Just Another Day in Baseball…

March 12, 2009

A Bad Day at Black Rock

 

Nick Swisher is definitely the man who gets no respect. 

 

 

Well, perhaps some of it might be self-deserved…

 

First, I pull open the box score for the Yankees’ 7-4 loss to  the Detroit Tigers, and Swisher’s 0-for-3 line reflected 6 men left on base and a current spring batting average of .111. 

 

Then, I was reading Mark Feinsand’s Blogging the Bombers on the New York Daily News website.  In his blog, Mark credited Swisher with the “line of the day”.  

 

When Swisher entered the clubhouse after the game, there was a Mexican-themed spread.  Swisher yelled out to one of the attendants:  “Give me some of those burritos – I need to feed the village of people I left on base!”

 

Finally, I read Jon Heyman’s Daily Scoop on Si.com and found another Swish reference.  The article, about White Sox GM Ken Williams, mentioned Swisher’s .219 batting average last year with the White Sox.  According to an unnamed White Sox source, “We would have traded Swisher for a bag of balls.”  

 

 

Reuters Pictures

 

It definitely was not a good day for the “Work Hard-Play Hard” man…

 

Well, at least he got a RBI on a sac fly!  The day wasn’t a complete loss!  😉

 

Papelbon said what?

 

I was surprised to read the comments Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon had to say about Manny Ramirez.

 

 

There is no question that Manny quit on his Boston teammates, and his exit was arguably one of the worst ever.  However, there is still a code among ballplayers.  So, for Papelbon to go public with his thoughts, shows how deep the pain was with the team.

 

Among Papelbon’s quotes:

 

• “It just takes one guy to bring an entire team down, and that’s exactly what was happening.”
• “…It’s like cancer.  That’s what he was.  Cancer.  He had to go…”
• “He was on a different train!”
• “So Manny was tough for us…”
• “…And for him not be on the same page as the rest of the team was a killer, man!”
• “It takes 25 guys on a team to win, not 24, and that was blatantly obvious.”

 

Papelbon’s comments appear in the April issue of Esquire magazine.

 

At this point, there is no good that can come out of Papelbon’s comments.  Everyone knows that Manny had to go.  I realize that Papelbon is simply an outspoken guy (didn’t he make comments at last year’s All-Star Game that he should close over Mariano Rivera in the House That Ruth Built?).  

 

As an observer from afar, I think Manny was the toughest on Manager Terry Francona (a guy who deserves much better).  Yet, Francona has taken the high road and not publicly trashed Manny when he has every reason and right to do so.  That’s certainly a quality that I respect about Francona. 

 

I don’t disagree with Papelbon’s comments; I just think he should have kept them to himself…

 

Will Julia Rant or Acquiesce?

 

Tomorrow (Friday) is Round One of my wager with Julia of Julia’s Rants.  

 

The Yankees face the Boston Red Sox at City of Palms Park at 7:05 pm ET.  

 

If I read one of Julia’s posts correctly, announcer Jerry Remy, who has been ill, is expected back for the game.  David Ortiz and Jason Bay are also back from the WBC thanks to their teams’ respective losses.  Ortiz will DH and Bay will play left field according to Manager Terry Francona.

 

 

The bet – if the Yankees win, Julia will have to write a positive post about a Yankees player.  I gave her the latitude of players past or present.  For me, I’ve said that if Boston wins, I will write a positive post about a Red Sox player for each run determined by the margin of victory.  For example, if the Red Sox win 7-4, the margin of victory is 3 runs so I’d have to write three consecutive positive posts about different Red Sox players.

 

Needless to say, I am really hoping that I don’t have to do any Red Sox research.  Well, on the bright side, I do know about Pete Runnels…thanks to Julia’s latest blog!

 

 

May the best team, um Yankees, win!  

Written by Fid Posted in Dailies Tagged with Jonathan Papelbon, Julia's Rants, Manny Ramirez, Nick Swisher, Red Sox, Yankees