Sunday, February 26, 2006
Boston West
If you haven't noticed, the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to have become a sort of MLB version of Ellis Island for displaced (and disgraced) former Sox.
For starters, Grady "Don't Just Do Something, Sit There" Little was named the manager of the hapless Dodgers this offseason.
Nomar Garciaparra (his name comes up as "Mammary Grasshopper" in Blogger's spell check - seriously) landed there as a free agent, not entirely surprising given Nomar's SoCal roots and vehement dislike for aggressive East Coast beat writers.
Billy Mueller - a consummate pro - signed on in LA to play the hot corner, which he did as well as anyone else in the American League last year. The Sox, though, were clearly worried about his balky knees and drop-off in offense.
And of course, Derek Lowe - the guy who hit the trifecta in that magic 2004 season, pitching the clinching games in the ALDS, ALCS and WS - has already made for good tabloid fodder in the LA.
Last but not least, the owner, Frank McCourt, is a Boston guy who is obviously hellbent on importing as much of that Fenway magic as possible to Chavez Ravine.
I wish no ill will on the former players - yes, Nomar had become a poisonous personality when he was traded at the deadline in '04, but he remains one of the all-time Red Sox greats, and one of the best hitters I've ever seen. During the offseason, he even became a different sort of hero in Boston. Nomar and his soccer-star wife Mia Hamm owned a condo in the Charlestown Navy Yard (home of Old Ironsides), and they were painting the place one night when they heard a splash and screams from outside. Two girls had fallen into the drink after having too much to drink, and old No. 5 was there in a flash to jump in and get them to safety. I wonder how much time he spent on the dock adjusting his fins and fidgeting with his swimming goggles before he dove in...
Grady Little, however, is another situation entirely. Yes, I know the Red Sox finally got the gorilla off their back, but I can't forgive the hayseed for his actions (inactions) in Yankee Stadium in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. Even my wife, who knows little about baseball, openly wondered why Pedro was still in the game. Everyone in the world was asking that question, and Grady still defends himself to this day. Why can't he just come out and say, "you know what, I fucked up. But life goes on." Why?!? Isn't a leader supposed to take accountability? Now Grady's in Southern California where nobody cares. He finally made a smart move, three years too late.
For starters, Grady "Don't Just Do Something, Sit There" Little was named the manager of the hapless Dodgers this offseason.
Nomar Garciaparra (his name comes up as "Mammary Grasshopper" in Blogger's spell check - seriously) landed there as a free agent, not entirely surprising given Nomar's SoCal roots and vehement dislike for aggressive East Coast beat writers.
Billy Mueller - a consummate pro - signed on in LA to play the hot corner, which he did as well as anyone else in the American League last year. The Sox, though, were clearly worried about his balky knees and drop-off in offense.
And of course, Derek Lowe - the guy who hit the trifecta in that magic 2004 season, pitching the clinching games in the ALDS, ALCS and WS - has already made for good tabloid fodder in the LA.
Last but not least, the owner, Frank McCourt, is a Boston guy who is obviously hellbent on importing as much of that Fenway magic as possible to Chavez Ravine.
I wish no ill will on the former players - yes, Nomar had become a poisonous personality when he was traded at the deadline in '04, but he remains one of the all-time Red Sox greats, and one of the best hitters I've ever seen. During the offseason, he even became a different sort of hero in Boston. Nomar and his soccer-star wife Mia Hamm owned a condo in the Charlestown Navy Yard (home of Old Ironsides), and they were painting the place one night when they heard a splash and screams from outside. Two girls had fallen into the drink after having too much to drink, and old No. 5 was there in a flash to jump in and get them to safety. I wonder how much time he spent on the dock adjusting his fins and fidgeting with his swimming goggles before he dove in...
Grady Little, however, is another situation entirely. Yes, I know the Red Sox finally got the gorilla off their back, but I can't forgive the hayseed for his actions (inactions) in Yankee Stadium in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. Even my wife, who knows little about baseball, openly wondered why Pedro was still in the game. Everyone in the world was asking that question, and Grady still defends himself to this day. Why can't he just come out and say, "you know what, I fucked up. But life goes on." Why?!? Isn't a leader supposed to take accountability? Now Grady's in Southern California where nobody cares. He finally made a smart move, three years too late.
# posted by kampy : 7:06 PM
