JMR's Distant Tour of the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame

Suffering through the Red Sox' loss to the dreaded New York Yankees on Fox Sports today, I became intrigued by some banter between Tim McCarver and Joe Buck toward the end of the game.  Apparantly, McCarver was recently inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame along with Brian Cashman, Bill James and a couple of other guys I don't care much about.  Fox Sports showed McCarver and Cashman getting plaques in an evening setting not unlike the Heisman Ceremony.  Although I was poking fun at McCarver, I was at the same time wondering what this all about.

But first I had to ask my 6 year old if he he knew what the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame was.

After giving it a surprising amount of thought, he began to reason with me. "I don't know, Dad.  But do you want to play a game of wiffle ball?"  No.  Just Wii Soccer and Sorry tonight.

I was surprised to learn first that the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame (IBHOF for short) was founded not in Boston, but in New York.  I would have appreciated Ted Kennedy doing something for ME for once and locate it near the JMR homestead.  On the other hand, I was not surprised to learn that the IBHOF was founded in an Irish Pub located in Midtown Manhattan called Foley's NY Pub and Restaurant.

Opened by self described baseball historian Shaun Clancy, in an historic building across from the Empire State Building in 2004, Foley's NY first gained notoriety when, in March 2008, Clancy banned the playing of "Danny Boy" for that entire month, maintaining that it was written by an Englishman who never set foot in Ireland and was too depressing of a song anyway to be played during the St. Patrick Day Holiday.  In the same vein, I hereby declare that JMR's house shall not play Lady Gaga's "Alejandro" for the entire month of August 2010, which includes the Today Show appearance that has been on my DVR list for 6 weeks.  If that increases readership - great.

That same year, this place somehow got the approval from Major League Baseball to open the IBHOF.  MLB sanctioning an off shoot Hall of Fame in an Irish Pub that before this time was most proud of Joe McEwing's first autograph?  Who's Joe McEwing?  Exactly.  Does anyone in Cooperstown or the New York Headquarters read the memos that come across his or her desk?

And then the list of inductees to the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame since 2008 immediately jumped off the page.  Important and historic baseball figures such as Connie Mack, John McGraw and Walter O'Malley almost shared this distinction with baseball luminaries such as John Fogarty, Rosie O'Donnell (seriously!) and John Cusack.  Not exactly a group heading to Cooperstown any time soon. 

Said 2009 inductee Kevin Costner upon his induction, "I'm humbled to be included with real baseball historic figures, especially after I released "For the Love of the Game."  I know that my great, great, great grandmother, who endowed me with my Irish descent would be proud."  Next year's class I've heard will include Madonna, Charlie Sheen and Susan Sarandon.
  
All kidding aside, the owner definitely has a crack PR staff.  This guy and his little bar are all over the Internet when you do a little research.  Not to mention profiles in USA Today and ABC News from the "Danny Boy" brouhaha.  I applaud Clancy's effort and of course the next time we're in New York, you know where we're heading. 

But first and foremost, Foley's NY is a restaurant.  How's the food? A $12 burger better taste pretty good.

photographs courtesy of foleysny.com and baseballdigest.com

Josh Beckett and the Minor Leagues

It had the makings of a really long afternoon.

Josh Beckett was probably thinking the same thing we were on this particular day.  The weather was hot and steamy, the Pawsox were a mirror image of their major league brother - gutted - although instead of injuries, the Pawsox were afflicted with a case of the callhimupitis.  It seemed that the Triple A team had taken over the Red Sox roster, what with guys like MacDonald and Nava and Brown and Richardson and Nelson as so on playing "pivotal roles" in Boston.  Even worse, Beckett was caught up in some disgruntled sportswriters vision of a utopian Red Sox team (i.e. the kinds of teams with problems); it seemed that he was milking his injury just like Jacoby Ellsbury, or so it seemed.

It was a recipe for disaster.  The kids were hot, and when I say hot, I mean whiny.  The beer and ice cream lines were wrapping around the concourse with no relief in sight, and the Pawsox were playing a good Triple A team.  I don't remember who, but I do remember someone remarking that they looked "strong."  Everyone agreed though that seeing Josh Beckett pitch for a 45 minute drive and a $5 general admission seat was pretty cool.

It got me thinking.  Which Josh Beckett were we going to see?  The one that was leading the league in Home Runs allowed before landing on the disabled list, or the one that went 20-7 in that magical year in 2007?  Even my son knew that Beckett had a lower back issue, but when healthy, which Beckett were we going to see?  I just hoped that he comes out  of the start healthy.  I've had enough of Tim Wakefield.  And if only Beckett could play catcher, too.  He's definitely a better hitter than Kevin Cash.

1pm.  Pawtucket, RI.  The crowd was buzzing.  It was sweltering, but people still stopped what they were doing to watch Beckett throw in the bullpen and saunter out to the mound for his warm-up pitches. 

"Is that Josh Beckett?" My six year old asked me expectantly. 

I was sweating bullets, so I only half muffled by condescending tone when I joked "Ah yes, that is why we're here big G.  Do you remember seeing him while we were waiting for tickets?"

"But is that him walking out to the middle of the field?"

We moved on from that little discussion because we finally reached the beer line after the 20 minute wait for hot dogs I knew noone would eat.  His questions would have to wait for those couple of seconds as I take that first sip of ice cold beer.

We barely get back to our place in the left field berm when the top of the first inning ends.  We hear some oohs and ahhs as Beckett mows them down, probably in order.  We settle in as best we can under our shade umbrellas (such tourists!).

We watch a couple of more innings sweltering on the surface of the sun.  Beckett takes care of business in the second inning; nad we dirnk our second beers.  The third inning rolls around and it appears that Beckett begins to labor a bit.  We move to Right Field and I notice that Beckett begins mixing in some off speed pitches.  Before we move, MM predicts that a home run will be hit.  Of course, it was Beckett that gave up the home run as we begin our slow move.  I'm disappointed that Beckett gives up the home run, but I don't think anyone else notices.  My boys are starting to angle for foul balls (even though we're sitting in fair territory)  and my three year old daughter may have passed out on her Mother's lap. 

An hour and a half later, I decide that it's probably time to leave.  Beckett pitched four decent innings giving up only that one home run.  The Pawsox are winning 2-1.  My shirt has now completely changed colors from sweat and the kis drinks spilling on me.  Who knew I'd be the one wanting to leave a baseball game?  We hear that the kids can run the bases at the end of the game, so I begrudgingly agree to stay.  Ultimately, everyone had fun running the bases with the Pawsox mascot giving everyone high-5s. Even Mom got into running the bases. 

Which Beckett are we going to see next week?  I just hope one in a Red Sox uniform.

Photo courtesy of NESN

Where in the World is Jacoby Ellsbury?

We were watching the game last night.  The camera panned the Red Sox dugout during a time of lucidity and focus of the boys and myself.  Upon seeing Josh Beckett in a Red Sox warm up jersey, my 6 year old shrieked "Josh Beckett!  I didn't know he was still on the Red Sox!"

My 8 year old then inquires about Jacoby Ellsbury, who is noticably absent.  "Dad, is Jacoby Ellsbury still on the Red Sox, too?"

I find it strange that Josh Beckett is with the team on a night like this, but noone has seen Jacoby Ellsbury.  "Yes he's still hurt.  He broke his ribs."

"What has it been, Dad?  4 months?  I think he's just being lazy and he's just faking!"  My 8 year old states.  I can't say I blame him for feeling this way.  It seems as though Ellsbury has been on his own schedule for the last six weeks, probably at the direction of his super agent, Scott Boras.  Incidentally, I don't point out to the boys that he returned for a couple of games at the end of May before landing back on the disabled list.  They seemed to be enjoying all of the Ellsbury-bashing.  "He's so stupid!" my six year old concludes.

But exactly where is he, and why is he not with the team?  The answer is Athletes Performance Institute in Arizona.  Does he have cracked ribs or is looking into cryogenics or retirement communities?  Ellsbury has always made an impression that he is a little soft - good or bad - that's our impression.  My 8 year old thinks he's faking his injury for crying out loud.  He should be with the team and rehabbing his injured ribs in Boston.  So what's really going on?

The answer might be in that very-telling ESPN article referred to above.  As the story goes, The Red Sox Team doctor, Tom Gill diagnosed cracked ribs.  After discomfort continued, Ellsbury received a second opinion (on the advice of Scott Boras thinking about arbitration eligibility).  What was discovered was a nother crack in the posterior side of the ribcage.  While everyone was saying the right things, the quotes from the ESPN article suggests that Dr. Gill missed the posterior injury.  Because of this, Ellsbury will end up missing at least half of the season.  Boras and Ellsbury, upset that the team's doctors misdiagnosed the injury, just as Ellsbury's earning power was increasing, took the dog and pony show to Dr. Lewis Yokum and API.  Now Ellsbury won't show up until he is perfectly healthy.  We'll see if it's the right move.

Because the Red Sox are playing well.  Despite numerous injuries in the Outfield, unknown players such as Darnell McDonald and Daniel Nava and career bench players Bill Hall and Eric Patterson are putting up numbers that are not dissimilar to those that Ellsbury would be producing.  I hope Ellsbury gets healthy, but I agree with my 6 year old's assessment. "We don't him, Dad, we have good outfielders already!!"  The Red Sox win-loss record would suggest that that's right.

photograph courtesy of squidoo.com

JMR's List of the 5 Longest Sporting Events Ever

They probably didn't think that they would have to play each other three days in a row.  But here we are.  John Isner, a 19th seeded! American has battled qualifier Nicolas Mahut to a virtual draw.  It even made the cover of ESPN, something men's tennis has failed to do in years (except when talking about Andre Agassi's drug habits or the rampant betting that occurs in Men's Tennis).  Incidentally, this match has been suspended not once, but twice, because of darkness.

Even though the match winner still has not been determined, almost every record in the history of tennis match play has been broken - number of games, length of match, number of points, longest set, most aces.  In fact, I saw a table of longest matches, and the Isner-Mahut match is longer by 50 PERCENT than the second longest match.  It got me to thinking about what the longest games have been in the five major sports in the U.S.  At first, I looked here for the answers, but decided that that was a little over the top.

1. Baseball.  It wouldn't be baseball unless there were actually TWO records.  One record for most innings and one record for longest game in hours.  In fact the game that holds the record for most innings (26) actually ended as a tie game (Dodgers 1 Braves 1, May 1, 1920).  There is no doubt that Bud Selig used this game as his litmus test when he called a tie in the All Star game 5 years ago.  The longest game in time occured back in 1984 when the White Sox defeated the Brewers 7-6 in a game that lasted 8 hours and 6 minutes.  The fans I'm sure were excited to sit through that game knowing that beer and food were sold out at hour 2 of that game.

2.  Football.  Christmas Day, 1971.  An NFL Playoff Game between the Dolphins and the Chiefs.  The Dolphins eventualy won this game with 7 minutes and 40 seconds gone in the Second Overtime.  The funny thing about this actually was my research.  So many people were condemned for asking such a "stupid" question.  They were scolded that games end up in a tie after the 15 minute overtime.  Followed shortly by the answer given above.   At least three research sites had this string of questions, snarky answers and salty responses.

3.  Basketball.  In a 6 overtime thriller, the Indianapolis Olympians defeated the Rochester Royals 75-73 on January 6, 1951.  A real yawner of a game, if you ask me.  I understand that in the 30 minutes of overtime play, only 23 shots were taken.  23 SHOTS?  How is this entertaining?  By the way, how did the team from Indiana get the name, the "Olympians?"

4.  Hockey.  March 24, 1936.  This is the time of the original 6.  Mud Brunteau scored the game winner for the Red Wings as Detroit defeated the Montreal (soon to be) the Canadiens in the sixth overtime of a semifinal playoff game.

5.  Soccer. (European Football).  Who cares?

So tomorrow, John Isner and Nicolas Mahut will face each other for a third consecutive day.  Neither of these guys will win their second round match regardless, and maybe they don't care.  They just want this to end.  I don't blame them.  As John Isner said at the end of Day 2, "Nothing like this will ever happen again.  Ever."  I hope not, for their sake.

photo courtesy of cnnsi.com

Went to A Baseball Game and A Basketball Game Almost Broke Out

I could hardly contain my excitement.  I am a Father, however, so when I told my (now) 8 year old that I got seats - really good seats - to see the Red Sox play the Toronto Blue Jays on his birthday, I used the most muted tones that I could muster.

"We got awesome seats to the game.  Do you want to get out early from school and go with me?"  I was sure that the prospect of leaving school early would appeal to my second grader.  He was getting to be THAT age.

"Can I still have my sleepover with my friends after the movie Mommy takes us to?"  He answers cautiously.  I think he thinks that this is an either-or proposition, and I begin to suspect that I will be on the short end of this decision.

"Of course!"  I lie - er - I tell him.  I'll just use his First Communion money to pay for the movie with his buddies.  A present day example of robbing Peter to pay Paul. 

Suddenly, he perks up.  "Yeah Dad, will we get foul balls?  Should I bring my glove?"

So begins our journey to Boston to see the Red Sox.  I put special emphasis on RED SOX.  My new client has tickets waiting for me, so I figure let's get there early and enjoy batting practice and dinner.  Maybe we can get an autograph from one of the young guys.  Little did I know that something else might take over our attention as the game progresses.

No. Not Heidi Watney.  That would be kind of silly.  Although my son did point her out to me; saying that she was the one who talked about the games, during the games.  I asked him if I should take a picture of her and he said yes because she was famous.  Good thinking, son.  I think I will do just that.

"Your Mom is probably going to kill me when she sees this picture."  I tell him as point my camera in her direction.  (Little did I know that she would simply use social media to make fun of me.)  But then I take a picture of Sean McAdam too, as if that would fool her.

"Why would she be mad?"  He asks.  Oh, childhood.  I didn't tell him that I would explain it to him 2 to 4 years from now - whenever I get the cajones to talk to him about the birds and the bees (no pun intended).  I just changed the subject.  "Let's go to the Pesky Pole to try to catch some home runs!"  He half-heartedly agreed to go with me.

After yelling at one of the Blue Jays ball retrievers because he was 6 feet away from us yet kept hitting the BP balls he got back to the BP pitcher, we sat down in our seats.  Trying to catch home runs was a little too boring for the kid.  We were just a couple of rows behind the Red Sox dugout, so I figured it was okay.  We were so close, in fact, that my son could throw his ice cream helmet filled with expired ice cream at Tom Werner or John Henry in the Owner's box and probably hit one of them.  As we sit down, I am reminded that I was told that if the guys next to us asked how much we paid for the tickets, I had to say $500.  I didn't inquire why they would be asking me a question like that; I had my eldest son with me.

When these guys sat down though, I struck up a conversation with them.  One was from California, the other was from Massachusetts.  More importantly, I would later find out, the guy from Massachusetts had a good feed on his phone so as to get real life updates and video on Game 5 of the Celtics-Cavaliers who were playing at the same time.  I begin to feel conflicted.  Did I just get the best seats to Fenway Park I've ever gotten just so I could huddle around a couple of guys and a Blackberry?  When my son asked me the score of the Celtics game, I knew the answer.

So the next hour and a half transpired like this - watch the Red Sox dominate the Blue Jays, then ask the guy sitting next to us what the Celtics' score was.  Daisuke was pitching magnificently, yet, we were more concerned about how LeBron scored only a couple of points in the First Quarter, then the First Half.  Finally, I snapped out of it.  We were at a baseball game for crying aloud.  I've DVR'ed the basketball game, after all.  Enough with this nonsense.  Let's go Sox!

"Let's try to get a ball from Youk after the inning."  I tell my son.  He's too interested in taking pictures to care.  He's excited that the Red Sox are leading, but he's starting to lose focus, particularly now that the game is in the later innings.  I begin to try everything.  I yell at Terry Francona encouragement when he pops his head out of the dugout in front of us.  I buy some more popcorn.  I try to interest him in some trivia and statistics.  I think he had a good time, but as 11pm draws near, it's probably time to go.  As we put on our jackets, I ask the guy sitting next to us what the score is now.  The Celtics seem to be pulling away.  It's a good night I think to myself as we leave tot he strains of "Sweet Caroline."  The Red Sox win.  The Celtics win and the two of us had a great time.

All I had to hear were those magical words.  "When is it my birthday again?"  Maybe he meant the presents that he got or the movie he was going to with his buddies.  I don't care though.  For this night, I'll believe that he was talking about his old man taking him to the game.

This Is Not the Way to Teach Sports Terminology

"Hey guys!" I yell up to the boys excitedly yesterday afternoon.  "Come down here. The Celtics and the Red Sox are both going for sweeps."  They hurdle themselves down the stairs as if I told them that they could have ice cream for breakfast - not that I know what they do when they have ice cream for breakfast.

My five year old is particularly excited.  "What did you say about the Celtics?" He asks. 

"The Celtics are trying to beat the Miami Heat 4-0 so they can go on to the next round of the playoffs.  It's called a sweep."  Before they groan about having to clean up their rooms or the toy room, I start to explain the concept of the "sweeps."  I then explain that the Red Sox are also going for the sweep against the hapless Baltimore Orioles.  Although the season just started for the Red Sox.

My seven year old looks at me slightly amused and completely confused.  "They're still playing the Miami Heat?  Didn't they just kill them a couple of days ago?"  This might be a little tougher to explain than I thought.  Maybe I should go outside and mow the lawn.  "Who do they play if they beat Miami?"  He continues. 

"They will probably play the Cavaliers."  A collective groan emanates from the boys's direction, as if we should just annoint the Cavaliers the NBA Champions.

My 5 year old still doesn't get it even after the Cavs explanation.  "So if the Celtics and Red Sox both win, will they play each other?  Or are they both winners?"  I shake my head.  Undeterred, he then explains how he "swept" me in a couple of games of Around the World a couple of days earlier.  I let him win, by the way.  "What happens if they don't win?  Will they go home?" 

It's difficult for me to continue to explain this type of terminology.  Concepts like "sweeping" a team in a playoff series or a three game series in baseball gets lost when regular season or playoff structures are only understood on the most basic, rudimentary levels.  I do happen to convince them to sit down with me to watch the games with me, after their Mother agreed to let them come inside for a breather.  My seven year old agrees only so long as we don't watch the NFL Draft.  I'm about to tell him that I just wanted to see if the Patriots would select Tim Tebow when I instead offered not to watch any more of the draft.

Game 4, Celtics-Heat.  We pick up the game at the end of the First Half.  The Celtics were plagued in the First Quarter by turnovers (losing by as much as 17 points) but begin to turn things around in the Second Quarter to draw within 6 points at halftime.  The Celtics even pull ahead by 6 points as the 4th Quarter starts.  However, 46 points by Dwyane Wade - including 30 in the second half - was too much for Boston to ultimately overcome.  Heat 101 Celtics 92.  "Why is #3 talking to his hand?  That is so stupid!"  That was the one highlight from an otherwise excruciating game - Dwyane Wade screaming at his hand after making a couple of run-of-the-mill three pointers.  Oh, that and our five minute conversation about why Glenn Davis doesn't want to be called "Big Baby" anymore.  Count the three of us on the side of "Big Baby" versus "Glenn."

Game 3, Red Sox-Orioles.  As the Celtics game mercifully ends, I switch the Red Sox back on.  At 2-19, I'm thinking that the Orioles will be much easier to sweep than the Heat.  As I explain that to the boys, I'm reminded that I shouldn't jinx them.  So they understand jinxing a team or a player, but they think that the Celtics and the Red Sox will PLAY EACH OTHER if they both sweep their series?

This isn't going much better though as the Red Sox blow a 4-1 lead in the Seventh Inning, highlighted by a Miguel Tejada home run off Hideki Okajima to tie the game.  I would make a joke about Tejada's use of PEDs to muscle the ball over the Green Monster, but people in glass houses and all....  The Orioles then take the lead off in the 10th inning off the back of the Red Sox bullpen, 7-4.  A valiant rally by the Sox in the bottom of the 10th Inning falls short as the Orioles win just their third game of the season.  Orioles 7 Red Sox 6. 

It was an unsuccessful Sunday in these parts, as neither team could complete their sweep.  It's not the end of the world of course and my five year old summed it up perfectly.  "The Celtics are going to sweep Miami on tomorrow!"  Sounds good to me.

photograph courtesy of Getty images

What Could Be Right With The 2010 Boston Red Sox

So much negativity is not a good thing.  It eats away at your soul, leaving a festering wound that can only be remedied by eating away at it some more.  As Rick Pitino, in a rare moment of clarity, said all of those years before, "All the negativity in this town sucks!"  I can't help but agree with him after reading, listening and watching all of the naysayers for the past three days after the Red Sox were swept by the Tamp Bay Rays in a four game showdown this weekend at Fenway Park.  But is there anything really wrong with the new look Red Sox? 

It's not a surprise to learn that negativity is only good for those who sell it.  In our local sports market, negativity gold diggers include Dan Shaughnessy,  Michael Felger, and Tony Mazzerotti, to name a few.  They sell negativity because that's what gets people talking; and when people start talking, they start to read and listen more; they start to buy more newspapers and watch more commercials.  Their ratings go up when things go wrong.  I'm a victim of this as well (I keep telling myself) because I start talking back to the radio and the TV when I listen to some blowhard talk about the Red Sox these days - not because it irritates me to listen to them - but rather because they might be right this time. 

I'm going off on a tangent.  You see what negativity can do?  It starts to make you lose focus.  Back to my point.  Who really cares about David Ortiz's and JD Drew's decrepit swings or Marc Scutaro's complete lack of range?  I understand that the Red Sox should just buy a pitchback for their pitchers since the defensive part of their catching staff is atrocious.  But ask the Yankees about Mark Teixeira this year.  Every team has concerns this early in the year.  More importantly, the Red Sox are 6 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays and a smidgen less behind the New York Yankees.

Interestingly, though, I think I've discovered the problem with the Red Sox this year - albeit in only 13 games.  Lack of hitting, spotty starting pitching, surprisingly mediocre defense and general lack of effort are all factors in what I will call Chemistritis.  Chemistritis is a knack for teams with numerous changes in the roster to experience a lull in performance as the season starts.  Spring Training is not a good barometer for understanding how the lack of team chemistry will affect wins and losses - the most important statistics in baseball.  And teams with new (and startingly rich) blood need some time to mesh as a unit.  I'm not a sabermetrician (Thank God for small favors) but wins and losses really are the most important stats in Baseball.  The most wins during the regular season gets you into the playoffs and the most wins during the playoffs wins you the World Series.  Readers from MIT will now sigh, shake their heads and stop reading at this point.  But I'm right.  John Henry and Theo Epstein would probably agree with me.

The case study for chemistritis has to be the New York Yankees over the past 10 years.  It seems they have new players trucked in every year.  Despite landing the biggest free agent every autumn, sometimes talent, luck and early season schedules simply does not determine a team's performance early on in the season as much as team chemistry does.  As demonstrated below, the Yankees made the playoffs despite poor beginnings in 4 of the last 6 years:

2009  14-16

2007  14-16

2005  11-19

2004  9-11

Don't ask me about the other years, the Yankees started off pretty well those seasons - ruining my point and all.  Similar to the 2010 Red Sox, these other Yankees teams made substantial changes during the previous offseason.  Randy Johnson, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, C.C. Sabathia et al all came over in these years.  These large egos and even larger pay checks had to grow accustomed to being part of a team rather than the team.  Not only that, these guys had to find new homes, get their families in order, make sure their three Mercedes and the family Bentley were shipped properly.  They had to figure out club house dues, the training staff, where to go when they get to the park and which locker was theirs.  Like all of us transitioning into new jobs, we get ourselves straightened out and then we focus on becoming part of the team.  At least the Red Sox and the Yankees have the money to spend on new players.      

You have 4 new players who are expected to make a dramatic impact on the Red Sox this year.  Between Lackey, Cameron, Beltre and Scutaro, our home town team committed almost $30 million dollars this year alone on new talent.  Further, Mike Lowell was shown the bench after he couldn't pass a freaking physical (turn your head and cough Mr. Lowell) and Jacoby Ellsbury was asked to move to Left Field.  I know.  These guys are all scuffling a bit now.  But a lucky break, a no-hitter or a game winning home run may kick start a moribund season.  Something that brings the team together is usually all that is needed to get a bunch of baseball players to start acting like a team. 

In other words, Chemistritis usually doesn't last.  Hopefully the negativity won't either.  But I digress.

The Toe Tapper Comes Home - Nomar's Legacy

I still can't forgive him.  It has been five and a half long seasons since the surly star of the Boston Red Sox played (or failed to play, your choice) his way out of Boston, getting traded to the Chicago Cubs for essentially Orlando Cabrera at the 2004 trade deadline, and I still can't forgive him, despite his legacy of success with Red Sox fans.  Two World Series Championships have failed to diminish my dislike for this man - a man whose entire career up until that point was marked by hustle, hard work and playing through pain.  That dislike, which had been festering since the questionable timing of his surgery on his wrist back in 2001, was punctuated by a pathetic display on the night of July 1, 2004.  There, he asked out of the lineup, only to ask back in after Derek Jeter dove into the stands to catch a foul ball in extra innings of a game that was important to both teams.  The picture of him sitting in the dugout, lifeless, still runs through my mind when I see a profile of him.  I still can't forgive him.

Let's get back to his legacy.  As a sports fan, it is unreasonable to expect professional athletes to care as much as you do about the team you root for.  Nomar was from LA for Christ's sake!  He couldn't care less about the Red Sox.  And the fans, well yeah, it seemed like he cared when it suited his needs or when there was a camera nearby (ask random fans that had personal contact with Garciaparra, and their opinion would be as unanimous as the Country's opinion of George W. Bush in the Fall of 2008).  But as a professional athlete, forgetting the egos involved, you must do your job - that is the essence of being a professional, isn't it? 

I don't fault Nomar for hating the media circus in Boston, or recoiling at the crush of a rabid fan base, those are merely personality quirks.  At least he was consistent with them and us.  However, from his initial call up in 1996 to the first couple of months of 2004, he was an example of the success that comes from hard work, determination and hustle.  Those are all qualities that as a teachable moment I would point out to my children as qualities that you can strive to imitate.   I had some questions about him, though.  He didn't seem to be that genuine when he was approached.  He appeared to be very concerned about his image and questioned everyone and everything that was not compartmentalized into an "I love Nomah" box.  It happens once or twice and I chalk that up as having some bad days.  If it happens all of the time?  Well there is something else going on there.   Gathering up this information, questions began to surface at the time about whether he was unprofessional in dealing with his injuries and the expectations of a suffering fan base.

Despite the statistics, and Rob Neyer can tell you all you need to know about Nomar's statistics, there also lurked a man who seemed to be out for himself in an almost pathological way.  He would call the scorer's box if a questionable error or hit call went against him.  Everything finally culminated in a nasty divorce of sorts on July 31, 2004.  I remember where I was when I found out about the trade.  And it was ironic that the indelible memory of Nomar is that game in New York in July 2004 - when he was at his most unprofessional.  Maybe he forgot what it meant to be a professional.

Fast forward to earlier this morning.  Nomar, sitting in front of the Red Sox press conference wall, signed a one day deal  with the Red Sox in order that he may retire as a Red Sox.  It wasn't like Yaz, Jim Rice or even Tim Wakefield was retiring as  a Red Sox, it was Nomar who left after the seven year itch hit him.  It was then released that he was joining ESPN as an analyst, and something began to strike me as peculiar.  I caught his interview with one of the local radio stations.  He sounded like he usually did - even during this happy occasion - guarded, and waiting for the other shoe to drop.  Remember, he hated all the guys interviewing him.  Too bad his nemesis Steve Buckley was too busy to join Dale and Holley.  I would have actually turned the dial back to AM to hear that interview.   But memories of better times, his hustle and his SI cover dominated conversations; and he still seemed uncomfortable.  Wasn't this circus his idea?  Incidentally, all I have read today is whether Nomar's legacy in Boston is positive or negative. 

But would this be a story if he retired as an Athletic or a Dodger?  Would we, as Sox fans, care if he simply retired?  Interestingly enough, my impression is that this would be a non-story if this unfolded in any other way.  And I couldn't help but think that this was all a publicity stunt.  He was joining a major sports network with a huge marketing staff and budget.  Burying the hatchet was the best way to start his new job with a clean slate - but more importantly, gave some life to a story that noone would have otherwise cared about.  Somewhere Mark McGwire is nodding in agreement with me.  Address all of the issues, put the past behind you once and for all, and move on, while still getting some publicity for yourself and your new employer.  Public relations 101.  I'm just surprised he laughed off the PED discussion.  He could have taken the Andy Pettitte route considering all of his injuries and put that one behind him too.  I guess I was wrong.  Despite his despicable attitude at the end of his first stint here, he still remembers how to play us and the media like a professional.  Good for him, I suppose.  And I wish him luck at ESPN.

But, I still can't forgive him.  And neither should you.

The Savior of the Boston Red Sox Pitching Staff, No Really

Finally, 2010 baseball begins in earnest.  News reports from Spring Training in February usually includes players doing a lot of stretching, a lot of walking around or a combination of both at the same time.  Not much happens, let's face it.  But once March hits, the games finally begin.  These games are not exactly competitive, I admit, what with players out of the game doing drills in the outfield, during play and non-athletes trying their hand at the national pastime.  In fact, I'm curious if Maria Menounos will be trying her luck on the pitcher's mound considering her successful stint as the Celtics' play-by-play person last weekend. 

A multitude of stories really begin to take shape once the games start as well.  What's going to happen to Mike Lowell?  Is Daisuke ready to return to his form of...2008 (I don't know if he has ever had a form to return to, he's always been shaky)?  Is David Ortiz finally going to admit that he's 42 years old?  When I saw a promo on NESN for the Red Sox doubleheader against the national college powerhouses Northeastern and Boston College, the most important question to my seven year old also surfaced.  "Why is that guy named, Boof?"  Good question.  I have to admit that I didn't know that much about Boof Bonser either except that the Red Sox traded a minor leaguer to the Twins for Bonser during the offseason.  Not quite the splash that John Lackey and Adrian Beltre had, but still Boof Bonser could turn out to be the most important acquisition of the Red Sox offseason.

With that said, we went to discover more about this enigmatic hurler.  Below are the four most important facts about the Red Sox new middle man, from the hand of my seven year old.

1.  "On November 14, 2003 he was traded to the Minnesota twins."

In what could have turned out to be the most lopsided trade in the history of Major League Baseball, the Twins traded pain-in-the-ass catcher A.J. Pierzynski to the San Francisco Giants for Joe Nathan, Francisco Liriano and Bonser.  As with Bonser, Liriano had a stellar rookie season in 2006 but got injured and has not lived up to the lofty expectations since.  Joe Nathan in 6 years holds the Twins record of career saves with 246 and has appeared in 4 All Star Games.  The moral to the story is that it is always risky to trade for young pitchers (no matter how good the Red Sox tell you they are).

2.  "Bonser gothis first win on May 27, 2006"

"got his."  Bear in mind that he was writing this biography as extra credit so he could stay up later.  I think he was getting tired at thispoint.  After an outstanding debut game against the Milwaukee Brewers, where he took the loss despite striking out 8 and giving up 1 run over 6 innings, Bonser secured his first win against the Seattle Mariners in his next start, despite giving up 8 hits and 4 runs in 5 innings and needing a triple play to get out of bases loaded jam.

3.  "On Febuary 25, 2009, he had surgery and couldn't throw balls."

2009 was a tough year for Bonser. After experiencing arm trouble in 2007 and 2008, particularly at the end of 2008 when he was assigned to the Twins' bullpen, Bonser finally underwent surgery to repair damage to his Labrum and Rotator Cuff.  The surgery kept him out of the rotation for all of 2009.  Based on his performance in 2008, the time off and subsequent change of scenery can only help his career.

4.  "and he was tradded to the Boston Red sox"

That's right.  On February 25, 2009, Bonser was traded to the Red Sox for a player to be named later (Chris Province, I have no idea, either).  Bonser enters this Spring fighting with the other Ramon Ramirez, former cast off Brian Shouse and a couple of ball boys for the last spot on the Red Sox pitching staff.  If he makes the roster, he could become an integral part of the Red Sox title hopes.  With injuries constantly striking Beckett and Wakefield and inconsistency plaguing Daisuke Matsuzaka, a reliable seventh starter could become an important piece to the Red Sox success, believe it or not.  Also working in his favor is that even when he is ptching well, Daisuke usually only lasts until the fifth inning.  I don't know about you, but I can't watch Manny Delcarmen pitch against the Yankees in the 6th inning of a 5-4 game; I just can't.  The middle innings can't be relegated to mop up duty anyway, since the Red Sox offense figures to be a little weaker this year.  

*  *  *  *  *

Bonser makes his Red Sox debut tomorrow against Boston College.  He figures on pitching for a couple of innings or 40-50 pitches, whichever comes first.  Undoubtedly, this game will go a long way in determining Bonser's career path with the Red Sox, since he is out of options and can't be sent to the minors without passing through waivers.  Here's hoping he makes it, just so we have something to snicker at during a long season of pitching and defense.  That reminds me, John Paul Bonser, paying homage to his Mother who gave him the original nickname as a child, legally changed his name to "Boof" in 2001.  I'm afraid to ask what would cause a Mother to nickname his son "Boof."  All I know is that my kids won't be given any nickname that will get his butt kicked in school.   

Tim Wakefield's Revenge - 2009 ALCS Review

I remember that night back in 2003.  Sitting in the beer stained pub down the street.  Grady Little letting a 160 pound Dominican wrap him around his finger like a little girl.  The hits from Jeter and Matsui.  The tense 9th and 10th innings.  Then, the inevitable home run by Aaron Boone against Tim Wakefield.  Wakefield had pitched beautifully in this series, winning Game One and Game 4.  And these memories are still burned into my brain like fluttering demons.  In 2004, I tried to talk my friends into going into same bar we were in the previous year to exercise those remaining demons.  Same with 2007.  We never made it there that night or any night for that matter, and perhaps that's why this is still an important series to me, even if the rest of the country couldn't care less.  I want to exercise those demons still.  And so does Tim Wakefield.  It didn't happen in 2007 because Joba had those darn bug problems.  2008 was a washout because the Yankees were eliminated in the ALDS.  Wait, what, they didn't even make the playoffs that year?  Oh that's right, I was trying to remember the last time the Yankees won the World Series and I lost track. 

Fast forward to 2009.  The Red Sox won the first 8 games and the Yankes won 9 of the last 10.  Yankees fans will say that the 8-0 mark was a result of new guys trying to "chemie" one another.  (And A-Roid's secret one month drug ban).  Red Sox fans will say that the last three games didn't matter and besides the Yankees cheat. 

In their respective ALDS, the Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins. The Red Sox just handed the Angels their third consecutive defeat. The series that always seems to get more hype than it should is taking shape before our eyes. Yankees vs Red Sox IV.  What's going to happen?

October 16, 2009.  New York, NY.  Jon Lester, with his 2.84 ERA in Yankee Stadium in 2009 (No, I don't count the game where Melky Cabrera intentionally hit Lester in the knee with a baseball) dominates the Yankees' line up for 7 innings, giving up 1 run with 9 strikeouts.  CC Sabathia, on the other hand, remembering that the team is really counting on him now, takes a break from the cheeseburger and fries to throw up respectable numbers (for him and his 7.92 post season ERA) - 5 innings, 6 earned runs.   This game is over before it starts.  RED SOX 6 YANKEES 1.

October 17, 2009.  New York, NY.  Jose Molina and Jorge Posada start scratching each other's faces trying to catch AJ Burnett.  Ladies, please.   Meanwhile, Josh Beckett dominates in the playoffs, period.  Alright except for last year, got it.  AJ Burnett gives up 20 runs in 20 innings against the Red Sox.  J.D. Drew and David Ortiz hit home runs into the night.  AJ Burnett gets so melancholy he wants to punch Derek Jeter's permasmirk off of his face.  RED SOX 8 YANKEES 2.

October 19, 2009.  Boston, MA.  Clay Buchholz, the manchild, is in way over his head.  After a third shaky start in a row against the Angels in the ALDS, Bucholz proceeds to give up four home runs.  One to Damon around the Pesky Pole, one to A-Fraud into the Monster seats, one to Robinson Cano into the bullpen and one to Tex Mex (he gives me heartburn everytime I see his ugly mug, the jerk) to straight away center field.  Meanwhile Andy Pettitte continues his recent mastery over the Red Sox and throws a gem.  Get tickets to this game if you want to try to get a souvenir home run ball.  YANKEES 9  RED SOX 4.

October 20, 2009.  Boston, MA.  This is even worse.  Even though CC Sabathia's Fenway Park split is mediocre (4.61 ERA).  He can certainly out pitch Daisuke Matsuzaka.  When the year started, I had Dice learning the system and pitching 215 innings and winning 18-20 games.  Instead, we got this.  YANKEES 8 RED SOX 3.

October 22, 2009. Boston, MA  Jon Lester hits Melky Cabrera in the third inning and everyone outside of New York cheers.  I wish it were Johnny Damon, Jeter, Posada, A-Rod, etc., but I'm still pleased.  He then masters the Yankees again to give the Red Sox a 3-2 lead.  Dustin Pedroia finally comes through with 3 hits and 2 RBIs.  RED SOX 4  YANKEES 2.

October 24, 2009.  New York, NY.  This is the best game of the series so far.  Jeter leads off with a double and gets driven in by a Tex-Lax single.  These are the only Yankees base runners until the 6th inning.  Meanwhile, Andy Pettitte, who never has great post season statistics or games specifically against the Red Sox, pours it on.  1-0 into the top of the ninth.  Mariano Rivera comes in.  I throw Bill Mueller and Dave Roberts hand made dolls at him.  I start singing "Tessie," anything to get this guy off his game.  AND IT WORKS!  Mike Lowell hits a single.  Joey Gathright pinch runs for him and of course steals second.  This kid has just gotten himself a job for life in Boston (See the aforementioned Dave Roberts).  JD Drew, 3 for 24 in the series, with 7 called strikeouts, hits a grounder between stone hips (Jeter) and no hips (A-Roid).  TIE SCORE!  Not a fairy tale ending in this one, though, as in the bottom of the ninth, Billy Wagner gives up the walk off to Texeira.  I hope we get a couple of good players from the draft for this stiff.  YANKEES 2 RED SOX 1.

October 25, 2009.  New York, NY.  Clay Buchholz vs. CC Sabathia.  This is what playoff baseball is all about; and for the 3rd time in seven years, the Red Sox and the Yankees are going to play Game 7.  I'm watching the game hunkered down with a couple of friends.  I don't remember 2004 or 2007 at this point.  I remember Bucky Dent and Ray Knight and Aaron Boone (Beep, beep, beep).  I thought I forgave Bill Buckner when he came out at the ring ceremony a couple years ago (although we all forgave him when he came back to play at the end of his career, no?), but I had the same look of disbelief that Buckner had when Johnny Damon hit the grand slam against Buchholz.  Really, is this bizarro Johnny?  A grand slam at Yankee Stadium in Game 7 of an ALCS?  I could hit a home run in that band box, but that's not the point.  This is not the Red Sox of old.  They haven't been for 5 years.  Although the Yankees lead by 6 in the third inning, five straight hits from Youk, Papi, J-Bay, Mikey and JD Drew (I don't know a good nickname for him except for "Called Strike Three" or "CST" for short) cut the lead in half.  And then an opposite field home run by Youk in the fourth ties the game.  Francona needs to get Buchholz out of there as he gives up a couple of more runs and begins to openly cry. 

I had forgotten that Wakefield was put on the roster because his back had finally responded to treatment (I think he had both hips replaced, but that's just me), so I was surprised to see him come out of the bull pen to start the 5th inning.  One, two, three inning in the 5th.  Maybe this could be it!  The innings get later and later.  The Red Sox tie the score at 8 in the 7th inning and take the lead in the 8th when the most maligned player of the year, David Ortiz, hits a towering home run near the Utz sign.  We are in euphoria!  We all hug each other in manly ways.  Papelbon comes in the 9th to finish the game and the RED SOX ADVANCE!  Wakefield comes waddling out slaps a couple of guys on the back because he's too old and fragile to dive on the pile.   RED SOX 9  YANKEES 8.

Wakefield was able to exercise some demons this night.  Game 7, Yankee Stadium. I cringed when Pedro came out in Game 7 against the Yankees in 2004, because that seemed forced.  The Red Sox needed Wakefield to save a spent bullpen and he came through this time.  Was this the reason why he wouldn't retire event though he had plenty of money and two rings?  It was inevitable that these two teams would face each other again, while he was still able to pitch.  Maybe.

By the way, these hugs and cheers when the game is over take place at the same tavern that I was in on that fateful night 6 years earlier.  I had come here in the 6th inning when Wakefield came out.  A lot of the same people were here, too.  And it was comforting to see their faces.  Maybe now I can talk rationally with my children about the Red Sox, now that I've been able to settle this remaining debt.  We'll see when the Sox play Manny and the Dodgers in the World Series.  

Trying to Debunk a Baseball Myth

It's that time of year my eyes and ears are telling me.  I feel the winds start turning to the North, my allergies are kicking up and newspapers, Internet columnists, TV and Radio hosts and fans, having run out of ideas to debate at the end of a long baseball season, start arguing about some very inane topics.  I guess I am just as much to blame for reading and listening to the self important blowhards in the first place, but the issue that rears its ugly head over and over, year after year, is the concept of resting players for the playoffs.  "If we can just rest our players and set up our pitching staff and rotation, we'll be all set for the playoffs."  The thinking goes something like that.

This is not completely true in the context of a small sampling of recent playoff performances.  I have reviewed the performance of playoff teams from the last six years (hey give me a break, I have a full time job, too, you know) that could not afford to rest their players because they were fighting to even MAKE the playoffs.  While true that, of the 14 playoff teams that could not rest their players before the playoffs only seven of those teams could reasonably be deemed to have been successful in the playoffs, an overwhelming number of those teams were successful or unsuccessful based on one factor - who started Game One of the Division Series.  It is irrelevant, Messrs. Rodriguez, Damon and Texeira if your everyday players and relief corps rest, so long as you have CC starting Game One.  Although ask the Indians fans how relying on the big fella has turned out.  All that really matters, though is that you set up your staff so that one of your best pitchers pitch Game One of the Division Series.  That's it.

2003.  The Red Sox edged the Mariners for the Wild Card.  However, Pedro Martinez was still able to start Game One of ALDS for the Red Sox.  While he lost that game to the Athletics in a well pitched game, the Red Sox ended up moving on in thrilling fashion until losing in Game 7 of the ALCS.  Great memories, I tell you.  Similarly, the Cubs won the NL Central in a tight race over the Astros.  Kerry Wood, their second best pitcher that year after Mark Prior, won Game One of the NLDS, right before Steve Bartman's mother shot his and Prior's right arms off. (2 quality Game One starters, 2 series wins)

2004.  The Angels that year overtook the Athletics in the last couple of weeks of the season.  However, for their efforts, Jarrod Washburn, a mediocre pitcher who continues to pitch because he's lefthanded, was thrashed by the Red Sox.  In the National League, it was a tale of two different teams.  The Astros and the Dodgers fought San Francisco for the last two playoff spots.  While the Astros had Roger Clemens dominate in between cycles and in his first post-Yankees post season start, the Dodgers started Odalis Perez who not surprisingly got shelled by the Cardinals. (2 awful starters, two series losses, one quality starter, one win)

2005.  Matt Clement.  Ouch.  In the National League, Houston and Atlanta overtook Philadelphia to win the Wild Card and the NL East, respectively.  The Braves started Tim Hudson, one of their best pick ups, who lost.  Andy Pettitte, presumably the third best pitcher on the Astros that year despite 17 wins, a 2.39 ERA and the fourth most HGH in his locker, ended up winning over the Braves. (two quality starters, one series win; one awful starter, one series loss)

2006.  The Tigers lost 5 in a row to end the regular season and settled for the Wild Card.  As a result, they started (journey stopping man) Nate Robertson (See Jarrod Washburn above).  Not a good selection as the Tigers got handed the loss; however, they got the last laugh as they ended up beating the Yankees on the way to the World Series.  Both the Dodgers and the Padres had to struggle to enter the playoffs (in fact the Dodgers had to win their last 7 to secure their spot).  Derek Lowe (#1 Starter) and Jake Peavy (#3 Starter, in an injury riddled campaign) both lost their Game One assignments.  (Two awful starters, one series win; one quality starter, one series loss)

2007.  The Rockies amazing run through the National League to the World Series started with a Mets collapse and a tiebreaker with the Padres.  Jeff Francis, their number 1 starter, started and won game one. (One quality starter, one series win)

2008.  Javier Vazquez started the first game for the White Sox after the White Sox defeated the Twins in a tiebreaker.  Vazquez demonstrated why the Yankees got rid of him three years before by getting shelled by the upstart Rays.  Derek Lowe again was the featured starter for a Dodgers team that barely won the pennant over Arizona.  Lowe pitched a solid game en route to leading the Dodgers into the second round.
(One quality starter, one series win; one awful starter, one series loss).

Again, my theory is quite complex, yet very simple.  If a team must scramble into the playoffs, 11 out of the last 14 times, a good Game One starter means a Series win and a bad Game One starter means a series loss.  So go ahead Messrs. Jeter, Cano and Ms. Posada, keep piling on those statistics, just keep AJ and Joba away until Game 2.