Photo from Newsweek. It wouldn’t surprise me if you see many of these at Fenway in April.

I’m cranky and I’m tired.  Not really a good mix.

Both are mostly due to still feeling crappy and not being able to just hide in bed.  Having to actually contribute to society when I feel like death is no fun.  So I’m watching live Red Sox baseball – which doesn’t suck -to perk me up, but I’m still a little crabby.  Let me rant a bit, won’t you?

Is it Barry or Elliot?  It’s Elliot right?  He’s the one doing the Jordan’s Furniture commercials?  He’s the guy on tv standing in a snowy Fenway Park and telling people who are watching a Spring Training game in February on NESN that he knows we “aren’t thinking about baseball”.  Brad Wilkerson committed an error tonight and I heckled him.  First official game of Spring Training and I yelled at him.   Something about throwing like my grandmother. I don’t remember exactly what I said.  Does Elliot really believe we aren’t thinking about baseball?  Who approves copy like that?

Speaking of Brad Wilkerson…guess who has his own website?  He hasn’t updated it since the beginning of 2008, though.  We should get on him to blog.  Really blog, not that fake stuff Youk did with MLB.  No phone interviews with someone else transcribing and writing the blog.  We need to get at least one active Red Sox player to keep a real blog.  How cool would it be to have Javier Lopez on Blogger after a bad game writing about how he wanted to throw a fastball at the jerk behind home plate heckling him all night?  Maybe Dustin Pedroia writing about how he had to take the long way home to lose the stalkers following him from the park?  This is the stuff I want to read.

Watching this game I realize it doesn’t bother me too much that the Sox are losing so I just must have unconsciously chosen poor Brad Wilkerson to beat up.  It wasn’t a horrible throw either (even though he got an error for it).  I’m a lot more rational now than when I first got home.  I must be feeling better!

I feel like maybe I’m picking on him, but I found another quote by Red Sox Nation Vice President Rob Crawford that annoyed me just a wee bit.

“I think the anticipation [for the first Yankees-Red Sox game at Fenway] is heightened because of what’s going on with A-Rod,” Crawford said. “But it’s even more heightened because of Mark Teixeira.”

Huh?  Okay, maybe I’m totally out of the loop.  It’s possible.  It isn’t like I spend the majority of my time reading about the Red Sox, writing about the Red Sox, talking about the Red Sox and picking the brains of Red Sox fans.  Oh wait, I kind of do.  I haven’t read or heard one word mentioned about Mark Teixeira since the Slappy stuff broke.  No one seems to care.  Sure, sure, once the season starts and the Yanks show up, he’ll be getting the obligatory boos for selling his soul to the Steinbrenners.  That’s a given.  But I know people who are planning things to do before that first Yankees/Sox game at Fenway.  People planning to make anti-A*Rod shirts, people planning to hand out anti-A*Rod posters, people trying to figure out how to torture Slappy for nine straight innings.  I haven’t heard of one Red Sox fan looking for creative ways to make Mark Teixeira miserable upon his first visit to Fenway in pinstripes.

I’m sure Rob Crawford is a nice guy and I really don’t mean to pick on him.  But I don’t remember reading quotes from him in Newsday last year.  I think it’s great that he’s getting some publicity outside Boston, good for him.  I just wish his comments actually DID reflect those of most Red Sox fans since he’s supposed to be representing us.

Highlight of this evening has been listening to Brian Daubach alongside Don Orsillo.  I hope Jerry Remy is feeling better sooner rather than later, but Brian Daubach has done quite the job of entertaining us tonight and it was great to hear him.  Keep him in mind, NESN, that’s all I’m saying.

I’m watching MLB Tonight right now…apparently they think A*Rod hitting a home run today took “a monkey off his back”.  Oookay.  Get back to me when Selena Roberts’ book comes out, fellas.

I was one of those people who absolutely did not believe Spring Training games would begin without Manny Ramirez having a job.  Color me surprised.  Won’t be the last time I’m wrong this season but I certainly didn’t think this one would be one of those times.  Might not be the case for long, though, since the Dodgers made another offer.

The Dodgers have made another offer to Manny Ramirez, a two-year deal calling for $25 million this season and $20 million for the next — providing the slugger chooses to exercise the second-year option.

The player option on the second year came at the request of Ramirez’s agent, Scott Boras, said a source with knowledge of the situation who did not have authority to speak publicly.

Now I know collusion was brought up by Barry Bonds last year and I dismissed it.  My belief was, Bonds is an ass, and he brings a lot of LEGAL baggage with him, so no one wanted him.  Collusion didn’t have to factor in.  But I’m wondering what the deal is here.  Manny’s a great player albeit a pain in the backside.  Was there really not one other team, aside from the Dodgers, who wanted him with them?  I suppose it’s entirely possible that they looked at Theo Epstein cutting him loose and thought that there was something more serious behind it.  It’ll be interesting to see this pan out.

Afternoon baseball Thursday!    Unfortunately, the Red Sox/Pirates game isn’t available anywhere.  Not on NESN, MLBN, Gameday Audio and not on MLB.tv.  So we’ll have to rely on the scoreboard updates from mlb.com (which were totally unreliable today).  Fortunately, for me, the Mets game is on both Gameday Audio AND MLB.tv.  Fortunate because Kyle is supposed to pitch during the game.  It’ll be good to catch a peek and see how he’s looking out there.

11 Comments for “I want you for my sweet pet, but you keep playing hard to get”

1. LoRi Says:
   February 25th, 2009 at 11:29 pm

   Great post! Agree on so many points. Loved BD with Don, Manny not signed, WTH? Go Kyle and yeah, A-Roid is gonna hear it big time. Only wish I could be there to join in the jeers for the big fat cheater. Slap this, dude.

2. HorshamScouse Says:
   February 25th, 2009 at 11:57 pm

   //Who approves copy like that?//
   The guy who says ‘Yes, I’ll accept your money for 45 second spots every 7 minutes.’ or whatever it is. The guy who says your copy’s crap doesn’t get a look in.

   Manny will open the season a Dodger and the Sun will rise in the East tomorrow.:)

   Oh, and the Pope’s a Catholic.

3. Jere Says:
   February 26th, 2009 at 12:17 am

   Just so you know, Extra Bases is live-blogging these games. I wish multiple sites would do it (maybe they are, I don’t know) so we had a choice, but it’s better than the ultra-slow MLB.com. (You know, the organization who’s behind the whole thing yet can’t get us an update within a half hour of what’s going on–what year is this??) I agree on Elliot–I get pissed every time he “bets” me I’m not thinking about baseball right at the height of everyone’s baseball thinkitude. Hey, if his bet is wrong, is my sofa free?

4. Cyn Donnelly Says:
   February 26th, 2009 at 12:33 am

   I checked out some of the live blog at Extra Bases today. The shot at Rocco from Adam Kilgore turned me off immediately (giving him crap for striking out his first at bat) and some of the comments made me bang my head. It’s also tough to follow when I’m at work. Listening or looking over a scoreboard once in a while is easier.

5. Ted Says:
   February 26th, 2009 at 7:31 am

   Slappy hits a home run in the first Spring Training game and “the monkey is off his back”?

   I’m telling you, Cyn.

   We’re surrounded by idiots.

6. Josh Blue Says:
   February 26th, 2009 at 3:55 pm

   ” Was there really not one other team, aside from the Dodgers, who wanted him with them?”

   one other team that can afford 20-25 million for 1-3 seasons?

   that’s a short list before you account for horse’s assedness

7. D'Opie Says:
   February 26th, 2009 at 4:03 pm

   I vote that it’s not collusion, it’s someone asking for too much money and years. Not many teams throwing around 20+ million dollar a year/ multi-year contracts.

8. becks Says:
   February 26th, 2009 at 6:11 pm

   Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t there only ONE team offering Manny a contract? Why the hell are they negotiating with him? Shouldn’t it be a “here’s our number, dude, take it or leave it?”

9. john Says:
   February 26th, 2009 at 8:57 pm

   With the way Manny and Boras “orchestrated” his exit from Boston, I am not surprised he isn’t signed. Players like Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu had to wait to nearly the last minute and they didn’t assault a member of the team’s staff, fake and injury, and force a trade. Abreu hit .296, hit 20 hr’s, scored 100 runs and had 100 rbi and he accepted a deal that’s 67% less than what he got last year. Manny is waiting for the 4 year $100 million deal that’s not coming. Say what you want about Teixeira selling his soul, but all he did was take the highest offer. Something we would all do. Manny quit on the team and the fans. Why the surprise that no one wants to give him a multiyear deal that pays him amongst the best in the game? Sure, he’s among the best, but only when he feels like it.

10. Jere Says:
    February 26th, 2009 at 10:54 pm

    “all he did was take the highest offer. Something we would all do.”

    You are wrong. This is so disappointing to hear. There are some people in the world who don’t think money is the most important thing. I am one of them. You should try it some time. What you’re saying is you’d gladly sell your mother into slavery if the price was right. But hey, that’s why you’re a filthy Yankee fan. (And if you claim not to be, feel free to join them–you and your arrogance would fit right in.)

    You also made a mistake in your logic by bringing up Abreu. That points to it being the market that’s the reason for Manny not being signed yet, not his “assault” (your opinion of an event you didn’t witness) and “fake injury” (your diagnosis of something you have no idea about).

    And I never did respond to your last long comment about steroids, because I’ve been laughing at it ever since, but terrible job there–first you act like A-Rod did something wrong but that that’s not what bothers you, it’s the hypocrisy, because a lot of others did the same thing. But then you go and contradict the whole thing by defending A-Rod and giving him credit!

11. john Says:
    February 27th, 2009 at 12:31 am

    First off-why hurl insults?

    Did I say anything that attacked you personally? Did I call you any names? Calling me a “filthy Yankee fan” is completely uncalled for. At no time was I attempting to make this a Yankee-Red Sox thing. Why did you?

    Second, to take a higher offer from an employer, something that many people do every day, is in no way similar to selling my mother into slavery.

    Third, I’d like some examples of my arrogance.

    As far as the steroids and hypocrisy, you don’t see the hypocrisy in baseball being ripped to shreds because of PED’s while other sports get a pass? When will Congress turn its eye on the other sports? Why is it that baseball players have to publicly apologize when other athletes get caught, serve their suspensions, then almost win MVP’s?

    Now for Manny…The market may be part of the reason Manny is unsigned, but it can’t be all of it. There should be teams lined up to sign him for what he can possibly do for a lineup. The Dodgers averaged a half run a game more after he joined them. He basically carried him onto the playoffs. However, the market didn’t stop the Red Sox from offering Teixiera a huge deal, did it? The Dodgers offered Manny a 2 year deal that he rejected. There are other teams that can afford him, like the Mets, but they’re not interested. Why is that?

    And yes, I wasn’t there for Manny’s altercation, however, what would you call it when someone, during an argument, shoves someone to the ground? This was the account in the Providence Journal (By SEAN McADAM
    Journal Sports Writer http://www.projo.com/redsox/content/projo_20080629_red_sox_ramirez_altercation.950544e.html):

    “When McCormick cautioned Ramirez that he might not be able to fulfill his request, Ramirez responded by shouting: “Just do your job!”

    An argument ensued and Ramirez pushed McCormick, sending him to the ground.”

    If a Yankee player did that you’d be ranting for weeks.

    And the issue with the knee injury was also well documented. “Skepticism obviously exists within the organization about the severity of Ramirez’s injury.”

    Remember when he didn’t know which knee it was so they sent him for an MRI on both?

    “The team had Ramirez undergo an MRI on both knees. The MRI came back clean on both, forcing something of a showdown today.” Then he gets traded and is running hard for infield hits.

    I wasn’t trying to insult you, the Red Sox, or their fans. I was merely trying to respond to your post about why Manny is unsigned.

    At no time was I trying to insult you, yet you felt the need to insult me. I guess I made a mistake in posting to your blog.

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