The Greatest Day in Twitter History

I'm going to keep this short and sweet, but the greatest Twitter event of my life (and I've been on Twitter for four years now) has finally occurred. That's right, the one and only Dustin Pedroia is on Twitter, and when I woke up to this news, I literally jumped for joy.

As you all know, Pedroia is my all time favorite player - and he's a trash talker extraordinaire  so here's hoping we see a lot more exchanges like this one:

I've literally been looking forward to this for years, and I'd like to thank the people who tweeted at me/messaged me that this had happened, as I'm somewhat off the grid this week and might have otherwise missed days worth of priceless tweets from the Laser Show.

2013 Bill James Projections - Ryan Sweeney

2011: 108 games, .265 BA, .346 OBP, .341 SLG, 1 HR, 25 RBI
2012 projection: 105 games, .285 BA, .353 OBP, .392 SLG, 4 HR, 36 RBI
2012: 63 games, .260 BA, .303 OBP, .373 SLG, 0 HR, 16 RBI
2013 projection: 86 games, .273 BA, .335 OBP, .370 SLG, 2 HR, 24 RBI

Yes, it's official, Ryan Sweeney will be back in Boston for the 2013 season. Though technically signed to a minor league deal, Sweeney has been invited to spring training, and with Ryan Kalish's impending surgery, you have to assume that Sweeney will be on the Opening Day Roster.

Sweeney made an early departure last year after he broke his hand punching a door in the in the clubhouse out of frustration.  The only possible positive outcome of such a childish action is that it easily got buried in the overwhelming amount of terrible news surrounding last season's Red Sox.

Sweeney apologized at the time for his display of temper and its repercussions, and is even making jokes about it on his Twitter:

He seems happy for the opportunity, and is, in his own words "exited to be back with Boston," which is especially impressive given how the season ended here in 2012.  I'm still super bummed about Kalish's seemingly continuous health problems, but Sweeney has some comparable numbers (although we admittedly lose some power potential). 

A birthday wish for Jose Iglesias

Because today happens to be Jose Iglesias' twenty-third birthday, I wanted briefly to revisit yesterday's post.  Twitter user @theHooHaagroove was as skeptical as I was upon seeing Bill James 2013 projections for Mr. Iglesias:

In fact, James predicted that Iglesias will get a multitude of hits, to the tune of a .240 batting average over 139 games played.  Of course, these numbers were calculated before Stephen Drew came aboard, under the assumption that Iglesias would earn the starting shortstop job.

I want to be very, very clear about something: when you watch only the tops of innings of games Iglesias played at Fenway, and the bottoms of the innings of games on the road, Iglesias is the best shortstop the Red Sox have had in many years. His defense is practically impervious to criticism, and an absolute joy to watch.

But on the offensive side of things (and I mean "offensive" in every sense of the word), I'm with @theHooHaaGroove. We've been waiting and hoping and praying to the Baseball Gods for Jose Iglesias to find his stroke since he defected from Cuba in 2009. This season is the last on Iglesias' four year, $8.25 million contract, and the Drew signing is an obvious signal from the front office that they aren't content to rely on him to finally reach an acceptable level of output at the plate.

By all accounts, Iglesias seems like a stand-up young man, and I think I can safely say that Red Sox fans all over the world want nothing more than for him to find his stroke - if for no other reason than the ability to watch him shut down the entire left side of the infield.

Fans who use "we:" normal or annoying?

I've blogged about my History of US Sports class in this space before, but we had a particularly spirited debate this evening - and it wasn't about a team, or a player, or even a sport. It was about the fans. Specifically, how attachment to a particular team is displayed.  There were students who were personally offended when fans used "we" in most contexts, students (including myself) who use "we," and some who didn't care.

Personally, I only get annoyed when people will say "We won," when their team wins, but "They lost," when their team loses. Don't lump yourself in only when the team is successful, then seek to distance yourself during the bad times.

In class, there were more people who used "we," or who didn't mind when others did, than those who disliked it. However, when I asked if people minded the use of "we" on social networking sites, opinions seemed to be more split. On Twitter I got two responses, one on each side of the issue.

 On Tumblr, I got five responders who bristled at the use of "we," and four who either didn't care or embraced it.  On Facebook I got four answers: three didn't care, and one was particularly vocal and articulate about her support for "we:"

"I've got my time, money, and emotions invested into these teams, go through the ups and downs with them.... sometimes fans can be the difference maker in a game... Teams can't thrive as professional teams without us... I def feel justified using "we""

The crux of the issue (on both sides) seems to come down to ownership and attachment to the team in question.  Those who thing "we" is inappropriate seem to be concerned that fans who use the term feel too close, and that they should step back some.


For me personally, sports are EXTREMELY personal. I have a visceral, emotional response to the team. I feel elated when they win, and depressed when they lose - the Boston athlete's accusation that the fans take things too seriously sometimes describes me to a "T."  I feel like my Facebook friend quoted above: I spend a huge amount of time, money, and energy on the Red Sox, and I use "we." [I do NOT feel invested enough in the Pats, Celts, or Bruins to use "we."]


What do you all think? Am I crazy and/or annoying to refer to the Sox as "we?" Do you ever do this?

Pedroia pondering a Twitter debut

Pedroia's Twitter would be as awesome as this photo. 

This could be the greatest thing to hit Red Sox Nation in months.

Pedroia has indicated that he's tired of the Laser Show and Muddy Chicken nicknames, so while most suggestions were along those lines, I think Pedey will shy away from them.  Destroyah15, perhaps? Or TitoIsMyBitch?

Whatever the name ends up being, I think we can rely on Pedroia's Twitter presence to be just as entertaining at his interviews  -and perhaps even more so. After all, he'll have a direct line to the fans, which could potentially remove any filter he has with the press.

I've always assumed that the Pedey quotes that trickle down to the fans are the tamest of them all, and I would love to see Pedroia's wit uncensored. Of course, the Red Sox would frown upon anything TOO extreme, but I think we depend on some quality laughs if Pedroia ends up live online.

This could be the greatest news of my life. Hopefully Darnell McDonald proves very persuasive.

Being a Red Sox fan is WORTH the heartache

We didn't deserve to make it.  As angry, depressed, disappointed, and bitter as I am right now (and it's toned down a lot since last night), I can see that.  The Red Sox mailed it in this September, and last night's debacle was nothing more than a microcosm of the last month.

They say you don't win pennants in April.  That might be true, but if nothing else, this season has taught us that you sure as hell can LOSE them in April.  If we didn't get swept by Cleveland (Cleveland!) the second series of 2011, we squeak into the playoffs last night - whether we could have done a damn thing one we were in? That's another story.

However, some of the reactionary stuff I was seeing on Twitter and Facebook last night was appalling, and - in many cases - downright foolish:

Let's start off with a tweet where the poster misspelled the closer's name, exposed his own misogyny, and blamed a player with a serious injury. I'm sorry, bro, but I know you personally, and there is no goddamned way you were playing through injuries like Salty's and Youk's. Despite the fact that Lackey has thus far been a HUGE disappointment for the money, he DID manage to win 12 games, and the suggestion to sign Prince Fielder is hardly going to help out our pitching.

Let's move on:

Gold. "Sell the team." To whom, I wonder? Are you going to buy it?  And it's not really like the owners can carry much of the blame here. Sure, if they had denied the money to sign a really important and obvious missing piece, but we all know that John Henry and Co. essentially have an open-wallet policy with Theo.  Perhaps that's where the blame should go?  But, don't forget we were all lauding Theo just eight months ago, and Sports Illustrated literally JUST ran a story extolling the virtues of his managerial technique (you might have to subscribe to SI to see it - sorry).

So this brings me to the most popular sentiment of the night:

You have got to be joking. Luckily, there sees to be just as many people on the interwebz who are violently disagreeing, and defending Tito.  I'm sure this conversation is of no surprise to Francona, after all, the double-edged sword of being a manager is that if the team wins, they were really talented, but if they lose, it's the manager's fault.  Could Tito have done more to light a fire underneath his team? Maybe. We will never know what he was doing in the clubhouse.  It is worth remembering that every single Red Sox is a grown-ass man, and therefore responsible for his own performance - Tito can only enhance.

And, to wrap up the evening, here's a status update that literally made me feel sick to my stomach:

Yes, that happened on my newsfeed last night. And FIVE PEOPLE "Liked" it.  Listen, I get the frustration, the thoughts that the team just doesn't work, that maybe starting over would be better - that it couldn't be worse. But these men are people. Just like you and me. They have families and lives outside of baseball. I don't care how much of a superfan you are, wishing for a plane crash just makes you a spectacularly shitty human being.

If anything, I hope this ending, this season, leaves us wiser as fans.  You don't win seasons in the offseason.  The playoffs are a special event, not a perennial birthright.  Sometimes you're on the losing end of epic chokefests.  All of these things kind of suck, and for fans like me, who didn't live through much of the storied franchise heartache (1999 and 2003, but before that was before my time), this is a stark reminder that we as Red Sox fans have lived a charmed existence.

But for me, it's worth it. I have seen two World Series Championships come to my team in my lifetime, and I believe I'll live to see many more.  Last night was crushing, painful, tear-inducing, because baseball and the Red Sox are my life.  But the feeling I got when I saw them win it in Colorado in 2007 and St. Louis in 2004 outweighs that heartache by an indescribable amount.  Being a dedicated (some might say obsessive) fan can fucking HURT sometimes - but when it feels good, it feels SO GOOD, SO GOOD, SO GOOD!

2010 World Series, in Tweets

So that's it. The World Series is over, and it's taking baseball with it. The Giants are world champs, and while I was rooting for the Rangers, I can handle this result. I could tell you my thoughts on the matter, but I think it's more interesting to get the reactions of others, so here are some of the tweets that made the round last evening:
















As always, if you are the author of any of these tweets, and would like yours removed, contact me and I will be happy to oblige.

Cast of Characters

This morning, as I was wasting my life away on the internet, I came across the following Tweet:

Jerry_Remy Someone just told me that #RedSox lack personality-they're all just "nice guys"-no Mannys,no Millars, no Damons--what do you think?-Jerry

First off, for those of you wondering, that is in fact the REAL Jerry Remy... Follow him! Secondly, whoever told him that the Sox lack personality was clearly crazy. Immediately, people starting replying, listing off current players with "personality," and it got me thinking about the different types of characters in the Red Sox clubhouse, and how well they've gelled for the past few years.

Let's start with Timmy Wakefield, the elder statesman. Wake does more for charity than any other member of the team, and is universally respected throughout the game for his hard-work and perseverance.

Lester was forced to grow up quickly, and though he's pretty reserved, you've got to believe that when he speaks, people listen. Also, he isn't too cool to walk around Fort Myers with a glove on his head. Personality points for him!

Yes, this is Josh Beckett with a puppy. The fiery righty EXUDES personality... Sure, he might utter some *baseball terms* to thick-headed members of the media (I'm looking at you, Heidi Watney), but his heart is definitely in the right place.

Tell me again how this team has no personality? David Ortiz has arguably the biggest personality in the game, to go along with the biggest grin. He hasn't clowned around as much publicly since the departure of his partner in crime, Manny Ramirez, but he's still a presence in the clubhouse.

Now, I've never seen much of new center fielder Mike Cameron, but he's been a member of several notoriously tight ballclubs, and is cited over and over as a favorite on and off the field for his leadership.

On October 2, 2009 Jonathan Papelbon told the Globe's Amalie Benjamin "to put the fact that he's a sheriff in Mississippi into a story. Also called himself Lord CincoOcho. Seriously." Yeah, Paps has no personality... his bullpen cohorts must be bored to tears.

According to Ian Brown, Youkilis has a quick wit about him as well.: "'This is what brings teams together. Bad haircuts.' -Kevin Youkilis, as a mob of teammates surround [Nick] Green in the bathroom. (Via Twitter, Sept. 12, 2009). The first baseman even has a Twitter page devoted to his facial hair.

Okay, okay... I saved my favorite for last. But how could you argue that a team with this guy on it has no personality? According to Joe Haggerty, "Dustin Pedroia was rocking a GI Joe T-shirt [presumably the same one in the photo] in the clubhouse, and yelled at Ortiz: 'That's right. I am a Real American Hero.'" He also reportedly told Amalie Benjamin that Curt Schilling's contribution to the US Senate would be "Probably a big appetite."

Let's Settle This

As most (probably all) of you know, I am on Twitter (LoveSox 15). I really enjoy Tweeting during the games, because it allows me to converse with fellow Sox fans, and some semi-intelligent Yankees fans (They do exist! And some are quite fun to argue with... really know their stuff.). However, tonight I got in a bit of a mini-argument with one about Youkilis and Teixeira. I bet you know how it went, and there was a bit of homerism on both sides. But seriously, let's settle this right now, with some stats from baseball-reference.com. I will try to be as bias-free as my Red Sox obsession allows, and I welcome debate in the comments... Now, on to the facts (Since they have different service times, we'll look at the 162-game average).

Teixeira:
7 seasons with the Rangers, Braves, Angels, and Yankees.
BA: .289 OBP:.378 OPS: .924 HR: 38 RBI: 123 BB: 80 K's: 124
Postseason appearances: one series, four games (2008 ALDS)
World Titles: 0
2009 Salary: $20.625 million

Youkilis:
6 seasons with the Red Sox
BA: .292 OBP: .392 OPS: .825 HR: 21 RBI: 95 BB: 84 K's: 120
Postseason appearances: six series (2005 ALDS; 2007 ALDS, ALCS, WS; 2008 ALDS, ALCS)
World Titles: 2 (Youk got a 2004 ring though he was not on the Postseason roster).
2009 Salary: $6.25 million

So the stats tell pretty much the story that any fan might expect: pretty even, with Teixeira having the edge in the power categories and Youk with the advantage in most others. I absolutely concede that it's not Teixeira's fault he has not played extensively in the postseason, as it takes 25+ guys working together to do that. However, Youk was an integral part of the 2007 and 2008 Sox runs, and it wouldn't be fair to him to ignore those performances. Obviously the salary is a plus for Youkilis' team, as it allows Theo to go out and use the leftover money for more parts the Sox need to make another run (not that Cashman has any shortage of money if he wants it).

On to the intangibles:
Teixeira: a switch hitter, with power from both sides of the plate... that's all I got (not that I don't think there might be more, but I will admit to now knowing as much about Teix and the Yanks as I do about Youk and the Sox. Feel free to add.)

Youkilis: a Gold Glover at first, and an above average defensive third baseman; can play outfield in a pinch; a beard with its own Twitter account; a restraining order against Billy Beane (again, feel free to add).

I think it might be too close to call, so I'm bringing in the photographic evidence:Remember kids, "Crack is whack!"

Gotta go with the Youk-fu. This look seals the deal for me...

There can be only ONE...

So, I was on Twitter last night while I watched the game, and I had an epiphany.  Cyn at Toeing the Rubber asked "Who broke Josh Beckett?"  And it came to me.  Now, I have to give credit to Texy over at Center Field for this post, without which I never would have figured out Josh's problems.

Obviously, as I said on Twitter, "The pitching gods are mad that he tried to clone himself in Lester... There can only be ONE Josh Beckett." Now, without that insightful post from Center Field, I might not have noticed the alarming rate at which Lester is transforming from Beckett's protege to some sort of creepy clone of the man with the soul patch, but it all fits together now.  Obviously, some higher power of baseball is upset... I can only imagine that if Lester were right-handed like Beckett is, the top 40% of our rotation would have already been struck by lightning.  Or maybe a plague of locusts.

I mean, think about it: the two were already similar, just by virtue of both being tall, fireballing badasses who were drafted straight out of high school.  Now, Beckett seems to have made it his mission to make Lester his carbon copy (this would be more awesome if either of them were pitching better).  I say enough is enough.  Obviously, someone is upset at this travesty.  Only Josh Beckett is allowed to talk of "executing pitches" like it's the be-all, end-all.  Only Josh Beckett is allowed to go on crazy hunting trips with Mike Timlin (in all fairness, I don't know if this has technically ever occurred).  And only Josh Beckett can pull of the awkward soul-patch, under the chin goatee thing (seriously Lester, this is a bad look).

I also decided that Beckett is allergic to Tropicana Field... I mean, I know it makes me want to vomit.  So all we have to do to get the vintage Beckett back (beyond getting the heck out of Tampa) is get someone to slap some sense into Lester and give him the advice that every fifth grader needs: "Just be yourself.  I promise we'll still love you."  Once we have two distinct pitchers at the top of the rotation, I'm confident the pitching gods will lift the plague they've put on the Boston starters (all those under the age of forty, that is).  I'm not religious, but if the pitching gods want a sacrifice, I'm offering Matt Garza: we'll ask Coco Crisp to fight him in a steel cage match... everyone knows that Coco owns Tampa Bay pitching, at least in fist fights.

Can someone explain how Lester is listed as three inches shorter than Beckett?

Agreeing to Disagree: What to do when you befriend the enemy

Yesterday I remembered why it's difficult, as a Sox fan, to befriend Yankees fans.  My Yankee fan friend and I were walking back from dinner pre-game, and I went on an impassioned rant of what I would do to Joba Chamberlain if he threw at Youk again.  She insisted that Joba would never do such a thing.  I stopped dead.  "Au contrair," I told her, then, remembering that I don't speak French, switched back to English.  I carefully documented all of the times Chamberlain has thrown behind and at the Red Sox first baseman, often near his head.  She insisted he wouldn't do it on purpose, and that he really just had control issues.  I quoted Joba's BB/9 as on the good side.  "He just gets nervous in big games," she claimed.  I scoffed.  We agreed to disagree.

Usually, the two of us have no problems discussing baseball together.  However, this weekend marks the first time since we met that our teams will be facing each other in something besides Spring Training.  I tried to see this issue from her perspective, and decided that if it was someone on the Sox headhunting, say, Robinson Cano, I'd probably behave the same way.  And neither of us really knows whether Joba throws at Youk on purpose (he didn't yesterday, so who knows?), because the only person who really knows is Chamberlain himself.  And since we can't ever really know, we'll have to let it go.

I'm sure we'll find something else to talk about...

Like this guy, and the fact that he's barely hitting his weight.

Best Tweet of last night, RT from abcdude: Since Joba Chamberlain can't get by on his looks, at least he's smart. And a safe driver. 

Inspired.