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08/29-31 - Yankees at Fenway PROUD TO HAVE STARTED THE "RO-GER" CHANT AND PROUDER TO HAVE LOUDLY CHEERED CLEMENS FROM BEHIND THE YANKEE DUGOUT WHEN HE LEFT THE GAME. First Class Farewell
Fenway Faithful Have the Right Stuff. Sox Fans Were Winners Today as Emotional Roger Clemens Exits the Big Stage
Even Lucchino Gives a Standing O Distracted Sox Don't Bother Showing Up for Sunday's Game The Ohio Con Man's Fenway Finale
The Skinny on Clemens From today's Gordon Edes' Notes column in the Boston Sunday Globe: Dispatch from the Left Coast: Kevin Hench, coffee drinker, democrat, red pepper hater, recently married, civil war buff, excellent parallel parker, softball ringer, moviegoer, and glasses-wearing member of Red Sox Nation offers these thoughts on Roger Clemens: "Over dinner last week, my fellow University of Vermont alum Kirk McCaskill suggested that Roger Clemens may just be the greatest pitcher of all time. I had to explain. Clemens made eight postseason starts for the Red Sox and managed one win, putting him right behind Steve Crawford on the team's all-time playoff win list, tied with Rich Garces. Not exactly Bob Gibson's seven wins in nine World Series starts, now is it? Clemens went 152-72 in his first nine seasons with the Sox and has gone 113-48 since leaving. In the bizarre, four-year, mid-career decline phase in between, as you all know, he went 40-39. Clemens was 30 at the start of the '93 season and 34 at the end of '96. No other 300-game winner has won so few games between those ages. It will be those four years in the wilderness, Blistergate in Game 6 of the '86 Series, and the Terry Cooney ejection in yet another postseason loss to the A's in 1990 that, for me, will define Clemens's career in Boston. His post-Boston defining moments? Drilling Mike Piazza in the head and throwing a shattered bat at him in the World Series. The interesting thing about Clemens's 40 wins from ages 31 to 34 is that the stat really vindicates Dan Duquette's offer. Bill James can say in retrospect that power pitchers last longer, but the fact is that nothing in the history of baseball suggested Rocket's twilight would be quite so bright. In 100 years of baseball, no pitcher had ever been so mediocre over such a protracted period in his early 30s and gone on to turn it around like Roger. I hope they slap a Blue Jays hat on Clemens's bust in Cooperstown because that is the only team he ever chose to play for when the decision was entirely his. He wasn't drafted by the Blue Jays. He wasn't traded to the Blue Jays. There were no other factors involved, just Roger, a pile of money and his terrible sense of geography -- since, after all, he moved on only to be close to his family." The Yankee Iller Another Pedro No Show
Pete Can't Compete, No Excuse Necessary, Nation Sick
of Second Place, Joe Torre was worried
Ramirez might bat as a pinch-hitter in the pivotal "I never believe that
stuff," Torre said, referring to news reports of Yanks Nick Then Dent Sox
The Dangerous Enrique Wilson and
Sox Lose to NY for the 15th time in the Andy turned dandy, and Pete outpitched by Bronson Pedro runs afoul of Puritan Sox fans "When he's happy, everybody's happy. When he's not, it's not the same in here (Red Sox clubhouse)." - member 2003 Boston Red Sox Mission Kimpossible
BK Can't Close the Big Ones. Period. The Pharaohs of Pharyngitis Should We Quarantine These Two?
SERENITY NOW...SERENITY NOW... get well
soon Manny... we love you Manny... Manny is God... you're the King
Manny, the King, you come up so big (think Stepford Wives here).
Want me to bring some chicken soup over so we can watch the game
together at the Ritz?...SERENITY NOW... SERENITY NOW... Go Sox!!! And Go Pedro!!! (Breaking News: Manny's Mother Has Not Fainted) What is causing them to get sick in the first place? Manny was speaking just fine last week when he was dreaming about being a Yankee:
SoBigF'nVirus? Manny Out Sick for Second Yankee Game in a Row (expected to play Sunday, but not sure if he'll show up) Lip Synch Bruce is on the Loose
But Rally Comes Up Short Again Spankorama
Au Contreras, Sox Bomb Bombers Out of the Gate Boston 10 New York 5 for Openers Mueller Timely Along with Nomar, Night Kap, Star of David Evil Eye for the Good Guys
Let's Party Fellas Sox, Yanks Lock Up Tonight
Get into the Groove, New York's Gonna Lose, (we agree, most gratuitous use of a photo ever) All Systems Lowe
(Our good luck headline) Derek vs. The
43-year-old Cuban Con Man Tonight, Gammons: Martinez is No Longer a #1 Starter ESPN's Peter Gammons on WEEI's Baseball Show with Bob Neumeier, Sean McAdam, and Steve Buckley The Red Sox starting pitching is OK, but there isn't anybody that goes out and pitches eight innings and shuts the other team down, and they need a #1 starter, they don't have one here. Lowe comes the closest, but he can be inconsistent, but they don't have that guy who goes out and throws complete games and I think that's what's really strained the bullpen and they don't have a Mussina, or a Pettitte, they don't have people like that and that's what worried me most about them trying to win. Where's the indication (that Pedro's a #1 starter)? Where's the 20 wins, and the 240 innings... he's a very good pitcher, but because of the injuries... he pitched as well as he could yesterday, he threw one pitch above 88, but the innings are not there, he's a very good pitcher, he pitches with a ton of heart, and a lot of things have happened to him, but the record wouldn't really indicate that. The last 17 starts against the Yankees, he's pitched very well, but the fact is he's won three of those 17 starts, and they don't have that big huge guy that throws all those innings. A number one starter in my mind is a guy that throws well over 200 innings. If you gave Pedro that compliment, I think that's one of the problems is that there's so much pressure on Pedro to be the guy who bails them out at different times, I don't it's really fair to him. If you had a guy who went out and threw 240 innings, and was out there every fifth day averaging about 7-1/3 innings a start, I think it would make Pedro that much greater a pitcher. He has to shoulder something right now that he really can't do. (Why can't he perform at that level at such a relatively young age?) He doesn't let on much about his shoulder, he endures a lot more than he'll ever let on. He's so proud and so competitive, that he tries to do the mind over matter thing, he probably hasn't recovered from that flu he had, so physically, I'll grant that yesterday, but I think he's battled through an awful lot more than we know and he doesn't let on about it, but it's very clear, the three times that he's pitched 8 innings, in those three starts afterwards, he's 0-3 with a 10.79 ERA, tells you it's got to be more difficult for him to bounce back than we ever imagined. I don't know in his mind what he thinks he should be getting. If he thinks he's going to be getting $17.5M after next year, he's not going to be here. They're not going to have Garciaparra, Ramirez, Martinez here after 2004, that's fairly well guaranteed. It's just a matter of which guy they get signed and how they go about doing it. As I said all along they'll go very hard after Nomar and try to get him wrapped up during the off-season. "Privately, there are players in that clubhouse who have issues with Pedro off the field. They aren't very happy with him." - Sean McAdam A Little Doubletalk for the Nation Before the game, Red Sox manager Grady Little was asked this question: "Is Pedro back at complete, full strength?" This was Little's response: "Yes, we feel like he is. He's ready to go today." After the game, Little said something substantially different. "He [Martinez] wasn't 100 percent today," the manager said. "He's still a little bit affected by the sickness he had last week and it caught up with him pretty good there about the fourth inning. He's had better days and he'll have better ones later. He just gets fatigued." For $15 million, which is what Martinez makes this season -- or even for the Major League minimum, for that matter -- a guy ought to be able to answer the occasional question about the way he played the game. The issue is not "the media." The reporters are not a privileged class. They are in the clubhouse only because the fans, the people who pay the freight, have an abiding interest in the games and the people who play the games. In a case such as this, Pedro Martinez leaves all of the pertinent questions of Red Sox Nation directly unanswered. Was he still really weak? If so, maybe he shouldn't have pitched in the first place. Or was he just ineffective? Or was it a combination of the two? He's won nearly 78 percent of his decisions as a Boston pitcher, but he's only .500 lifetime against the Yankees. Are they that good, or what? The questions are more than numerous, but the answers are exactly zero. (...a little scary when you have to go to mlb.com for the hard-hitting commentary.) Putting Pedro in Perspective
There will clearly be plenty of Pedro
apologists out there today. And, yes, the man deserves to have some
benefit of the doubt, especially due to past performance. I love Pedro. The Fox graphic today that listed him favorably versus Koufax was brilliant (even if they have used it before). But the reality is that he is not a $17.5 million pitcher right now, and strong historical, statistical evidence notes he won't be again. Pedro's fragility hurts this team at precisely the wrong times. He cannot be counted on to go deep into the game on back-to-back starts, be it because of illness, injury or ineffectiveness. He has not pitched into the eighth inning on three consecutive starts, for goodness gracious, since 2001. And, let's also note that he is now 7-8 lifetime against the Yankees. (Folks, we do not play in the same division as the Mariners.) Pedro is a terrific pitcher. An ace on almost every team, including this one. But here's the thing. He is not a $17.5 million starter. No-one in baseball -- no-one -- would have shelled out that kind of money for him next year. Well, now you have Pedro for next year, and we have limited financial flexibility in the off-season. We'll have to cross our fingers and hope that Arroyo or Lyon can become a quality starter to replace Burkett. We'll have to hope to get 180 innings (tops) out of Pedro. We'll have to hope Lowe stays injury free. OR, we're going to have to trade Nomar for top-quality (maybe Kevin Brown) starting pitching. That's the predicament we are in because of the Pedro option. So apologize for his performance today all you want, and glorify his past performance. I don't begrudge that... just keep it in perspective because keeping Pedro next year is a very, very risky proposition. Final point... it's truly ironic that Pedro was matched up with Pettitte in this one. In today's baseball, an inning-eater like Pettitte who also has big-time stuff and make-up is the most valuable kind of pitcher you can have. There is absolutely no coincidence that this current Yankee dynasty began in Pettitte's rookie year. - Big Tools, redsox.com fan forum Manny Happy, Returns? 8.31: "Wearing baggy jeans and a leather hat that looked like something from LL Cool J's collection of lids, Manny Ramirez walked around the Red Sox clubhouse with a smile. He joked with teammates and told one of the clubhouse attendants to pack his bags." - Dave Heuschkel, Hartford Courant (glad to see Manny so happy about missing two critical games).
LET ME
CLEAR MY THROAT
At the count of three
Hit me with the horns Petey
Some of y'all might know this
Special dedication going out to everybody there
Yeah, rock to the rhythm of the funky rhyme
Jam, Ha! So look it here check the flavor of the rhythm
Now if y'all wanna party like we do
Ah huh ah huh ah (God damn) Governor Recalled from California Second Chance
The Vote is Official. 08.27/28.03 Walkerrific!
Sox on Halladay. Tek, Tiz, and Todd
Cy Old Hangs with Cy Young Sox 6 Jays 3, Yanks Lose Too
"It's that one hit that makes a huge difference." BACKTRACK CITY 8.28.03: Larry Lucchino ahhh ummm turns into ahh Eddie Andleman overnight. "I meant to ahh say I umm didn't agree with the ahh sentiment after uhh talking to him yesterday... I wasn't very successful." Lucchino confirms it was WEEI's Pete Sheppard that set Petey off. "Larry Lucchino has got to be steamed by this." - Shaughnessy "Be accountable (Pedro), he said it." - Kevin Dupont "I'm not bothered or disturbed because Pedro has denied he said that those were his sentiments. And we believe Pedro." - Larry Lucchino Hey Larry, please do not insult the intelligence of Red Sox Nation. You are not in San Diego any more. This Nation may have been born at night, but it sure as hell wasn't last night. He said it. The dirty stuff too. And of course you know it. And you certainly are bothered and disturbed by it. Is the Rasky/Baerlein Group telling you that bullshitting us is the way to go here? Take our advice, let's deal with the truth, as much as it hurts. Then we can really move on and get down to what's important. "They can (kiss my butt). I'm black and I'm Dominican. I'll make my $17.5 million next year, and then I'm out of here.'' Hey Karen Guregian, there were no "kisses" or "butts" mentioned in Pedro's vile statement to his fans that pay his salary. You're close on the action he'd like us to take, but not quite. As legitimate media, aren't you supposed to get the quote correct? Sox brass will let it slide: Hopes Pedro storm blows over Optimism 101 Everyone looks for something to set themselves apart, something to make them different. Everyone has their own little unique routine or style, something that is, uniquely, theirs. This is especially true in the world of sports: Nomar has his rituals at the plate and leaving the dugout, Trot has the dirtiest hat in the history of the MLB. Then there is Manny, who is, simply, Manny. And it is these differences, these bits of self in a uniform game that we love and cheer for. In another facet of the sports world, the ink stained and carpel tunnel syndrome cursed land of the sports writer, these personal touches are not only nice, but required. Bob Ryan has his two voices: the cranky old man lamenting how it used to be or the genuine old timer, steeped in the game's rich past, who can appreciate what he sees now on the field. The same is true for all the other columnists in the papers, the voices on the radio and the masses that lend their views to the internet, including yours truly. The Sports Guy is funny, Rob Neyer is a stat head and Gordon Edes knows pretty much everything. Everyone has an opinion about everything Sox related, and a good number of people can write pretty darn well. Then what gets people to read what you have to write? Those individual special touches you, and only you can put into your writing. Some may call them gimmicks, and yeah, they probably are. And sports fans, I have found one for me. No longer is the fact I am only entering the senior year of high school enough to keep the eyeballs here. Times change and I will change with them. And with that, I'd like to unveil my new gimmick. I'm going to be happy and positive about all things in Red Sox Nation. I'm going to be an optimist. To
quote the adjective defying, disgraced ex-coach of the Boston
Celtics, one Rick Pitino: "The negativity in this town sucks." You
know what? Rick was right about that, it does. Maybe we, the
hometown, homegrown faithful, don't realize it, but we are a very
pessimistic and downtrodden bunch. It seems we are always
complaining, lamenting our fortune or screaming about how the sky is
falling. Just this week, several mean callers harassed Kevin Millar
while he was on WAAF. I guess they spoke too soon. Millar won it in
the 10th on Saturday, did he not? Well, I for one have learned my
lesson. Take, for instance, the Sox record since the all-star break.
Did you know that it is 21-17? Before their current winning streak,
it was 16-17. But you know what, all that means is that they have
gotten their second half losing out of the way early, and now can
start up winning. Just like Jeff How about the fact every expert on ESPN has decided that the Sox will be the odd man out in their four teams for three spots race with the Yankees, Mariners and A's. It's not just the commentators. ESPN.com poll results show that 44% of the 160 thousand voters agree with the on air talent that it will be another cold October in New England. You know what that means? Just that the Sox will have a little Cinderella magic going for them when they do make the playoffs. They can draw on the fact they have been discounted all along for an extra drive. Surely, it does not mean that it is clear to anyone anywhere the Sox are cooked. Maybe it is just the five game winning streak, including a four game sweep of the Mariners, but I am feeling great about this team. However, what I'm feeling even better about is this new optimism of mine. The glass is half full and the Sox are catching the Yankees, A's and Mariners, not falling back of them. There's negativity just swirling all around this team, and you know what, it just stinks! I promise I will not be a part of it. At least, until they lose another game. JJ Feigenbaum
Look for Lou to Come Home 08.26.03 Cowboy Down Wake Mistakes Costly, Manny Chokes in the Clutch, Sauerbeck "Rusty" Again. Jays 12 Sox 9, Missed Opportunity to Move Up To Little: Too Late Grady Leaves Tim in Too Long, Takes Soup Out Too Soon
Little: Margin for Error Grady Makes All the Wrong Moves, More Fan Mail Coming Grady's Gamble McCarty in Left, Jackson in Center, Kapler in Right Tonight. Damon, Trot, and Ortiz will Sit.
But How Will it Sit with Them?
08.25.03
The Full Petey (This is what he said, anything else is BS) "The media and fans can (expletive) my f***ing (expletive). I'll make my $17.5 (million) next year and I'm outta here. They're criticizing me because I'm black and Dominican." (Yeah right. Umm, and shouldn't we go out to dinner first Pete?)
"I can look myself in the mirror. I wasn't
eavesdropping. I asked the Pedro about the criticism he received
while being attacked by hosts and callers. I hope he isn't calling
me a liar. I hope he just had second thoughts about what he said."
Sox Brass Sick of P. Dirty. Take That to the Bank. "We're Not Negative, We're Not." "Where has the media been so negative? I've heard the boos at Fenway Park, when Sauerbeck walks two guys, then Williamson comes in and gives up the home run. I've heard the boos, fine. Boos are boos. Boos are legitimate. I don't know where this great negativity is coming from. I don't hear it. I don't think this is a great negative town, these are people who want to win. What's the problem?... We're not negative, we're not. I mean we're trying to have a sense of humor. OK, we're cynical. Cynical is one thing. Sarcastic is one thing. Negative? You want to see negative? Print the headline "We Hope You Lose, You Losers." That's negative. "You Guys Really Stink." That's negative. I mean this is kid glove stuff. There's no atmosphere of negativity around here, there's an atmosphere of caring but in a cynical and humorous way." Guys like Nixon and Varitek understand it. You want to pick out something negative, pick out the way the media handled the Catholic church, that's negative. But it's directed in the right places. You want to pick out something negative about the Red Sox? Point out the way we handled the previous ownership, that's deserved. - Bob Lobel, WBZ-TV4 Sports Director Just What the Doctor Ordered He's the Pitcher of Health How Sweep It Is! The Red Sox Have Done it Again Today, Sox 8 Mariners 1 P. Dirty is Pitcher Perfect Against Seattle Star of David
Ortiz is the Real Deal.
Here's Johnny's Honey
Nicely Done Mr. Damon Talk of Division in Sox Clubhouse! Red Sox Ready to Go After Yankees Now. Going, Going, Gone Pedro is All Done in Boston (He will not be resigned by the Boston Red Sox. End of discussion.) "You think I'm f***ing lying. I'm only f***ing human. Can't I get sick? I'm not f***ing fine. Can you see I'm not f***ing fine? I would have been in that f***ing game if I was fine. (Conditions seem ripe for a no-hitter today) I'll make my $17.5 (million) next year and I'm outta here. (Don't kid yourself, he said it, and then some. Period.) "Already, some teammates silently seethe about the star treatment afforded Martinez." - Sean McAdam How Will Sox Spend the Extra Dough? 08.24.03 Exciting Sox Playing Now Blistering at Home D-Lowe and D.O. Steal the Show 08.23.03
Cowboy Up and "Lights Out" Kim Blows it Again But Sox Win in 10 Old Man Winner Goes Today Will the real John Burkett please step up? Strep Tease Pedro only has a sore throat from Wednesday night's episode. May start Tuesday vs. Jays.
Lightning Strikes And Suppan Throws Them Red Sox 6 Mariners 4, Wild Tied Let the Manny Come Through Williamson, Trot Save the Day. Ramirez, Tek Put M's Away. Pedro Covers Up!
Recovering from flu-like symptoms, Pedro Martinez (with wig and beard disguise to avoid fans) gets some fresh air in Cambridge yesterday as Janet Marie Smith tucks him in. But his Dream Team at St. E's says he still needs more rest after being diagnosed with a sore throat. Feelin' Stronger Every Day
We do believe the news The Came, They Saugus, They Conquered? Does Saugus Have the Right Stuff? Newsflash: Nomar Unhappy New at 11:00, Oakland's Frank Menechino breaks the news that Nomar is very unhappy here. NESN PR gurus to respond with Tom "Mike Wallace" Caron doing a fireside chat from the East Oakland Marriott Courtyard (as soon as Larry Rasky removes the Millar tape). Video Killed the Radio Story Here comes Millar the Video Star. I guess we were Born in the Yesterday. Down Goes Fossum. Down Goes Fossum. Bronson on the Front Burner Pesky and El Tiante Weigh in on Pedro's No Show “I never did. That never happened in my day,” said Pesky. “We had some guys that might’ve been hung over, but they still got to the park. I played with some rascals.” Luis Tiant never called in sick. Then again, he used to pitch on four days of rest and probably walked 10 miles to school. “Different era. Different mentality. Everything has changed,” he said. “Today they’ve got specialty this, specialty that. When I play, you start the game, you better finish. Don’t be looking to the bullpen.” Tiant had heard from Manny Ramirez that Pedro hadn’t been feeling well the past few days. Asked what El Tiante would have done in a similar situation yesterday, he said he’d probably drag himself to the park. They Shoot Aces, Don't They? Perhaps that's a little too glib -- the flu can really take a person out of commission, and knock them off their game. Then again, can't a broken ankle, like the one Kerri Strug vaulted on at the 1996 Summer Olympics? What about a mangled knee, like the one Willis Reed hobbled on in Game 7 of the 1973 NBA Finals? Or the separated shoulder Emmitt Smith played through in January 1994 against the New York Giants? Or the hip and foot injuries that slowed, but never stopped, three-time Boston Marathon champion Uta Pippig? I suppose you can't really compare them, though. Pippig has her titles. Strug has a gold medal. Reed's Knicks won that championship. Smith's Cowboys won the NFC East, then the Super Bowl. Pedro has his Cy Young Awards, a long list of memorable performances, and a right hand completely bereft of championship rings.
Spin Doctors Give an Larry Lucchino: "Doctor Morgan will be on to put this issue to bed so to speak. Pedro is a real competitor, anyone who knows Pedro knows that he wanted that ball tonight (so why didn't he sleep it off and take it for one inning?), that his teammates wanted him, were counting on him, and it took some serious, uh adverse medical, uh information to keep him from pitching tonight, so I think we should not run off half-cocked on that theory because that's just nonsense. This guy had some serious medical issues to deal with and as it turned out it worked out pretty well, Casey came up big and stepped right into the breach (of contract?) ... People that know him, people that played with him, that know something about his personality will testify to the fact that this guy is an intense competitor (no doubt), when he gets that baseball in his hand (that's the problem, doesn't happen enough), he is as intense and competitive as anybody I've ever seen on a pitcher's mound and so the notion that somehow that he backed away from the night is complete nonsense (obviously, but he should have called the doctors at night and tried to get ready to pitch in a critical pennant race game.) Doctor Makes a House Call A Little Morgan Magic Over at NESN Pedro could be 'upgraded' to strep throat by the morning. He was taking evaluation tests until 2:00 (or "hospitalized" for the apologist inclined) Dr. Broadway Bill Morgan: That was really the first indication there was a problem (phone call from Pedro), we don't hear from Pedro early in the morning very frequently and he's so intense on the day that he's pitching, he contacted Chris Correnti around 7:00-7:30 (late eh?) this morning, Chris contacted me. And just that series of phone calls indicated there was a problem. Pedro came in, he had a problem with uh a lot of problems with sore throat he had a fever, a significant fever, over 101 when he came in. He had some abdominal pain as well, and Pedro essentially spent the whole day at the hospital being evaluated from approximately 8:00 o'clock in the morning until about 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon. Rodgers: A lot of issues too, he wasn't able to sleep last night because of the symptoms that he had that came on last night and then as you, you know, diagnose him I mean basically the medical staff advising him, there's no way he could pitch tonight... DBM: Yeah, I have to tell you, since the time he arrived at the hospital, he was intending on pitching tonight and as the series of events went through, with the fever, with the blood work that he had that showed he had a high white count, meaning he had an infection going on, I advised against him pitching. I mean he was tired, he had to have an IV put in because he was dehydrated, he was a sick guy and he's a little better right now but he's still a sick guy. Rodgers: So what's wrong with him? DBM: He has a series of things, he has what looks like strep throat and this is the pharyngitis that we're talking about, a very bad red throat, and we're waiting for the cultures to come back to be sure but he's being treated with the antibiotics for that. He's also had some abdominal pain and he went through a series of tests today that luckily were negative, including a CT scan, uh but he still has some pain, and we're watching closely for that. Rodgers: He's at home resting comfortably right now? He's not in the hospital? DBM: That is correct, we'll see how he's feeling tomorrow morning, if he has continued problems with his abdomen, then we need to do a little more testing to see where he is. If he's feeling better and his temperature's down, and his energy level is up, then I think it's safe for him to be mobilized again. Rodgers really laying it on heavy: Sometimes when you pitch when you're sick, sometimes you can get other injuries when your body's not ready to recuperate after throwing, is that right or no? DBM: Oh sure, particularly somebody like Pedro who's such a gamer (yikes) you know, you see the difference in how he is when he's not playing than when he is playing. He's focused, he doesn't speak a lot (either way right Doc?), and he's intense and he's going to throw and pitch and move as quickly and as hard as he possibly can despite how he feels, and we all know that, and this is not the time for him to be pushing it (of course not, it never is) with a 101 fever and really his energy level being way down (from all the horseplay in the dugout I guess). Stay tuned for some good blister talk when we continue... Pedro Has a Sore Throat! (Or Pharyngitis in Apologist Speak) Imodium and Halls (Apparently Sold Out at Store 24 in Newton) What did Pedro do on his night off? After he watched the gritty Saugus Americans battle their hearts out against Texas, Petey watched ESPN Classic Sports where prima donna Michael Jordan was throwing up his own guts just moments before Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals in Salt Lake City. Jordan brushed aside a fever, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms and out-hustled the Jazz for 44 minutes. Pippen helped MJ off the court during a fourth quarter timeout. Michael was exhausted and dazed. His eyes were more bloodshot than Robert Downey Jr.'s after touring the Los Angeles rave scene. In the 1987 finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kevin McHale played with a broken battered right foot. He reportedly used a patio chair as a walker when he was off court. "With all that pain, we don't want you to play,'' K.C. Jones said, adding "He said, `I'm doing this!' "It's a testament ... to his fiber,'' Parish said. "Most players with a broken foot wouldn't think of playing.'' Back in 1997, the big wuss Sid Fernandez pitched with a fever and sore throat. "I've got the flu, it looks like," Fernandez said, sucking on a cough drop. "I started feeling it Friday." But he pitched his turn on Saturday. "I'm Sick of Him!" Dan Shaughnessy's Two Cents on FM Talk 96.9 with Bob Lobel: The guy might have been sick, we have to take that on faith that he was sick, but there's certainly reason to be suspicious of some of these guys right now and he's one of them. He blows off the team picture, he's been hypersensitive this year, he's lugging around 9 wins on August 22nd which is hardly Cy Young caliber. I'm sick of him, you know? He's a great pitcher when he's on. He's become 3/4 of a pitcher that you cannot count on anymore. It's unfortunate that he got sick so we hope he gets well, how's that. But I think as many have said, you got to be near-death-bed to be not pitching that game last night under the circumstances. Bob Lobel: I would say that you have to have a near-death experience to not come out. DS: And you know what? The team picture is just one more thing, it's like "you suckers gotta do this stuff and I don't." And I'm sorry, say it's a small thing, but if I'm John Henry paying this guy $17 million after they extended him for next year out of the goodness of their hearts when they didn't have to, and he's lugging around 9 wins in August, um, show up for the team picture, don't make chumps out of your teammates. Bob Lobel: And now you're being told that we should feel lucky that this was all he had. This wasn't like malaria or dysentery. DS: Oh yeah, thank God he's not a patient over at the clinic, it's like, geeze, c'mon. Bob Lobel: So let's say you have what we affectionately used to call "the green apple quick steps" in Ohio. That would be diarrhea. That's why they have Imodium. That's why they have this medicine at your local store. So let's say you have a sore throat, I mean, that's why you... he hasn't talked all year anyway. I don't get it. DS: Bill Ballou's lead today in the Worcester Telegram : "Pedro Martinez wasn't the only one around here who had felt something tightening in his throat in recent days..." Isn't that a great lead? Has Millar Gone Too Far? Millar in the media: "I want to see somebody cowboy up and stand behind this team one time and quit whining about all the negative stuff and talking about last year's team and 10 years ago and 1918. When you play for the Red Sox and you're in the race and you get to this time of year, you're going to hear about The Curse. There's no way around it." Yeah Kevin, there's no way around it. Especially when the Red Sox run ads for "Red Sox Rewind" that say "You can't reverse the curse, but you can rewind the week." There's no way around it when you star in a commercial for W.B. Mason that shows fake World Series banners from years like 1945 and 1965 that never happened because of "The Truth about Ruth" in 1919. Who knew Kevin? Who knew? Millar in the media: "Three things particularly rankled Millar in recent days: a group of television commentators writing off the team, a postgame television analyst suggesting Derek Lowe should have tried to go deeper in Tuesday's game despite a finger blister, and several callers to a radio show describing the Sox as inferior to the Yankees during an appearance by Millar. Four of the six (callers) were telling me, 'You (stink). You guys (stink),' " he said. "I mean, four of the six callers are against you?" Hey Kevin, take it up with Eck and Gary Tanguay, but you were on WAAF when callers told you to "dust off your clubs." It's a hard rock station with a bunch of headbanger listeners you goof. They're not baseball fans. You asked for more Yankee callers yourself and now you're bitching about it you goof. Millar in MLB.com column: "We have a bunch of dirtbags and we're ready to win. It's almost to the point where the media is waiting for you to fail. The radio shows, the TV shows, the newspapers, want you to fail. You almost get that sense." You forgot to add that "Nomar Garciaparra contributed to this report" because you haven't been here long enough, you goof. Yesterday's Owner/Player Roundtable Leaves Media Mess Unresolved. 08.22.03 Destiny's Child Don't Mess with Saugus! Eight Run Lead Vanishes But Americans Come Back to Beat Richmond Texas 14-13 (Timmy had a tummy ache but played anyway) Emergency Boom
SOX
STEP UP AND
D.O. Gets it Done. Casey OK. "It was the biggest game of the year because it's today." - Fossum Manny, Walker Run Away from A's 14-5 Grady: "Pedro was still laid up in the bed." 08.21.03 SICK OF IT ALL Pedro Misses Photo and Doesn't Get the Picture Fans Are Sick to Their Stomachs! ACE DISGRACE MAY TAKE SOX OUT OF RACE (Yes, Over the Top, Lighten Up) PART-TIME TAKES SICK TIME AFTER HAVING A FUN TIME IN THE DUGOUT LAST NIGHT PRIMA DONNA PEDRO CALLS IN SICK WITH THE SNIFFLES
FOSSUM STARTS FOR DOMINICAN DIVA Dr. Do-Little: Things that make you go hmm: First Grady says "He's been battling something all week." Later in the day he says "This just kicked up last night." Pedro Didn't Call Grady Until the Morning, Went to St. E's to Have "Stomach and Sore Throat" Checked Out. This Can't Be Happening. Did NyQuil Go Out of Business? Is Pedro Run Down Because of All the International Travel this Season? Is This Photogate Discipline Backlash? Hey Kevin Millar, Is Pedro Going to "Cowboy Up" Tonight? MUST WIN GAME AT 7:00 As New England Battles Texas Tonight (and Sox play out string at Fenway... KIDDING... Lighten up Sunshine, a.k.a. Mediabasher Millar, we want you to win, you goof.) Ho-hum, Lowe Joins Silent Superstars After Blistergate. Pedro MarTEAMez is Back, Blows Off Team Photo Again Larry Lucchino: "It's not too much to ask him to show up. Someone will talk to him, either the manager, or the GM, or me. He has a history of this... in six years, he's made two pictures. It's a little bit troublesome... the whole organization was there, it would have been nice... they'll be some kind of discipline."
Red Sox Broadcasting Legend Ken Coleman Has Died. R.I.P. 1925 - 2003... 1967 08.20.03 Miserabelli!
Doug Plays
Dodge Ball, Now Entering Choakland, MA "We've got to find a way." - Jason Varitek L.O.B. = R.I.P.
Turn
Out the Lights, |
Now
I'ma rap a rhyme with the greatest of ease
