Two Weeks That Shaped 2008?
A new champion, 2 new coaches, 1 new high-priced superstar on the market, 2 high-priced fading superstars soliciting new jobs and about 20 Red Sox pleading publicly for a Mike Lowell contract extension.
Honestly if you thought back in April that Red Sox fans would be pleading audibly with management to re-sign Mike Lowell on the field in COLORADO after a World Series win then, well, you are smarter than everyone else (and possibly in line for a drug test).
This might be remembered as the 2 week stretch that shaped the 2008 season and possibly beyond.
For no reason other than to have a contrived list of importance, let’s rank the off-season stories (just this past 10 days or so) that will most heavily influence the 2008 season.
1. A-Rod is a free agent
2. The Red Sox are champs for 2nd time in 4 seasons
3. Joe Girardi will manage the Yankees
4. Joe Torre will manage the Dodgers
5. Mike Lowell is MVP, Sox fans want him back
6. Curt Schilling might not be done in Beantown
7. Barry Bonds (surprisingly) talks about himself and says he was fired by the Giants
8. This blog started.
1. Alex Rodriguez opts out of his deal with the Yankees, citing, according to his agent Scott Boras, “...not knowing what his closer, his catcher and one of his statured (sic) pitchers was going to do.” There is about zero chance that the reason A-Rod turned down the rest of his $252 million was because he was concerned about Jorge Posada’s status in the lineup.
The fact that the slugger decided to share his news with the world during Game 4 (and piss off the Commissioner’s Office) [link] is nothing short of selfish and self-serving—but business is business, right? So now that A-Rod has managed to engender more hate around baseball where is can he go now? The Angels? The Tigers? The Red Sox? Who knows? Obviously the best player in baseball is available and I’m somewhat nauseous about it. [link]
2. Best team in baseball wins the World Series. Weird. Note to White Sox in 2005 & Cardinals in 2006 – you didn’t match this criteria.
3. Joe Girardi returns to New York for his chance to not bother Hank, Hal and that other Steinbrenner. Very exciting news for the Loria family—they were tired of being the only rich family that hated Girardi [link].
The pressure in New York to win is palpable and Girardi is clearly aware of this (from his time as a broadcaster and bench coach). It does seem hard, however, to equate the difference between being the head man in Florida when both of the fans in the crowd don’t like you versus having 4.2 million fans a year at Yankee Stadium calling for your head.
4. Joe Torre named the new manager of the Dodgers. Hey Dodgers, does this statement sound familiar? ‘Let’s hire an old, craggly-faced baseball man who got booed out of a town demanding a championship?’ Yea, sounds familiar to all of us (Grady Little, Where Art Thou?). [link]
Joe Torre will help unite this historically divided clubhouse [link] and build a winner—but seriously can you picture Don Mattingly in Dodger Blue? Larry Bowa and Mattingly are going to be named to his bench staff [link].
Also, really good article by Roger Angell in The New Yorker about Torre’s time in NYC [link].
5. When the trade went down on November 24, 2005, between the Marlins and Red Sox that sent Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, Harvey Garcia and Jesus Delgado to the Marlins in exchange for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota who honestly thought that Mike Lowell would be the first one to win a World Series MVP? Congrats to the 33-year-old and his enormous contract that is on the way.
6. Read this piece of news (and pure literature) from the pen of laureate Curt Schilling: "If October 28, 2007, was the last time I ever wear this uniform, thank you…it was an honor and a privelage (sic) to be allowed to play here." Nice spelling on ‘privilege’ there Schill. Maybe his new deal with allow him the luxury of buying a spell checker. [link]
Turns out Schill might not be done though…a late report came out Monday night saying Schill was close with the Sox [link].
7. Barry Bonds talking about himself and saying he was “fired” -- which I am pretty sure is not what they call it when your contract isn’t renewed: Again, weird stuff. [link]
8. Probably the most exciting news…ever. (see above if you forgot #8)
Matt Perl is an Associate Producer/Producer with MASN. Prior to his time with MASN, Matt spent 4 years with ESPN in Bristol, CT. He is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University.
Leave a comment