Arielle's Red Sox Blog

Time: 9:44:16 PM EST
Author:  iluvctek

To anyone who still comes here: This is my LAST post. I will not be updating anymore. I find that people are starting to believe what is written and blogs which is bad. Blogs are not truth.

I am writing for my school paper. The link is http://sharon.k12.ma.us/~thetalon/talon

Have a nice day. Pray for the Red Sox this season.


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Subject: Nothing
Time: 7:05:09 PM EST
Author:  iluvctek
Mood:  Chillin'

People have been asking me, why haven't you been updating (I guess people like this). Part of the reason is I've been busy with school, as I'm in high school and I'm starting to do college stuff; I'm in 4 honors classes and I have to study a lot. I have also been going to writing conferences, and I got to interview Vince Wilfork. But one of the major reasons that I haven't updated is there is nothing really going on.

Yes, the Sox are looking for GM candidates, but now that Dayton Moore has dropped out, they pretty much all suck. Lucchino says they are still looking . . . well Larry, you got a bunch of free agents to deal with and a spotty pitching staff. . . hurry up! Steinberg is probably figuring out ways to sell dirt from Fenway, or maybe paint chips. John Henry is just sitting on his butt worrying about the GM situation. Meanwhile, as a member of RSN, I'm getting restless.

Yes, the Sox signed Timlin, but that was Theo's doing. Cashman has been signed, Matsui has been signed, Towers has been signed. Damon needs to be signed. Tony Graffanino should be signed. Millar should be signed (I know, he's not great but he is great for the team and can play first). The pitching, especially relief, needs to be fixed. Manny needs to be calmed down. 

And guess what? Most of all, the Sox NEED a GM. Did you know they are the only team in baseball without one? This is ridiculous.   

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Subject: Theo Fiasco
Time: 11:15:45 AM EST
Author:  iluvctek
Mood:  Chillin'
Music:  Rent - No Day But Today

During this whole mess with Theo, the media has seemed to have taken Theo's side on everything. This is very understandable, as Theo arguably is the one who can be pointed to and referred to as the reason for the Red Sox success. However, there is one more key player in this mess who can turn this into more of a scandal.

The Dodgers rid themselves of GM Paul DePodesta, who was only in the second year of his five year contract. Still looking for a GM, the Dodgers will certainly be interested in Epstein, as they are searching for greatness. If Epstein talks with the Dodgers, he could suddenly find himself in an unfavorable position in Boston. Epstein, in his press conference last Wednesday, said that he could no longer do his job with all of his heart and soul. Speculation says that he could not deal with Lucchino, a rumor said to be false by club officials as high ranking as John Henry.

If Epstein were to discuss a contract with the Dodgers, that means he could not give his heart and soul into his work in Boston. Many players have said that Boston is a tough place to play in because of the intensity of the fans. That could mean that this is possibly the fans fault and definitely Lucchino's. I personally don't think Theo is going to sign with any baseball team anytime soon, but we'll see what happens. 

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Subject: Gone
Time: 7:35:05 PM EST
Author:  iluvctek
Mood:  Sad

Catastrophic. Catalystic. There are no words to truly describe this resignation. Shocking or stunning are not the right ones. Everyone knew that these negotiations were taking too long. The big question is, is Theo really done?

When I first heard Theo resigned, I thought I heard wrong, and that he had finally resigned. I felt betrayed, not only by the Red Sox organization, but by Theo himself. Then I felt a sudden urge to send hate mail to Larry Lucchino. None of this is truly helpful to the situation. The time to resign Damon is ticking. Finding a new GM was not in the plans of the owners.

It does not appear, from Theo's statement, however, that Theo will accept a contract.

"In my time as General Manager, I gave my entire heart and soul to the organization. During the process leading up to today's decision, I came to the conclusion that I can no longer do so. In the end, my choice is the right one not only for me but for the Red Sox." Theo says. "My passion for and dedication to the game of baseball remain strong. Although I have no immediate plans, I will embrace this change in my life and look forward with excitement to the future." 

When I read One Day at Fenway Theo said he had to give up being a fan in order to be the GM. I could never imagine not being a Sox fan, and I wonder if it was hard for him. The lack of a private life is apparent, but Theo seemed more tolerable of it than others. Personality and authority clashes are said to have occured between Lucchino and Epstein. Epstein has been trained by Lucchino since 1992. Maybe this is a show of defiance, to say "Hey Larry, loosen the leash." I doubt it is about money. There is no other place where Epstein could earn or work with more money now that Cashman has signed. 

So maybe Theo is done. He's got money, a world series ring, and had a three year career with the Red Sox. What more could you want in life? Theo may have moved on to smaller but better things. The Red Sox can not. It could very well be more important to resign Damon before finding a new GM. He is too wanted to leave him be, and without a GM in place, Boston will look less and less desirable and other clubs will appear more alluring. The only solution to this problem is to press ahead and add a couple more meetings to the daily agenda, a couple more sleepless nights.

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Subject: The 1st Anniversary
Time: 3:25:18 PM EDT
Author:  iluvctek
Mood:  Chillin'

It was one year ago today that at this very time I was sitting at home hurriedly finishing my homework so I could watch all the pregame analysis. It was one year ago today that I watched Barry Bonds recieve the Hank Aaron award as I whispered BALCO underneath my breath. It was one year ago today that I watched Johnny Damon lead off with the curse ending home run. It was today that it all sunk in.

The 2004 Boston Red Sox were not necessarily the best Red Sox team "evah", but they were definitely the most successfull since the era of the Great Bambino. The guys just clicked, there was something in that clubhouse that bonded all of them together. Manny and Pedro's antics weren't as noticeable, and failure seemed inevitable for the fans. These players somehow knew different.

During Spring Training, Curt Schilling expressed his liking of the team, then boldly stated that if they stayed healthy, the team would go the distance. Johnny Damon called the team idiots in a loving manner. Everything impossible was finally possible. Many people forget about the ALDS. The Sox need Ortiz for that one, as he hit a walkoff home run in game 3 to win the series. No one forgot about the ALCS. Ortiz hit a walkoff home run and then some to win that series. And certainly no one has or will forget the world series. The unbeatable Cardinals looked like little leaguers.

Now, this anniversary is not one to analyze. It is too pure and majestic for intellectual thought. This anniversary is one to celebrate, for who knows when the next time will come. Provided are links to different pictures, audio bytes, and quotes from the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox.

boston.com pictures and quotes: http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2005/10/happy_anniversa.html

nike just do it commercial: http://www.nike.com/usa/justdoit/v2/index.jhtml

Yankees contracts proven worthless slideshow: http://hexachord.net/alcs/

mastercard collection commercial http://redsoxconnection.com/mastercard.html

Crank up Dirty Water, Tessie, and Sweet Caroline and have yourself some nostalgic fun. You know where to find me.

 

and hey, those White Sox did keep the Sox World Champion thing going. I say we help 'em out next year! 

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Subject: The Basketball Dress Code
Time: 7:49:01 PM EDT
Author:  iluvctek
Mood:  Chillin'

What Tim Duncan is wearing in this picture is now illegal in the NBA.

After leading the NBA dress code and reading the reactions of players over the past couple of days, I've decided that the code is upsurd. Players, when participating in NBA business, are required to wear a dress shirt with a collar or a turtleneck and perhaps a sweater, suit pants, khaki pants, or nice jeans, and dress shoes or boots. When at a game but not in uniform, players are to wear a sports coat and dress shoes and socks. Players are NOT allowed to wear T-shirts, jerseys, sports apparel, sleeveless shirts, shorts, headwear, sunglasses, and headphones. The only part of this list that I can understand are headphones. The idea? Business casual.

The business casual idea is perhaps the one that bothers me the most. Sports, professional sports, are not meant to meant to be a business. Sports are entertainment. Players are entertainers. One of the beauties of sports, the appeal for young kids, is the fact that you don't go to work in a suit. You don't sit on a chair in a suit. You dont have to sit in a conference room in a suit.

Why allow players to wear jeans but not a t-shirt? These are the clothes from their homes. These are the clothes of America. Basketball is still trying to make up face from the Ron Artest issue. Frankly, American schools are not infiltrated with drugs and violence because of sports players. I go to high school; the kids on drugs don't play sports other than track.

The NBA doesn't have a dress code issue. They do, however, need to improve their physicals, as do all sports. Sudden deaths including Jason Collier, Thomas Herrion (NFL), Korey Stringer (NFL), Steve Bechler (MLB), Daryl Kile (MLB), Reggie Lewis (NBA), and the list goes on. There are drug suspicions for some of these players, but a thorough physical should detect most of those. It is still unknown as to why these players suddenly drop dead. Well, maybe if the NBA stopped worrying about the dress code, physical requirements could be improved and the death rate, which is more important to me, would go down.

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Subject: Business vs. Games
Time: 7:52:03 PM EDT
Author:  iluvctek
Mood:  Chillin'
Music:  Golddigger

As said by James Earl Jones in Field of Dreams, “The one constant through all the years has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past. It reminds us of all that once was good, and what could be again.” Jones is talking about the heart of baseball, the continuity, and the fact that baseball will never fail you; it will always be there. I never felt this until visiting Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY. This intangible feeling has not left me since, instead it has made me think.

            Baseball today is a business, where the worth of players is discussed in money and years. People are traded like stocks on Wall Street, and teams perform only if their pockets are bulging. Baseball today has lost some of the purity, some of the essence found in early baseball. It lacks the combination of fun and competition.

            In Boston, where baseball is analyzed, watched, and focused on in the frigid winter, it is hard to say that baseball does not contain extreme amounts of excitement and fan support. As true as this is with the Red Sox, how many people want to go to a little league game if they  don’t know who is involved? How many people want to watch a bunch of balding men play softball? The answer is barely anyone. This is what baseball has lost.

            I realized this fact on a trip to Cooperstown. After visitingthe museum and all the shops, my father and I went to Doubleday Field. Free of charge, we walked into the gates and found an open bench to occupy. Men were playing, wearing uniforms of the Yankees and Pirates. There was no coach on both teams and only an umpire at home plate. Whoever had made the last out of the previous inning coached third base, and the second out coached first base. These men  received no paycheck, signed no autographs, and had no websites dedicated to them. What they did have was a part of their heart devoted to playing the game of baseball.

            Sitting there as a baseball fan, I couldn’t have enjoyed the game more. I was rooting for both of these teams, feeling sympathy when a batter struck out and hoping that the Yankees (yes, those hated Yankees) would at least get a hit. The question is, how can this be created in baseball today? There was a rhythm to this game played by men, an indefinable rhythm which these men were pounding to in their spare time; throw the ball, catch the ball, and occasionally hit the ball. 

            I was sitting in those stands as if I had never watched a game of baseball in my life. Now, as a diehard Red Sox fan, that statement couldn’t be any more incorrect, yet there somehow was a tiny truth to it. I had never watched baseball being played as simply baseball. There were no aspirations to make the major leagues, for these men were even starting to get too old for pick up games. The money in their pockets was from working on their farms, or in construction, maybe in a local business. These men did not need money to play ball.

            As once said in the Broadway musical, Damn Yankees, you gotta’ have heart. It wasn’t said that you got to have $252 million, or 7 years guaranteed with a team. Our players today do have heart and they do love the game, but are their hearts coming from the right places? How much is there to be compromised so that they will play ball? Players must question today: what is more important, the money or being able to play the game?

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Subject: Free Agent Aquisitions
Time: 10:35:45 PM EDT
Author:  iluvctek
Mood:  Chillin'
Music:  Jesus of Suburbia

This is one of the most vulnerable parts of the year for all players, the offseason. The Sox going into the weekend have 10 free agents (expected to declare free agency 15 days after the end of the world series). The list includes John Olerud, Kevin Millar, Tony Graffanino, Bill Mueller, Johnny Damon, Gabe Kapler, Mike Stanton, Mike Myers, Mike Timlin, and Theo Epstein.

Theo is likely to be signed quickly. Within three years of his services to the team, Theo has brought the team to the playoffs every year, and the Sox won the World Series in his second year as GM. The problem? Theo wants a $2.5 million contract and the Sox don't want to pay that much. In my opinion, this is ridiculous. The man is young, successful, and gutsy. He works out contracts with creative clauses such as ones found in Varitek's contract. He is everything you want in a GM and more. If you are willing to pay millions for players, pay millions for the man who gets you those players.

There is a ton of speculation over Johnny Damon. There could be bidding wars with the Yankees, Oakland, and various other teams who would love to have Damon. Johnny even sells himself. ["I think I'm the big guy they need to try to sign," said Damon. "I know the players are pushing for me to come back. (We'll) just have to see. I'm looking for five-plus. We know what Manny and David can do, but I make them look good." {reported by Ian Browne from mlb.com}] The truth is that Johnny is irreplacable. He is a solid leadoff batter and is not only the fixture of the outfield but one of the most talented centerfielders in the league. If the Sox offer him 4 years with a club option for a fifth and $10 million a year, Johnny should sign. The Sox are paying the same amount to Edgar "I lead the league in errors and am an average batter" Renteria, so why  not pay at least that to one of the superstars of the team. They certainly have the money.

If Olerud, Millar, Mueller, and Kapler do not sign with the team, it will not come as a surprise as the Sox would love a steady first baseman, Youkilis at third, and Kapler is likely to be out for a season with his ruptured Achilles tendon. As for Stanton and Myers, they should be gone as the bullpen needs major revamping. Mike Timlin is the third man that must be signed, for he has proved himself an invaluable asset to this team. A two year contract should do, as Timlin is approaching 40.

TonyGraffanino also deserves a contract, as he proved to be a steady bat and a great second basemen. 3-5 million should do, as he is not a highly sought star and is not an over .300 hitter or golden glover. I would try to sign him for a short amount of time, however, as Dustin Pedroia is rising swiftly in the farm system. Expect appearances by Pedroia to be made in the 2006 season.

The Sox should be in pretty good shape come February, as most of the talent is signed (i.e. Nixon, Varitek, Ortiz, Ramirez and more). I expect Manny to say, and Manny can veto any trade now, so the Sox can't just send him wherever they please. Don't be fooled, however, as this team (hopefully the pitching) will be different next season.

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Subject: That Cooperstown Team
Time: 10:36:26 AM EDT
Author:  iluvctek
Mood:  Chillin'
Music:  Guster

It was a rainy, cold day in October in Cooperstown, New York where I found it. The game I had fallen in love with at the age of five was being played by men in perhaps the oldest baseball field in the country, Doubleday Field.These men weren't superstars, they weren't paid millions of dollars, they didn't have agents or egos. Heck, these men didn't even get paid. But they were playing ball. They were over the age of 40 at least, playing a child's game.

It was baseball at its best. Throw the ball, hit the ball, catch the ball. The players could come out of the dugout and talk to the fans. You could hear the third baseman encouraging his pitcher. The ump's scolding was audible as well. It was baseball, pure and simple.

These days baseball is a business. Even in little league, the shirts are advertisements. A player is given a value, money telling how much this person is worth. Seeing the game in Cooperstown, it made me think about what baseball has become.

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Subject: Thanks
Time: 8:27:46 PM EDT
Author:  iluvctek
Mood:  Sad
Music:  Bronson Arroyo - Covering the Bases

I'm typing this right now with tears rolling down my cheeks and Bronson Arroyo singing Dirty Water with Johnny Damon and Mike Timlin. You all know what happened, the Sox got swept by the Sox. They are no longer the reigning World Champs, but will always be the 2004 World Champs. The future couldn't be brighter. Yet today is a dark day, figuratively and literally. This is my 4th Red Sox heartbreak. '98, '99, '03, and '05 aren't failures of seasons, but failures of postseasons. I love this team with all my heart. No statistic can label that love, no trophy merit it. I love this team when I'm up all night, when I'm jumping up and down and crumbling to the ground, when I'm crying, when I'm smiling. I love this team when I'm writing, doing homework, thinking, sleeping, eating. I live and breathe Red Sox baseball and it's a love that will never be matched with anything. No matter how many times they break up with me, I will never break up with them. Before tomorrow comes and I head to Cooperstown, before I analyze the season, before I analyze the offseason, I gotta thank a few of the players from this team. So here goes.

Thank you Jason Varitek. You are one of my favorite players. You are the grit and the backbone of this team, a dirt dog at heart and a class act guy. You joke, you laugh, you show up, and you always want to play. I couldn't love you more then I did when I saw the look on your face after they lost tonight. It was a look of pure melancholy. You truly thought the Sox would go all the way. I love you and thanks.

Thank you Gabe Kapler. You are my other favorite player. You went to Japan, but you wanted to be back with this team more than anything. You were never the best, but you do have a damn good glove, a quick foot, and a will to do your best. You give it your all every day, and are the best team mate a team could have. Thank you and I hope you get better quickly.

Thank you Kevin Millar. I know it may be your last season, but I know that you would love to be a Red Sox forever. You trusted your manager and stood by your team, making them laugh even when they didn't want to. Thanks.

Thank you Matt Clement. You came into Boston from the equally harsh Cubs fans, still with no ring to your name. You pitched amazingly in the first half and exceeded my expectations. I can't wait to see you again. Thanks.

Thank you Curt Schilling. I was one of those fans wanting to see you start against Randy Johnson. Yes, you tried to recover to soon but I'm not gonna blame you because I wanted you out there just as much as you. Once you came back, you worked endlessly on perfecting yourself, adding more to that clipboard of yours. Your dedication is outstanding. Thanks.

Thank you David Ortiz. MVP, what can I say? Even if you don't win it, I still consider you the MVP. Your smile lights up the park just as your homeruns do. Power hitters without arrogance are hard to come by. Thank you.

Thank you Manny Ramirez. I personally loved the Manny being Manny thing. You want to be yourself and that's great. You tried your hardest this postseason, maybe got confused when you went into the scoreboard, and you know what? If I had to play in front of something so cool and not get a chance to visit, I'd pop in once too. Thanks.

Thank you Tony Graffanino. You got this team into the postseason, and may become the solution at second base. You are an amazing player and a stand up man. Thanks.

Thank you Wake. Why do you get all the tough losses? When you climb that hill, I wish you could win every start. You got guts and spirit, concentration and skill. You have always been here, almost as long as Johnny Pesky. (Alright, old man jokes aside) You rock. You can get over the losses, thats why you suffer through them. I love you Wake. Thanks.

Thank you Billy Mueller. The quiet guy! You are the man keepin this bunch of morons together. I consider you a golden glove player. The plays at third are unbelievable, as well as your focus. Thanks.

Thank you Johnny Damon. Running into walls, screens, tvs, anything you'll do it. You play through pain, bad times and good, and always use the right shampoo. There is no better lead off hitter in the league. I hope you are roaming centerfield next year. Thanks.

Thank you Mike Timlin. You stepped up to the plate without stepping up to the plate. Foulke had to be shut down, so you stepped up. You made a great closer and are an unbelievable reliever. Heck, if you had to hit, I bet you could. Thanks.

Thank you Jon Papelbon. Amazing. Amazing a thousand times. That backpack didn't keep you down, and you were arguably the best Red Sox reliever this postseason. I know good things are to come, and I owe it to you. Thanks.

And lastly  . . .

Thank you Trot Nixon. Dirt dog, not only on your helmet and hat, but in your style of playing as well. Any ball, any time, any day. You hit well without standing out, and act just like a smart hick playing baseball. From mohawks to shaved heads to long hair you've been through it all and are the only Sox player who can say it. Give Nomar my love. Thanks.

So the curtain has closed on the 2005 season. As much as I would like to have seen more success, I didn't. I did see my team tie for first. I did see my team lead the league in offense again. And I did see that I still do and always will, love the Boston Red Sox with all my heart and soul.

With reluctance,

a diehard RED SOX fan

 

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