More Wily Moments

Trot Nixon is Seeing Dollar Signs as
Arroyo May Be a Better Option in Right
Papi Hits No. 53, but Big Picture is Ugly, 13-4

Snyder Unremarkable This Time Around
Wrong Place, Wrong Time: That's Just Youk Being Youk in Left
File Under Yikes: Gabbard, Delcarmen, DiNardo, Burns
Imagine Holding Tickets for the Final Week at Fenway?

"It feels good. You're talking about a guy that did everything in the game. When your name is up there with those guys, it tells you you're doing your thing." -- 9.24.06, David Ortiz talking about tying Babe Ruth's AL record for home runs on the road

Adding Insult to 'Injury'

After Quitting on the '06 Sox Down the Stretch
Iron Manny Tells His Agent He Wants Out of Boston Again

Edes: Time to Close Curtain on This Act
A Matter of Fact: Gordon Tells Blind Lemming Fanboys and
a Look-the-Other-Way Apathetic Red Sox Management
What They Don't Want to Hear About Mail-It-In-Manny

"Do you suppose that 20 years from now, Ramírez will feel even the slightest bit of remorse for the way he quit on his Red Sox teammates in 2006, refusing to honor the code that is an article of faith for Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell, Curt Schilling and Coco Crisp, Trot Nixon and Alex Gonzalez, and Mark Loretta -- even the now-departed fat man, David Wells -- that you do all within your power to play hurt...

"Barring a midlife conversion experience, I doubt it.While the Red Sox crumbled when Ramírez went on hiatus -- last night was the 22d game out of 30 Ramírez has missed since taking himself out of the last game of the Yankee massacre Aug. 21, during which he has been paid $1.918 million (calculated on his base salary of $15 million this season) -- he had the audacity this week, through agent Greg Genske, to reiterate to the Red Sox his desire to be traded this winter...

"So why hasn't anyone called out Ramírez? Sox management, bedazzled by his performance when he does play and afraid they'll lose him forever if they do raise objections to his behavior (see Tampa Bay last July), instead cover for him, and in so doing diminish Francona every time he does so, compromising principles that have guided him through a lifetime in baseball. His teammates? You have to distinguish what is said about him publicly and to him behind closed doors. There have been teammates who have challenged Ramírez in the clubhouse, and his response has been studied indifference. As one player told me, what's the point of calling him out publicly? What would get accomplished? Embarrass him? Please." -- 9.23.06, Gordon Edes, Boston Globe

Coffin Meet Nail

Sox Officially Elimated from Playoffs
But It's Been Over Since July 31

Starter Tryouts Continue: Devern Hansack Gets the Loss This Time
Home Run on the Road: Congratulations Dustin Pedroia
Embarrassed by Edes? Iron Manny Comes Up in a Pinch
Apparently Dr. Tavarez Doesn't Know Jack Welch About Manny

Playing Out the String Theory

You have to ask yourself why you're still turning on NESN (or MLB.com) to watch the Red Sox. David Ortiz has assured that Jimmy Foxx's record has left the building, and the battle for second place in the AL East has all the intensity of watching your lawn grow. So why tune in? Because you're part of the Matt Clement watch? Because you can't get enough Bobblehead and brown tee-shirt talk from Don and Jerry?

Play the kids the rest of the way. Can David Murphy generate enough to become a fourth outfielder? Would looking at Brandon Moss (Eastern League playoff MVP) be such a bad thing?

Playing out the season leads into the Hot Stove League, and the Red Sox have plenty of work to do. An author in the Red Sox newsgroup noted that the Red Sox have only three players with above average OPS, Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, and Kevin Youkilis, with Wily Mo Pena qualifying with limited at bats. Conversely, the AL East Champion had seven. And all media people can talk about is jettisoning Ramirez. His disappearing act down the stretch has been a non-factor. More...