Ortiz
I hate the Red Sox — in no small part because in 2004 they plowed through my two favorite teams en route to ending their 80+ year World Series drought (I think it was 87, but honestly, that number isn’t as important anymore, is it?). I have two categories for Red Sox players — the first being guys that I just hate, not because they play for the Red Sox, but just because I find little to root for. These would be guys like Pedro, Josh Beckett, possibly Pedroia (although I am still not sure in his case). I hated these guys before they were Sox, after they were Sox and will probably never let go of that hatred completely if they happened to find themselves in either Cardinal Red or Yankee Pinstripes. The second category are the guys that I hate while their in a Red Sox uniform, but would love to have on my team. Johnny Damon was one such guy, as is Derek Lowe. I don’t always realize which players fit this category until I’m forced into a decision — for Damon, it was when he signed with the Yankees in 2006, for Lowe it was watching him pitch for the Dodgers last year (as a member of my NL Only fantasy team — another factor which can lessen my hatred for any player, sad to say).
The prime example of category 2, though, is Big Papi. I’ve never been able to dislike the guy. I hate seeing him come to bat when he’s playing the Yankees — and the few times he’s played the Cards since joining the Sox — but aside from the fear he has generated from in-game situations, I can’t help but like the guy.
So having said that, it is really sad to watch his current struggles. I don’t know what is behind them, but there are no shortage of rumors. PEDs, getting older, he was a fluke — whatever — as much as any player, he has defined the Red Sox for the last several years. Its always a sad thing when a player of his stature starts to decline, and it becomes a hot topic because the team has two choices: Endure the struggles, or part ways with the player. That is never easy to do. I’ve seen it happen with many players that I’ve followed for years. A great example is Tino Martinez — I was heartbroken when he left the Bronx, but took solace in the fact that he landed in St. Louis, because it would allow me to continue to follow the “Bam-tino”. Alas, his time in St. Louis was pretty much a disaster, but thankfully he found his way back to the Bronx of a final tour of duty.
Another painful situation was the way Ozzie Smith was shuffled aside at the start of TLR’s tenure with the Cards. Ozzie remains my favorite Cardinal of all time, and it was hard to watch Royce Clayton step in and take his playing time. We knew the Wizard wouldn’t be THE WIZARD forever, but you want a guy like that to be able to move on under his own terms. Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte are all current Yankees that are approaching that day of reckoning faster than I would like. Pujols will get there, too, but hopefully not after resigning with the Cards and giving the fans several years to enjoy the great player that he is.
I don’t know what Boston should do with Big Papi, but I love Francona’s reaction: The guy has meant so much to this team that you have to give him a chance to work out of his funk. That won’t be possible forever, and nights like last night (0-7, 12 LOB) will force their hand sooner than most of us would like. I hope he gets things turned around (except against the Yankees, of course), because it would be a shame to see his time in Boston end on this note.
A Spot of Red in Cubland 