Red Sox fan in a foreign land: Part 1

For me, the day pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training is the first signifier that the snow will eventually melt, my extremities will begin to thaw, and there will be baseball once again. This year is a little different, as I'm currently studying abroad in Delhi, India. There's never been any snow here, and I've been overheated since we arrived, so it's not the coming of spring I'm most excited about this time around, but the long-awaited arrival of baseball season.

Thankfully, my host family has WiFi, so I've been able to keep up with the (scarce) Sox news for the last few weeks, but I'm not sure if that will be true in Dakar, Senegal, or Buenos Aires, Argentina, so I'll try to post as much as time allows while I have the luxury of internet.

Until actual practices get underway, there's not too much to talk about, so I thought I might share some of my stories as a traveling Red Sox fan, far from home. The program started in New York, and so I naturally had a few run-ins with Yankees fans before we left the country.

In Harlem we met a 14-year-old boy named Elijah, who claimed to the biggest Yankees fan ever. He proceeded to berate me about Manny and Papi's "steroid use," and exalted Andy ettitte and A*Rod for coming forward. "After they got caught," I scoffed, "That's hardly admirable." He clammed right up.

Perhaps the best anecdote occurred in the Newark airport. I (naturally) had worn a Red Sox shirt, and when I took off my jacket to go through security, the metal detector attendant announced that she didn't let Red Sox fans through. I decided to plead with her better nature, turning around to display "WAKEFIELD: 49" on the back, and asserting that no one can dislike a gamer like Wake. She laughingly agreed, and let me through - because, as she said, I was "a nice Red Sox fan."

When we finally arrived in Delhi, a friend turned to me and quipped "I feel much better about you wearing that Boston hat now that we're safely out of New York." It's pretty easy to be a baseball fan of any type here and stay virtually incognito, as the entire country is gearing up for the Cricket World Cup, and no one has a moment to spare for a silly American sport like baseball. I am determined to gain at least a cursory understanding of cricket before I leave, but I will (obviously) remain a loyal baseball fan for life.

Idiots Remix: Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon to the Rays

[Screengrabbed from tampabayrays.com]

Yes, you've been hearing correctly. The Tampa Bay Rays have officially signed Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez for the 2011 season. Manny, of course, will spend the majority of his time as the designated hitter, while Damon will play left field, DH, and add some leadership to a club that's full of very promsing - but very young - talent.

As you all know, Ramirez and Damon were key pieces of the 2004 World Series Champion Red Sox, and while Damon skipped town for the Bronx in 2005, we had to put up with Manny being Manny until mid-2008, when he took his act out to "Mannywood" and the Dodgers.

Since being suspended for use of the women's fertility drug human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) early last season, Manny's power has been somewhat diminished, but it is also worth noting that the once-feared slugger is now 38-years old, and he wouldn't be the first hitter to lose some power as he ages. [Personally, I always thought that of all the players in baseball, Manny was the one who could get caught with a women's fertility medication and actually claim he wanted a baby - it's just Manny being Manny, right? But I digress.]

No doubt Ramirez's presence in the clubhouse will present Manager Joe Maddon with a new set of challenges, starting with Spring Training, when Manny's grandmother will develop yet another illness that will result in his tardiness. Maddon has certainly proven his mettle at managing teams full of the ambitions and egos of young budding stars, but Manny Ramirez is another enigma altogether. Surely the manager will look to Manny's former teammate Damon for some pointers, and possibly even to keep the aging Ramirez in line.

Besides his admittedly useful leadership skills, Damon's biggest value at this stage in his career comes from his ability to get on base consistently. Now out of the friendly short-porch confines of Yankee Stadium for a season, Damon's home runs have fallen from 24 in 2009 to just 8 in 2010 - a steep drop-off, even for a 36-year-old. Of course, Damon's arm strength is as questionable as ever, so it's likely that a good portion of the $5.25 million Damon will be paid next season is for his clubhouse presence.

Ramirez, on the other hand, has nothing to offer but his bat - his defense has never been impressive (and it's worsened with age), and he's more of a detriment than a help to most clubhouses, so he'll only be getting $2 million in 2011. Oh, how the mghty have fallen: Ramirez once demanded that the Sox not pick up his option for 2009 because $20 million dollars was not enough (TWENTY MILLION DOLLARS!), and now three years later, he's a bargain-basement pickup.

All said, I think this is an excellent move by the Rays, who have watched a huge chunk of their young talent walk away to greener pastures this winter. Manny and Johnny could fit in nicely in Tampa Bay (Maddon will likely let Manny leave his famous dreadlocks be, after all), and the two have tremendous upside. Plus, we'll get to see them at Fenway eleven times this season.

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For any of you wondering about my travels thus far, I'm currently deep in enemy territory in New York City for the start of my abroad program. I (of course) brought mostly Red Sox clothing, and so I've been getting the evil eye from more than a few New Yorkers. Last night at dinner, one even jokingly refused to serve me! I laughed, he laughed, and we both took our differences in stride, but I won't be surprised if I get some actual vitriol soon enough.... After all, they all must be pretty jealous of our stellar offseason, especially after the infamous Cliff Lee snub!

It's not New Year's, yet!

Sorry to burst your collective bubble, but New Year's Day isn't until Friday, April 1, 2011 - just three months after the rest of the world celebrates!

This seems like as good a time as any to warn you that posting will be EXTREMELY sporadic in the coming months. I'm about to embark on a semester long adventure to India, Senegal, and Argentina, and I won't be returning until the end of May.

[Interestingly enough, I had the choice between studying abroad for fall semester 2010 or spring semester 2011. I chose spring 2011 because I didn't want to miss the playoffs... that worked out well.]

Anyway, my internet access will be limited and spotty, so I'll update whenever possible. In my absence I humbly suggest you turn to the articulate and informed blogs listed on the blogroll to the right, as well as the fantastic coverage provided over at Boston.com.

I've done the math, and I'll be missing a grand total of 48 games - nearly 30% of the season including Opening Day, plus all of Spring Training. I'm hoping some of you will be able to help keep me updated either via comments here, Twitter, email (mine is listed in my complete profile), or by comments on the Off the Monster Facebook page.

If and when I manage to update, I'll post links on both Facebook and Twitter - so if you aren't a follower of those pages, click the links above (I promise not to spam you).