From The Cheap Seats

From The Cheap Seats

SCHILL NEEDS DICE-K IN 2007

By D. H. Devlin February 23, 2007

Curt Schilling might not be getting a contract extension from the Red Sox before the end of the 2007 season, but he’s certainly giving his all in another area which just might be an attempt to help him return to his highly effective 2004 form.

The Red Sox staff ace is doing all he can to make Daisuke Matsuzaka feel at home with the Red Sox. He’s learning Japanese, joking around with the new addition to the pitching staff and proclaiming to the media that Matsuzaka is composed and has the mental makeup and pitching arsenal to become a staff ace. We might even start seeing Schilling start to share his video collection of American League hitters as well as his fabled in game notebooks with Matsuzaka. To the more casual of fans Schilling’s efforts towards Matsuzaka might seem nothing more than a team veteran and leader doing what’s expected of him and making a new teammate feel welcomed. But there is very likely a more complex and selfish reason for Schilling’s efforts towards Matsuzaka. Schilling will do all he can to make Dice-K comfortable, confident and ready to have a highly success first year in the Major League’s because the 40-year old veteran wants a challenger to battle him for the title of Red Sox staff ace!

That’s right; Curt Schilling a Red Sox post-season legend and borderline Hall of Fame pitcher is looking for competition within his own team’s starting rotation. You want some proof? In 2004 Schilling was traded to the Sox from Arizona. Almost immediately Schilling began talking about how he would be pushed to perform at a high level with the presence of Pedro Martinez. He responded with one of his best seasons going 21-6 with a 3.26 ERA. Prior to that Schilling was traded to Arizona from Philadelphia during the 2000 season. Although he struggled after the trade Schilling posted back-to-back 20 plus win seasons in 01 and 02. Schilling was constantly referring to teammate Randy Johnson as the main reason he performed at such a high level of effectiveness. He always talked about wanting to go out an either match or out-perform Johnson who also put up back-to-back 20 plus win seasons in Arizona at that time.

After the 2004 season in which Schilling helped the Sox to a World Series title he lost his built in motivation to perform at a high level. Martinez left the Red Sox in free agency for the New York Mets. Schilling was injured for a large part of the 2005, but the year probably would still have been a struggle for Schilling without Martinez around to drive him. Last season Schilling had probably hoped that newly acquired starting pitcher Josh Beckett was ready to turn a corner; start pitching at the high levels expected of him and help drive Schilling to another effective year of pitching. However, Beckett struggled in his first season in the American League and although Schilling won 15 games he never really reached the lofty goals he always sets for himself.

To get back on track as a dominant pitcher Schilling will be rooting hard from Matsuzaka to come out of the gate quickly and continue a high level of performance throughout the 2007 season. And it makes sense. Matsuzaka is going to be an enormous media and gate attraction not only in Fenway Park, but throughout the league. If he has a high level success on the mound, Schilling is going to do all he can to match the newcomer pitch for pitch. More than likely he will be making every effort to outperform the 26-year old and have that “Top that one kid!” twinkle in his eyes.

Some might say the Red Sox refusal to sign Schilling to a contract extension might be all the motivation he needs for 2007. But Schilling has never been a show me the money kinda guy. He acts as his own agent and is a great and passionate teammate, who wants everybody on the roster ready to go to war. Yep, Schilling wants Matsuzaka to step up and make this a competition for him this season. Because Curt Schilling knows he is at his very best when someone else in the rotation has a chance to be a better pitcher than he is. And as history has pointed out, that’s bad news for the team in the other dugout.

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A TRULY DAUNTING TASK

By D. H. Devlin February 19, 2007

He has yet to throw a single pitch to a major league batter yet new Boston Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka is clearly the premier attraction in Fort Myers. The media records his every move, his new teammates are constantly quizzed about their interactions with him, fans scream his name hoping for an autograph and shopkeepers can’t keep enough Matsuzaka merchandise on the shelves. The annual late to the party arrival of Many Ramirez will be a footnote of interest and barely last a few hours (if even that long). Matsuzaka will continually grab the spotlight for a variety of reasons and there looks to be no end to this circus atmosphere over the horizon.

Nobody can even begin to imagine the buzz that will take place once it is announced when Matsuzaka will throw his first pitch in a Grapefruit League game and who it will occur against. It will be a calendar marking event in Red Sox Nation as will it be in many other baseball circles. The moment will be recorded by all of the major national media as well as the hordes of Japanese reporters and cameramen expected to attend the event. It will be treated like it was a Hollywood Premiere, spanning the globe and maybe beyond. Da, da da! Da, da, da! “Tonight on Sportscenter, Dice-K takes the mound for the Red Sox. Did the gyro-ball from the Land of The Rising Sun make a good first impression? We’ve got extensive coverage of this one-inning affair!” Talking heads, columnists and those “faces made for radio” hosts will be in rare form breaking down every pitch Matsuzaka throws the first time out. Regardless of the success, struggle or disappointment that first outing will generate it will be headline news.

And this hype will take place in an exhibition game!!

The regular season will be an even bigger stage ripe with a World Series atmosphere every time he takes the mound. Fenway Park will be friendly for the most part with the fans cheering passionately with a few Japanese flags being waved around. But his starting assignments on the road will be monumental tasks taking place in packed houses, filled with fans who will be looking to do their part to help the home team make Matsuzaka look like a mere mortal rather than the super being he’s reported to be.

How’s that for pressure?

Matsuzaka claims he feels no pressure from all of the attention and expectations that surround him. He simply says he feels some “responsibility” due to the size of his new paycheck. Of course he has more than a few things to distract him. He needs to overcome a language barrier, adjust to a new culture and make his family as comfortable as possible in a strange land while he’s out trying to live up to the expectations set before him. Wait a minute… Those things bring a degree of pressure also! Or do they bring a greater sense of responsibility? Oh, and he carries the hopes and dreams of his fellow countrymen who consider him a National Treasure and hope a Japanese pitcher can succeed at a high level in Major League baseball.

My goodness! Can the pressure be more intense for this guy?

I hope everyone understands what is about to take place. We are all going to be witnesses to what will be one of the most daunting seasons a professional athlete has ever faced. Although baseball is truly a team sport Matsuzaka stands alone in a sea of expectations. He’s a lone warrior about to take on his most daunting task!

I can’t wait to see how it all plays out.

THE FUTURE BETTER BE NOW

By D. H. Devlin January 25, 2007

When a potential trade between two teams is derailed the reason why is rarely articulated clearly or accurately to the paying public. Instead fans have to dig through a number of media reports to arrive at a preferred reason as to why the transaction did not take place. Such is the case in the aborted Todd Helton to Boston deal which was pronounced dead on Monday evening by both the Red Sox and Colorado Rockies.

One publication stated Colorado would not pick up a large enough portion of the remaining money on Helton’s rather expensive contract (Link). Another stated Colorado was willing to pick up a large portion of the remaining money, but Boston would not part with a top tier prospect or young arm (Link). Yet another report, on Monday (Link) speculated the deal would fall apart because the Red Sox front office was again involved in a power struggle between the general manager and team president. We may never know what version is true except to say both teams felt the other was being unreasonable.

However, there was a recurring theme in each report. While that theme might not automatically nail down an accurate reason as to why Helton is not flying to Boston for an introductory press conference it could very well surface in a less than positive fashion for Boston this season.

The names of several top young Red Sox pitchers or prospects appeared in almost every publication covering the failed trade attempt. Colorado wanted one or two of them and Boston had no interest in dealing any away. The Red Sox have apparently moved back into the position that they are not going to be trading away any of their prized young players unless they are bowled over in a deal. In this case it looks as if Colorado would have had to pick up almost half of Helton’s remaining $90 million in his contract to bowl over the Red Sox. Some fans agree with this line of thinking and others have little use for the future holding up the process of obtaining an established star like Helton.

You have to wonder how this line of thinking by the front office will play out and for how long. We all saw Hanley Ramirez go from untouchable to trade bait along with Anibal Sanchez in the Josh Beckett deal. Both players had successful seasons for the Florida Marlins last year. And let’s not forget how well Clay Meredith pitched for the post-season qualifying San Diego Padres after being traded for Doug Mirabelli, also this past season. While the jury is still out on whether or not those young players will have long successful careers the Red Sox front office may feel a little snake bitten. Yet the opposite effect could take place in 2007, and what happens then?

You have to figure that relief pitchers Manny Delcarmen and Craig Hansen had better bring their best efforts forward when the regular season begins. Both players were mentioned on a regular basis as possible compensation for Helton and neither has set the world on fire after being projected rather highly by the Red Sox. If either or both pitchers continue to struggle and Helton returns to knocking the cover off of the ball..; well, let’s just say Red Sox Nation isn’t going to be cheering general manager Theo Epstein for his decision to start holding onto all of his prized prospects so tightly again.

For all of the highly thought of talent the Red Sox keep saying they have in their farm system, only Jonathan Papelbon has actually produced at a high level in the majors for the team. As a matter of fact, Papelbon has been the only Red Sox prospect to have any type of success on the major league level for Boston in Epstein’s 50 months as the general manager.

Hansen and Delcarmen will again have the opportunity to show they are worthy of the high praise they received as minor leaguers along with Epstein’s “untouchable” tag in recent trade talks with Colorado. Dustin Pedroia will certainly be given every opportunity to be the everyday second baseman and everybody believes centerfield prospect Jacoby Ellsbury is not far from an appearance in Fenway Park. Hey, let’s throw Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and Daniel Bard into that mix of players. They were all mentioned in published reports of the failed Colorado discussions.

I think it’s it fair to say that the farm system had better start producing major league contributors in the near future. And that time had better be starting in 2007. If not, the failed Todd Helton trade talks could look as if they were just another case of the Red Sox not knowing when to hold or fold on their prospects. And nobody in Red Sox Nation will be talking about how bright the future looks then.

IT'S BACK TO THE PAST FOR ME

By D. H. Devlin January 25, 2007

I wish I could go back in time to the evening of October 17, 2003 and stay there for a moment. For it was on that very night I was warned of impending change that was to occur to me as well as to other members of Red Sox Nation. On that night I was told by a very close friend to be careful of what I wished for. And now, I wish I could go back and carefully examine the words of wisdom that were passed onto me.

October 17, 2003 was one day after the Red Sox fell to the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. One night after manager Grady Little left ace pitcher Pedro Martinez in an inning too long and one night after Aaron “Freaking” Boone ended the Red Sox hopes of a trip to the World Series with one swing of his bat in the bottom of the 11^th inning against Tim Wakefield. The pain, anger and disappointment still flowed through every inch of my body. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. All I wanted to do was stay inside my home and wallow in my sorrows. Yet, as I had for many years after the Red Sox fell short of their goal of winning a World Series title I proclaimed that next season would finally be the year they would get the job done.

I made this proclamation to a life long friend of mine who always was there to pick up the pieces for me and listen to my eternal hope for this cursed team. He made a phone call to me on October 17^th. He is not a Red Sox fan. He like most of my friends here in Pennsylvania are Phillies fans. I am the odd man out in our group of friends. However, he has always been there for me when the bottom dropped out on the Red Sox. He was there for me in 1975, 1978 and 1986. He was also there for other failed Red Sox runs to glory that didn’t carry a soap opera finish. As has been the case in previous years my friend just listened and allowed me to vent away all my anger and frustration. After I worked through those issues I uttered “They are going to win it all in 2004”.

I was expecting his reply to that comment to be rather usual. He would say “Well, if they come up with a player or two in the off-season they could very well do that.” However, I got an unusual response on this occasion. “You better be careful of what you wish for,” said my good friend. “If they win it all next year things are going to change for you and the rest of the Red Sox fans.”

I was shocked and puzzled by his response. He went on to state that I along with every other Red Sox fan didn’t realize how good we had it as loveable losers and that a World Series title would strip us of the real passion we had for our team. “I’m not saying you guys are not going to love a World Series win,” he said. “You will, but all that great feeling of anticipation will disappear and be replaced by expectations that will make it real hard for you to enjoy this team like you do now.”

Obviously, I laughed at his comments. How would he know how I’d feel after the Red Sox won a World Series? I had been waiting since 1975 for this to happen and there were many others who had waited longer than that and had suffered through much more than I had. I wasn’t going to not like the Red Sox less if they finally won a title. “I’m not saying you’ll like them less,” my friend stated. “I’m saying it’s going to be different. Mark my words; it’s going to be different. You’d be very wise to just start accepting that.” From there the conversation moved onto other topics of discussion.

As we all know the dream of a World Series title became a reality in 2004. Collectively we danced in the streets and rejoiced. We rubbed it in to Yankee fans and realized that we would never again have to hear about the “Curse of The Bambino” or listen to chants of “1918!!” All was good in the world and my bond with the Red Sox wasn’t broken when the final out was made. Different? Yeah, it sure was different. That year I didn’t need my friend to listen to my sorrows. How could that be a bad thing?

The entire off-season following that championship run was beyond a celebration. It seemed the entire world rejoiced in the Red Sox triumph after 86 years of misery. Members and officials of the team were everywhere. They were on the covers of every major magazine, appearing on television shows, making guest appearances at functions across the United States and treated as heroes for their efforts. And did anyone ever get tired of that World Series Trophy world tour? It was almost a 24/7 party and nobody was tired of the celebration.

Alas, all parties come to and end. It was time for the Red Sox to get back to the business of baseball and most importantly, getting back to the business of winning more World Series titles. There was no reason the party and good feelings shouldn’t keep on going in 2005.

But then something funny began happening to me. I always took Red Sox losses to heart during the regular season and rejoiced in any victory. Seemingly I was doing the same thing as the regular season began, but something was different. When the Red Sox lost I was really pissed. I was making comments about how a loss in April was really going to cost the Red Sox down the road. I was screaming for anyone and everyone’s head and demanding the front office trade away the whole team. When they won, I was finding fault in their performance. I wasn’t happy with a late game win; I was jawing about how someone left runners on first and third with two outs in the third inning and how that would have triggered a blowout win! “We can’t make anything easy,” I’d shout. I knew this was strange behavior for me, but I just laughed it off or ignored it However, that feeling has stayed with me. The Red Sox fell short in 2005 in the first round of the playoffs and unthinkably they didn’t make the post-season in 06. They fell well short of my expectations!

To make matters worse I noticed I had more than a few new people to share in my rage about the team. There is no shortage of people to engage in conversation on how poorly the Red Sox are doing. From 1975 up to the turn of the century I was one of a handful of people in my hometown to have a Red Sox cap on my head. Now, they are everywhere. Along with Red Sox jackets, t-shirts and those annoying Red Sox car flags. Who are these people and why am I behaving like an idiot?

And then it hit me. My friend; my good friend was right. It is different being a Red Sox fan now. That World Series title in 2004 turned me into nothing more than a common, impatient, greedy Red Sox fan. You don’t even have to put “Red Sox” fan into that statement. You could add any MLB team in place of the Red Sox. That’s what I’ve become. I’m nothing more than a baseball fan; a baseball fan with high expectations for my team.

Before 2004 I proclaimed things like “All I want is to see the Red Sox win it one time. I don’t care if they ever win another. I just want to see them win it ONE TIME!!” And now..? Now I freak out at the first sign of trouble. I truly freak out! What’s happening to me? I use to just have hope the Red Sox would do well.

Well, it’s going to stop right here and now. I’m going back to October 17, 2003. Let me explain this for a second. No, I haven’t been able to figure out how to manipulate the space/time continuum or build a flux capacitor. Rather I’m going back to being the kind of Red Sox fan I was before the 2004 title. I know I won’t be rooting for the first title in 86 years, but I’m no longer going to have expectations for them. I’m simply going to have hope they do well. I’ll cheer when they do well and feel bad when they don’t. But I won’t give up hope or replace it with expectations. What has been written above is in no way an attempt to tell Red Sox fans how to root for the team. No, it’s just an exercise in self-realization. I liked the Red Sox more on October 17, 2003. I liked them more because I had hope that they could win it all in 2004. Since then I’ve expected victory. Not anymore. I’m a Red Sox fan and all that means is I have hope every year that they are going to climb the mountain successfully. Never again will I expect it. For me the journey will be much more fun, win or lose.