Red Sox Stink 2007: July 2008 Archives

Manny wants to stay here...

My friend Rich sent me an article back in February from Boston.com on how Manny wants to end his career with the Red Sox. Thanks Rich. You can find the article here or cut and paste the following

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2008/02/21/ramirez_would_finish_career_with_red_sox/

Some highlights of the article

Manny Ramirez is so happy to be with the Boston Red Sox that he wants to finish his career with them. That said, the eccentric star isn't going to ask the team to pick up his option for 2009

That is until they actually DON'T pick up his option and Manny leaves goofy-town and enters crazy-town.

"I want to stay here, but it's up to them if they want to bring me," Ramirez said. "But if they don't want to bring me back, that's fine. I know I'll be a free agent after '08 so that's another thing that I'm looking forward (to)."

Apparently it's NOT fine, you lunatic. Or is...it...not...fine. Since they "don't deserve a player like me", they don't don't deserve a player like you. Brilliant move young man. Brilliant. And something tells me they are not picking up your option for next year. Just a guess. I could be wrong, I'm often wrong, but there's something out there that is singing in my ear that the Red Sox might not bring you back next year. Not sure though. I'll ask Stewy.

There's no rush to pick up the option or extend his contract, and Ramirez has no intention of asking the team to do either.

"It's up to them to say, `OK, we're going to take (the option). It's not up to me to go into the office and demand a four-year deal, whatever," he said. "No, I'm going come here to play the game, finish my year. If they want me to come back, I'll come back."

Huh?? Is Manny bi-polar? Who was that guy in February and where did he go? Oh, yeah, he went to crazytown.

"We're focused on 2008," Epstein said. "Manny's contract provides for the first of his options to be decided upon at the end of the year and there's a time for that, but it's certainly after the season. And we're looking forward to Manny continuing to work hard and have a great year."

Or great 2/3rds of a year. Not counting playoffs.

Ramirez had asked to be traded after the 2005 and 2006 seasons. But this offseason passed peacefully, without so much as a peep of dissatisfaction from him.

If they only knew, if they only knew.

What changed?

"You start growing up and mature," the 35-year-old Ramirez said.

If by "growing up and maturing" you mean hitting your teammate, beating on an old man and tagging your managers and the OWNERSHIP in the media, then yes, he growed up and maturded.

"I want to finish my career here," he said, "but it's up to them. So if that doesn't happen, hey, I'll go and play somewhere else. I know I still can play. What else can I say? It's up to them. I'm not the one who writes the checks."

No, you are not the ones who write the checks, they do. So why not criticize them and take shots at the ones who write your checks. That way, you don't have to finish your career here. And honestly, what did this ownership do that was so wrong? Why couldn't he be at peace? Because for the first time in his career he wasn't sure where he would be playing next year? HE DOESN'T KNOW THAT NOW? Sweet mother of crap he should see what MY life is like. Or any other working slob scraping by in this hollow and bitter place we call life. That guy is so rich and yet he can't find PEACE??? Take a peace of my ASS!!!

The uncertainty of where he'll play in 2009 shouldn't affect Ramirez in 2008, manager Terry Francona said. Ramirez, the hitter, isn't easily distracted.

If they only knew how wrong they were, if they only knew.

Francona usually brushes off Ramirez's quirks. So the manager just laughed about Ramirez skipping the team's conditioning drills Thursday afternoon.

"I give Manny credit for being smart enough to sneak out of here," Francona said.

ENABLER!! ENABLER!!

"I wouldn't put anything past Manny," Epstein said. "He's certainly in great enough shape where he can play at a high level for a long time, but when something like that (option) is built into a contract it makes sense just to be patient and wait for the appropriate time to deal with it."

Like JEW-LIE THIRTY ONE!! At THREE FITY NINE.

Thanks Rich, I owe you for bringing that article up.

Manny, I love you my friend, and I think Torre is perfect for you. And I can't wait to start talking about where you will end up next year. My prediction...the Phillies.

Posted by David at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Manny (boohoo)...is...(boohoo)...gone (bwahhahahah)

Seriously, I am shocked by this. Blown away. In 2004 I was doing yard work and had the radio on when I heard about Nomar being traded and was taken back. That was nothing compared to this. 8 years, 2 World Series, fans definitely getting their money's worth, endless reasons to talk about him, countless articles on Manny being Manny, ends like this. LIKE THIS?? Oh the shame.

As with the Farnsworth trade (more on that later), there is a downside to this. Do you have Ortiz hit 4th out of respect? Will the clubhouse be lighter because of this, or will this leave a stink. Did the Sox give up too much? Did they give up on Hansen too early? Is Jason Bay enough to fill in for Manny in the lineup.

I need to let this process for a couple of hours. But I will say this: I am truly sad because watching him in my backyard for the past 8 years has been fun, and I don't think there is anyone else in this game who is more interesting to watch, with such great ability but such a lack of respect for the institution of MLB, than Manny Ramirez.

Posted by David at 09:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Good Day Farnsey, just when I was warming up to you...

Just when I was starting to like you, although I still hate "Farnsey", you go and get traded for a guy who is actually shorter than Dusty Pedroia. I hate to say this, but there will be a hole in the relief core.

Article here.

or cut and paste

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/07/30/2008-07-30_yankees_get_14time_allstar_ivan_rodrique.html

Posted by David at 10:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Manny Ramirez

Wellllllll, things just got a little more interesting around here. Read about Manny's most recent comments to ESPN. This could get worse before it gets better. And I was wrong yesterday, about 60% of the crowd cheered, the rest were silent or booed. It was a much cooler reception than I thought he would get. Overall it was a great game, with some fun stuff happening in the section of box seats I had. I'll post some videos and pictures I took. Red Sox are looking a little confused right now. Could be temporary, but I hope not.

Posted by David at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Red Sox Yankees Game July 26 2008

I am going to the game today, sitting 4 rows behind the Yankees dugout. Thank you.

So the topic this week is Manny Ramirez and his knee. As we all know, he sat out Wed in Seattle, then last night he backed out late in the afternoon after Terry put him in the line up.

I just heard on WEEI that he is in the lineup and management said if he doesn't play today there will be repercussions.

So my prediction is this. When Manny steps to the plate, the sell-out crowd at Fenway will treat him like a conquering hero returning to the motherland. They will stand and cheer widely like a bunch of lemmings being driven off the cliff. Manny can do anything to Red Sox fans and they will keep asking for more. Why? Because they’re Red Sox fans.

And for the record, that Rivera pitch to Mike Lowell was clearly a ball. He had a right on that call to be upset. In fact, there were a lot of calls that went against the Red Sox. But that still doesn’t give Lowell the right to jump around and throw his shit and grab his junk and call the umpire an Ewok.

And Red Sox fans don’t like Chamberlain throwing at Youk? Too effing bad. Do you remember Pedro Martinez throwing at people. And don’t give me this crap about Pedro not throwing at people’s heads. Although there was that game in Cleveland where he hit what’s-his-name, who knew he was going to get plunked, with a slow curve in the behind. For the most part Pedro was a punk who hit people he didn’t like. Overall, Red Sox pitchers have hit many more Yankee players than Sox players over the past 10 years. And Youkilis is a crybaby who looks like someone who’s face is on posters warning parents at playgrounds across some sleepy New England town to watch out for their kids.

And I have said this before, I love Terry Francona. That guy is honest, straightforward and insightful. You could tell he has had it with Manny.

I’ll let you know how the game was later tonight. Pettitte is going against Wakefield. Ugh. I’ve seen Wake like 7 times, no joke, and each one is as painful as the last. His games slow down to a crawl while he delivers a 50 mile per hour curve that keeps getting fouled off. I should bring a book because the game is going to be slow.

Later.

Posted by David at 06:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

PEDRO

Do you remember this dufus? I went to a Mets game a couple of weeks ago and had these really kick ass seats. No joke, they were seats that even Marc Anthony couldn’t get, trust me, I know, because he was there and sat in the is-this-guy-really-banging-JLow-? section. I even took a picture of him.

I was 2 rows behind the center of the Mets dugout, unreal. So this other guys yells “PEDRO” and he looks up for like 5 seconds with that look on his face while people took his picture. Priceless. And this photo was not zooming in, we were that close.

Man, I hated Pedro when he played for the Red Sox. It was nice seeing him again.

Wax version of Pedro

Posted by David at 02:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

July 16, 2008

Great American Beer...Brought to you by InBev

So I'm watching the game, actually enjoying myself because I like Joe Buck and Tim McGarver, I really think those two are as good as they come on TV, and during a commercial break I see a Budweiser commercial that hits at the all-American heart strings. It’s a great advertising strategy because I think most people deep in their hearts love this country and anything "American" makes them proud. But I kind of smirked when the tag line at the end was...

"Ever since there’s been the great American past time, there’s been the great American lager. Budweiser".

For those who might not have heard, Anheuser-Busch agreed to be sold to a Belgium based company. From the web...

In a move that surprised investors, Anheuser-Busch Companies Inc.’s (BUD) board voted to end more than 150 years as a family-controlled company, accepting a $70-per-share bid from Belgium’s InBev NV (INBVF.PK) in a deal that puts a $52 billion price tag on the iconic American brewer

I heard on a news report that it is being purchased by a Belgium and Brazilian company. That is because InBev is a result of a 2004 merger between Belgium's Interbrew and Brazil-based AmBev. SABMiller, watch out, your seat on the top is about to be overturned.

I am a proud capitalist and having an MBA from a NY university, believe in corporate buy outs. This merger shows how global we are becoming and that strength in size can create efficiencies and opportunities that smaller stand alone corporations cannot achieve on their own. But I am interested in how they will advertise their American pull when they are no longer an American company.

BTW, for some reason that I cannot explain, I liked seeing the Red Sox players in the All Star game. If I can step out of my skin for a second, I was rooting for Youk and Pedroia and Manny. I felt no animosity toward them and actually wanted them to do well.

Fukudome is almost as good as Randy Johnson, the Big Unit, for unintentional porn names.

Posted by David at 02:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 15, 2008

Tiny Dustin Pedroia quiet as a mouse

What the f**k is going on with the Herald today. Now this article about Pedroia. I like it, but its not good for my rants. I would much rather have read about little baby Dustin acting like a jerk, jumping in line at the buffet, linking cookies then putting them back on the tray, not flushing the toilet after dropping a deuce and demanding a higher hitting spot. But I have to read this goody goody rainbow church mouse crap. What the eff is wrong with the Herald?

Little Dustin church mouse. Ugh.

Posted by David at 09:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Papelbon's comments and the All Star Game

If I needed another excuse to hate that moron Papelbon and his stupid drunk college kid antics that I hate and hope little kids don’t look up to him. And his dumb stare that he said he does to intimidate batters but instead looks like my 3 year old when I won’t let him climb on top of the armoire. Now he goes against the tide and talks trash about Mariano Rivera, the closer for the NY Yankees.

From today’s Daily News, you can read the article here

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2008/07/14/2008-07-14_jonathan_papelbon_says_he_should_close_a.html?page=0

Talking about him and Francona…

“We've both earned that right; us, by winning the World Series and having the opportunity of having our manager there and our team being represented, and Mariano by what he's done for this role, we're in Yankee Stadium and blah, blah, blah," Papelbon said. "It's not that easy. Everybody thinks it's a cut and dry answer, but it's not."

So blah blah blah because you won the World Series last year blah blah blah you deserve the right to close blah so why shouldn’t every single person blah blah on the Red Sox blah blah start and finish blah blah the All Star Game?? Huh Einstein? If you earned the right by winning the World Series, then every member of the Red Sox should be on the All Star team? Right? Well, maybe they didn’t discuss this at your MENSA meeting but THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS!!! You freakin idiot. It is based on who is the best player THIS year. Rivera is 23 for 23 in save situations with no blown saves. Papelbon has 28 saves with 4 blown. Rivera’s ERA is 1.06 and Paps is 2.43. I am not as bright as Papelbon, so tell me how he deserves it more? Because he won a World Series last year. Hmm, ok. Makes sense.

On a related topic, I am one of only a handful of people who does not like the Home Run Derby. In fact, I hate it. I tuned in last night to watch Hamilton hit them all over the place in that one round. And you know what, I was bored. Great, he can hit a soft pitch from an old guy throwing batting practice. HE’S SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. He’s a major league hitter. What’s the big deal. You wheel out some corpse to throw BP and let a guy with Popeye like forearms hit it all over the place. Big freakin deal. Honestly, I was bored to death by it. And to hear Boomer say “back back back back back back back” over and over made me throw up in my high ball. Jesus f**king Christ it was awful. And you know why the older more experienced players don’t do it, because it hurts their hitting rhythm. It throws them off their normal cadence. Taking huge swings like that, you tire out and could hurt yourself, guys like ARod and Howard don’t want to have anything to do with it.

The All Star game is fine, but not really my thing either. And I love great pitching games. But there is something about it that I just don’t find appealing. Maybe it’s the constant movement of players to get everyone in. Or maybe the great pitching that usually results in a 2-1 game. Or that it is just usually not an exciting game. But I find it boring as well.

With that said, I am still waiting by my phone for a last minute invite to the game tonight. Don’t think its gonna happen though.

Posted by David at 03:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

July 07, 2008

Why is Jason Varitek an All Star?? Can Someone Please Explain That To Me??!!!

Below are stats for catchers up to yesterday’s games for this year. It includes catchers with at least 100 at bats, a list that includes 20 catchers. Can someone please tell me HOW Jason Varitek is an all star?? Why is he an all star, because of his impressive .218 batting average?? Maybe it’s because he is 15th on the list for slugging percentage, that’s pretty impressive. Or his WHOPPING 300 on base percentage, WOW!!! Well, he does have 7 home runs, but so do FIVE other catchers, plus two with MORE homeruns!! I am not joking, WHY is Jason Varitek an all star?? There is one other catcher with at least 100 plate appearances with a LOWER batting average. Has anyone seen Jason hit this year?? Am I watching the wrong guy?? He SUCKS!!!! Ok, so he is a team leader, he is the “general” behind the plate, making sure he directs the players in his field. He “calls” a good game?? What the f**k does that mean?? So you are telling me other catchers are NOT generals, that other catchers DO NOT call good games, that Jason Varitek is the only freakin catcher and is so far ahead of his colleagues on other teams that he HAS to be an all star. I’ve never met Jason Varitek, but hear he is a good guy, very down to earth, good with children and nuns and Tiny Tim. So I wonder if he is embarrassed by being on the all star team. Does he look around and not make eye contact and nervously laugh at others’ jokes and mumble a response when someone asks him a question. Because you know what?? He SHOULD be embarrassed, because he is having a terrible year, the FANS know that because they didn’t vote him in, and he made it anyway. What the eff where the players thinking in voting him in? That he's a nice guy? Great, then give me a freakin Oscar for my part in Stone Soup when I was 9, because its about as relevant.

What the hell is going on around here?

BTW, Mo is so freakin money is makes me cry thinking about him, he is so beautiful. On Saturday he starts a train wreck by giving up a run in a close game, and loads the bases with no out. And he continues to pitch like nothing happened, veins of freakin ICE. And then last night was just joy to watch, three straight to Manny while he (haha) never (hahahahah) took the bat (blahblahblah) off his shoulder!!! Pissed that you were used in that game were you Manny, juts a little, maybe, so you decide to not EVEN SWING.

And I HATE HATE Joe Morgan and the GD K Zone. STOP TALING ABOUT IT, even a blind man could see the strikes being called on Wake’s pitches were inconsistent. Hey, I understand why they are hard to call, they are hard to catch, but STOP SAYING THAT SINCE THE K ZONE GOT IT RIGHT, IT MUST BE RIGHT. You can take that freakin K Zone and shove it up where the Morgan don’t shine.

Yep, Jason Varitek is a clear All Star

Posted by David at 03:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

July 01, 2008

More on Manny attacking people

"He deserved it"

Earlier today I kind of threw out some curses and blurted crap about Manny. I am like that, especially with this nonsense we call the Red Sox. But after a long run in Central park earlier this evening and some time to think about it, plus listening to the Fan this morning while making the drive from Long Island to St. John’s to mid town, and having even THOSE guys defend Manny in the Youkilis dust up, I still can’t believe this crap. We’ve all heard stories about players attacking members of the organization (Latrell Sprewell, Shawn Chacon) and it is never right. Unfortunately, this organization will not do a thing to Manny because he hits a lot of balls far from home plate. In my job, if I pushed an administrator, regardless of age, I would be in deep shit. Then again, I am not one of the best sales people in the entire industry, so maybe if I was, pushing old men would be ok.

One other thing. I am not ready to worry about Tampa Bay yet, but it is getting very very close. I still believe they will drop in the second half, but they sure look good right now.

Dave

PS. The picture I included was from that famous Yankees/Red Sox game in October 2003. I remember it like it was yesterday, because I was in my yard building a fence while my wife and daughter were out of town, and I ran in to my three season porch to watch the entire thing when it went down. It was a Saturday I think. And the entire thing was that little punk a-hole Pedro’s FAULT, because he gave up a walk, a single, and a double. Then he hit Karim Garcia, a second rate player that chick Pedro made fun of who hit him earlier. Karim and Nancy yelled at each other, Then there was a hard slide into second, and a pitch that WAS ALMOST A STRIKE to Manny, which set off one of the most incredible scenes I have ever seen, with Pedro telling Posada that he is going to hit him in the head and then finally Zimmer charging like an aging bull at Pedro. Holy Crap, that was fun.

PSS. I can't believe Jason Giambi is still wearing that mustache. Even my wife commented on it. In a strange way he looks both creepy and attractive. and the best part of it is knowing that the Yankees will be free of his 20 MILLION DOLLARS after this year. Good freakin riddance. He kind of looks like he should be staring in a movie called "Porn on the Fourth of July", or "Passenger 69", or "Saving Ryan's Privates", or "Star Whores".

What a D

Posted by David at 11:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Manny is out of control, with YOGA RAGE

I go away for a couple of freakin days and THIS happens. Manny Ramirez pushes a 64 year old member of the Red Sox staff while on a road trip in Houston. Pushes him TO. THE. GROUND!! THE GROUND!!!!! WHAT THE F**K IS GOING ON??? And I am not around to hear loser nation blame Jack McCormick, the team’s traveling secretary, for Manny yelling at him then shoving him to the ground. Sweet Mother of Ass Crack why couldn’t there have been a camera in that room. What I would give to see that played over and over again.

So let me recap Manny over the past month. He takes a swing at Youk because Youk was acting like a royal a-hole and Manny didn’t like it. Then last weekend he pushed this old guy. Wonder if he called Pedro after. Something like this…

Manny: Yo, Pedro, who’s your daddy??

Pedro Martinez: Hahahaha, very funny Man, very funny, good times. How you doing rasta-man?

Manny: Good, good. Hittin’ home runs, chillin, doing my thang, yoga and stuff, you know…so, remember that time during the playoffs, when you pushed a fat old guy to the ground? Yeah, you remember that? In NY? During the game against…I think it was the Yankees, not sure, I don’t remember…but you remember that? You do? Great.

Pedro: Why Manny, what happened? You ok?

Manny: Yeah, me good. Just trying to figure out what I should do if someone pushed an old man down for not doing something like say for example getting extra tickets for my peeps. Just trying to figure that out.

So Manny is being Manny, and this loser town is going to come up with excuses for this. I caught a few minutes of EEI this afternoon on my laptop and they were saying things like “maybe the guy was holding a clip board” and “maybe Manny just flicked his hand and Jack stumbled”.

Good lord, this is ridiculous. So because Manny, double standard coming up, is a great hitter, then Jack McCormick will probably have to apologize to HIM and take a couple of days off to let Manny get back into a rhythm. Ugh. WHY WHY WHY did this NOT happen when I was around. Freakin Manny being Manny.

Posted by David at 09:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Red Sox Stink 2007

July 31, 2008