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March 25, 2008
Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach
IT'S ON: The Sox and A's are playing as we speak, and you can find the results elsewhere on this blog and on this page. So, in these unique circumstances, we'll focus on things other than the game on hand . . .
RIGHT ON, SETH: When I first read this in the Maple Street Press Red Sox 2008 Annual, I was hoping Seth Mnookin would eventually post it to his site. Well, he has, in two parts, and it's required reading: "Overfeeding The Monsters: Entitlement And The Continuing Evolution of Red Sox Nation." It's about the morphing of Red Sox fans from "stoic, loyal, and intelligent" (compared to the "obnoxious, self-entitled, uninformed, drunken louts" of Yankee Universe) into an "immensely unappealing, I-deserve-what-I-want-and-I-deserve-it-right-now" crew, a transformation I've noticed -- to my horror -- myself over the last few years. You can read Part One here and Part Two here. And, if it applies to you: Take heed.
HIS OWN HALL OF FAME: Did you know there's a Dice-K Museum in Wakkanai, Japan? ESPN.com's Jim Caple does, and he visited it.
FAVORED NATION STATUS: ESPN.com's Jayson Stark writes that "Unless you're older than Eddie Joost, older than Dom DiMaggio, older than Zsa Zsa Gabor, you've never lived in a world like this. You've never lived in a world where a baseball season was about to begin and the Boston Red Sox could be described with a word millions of New Englanders were once completely unfamiliar with: Favorites."
FAVORED FOR WHAT? After 10 straight years of picking them to win the A.L. East, Chad Finn picked the Red Sox to finish second last year . . . and you know what happened. So, this year, he's picking them second again, albeit with a chance for "another suspenseful and very possibly joyous autumn." (touchingallthebases.com)
YOU GOT IT, CHAD: According to the Replacement Level Yankees Weblog, Diamond Mind Baseball also has the Sox finishing second. Also picking Boston to finish second: Baseball Musing's David Pinto.
CAMPAIGN SLOGANS: ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick comes up with one for every team. The Sox': "Workers of the World, Unite". You'll have to click the link to find out why.
FLY ME TO THE MOON: When the Red Sox play at the Los Angeles Coliseum Saturday night, they'd do well to follow the lead of Wally Moon, who made his name taking advantage of the short left-field fence while he played there. (Los Angeles Times)
WHO ARE THOSE GUYS? For all the hoopla surrounding the Red Sox' visit to Japan, there's been a corresponding lack of enthusiasm for the Sox' opponents, the Oakland A's. "Perhaps they aren't quite the Washington Generals of the Tokyo Dome, but the A's open the season Tuesday night as the anonymous foil to their opponents, the Boston Red Sox," writes the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser. "That has been abundantly clear since Oakland arrived in Japan last week."
A-SURPRISE: The normally guarded Alex Rodriguez lets his hair down in an interview with the New York Daily News in which he says the biggest mistake he ever made was deciding to sign with the Rangers instead of the Mets in 2000 -- "I went for the contract when my true desire was to go play for the Mets" -- and that was at the base of his decision to stay with the Yankees . . . and to break with Scott Boras, whose first, last and only concern is chasing the very last nickel wherever it may be. "So to make the right decision just feels really good," Rodriguez said, "versus being taken down a road [by Boras] where I'm like, 'Oh, my God, where am I? Oh, $400 million to play in some place I hate? Great, I'll blow my --- head off.' I wanted to remain a Yankee and for once I put my money where my mouth was."
BACK OFF: Andy Pettitte may miss his first start because of back spasms. (New York Post)
THE SCOUTING REPORT: Foxsports.com does its detailed breakdown of the Yankees.
LOOKING AHEAD: The New York Post reports the Yankees and Mets are trying to buy their old ballparks before the arrival of the wrecking balls "so they can plunder them for lucrative memorabilia to peddle to fans."
BUT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS CASE SO LONG! That's Rusty Hardin's argument to requests by Brian McNamee's lawyers to remove Hardin from the defamation case that Roger Clemens' legal team filed against McNamee in January. (New York Daily News) McNamee's lawyers argued that Hardin had at one time represented Yankee pitcher Andy Pettitte, who admitted to using HGH after he was named as a user by McNamee in the Mitchell Report.
NOT HAPPENING: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that Bud Selig is unlikely to discipline players cited in the Mitchell Report. Talks on changes in the drug agreement between players and owners are continuing. (AP via projo.com)
Q AND A WITH . . . Mark Fainaru-Wada, one of the authors of Game of Shadows. (sportsmediaguide.com)
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY: That's what the Rays are saying about their decision to send third-base prospect Evan Longoria to the minors, but no one -- least of all the players in their clubhouse -- believes them. (St. Petersburg Times) "If I say I commit to winning, he's on my team for sure," said Tampa Bay outfielder Jonny Gomes. The blog Rays of Light "can’t help but feel we were lied to by the Rays."
LOCAL BOY: Chris Iannetta, now hitting .344 this spring after a 3-for-3 performance Monday (rotoworld.com), is starting to draw some attention from the Colorado press. He was the subject of recent features in the Longmont Times-Call and the Casper Star-Tribune.
REVISIONIST HISTORY: In the old days, baseball people could say things -- any things -- and we all shrugged and figured, well, they're probably right. But now the facts are a click of the mouse away. So when Dusty Baker says he was protective of his young pitchers' arms in Chicago, it doesn't take long for Redleg Nation to determine "Dusty’s insane on this one."
MAKE OR BREAK TIME: That's what SI.com's John Donovan thinks the Giants' Barry Zito is facing these days.
HERE AND THERE: The Blue Jays' B.J. Ryan will start the season on the disabled list (Toronto Star), and Scott Rolen, who has a broken finger, may miss all of April (mlb.com) . . . No word on the future of Kris Benson, who has an opt-out clause in his minor-league deal with the Phillies that he can exercise today (Philadelphia Daily News) . . . The Rangers have picked up former Nationals starter John Patterson (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) . . . The Angels' Gary Matthews Jr. suffered a sprained ankle in yesterday's game against the Padres (mlb.com) . . . Another player with a bad back: The Cardinals' Troy Glaus (mlb.com) . . . The sore-shouldered John Smoltz, who a few days ago said the pain was so minor that he'd have pitched through it if it was the regular season, is likely to start the season on the disabled list (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) . . . If he does, he'll be joining Phillies closer Brad Lidge (Philadelphia Inquirer) . . . It looks like Juan Pierre may be losing his job, and it also looks like he's not too happy about it. (Riverside Press-Enterprise)
MONEY LINE: The Brewers are contemplating making multiyear contract offers to Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) . . . The Blue Jays are close to reaching a long-term agreement with Alex Rios (Foxsports.com) . . . It's four years, $47 million for the Twins' Joe Nathan. (Minneapolis Star-Tribune)
WHISPERS: The Washington Post reports the Nats are trying to trade Felipe Lopez . . . The Rays may be interested in the recently released Reed Johnson and Jeff DaVanon (St. Petersburg Times) . . . The Cubs are beginning to look elsewhere in their search for an outfielder, but the Dallas Morning News says a Marlon Byrd-to-Chicago swap is unlikely . . . SI.com's Jon Heyman says Dodger manager Joe Torre is pushing the front office to pursue Brandon Inge and Joe Crede as they wait for Nomar Garciaparra to recuperate from his latest injury . . . It doesn't look as if Marcus Giles is going to stick with the Rockies (Denver Post). The Dodgers were rumored to have some interest in Giles, but Joe Bick, Giles' agent, says a deal is unlikely (Los Angeles Times) . . . The on-again/off-again Brian Roberts-to-the-Cubs talks are off again. (foxsports.com)
OLD FRIENDS: Kason Gabbard is having a miserable spring in Texas (rotoworld.com) . . . David Murphy, the player dealt with Gabbard to the Rangers in the Eric Gagne trade, is doing much better (Fort Worth Star-Telegram) . . . The Cardinals' Joel Piniero appears to be on the road to recovery (mlb.com) . . . Doctors say Freddy Sanchez has no structural damage in his shoulder (mlb.com) . . . Longoria's demotion means Eric Hinske will probably stick with the Rays (rotoworld.com) . . . Kevin Millar, who needed stitches after being hit on the left pinkie by a pitch last Friday, is just about ready to return to the Orioles' lineup (Baltimore Sun) . . . Jason Johnson didn't make the Dodger staff. (Orange County Register)
-- ART MARTONE
Posted by Art Martone 
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