturday Night Live: "The Yankees gave A-Rod something the Red Sox couldn't: a boyfriend. - Jimmy Fallon, Weekend Update, 2.21.04 Queen: Soundtrack of the Red Sox Yankee Rivalry Let's Party!
Pedro and Manny in Camp on Monday Open and SoSHut Case on Lucky
John Henry Sets Record Straight on Lucchino: "Larry Lucchino is a scumbag and always has been. Everyone in baseball knows this. Get used to it. Bottom line: Selig wanted HIS scumbag to run the Sox. O'Donnell had scruples about this frame-up. Henry obviously did not. Now Henry, and us Sox fans, have to live with this ugly reality. The ARod scenario is not the only thing Lucchino has screwed up for us so far, and there will be more of the same. Lucchino is part of the "price" of Henry's getting this franchise and it's a very steep one indeed.
I just hope that Lucky hasn't
lost us Nomar for good although I fear he has already."
"Tom owned the Padres. He sold the Padres to John Moores and Larry Lucchino. He remained a partner of theirs. Tom witnessed first hand over the years what kind of CEO Larry was. I also was aware of what kind of CEO he was and I spent quite a bit of time with Larry when I first became involved in ownership, because frankly I thought he provided inspired leadership and ran a team as well as anyone in baseball. He was then and is now a mentor - someone I admire very much (as evidenced by extending his contract out into the long-term). Tom asked Larry to join their partnership long before I became involved. Again, they had owned the Padres together for several years. The absolute truth is that the commissioner had nothing whatsoever to do with Tom bringing in Larry. Eventually I called Larry and sort invited myself in (to the surprise of the commissioner - when I told the commissioner I had an interest in joining forces with Tom and Larry he exclaimed "What?!" ) What does he bring to this team? I would hesitate to answer for fear of leaving out something. The organization he's built speaks for itself. I get a lot of the credit, but my contributions are small in comparison. One cannot exaggerate how extraordinary the relationships are within upper management of the Red Sox. Larry, Tom, Theo, Mike (Dee) and everyone else involved love working together and feel privileged to be in our positions. It may sound too hunky dory, but it's how all organizations should function. Communication is easy, frank and passionate (like SoSH!).
From my vantage point Larry
brings everything we could ask for in a CEO to this team.
D-Lowe thinks he'll be marching out of town in 2005. Friday/Sat Feb. 20, 21 One, Two Punch
Rotation is a Knockout Thurs. Feb. 19 PEDRO LATE SHOW
Petey to Report Late Due to
Son's Operation in Miami. Martinez "has a very legitimate serious family issue that's going to be fine but does require his attention,'' Boston general manager Theo Epstein said Thursday. He declined to give further details, but the situation is believed to involve the health of a family member. "He's going to do everything he can to get down here, but there's a chance that we might not see him till Monday night,'' Epstein said, ``but we'll know more about that in the next couple of days.'' - 2.19 AP Report Motorcyclist Killed by Martinez' Driver As reported here Wednesday, Pedro is distraught after his personal driver and relative killed a man on a motorcycle in the Dominican last week (Pedro was in the states when the accident happened). WARNING: If anyone overreacts with shouts of "Dominican Diva!," "Prima Donna Petey!" or worse, your ISP will be banned from viewing this site forever. Give the guy the benefit of the doubt will ya? We always do :-) ...(plus, Schilling will kick our ass with his martial arts moves down in Ft. Myers if we pick on Pedro this early) Tek was on the Table for A-Rod "It was interesting, the Yankee people were telling me that, I don't know if you guys saw Tom Hicks' press conference, but A-Rod's first... A-Rod asked if they could revisit the Red Sox and that Hicks said after the nights and days of dealing with them, he didn't even want to talk to them again. And it was interesting because the Yankee people were telling me that indeed, Scott Boras was trying to work the Red Sox angle, he was trying to do the same kind of deal, get Manny out of the equation, get a guy that makes $6-7 million and then work it down to the $16 million to make it all palatable, they would have traded Nomar for pitching or whatever and according to the Yankee front office, when Boras tried to do that deal (A-Rod to Boston, but getting Manny out of the equation, a week and a half ago), the player, because it's his client, that was going to go to Texas in exchange for A-Rod, was Jason Varitek, which, as they pointed out, they felt, the Yankee players and front office feel that Jason Varitek is the absolute soul of the Red Sox, but, and I found that interesting, I hadn't heard that, but the Rangers, Buck Showalter loves Varitek, but Hicks didn't want to deal with the Red Sox, according to him, and according to the Yankees." - 2.19 Peter Gammons, ESPN, on WEEI's Big Show
"If we can make a deal with Nomar that makes sense for both sides, and gosh knows we've tried, and we're gonna try, it'll get done, and that hasn't changed one bit." 2.19 Theo with Dennis & Callahan WEEI - On hearing A-Rod was going to New York: "I probably dropped a four letter word or two, but then you fall back on your... it wasn't totally unforeseen, they did a good job of keeping it quiet to their credit, so we didn't see it coming that day, I first heard the rumblings about it Friday night, as soon as Boone went down, it became a real possibility. And then you just fall back on your approach with regards to the rest of the AL East, and the Yankees in particular, which we take, I just assume every year it's just going to take 100 wins to win our division. Before Boone's injury, when we were walking away from our deal in essence, it was the remotest of possibilities, after Boone's injury, it became much more of a possibility. I remember talking to my baseball operations staff and we kinda just informally made of list of which guys they were going to go after and A-Rod's at the top of the list. Chavez, Alfonso, guys like that, but I didn't think it was a probability, I thought it was a possibility. No (on revisiting A-Rod at that point), it was done. It was very clearly over, and we had stated publicly that it was over, and it was indeed at the time. On Nomar getting leverage now. How did it affect relationship: Probably not much at all, you kinda go back and look at my public statements, I think the whole organization's public statements, throughout the whole thing. Our first priority was to sign Nomar to a deal that makes sense for both sides, it's always been the case, and we're not going to discuss negotiations publicly, that's still the case. If we can make a deal with Nomar that makes sense for both sides, and gosh knows we've tried, and we're gonna try, it'll get done and that hasn't changed one bit. On guys in their last year of contract, will they all be back? Will there be signings opening day? We actually have six guys if you throw in Ortiz and Williamson. I think it's probably unrealistic to expect that each and every one of them to be back, that's going to be very, very difficult if not impossible to do based on our payroll limitations, but I don't know, it's very hard to predict the future, it depends on the player's expectations, the direction of the market, and our ability to reach a deal. I do know this, our goal remains the same, our goal remains take our resources, which are considerable, and do everything we can to build a championship club and that's going to include some of those guys, and it's not going to include some of those guys. But the bottom line is for the guys that don't come back, we just move on, and you have to go to the next generation of talent of Red Sox players. Every negotiation is unique. The Trot Nixon deal got done for a number of reasons. One, it got done quietly. Two, Trot and his agent through their words, and then again eventually through their actions, demonstrated a real desire to stay here and not max out every last dollar. Market correction or not, and that can turn around on a dime, Trot certainly could have maxed out and played one more year to see of there was one team out of the 29 other teams out there that would pay him more than what we did, but that wasn't the most important thing to him. The most important thing to him was staying here, reaching a deal that made sense, like Curt Schilling, reaching a deal that would allow us to go out and build a competitive team around him, and go out and win, so that got done in a hurry. The Portentous Lucchino to Trump: "You're Fired!"
John Dennis: If this
were the baseball version of The Apprentice, who in the Larry Lucchino: I think that's a silly question John with all due respect. The blame game has gone on too long. I know the media loves to do that. The answer to that is "no one," I suppose what I'd turn do is turn off the television because I wouldn't want to watch Donald Trump make that stupid hand gesture any longer. 2.19.04 Lucchino on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan: I did not talk to Tom Hicks prior to the deal. We had lunch about a month ago at the baseball meetings. I did talk to the commissioner over the weekend to find out what the facts were. Occasionally these things get overblown and reported inaccurately. I called to find out what the actual facts were. It was a call to say what were the details here. Is this thing going to happen. The $67 million transaction was unprecedented. Is it permitted? And what are the standards going forward. Would I have liked the commissioner's office to have found something inappropriate about this deal? Sure, but it was not our position, and we didn't rant and rave and try to throw our bodies over the tracks. This whole issue is being blown way out of proportion, it's time to move on. By our likes, the differential (on getting A-Rod) was closer to $25-30 million. You can't make all your plans with one eye on the Yankees. Certainly our most hated and heated rival is the Yankees, but we have to deal with the other teams within our division that have improved, and teams in the West. It's a question of limits. Everyone would like to have a beautiful home on the Cape right on the water, but you have to live roughly within your means, but that's gotten lost in the media frenzy. The blame game has gone on too long. JD: If this were the baseball version of The Apprentice, who in the Red Sox organization would Donald Trump fire? LL: I think that's a silly question John with all due respect. The blame game has gone on too long. I know the media loves to do that. The answer to that is "no one," I suppose what I'd turn do is turn off the television because I wouldn't want to watch Donald Trump make that stupid hand gesture any longer. LL: I think that (Gene Orza/PA) was the major impediment. We had a deal with Alex Rodriguez, we reached an agreement with him at 3:00 in the morning. We had a conference call to celebrate, but he went to the player's association and that's when it got derailed. Will someone on this radio show start recognizing the positive things happening with this baseball team. Stop the self pity, and the blame game. The Yankees got a good player, no question about it. Look at our left side of the infield. We've got a future Hall of Famer and the reigning AL batting champion. Nomar is fine. He understands that these things are part and parcel of the game. People think one transaction determines the outcome of the year. The media sent John Henry dozens of questions and phone calls, he was simply responding to issues put to him. We try to be available. Green Bay has a much easier time being competitive in the NFL than Milwaukee does in baseball. I did recognize that it was being overblown (in December), but it was being overblown, but not in a way that was adverse to us. There's probably more criticism of us because of the national perspective, because of the history here, there's a little more emotional fuel here. I wouldn't change this rivalry for anything. It adds some zest and spirit to life. There's a kind of intensity and competitiveness that adds a spice to life. (Listen to Lucchino's WEEInterview with Dennis & Callahan here) A-Who?
Here We Go Ace is in Great Schape, and Gets Bonus Points for Wearing Our All-Time Favorite, Phil Esposito #7 Bruins Jersey into Camp (But Dan Shaughnessy says Curt has a "domed belly") "By the way, I am always amused when a member of the media even thinks of commenting on the physical makeup of an athlete, at least the ones who are in no way shape or form athletic. That being said, I will tell you that what I possess is not a true body, it's a cruel family joke I've had to put up with for 37 years. I am built like my dad, all chest, no legs. Anyway, based on my initial tests at API, compared to my exit tests, I am stronger and more flexible at this point in my career than I ever have been, no doubt in my mind about that and the results from the tests proved that to them, and to me." - 2.19, Curt Schilling - SoSH/BDD off the record. "I want to be caught up in it (Yankee rivalry). The way I've got it figured, I'm starting that first game against the Yankees the way the rotation falls. I've known about that for two months." - 2.18 CS, AP/media. Wed. Feb. 18
Steingrabber Slams Henry "We are not evil!"
"He chose not to go the extra distance for his fans in Boston"
"We understand John Henry must be
embarrassed, frustrated and disappointed by Pepsi Calls for Salary Cap on Coca Cola "To deal with a team that has gone so insanely far beyond the resources of all the other teams. One thing is certain the status quo will not be preserved. There must be a way to cap what a team can spend without hurting player compensation ... without taking away from the players what they have rightfully earned in the past through negotiation and in creating tremendous value. There is a simple mechanism that could right a system woefully out of whack. Baseball doesn't have an answer for the Yankees. Revenue sharing can only accomplish so much. At some point it becomes confiscation. It has not and it will not solve what is a very obvious problem." - 2.18.04 John Henry, Red Sox Owner (Confiscation: To seize by or as if by authority.)
Kurth '04 Yankees Sheffield Bought From Giambi 'Roid Dealer Affadavit Names Ego Empire All-Star
Lay Off Lucky!
Inside Outspoken NESN shows Schilling's "Internet" post on A-Rod deal, Tewksbury Tells Curt to "Be Quiet and Pitch"
Tewks then Calls Manny Bad Teammate for Being "Unaccountable" by Skipping Yankees Series Last Season.
Tues. Feb. 17
Newest Members
of the
See you in Boston on April 16th Pretty Boy Sports Guy Spanks A-Rod, Yanks (and gets an earful from Hench who will chime in here soon) "My favorite phone call came from my buddy Hench, who was attending a wedding back East. When someone casually told him the news, poor Hench was done for the rest of the reception. His legs buckling under him, he stepped outside for fresh air, pacing in 30-degree weather like a maniac, finally leaving a 90-second message on my machine that featured 20 swears, three tirades and a climactic 10-letter expletive about Gene Orza. Happy Valentine's Day." - Don't hand out the rings yet Posted here Thurs. Jan. 29: Who Knew?
1.29.04: "The Yankees, finding themselves without a third baseman, somehow jigger their finances, make up some package that is frankly beyond my imagination and trade for A-Rod, who would be more than thrilled to rip the "C" off his mental uniform and switch to third base next to his old pal Derek Jeter." - NY Times, George Vecsey "I should note that Cashman and A-Rod were sitting next to each other. And, A-Rod talked about how much he loved New York City. I honestly think that Boston, as a state would commit suicide if he came to the Bronx." - Zimmer's Way Prima Goner
To Boston fans: "Well they'll be able to see us and the Yankees about 15 times a year. I'm so focused on the New York Yankees and where we're going, it makes me smile... I think we're gonna be received all the same (at Fenway), not very warm... I admire the history, tradition, and passion that both cities have and I think this adds to the tradition... I have not, no (spoken to anyone from the Red Sox)." Post conference interview: "Boston was a factor and I almost felt like I had one foot in a Red Sox uniform, but the Yankees made it happen." Stinks?
Jinx. A-Rod Arrives in NYC for Press Conference Commenting on Boston: "John Henry and Theo Epstein are first class individuals." Things that make you go hmmm... 12.31.03: "Prior to agreeing to the meeting, I naively assumed that either Nomar or Alex might agree to play second base or third base," Henry wrote by email in response to questions about the meeting by email. "I later learned from Theo that it was not realistic to ask either of these future Hall of Fame shortstops to change positions." - John Henry on negotiating A-Rod deal "I'm not going to lie. The Sox management dropped the ball on this one. If I was them, I'd just keep my mouth shut and take the lashes. Nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING can be said by any of them to try and make anyone in the RSN feel any easier. They F'ed up, plain and simple." - MTSUD, redsoxnation.net Steingrabber Plays the Ace Card
(And Makes Plans to Steal Pedro in 2005) Alex Asked Hicks to Revisit Red Sox Situation. Hicks Said 'Not Interested.' HICKS STICKS IT TO SOX IN A-ROD PRESS CONFERENCE "...we had no interest in talking to Boston any more at that time, given what had happened during the 90 days in the fall... This was a deal unlike the Boston deal where owners got involved. This was a classic, professional general manager to general manager negotiation. I want to commend the New York Yankees organization, Brian Cashman, Randy Levine for their professionalism." 2.16.04: Ranger owner Tom Hicks on the history of the A-Rod trade: "... He (A-Rod) said the only two teams he would accept a trade to would be Boston or the New York Yankees. We talked about other possibilities and he made it very clear that day (in October) and future times, we had other conversations that the only two teams he would leave the Texas Rangers for would be the Boston Red Sox or the New York Yankees, and that's a combination of reasons, Alex wants to win, he wants to win now, he's going to be 29 this summer as he reminds me... With that, on the Sunday after the Yankees lost to the Florida Marlins and their $51 million payroll of good young players (throws in the guy who outbid himself more than that on the A-Rod contract), John and I flew to New York to meet with Larry Lucchino the same day John talked to Brian Cashman of the Yankees. We told both teams we're gonna talk to the two of them about Alex if we could do it in a way that would give us financial relief and good and young pitching. John was told by the Yankees they had no interest in Alex. We entered into at the time, negotiations with Boston that lasted until shortly before Christmas that were highly publicized, highly public, and in the end, did not result in an outcome that we felt would be sufficiently good for our team that would make us better, I think the words we were using at the time were 'better, faster,' ... and uh, so we decided not to do that deal. Christmas holidays came, vacations came, obviously issues had developed within our organization during that time, so we sat down on January 25th when Alex was getting his MVP award in New York, we had our five hour meeting, we got those issues behind us, we tried to move forward as a team. At that time there was a genuine belief of everyone involved that the reality was independent of Alex wanting to win this year, he was going to be a Texas Ranger for a long time... Last Sunday, unbeknownst to me at the time, John Hart had been trading Mike Lamb to the New York Yankees and had a number of general manager to general manager conversations in that process and when John told me about it on Sunday afternoon I said not only 'no', but 'hell no,' I had no interest, we just went through all of this internal situation, we were headed in the right direction and that was my decision at the time. On Monday, when Alex returned to Florida, he was approached by his agent, and I found out later that his agent suggested to him that there might be a window of opportunity if he did want to go to the Yankees, to go to the Yankees, as long as he's willing to change positions. That night, the two of them called me together, Alex said 'Mr. Hicks, I know we've been through all this together, I'm with you, but there is a window of opportunity here for me to go to the Yankees, if you.... it would give your team more flexibility which I think you need, and if you decide you want to do that, and make the right kind of deal with the Yankees, I want you to know that I'll go to third base.' So that evening I told John, I said, I told him what happened. I said Alex has opened this window, um, there are two teams that we knew that were the only two teams that could result in this outcome and we had no interest in talking to Boston any more at that time, given what had happened during the 90 days in the fall. So John went through a series of discussions. I personally didn't think it was going to materialize because the money wasn't right, and I guess the Yankees starting getting the money right late Wednesday night and Thursday. At that point I took it very seriously, it was a very difficult decision for me to make for all of the obvious reasons. Alex Rodriguez is a great player. I called Grady and John separately and I said I want your professional advice 'Can we win a championship faster doing this deal, or not doing this deal?'... both of them said their opinion, we could win a championship faster doing this deal. We made our decision Saturday. This was a deal unlike the Boston deal where owners got involved. This was a classic professional general manager to general manager negotiation. I want to commend the New York Yankees organization, Brian Cashman, Randy Levine for their professionalism. This needed to be kept quiet if it was going to be successful." Mon. Feb 16 Sox Odds Slip as Vegas Reacts to A-Rod Deal
Baseball Futures
New York Yankees -120 Did Sox Make Weak End Pitch for A-Rod? "Multiple baseball sources said the Red Sox reached out to both the Texas Rangers and Rodriguez Saturday. In these discussions, the Red Sox offered to take Rodriguez and his bulky contract "as is" - a stunning reversal from their previous position. According to a source, a mutual friend of both Rodriguez and the Red Sox approached the All-Star on Boston's behalf. The acquaintance suggested that, unlike in the failed December negotiations, the team might be willing to take on Rodriguez's entire contract. In December, the Red Sox had insisted that Rodriguez take a pay cut. Saturday, Rodriguez enthusiastically told the go-between, "tell [Red Sox president] Larry Lucchino to **** off!" - A Wild Pitch to A-Rod Ben Blasts Yanks from Daytona "You know, George Steinbrenner is the center of evil in the universe, there's no question about that."
J-Lo Press Conference on trade within the hour... Sat/Sun Feb 14/15 - VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE
A Day in
the Life of Red Sox Fans
by PAUL PALIOTTA Gammo a Go-Go Peter Continues to Blame Lucchino's Pissing Off Orza for Failed Sox Deal "Red Sox blew it when Lucchino personally attacked Gene Orza, trying to drive a stake between A-Rod and the Union, that made things more difficult... so they just got cold feet and the Yankees don't worry about it." PG on with WEEI's John Wallach: ...it's like Aaron Bleeping Boone now, right up there with Bucky Bleeping Dent, not only does he hit the home run, but he goes up there for the offensive rebound, tears up his knee and Alex ends up replacing him. I don't know. Obviously this makes for a great team on paper. They scored 874 runs last year with Jeter, Bernie Williams, and Giambi hurt most of the year. Now they add Sheffield and A-Rod, I mean they could easily break the record of 1,001 runs and I think they're pitching is a little underrated, if you go into a series and you've got Mussina and Kevin Brown healthy, and Vasquez with a team that scores this many runs, last year they were so bad trying to get to Mariano Rivera that Joe Torre spend five months trying to go from starter to Rivera and wore down the starters, and wore down Rivera and now with Quantrill and Gordon they have a totally different bullpen. It's potentially a very good team, but it's still not a very good defensive team (A), (B) There are a lot of very strong personalities here, it will be interesting to see how they meld, and if Joe Torre were left to manage by himself, he might be the only manager in the game that could deal with all this, but that said, if Steinbrenner becomes obsessed with Torre again, and George not wanting Joe to get the credit he's gotten, if they ever fire Joe, I think there could be some chaos. Hey I give Alex Rodriguez a lot of credit, he was willing to throw $28 million out the window in Texas, where there's no state income tax to go to Boston where I think in Massachusetts we do have an income tax. And in this case he's willing to go from probably the best shortstop in the history of baseball to go play third base. He was unquestionably the best defensive shortstop in the American League last year, and if you like range factor, Jeter was... last (heh). He was hurt obviously, that was a little unfair to Derek... it will be interesting to see how those two egos meld because there's a little bit of competition there. The Red Sox would like to blame the Players Association and of course they were wrong... and part of the reason that Alex Rodriguez is in New York is Larry Lucchino's infamous blast, personal attack on Gene Orza, and the separation of Alex Rodriguez from the union. There was no chance that the union was going to accept $28 million, they had told Alex that they would negotiate it, but once it got personal, they wouldn't negotiate it to $17 or $18 (million). In the end, the Yankees are saving the Rangers $120 million, the Red Sox it would have been an $80 million saving. It's just a matter of the Red Sox were afraid to take on $4 million a year difference over the contract, average Manny versus A-Rod, and with the givebacks that were allowed, so they just got cold feet and the Yankees don't worry about it, the Yankees, I believe their payroll is going to be 48% higher than the Red Sox. The Braves and Mets combined payrolls are about $15-16 million less than the Yankees. Yankees Press Conference Tuesday Bronx Screw A-Robbed! Steinbrenner Steals Rodriguez from Rangers
The Rod Squad
Yankees Trade for A-Rod in a New York Minute. A Fate Worse than DEAD! for ALIVE! Gang Who Knew Todd Walker and Andy Abad Would Have Done the Trick for Hicks? Should Sox Have Sealed the Deal for the Best Player of Our Time for a Few Million More? After Taking on A-Wad, Yankees Payroll Expected to Exceed One Billion Dollars.
Selig and Orza Smile and
Pretend In Other News, Harlem Globetrotters Sign Michael Jordan And Nomar's Price Just Went Cowboy Up Captain A-Fraud Jumps Ship "I would like to sign with another team and help dethrone the Yankees -- they've won too much already," Rodriguez said Friday. The Yankees have been rumored to be interested in signing Rodriguez and moving him to third base because they already have his buddy, Derek Jeter, at shortstop. Rodriguez isn't interested in that possibility. "I like playing shortstop and I'm young," the 25-year-old said. "I want to play it until I'm 35 and then I'll study the possibility of being moved." - A-Rod to AP Creep in the Heart of Texas "I feel a grand responsibility not only to the Texas Rangers, but to our fans." - Captain A-Rod Yankees to Round Out Roster This Week
And Tom Hicks to send another letter to happy Texas season ticket holders. Curse of the Banged Boone Oh Sox Get Burned in Valentine's Day Love Triangle Angry Sox Fans Lash Out on WEEI "We could have gotten a natural leader, instead they were too cheap to spend the four million. They just dropped the ball... they dropped the ball." "People need to be accountable for this mistake. This is the largest mistake this organization has made. I do not understand how so many people could have been asleep at the wheel. I'm absolutely flabbergasted right now. We could have had both pitching and the offense. I'm so disappointed after what happened in October." I Read the NY News Today, Oh Boy
"And they can look at Red Sox fans, who have endured so many tortures through the years, Babe Ruth and Red Ruffing and Sparky Lyle, who thought they had Bernie Williams, who really thought they had Jose Contreras, who were so absolutely certain they had Rodriguez two months ago. You keep thinking it has to get better, that 86 years is enough penance. It's never enough. God help the furniture in Theo Epstein's apartment this morning. All of this was summed up best by one fan on the "Sons of Sam Horn" Web site, in a message posted at 4:23 yesterday afternoon: "My head says this is a bad deal for the MFYs [a favored term for Sox fans that does not stand for "my favorite year"]. My heart says, ‘I think I am going to throw up.' " - Yankees Make Fantasy Come True
"The mood in Red Sox Nation was
dark. On the Web site "Sons of Sam Horn," a writer using the
interesting handle Butch Hobson's Elbow Chips wrote, "Just
think, the Sox can finish 30 games out now." The sad Saux fan
then predicted the projected records of the Yankees and Red
Sox. Yankees: 135-27. Sox, 105-57."
"Boston president Larry Lucchino
is relentless in his task of finding a way to beat the
Yankees. A-Rod was a brilliant maneuver that didn't pay off,
and yesterday Lucchino told me he was "distressed" over the
A-Rod situation. "It's hard to say who feels more foolish today: Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, who unsuccessfully tried to drag money out of both Rodriguez and Texas for weeks, or Mets owner Fred Wilpon. The early money is on Lucchino, who in the words of one Rodriguez confidant "got greedy." Lucchino tried the ultimate squeeze play, an unsightly grab at A-Rod's wallet, and he comes out looking penny-wise, a ridiculous approach for a team with a mammoth bankroll and 85-year streak of going home unfulfilled. Lucchino sounded as if he were about to faint on ESPN-1050 radio as Tom Keegan read him Newsday.com's report of the agreement at a little past 3 p.m." - George Makes Fools of Mets, Red Sox "The rich get richer. The Yankees don't care how much anything costs. They don't care that their luxury tax and revenue-sharing costs were more than the Marlins paid for a world championship team. Again: There has never been another economic culture in the history of professional sports where one team can outspend everybody the way the Yankees do and nobody can stop them." - Yanks add to payroll and Boston woes "Now, however, in what becomes Lucchino's worst nightmare, it is the Yankees who wind up getting A-Rod and winning another offseason player derby. Last winter, when the Yankees outbid the Red Sox for Cuban free agent pitcher Jose Contreras, Lucchino bitterly described the Yankees as the "Evil Empire." Now, Lucchino said of the trade: "It certainly makes the Yankees more formidable and it makes us even more of a hungry underdog, which is a position we like to be in." - A-Rod's on his way to Yanks "What makes this news so deliciously depressing to Boston fans is that, if Red Sox executives had the same determination to win as their Yankee counterparts, we wouldn’t be talking about this deal. A-Rod wouldn’t be available, because he’d be a member of the Sox, ready to lead Boston to the World Series. The deal was done, and all that Boston had to do was swallow hard, open its wallet, and pay Rodriguez his salary. But at that crucial moment, Boston management came down with a case of testicular atrophy. With dominance of the American League and the world championship the team has been chasing since 1918 on the line, Boston owner John Henry decided A-Rod would cost too much. - New York always does what it must to win — unlike Boston counterparts
Feb. 13 Throw the Book at Him
Nothing's Saving Bonds as Steroid Investigation Shows Some Muscle
Steve Kurth Illustration Sox, Tito Ready to Go "I've had my bags packed for five weeks... I'll think about what I'm going to say once I get down there. Once you get down there the enthusiasm level goes way up, you've got people here counting down the days to pitchers and catchers, you don't get that when hockey season starts... we're going to play the game the right way" - Tito Francona Enthusiastic Fenway Francona will get to Fort Myers early to think about what he's going to say to the team. No special treatment for Manny "I'm not concerned with that." All players are created equal. Feb. 12 Umm Derek, the Whiney Awards Were Given Out Last Night
Theo, After Vacation, Please Call Derek. Derek, After You Read This, Please Fire Scott Boras. Problems Solved. "I haven't talked to them. I think they know I still exist, but I haven't heard a word from them all offseason. They talked to Nomar [Garciaparra]. They talked to Pedro [Martinez]. They got Trot [Nixon] signed. They've never said a word to me. Not one conversation. I think they know I work out, that's about it. But you're in a situation, I'm not going to beg. You're not going to have the people who represent you call and say, 'What about Derek?' They either want me or they don't. Unfortunately, it's that simple. I understand there are decisions to be made. Maybe they've made 'em, maybe they haven't. As for where I stand, I have no idea." - Lowe Waiting for Sign - Gordon Edes, 2.13.04 Baker Waived And Pierce gives up on the season. Celtics right back at a Len Bias, Sydney Wicks, Reggie Lewis tragedy, wrong ping-pong ball, Rock Bottom State. The Mouth that Roared
Gets Taped Shut Millar, Walker Together Again on The Best Damn Sports Show "It's a tough mentality (in Boston), they're educated fans, but they want you to play hard. I think it's more of a blue collar city, you know you get out there, you run each ground ball out, they don't like anybody dogging out there, but they have the mentality to kind of wait for something bad to happen, but I think last year's team, with the additions of the guys that Theo brought in, you know Billy Mueller, and David Ortiz, Walker, and the post-season he had was phenomenal, but that's the kind of mentality they're getting back to, you know, and you try to feed that and say hey, we're not the old team, this is the 2003 Sox" - Kevin Millar, Best Darn Sports Show, 2.8.04 (hopefully it's the 2004 Sox this time around) Lucchino Knows What Went Down with A-Rod And What's Up with Nomar
"Now we can sit here in February and say do we think the market's going to go up? Do we think the market's going to go down? Well Nomar and his agent and other players as well can also predict, but they'll be an opportunity in September and October to say 'here's where it is' here's what's happened for the last six months, so you may have even a better opportunity at the end of the year to sign him." 2.8.04 Lobel talks to Larry on CBS-4 Sports Final Lucchino: "We can't control everything (A-Rod episode), what it shows is that we're not afraid to take some bold steps even if we're unsure if we're going to be successful. I think our fans want the stewards of the Red Sox as aggressive people, as bold people who are willing to do whatever it takes to try to make it happen. Was it worth the gamble? Yes, the aggressive nature of our baseball organization is something we should be proud of. Lobel: Was it a misstep, was it a mistake, was it too public? LL: When you're dealing with players of that statue... my old mentor Edgar Bennet Williams had a line that I quote often: "There are no secrets in baseball, only head starts" So we had a little bit of a head start to keep it private, but there are so many moving parts, so many issues involving the Players Association, there was no way given the participants that this thing was going to stay private... I think the impact that some people cite regarding Nomar and others is undeniable, there had to have been some abrasion there, but Nomar's a real professional, he knows how much he's respected in Boston that I don't think they'll be any repercussions. Lobel: Now you have a player like Manny Ramirez who probably doesn't care what happens, then you have a guy like Nomar, who is probably over sensitive, and now you don't worry about the under sensitive guy, but the over sensitive guy is your problem. LL: Well he is someone whose feelings and sensibilities we should be concerned. He's a professional, he's intense, he's going to perform at absolutely the highest level he possibly can and he's got extra motivation to do so perhaps to prove something to the world, and I think he understands baseball. I think he's a bright guy who understands that trades and possible transactions are part and parcel of the experience. Lobel: I guess the worst case scenario is that you get him in his contract year and you lose him for draft picks LL: Boston Red Sox fans have had some recent experience with players that have walked and with very little coming back in return. I'm not someone who believes that unless you sign a guy in advance of that walk year you won't sign him at all. I believe that during the course of my time in baseball that we have signed people as they're about to go into free agency in October and November and kept them. I don't think that a player's possible eligibility for free agency means that he's leaving and you're only getting draft picks in return. It would be desirable to have it worked out before you get to that stage but there are two windows: one is before spring training, and one the other is right at the end of the season. Lobel: Tell me about the first window, how realistic is that? I think there's some uh constructive uh dialogue so we're not going to talk publicly about negotiating with any of the several potential free agents. We have Pedro obviously on his last year, and Derek Lowe, and Varitek, and of course Nomar, and you can Williamson and Ortiz to that list too, players that would be eligible... I think Nomar deserves a certain kind of priority in the hierarchy no question about it, so we're not going to report on chapter and verse as we go along. We're going to talk to him, talk to his agent, and handle it in ordinary course of events. Lobel: If it becomes obvious to you that you're not going to sign him, it's August, you're at an impass... what do you do? LL: Well it depends a lot on the circumstances on the season, the kind of year we're having. Is it August and are we two games ahead, or two games behind, are we 12 ahead or 12 behind, so it's impossible to answer that question in the abstract, so I would remind you of that second window that we talked about particularly when you're dealing with players who are unsure about what the market will be. Now we can sit here in February and say do we think the market's going to go up? Do we think the market's going to go down? Well Nomar and his agent and other players as well can also predict, but they'll be an opportunity in September and October to say 'here's where it is' here's what's happened for the last six months, so you may have even a better opportunity at the end of the year to sign him. Lobel: There's a quote from Brian Cashman which will not let this A-Rod thing go, he says that industry sources say at some point this A-Rod thing will be revisited, it may not be until next winter, but at some point it will be revisited. LL: Well I suppose anything's possible, it's interesting that Cashman knows something that we don't know but that may be his supposition or suspicion, but listen I've been the one saying for quite a while saying that this thing wasn't going to happen when it went through the Players Association's station (BL: You were pretty upset about that). Well I was disappointed, you we had something...(BL: But you've done battle with this guy before) with the Players Association before we have and we will again. But I know they have a job to do but I said at that point that it was really over and no one seemed to believe me (BL: Well no one wanted it to be over, that's the difference between wanting it to be over) heh heh I understand all that but the fact is that I'm saying now that chapter is closed now. Could it revive itself I suppose anything is possible, but there's absolutely nothing afoot, no discussion going on, there's nothing to suggest that there's any rational basis for that rumour. BL: One final question, as an ownership now going into its third season, the four of you have been pretty united in everything. The A-Rod thing seemed to divide, there seemed to be some cracks in that (LL: Hmmm), now tell me if I'm wrong, there seemed to be some division and I wonder if there was, how much of a concern is it? LL: No I don't think there was, there was this notion, there was this false story that somehow I was at the point at one, on the negotiations, and that Tom my role or whatever, that was a tactical judgment we made ourselves after having 10 or 12 conversations with Tom Hicks, I suggested it to Tom (Werner) 'hey Tom, you're a fresh face, a fresh voice, you haven't dealt with him, why don't you try and see if you can crack this issue of cash to the Texas Rangers, so I think there were some roles that we assumed during it, but one of the things that I think is a positive thing for the baseball fans of New England is that John Henry, Tom Werner, myself, Theo Epstein on the baseball side, the various people we have in this organization are all pointed in the same direction and aren't going to be outworked by anyone or be timid as we run the franchise and I think there's a harmony, a common point of view that suggests that real progress can be made. Feb. 11 - Plenty of good Fenway seats available through $calpers and broker$. Start Up the Truck
All Vinished?
Baker has more than a dozen reasons to show up tonight, Best in Showoff
Big Josh Brings it Home The Big Dog did not disappoint his fans and blew away the field in last night's final showdown at Westminster. Confident, and somewhat cocky, Josh got vocal with the raucous crowd minutes before the final decision was official, announcing (translated): "This is a 100% DONE DEAL, give me my prize." DominiCan-Do!
The Big O Celebrates with his Dominican Republic teammates and holds the champions trophy along with Emigdio Garrido, center left, president of Dominican Tigres del Licey baseball team, and fan Hector Lugo, right, after winning the Caribbean Baseball Series at the Quisqueya Stadium in Santo Domingo beating Puerto Rico, 4-3 last Friday. OH MY JOSH!
Crowd Goes Wild for the Big Dog, Barking Newfoundland Takes Early Lead at the Westminster
And Judge who picked Josh in the working
group last year is the Feb. 9 Coco Pops
Terrier Has Right Stuff
Late challenge expected from nation's
No. 1 show dog, ''It's insane, it's chaotic backstage.'' - Delta Burke Feb 8 Fandemonium in the Hub
"We have finished second six years
in a row. We haven't won a championship in 86 years. Given
that we have undoubtedly the most ardent fans in baseball,
this is our mandate. We can leave no stone unturned. It's a
real-life Arthurian quest. It's an epic saga that plays out
over every single day, 365 days a year, in Boston." "They're a diehard group of people (in Philadelphia). They're every bit as mean and vulgar as Boston fans, which is what makes them your fans. And that's how you want your fans to be. You don't want people to come in and relax and have fun in your stadium. You want them to come in and get their butts kicked and then hurry and get out. They hated the opposition and they loved me as a Phillie. That city was like family. They treated me awesome. That's still the city in which I sign fewer autographs than anywhere else. They don't ask me for an autograph, they ask me how [wife] Shonda is doing, how the kids are doing. They know me there."- Curt Schilling - (Schilling swayed by ballpark figures) "For one brief moment, it was the Patriots' day," said Regan while sipping a beer at The Fours sports bar near North Station the evening after the parade. "But you know what? Now we're back to the Red Sox. Today was crazy. Today was great. But it wasn't the Sox." ..."What I think it comes down to is that nobody's grandfather went to their grave cursing the Patriots," said Michael Rutstein, publisher of Boston Baseball magazine. "The Patriots just don't go that deep into New England's psyche. ..."It's funny. The Patriots won, and everything is great. But when the Red Sox lose, it just doesn't go away, does it?" - (Sox fans not content with Patriotism)
Feb. 7 DOG HAS HIS DAY Trot Gets Phat Contract, Staying in Boston was "Top Priority" Nixon Stays in Office Through 2006! "Trot and his agent, Ron Shapiro, demonstrated aggressively right from the outset through their words and eventually through their actions that staying in Boston was their absolute priority," Epstein said. "And so we entered a negotiation with them based on their desire to stay here. In the end, they deserve all the credit because they didn't try to max out dollars and didn't try to max out years. They took a realistic approach at a contract that made sense for the player and made sense for the club." - Nixon ready for campaign Feb. 6 Ecklusive: EckSPN
No More Tears, But Dennis Interviewed for Bobby Valentine's vacant slot on ESPN's Baseball Tonight Wednesday. You Can Go Home Again
Old Man Burks is Back in the House He Grew Up in No Looking Back
Nomar's Ready to Give Free Agency a Test Drive (But he just sold this ride for $110,000) This beautiful 1959 Corvette convertible was a custom build for Nomar who planned to give it to Mia on their wedding day. Nomar had the 'Vette custom built to his specifications. A car that they could drive up the coast, with a modern stereo playing and the wind blowing through their hair. All new parts for dependability as a daily driver. The reason for a '59 is that Nomar's jersey number is 5, and Mia's is 9. A match made in heaven. After receiving the car the two were just too nervous to drive it. They signed it and after much deliberation decided they wanted it to be with an owner that would show it off and appreciate the classic. Does this mean the A-Rod trade is ALIVE!? Nah. Thurs. Feb 5 Ellis the In Man
The "Bad Back" is Baaaaack!
Done Deal. Press Conference at
10:00am. Wed. Feb 4 Beyond SoSHape...
"He says he's in the best shape of his life" Edes reports Schilling really working out. Tues. Feb. 3 Quiet Picnic
When compared to the Red Sox
2004 (sorry Gerry Callahan... still a Red Sox town)
"Dan Shanoff's comments (on espn.com's Daily Quickie) are usually fit for a bird cage (at best) but I think we may have seen an all time low. In an age of constant controversy involving athletes and rape, drug abuse, and every manner of corruption under the sun, manufacturing a problem with Tom Brady is patently absurd. However, to then use the death of a college student by a drunk driver to bash the Pats, Boston, and the Red Sox (??!) is simply pathological: "Did someone have to die -- to DIE -- so that Pats fans could rage? Reason enough to root against the Red Sox winning the World Series." This goes beyond -just- being tasteless. You should be ashamed of yourself, Shanoff, and so should ESPN." - Travis S. Delaney - University of Vermont Kevin Youkilis Feels at Home at Fenway
Kevin learns to deal with the media and the fans of Boston at the
Ortizzle Still Sizzles
And His Signing's Official
David Ortiz of the Dominican Tigres de Licey team celebrates after
DEAD!
But don't shoot the messenger, it's an Xbox picture from the upcoming MVP Baseball 2004 (although his power numbers look pretty good for Fenway).
"The word in the industry is that, at some point, they'll revisit
this thing SoSHaring Outfielder Johnny Damon and hitting coach Ron Jackson joined our friends from the Sons of Sam Horn in making a check presentation for $23,600 to the Jimmy Fund at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute today. Congratulations SoSH and thanks to all Sox fans who donated on their behalf online during their holiday Jimmy Fundraiser. Mon. Feb. 2 - Boston signed 3B coach Dale Sveum last weekend Patriots Day Parade
Pats to Follow Red Sox Wild Card DEJA THROUGH
Cowboy Uprights Grady Who? Patriots are Willing and Vrabel Super Bowl Champs Kick the Cats 32-29
Boston
is
New England Avoids Catastrophe,
"None of this would be possible without the fans
back in Boston" Queen of Pop Top
Timberfake's "Wardrobe Malfunction" Talent-less half-time show goes for cheap thrills.
One Year at a Time
Like Trot, David Settles for One Year Deal with Sox Sunday, February 1, 2004 Superfect Team
Pats Skin Cats Copy Cats: Panthers to be introduced as team today.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
After
years of tracking down the elusive superstar, Snyder gets exclusive
while Ramirez stiffs Boston fans and media again, and vows to be
silent for another season.
Theoretically
Speaking
his failure in this
transaction. Unlike the Yankees, he chose not to go the extra
distance for his fans in Boston. It is understandable but wrong that
he would try to deflect the accountability for his mistakes onto
others and to a system for which he voted in favor. It is time to
get on with life and forget the sour grapes." - 2.18.04 Georgie
Porgie statement
2.17.04 NESN's Inside Out -
Bob Rodgers: I think he says it well (after reading
Curt's SoSH post)
Have to laugh at anyone that's even remotely
shocked by this. The unlimited payroll bitching
is rather old now too. It is what it is, and
we'll deal with it. Does it make them better,
well I don't know. Does adding a guy that, when
he retires, has a legitimate chance to be the
best all around player in the games history make
you better????? Hell yes it makes them better,
offensively, defensively it's not even close,
they get much better. Fact of the matter is the
ownership of this team chooses to build a team
based on in depth talent and character analysis,
as well as payroll impact. You can't bitch and
moan about the lack of effort on the Red Sox
end, they reached for the stars on this, and it
didn't fit. 
_2.1.jpg)
|
Wild Card Wannabees
Get Everything Red Sox at The Souvenir Store Right across from Fenway 19 Yawkey Way, Boston
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, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Curt and Shonda will be contributing $25,000 to The ALS Association Massachusetts Chapter, and they are asking fans to contribute as well. All proceeds will benefit research and patient services for those in Massachusetts affected by the disease. Program participants will receive different incentive prizes based on the dollar amount per strikeout that they pledge. Please click here to learn more about the program. The Curt and Shonda Schilling Melanoma Foundation of America welcomes Red Sox Nation to join in their fight to save future generations from melanoma, a potentially preventable skin cancer. Get a Danny O Fenway Litho, as Seen in the Cooperstown Catalog
Chasing Steinbrenner Exclusive excerpts on the Kevin Millar signing |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
