‘Tis the season to be reading. With the sun out, many lunch breaks have been filled by sitting in the park reading various literary masterpieces. Still, how to convince the Red Sox powers that be that half Swede/half Brit who only discovered baseball 6 years ago is a perfect hire for the Baseball Operations department will be a tough nut to crack. I think I will just ignore the part of the rules that say the competition is just open to US residents
After Feeding the Monster, I am continuing through my stack of baseball books I received from Santa (and various other kind souls). Authors and die-hard Red Sox fans Stewart O’Nan and Stephen King (yes, the same SK of scary books fame) are able through their running diary of the year to instantly take me back to the tumultuous year (both for the Red Sox and for me personally) of 2004 in their best-selling book Faithful. Both Stewart and Steve write almost daily notes throughout the season and also include their more suitable email conversations throughout the season.
After the glory of actually winning it all, it is sometimes easy to forget the agony we all went through, and how little faith we on occasion actually had in the team – although many times they gave us very little to believe in.
Francona’s several meltdowns, especially in failing to play hands defence during the later innings whilst ahead, and his mismanagement of the bullpen show how far Terry came in a short while to become the manager he is today. The curious moves by Theo, which of course turned out to be masterstrokes and not to forget Millar’s complete ineptitude, both in the field and at the plate before turning it around.
With 20-20 hindsight, it’s hilarious (and hair-raising), to see how close we were to trading away Youk, and to see the endless parade of no-name bullpen arms being led through the Red Sox clubhouse – Curtis Leskanic anyone? How did the pieces actually fall into play? How did the Red Sox actually think that Millar/Giambi (the less 'roided one) was the answer at 1st?
Much of the writing is hilarious and very recognisable for any die-hard Red Sox fan, and some of the quotes are brilliant, such as this from Stewart to Steve in an email conversation where they have discussed connections between Red Sox players and possible movie remakes such as the Coen Brother’s remake Mueller’s Crossing:
Stewart O’Nan: Was at a game last year against Clemboy and the Yanks where John Williams threw out the first ball (I think he bounced it), and when Clem jogged out to the pen, the PA played Lord Vader’s March – perfect for a guy who started out as a headstrong young Jedi apprentice from a dusty forlorn planet, then felt betrayed and hurt, grew powermad and crossed over to the dark side.
On a more personal note, SO also writes:
April 13th 2004: A dark, cold day.
You have no idea how right you are Stewart. Talk about the Evil Empire. Or perhaps another sign of the impending doom that was about to happen. Thanks again to those involved.
I highly recommend both books, available through an internet retailer that shall not be named.
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On another note, the Red Sox put up Matsuzaka, Lester and Beckett against the Astros and still only took one game?? Truly a sign of the apocalypse that we go into a three game series in Tampa with the 4th best record in baseball, a half game behind the team with the best record….Tampa Bay Rays??? Seriously, where’s the Kool-Aid? Still, Masterson is on the hill, and he’s beaten the Rays before this season, and I suspect the Red Sox line-up will need no further motivation to spank James Shields after his altercation with Coco Crisp, who perhaps on one level fittingly begins his 5-game suspension for said altercation, whilst Jonny Gomes might be a marked man during the next few games as he decided, yet again (remember the Shelley Duncan fight during spring training?), to get involved in the fight during the Red Sox 3-game sweep of the Rays at Fenway in early June. This from Rotoworlds coverage:
Gomes must have started running from the dugout even before Coco Crisp charged the mound, because he was out there in a flash to delivered several blows in Crisp's general direction with
Rarely do I agree with the Yankees Insider, but I think we have found common ground.
However, whilst it might cool some heads to not have Crisp for the Rays series, his replacement is not faring too well right now.
We need to take 2 out of 3 from this series, although the bullpen seems to be a mess for the umpteenth time in the last, oh say 20 years. That Red Sox are renewing their interest in the freefalling Rockies closer Brian Fuentes could be a welcome help to a bullpen ailing from an out of sorts Okajima.
At least J.D has been able to focus now that his personal issues (his young son had serious health issues during 2007) have faded. I know how you feel J.D, and whilst I never derided you, I still want to offer my Mea Culpas. You clearly have the tools, and now you’re finally using them at a time the RSN needed you more than ever. Good timing, sir.
Also, a very interesting story on CNNSI about Wake and the dying art of the knuckleball. As I wrote a long time ago, a pitch described by Tek as trying to catch a fly with chopsticks. Luckily, the Red Sox have Charlie Zink, a prospect at
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Also, with scarcely a thought across the pond, but a big event here in
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Finally, despite a torn hamstring, I will finish my 10k run for charity this coming Sunday. Donations are very welcome at www.justgiving.com/nicholashk.
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