Martinez showed his true colors [Pedro, Garciapara, Clemens, Mo... Boston pee's on'em all]

The Boston Globe ^ | December 15, 2004 | By Bob Ryan

[johnny7]

Clemens and Soriano also recieved the same ovations from Yankee fans... and for the most part, the NY sportswriters.

This Boston reaction is somewhat childish and misplaced. For the life of me, I've seen it for over 20 years and still can't figure it out.

Up here in MA, when the fans talk about the Sox, they always say 'WE'. It was as if THEY were on the Red Sox payroll too.

Maybe this is part of the problem.

[green iguana]

While these guys are there, Boston treats them like God's... the writers columns are filled with unctious, fawning adulation.

You've got to be kidding me. Boston's writers are famously vicious when it comes to the players.

[green iguana]

They're fine when they're 'puttin out' but when they leave it's slander time.

You must have missed Shaughnessy's column after the Sox lost game 2 of the ALCS where he called the whole team a bunch of frauds. And this was before they lost game 3...

[pcgTheDestroyer]

HA! You just proved my point!

Okay, then what did I say that wasn't well-reasoned and at least partially objective in its support for my loathing of Clemens?

[NYCVirago]

My sympathies are (sort of) with the writer. How many millions did Pedro already have before he signed this offer? How many millions does one need to live comfortably for the rest of one's life? Why isn't - say - a four year deal for a mere $20 million enough for a pitcher whose best years are almost certainly behind him? Couldn't he scrape by on $20 million, or $10 million, on top of the millions he's already earned?

Bob Ryan ain't exactly working for minimum wage himself. Sportswriters move to different papers for more money all the time, or they use offers from other papers to get more money from their current paper. But none of them ever wring their hands over that.

[NYCVirago]

If Veritek or Lowe leave I'm sure you will (mostly) hear respectful conversation. They are not prima-donas and they don't whine about money.

I disagree. Look at how the Red Sox front office started the whispering campaign about Lowe partying too much. Yet Boston just signed David Wells, of all people! And if Varitek goes, he'll get trashed as well. That's what happens to anybody who leaves the Red Sox -- they get trashed by the media and the ownership.

[raccoonradio]

Pedro is one of the best pitchers the Red Sox have ever had. He's also a jerk because they have bent over backwards to please him and he feels like he's insulted. $90 million contract from the Sox...babying him...looking the other way when he's late or breaks the rules.

Actually, they had one set of rules for Pedro and one for the rest of the team. Kinda sounds like the Kennedys. "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?" Sure, you're a superb pitcher who also is a crybaby, spoiled brat, liar (his latest: "the Red Sox were in last place the year before I got here"), etc. Right, and he also said it God has destined him to sign with the Mets. I'm sure the $54 million had nothing to do with it. (When an athlete says "It's not about the money", trust me. It IS.)

Sure, he left for a better offer but the Red Sox offered him just what he asked for. Then he leaves for an even "better offer" and blames the Red Sox for "being late". Man of his word, that Pedro is.

The NY scribes are asking him "how do you feel about being called 'Pedro the Punk' here in NY?" and he responds by saying how negative things were in Boston. Hey, Pedro, cheer up. They'll never say a negative thing about you in New York. Lose a bunch of games and they'll still love you. (Just kidding.) Just wait, Pedro; you'll see that NY is no different from Boston. And if your pitching deteriorates even more, it'll be worse.

Just once I'd love to hear the following:
"Why did you sign with the (team)?"
"Because they offered me more money and pledged to kiss my ass even more than my old team did."

[raccoonradio]

If Varitek leaves he won't be trashed as much as someone like Pedro. Varitek never acted like a jerk; felt he was insulted despite a huge salary and being babied. Varitek
was a pretty important part of the team, working well with pitchers (and I hope he signs).

[raccoonradio]

>>he will be just another overpriced flop, which will make him a perfect fit with the rest of the Mets.

[Doohickey]

I wonder if they same guy wrote about how Pedro pissed on Montreal when he left there to go to Boston?

[rabidralph]

At least you have a baseball team. *sniff*

[johnny7]

Sorry bud... DC needed that team.

I remember when Frank Howard played for the old Senators(got his 1968 Topps card). My brother worked with his brother... nice people.

[johnny7]

Your love for the Sox clouds your vision. IT'S JUST A GAME.

Let me ask you a question; If the Red Sox beat the Yankees on any given night, would you say the next day... “WE beat'em last night!”?

[big'ol_freeper]

Nuff said...

[pcgTheDestroyer]

Let me ask you a question; If the Red Sox beat the Yankees on any given night, would you say the next day... “WE beat'em last night!”?

No, of course not. What do you take me for?

The correct answer, of course, is: "WE beat those sons a bitches last night!" But honestly, what's so aberrant about identifying like that with a team? Don't we say, "WE got Saddam!" when in fact NONE of us actually got him? While the analogy isn't perfect, it just shows a similar sense of community.

IT'S JUST A GAME.

Right, so... why is it so important for you to point out how unimportant it is?