pedro martinez
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News Archive for March 1-8, 2002
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March 8, 2002
Sox’ search party: Team set to talk with top candidates
Michael Silverman, Boston Herald
From a secret location in the Sunshine State, the Red Sox’ brain trust today and tomorrow will interview candidates to determine the organization’s next manager. Indians bench coach Grady Little remains the front-runner in the process, which isn’t likely to produce a new skipper sooner than Sunday. Running a close second to Little is Oakland Athletics bench coach Ken Macha. Others believed to be on the short list include Astros third base coach Tony Pena, interim Red Sox manager Mike Cubbage, former Montreal manager Felipe Alou, former Yankees and Diamondbacks manager Buck Showalter and former manager Jim Fregosi.
Burkett benefits from good advice
Craig Barnes, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Fenway Park’s Green Monster has run a lot of pitchers out of baseball, but former Marlins John Burkett won’t be one of them. “The way that I pitch right-handed hitters away and left-handed hitters in,” Burkett said, “Fenway Park will be a good place for me. The Green Monster won’t be a problem.”
Henry is starting to buy all the hype
Bob Ryan, Boston Globe
He thought he knew, but he didn’t know. What John Henry now knows is just exactly what level of madness he has bought for himself. Owning the Florida Marlins was strictly bush league stuff. No offense to the good people of South Florida, but what is baseball to them?
The Baseball Crank — March 6, 2002
Dan McLaughlin, Providence Journal
One of the big questions in Red Sox camp this spring is, will Derek Lowe make it as a starter? I’ve been arguing for over a year that Lowe’s high-hit, low-walk, high-ground-ball profile is better suited to a starting pitcher who gets to start his own innings rather than a reliever who comes in with men on base.
March 7, 2002
Art’s Notebook (1st Notebook since August 2001)
Art Martone, Providence Journal
I’m back.
I think.
First off, many thanks to all who were so generous with their praise — both on Your Turn and Sons of Sam Horn — of the column I wrote for Wednesday’s newspaper after Joe Kerrigan’s dismissal. I decided to archive it as a notebook entry, to begin the 2002 columns at a semi-logical starting point. …
Kerrigan’s firing forced my hand. It happened at 6 p.m. Tuesday and we had no columnist available. … I jumped back in, writing from home. And when I was finished, I knew I’d resurrect the notebook. I had to. I loved it, and missed it, too much. … So. Here I am. …
During an idle moment a few weeks ago, I started scribbling down the STATS 2002 projections for Sox’ hitters and pitchers. I left the numbers at home, unfortunately, so I don’t have them here, but I did what I always do when the STATS handbook comes out: I add up the offensive and defensive numbers, run the Pythagorean Method, and see what W-L record pops up. The number that popped up was 109-53.
Well, I knew that couldn’t be right …
Red Sox Notebook
Bob Ryan, Boston Globe
The day after his first outing of spring training, Pedro Martinez reported that his shoulder felt fine. ”I went out and played catch and felt like I could pitch again today,” he said. His next start is scheduled for Monday against the Rangers at City of Palms Park. Carl Everett, who is rehabbing from arthroscopic knee surgery, is not expected to be in the Texas lineup.
Sox get in focus: Contact Little; aim for weekend decision
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald
Joe Kerrigan was left dangling for nearly a week before getting fired as Red Sox manager, but it appears that the team isn’t going to wait nearly as long to name a successor. General manager Mike Port said that it would be “ideal” to have a new manager in place by the end of the weekend, meaning interviews could begin as early as today, depending on travel logistics.
Sox: Say it ain’t so, Joe: Kerrigan receives warm welcome
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald
Pedro Martinez remained neutral on the Kerrigan issue over the past week, but the pitcher said that each passing day that he remained in charge sent an indication that maybe the manager was going to stay. “Anything they did wouldn’t have surprised me, but when they let him sneak by for three or four days after Dan was fired, I thought maybe there was a chance for him to stay.”
Kerrigan already knew gig was over
Steven Krasner, providence Journal
The one regret that Kerrigan has is that he won’t get the opportunity to manage this year’s version of the Red Sox. “This team will win 90-100 games. Whoever comes in to manage this team will be a lucky man,” said Kerrigan. “Ralph Treuel is a capable pitching coach. The coaching staff is great. The manager will be an overseer. I respect everyone in that clubhouse, especially the catchers. It was tough seeing (Jason) Varitek. He’s a warrior.”
Kerrigan bids adieu to Sox: Ex-manager knew ax was coming
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald
Kerrigan said he exits knowing that the club is in great shape for his successor. “This is a good team. This team is going to win 90-100 games, maybe more. Whoever comes in here is going to be a very lucky man because this team is going to be fun to manage.”
Ax handle Stoic Kerrigan knew his days were numbered
Bob Hohler, Boston Globe
Well before he bid his final farewell yesterday to the players he longed to lead, Joe Kerrigan knew his days as Red Sox manager were numbered. He figured it out last Friday when the new owners introduced themselves to the team and treated him as if there were an asterisk after his title. ”They thanked me for my patience, they thanked me for the way we ran the camp, but there wasn’t an endorsement in front of the players,” Kerrigan said. ”When ownership speaks in front of the team and they kind of waver on it, I’ve been around the block a few times. You can read the landscape.”
Ex-Red Sox manager expected firing, but still takes it hard
Howard Ulman, Associated Press
Joe Kerrigan was doing fine until he was asked what his first night of unemployment was like. ”Oh, it was hard, it was hard,” the former manager of the Boston Red Sox said Wednesday, the day after he was fired. ”My wife took it extremely hard. She loves the city of Boston.” Then Kerrigan, known for his computerized analysis of baseball statistics, choked up. His eyes grew watery, he said ”Excuse me,” and walked away.
Junk Bonds? Bob Costas and the Cult of Baseball in Black and White
Craig Calcaterra, bullmag.com [October 12, 2001]
With every passing year, Costas’s attachment to the baseball of days past seems to grow stronger. … But nostalgia shouldn’t keep us from appreciating the present day, and unfortunately, with Costas it is starting to. His passion for what might be called “black and white baseball” has begun to border on crankery. … Costas’s unleashes his latest broadside against the modern game in an MSNBC column where he laments how quickly Mark McGwire’s single-season home run record fell to Barry Bonds. For Costas, Bonds’s accomplishment represents nothing less than the decline of pro baseball, which in his opinion has, “been ripped from its historical moorings”.
March 6, 2002
Links to stories about Pedro’s start and the Red Sox 4-2 victory on Tuesday are here.
Boston Red Sox Press Release on Dismissal of Manager Joe Kerrigan
Kerrigan knew on Friday that he would be fired
Associated Press
Joe Kerrigan knew he’d be fired as manager of the Boston Red Sox four days before he lost his job. The tip-off came at a meeting last Friday when the team’s new owners introduced themselves to the players.
“They thanked me for my patience, for the way we ran the camp,” Kerrigan said Wednesday, “but there wasn’t an endorsement there in front of the players. I’ve been around the block a few times and you can read the landscape and I knew then that my days were numbered.”
Sox owners charged with an error of omission
Art Martone, Providence Journal
They didn’t want him. It was that simple. Oh, they can talk all they want about his lack of experience. They can shower him with praise about his work ethic and his professionalism. They can mourn over how difficult a decision it was to dismiss him. But the bottom line is, the new owners of the Boston Red Sox didn’t want Joe Kerrigan managing their team. They never did, and they would have lowered the boom before spring training began had the previous regime allowed them to start making personnel moves before the sale of the team officially closed. So why didn’t they lower it as soon as they were handed the deed to Fenway Park? Why was this dragged out for a week? Why were we treated to a “dead man walking” period in which Kerrigan was hung out to dry? …
The new owners can recover from this rather easily. If they make a good hire, people will forget Joe Kerrigan rather quickly. The idea that the 2002 Sox will be permanently scarred by a managerial change on March 5 is ludicrous. And, to be honest, there are still plenty of reasons to think the new owners did the right thing yesterday. It wasn’t what they did, though. It was how — and when — they did it. It was an easy ground ball, and they booted it.
Jobless Joe — A nice guy is finished before he starts
Bob Ryan, Boston Globe
On the final day of what may or may not have been the only opportunity he ever will have to manage a major league team, Joe Kerrigan enthused (make that ENTHUSED!) about, among other things, Rickey Henderson, Nomar Garciaparra, Freddy Sanchez, Carlos Baerga, Mike Stanley, Rolando Arrojo, Bobby Cox, Felipe Alou, and boy-oh-boy did he ever demonstrate some serious reverence for the great talents of one Pedro Martinez. Joe Kerrigan is a baseball being. …
In every discussion – and there were plenty, because so many people are curious about the Boston Red Sox – I said Kerrigan never should have been named manager of this team, and keeping him made no sense. Gas him, I said, and gas him quickly. It took only one day of being around him to give me pause.
A job he couldn’t manage — Sox: Kerrigan lacked experience
Steven Krasner, Providence Journal Sports Writer
Finally, the other shoe dropped. Joe Kerrigan was fired as manager of the Boston Red Sox late yesterday afternoon, a little more than an hour after his team had won its third exhibition game in a row. Interim general manager Mike Port and president/CEO Larry Lucchino informed Kerrigan of their decision in a 15-minute meeting after just about everyone — coaches and players — had left the clubhouse.
Heave-ho for Joe: Sox will manage without Kerrigan
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald
Joe Kerrigan was still in uniform, sitting behind his desk at City of Palms Park late yesterday afternoon following the Red Sox’ 4-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves when Mike Port and Larry Lucchino showed up in the doorway. After dangling in the winds of uncertainty for nearly a week, Kerrigan realized the grim reapers in Oxford shirts had finally arrived to set him free.
For Joe, It’s Go Kerrigan Fired; Cubbage Interim Manager
David Heuschkel, Hartford Courant
In the days leading up to his dismissal, Kerrigan never received a vote of confidence from the people deciding his fate. He learned he had been fired around 4:30 p.m. … The front office did not talk to players about Kerrigan. Still, there may have been some concerns about his relationship with Pedro Martinez and Manny Ramirez. There were reports both players clashed with Kerrigan last season.
“If Joe’s here, I’ll play for Joe,” Martinez said a couple of hours before Kerrigan was fired. “I respect Joe and I’ll follow Joe and I’ll do whatever he asks me to do. If he’s not, then we’ll just have to go on. … I respect the fact that nobody wants to lose their job. I wouldn’t like to see anybody lose their job, even my worst enemy. I don’t know who that is because I don’t recall having an enemy.”
Sox make change for change’s sake: Team stuck in the interim
Michael Gee, Boston Herald
So Kerrigan had to go. Fast. Nothing personal, but the new guys want to obliterate any trace of Duquette’s presence from the franchise. They sincerely didn’t like the way Duke ran the club, and they know it’s the easiest way to curry favor with their fan base. Aside from winning, the Sox faithful like nothing better than a good guillotining on Yawkey Way.
The proof of the firing’s political motivation is obvious. The new crew was so eager to broom Kerrigan that they made the same mistake Duquette did when he canned Williams – acting before they had their first choice of replacement on board.
Time for owners to step to plate
Tony Massarotti, Boston Herald
As for Kerrigan, there were some deep-seeded clubhouse concerns that were not entirely his doing. For instance, upon arriving at spring training last month, a paranoid Ramirez unjustly accused Kerrigan, among others, of leaking the information to the media that Ramirez had failed to pay his clubhouse dues last season. Naturally, the entire flap could have been avoided if Ramirez had merely coughed up his share – think he’s ever heard of automatic withdrawal? – but the incident also revealed that the player’s distrust for Kerrigan ran quite deep.
New owners decide to fire Kerrigan after all
espn.com
Boston Red Sox manager Joe Kerrigan was fired Tuesday by the new team owners and replaced on an interim basis by third-base coach Mike Cubbage. Tim Kurkjian: “The Red Sox new ownership is trying to completely overhaul the atmosphere of this club. … Cleveland bench coach Grady Little is likely the top candidate for the job … The second choice is probably Ken Macka, a bench coach for the Oakland A’s … Felipe Alou is another, albeit less likely, candidate.”
Sox unlikely to reel in big name in managerial search
Jayson Stark, espn.com
Mike Cubbage will be the manager of the Red Sox in Bradenton, Fla., on Wednesday afternoon. But 50 years from now, when you look back on a list of all-time Red Sox managers, you’ll never find his name. That’s because you have to manage a regular-season game to make the baseball encyclopedias. And Cubbage will not be managing the Red Sox when the Blue Jays show up at Fenway on April 1.
Let’s make a deal
Steven Krasner, Providence Journal
Juan Diaz, Calvin Pickering, Shea Hillenbrand, Lou Merloni, Juan Pena, Sunny Kim, Angel Santos, Dernell Stenson, Wilton Veras, Jorge DeLaRosa, Josh Hancock, Paxton Crawford and Anastacio Martinez have agreed to contracts for 2002. Casey Fossum ‘s contract status still was up in the air.
Ten Burning Questions For Rickey Henderson
Jim Caple, espn.com
8. Which superpower would you want most — the strength of 100 men, the ability to fly or the ability to turn invisible? I’d take the invisibility to be invisible. Because I could move around and no one would know what I was doing or where I was. …
10. Is there anyone out there who even you consider too much of a hot dog? I don’t consider anyone a hot dog. If you’ve got a little style and you’re playing with style, that’s not being a hot dog. That’s show business, not hot-dogging.
March 5, 2002
Pedro Starts Today
David Heuschkel, Hartford Courant
Pedro Martinez makes his first spring start today against Atlanta. He is to pitch two innings or throw 40 pitches.
Spring dance is the limbo It’s a drag for Kerrigan, Sox
Bob Hohler, Boston Globe
Johnny Damon strongly endorsed the embattled manager and suggested the new owners may be doing the team a disservice by dragging out the minidrama. Damon joined several other core players, including Nomar Garciaparra, Trot Nixon, and Jason Varitek, who have publicly backed Kerrigan. … “‘I just want a shot,” Kerrigan said. ”It’s going to be a good time. This is going to be a freakin’ good team.”
Yankees unhappy after Pettitte’s son wears Mets cap
Associated Press
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman definitely wanted an explanation. “I was made aware of the picture,” he said. “I went to the player and inquired about the circumstances, and he told me it was his son’s Little League team.” Neither Pettitte nor Cashman described details of the discussion, though it seemed clear their talk took on a serious tone. … Pettitte, meanwhile, was asked to be more selective in where his son’s Mets hat shows up.
The Week In Quotes, February 18-March 3, 2002
Derek Zumsteg, baseballprospectus.com
“I know during the controversy in Boston there were people saying that ‘Bud wants his pals in there.’ That wasn’t true. … Five years from now, you’ll thank me because these guys are the right choice.” –Bud Selig, Commissioner of baseball, seemingly arguing with himself over his role in the sale of the Red Sox.
“I’m really looking forward to having some of the players puke for me during wind sprints.” –Jay Buhner, Mariners coach.
“He’s not going to the plate looking for a walk. He’s got too much talent to just take a base on balls.” –Rick Down, Yankees hitting coach, on infielder Alfonso Soriano.
“He’s maturing.” –Bobby Cox, Braves manager, on infielder Rafael Furcal’s jump in age from 21 to 23.
“Aaron would be a great wife if he were a woman.” –Adam Dunn, Reds outfielder and Aaron Boone’s spring-training roommate.
March 4, 2002
Clean bills of health
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald
Joe Kerrigan said that Pedro Martinez, who threw his final batting practice session on Saturday morning, is still on schedule to make his first start of the spring tomorrow against the Atlanta Braves at City of Palms Park.
Still in the dark Kerrigan talks to Port but gets no answers
Bob Hohler, Boston Globe
Joe Kerrigan finally did what any self-respecting employee might do if the brass doggedly sidestepped questions about his job security. He took it up with the front office. In a closed-door meeting over the weekend with interim general manager Mike Port, Kerrigan touched on the question that has engulfed the Red Sox with all the gusto of a good, old-fashioned Carl Everett controversy: Is he the man the new owners want as their field general? By all indications, though, Kerrigan remains in the dark.
Kerrigan looks for a sign: Skipper presses brass for answers
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald
Left dangling in the turbulent currents of uncertainty, Red Sox manager Joe Kerrigan would like a clarification on his job status. … Is he going to get a vote of confidence? Is he on some sort of probation? Are his days numbered? Kerrigan doesn’t know, because trying to get a definitive word one way or another has proved to be a fruitless task so far.
Hermanson reveals mean game face
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald
Judging by the way he bounded back and forth in the dugout with a scowl on his face, furiously pounding his glove with his right hand some 90 minutes before his first pitch, Dustin Hermanson gave the impression yesterday that he was preparing to start a World Series game rather than his first of the spring for the Red Sox.
Hermanson snapped at a radio reporter who tried to ask a question and glared at a stadium worker who tried to make small talk. … “On the field, I’m kind of an ass. … I don’t want anybody to like me out there.”
March 3, 2002
Pedro gets go-ahead
Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald
Martinez received the final OK to make his official spring training debut on Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves after throwing 40 effortless pitches during pregame batting practice. The three-time Cy Young Award winner toyed with Rey Sanchez, Quilvio Veras, Dernell Stenson and Todd Betts, allowing only one well-hit ball (a Stenson liner to right field) while throwing all of his pitches, out of the stretch and full delivery.
“I’m not getting sore,” Martinez said. “I’m feeling like the healthy Pedro Martinez of the days before I got hurt and that’s a good sign.”
Pedro on track for Tuesday
Ian Browne, mlb.com
An hour and a half prior to Saturday’s game, Pedro Martinez threw two innings of batting practice on the backfield. The righty threw free and easy, throwing all of his pitches and feeling no pain in the right rotator cuff that limited him to 18 starts last season.
“I’m feeling pretty good, I’m feeling like the Pedro Martinez back in the days before I got hurt,” the three-time Cy Young Award winner said. Martinez is on track to make his first exhibition start on Tuesday against the Braves. “I feel good, I’m getting better every time I come out. I’m more comfortable. So knocking on wood, I’ll be out there Tuesday.”
Positive Pedro
Steven Krasner, providence Journal
Pedro Martinez tossed a pair of 20-pitch “innings” of batting practice yesterday, throwing to Rey Sanchez , Todd Betts , Quilvio Veras and Stenson. Martinez mixed in a few sharp breaking balls and changeups. If his shoulder and arm respond as expected to yesterday’s workout, Martinez will make his first spring start Tuesday at home against Atlanta. “I feel like a healthy Pedro Martinez like before I got hurt, so that’s a good sign.”
Successful simulation
Bob Hohler, Boston Globe
Pedro Martinez threw two simulated innings in batting practice before the game and reported no problems with his priceless shoulder. “I’m feeling better every time I come out. I feel a little bit stronger every time I pitch.” He pitched to Sanchez, who will start at second base tomorrow in a split-squad game against the Tigers, as well as Stenson, Quilvio Veras, and Todd Betts. “Very impressive,” Kerrigan said of Martinez’s session.
Sunday Baseball Notes
Gordon Edes, Boston Globe
Pedro Martinez may have been playfully tweaking a few heartstrings when he showed at camp on Valentine’s Day and said he’d been “dumped” by his girlfriend and was feeling lonely. Martinez’s girlfriend was spotted in the stands at the Boston College game in City of Palms Park Friday night.
There is some romancing of Martinez going on, however. Top agents Jeff Moorad and Scott Boras were in camp last week … to explore the possibility of recruiting Martinez as a client. Martinez was represented by Bob Gilhooley and Jim Bronner, but they were fired after their practice was absorbed by the SFX agency. Since then, Martinez has been represented by Fernando Cuza, who was with Gilhooley and Bronner before joining SFX. When asked about an agent last season, Martinez took exception to the question, saying he didn’t need an agent because his contract runs through the 2003 season, with an option for 2004.
March 2, 2002
Red Sox Notebook
Steven Krasner, Providence Journal
Pedro Martinez will throw a batting-practice session this morning. If all goes as well as expected, Martinez will make his first start of the spring on Tuesday against Atlanta at City of Palms Park. … Ugueth Urbina, though mystified by Kerrigan’s gift of a recliner in the clubhouse, was happy to have it. “It’s a nice gift so I can sleep from the first to the sixth innings,” said Urbina, the Sox’ closer. “Just kidding.”
New regime begins open-door policy
Bob Hohler, Boston Globe
John Henry and Co. began with a closed-door meeting with the team, telling players and coaches they would be happy to field any complaint, from the size of the weight room to the privacy of the family room at Fenway Park. They also offered to hold regular round-table discussions with the players. … All but two players were present: Pedro Martinez, who arrived just after the meeting, and Rich Garces, who was picking up his daughters at the airport. Kerrigan said both had called in advance and were excused from the session. …
Martinez is scheduled to throw in the bullpen today in preparation for his debut Tuesday against the Braves. He is not expected to face the Yankees in Tampa five days later, as would normally fit his schedule. … Martinez, Garciaparra, and Manny Ramirez posed with Henry, Werner, and Lucchino for a cover shot for the Sox program for the coming season. …
Carl Everett weighed in on his days with the Sox, dispensing an analysis of media and player relations in an interview with The News-Press of Fort Myers. “That place is not good for anyone. The media is expecting a story and they’re going to write it, even if it has no truth or it’s just one-sided. Then you have players who are afraid of that, and that’s when you get that lopsidedness, when you have a player who speaks out and players who are afraid to speak out.”
Sox fans get early peek at lineup
Bill Ballou, Worcester Telegram & Gazette
April will arrive about a month ahead of schedule down here. The Red Sox play the Twins … and Boston’s batting order should look very much like it will on opening day. That “A” lineup batting order has centerfielder Johnny Damon leading off, followed by right fielder Trot Nixon, Garciaparra at shortstop, DH Manny Ramirez, first baseman Tony Clark, Varitek behind the plate, Brian Daubach in left, third baseman Shea Hillenbrand and second baseman Jose Offerman.
Another Spring Training News Link
Produced by Gannett newspapers Florida Today and The News-Press.
March 1, 2002
I often direct visitors to two top-notch Red Sox Message Boards: Your Turn and The Sons of Sam Horn. Here’s one exceptionally timely (and, in my opinion, highly accurate) post written by “jp” at SOSH this morning.
Words of Advice for the new owners
You are in for a brutal 5 years unless you win a World Series
— Boston has a press corps that dislikes the players, largely out of jealousy, and the players, in turn, do not trust the media. If you support the players in wanting some relief from the press corps and/or better “living conditions” (like Duquette did), then you will be pillared. If you take on any players who think of themselves as bigger than the team, then you will be criticized for not treating players well (like Duquette was with Vaughn and Clemens). If you defend a player who is being singled out by a manager who has one set of rules for his “pets” and another for the player, then you will be attacked for coddling players (like Duquette was with Everett). NO WIN SITUATION.
— If you put together a good team at a reasonable price that consistently comes close to the World Series but doesn’t quite get there, you will be accused by the media of being cheap and not willing to go the small amount extra to put the team over the top (like Duquette was in his first few years). If you do try to match the Yankees and spend the money to compete with them head-to-head and do not win it all, then the media will make sure that everyone forgets that you should be respected for going the extra mile or be cut some slack due to injuries beyond your control. You will have a $110 million salary pricetag hung around your neck like a scarlet letter by the media and they will point to this in every other article to ridicule you (as they did to Duquette). NO WIN SITUATION.
— If you focus on building the farm system and not trading away your prospects, the media will take you to task for not being willing to part with “suspects” for major league caliber players (as they did with Duquette). If you do start using your farm system to trade for major league players, you will be ripped by the media for trading the future away (as happened to Duquette). NO WIN SITUATION.
— If you take a quiet, business-like approach to the team, you will be accused of being heartless by a media that somehow thinks that publicly comparing you to the Taliban a week after September 11th is not heartless (as happened to Duquette). If you make a stray comment on a radio show about wanting your star pitcher to test his arm because you don’t want to give up on the season too early, then the media will accuse you of having a big mouth and do its best to take that one quote and try to publicly hang you with it and alienate you from your team (as happened with Duquette). NO WIN SITUATION.
— If you focus on details, you will be accused of being a “stats geek”, a micro-manager and a tyrant (as Duquette was). If you delegate any negotiations to anyone other than yourself or let anyone else handle any part of player relations, then you will be accused of being cold, arrogant and distant (as Duquette was). NO WIN SITUATION.
If you ever expect the media to be accountable for what they write or to be held to anything close to the same standards that you are held to by them, then they will accuse you of being antagonistic. If you expect that the media will ever acknowledge that 20-20 hindsight is an inappropriate tool to use against someone, then you will be sadly mistaken.
Basically, your only hope is to win the World Series — that is the only way to shut down the media who, on the one hand argues that they don’t influence public opinion while, on the other hand, continually represents itself as the voice of the fans.
Oh, one catch though — there is a curse on the Red Sox. Yeah, the media created that, too.
Teary farewell marks finish for Duquette
Gordon Edes, Boston Globe
He was unbowed to the end, admitting to no personal failings of judgment or character, only to the unmet goals of the team that had been his to run for the last 97 months. ”I’ve never had a bad day at Fenway Park,” Dan Duquette said. … For one long moment yesterday afternoon, only hours after Duquette had been informed by the team’s new owners that his services were no longer required, he struggled to keep his composure, his eyes brimming with tears and his voice cracking. … It was his destiny, he had said on more than one occasion, to be the man responsible for bringing a World Series title to New England, an accomplishment that would have assured him a place in team history to rival the great Sox stars he admired so much, Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, and Carlton Fisk.
GM firing, manager’s status a hot topic
Steve Buckley and Jeff Horrigan, Boston Herald
Whatever private misgivings Red Sox players may have had about Dan Duquette, the clubhouse-wide reaction yesterday was to take the high road and wish good luck to the deposed general manager. “I feel sorry for Dan,” said Pedro Martinez, who Duquette traded for at both of his GM stops. “He loves his job and I wish him the best. I hope he gets another job and I know he will. My relationship with him is not going to change, regardless of where he goes. I’ll always have respect for him . . . He traded for me twice (Los Angeles-to-Montreal-to-Boston) and I never let him down. I hope he has the same respect for me.” … [F]ormer assistant general manager Mike Port is the interim GM. “I’ve only said hello to Mike,” said Martinez. “I’ve never really communicated with him for more than two or three minutes, so I don’t know what to expect. (As far as Kerrigan’s status) I can’t give any comment on that.”
Dan Duquette timeline
Garry Brown, Springfield Union-News
Sept. 19, 1991: Becomes youngest (31) general manager in baseball when he is promoted by Expos after Dombrowski leaves to become GM of expansion Florida Marlins.
Dec. 19, 1993: Trades Delino DeShields to Los Angeles for Pedro Martinez.
Jan. 28, 1994: Gets out of contract with Expos to accept job as general manager of Red Sox.
June 2, 1994: Takes Georgia Tech shortstop Nomar Garciaparra as his first draft pick.
Jan. 21, 1996: Wins 1995 “Executive of the Year” award, presented by Boston Chapter, Baseball Writers Association of America.
Nov. 18, 1997: Trades Carl Pavano and Tony Armas Jr. to Montreal for Pedro Martinez.
Feb. 28, 2002: Fired as Red Sox general manager.
In the end, too little, too late
Dan Shaughnessy, Boston Globe
No need to kick a guy when he’s down.
[That’s way the column begins. Then …]
[S]pare us the tears, Dan. Where was all that emotion when you heartlessly bulldozed dozens of people in the organization and ran the team in a completely bloodless, corporate fashion? … [H]is management style made the Red Sox the most arrogant, disliked organization in baseball. His mistreatment of nice guys … was disappointing and inexcusable. [H]is reputation as a builder of farm systems turned out to be a myth. … Duquette has no allies. He wouldn’t talk to ballplayers. He wouldn’t return calls from other GMs. He insulted all of baseball with that ”I’m-smarter-than-you” attitude.
[You’re absolutely right, Dan. No need to kick a guy when he’s down?!?!?]
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