Who Caught Saddam? A British newspaper reports that Saddam Hussein was captured by US troops only after he had been taken prisoner by Kurdish forces, drugged and abandoned ready for American soldiers to recover him.
According to the Sunday Herald: "By early Sunday – way before Saddam's capture was being reported by the mainstream Western press – the Kurdish media ran the following news wire: 'Saddam Hussein, the former President of the Iraqi regime, was captured by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. A special intelligence unit led by Qusrat Rasul Ali, a high-ranking member of the PUK, found Saddam Hussein in the city of Tikrit, his birthplace. Qusrat's team was accompanied by a group of US soldiers. Further details of the capture will emerge during the day...' By the time Western press agencies were running the same story, the emphasis had changed, and the ousted Iraqi president had been 'captured in a raid by US forces backed by Kurdish fighters'."
Does it matter who captured Hussein? Well, I'm an adult and I'd rather know the truth than be fed a fictional/theatrical version. George Bush probably doesn't care, since he told ABC's Diane Sawyer last week that he saw no difference between having WMDs and wanting to have them. If this story gets some legs, maybe we'll find out what really happened.
Hey! Saddam likes hot dogs? [carson]I did not know that![/carson] ... The White House engages in a little website scrubbing, adding "its own cosmetic touch-ups to history." ... "They're just going to keep killing us until we leave." ... Fox News Changes Slogan. ... Got Democracy? Not really.
December 21, 2003
December 20, 2003
A Faint Pulse. Sunday's New York Times says the deal still has a pulse. Boras said his departure from New York should not be taken as a negative sign. Hicks is now negotiating with Henry and Werner. Jack Curry quotes an official from one of the teams: "Everybody wants it to happen. How can it not happen?" ... This is insane.
Time To Walk Away. According to a report by Peter Gammons, the Big Deal is breathing its last. "[A]ccording to sources, Rodriguez's passion for this trade has diminished, both because of his relationship with Hicks and his encounters with Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino. Rodriguez was reportedly incensed when a Lucchino statement Wednesday not only made reference to Alex and his wife -- neither of whom Lucchino has ever met -- but also tried to drive a stake between A-Rod and the union ..." A source told Gammons the deal could be salvaged if John Henry "steps forward and undoes some of [Lucchino's] damage."
At this point, that doesn't seem likely. Which is fine with me. As the deal has gotten more and more complicated, it has worked less and less to Boston's advantage. If Gammons's report is accurate (which is a big if, especially with this deal, and with Gammons in general) and not more PR posturing, then it's time for Henry and the Red Sox to walk away. ... There is no reason on Earth why Boston should dig Hicks out from under the weighty contract he signed with Rodriguez. The Red Sox have a shortstop (and a good one) for 2004. Now Theo can call that shortstop and get to work on an extension.
At this point, that doesn't seem likely. Which is fine with me. As the deal has gotten more and more complicated, it has worked less and less to Boston's advantage. If Gammons's report is accurate (which is a big if, especially with this deal, and with Gammons in general) and not more PR posturing, then it's time for Henry and the Red Sox to walk away. ... There is no reason on Earth why Boston should dig Hicks out from under the weighty contract he signed with Rodriguez. The Red Sox have a shortstop (and a good one) for 2004. Now Theo can call that shortstop and get to work on an extension.
Red Sox Holding Firm. Gordon Edes has an excellent article in today's Globe about the status of the Rodriguez deal. As it stands now, Hicks wants Ramirez, prospect Jon Lester and $13 million in exchange for Rodriguez. Hicks and Boras have apparently worked out a restructuring of A-Rod's contract that the union would approve. But the Red Sox have told everyone involved that $13 won't do it, they need a $28 million reduction (which is not the same as deferred money) to maintain competitive flexibility. Boston argues that Hicks is saving close to $80 million by swapping Rodriguez's contract with Manny's and that should be incentive enough. ... Rodriguez is scheduled to return home to Miami tomorrow. ... Bud Collins meets with Marvin Miller. ... Gary Huckabay looks at the contractural obligations involved and Joe Sheehan explores the union's position.
I'm a one-sport guy -- baseball is a 12-month-a-year obsession -- so I just found out about Joe Horn's touchdown celebration for the Saints against the Giants last Sunday. After crossing the goal line, Horn began clawing at the bottom of the goal post, found a cell phone hidden there and began pushing buttons, pretending to have a conversation. Horn was fined $30,000. ... Now I don't know what the majority of football columnists thought of this (several fans here seemed to like it), but I started wondering what baseball scribes would say if these sorts of celebrations happened on the diamond. Can you imagine the level of indignation if Barry Bonds capped off a home run trot with a hip-swinging dance with his bat before going back to the dugout? The level of indignation would be off the charts, it would reach apocalyptic proportions.
Box of Soap: Two transcripts of 9/11 Commission Chairman Thomas Kean's CBS interview. ... Connecticut governor John Rowland (R) "has rejected calls for his resignation over corruption allegations, saying he is in direct contact with God." Oh dear. ... Buried on page A42 of the Washington Post: "Rumsfeld went to Baghdad in March 1984 with instructions to deliver a private message about weapons of mass destruction: that the United States' public criticism of Iraq for using chemical weapons [i.e., Saddam gassing his own people] would not derail Washington's attempts to forge a better relationship, according to newly declassified documents."
I'm a one-sport guy -- baseball is a 12-month-a-year obsession -- so I just found out about Joe Horn's touchdown celebration for the Saints against the Giants last Sunday. After crossing the goal line, Horn began clawing at the bottom of the goal post, found a cell phone hidden there and began pushing buttons, pretending to have a conversation. Horn was fined $30,000. ... Now I don't know what the majority of football columnists thought of this (several fans here seemed to like it), but I started wondering what baseball scribes would say if these sorts of celebrations happened on the diamond. Can you imagine the level of indignation if Barry Bonds capped off a home run trot with a hip-swinging dance with his bat before going back to the dugout? The level of indignation would be off the charts, it would reach apocalyptic proportions.
Box of Soap: Two transcripts of 9/11 Commission Chairman Thomas Kean's CBS interview. ... Connecticut governor John Rowland (R) "has rejected calls for his resignation over corruption allegations, saying he is in direct contact with God." Oh dear. ... Buried on page A42 of the Washington Post: "Rumsfeld went to Baghdad in March 1984 with instructions to deliver a private message about weapons of mass destruction: that the United States' public criticism of Iraq for using chemical weapons [i.e., Saddam gassing his own people] would not derail Washington's attempts to forge a better relationship, according to newly declassified documents."
December 19, 2003
Honestly. I have no idea what's going on. And like Ed Cossette, I'm getting punchy and simply want something to happen. I want resolution. ... John Hart said there is a "strong likelihood" Rodriguez will remain in Texas and Lucchino called the deal "dead," adding that reports of continued negotiations "inaccurate." But both Rodriguez and Boras say a deal is possible. But Hart also said, "We still have the possibility of making a trade."
One Red Sox source said, "If the Red Sox declare the deal to be dead, Boras has a miserable client and Hicks still has multiple problems, like his finances, his manager, his shortstop, his general manager and his team. The Red Sox can still win the World Series without Rodriguez. Not Texas. We actually can afford for this deal to be sincerely dead." I agree with that source. Hohler asks: Can Nomar return? I say yes. With Manny and Nomar, Boston is a powerhouse team.
Bruce Allen on the chaos: "This is the downfall of being as open as this ownership and management group is. ... This Red Sox situation is more like someone teasing you with the promise of a reward or gift, and each day you're expecting to get it, but they don't have it with them, or they need to finish working on it first, or put you off in some other way. It would've been better had they said nothing at all, and just surprised you with it when they had it all ready for you. Of course, I realize something of this magnitude cannot be kept under wraps, totally. But I'm feeling really strung along at this point." ... Allen also mentions Schilling's call to WEEI yesterday "to lay a smackdown on Tony Massarotti and Sean McAdam, neither of whom covered themselves in glory when talking about the Internet." ... Dirt Dog (who has vowed to shut down his site if the A-Rod trade doesn't go through) has an MP3.
Also: The Red Sox have until midnight tomorrow to tender 2004 contracts to eight arbitration-eligible players: Merloni, Jackson, Mirabelli, Nixon, Kapler, Kim, Sauerbeck and Williamson. ... Pokey Reese? ... Yankee blogger Larry Mahnken: "Last season was a great pennant race, and an even greater ALCS. The Red Sox scared the hell out of me, and they're probably going to do it again. This probably isn't the best Yankees team that I've seen in my lifetime, but I don't think I've ever looked forward to a season more. It's gonna be great." ... New York Post: "You can practically taste the panic inside George Steinbrenner's office. ... 'If I worked in that office,' one major league executive said yesterday, 'I would call in sick the rest of the year.'" ... The Game Ain't What It Used to be, Part 145,903 ... Hey you kids, get off my lawn! Lawn!
One Red Sox source said, "If the Red Sox declare the deal to be dead, Boras has a miserable client and Hicks still has multiple problems, like his finances, his manager, his shortstop, his general manager and his team. The Red Sox can still win the World Series without Rodriguez. Not Texas. We actually can afford for this deal to be sincerely dead." I agree with that source. Hohler asks: Can Nomar return? I say yes. With Manny and Nomar, Boston is a powerhouse team.
Bruce Allen on the chaos: "This is the downfall of being as open as this ownership and management group is. ... This Red Sox situation is more like someone teasing you with the promise of a reward or gift, and each day you're expecting to get it, but they don't have it with them, or they need to finish working on it first, or put you off in some other way. It would've been better had they said nothing at all, and just surprised you with it when they had it all ready for you. Of course, I realize something of this magnitude cannot be kept under wraps, totally. But I'm feeling really strung along at this point." ... Allen also mentions Schilling's call to WEEI yesterday "to lay a smackdown on Tony Massarotti and Sean McAdam, neither of whom covered themselves in glory when talking about the Internet." ... Dirt Dog (who has vowed to shut down his site if the A-Rod trade doesn't go through) has an MP3.
Also: The Red Sox have until midnight tomorrow to tender 2004 contracts to eight arbitration-eligible players: Merloni, Jackson, Mirabelli, Nixon, Kapler, Kim, Sauerbeck and Williamson. ... Pokey Reese? ... Yankee blogger Larry Mahnken: "Last season was a great pennant race, and an even greater ALCS. The Red Sox scared the hell out of me, and they're probably going to do it again. This probably isn't the best Yankees team that I've seen in my lifetime, but I don't think I've ever looked forward to a season more. It's gonna be great." ... New York Post: "You can practically taste the panic inside George Steinbrenner's office. ... 'If I worked in that office,' one major league executive said yesterday, 'I would call in sick the rest of the year.'" ... The Game Ain't What It Used to be, Part 145,903 ... Hey you kids, get off my lawn! Lawn!
December 18, 2003
5:00 p.m. According to Peter Gammons, Hicks has dropped his demand for $5 million for 5 years to $5 million for 3 years. And the union says Rodriguez can rework his contract and lose $13-15 million. ... This sounds positive and it's good to see flexibility from the union, which surely does not want to be seen as the only entity not wanting this deal to go through. If Texas will accept $15 and Boston can get Alex to give back $15, what's the problem? ... I will say that I'm not very sold on the deal as currently rumored: Alex for Manny, a prospect and $, then Ordonez for Nomar, Williamson and a minor leaguer or $. That seems like too much to pay for Ordonez and the Texas deal should stay at Manny and cash. ... But the discussions can't go on much longer, since many teams are impacted: Boston, Texas, Chicago, maybe Los Angeles and Anaheim (though Gammons said the Dodgers are moving on), and any teams in dicussions with those clubs.
Update on 9/11 item below: Kean will be the sole guest on Nightline (11 pm est) and Kristen Breitweiser will be on Hardball (7pm).
Update on 9/11 item below: Kean will be the sole guest on Nightline (11 pm est) and Kristen Breitweiser will be on Hardball (7pm).
The Deadline Looms. Alex Rodriguez: "In the spirit of cooperation, I advised the Red Sox I am willing to restructure my contract, but only within the guidelines prescribed by union officials. I recognize the principle involved, and fully support the need to protect the interests of my fellow players. If my transfer to the Red Sox is to occur, it must be done with consideration of the interests of all major league players, not just one. Any statements by club officials suggesting my position is different than stated is inaccurate and unfortunate." ... Magglio Ordonez and his A-Rod connection. ... Aaron Gleeman examines which duo is more productive: Manny/Nomar or ARod/Ordonez? ... Paul Finkelman, the Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law at University of Tulsa College of Law: "What we have here is the most odd thing of all. The whole origin of the union comes from a player's desire to play in the city where he wants to play as long as a team in that city wants him to play there. Now the union is coming along and saying [Rodriguez] is not getting enough to play where he wants to play. That seems to me to be outrageous on the part of the union."
9/11 Independent Commission Chairman Thomas Kean said yesterday that the terrorist attacks could have and should have been prevented. Kean: "This is a very, very important part of history and we've got to tell it right. As you read the report [due in May], you're going to have a pretty clear idea what wasn't done and what should have been done. This was not something that had to happen." ... Kristen Breitweiser: "How is it possible we have a national security advisor coming out and saying we had no idea they could use planes as weapons when we had FBI records from 1991 stating that this is a possibility? ... If you were to tell me that two years after the murder of my husband that we wouldn't have one question answered, I wouldn't believe it." ... CBS, which broke the story last evening, closed its online coverage with this intriguing sentence: "Kean promises major revelations in public testimony beginning next month from top officials in the FBI, CIA, Defense Department, National Security Agency and, maybe, President Bush and former President Clinton." ... Also: Kean: "I don't expect to have any new friends after this is done. And after this, some old friends may not be friendly any more." ... Commission spokesman Alvin Felzenberg: "We are going to have some disturbing conclusions." ... Coverage in Fox and the New York Post also.
9/11 Independent Commission Chairman Thomas Kean said yesterday that the terrorist attacks could have and should have been prevented. Kean: "This is a very, very important part of history and we've got to tell it right. As you read the report [due in May], you're going to have a pretty clear idea what wasn't done and what should have been done. This was not something that had to happen." ... Kristen Breitweiser: "How is it possible we have a national security advisor coming out and saying we had no idea they could use planes as weapons when we had FBI records from 1991 stating that this is a possibility? ... If you were to tell me that two years after the murder of my husband that we wouldn't have one question answered, I wouldn't believe it." ... CBS, which broke the story last evening, closed its online coverage with this intriguing sentence: "Kean promises major revelations in public testimony beginning next month from top officials in the FBI, CIA, Defense Department, National Security Agency and, maybe, President Bush and former President Clinton." ... Also: Kean: "I don't expect to have any new friends after this is done. And after this, some old friends may not be friendly any more." ... Commission spokesman Alvin Felzenberg: "We are going to have some disturbing conclusions." ... Coverage in Fox and the New York Post also.
December 17, 2003
Is Today The Day? It sounds like it could be. I can't think of too many days in Red Sox history that would be more historic than this if the full deal goes down (although there might be one in a little over 10 months). ... Magglio Ordonez's name has surfaced in a Nomar deal as the possible left field replacement for Ramirez (or not, or maybe Chicago would flip Nomar to LA). ... Dirt Dog, in addition to having an exclusive photo of Saddam as he was pulled from his hiding spot, has posted a partial transcript of the Kevin Millar Sportscenter interview from last night. ... This is insane. Thank goodness I'm out of the house today, because all I'd do is hit refresh on SoSH's threads and ESPN.
December 16, 2003
One Week To Go. Tom Hicks and John Henry have set a one-week timetable to negotiate the Rodriguez/Ramirez trade. ... ESPNNews radio reports that Henry, Theo Epstein and Rodriguez met with union officials today, and if the Union okays the restructuring of A-Rod's contract, it's a done deal. ... Kevin Millar was interviewed by Dan Patrick on the 6pm Sportscenter tonight. Several posters at SoSH report this exchange:
1st Q: Who would you rather have on this team -- Manny and Nomar or A-Rod?
Millar: A-Rod.
Last Q: Who's throwing the ball to you from SS next year for the Red Sox?
Millar: A-Rod.
Millar also added that the Dodgers should be excited to get Nomar's bat in their lineup. ... Wow! If the reports over the past 24 hours are correct -- that the deal is complete except for the hammering out formalities like Rodriguez's contract restructuring -- Millar's comments, while surprising in their timing, make sense. Millar said he had spoken with Todd Walker, who apparently will sign with the Rangers once the A-Rod trade is announced (I guess that's how Millar got the inside poop). I'm assuming that the Nomar trade will be announced at the same time -- and so that needs to be ironed out as well.
1st Q: Who would you rather have on this team -- Manny and Nomar or A-Rod?
Millar: A-Rod.
Last Q: Who's throwing the ball to you from SS next year for the Red Sox?
Millar: A-Rod.
Millar also added that the Dodgers should be excited to get Nomar's bat in their lineup. ... Wow! If the reports over the past 24 hours are correct -- that the deal is complete except for the hammering out formalities like Rodriguez's contract restructuring -- Millar's comments, while surprising in their timing, make sense. Millar said he had spoken with Todd Walker, who apparently will sign with the Rangers once the A-Rod trade is announced (I guess that's how Millar got the inside poop). I'm assuming that the Nomar trade will be announced at the same time -- and so that needs to be ironed out as well.
A-Rod/Manny Talks Resume. Sayeth the Globe: "The smoke and mirrors have been cleared away. The scenario Red Sox owner John W. Henry has been working on for weeks, one in which the Sox would trade outfielder Manny Ramirez for shortstop Alex Rodriguez, then turn around and trade shortstop Nomar Garciaparra to another club, is on the verge of being realized. Perhaps by the end of the week, no later than Christmas, according to multiple industry sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations. ... There is no more talk of Garciaparra possibly signing a contract extension with the Red Sox. Garciaparra's agent, Arn Tellem, flew back to California yesterday after meeting with the Red Sox convinced that the Sox had chosen to consummate a deal for A-Rod instead. ..."
Tony Massarotti: "It is going to happen, of course. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not even next week. But now as much as ever, there is reason to believe that Alex Rodriguez eventually will end up as a member of the Red Sox. At this stage, it is virtually impossible to believe anything else." ... The Newark Star-Ledger agrees. ... However Mazz's Herald-mate Jeff Horrigan does not. ... Jayson Stark examines the deal in depth. ... Hicks: "We're at a sensitive point. We'll know in the next few days how this is going to come out."
Gordon Edes ponders LF replacements; in-depth discussion here. ... Mark Bellhorn at 2B? ... Red Sox/Yankees: The gloves are off. ... John Sterling, card-carrying member of Al-Yankzeera.
Three quotes: Curt Schilling was at Fenway Park Saturday: "There are nights in the stadium where you feel a buzz of excitement. Here the buzz is in the street. It's freaking December. The Patriots are having a great season and they're talking about the Red Sox. That leads to excitement and nervousness. ... This is the most nervous I've ever been because of the expectations. Fear of failure is a tremendous thing for me. It motivates me and drives me. But that's what makes it exciting." ... Terry Francona: "In Philadelphia, I might get the occasional insult. These people just live and die for the Red Sox. I was told that my life as I know it had changed. And I think they were right." ... Red Sox owner John Henry posted in SoSH's epic "Manny-ARod rumor thread" at 4:26 am (was he up late or early?): "Come on now. Don't start to waver on us. It's the holidays. Be of good cheer! It's going to be just a great, exciting season. Hang in there."
Tony Massarotti: "It is going to happen, of course. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not even next week. But now as much as ever, there is reason to believe that Alex Rodriguez eventually will end up as a member of the Red Sox. At this stage, it is virtually impossible to believe anything else." ... The Newark Star-Ledger agrees. ... However Mazz's Herald-mate Jeff Horrigan does not. ... Jayson Stark examines the deal in depth. ... Hicks: "We're at a sensitive point. We'll know in the next few days how this is going to come out."
Gordon Edes ponders LF replacements; in-depth discussion here. ... Mark Bellhorn at 2B? ... Red Sox/Yankees: The gloves are off. ... John Sterling, card-carrying member of Al-Yankzeera.
Three quotes: Curt Schilling was at Fenway Park Saturday: "There are nights in the stadium where you feel a buzz of excitement. Here the buzz is in the street. It's freaking December. The Patriots are having a great season and they're talking about the Red Sox. That leads to excitement and nervousness. ... This is the most nervous I've ever been because of the expectations. Fear of failure is a tremendous thing for me. It motivates me and drives me. But that's what makes it exciting." ... Terry Francona: "In Philadelphia, I might get the occasional insult. These people just live and die for the Red Sox. I was told that my life as I know it had changed. And I think they were right." ... Red Sox owner John Henry posted in SoSH's epic "Manny-ARod rumor thread" at 4:26 am (was he up late or early?): "Come on now. Don't start to waver on us. It's the holidays. Be of good cheer! It's going to be just a great, exciting season. Hang in there."
December 14, 2003
An "Enchanting Day". That's how George Bush described today, as the US announced the capture of Saddam Hussein. ... However, finding the ex-Iraqi leader does not equal success in Iraq. It does not make the US invasion lawful under international law and it will not stop the attacks on the occupying army. The Scotsman reports an average of 130 attacks a day on coalition forces and fellow Red Sox fan William Rivers Pitt believes the carnage is only beginning. Hussein's capture won't justify the US's immoral policy of "pre-emptive" war and it won't make those mythical WMDs magically appear. And most of all, it won't stop the PNAC Gang (the ones who said they needed a "new Pearl Harbor" to implement their dreams of empire) from pillaging Iraq's resources for itself and sticking several generations of US taxpayers with the bill.
What happens next will be the true test. Will the US immediately stop its attacks (since its most recent justification for invading has been fulfilled) or will it continue to be an occupying force for the foreseeable future? Don't wait for the media to explore these issues. Despite broadcasting 24 hours a day, they never seem to find the time. Observed on one political board: "Honest to God if you told the average ignoramus out there that it's an old Iraqi tradition to live in towns surrounded by barbed wire, they'd believe it." ... American Dead: 456; total wounded nearly 10,000. Not very enchanting.
The post-9/11 terrorism dragnet has ensnared 6,400 suspects nationwide, but only 23 cases have led to prison sentences of five years or more -- about the same number as in the two years before the attacks. ... Convictions in the US's first major post-9/11 prosecution are in jeopardy because the Justice Dept. admitted it withheld evidence from the defense. ... Then and Now. ... On December 20, 1983 -- almost exactly 20 years ago -- Donald Rumsfeld, special envoy of President Reagan, met with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. Hey, now these two criminals can get together and rehash old times. Happy Anniversary!
What happens next will be the true test. Will the US immediately stop its attacks (since its most recent justification for invading has been fulfilled) or will it continue to be an occupying force for the foreseeable future? Don't wait for the media to explore these issues. Despite broadcasting 24 hours a day, they never seem to find the time. Observed on one political board: "Honest to God if you told the average ignoramus out there that it's an old Iraqi tradition to live in towns surrounded by barbed wire, they'd believe it." ... American Dead: 456; total wounded nearly 10,000. Not very enchanting.
The post-9/11 terrorism dragnet has ensnared 6,400 suspects nationwide, but only 23 cases have led to prison sentences of five years or more -- about the same number as in the two years before the attacks. ... Convictions in the US's first major post-9/11 prosecution are in jeopardy because the Justice Dept. admitted it withheld evidence from the defense. ... Then and Now. ... On December 20, 1983 -- almost exactly 20 years ago -- Donald Rumsfeld, special envoy of President Reagan, met with Saddam Hussein in Baghdad. Hey, now these two criminals can get together and rehash old times. Happy Anniversary!
December 13, 2003
Keith Choses Boston ... Foulkin' A! What Theo wants, Theo gets. Keith Foulke will wear red socks in the 2004 Boston bullpen after agreeing to a 3-year, $21 million deal this afternoon. ... Pedro Martinez held a long interview with Michael Silverman of the Herald. The Q&A is fantastic. Some snips about dealing with the media:
Q. You don't seem to like Yankees writers too much.
A. Boston writers are tougher. Boston writers are a lot rougher than New York writers. At least New York writers write in favor of their team all of time, not against them.
Q. So what happened this year - you didn't talk to us for most of the year?
A. Why? Because you guys misused my quotes. When all of you know I've been honest and always explain everything I spoke about in the proper way. (Some of you) somehow manage to write the things the way we meant them but evil people, evil writers - they have to be evil to try to misuse a person that's never done any harm to anybody, to try to make him look like an (expletive) in front of so many good fans, someone that has earned his respect by doing his job, by being so cooperative with all of you, being misused like I was. It made no sense for me to keep talking when I did the best I could. ...
Q. What needs to happen with the media to get you talking again?
A. Just be professional. I don't need to know how you do your job, I'm not going to tell you how to do your job. What you have to do is write exactly what I'm saying. ...
The Alex/Manny talks are being put on the shelf for a few days while the Red Sox resume extension discussions with Nomar. ... Steve Buckley in the Herald: "The balance of power in the American League East hasn't merely shifted, but shuddered with the force of a rock slide. ... Right now, as these words are being written, the Red Sox are the overwhelming favorites to capture the American League East in 2004." ... Jeff Nelson and Paul Williams both testified about their roles in the ALCS bullpen fracas -- and (surprise!) their stories don't match.
Jack Curry has a hilarious look at the "increasingly obsessive" George Steinbrenner: "... a Yankees official had told him that Steinbrenner had sometimes acted so single-handedly and haphazardly that, if he did listen to someone about pursuing a player, it was just as likely to be an accountant as a scout." ... Are the Yanks going downhill? ... Word is Fat Billy from Ohio is thinking about joining workout partner Andy Pettitte in Houston. Since F.B. has never uttered a promise he couldn't go back on later, I'm not surprised. What's funny is that Billy is concerned that if he plays ball in 2004, the Yankees will ask him to return the SUV he received as a retirement gift.
Finally, Dan Shaughnessy ends his column today with this sentence: "This could still be the most important Red Sox offseason since 1919-20, when the best player in the game was traded away from the Red Sox." ... Memo to CHB: When one party trades a sack of money for an item, that is not called a trade, it is called a sale. I don't say I traded for a jacket at the store, I say I bought a jacket. The store sold it to me. Babe Ruth was sold! It was a cash transaction! It seems like half the media and fans make this mistake about the most famous transaction in baseball history, which is bizarre enough, but you'd like to think that the guy who pimps the Curse at every turn would actually know how the deal happened!! ... If he was traded, who did Boston get? Which players? None, that's right. Because it was a SALE! ... David Heuschkel of the Hartford Courant gets it right: "As baseball's winter meetings begin today in New Orleans, the Red Sox are in position to make their biggest deal since the sale of Babe Ruth in 1919."
Q. You don't seem to like Yankees writers too much.
A. Boston writers are tougher. Boston writers are a lot rougher than New York writers. At least New York writers write in favor of their team all of time, not against them.
Q. So what happened this year - you didn't talk to us for most of the year?
A. Why? Because you guys misused my quotes. When all of you know I've been honest and always explain everything I spoke about in the proper way. (Some of you) somehow manage to write the things the way we meant them but evil people, evil writers - they have to be evil to try to misuse a person that's never done any harm to anybody, to try to make him look like an (expletive) in front of so many good fans, someone that has earned his respect by doing his job, by being so cooperative with all of you, being misused like I was. It made no sense for me to keep talking when I did the best I could. ...
Q. What needs to happen with the media to get you talking again?
A. Just be professional. I don't need to know how you do your job, I'm not going to tell you how to do your job. What you have to do is write exactly what I'm saying. ...
The Alex/Manny talks are being put on the shelf for a few days while the Red Sox resume extension discussions with Nomar. ... Steve Buckley in the Herald: "The balance of power in the American League East hasn't merely shifted, but shuddered with the force of a rock slide. ... Right now, as these words are being written, the Red Sox are the overwhelming favorites to capture the American League East in 2004." ... Jeff Nelson and Paul Williams both testified about their roles in the ALCS bullpen fracas -- and (surprise!) their stories don't match.
Jack Curry has a hilarious look at the "increasingly obsessive" George Steinbrenner: "... a Yankees official had told him that Steinbrenner had sometimes acted so single-handedly and haphazardly that, if he did listen to someone about pursuing a player, it was just as likely to be an accountant as a scout." ... Are the Yanks going downhill? ... Word is Fat Billy from Ohio is thinking about joining workout partner Andy Pettitte in Houston. Since F.B. has never uttered a promise he couldn't go back on later, I'm not surprised. What's funny is that Billy is concerned that if he plays ball in 2004, the Yankees will ask him to return the SUV he received as a retirement gift.
Finally, Dan Shaughnessy ends his column today with this sentence: "This could still be the most important Red Sox offseason since 1919-20, when the best player in the game was traded away from the Red Sox." ... Memo to CHB: When one party trades a sack of money for an item, that is not called a trade, it is called a sale. I don't say I traded for a jacket at the store, I say I bought a jacket. The store sold it to me. Babe Ruth was sold! It was a cash transaction! It seems like half the media and fans make this mistake about the most famous transaction in baseball history, which is bizarre enough, but you'd like to think that the guy who pimps the Curse at every turn would actually know how the deal happened!! ... If he was traded, who did Boston get? Which players? None, that's right. Because it was a SALE! ... David Heuschkel of the Hartford Courant gets it right: "As baseball's winter meetings begin today in New Orleans, the Red Sox are in position to make their biggest deal since the sale of Babe Ruth in 1919."
December 12, 2003
December 12, 2000. Three years ago today, the Supreme Court (in the words of Atrios) "took a dump on democracy". That's probably as polite as I could put it. In a 5-4 vote, the Court decided to cut short the counting of votes in the 2000 presidential election. December 12, 2000 was one of the darkest days in this nation's history, truly a day of infamy.
"Scalia's principal justification for issuing a stay on the Florida recount resumption, permitted by the Florida Supreme Court, was that the recount would 'threaten irreparable harm to petitioner (Bush) ... by casting a cloud upon what he claims to be the legitimacy of his election.' Scalia assumes here that Bush has won, but it is also clear that he feared that if the recount continued, the election could go to Gore. Taking issue with this hollow opinion, judicial conservative Terrance Sandlow stated, 'The balance of harms so unmistakably were on the side of Gore," and further, the stay was "an unmistakable partisan decision without any foundation in law.' The reaction of most jurists to the hijacking of the Fourteenth Amendment can be encapsulated in the words of Yale law professor Akhil Reed Amar, who has said that the court 'failed to cite a single case that, on its facts, comes close to supporting its analysis and result.'"
Not only that, but the majority justices expressly made the point that its ruling applied to these circumstances only, and could not be used as a precedent in any future case. ... Stevens: "Although we may never know with complete certainty the identity of the winner of this year's presidential election, the identity of the loser is perfectly clear. It is the nation's confidence in [this Court] as the impartial guardian of the rule of law."
And what should be the #1 issue in the 2004 campaign (or maybe #1A after stopping the US's illegal war(s)) is the lack of any verifiable paper trails from electronic voting machines. Either party -- Democrats and Republicans -- could hijack an election, so this should be an issue of extreme importance to every single voter. Yet the media doesn't seem to think it's all that important.
"Scalia's principal justification for issuing a stay on the Florida recount resumption, permitted by the Florida Supreme Court, was that the recount would 'threaten irreparable harm to petitioner (Bush) ... by casting a cloud upon what he claims to be the legitimacy of his election.' Scalia assumes here that Bush has won, but it is also clear that he feared that if the recount continued, the election could go to Gore. Taking issue with this hollow opinion, judicial conservative Terrance Sandlow stated, 'The balance of harms so unmistakably were on the side of Gore," and further, the stay was "an unmistakable partisan decision without any foundation in law.' The reaction of most jurists to the hijacking of the Fourteenth Amendment can be encapsulated in the words of Yale law professor Akhil Reed Amar, who has said that the court 'failed to cite a single case that, on its facts, comes close to supporting its analysis and result.'"
Not only that, but the majority justices expressly made the point that its ruling applied to these circumstances only, and could not be used as a precedent in any future case. ... Stevens: "Although we may never know with complete certainty the identity of the winner of this year's presidential election, the identity of the loser is perfectly clear. It is the nation's confidence in [this Court] as the impartial guardian of the rule of law."
And what should be the #1 issue in the 2004 campaign (or maybe #1A after stopping the US's illegal war(s)) is the lack of any verifiable paper trails from electronic voting machines. Either party -- Democrats and Republicans -- could hijack an election, so this should be an issue of extreme importance to every single voter. Yet the media doesn't seem to think it's all that important.
December 11, 2003
The 2004 Bill James Handbook. Richard Lederer and Aaron Gleeman love it (scroll down to Dec. 8 for Aaron's take). I must pick this up very soon. ... Lederer points out some great Pedro stats: Martinez gave up 10 earned runs in one outing last season and only 36 in his other 28 starts. Excluding that one bad performance, Pedro's ERA for the year was a microscopic 1.78. Pedro's Component ERAs (a statistic that estimates what a pitcher's ERA should have been based on his pitching performance) have been equal to or even lower than his actual ERA every year from 1994. Pedro has had five years with ERCs under 2.00 with a career average of 2.27. He is also number one among all active pitchers in career ERA (2.58), W-L % (.712), OBA (.206), OBP (.268), SLG (.315), OPS (.583), BR/9 (9.55), H/9 (6.72), and K/BB (4.38). In 2003, Martinez was #1 in opponents' OPS (.586), nearly turning all batters into the status of Ramon Santiago (.576), the least productive offensive player in the AL. ... Yet, some writers have to take potshots at him in everything they write [cough]CHB[/cough]. And then those writers act surprised when the player doesn't want to speak to them.
Martinez must respect Michael Silverman of the Herald because he spoke at length with him yesterday. ... David Ortiz says that Manny Ramirez recently told him, "I feel like I have nine toes in Texas and one in Boston." ... Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks is expected to talk with John Henry in the next couple of days. Baseball's annual winter meetings start tomorrow in New Orleans. ... Andy Pettitte joins Jimy Williams in Houston and the Yankees are attempting to trade Jeff Weaver to the Dodgers for Kevin Brown. Is LA that stupid?
Martinez must respect Michael Silverman of the Herald because he spoke at length with him yesterday. ... David Ortiz says that Manny Ramirez recently told him, "I feel like I have nine toes in Texas and one in Boston." ... Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks is expected to talk with John Henry in the next couple of days. Baseball's annual winter meetings start tomorrow in New Orleans. ... Andy Pettitte joins Jimy Williams in Houston and the Yankees are attempting to trade Jeff Weaver to the Dodgers for Kevin Brown. Is LA that stupid?
December 10, 2003
Henry Fires Back. John Henry ripped into Nomar's agent Arn Tellem, calling his recent comments "the height of hypocrisy." We now know that when the Red Sox offered Garciaparra a 4-year, $60 million deal in spring training, Garciaparra asked for $68 million. After the season, having reassessed the market, Boston offered 4 years at $48 million. Henry said Tellem "has given us every clear indication that there's no common ground." Gordon Edes says Henry's comments suggest it's "inevitable that Garciaparra is out and A-Rod is in as the Red Sox shortstop, probably in a matter of days." ... Howard Bryant of the Herald reveals that in spring training, Henry and Garciaparra spoke about Nomar's various grievances, but Henry was "dismayed by the inflexible tenor of the conversation; the issues were intractable, if not impossible to repair. Garciaparra hated the lack of space in the Sox clubhouse. He was frustrated with the lack of privacy in the city, and he couldn't deal with an unreasonable media. He even disliked the fact that the weather was different from what he grew up with. Henry came away with the belief that he simply could not reach Garciaparra ..."
Meanwhile, the Orioles are also curious about Nomar. ... Keith Foulke is close to a contract decision. ... Is Schilling's contract completely legal? ... Pedro talks to Michael Silverman. ... Andy Pettitte is close to an agreement with the Astros, Sheffield's asking for more loot and George is looking at Kenny Lofton in what Joel Sherman calls a "Bad Apple Binge."
Mission Accomplished, Part 58: "As the guerrilla war against Iraqi insurgents intensifies, American soldiers have begun wrapping entire villages in barbed wire." ... The Pentagon says 1/3 of Iraq's new army (trained by the US) have quit. ... Iraq's Health Ministry has ordered that civilians killed during the war not be counted. ... And The New Yorker reports that the US has authorized a major escalation of special forces in Iraq, to "neutralize" Baathist insurgents. "This is basically an assassination program," said a former senior US intelligence official. "It is bonkers, insane."
Meanwhile, the Orioles are also curious about Nomar. ... Keith Foulke is close to a contract decision. ... Is Schilling's contract completely legal? ... Pedro talks to Michael Silverman. ... Andy Pettitte is close to an agreement with the Astros, Sheffield's asking for more loot and George is looking at Kenny Lofton in what Joel Sherman calls a "Bad Apple Binge."
Mission Accomplished, Part 58: "As the guerrilla war against Iraqi insurgents intensifies, American soldiers have begun wrapping entire villages in barbed wire." ... The Pentagon says 1/3 of Iraq's new army (trained by the US) have quit. ... Iraq's Health Ministry has ordered that civilians killed during the war not be counted. ... And The New Yorker reports that the US has authorized a major escalation of special forces in Iraq, to "neutralize" Baathist insurgents. "This is basically an assassination program," said a former senior US intelligence official. "It is bonkers, insane."
December 9, 2003
What Do I Want? I've resisted writing about the Nomar/Manny/ARod rumors so far because I can't figure out how I truly feel. It's probably way too early in the process to sort it all out. There are at least three sides to my thinking and I'll put them in these catagories: (1) 13-year-old fan, (2) 40-year-old fan, and (3) someone who wants to see a World Championship before he dies.
Fan #1 is emotionally connected to various players as only a young fan can be and while he acknowledges that ARod is a better player than Nomar, he would hate to see the Red Sox win a championship with Nomar wearing another team's uniform. That just seems wrong. Manny is an insanely good hitter and this fan has been pinching himself ever since the Red Sox signed him. (When his skills decline, he'll be overpaid, but the young fan couldn't care less about payroll.) This fan loved the rollercoaster ride of 2003 and believes that with a new manager, Curt Schilling, Manny and Nomar, the Red Sox will be really tough to beat.
Fan #3 wants the Red Sox to put the best damn team on the field regardless of cost, even if that means flipping 70% of the roster every winter. The main thing is he wants to celebrate a Red Sox World Series title and he wants it soon. He figures he'll get used to whatever players suit up as the year progresses and by September/October, he'll love them all like longtime friends. Can Boston get ARod and keep all Nomar and Manny? If not, he'd gladly switch ARod for Nomar and trusts the front office to do what is best re: Manny and his $.
Fan #2 is a mix of both of these guys -- and I guess that's where I am, flip-flopping back and forth. I like Nomar, but his first-pitch hacking drives me nuts and I get very excited thinking of Rodriguez in Fenway. I want Manny in left field, batting 3rd or 4th, for the next few years but I realize Theo and the Trio could likely spend his salary more wisely and cover more of the team's needs (and in several years, Manny'll really be untradeable, so maybe now's the time if they want to do it at all). The team has a spending limit (although I do not know what that is, despite press reports) and I want them to get the most baseball talent for that money. ... I'm conflicted and so I'm simply waiting and watching. When the moves get made (or not) and the 2004 roster becomes clearer, then I'll have a better handle on how I feel.
Arn Tellem, Nomar's agent: "After all Nomar has done from the first day he stepped on the field for the Red Sox, to wake up on his honeymoon to read the paper and to see that John Henry is in direct talks with A-Rod is a total and complete slap in the face ..." (lots more quotes) ... Nomar called Boston's WEEI: I never said publicly that I wanted to leave Boston. My actions have been to go on the field and give my all every day. ... They never asked me if I wanted to leave. I never said I wanted to leave. They might be judging basically on my expression. I will tell people this. I admit I don't make their life [in the media] easy, but I respect every single one of them. ... It's the only uniform I've known since I became a professional baseball player and the only one I want to know."
Alex Rodriguez says there is no meeting with John Henry this week. ... Rangers owner Tom Hicks: "I think both teams are kind of sitting back and doing other things. As I said all along, I don't think anything is going to happen. I think Alex will be our shortstop. Will there be further discussions? Yeah, probably. But nothing is imminent." Whatever happens, the Rangers want it settled by December 16. ... The San Francisco Chronicle says Keith Foulke is weighing 2 offers: Oakland's 4-year/$20-24 million versus Boston's 3-year/4th-year option/$26 million. ... The Red Sox claimed left-handed relief pitcher Mark Malaska (25 yo, 2-1, 2.81 ERA in 22 games last season, .232 OBA) on waivers yesterday from the Devil Rays.
Box of Soap. White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card dismissed as "a moot point" any lingering question about whether Bush relied on faulty intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq. Well, it doesn't appear to be moot to the Iraqi Resistance, or to the families of the 441+ Americans dead (so far) who have died for a lie. ... US Lt. Colonel Nathan Sassaman, whose battalion controls Abu Hishma in Iraq: "With a heavy dose of fear and violence, and a lot of money for projects, I think we can convince these people that we are here to help them." ... Florida continues to have voting problems.
What, Me Govern? Mad magazine's G.I. Joke.
Fan #1 is emotionally connected to various players as only a young fan can be and while he acknowledges that ARod is a better player than Nomar, he would hate to see the Red Sox win a championship with Nomar wearing another team's uniform. That just seems wrong. Manny is an insanely good hitter and this fan has been pinching himself ever since the Red Sox signed him. (When his skills decline, he'll be overpaid, but the young fan couldn't care less about payroll.) This fan loved the rollercoaster ride of 2003 and believes that with a new manager, Curt Schilling, Manny and Nomar, the Red Sox will be really tough to beat.
Fan #3 wants the Red Sox to put the best damn team on the field regardless of cost, even if that means flipping 70% of the roster every winter. The main thing is he wants to celebrate a Red Sox World Series title and he wants it soon. He figures he'll get used to whatever players suit up as the year progresses and by September/October, he'll love them all like longtime friends. Can Boston get ARod and keep all Nomar and Manny? If not, he'd gladly switch ARod for Nomar and trusts the front office to do what is best re: Manny and his $.
Fan #2 is a mix of both of these guys -- and I guess that's where I am, flip-flopping back and forth. I like Nomar, but his first-pitch hacking drives me nuts and I get very excited thinking of Rodriguez in Fenway. I want Manny in left field, batting 3rd or 4th, for the next few years but I realize Theo and the Trio could likely spend his salary more wisely and cover more of the team's needs (and in several years, Manny'll really be untradeable, so maybe now's the time if they want to do it at all). The team has a spending limit (although I do not know what that is, despite press reports) and I want them to get the most baseball talent for that money. ... I'm conflicted and so I'm simply waiting and watching. When the moves get made (or not) and the 2004 roster becomes clearer, then I'll have a better handle on how I feel.
Arn Tellem, Nomar's agent: "After all Nomar has done from the first day he stepped on the field for the Red Sox, to wake up on his honeymoon to read the paper and to see that John Henry is in direct talks with A-Rod is a total and complete slap in the face ..." (lots more quotes) ... Nomar called Boston's WEEI: I never said publicly that I wanted to leave Boston. My actions have been to go on the field and give my all every day. ... They never asked me if I wanted to leave. I never said I wanted to leave. They might be judging basically on my expression. I will tell people this. I admit I don't make their life [in the media] easy, but I respect every single one of them. ... It's the only uniform I've known since I became a professional baseball player and the only one I want to know."
Alex Rodriguez says there is no meeting with John Henry this week. ... Rangers owner Tom Hicks: "I think both teams are kind of sitting back and doing other things. As I said all along, I don't think anything is going to happen. I think Alex will be our shortstop. Will there be further discussions? Yeah, probably. But nothing is imminent." Whatever happens, the Rangers want it settled by December 16. ... The San Francisco Chronicle says Keith Foulke is weighing 2 offers: Oakland's 4-year/$20-24 million versus Boston's 3-year/4th-year option/$26 million. ... The Red Sox claimed left-handed relief pitcher Mark Malaska (25 yo, 2-1, 2.81 ERA in 22 games last season, .232 OBA) on waivers yesterday from the Devil Rays.
Box of Soap. White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card dismissed as "a moot point" any lingering question about whether Bush relied on faulty intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq. Well, it doesn't appear to be moot to the Iraqi Resistance, or to the families of the 441+ Americans dead (so far) who have died for a lie. ... US Lt. Colonel Nathan Sassaman, whose battalion controls Abu Hishma in Iraq: "With a heavy dose of fear and violence, and a lot of money for projects, I think we can convince these people that we are here to help them." ... Florida continues to have voting problems.
What, Me Govern? Mad magazine's G.I. Joke.
December 7, 2003
A-Rod/Manny. John W. Henry will meet with Alex Rodriguez and Scott Boras this week. Henry and Rodriguez met last Friday. One source said they spoke for as long as six hours, but Rangers owner Tom Hicks (who recently met with Sox president Larry Lucchino) described the session as "more of a get-acquainted meeting." ... Tony Massarotti says that if Nomar is traded, it's all Manny's fault. "What if Garciaparra genuinely wants to remain in Boston? What if a new contract is doable, but the Red Sox decide to trade Garciaparra strictly because it is their only chance to dump Manny? ... The answer is that Manny Ramirez would be responsible for the departure of Nomar Garciaparra." Oh, and Manny is also to blame for this weekend's snowstorm and for the fact that you ran out of toilet paper. Manny = Evil.
Wallowing. Surfing threads at SoSH, I noticed there were some recent posts to the ALCS Game 7 thread, so I took a look.
Holmes Smarter Brother, 11/6/03 3:05 am: "Honest to god, how @#%$ hard is it? You starter starts getting shelled, you replace him. It's easier than replacing the toilet paper."
Jack Brohammer Experience, 11/12/03 1:12 am: "So I walk into this deli today wearing my Sox cap. Its a beautiful day in Northern California with sunny blue skies and the air temp a relatively balmy 70 degrees. ... I was reflective but in a very good mood. But then suddenly, the guy behind the counter, staring at my Sox cap, asks me "So, do you think he should've taken Pedro out?" Needless to say, I gave him a long-winded answer that virtually assured that he will never ask that sort of question again. And my thoughts again turned back to the fact that Grady couldn't prepare toast without burning it."
Scott Cooper, 11/16/03 11:03 pm: "How long must I continue to think about this game....It seems so frickin simple. Pedro was done, and the pen has been getting it done the entire postseason....It was a no brainer..."
No Guru No Method, 11/20/03 5:21 pm: "Nope it still hurts. Going back to bed for another month."
EricM80, 11/22/03 1:54 am: "This game still cuts like a bad breakup. It hits me at various moments throughout the day. I can be taking a shower, eating dinner, or just out for a drive and think to myself, "Why the hell did Grady leave Pedro in?" It makes no sense to me. Crazy."
Jneen, 11/26/03 9:33 am: "I finally got up enough courage to visit this thread for the very first time today. Know what? I didn't cry. This is a big step. Things feel good right now."
Holmes Smarter Brother, 11/27/03 12:14 am: "I really, really can't stand Gump. We had them beat. We had them beat. All we had to do was go to a bullpen that had allowed one run in their last twenty seven innings."
LawTown Fool, 12/2/03 4:45 pm: "Today I was poking around some of the threads that were posted just prior to Game 7. I came across this -- it was from a column in the NY Post:
One thing is already certain about the baseball game that the Red Sox and the Yankees will play tonight at Yankee Stadium: You will remember it for the rest of your life. You will tell and re-tell stories about where you were, who you were with, what you said, how you felt, and you will do this a thousand times before you die.
You just don't know the details yet.
Jesus Chirst, but this guy was right on the money. I think I've already told stories about where I was, who I was with, how I felt, etc., one thousand times. Also, twice over the weekend I saw highlights of the Boone home run (they were showing them, for some strange reason, with the story regarding the Schilling trade). The bastards nearly caught me with my guard down. But in both instances I was able to grab the remote quick enough and change the channel before I saw Boone make contact. I still have not see that fucking ball land. And I never will. That is my pledge."
Wallowing. Surfing threads at SoSH, I noticed there were some recent posts to the ALCS Game 7 thread, so I took a look.
Holmes Smarter Brother, 11/6/03 3:05 am: "Honest to god, how @#%$ hard is it? You starter starts getting shelled, you replace him. It's easier than replacing the toilet paper."
Jack Brohammer Experience, 11/12/03 1:12 am: "So I walk into this deli today wearing my Sox cap. Its a beautiful day in Northern California with sunny blue skies and the air temp a relatively balmy 70 degrees. ... I was reflective but in a very good mood. But then suddenly, the guy behind the counter, staring at my Sox cap, asks me "So, do you think he should've taken Pedro out?" Needless to say, I gave him a long-winded answer that virtually assured that he will never ask that sort of question again. And my thoughts again turned back to the fact that Grady couldn't prepare toast without burning it."
Scott Cooper, 11/16/03 11:03 pm: "How long must I continue to think about this game....It seems so frickin simple. Pedro was done, and the pen has been getting it done the entire postseason....It was a no brainer..."
No Guru No Method, 11/20/03 5:21 pm: "Nope it still hurts. Going back to bed for another month."
EricM80, 11/22/03 1:54 am: "This game still cuts like a bad breakup. It hits me at various moments throughout the day. I can be taking a shower, eating dinner, or just out for a drive and think to myself, "Why the hell did Grady leave Pedro in?" It makes no sense to me. Crazy."
Jneen, 11/26/03 9:33 am: "I finally got up enough courage to visit this thread for the very first time today. Know what? I didn't cry. This is a big step. Things feel good right now."
Holmes Smarter Brother, 11/27/03 12:14 am: "I really, really can't stand Gump. We had them beat. We had them beat. All we had to do was go to a bullpen that had allowed one run in their last twenty seven innings."
LawTown Fool, 12/2/03 4:45 pm: "Today I was poking around some of the threads that were posted just prior to Game 7. I came across this -- it was from a column in the NY Post:
One thing is already certain about the baseball game that the Red Sox and the Yankees will play tonight at Yankee Stadium: You will remember it for the rest of your life. You will tell and re-tell stories about where you were, who you were with, what you said, how you felt, and you will do this a thousand times before you die.
You just don't know the details yet.
Jesus Chirst, but this guy was right on the money. I think I've already told stories about where I was, who I was with, how I felt, etc., one thousand times. Also, twice over the weekend I saw highlights of the Boone home run (they were showing them, for some strange reason, with the story regarding the Schilling trade). The bastards nearly caught me with my guard down. But in both instances I was able to grab the remote quick enough and change the channel before I saw Boone make contact. I still have not see that fucking ball land. And I never will. That is my pledge."
December 6, 2003
Snow and Rumors Swirling. The makeup of the 2004 Red Sox could change dramatically by Sunday night. Or not. ... Dirt Dog says there is a deal in place to send Nomar to the Dodgers for pitcher Odalis Perez; another source says the Sox would then use Perez in another deal. ... John Henry met with Alex Rodriguez Friday night after receiving permission from the Rangers and Selig's office. Sean McAdam adds that Rodriguez might be willing to renegotiate the final three years of his contract with the help of an existing escape clause. ... The Sox could also ink a deal with Keith Foulke very soon. ... And the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says Eddie Guardado is considering offers from five teams: Boston, Oakland, Seattle, the Cubs and the Twins.
John Tomase has a long feature on Terry Francona. In his initial interview, Francona sat in front of a television and managed a simulated game created by Epstein and his advisers. Not only did Francona "tell them what he wanted to do with the situation in front of him, he mentioned relievers he had warming up in the bullpen for matchups that were three or four moves away." Me likey.
Scott Boras: "Now we're at a place where clubs are getting $20-22 million in revenue sharing, teams like Milwaukee, Tampa Bay and Kansas City. Plus getting $17 million [per team] from the TV packages. These clubs are making close to $40 million off those two elements alone, yet not even projecting payrolls that exceed that. Milwaukee is projecting a $30 million payroll, same thing in Tampa. There's not even an attempt at parity." ... Derek Zumsteg on Rule 5 Shenanigans. ... BP on the Vazquez/Johnson+2 trade.
For a cold winter's day, here is the 2004 Red Sox spring training schedule:
John Tomase has a long feature on Terry Francona. In his initial interview, Francona sat in front of a television and managed a simulated game created by Epstein and his advisers. Not only did Francona "tell them what he wanted to do with the situation in front of him, he mentioned relievers he had warming up in the bullpen for matchups that were three or four moves away." Me likey.
Scott Boras: "Now we're at a place where clubs are getting $20-22 million in revenue sharing, teams like Milwaukee, Tampa Bay and Kansas City. Plus getting $17 million [per team] from the TV packages. These clubs are making close to $40 million off those two elements alone, yet not even projecting payrolls that exceed that. Milwaukee is projecting a $30 million payroll, same thing in Tampa. There's not even an attempt at parity." ... Derek Zumsteg on Rule 5 Shenanigans. ... BP on the Vazquez/Johnson+2 trade.
For a cold winter's day, here is the 2004 Red Sox spring training schedule:
March 4: Minnesota @ Ft. Myers, 7:05 p.m.
March 5: Boston College, 1:05 p.m.
Northeastern, 7:05 p.m.
March 6: Minnesota @ Ft. Myers, 1:05 p.m.
March 7: New York Yankees, 1:05 p.m.
March 8: Minnesota (ss), 1:05 p.m.
Philadelphia (ss) @ Clearwater, 1:05 p.m.
March 9: Cincinnati, 7:05 p.m.
March 10: St. Louis @ Jupiter 1:05 p.m.
March 11: Baltimore, 1:05 p.m.
March 12: Los Angeles, 1:05 p.m.
March 13: Toronto @ Dunedin, 1:05 PM
March 14: Florida, 1:05 p.m.
March 15: Cleveland @ Winter Haven, 1:05 p.m.
March 16: Cincinnati @ Sarasota, 7:05 p.m.
March 17: Cleveland, 1:05 p.m.
March 18: Off Day
March 19: Pittsburgh, 1:05 PM
March 20: Toronto, 1:05 p.m.
March 21: Baltimore @ Ft. Lauderdale 1:05 p.m.
March 22: Los Angeles @ Vero Beach 1:05 p.m.
March 23: Tampa Bay, 1:05 p.m.
March 24: New York Yankees @ Tampa 7:15 p.m.
March 25: Minnesota, 1:05 p.m.
March 26: Pittsburgh @ Bradenton 1:05 p.m.
March 27: Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m.
March 28: Florida @ Jupiter, 1:05 p.m.
March 29: Baltimore, 1:05 p.m.
March 30: Tampa Bay @ St. Petersburg, 7:05 p.m.
March 31: Pittsburgh, 1:05 p.m.
April 1: Minnesota @ Ft. Myers, 1:05 p.m.
April 2: Atlanta @ Turner Field, 7:15 p.m.
April 3: Atlanta @ Turner Field, 1:15 p.m.
[Home games in Ft. Myers]Headline: "US commander gives new toll for Samarra clashes, admits no bodies taken away." One of the soldiers who took part in the attack says: "Most of the casualties were civilians, not insurgents or criminals." ... For months, the parents of tens of thousands of troops have had to buy jackets with bullet-stopping ceramic inserts and mail them to their children in Iraq because they have only Vietnam-era flak jackets. The US Army is now promising to rush new body armor to Iraq by the end of this month. ... Arizona restaurateur Mike Lopercio is in Iraq and is "stunned [by] the differences between the Iraq seen on the television news and the Iraq he sees by walking the streets. 'The town is barricaded up, tanks rolling down the street. Visually, it's arresting. It's shocking.'" ... James Baker, whose law firm is representing the Saudi government in the $1 trillion lawsuit filed by the families of 9/11 victims, is back in the news.
December 5, 2003
The Championship Of Each Other. Bill Simmons knocks one way out of the park. It's all snip-worthy:
"A curious sense of hope emerged from the abyss: It's a good team; we have the right people in charge ... s**t, we can TAKE these guys. I can't remember another winter like it: Depression and optimism battling for the upper hand. Even as certain media nitwits eagerly rehashed Grady's Boner -- unable and unwilling to write about anything else, feeling vindicated by this latest setback, their status as the collective Scrooge of baseball safe again -- the organization and its fans were moving forward. Say what you want, we never stop believing that this is The Year. Better yet, the owners and front office feel the same way."
and
"Let the record show that Grady was a nice enough guy ... he just happened to be playing checkers when everyone else was playing chess."
and
"At his absolute apex, [Nomar] strode to the plate, did his "Rain Man" routine with his gloves, swung at the first pitch -- whether it was at his head, his feet, rolling to the plate, or whatever -- and belted the living hell out of it. He sprayed line drives like a machine gun. It was almost freakish. And then he broke his wrist ... and three years have passed ... Barring a dramatic turn, Nomar seems destined to follow Jim Rice's lead, another physical marvel who peaked early in his career, then became a solid All-Star -- but not a superstar, and certainly not your ideal choice when you needed a hit -- for the remainder of his career."
When Bill Simmons is on, it's like he's reading (and transcribing) the collective mind of Red Sox Nation.
"A curious sense of hope emerged from the abyss: It's a good team; we have the right people in charge ... s**t, we can TAKE these guys. I can't remember another winter like it: Depression and optimism battling for the upper hand. Even as certain media nitwits eagerly rehashed Grady's Boner -- unable and unwilling to write about anything else, feeling vindicated by this latest setback, their status as the collective Scrooge of baseball safe again -- the organization and its fans were moving forward. Say what you want, we never stop believing that this is The Year. Better yet, the owners and front office feel the same way."
and
"Let the record show that Grady was a nice enough guy ... he just happened to be playing checkers when everyone else was playing chess."
and
"At his absolute apex, [Nomar] strode to the plate, did his "Rain Man" routine with his gloves, swung at the first pitch -- whether it was at his head, his feet, rolling to the plate, or whatever -- and belted the living hell out of it. He sprayed line drives like a machine gun. It was almost freakish. And then he broke his wrist ... and three years have passed ... Barring a dramatic turn, Nomar seems destined to follow Jim Rice's lead, another physical marvel who peaked early in his career, then became a solid All-Star -- but not a superstar, and certainly not your ideal choice when you needed a hit -- for the remainder of his career."
When Bill Simmons is on, it's like he's reading (and transcribing) the collective mind of Red Sox Nation.
Texas Ready To Swap A-Rod For Manny? It's the trade rumor that will not die. The Dallas Morning News reports that the Rangers are willing to send Alex Rodriguez to Boston in exchange for Manny Ramirez if the Red Sox assume all of A-Rod's contract and pay "a significant portion" of Manny's. The Rangers would expect Boston to pay at least $5 million of Ramirez's contract, meaning they'd be paying between $25-30 million for A-Rod each of the next five years. Boston is highly unlikely to do that -- the club favors a straight 1-for-1 swap. A Red Sox official said the matter would probably be settled at the winter meetings in New Orleans, which begin late next week. ... The Fort Worth Star-Telegram adds that the deal may hinge on whether the Red Sox can trade Nomar Garciaparra, a deal the paper says the team is "actively pursuing." In addition, because Ramirez would be traded in the middle of a multi-year contract, he could demand a trade after one year, and if that was not done, choose to become a free agent. Would Texas trade Rodriguez and then let Manny get away too? That would certainly free up a ton of money for them. It's questionable whether Ramirez would test the free agency market again, though.
Randy Galloway: "On occasion, Manny makes headlines by doing something stupid, like drinking with friends for several hours in the hotel bar when he's supposed to be too ill to play." Is sports the only part of the newspaper in which it is okay to blatantly disregard know facts and write bold-faced lies? If Writer X were to state as truth that during his last State of the Union address George W. Bush showed up drunk and told his Democratic critics to "F Themselves!" (something that was easily proven false) would that be allowed to run unquestioned in the paper? I doubt it. You could ask Galloway yourself if you like.
From Lee Sinins's "Around The Majors": According to the LA Times, "despite getting Vazquez and pursuing Pettitte, the Yankees are determined to bring Brown to the Bronx because of their payroll battle with the Red Sox. ... According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the A's, Mariners, Red Sox and Cubs have made offers to free agent P Eddie Guardado and his agent expects a decision by the end of the weekend. ... According to the Seattle Times, the Mariners have made a 3 year, $24-25 million offer to free agent SS Miguel Tejada. ... Cardinals CF Jim Edmonds had shoulder surgery and the team expects him to ready for spring training. ... According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer, the Mariners have made a 1 year, $4 million offer to free agent CF Mike Cameron. ... According to Sportsline.com, the Angels are aggressively pursuing free agent P Bartolo Colon. ... [subscribe]
Fat Billy from Ohio: "Andy would be part of a strong rotation here [Houston]. He wouldn't have to go it alone like I did for all those years before I got to New York. It could be a good situation. ... Andy's earned the right to be paid like a Schilling or a Martinez." Putting aside the shot the TCM takes at his Boston and Toronto teammates, let's look at ERA+ (the ratio of the league's ERA (adjusted to the pitcher's ballpark) to that of the pitcher). >100 is above average and <100 is below average. (I did not include years in which only a few innings were pitched.)
Five days ago, NPR's Diane Rehm asked Howard Dean: "Why do you think he [Bush] is suppressing that [Sept. 11] report?" Dean replied: "I don't know. There are many theories about it. The most interesting theory that I've heard so far -- which is nothing more than a theory, it can't be proved -- is that he was warned ahead of time by the Saudis. Now who knows what the real situation is?" ... Today, columnist Charles Krauthammer writes that Dean is suffering a "plague" known as "Bush Derangement Syndrome" and adds "When Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) first broached this idea before the 2002 primary election, it was considered so nutty it helped make her former representative McKinney." ... First, McKinney was careful at the time to say that she had no evidence of foreknowledge. And note that Dean merely calls it a "theory" which "can't be proved." Putting aside the veracity of the claim, who would deny that the Bush Administration being warned of 9/11 ahead of time is not one of the "more interesting" theories floating around? ... Of course, the Bush Administration has admitted it WAS warned one month before 9/11 that Osama bin Laden was planning to hijack commercial airliners for attacks inside the US. Indeed, it was only a few weeks after McKinney was ripped for her statements that the New York Post front page blared: "Bush Knew". The Daily News, another conservative Gotham tabloid, shouted: "Bush Had Osama Hijack Warning." ... The Bush Administration could put all these theories to rest once and for all by complying fully with the 9/11 Commission and releasing all it knew about the terrorists, any possible warnings and the attacks themselves, but to date it has instead done everything in its power to avoid any investigation.
Randy Galloway: "On occasion, Manny makes headlines by doing something stupid, like drinking with friends for several hours in the hotel bar when he's supposed to be too ill to play." Is sports the only part of the newspaper in which it is okay to blatantly disregard know facts and write bold-faced lies? If Writer X were to state as truth that during his last State of the Union address George W. Bush showed up drunk and told his Democratic critics to "F Themselves!" (something that was easily proven false) would that be allowed to run unquestioned in the paper? I doubt it. You could ask Galloway yourself if you like.
From Lee Sinins's "Around The Majors": According to the LA Times, "despite getting Vazquez and pursuing Pettitte, the Yankees are determined to bring Brown to the Bronx because of their payroll battle with the Red Sox. ... According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the A's, Mariners, Red Sox and Cubs have made offers to free agent P Eddie Guardado and his agent expects a decision by the end of the weekend. ... According to the Seattle Times, the Mariners have made a 3 year, $24-25 million offer to free agent SS Miguel Tejada. ... Cardinals CF Jim Edmonds had shoulder surgery and the team expects him to ready for spring training. ... According to the Seattle Post Intelligencer, the Mariners have made a 1 year, $4 million offer to free agent CF Mike Cameron. ... According to Sportsline.com, the Angels are aggressively pursuing free agent P Bartolo Colon. ... [subscribe]
Fat Billy from Ohio: "Andy would be part of a strong rotation here [Houston]. He wouldn't have to go it alone like I did for all those years before I got to New York. It could be a good situation. ... Andy's earned the right to be paid like a Schilling or a Martinez." Putting aside the shot the TCM takes at his Boston and Toronto teammates, let's look at ERA+ (the ratio of the league's ERA (adjusted to the pitcher's ballpark) to that of the pitcher). >100 is above average and <100 is below average. (I did not include years in which only a few innings were pitched.)
AP CS PM 1990 149 1991 92 1992 149 1993 100 151 1994 96 123 1995 110 121 120 1996 131 138 120 1997 154 143 221 1998 105 134 160 1999 95 130 245 2000 116 124 285 2001 112 154 189 2002 134 136 196 2003 109 159 212 Car. 117 129 174Pettitte pitched better than both Schilling and Pedro exactly 0 times. In 7 of the last 9 years (and the last 6), Pettitte finished behind both hurlers. In fact, he has had the best ERA+ on the Yankees exactly once (1996). Pettitte is nowhere near the pitcher Schilling or Martinez has been (to be honest, the gap between Schilling and Martinez is pretty large too). Clemens's judgment here is about as accurate as his sense of geography.
Five days ago, NPR's Diane Rehm asked Howard Dean: "Why do you think he [Bush] is suppressing that [Sept. 11] report?" Dean replied: "I don't know. There are many theories about it. The most interesting theory that I've heard so far -- which is nothing more than a theory, it can't be proved -- is that he was warned ahead of time by the Saudis. Now who knows what the real situation is?" ... Today, columnist Charles Krauthammer writes that Dean is suffering a "plague" known as "Bush Derangement Syndrome" and adds "When Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) first broached this idea before the 2002 primary election, it was considered so nutty it helped make her former representative McKinney." ... First, McKinney was careful at the time to say that she had no evidence of foreknowledge. And note that Dean merely calls it a "theory" which "can't be proved." Putting aside the veracity of the claim, who would deny that the Bush Administration being warned of 9/11 ahead of time is not one of the "more interesting" theories floating around? ... Of course, the Bush Administration has admitted it WAS warned one month before 9/11 that Osama bin Laden was planning to hijack commercial airliners for attacks inside the US. Indeed, it was only a few weeks after McKinney was ripped for her statements that the New York Post front page blared: "Bush Knew". The Daily News, another conservative Gotham tabloid, shouted: "Bush Had Osama Hijack Warning." ... The Bush Administration could put all these theories to rest once and for all by complying fully with the 9/11 Commission and releasing all it knew about the terrorists, any possible warnings and the attacks themselves, but to date it has instead done everything in its power to avoid any investigation.
December 4, 2003
Talking Trash in December. Gary Sheffield opens his yap: "We're not going to lose, you can be assured of that. George didn't even bring up the Red Sox during our talks. I don't think they're even a concern to him. He just kept talking about how bad he wants to win more World Series championships. The Red Sox can say what they want, but look at us. Who's going to beat us? Nobody. ..." Damn, why can't it be spring training now! ... Excellent column at Slate: C_Schilling1966 Has Entered the Room.
Update to Air Force One story: A White House news conference today changed the story yet again!! Now the other plane that spied AF1 is being identified as a "non-UK operator." Scott McClellan says more than he realizes (or intends): "[W]hat we always try to do for you all in the press corps is to provide you a little color of important events, because we believe that's helpful to you for your stories..." As George Costanza once said: "It's not a lie if you believe it." ... I made a joke about Halliburton making the faux turkey for the faux president, but according to the New York Post, it's true.
Update to Air Force One story: A White House news conference today changed the story yet again!! Now the other plane that spied AF1 is being identified as a "non-UK operator." Scott McClellan says more than he realizes (or intends): "[W]hat we always try to do for you all in the press corps is to provide you a little color of important events, because we believe that's helpful to you for your stories..." As George Costanza once said: "It's not a lie if you believe it." ... I made a joke about Halliburton making the faux turkey for the faux president, but according to the New York Post, it's true.
Tito On The Hot Seat? ... Not Quite Yet. Terry Francona is the new manager of the Red Sox. From the little bits of info in the papers, I liked Joe Maddon more than Francona (and wish Larry Dierker had been called). However, Theo's track record to date earns him a HUGE benefit of the doubt from me on this move. I will have an open mind. ... DLew On Roids gives three suggestions: "Keep the team loose like it was last year. Don't bat the leading hitter in the AL 8th. Yank your starter when he's out of gas. You do these three things and I'll see you at the big party in Kenmore Square next October." Amen. ... Dirt Dog says Sauerbeck is headed to the Cubs.
The AL East War continues as the Yankees have traded Nick Johnson, Juan Rivera and Randy Choate to Montreal for RHP Javier Vazquez. Vazquez, 27, had a tidy 3.24 ERA last year, while averaging 110 pitches per start; opponents hit .229/.276/.380 against him. I'm not too broken up over this move right now, since it still leaves Jeff Weaver and Jon Lieber in the New York rotation. I'm thrilled the Yankees no longer have Johnson, a good fielding first baseman who, if he stays healthy, will soon be one of the best hitters in baseball (.422 OBP last year). Of course, to pick up anyone decent in a trade, the Yankees had to deal one of their good young players, because their farm system is bone dry; losing Johnson can be tied to the debacle of trading Claussen for Boone last summer. Giambi will likely play 1B most of the year and an infield of Boone-Jeter-Soriano-Giambi is well below average defensively. Good thing for Vazquez, he has become more of a flyball pitcher in the last two seasons. ... New York has also signed relievers Paul Quantrill and Tom Gordon and is close to inking Gary Sheffield.
The AL East War continues as the Yankees have traded Nick Johnson, Juan Rivera and Randy Choate to Montreal for RHP Javier Vazquez. Vazquez, 27, had a tidy 3.24 ERA last year, while averaging 110 pitches per start; opponents hit .229/.276/.380 against him. I'm not too broken up over this move right now, since it still leaves Jeff Weaver and Jon Lieber in the New York rotation. I'm thrilled the Yankees no longer have Johnson, a good fielding first baseman who, if he stays healthy, will soon be one of the best hitters in baseball (.422 OBP last year). Of course, to pick up anyone decent in a trade, the Yankees had to deal one of their good young players, because their farm system is bone dry; losing Johnson can be tied to the debacle of trading Claussen for Boone last summer. Giambi will likely play 1B most of the year and an infield of Boone-Jeter-Soriano-Giambi is well below average defensively. Good thing for Vazquez, he has become more of a flyball pitcher in the last two seasons. ... New York has also signed relievers Paul Quantrill and Tom Gordon and is close to inking Gary Sheffield.
Chickenhawk Serves Fake Turkey to Sitting Ducks. The turkey platter Bush hoisted in Baghdad was fake. The Washington Post (buried on page A33): "The bird is so perfect it looks as if it came from a food magazine ... [but] administration officials said Wednesday that Bush picked up a decoration, not a serving plate. ... Officials said they did not know the turkey would be there or that Bush would pick it up. A contractor [Does Halliburton make plastic turkeys too?] had roasted and primped the turkey to adorn the buffet line ... White House officials ... maintain that these events are designed to accurately dramatize [Bush's] policies and to convey qualities about him that are real. 'This was effective, because it captured something about the president that people know is true, that he really cares about the soldiers and gets emotional when he sees them,' Mary Matalin, a former administration official, said about the trip to Baghdad. 'You have to figure out how to capture the Bush we know, even if it doesn't come through in a speech situation or a press conference. He regularly rejects anything that is not him.'"
This is both hilarious and sad. Why does the White House reguarly have to go out of its way to dramatize qualities about Bush that they claim are real? Since he's supposedly a down-home good ol' boy, why don't they simply tell him to act naturally? Meanwhile, Bush uses US troops (the ones he hasn't sent to their deaths, that is) as props for his play-acting and dress-up games.
The White House has also changed its story about the British Airways pilot that saw Air Force One during the secret flight to Baghdad. Today's version is that the BA pilot radioed London and reported the apparent sighting and the tower radioed back phony flight-plan information that had been filed to protect AF1's identity. (If that's true, then how did AF1 know of a conversation it wasn't involved in?) But British Airways isn't buying this tall tale either. Josh Marshall writes: "Can't we just cut to the chase and agree that it was on board the plane, as it streaked through the darkness over the misty depths of the Atlantic, that Bartlett decided that it would be a cool story to have appear in Woodward's next book?"
US forces insist they killed 54 Iraqi attackers in Samarra on Sunday, but evidence is slim and skeptism reigns. A hospital reported only eight dead, including a child and at least one elderly Iranian woman. "The US military acknowledged that the death toll was estimated ... and no bodies had been collected." ... US forces are accused of conducting "a savage massacre." ... Bush has a brand new theory about why there aren't any WMDs in Iraq. His administration eliminated them.
"In an abrupt reversal, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York City announced on Wednesday that he had agreed to release records of emergency 911 calls and other materials sought by the federal commission investigating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks." The White House is now the only entity refusing to work fully with the Commission. ... Ellen Mariani, wife of Louis Neil Mariani, who died on board UA 175, has filed an Amended Complaint under the RICO Act against Bush and his cabinet members.
This is both hilarious and sad. Why does the White House reguarly have to go out of its way to dramatize qualities about Bush that they claim are real? Since he's supposedly a down-home good ol' boy, why don't they simply tell him to act naturally? Meanwhile, Bush uses US troops (the ones he hasn't sent to their deaths, that is) as props for his play-acting and dress-up games.
The White House has also changed its story about the British Airways pilot that saw Air Force One during the secret flight to Baghdad. Today's version is that the BA pilot radioed London and reported the apparent sighting and the tower radioed back phony flight-plan information that had been filed to protect AF1's identity. (If that's true, then how did AF1 know of a conversation it wasn't involved in?) But British Airways isn't buying this tall tale either. Josh Marshall writes: "Can't we just cut to the chase and agree that it was on board the plane, as it streaked through the darkness over the misty depths of the Atlantic, that Bartlett decided that it would be a cool story to have appear in Woodward's next book?"
US forces insist they killed 54 Iraqi attackers in Samarra on Sunday, but evidence is slim and skeptism reigns. A hospital reported only eight dead, including a child and at least one elderly Iranian woman. "The US military acknowledged that the death toll was estimated ... and no bodies had been collected." ... US forces are accused of conducting "a savage massacre." ... Bush has a brand new theory about why there aren't any WMDs in Iraq. His administration eliminated them.
"In an abrupt reversal, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York City announced on Wednesday that he had agreed to release records of emergency 911 calls and other materials sought by the federal commission investigating the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks." The White House is now the only entity refusing to work fully with the Commission. ... Ellen Mariani, wife of Louis Neil Mariani, who died on board UA 175, has filed an Amended Complaint under the RICO Act against Bush and his cabinet members.
December 3, 2003
A Pathetic Bully. Jeff Jacobs wrote one of the most petty, vindictive pieces of "journalism" I've read in quite a long time. His Hartford Courant column actually manages to set a new low for Boston sports media (though Shaugnessy won't surrender his crown without a fight, I'm sure). I refuse to provide a link, but it's posted in its entirety at a couple of Red Sox blogs: Portland Sox Fan and Dwights House, so you can read it without registering a hit at the Courtant. Dirt Dog has a fantastic parody up, along with an email from Jacobs stating this crap was a collaborative work with his editors. Besides the huge embarassment this should be for the Courant and Jacobs, this incident shows again how pivotal these past few days have been regarding athletes and their relationship with fans. Thanks to the Internet, an athlete can now communicate directly to the fans on his own time without the media as a bothersome middleman. And thanks to Curt Schilling's widely-reported example, I believe more and more of them are going to do so. Writers who can't do their jobs are scared shitless. They are quickly becoming as irrelevant as the horse and buggy, they know it, and they are lashing out at anything and anyone they can.
December 2, 2003
The Winter Classic. Boston likely made the move of the winter by trading for Curt Schilling. However, the Yankees are making their own, albeit less flashy, countermoves. They resigned Aaron Boone and Enrique Wilson for 2004 and have agreed to terms with reliever Tom Gordon and RF Gary Sheffield. In the rumor mill, they are eyeing Kenny Lofton and proposing a Jeff-Weaver-for-Kevin Brown trade with LA. Boston lost out on possible 2B Luis Castillo, who resigned with Florida. In San Diego, Kevin Towers downplayed any Nomar talk.
Pedro: "For me, it would be a pleasure to negotiate with Boston. In baseball there are no guarantees, but obviously we are a better team with Schilling. Boston has the option of negotiating with me. It's something that I will leave up to them, but if it doesn't happen, I will go into my last season and I'll do my job." Back on November 7, Martinez said: "I have to understand that if I don't put up the same numbers that I did in '99 and 2000, and from '97 on, I'll probably get a little bit of decrease in salary. But it's still pretty good money in the market. I'll just settle for whatever the market has to offer and enjoy the game."
Tom Boswell says the Red Sox and Yankees are battling it out in the Winter Classic. But a few hundred words after he writes "In the [Schilling] trade, the Red Sox barely lost anything" he asks: "Have the Red Sox mortgaged their future to grab a power pitcher just as he goes over the hill?" ... So which is it? Boswell doesn't answer the question; he merely notes that getting Schilling as he begins his decline "would fit Red Sox history." Pfft. A disappointing piece.
BlogWatch: Ed Cossette agrees with me re players sidestepping the media and using the internet to communicate directly with fans. ... Similarly, Tim Daloisio namechecks the Cluetrain Manifesto ... Dirt Dog has a transcript of Monday's lengthy WEEI Schilling interview. ... John Henry doesn't like the adult language sometimes used at SoSH, but he admits fans "cannot get a better, more informed or timely discussion of important Red Sox issues anywhere."
In the coverage of Bush's Thanksgiving Day Photo-Op, there was a story about a British Airways pilot who spotted what he believed was Air Force One. He radioed, "Did I just see Air Force One?" Col. Mark Tillman, AF1's pilot, responded, "Gulf Stream Five" (a much smaller plane). After a long silence, the British pilot replied, "Oh." ... Since the secret trip likely would have been called off if any news leaked out, this added a bit of suspense. But now the story is falling apart. ... A British Airways spokeswoman said yesterday that two BA aircraft were in the area at the time, but neither pilot made radio contact with AF1. So who is lying here, and why? How could the White House benefit from this fabrication? Does it make Bush look more daring? It's baffling. You wouldn't need much tinfoil to think Bush didn't even go to Iraq, but based on comments I have read on other internet boards, I believe he did go to Baghdad (though if the "liberation" is going so swimmingly, why did Mr. Bring 'Em On have to sneak in the back door?). ... Wouldn't an aircraft have to be fairly close to AF1 to see its markings and be able to distinguish it from a commercial 747? (And if it had no markings, why would he suspect it was AF1? If true, he must have seen something specific.) And doesn't AF1 have strict rules about distance between it and other planes, making a physical ID impossible? And why would the AF1 pilot make a laughable claim that it was actually a Gulfstream 5? Any experienced commercial pilot would never confuse the two; in fact, post-9/11, wouldn't that only add to his suspicion?
Pedro: "For me, it would be a pleasure to negotiate with Boston. In baseball there are no guarantees, but obviously we are a better team with Schilling. Boston has the option of negotiating with me. It's something that I will leave up to them, but if it doesn't happen, I will go into my last season and I'll do my job." Back on November 7, Martinez said: "I have to understand that if I don't put up the same numbers that I did in '99 and 2000, and from '97 on, I'll probably get a little bit of decrease in salary. But it's still pretty good money in the market. I'll just settle for whatever the market has to offer and enjoy the game."
Tom Boswell says the Red Sox and Yankees are battling it out in the Winter Classic. But a few hundred words after he writes "In the [Schilling] trade, the Red Sox barely lost anything" he asks: "Have the Red Sox mortgaged their future to grab a power pitcher just as he goes over the hill?" ... So which is it? Boswell doesn't answer the question; he merely notes that getting Schilling as he begins his decline "would fit Red Sox history." Pfft. A disappointing piece.
BlogWatch: Ed Cossette agrees with me re players sidestepping the media and using the internet to communicate directly with fans. ... Similarly, Tim Daloisio namechecks the Cluetrain Manifesto ... Dirt Dog has a transcript of Monday's lengthy WEEI Schilling interview. ... John Henry doesn't like the adult language sometimes used at SoSH, but he admits fans "cannot get a better, more informed or timely discussion of important Red Sox issues anywhere."
In the coverage of Bush's Thanksgiving Day Photo-Op, there was a story about a British Airways pilot who spotted what he believed was Air Force One. He radioed, "Did I just see Air Force One?" Col. Mark Tillman, AF1's pilot, responded, "Gulf Stream Five" (a much smaller plane). After a long silence, the British pilot replied, "Oh." ... Since the secret trip likely would have been called off if any news leaked out, this added a bit of suspense. But now the story is falling apart. ... A British Airways spokeswoman said yesterday that two BA aircraft were in the area at the time, but neither pilot made radio contact with AF1. So who is lying here, and why? How could the White House benefit from this fabrication? Does it make Bush look more daring? It's baffling. You wouldn't need much tinfoil to think Bush didn't even go to Iraq, but based on comments I have read on other internet boards, I believe he did go to Baghdad (though if the "liberation" is going so swimmingly, why did Mr. Bring 'Em On have to sneak in the back door?). ... Wouldn't an aircraft have to be fairly close to AF1 to see its markings and be able to distinguish it from a commercial 747? (And if it had no markings, why would he suspect it was AF1? If true, he must have seen something specific.) And doesn't AF1 have strict rules about distance between it and other planes, making a physical ID impossible? And why would the AF1 pilot make a laughable claim that it was actually a Gulfstream 5? Any experienced commercial pilot would never confuse the two; in fact, post-9/11, wouldn't that only add to his suspicion?
November 30, 2003
Ha Ha Ha! Some wishful thinking from New York:
Bill Madden: "Francona will be officially named the new Boston manager on Tuesday and all you can say to that is: Will the Red Sox ever get it? Red Sox brass is clearly going for it all next year with a bust-the-budget roster that is banking on two aging and delicate starting pitchers ... After 2004, their core players - Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Varitek, Martinez [Pedro's leaving twice!], and Trot Nixon - are all free agents and likely to be gone. In the meantime, though, the pamper-the-superstars, country-club environment goes on in Boston as now the newest Red Sox supertstar [sic] has brought in his own manager with him."
Shaun Powell: "Believe this: It will be very, very tense in Boston next season. By signing Schilling ... the Red Sox made a decision. They're going for broke. They're staking their city's fragile mental health, their enormous payroll and their entire philosophy on next season. It's all or nothing for a team trying to end 85 years of frustrating finishes."
(Have you ever heard Schilling described as "delicate" before? "Aging"? Please. Pedro is 32; Mussina turns 35 next month and Contreras is 57.)
The Schilling negotiations will undoubtedly effect any talks with Pedro Martinez about a possible extension past 2004. Martinez will earn $17.5 next season and Schilling's deal averages out to $12.75 per year. In a press conference last month, Pedro said he understood he might have to take less money in the future. $14 for 3 years sounds about as high as Boston should go. Pedro should take it and stand alongside Schilling for the 2005-06-07 seasons.
Both John Henry and Theo Epstein made it clear that flexibility is key. Henry: "It was Curt's goal that his deal not adversely impact the competitiveness of the franchise. We had the same goal. We knew the realities of the current market, but we were not about to wait around to determine exactly what they were. There almost certainly is another franchise that would have paid him more money, but this was about his career and as he said at the outset, dollars were not the most important aspect here." Theo: "There was a bit of a disparity between what Curt deserved for what he brings to the table and what we needed to be able to remain competitive in building the rest of the team. Through a lot of extra effort on both sides, we were able to come to a position that satisfied both criteria." And: "Curt wasn't out for every last dollar. Very far from it. He wanted to structure his deal so the Red Sox would be competitive for every year of his contract."
Some random notes from the Globe: From a guest at Nomar's wedding: "The buzz around the place was that Nomar really wants to stay in Boston. They're trying to work it out right now. Nomar certainly doesn't like the media attention, but he loves playing baseball in Boston." ... Jose Canseco hopes to become the next Bruce Lee. ... According to a source close to Andy Pettitte, the best offers he has received are from the Astros and Red Sox. ... The oddsmakers at The Palms in Las Vegas now list the Red Sox at 4-1 to win the 2004 World Series (down from 7-1); the Yankees remain at 3-1. ... If the Sox do get another closer, Scott Williamson would like to start. ... Mike Lupica: "Epstein 1, Yankees 0" ... Bill Moyers on Jim Bouton. ... A Schilling chat transcript from Saturday night.
Bill Madden: "Francona will be officially named the new Boston manager on Tuesday and all you can say to that is: Will the Red Sox ever get it? Red Sox brass is clearly going for it all next year with a bust-the-budget roster that is banking on two aging and delicate starting pitchers ... After 2004, their core players - Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Varitek, Martinez [Pedro's leaving twice!], and Trot Nixon - are all free agents and likely to be gone. In the meantime, though, the pamper-the-superstars, country-club environment goes on in Boston as now the newest Red Sox supertstar [sic] has brought in his own manager with him."
Shaun Powell: "Believe this: It will be very, very tense in Boston next season. By signing Schilling ... the Red Sox made a decision. They're going for broke. They're staking their city's fragile mental health, their enormous payroll and their entire philosophy on next season. It's all or nothing for a team trying to end 85 years of frustrating finishes."
(Have you ever heard Schilling described as "delicate" before? "Aging"? Please. Pedro is 32; Mussina turns 35 next month and Contreras is 57.)
The Schilling negotiations will undoubtedly effect any talks with Pedro Martinez about a possible extension past 2004. Martinez will earn $17.5 next season and Schilling's deal averages out to $12.75 per year. In a press conference last month, Pedro said he understood he might have to take less money in the future. $14 for 3 years sounds about as high as Boston should go. Pedro should take it and stand alongside Schilling for the 2005-06-07 seasons.
Both John Henry and Theo Epstein made it clear that flexibility is key. Henry: "It was Curt's goal that his deal not adversely impact the competitiveness of the franchise. We had the same goal. We knew the realities of the current market, but we were not about to wait around to determine exactly what they were. There almost certainly is another franchise that would have paid him more money, but this was about his career and as he said at the outset, dollars were not the most important aspect here." Theo: "There was a bit of a disparity between what Curt deserved for what he brings to the table and what we needed to be able to remain competitive in building the rest of the team. Through a lot of extra effort on both sides, we were able to come to a position that satisfied both criteria." And: "Curt wasn't out for every last dollar. Very far from it. He wanted to structure his deal so the Red Sox would be competitive for every year of his contract."
Some random notes from the Globe: From a guest at Nomar's wedding: "The buzz around the place was that Nomar really wants to stay in Boston. They're trying to work it out right now. Nomar certainly doesn't like the media attention, but he loves playing baseball in Boston." ... Jose Canseco hopes to become the next Bruce Lee. ... According to a source close to Andy Pettitte, the best offers he has received are from the Astros and Red Sox. ... The oddsmakers at The Palms in Las Vegas now list the Red Sox at 4-1 to win the 2004 World Series (down from 7-1); the Yankees remain at 3-1. ... If the Sox do get another closer, Scott Williamson would like to start. ... Mike Lupica: "Epstein 1, Yankees 0" ... Bill Moyers on Jim Bouton. ... A Schilling chat transcript from Saturday night.
November 29, 2003
Happy Thankschilling!
Friday was historic day in Red Sox Nation for many reasons, including the fact that it was a day in which the Boston media became totally irrelevant. If you wanted Red Sox news as the Schilling Deadline clicked down, you had to be online. And not at ESPN or MLB. No, the place to be was at Sons of Sam Horn. Schilling himself was at the site chatting with fans until 4:30 am Friday morning (Boston time) and when discussions broke for awhile that afternoon, he was back chatting with a couple of dozen fortunate fans in the cramped chat room. Speculation was rampant, little bits of news leaked out, and it all was being dissected in real time.
When the team's owner and a prized pitching ace both sign up and post on a message board (John Henry has contributed to a thread about the club's finances and 2004 payroll, Theo Epstein had held a chat), it eliminates the media as middle man. How did we find out the deal was done? John Henry logged on and broke the news!
The print media can offer analysis and opinion, but for the most part, their analysis is weak. You can find more common sense analysis online if you know where to look. And because most writers and announcers are ignorant of so many aspects of the sport (and are often afraid of new ideas like sabremetrics), most of their opinions are worthless. Why should a fan bother with an ignorant mediot when she can discuss the Sox with more than 1,400 fans who are obsessive about knowing everything about their team. Art Martone talks about this and the Big Day.
Theo: "[I]f we didn't sign Curt, it would have turned out to be probably the worst holiday of my life. We were blown away on Wednesday night when they ... invited us over for Thanksgiving. We tried to refuse and Curt said it would be a deal breaker. He said he'd be insulted if we didn't go."
Schilling: "After our negotiations Thanksgiving Day, I really believed the trade was not going to happen. But the Red Sox showed flexibility, and so did we. I think what really sealed it was their intense desire to make the trade. They really made me see that they wanted me to be a Red Sox player for the rest of my career."
Schilling: "The one thing you'll never lay on an East Coast fan is a lack of knowledge. In some cases, they know way too much. Or they think they do. ... [At SOSH] We were talking baseball. It was like talking hot-stove baseball. They didn't believe it was me, for an extended period of time, which made it even funnier."
Schilling: "I can't wait to take the ball against the Yankees."
Schilling: "I want to be in a parade going down whatever the Main Street is there, as World Champions. I just want to be part of bringing the first World Championship in modern times to Boston -- hopefully more than one. I'm ecstatic."
Theo: "As an organization, we're aspiring to be the most prepared organization in baseball. We want to help our players be better prepared than the opposition. I think Curt has set the standard for Major League pitchers with the preparation. He created his own video system in 1994 to know opposing hitters better than anyone else in baseball. I think there's a great synergy between what Curt is trying to do to prepare himself to pitch as what we're trying to do as an organization."
Schilling: "Theo and I competed for 72 hours, with a quick break for Thanksgiving. I was impressed because I've been in the room with general managers during negotiations and have never been so bowled over by the preparation."
Tim Wakefield: Schilling "could be the missing piece we need."
There is a $13-million option for 2007 that will kick in "if the Red Sox win the World Series in any of the next three seasons."
Dan Bickley, Arizona Republic: "I think I saw the Red Sox just win a World Series."
Gerry Callahan, Boston Herald: "That plate full of scraps that sits in Steinbrenner's freezer might look like leftovers from the holiday dinner. It is, in fact, what's left of Brian Cashman ... [Schilling] was perfect for the Pinstripes: experienced, clutch, colorful, big and loud like New York City itself. All Cashman had to do was knock on his door, bring his wife some roses, write a big check, and ... hey, what the hell is Theo Epstein doing here? ... Grady Little gave the Yankees the AL pennant six weeks ago. Theo and the trio have been trying to get it back ever since."
During his news conference last night, Schilling mentioned the online chats and how impressed he was with the fans' passion. Epstein then interjected: "If anyone from the Sons of Sam Horn is watching, we put a clause in Curt's contract saying he couldn't stay up past midnight chatting on the internet."
Friday was historic day in Red Sox Nation for many reasons, including the fact that it was a day in which the Boston media became totally irrelevant. If you wanted Red Sox news as the Schilling Deadline clicked down, you had to be online. And not at ESPN or MLB. No, the place to be was at Sons of Sam Horn. Schilling himself was at the site chatting with fans until 4:30 am Friday morning (Boston time) and when discussions broke for awhile that afternoon, he was back chatting with a couple of dozen fortunate fans in the cramped chat room. Speculation was rampant, little bits of news leaked out, and it all was being dissected in real time.
When the team's owner and a prized pitching ace both sign up and post on a message board (John Henry has contributed to a thread about the club's finances and 2004 payroll, Theo Epstein had held a chat), it eliminates the media as middle man. How did we find out the deal was done? John Henry logged on and broke the news!
The print media can offer analysis and opinion, but for the most part, their analysis is weak. You can find more common sense analysis online if you know where to look. And because most writers and announcers are ignorant of so many aspects of the sport (and are often afraid of new ideas like sabremetrics), most of their opinions are worthless. Why should a fan bother with an ignorant mediot when she can discuss the Sox with more than 1,400 fans who are obsessive about knowing everything about their team. Art Martone talks about this and the Big Day.
Theo: "[I]f we didn't sign Curt, it would have turned out to be probably the worst holiday of my life. We were blown away on Wednesday night when they ... invited us over for Thanksgiving. We tried to refuse and Curt said it would be a deal breaker. He said he'd be insulted if we didn't go."
Schilling: "After our negotiations Thanksgiving Day, I really believed the trade was not going to happen. But the Red Sox showed flexibility, and so did we. I think what really sealed it was their intense desire to make the trade. They really made me see that they wanted me to be a Red Sox player for the rest of my career."
Schilling: "The one thing you'll never lay on an East Coast fan is a lack of knowledge. In some cases, they know way too much. Or they think they do. ... [At SOSH] We were talking baseball. It was like talking hot-stove baseball. They didn't believe it was me, for an extended period of time, which made it even funnier."
Schilling: "I can't wait to take the ball against the Yankees."
Schilling: "I want to be in a parade going down whatever the Main Street is there, as World Champions. I just want to be part of bringing the first World Championship in modern times to Boston -- hopefully more than one. I'm ecstatic."
Theo: "As an organization, we're aspiring to be the most prepared organization in baseball. We want to help our players be better prepared than the opposition. I think Curt has set the standard for Major League pitchers with the preparation. He created his own video system in 1994 to know opposing hitters better than anyone else in baseball. I think there's a great synergy between what Curt is trying to do to prepare himself to pitch as what we're trying to do as an organization."
Schilling: "Theo and I competed for 72 hours, with a quick break for Thanksgiving. I was impressed because I've been in the room with general managers during negotiations and have never been so bowled over by the preparation."
Tim Wakefield: Schilling "could be the missing piece we need."
There is a $13-million option for 2007 that will kick in "if the Red Sox win the World Series in any of the next three seasons."
Dan Bickley, Arizona Republic: "I think I saw the Red Sox just win a World Series."
Gerry Callahan, Boston Herald: "That plate full of scraps that sits in Steinbrenner's freezer might look like leftovers from the holiday dinner. It is, in fact, what's left of Brian Cashman ... [Schilling] was perfect for the Pinstripes: experienced, clutch, colorful, big and loud like New York City itself. All Cashman had to do was knock on his door, bring his wife some roses, write a big check, and ... hey, what the hell is Theo Epstein doing here? ... Grady Little gave the Yankees the AL pennant six weeks ago. Theo and the trio have been trying to get it back ever since."
During his news conference last night, Schilling mentioned the online chats and how impressed he was with the fans' passion. Epstein then interjected: "If anyone from the Sons of Sam Horn is watching, we put a clause in Curt's contract saying he couldn't stay up past midnight chatting on the internet."
November 28, 2003
Three-Year Stats (2001-03)
Ranking by 2001-03 Opponents' OPS
An excellent blog from a woman in Baghdad. ... Another Arnold Quote: "I am only going to make cuts to a certain point. I'm not going to cut dog food for blind people." Well, thank goodness.
G IP H ER BB K W L ERA AVG OBP SLG
Pedro 77 502.2 375 127 112 608 41 11 2.27 .204 .260 .303
Schilling 95 684.0 599 233 104 803 53 22 3.07 .233 .262 .376
Lowe 132 514.2 485 200 149 319 43 25 3.50 .249 .309 .358
Wakefield 125 534.1 470 216 195 451 31 17 3.64 .235 .311 .368
Mussina 659.0 602 130 591 3.52 .243 .281 .381I included Pettitte because I think that New York will resign him, especially now that Schilling is in Boston.
Pettitte 543.2 595 123 441 3.82 .275 .314 .391
Weaver 588.1 639 163 377 4.41 .276 .328 .421
Leiber 373.1 379 53 235 3.76 .263 .286 .405
Contreras 71.0 52 30 72 3.30 .202 .297 .300
Ranking by 2001-03 Opponents' OPS
Pedro .563Contreras's big-league career is only 71 innings so far, so I left him off this list (if you're wondering, his OPS against last year was .597). Everyone else has pitched more than 370 innings over the last 3 seasons. Boston pitchers claim 4 of the top 5 spots.
Schilling .638
Mussina .662
Lowe .667
Wakefield .679
Leiber .693
Pettitte .705
Weaver .749
An excellent blog from a woman in Baghdad. ... Another Arnold Quote: "I am only going to make cuts to a certain point. I'm not going to cut dog food for blind people." Well, thank goodness.
Welcome to Boston, Mr. Schilling! The deal is done! According to ESPN: "It's expected that his extension will be for two more guaranteed years -- $12.5M in 2005 and $13M in 2006 -- with a vesting option for $13 million that will guarantee a third season in 2007 if he stays healthy." Jayson Stark adds 30 wonderful words: "The Red Sox sent a message to the Yankees in particular and to all of baseball that they are willing to do whatever it takes to win a world championship."
It has been a whirlwind day in the Nation. From last night to this evening, Schilling has spent perhaps four hours chatting with Red Sox fans on the internet, mostly in the Chat Room at Sons of Sam Horn (link at left). The Chat Room holds only 25 people and unfortunately, I wasn't one of them during his two visits. But I can say that team owner John Henry (also a SoSH poster!) logged on to give fans the good news at 5:48 pm: "[Curt] was just telling me about all of the e-mails, about the passion of our fans, about posting on the Sons of Sam Horn. So congratulations, SoSH, on helping to bring Curt Schilling to Boston!" ... I think I wore out my Refresh key this afternoon on the many SoSH threads.
So how long until Truck Day?
It has been a whirlwind day in the Nation. From last night to this evening, Schilling has spent perhaps four hours chatting with Red Sox fans on the internet, mostly in the Chat Room at Sons of Sam Horn (link at left). The Chat Room holds only 25 people and unfortunately, I wasn't one of them during his two visits. But I can say that team owner John Henry (also a SoSH poster!) logged on to give fans the good news at 5:48 pm: "[Curt] was just telling me about all of the e-mails, about the passion of our fans, about posting on the Sons of Sam Horn. So congratulations, SoSH, on helping to bring Curt Schilling to Boston!" ... I think I wore out my Refresh key this afternoon on the many SoSH threads.
So how long until Truck Day?
Deadline Extended. The Red Sox received a 24-hour extension and the Schilling deadline is now 5:00 pm Saturday.
Schilling's redsox.com post begins: "First off to any and all members of the media I would ask that if you are here, that this information remain here. ... it would be greatly appreciated if this post and its content remained on this site alone." So what does ESPN do? Copy it into a news story and post it on their site. Classy. And mediots still wonder why various players refuse to talk with them. ...
Schilling's redsox.com post begins: "First off to any and all members of the media I would ask that if you are here, that this information remain here. ... it would be greatly appreciated if this post and its content remained on this site alone." So what does ESPN do? Copy it into a news story and post it on their site. Classy. And mediots still wonder why various players refuse to talk with them. ...
2:30 pm? There were rumors of a Red Sox press conference for 2:30 this afternoon, but now people aren't so sure. Dirt Dog, however, is quite sure of Schilling's acceptance of a 3-year deal, with DONE DEAL in like 100-pt type on his website. ... Also, did Schilling really post on the redsox.com message board and in the SoSH Chat Room last night? GodSamGod says: "Someone brought up Bruce Hurst, and like literally three seconds later, he said, "I pitched my first game against Bruce Hurst." His next comment, which was a few seconds later, was, "My first four games went Hurst, Guidry, Hurst and Key. I went 0-3." A quick check on Retrosheet shows he's right." ... Hmmmm ...
November 27, 2003
Me, I'm Waiting So Patiently ... Red Sox GM Theo Epstein and CEO Larry Lucchino held "two sessions at Schilling's house. We made a proposal and meetings and/or conversations will continue through the holiday." Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, there will likely be no more meetings until Friday. Arizona GM Joe Garagiola Jr. thinks Schilling will wait until the end of the negotiating window (Friday at 5:00 pm) before announcing his decision. And while Terry Francona is expected to be named as manager early next week, one club source told the Herald there is a remote possibility that if Schilling turns the Sox down, Francona may not be the top choice anymore. Also, Lucchino spoke with Joe Maddon on Tuesday. Maddon: "He just wanted to talk to me. We had a lot of conversations about the theory and philosophy of baseball - he's a very interesting man." ... Wired reports on MLB's fight to retain "exclusive rights to transmit real-time information about its games online. ... The battle is being waged over what are commonly called gamecasts: real-time descriptions of baseball games, including who's batting, what pitches are thrown, the game situation and the outcome of each pitch." MLB claims these presentations are actually exhibitions of the game and thus is entitled to a license fee.
One day after the Taliban launched a rocket attack on Kabul's most prominent hotel and Mullah Omar (the Taliban's still at-large leader) "urged Afghans to unite against US-led foreign forces on their soil," George W. Bush said the US had "put the Taliban out of business forever." ... From an article co-written by Colleen Kelly, founder of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows: "We live in a county where crime scene investigation TV shows are all the rage. Yet, in one of the most serious crimes in this century, there has been no official rush to get all the facts. If a person was shot in front of the World Trade Center, there would be more of an urgent inquiry into that killing than was accorded the murder of thousands of people in broad daylight. ... Virtually all mainstream outlets have downplayed the issue, across the spectrum from right to left. We are not sure why."
One day after the Taliban launched a rocket attack on Kabul's most prominent hotel and Mullah Omar (the Taliban's still at-large leader) "urged Afghans to unite against US-led foreign forces on their soil," George W. Bush said the US had "put the Taliban out of business forever." ... From an article co-written by Colleen Kelly, founder of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows: "We live in a county where crime scene investigation TV shows are all the rage. Yet, in one of the most serious crimes in this century, there has been no official rush to get all the facts. If a person was shot in front of the World Trade Center, there would be more of an urgent inquiry into that killing than was accorded the murder of thousands of people in broad daylight. ... Virtually all mainstream outlets have downplayed the issue, across the spectrum from right to left. We are not sure why."
November 26, 2003
While Waiting For Curt's Decision. Only days after Max Cleland denounced the Bush Administration of having "deliberately compromised" the 9/11 Commission, George W. Bush appointed Cleland to serve on the board of the Import-Export Bank. Because he accepted the position, Cleland must now resign from the Commission. This is incredibly disturbing. Why would Cleland forfeit his place in an investigation whose integrity he has fought hard to protect? Did he want to get out because he believed the Commission had become a farce? It's impossible to say, but his previous comments sounded like someone who was, while understandably frustrated, willing to stay and fight. Frankly, everyone on the Commission should know that they are involved in a sham and a whitewash. At this point, it's simply a matter of whether that fact bothers them. ... And following up on the "agreement" that only two members of the Commission will actually see redacted copies of the President's Daily Briefings, one of those members will be Dr. Phillip Zelikow, the Commission's Executive Director, who has a huge conflict of interest, having recently served as a member of the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board and co-authored a book last year with National Security Advisor Condaleeza Rice.
"Before the press was herded into the giant hangar in advance of George W. Bush's pep rally/photo op with the Fort Carson troops, we were given the rules. No talking to the troops before the rally. No talking to the troops during the rally. No talking to the troops after the rally." ... "Ground Rule 9 for the media covering President Bush's presidential visit Monday sounded more like an edict from Beijing or a banana republic. "Write positive stories about Ft. Carson and the U.S. Army," [it] commanded."
The Guardian reports that more than 10,000 Iraq families have filed wrongful death suits against US soldiers who "shot dead or seriously wounded unarmed Iraqi civilians with no apparent cause." The military has paid out $1.5 million in claims so far, but "no American soldier has been prosecuted for illegally killing an Iraqi civilian and commanders refuse even to count the number of civilians killed or injured by their soldiers."
Bait & Switch. Arnold in August: "Now, does this mean we're going to make cuts? Yes. Does this mean education is on the table? No." Arnold on November 24: "The governor's cuts to the higher education system total $159 million." ... On October 3, 2003, George W. Bush said: "Free countries don't develop weapons of mass destruction". On November 24, 2003, he signed a $401,000,000,000 defense bill "that includes millions of dollars for a small nuclear bomb designed to destroy deep, hardened underground bunkers [and] repeals a decade-old ban on research into low-yield nuclear weapons."
"Before the press was herded into the giant hangar in advance of George W. Bush's pep rally/photo op with the Fort Carson troops, we were given the rules. No talking to the troops before the rally. No talking to the troops during the rally. No talking to the troops after the rally." ... "Ground Rule 9 for the media covering President Bush's presidential visit Monday sounded more like an edict from Beijing or a banana republic. "Write positive stories about Ft. Carson and the U.S. Army," [it] commanded."
The Guardian reports that more than 10,000 Iraq families have filed wrongful death suits against US soldiers who "shot dead or seriously wounded unarmed Iraqi civilians with no apparent cause." The military has paid out $1.5 million in claims so far, but "no American soldier has been prosecuted for illegally killing an Iraqi civilian and commanders refuse even to count the number of civilians killed or injured by their soldiers."
Bait & Switch. Arnold in August: "Now, does this mean we're going to make cuts? Yes. Does this mean education is on the table? No." Arnold on November 24: "The governor's cuts to the higher education system total $159 million." ... On October 3, 2003, George W. Bush said: "Free countries don't develop weapons of mass destruction". On November 24, 2003, he signed a $401,000,000,000 defense bill "that includes millions of dollars for a small nuclear bomb designed to destroy deep, hardened underground bunkers [and] repeals a decade-old ban on research into low-yield nuclear weapons."
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