At this All-Star Break the Boston Red Sox have the fourth best winning percentage in all of Major League Baseball – yet they’re still only in third place in the American League East.
Says something about that division, doesn’t it?
Posts Tagged ‘baseball’
Red Sox Fun Fact
Monday, July 12th, 2010If You Sell It, They Will Buy …
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010Saw an interesting article in the Des Moines Register (what, you don’t read the ‘DMR’ every day?): “‘Field of Dreams’ site for sale (guess the asking price)“.
Yes, the ballfield/cornfield from the 1989 Kevin Costner movie is up for $5.4 million. You also get the house. And two souvenir stands that cater to the 65,000 visitors a year.
Back in 1998 when I moved to California we stopped there. It was pretty cool – it’s at the end of a small road in this sleepy little town. My brother and I were among a dozen or so tourists checking it out. Don’t believe me?
Here’s a photo of my brother at the site:
It was pretty neat, but maybe not worth $5.4 million …
Who Even Thinks About Cleveland?
Friday, April 30th, 2010A new report says the Sox are the second most hated MLB team … after the Indians?
Wha?
Racist Arizona
Thursday, April 29th, 2010The Daily Kos had an interesting article the other day: “Join Major League Baseball Boycott of Arizona: Hit the Pocketbooks.”
Next year’s MLB All-Star game is scheduled to be played at the Diamondbacks home in Phoenix. But last week’s new overly-strict/possibly unconstitutional anti-illegal immigration measure SB 1070 has put the state in hot water.
Of course, being in the southwest (as well as being horribly racist), they’re used to hot water. Think that’s harsh? Where was Super Bow XXVII played in 1993? Why, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
But where was it supposed to be played?
Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.
It was pulled because Arizona voted against a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
So I say pull the game. Give it to Minnesota for their kick-ass new Target Field.
I’d say Boston, but we want the 2012 one, for the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park.
New Baseball Idea
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010Another cool Freakonomics blog from the New York Times: “A New Kind of Starting Pitcher?”
The suggestion is start a baseball game with “the Opener”, kind of like a closer, someone to pitch lights-out for the first two innings and then hand over the next six or seven innings to, well, the starting pitcher.
Quote:
So, why ask starters to pitch until they fail? Why not ask them to pitch for just six innings, the third through the eighth? Most starters would be delighted by this “light” load and pace themselves accordingly. I’m not a pitcher or even a baseball player, but I just think there’s a lot of weakness in not knowing how long you’re going to be out there.
Pretty clever stuff …
Wake
Friday, April 16th, 2010Good ESPN.com article about Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield: “Wakefield’s longevity in perspective.”
Key stats:
With 17 more innings, he’ll tie Cy Young for second most innings pitched in Red Sox history and could pass Roger Clemens (whom he trails by 64 2/3) by the All-Star break.
He’s the oldest player in the American League, and second only to the Phillies’ Jamie Moyer, Wakefield turns 44 in August.
If Wakefield is still playing in May of next year (he is signed though 2011), he will become the oldest Red Sox player ever, a distinction currently held by something of an interloper. Deacon McGuire was 85 days shy of his 45th birthday when he played his final of seven games in a Boston uniform in 1908.
Just how long has Wakefield been around? He actually played on the last winning Pirates team, a franchise that has posted 17 straight losing seasons, a record for all four major sports.
Nomar
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010If you’re in New England and haven’t just woken up, you’ve probably heard the news: “Nomar to retire as a member of the Red Sox today.”
The “Nomar” in question (if there are even multiple “Nomars” out there?) is former Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, who of course was a member of the historic 2004 World Series team – up until the trade deadline in July.
I was in Boston that weekend, and although I didn’t write about it at the time, I did take this photo:
August 01, 2004. The day after Nomar was traded to the Cubs.
Ironic, eh? 'Keep the Faith.'
Anyway, immediately after I heard the news today I got to thinking about retiring his jersey, number five. Rocco had it last season, but now he’s retired, too. So it’s free.
But the Red Sox official policy on retiring uniform numbers is based on the following criteria:
Election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame
At least 10 years played with the Red Sox
He’s a six-time All-Star and was the 1997 American League Rookie of the Year, so the Hall of Fame shouldn’t be a problem, we’ll have to wait five years but that’s no problem.
The second part – problem.
Nomar was only with the Sox from August of 1996 to the aforementioned July of 2004 – nine years.
Hmm.
Guess we do have five years to change that rule …
Red Sox Spring Training Facility
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Today the Boston Red Sox released details of their new Spring Training Ballpark and Player Development Complex that’ll open in Fort Meyers, Florida in 2012.
Similar to Minor League Sea Dogs’ Hadlock Field, there’s a replica Green Monster at the new park:
Populous/Parker/Mudgett/Smith Architects, Inc.
Populous/Parker/Mudgett/Smith Architects, Inc.
Oh Manny!
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010
The Boston Globe headline really says it all: “Manny Ramirez says this is his final season in LA.”
Can you imagine spring training has barely begun and he’s already saying stuff like, “I know I’m not going to be here next year”?
Oh I’m so very glad he’s not on the Red Sox anymore.
Gordon Edes
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Now that Boston Red Sox spring training is in full swing with pitchers and catchers reporting, I wanted to share a link with you.
Apparently Gordon Edes, former sportswriter for the Boston Globe and then national baseball writer for Yahoo! Sports has recently joined the new ESPNboston.com site. His new articles are here.
Play ball!
Spring Break Live
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010Don’t get me wrong, I like the idea of Spring Break, and I love me some baseball. Shoot, I even love Peter Gammons.
But this ad … there’s just something fundamentally wrong with it:
Personally I’d rename the concept, as a sixty-five year old white guy in a suit doesn’t sell “Spring Break” to me.
