I couldn’t believe Boston’s sports talk radio WEEI as they rambled on about why the Red Sox would not make the playoffs.
Some valid points were made by these armchair athletes/Monday morning quarterbacks. With two 20 game winners in Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe, how could the Sox not make the post season? And, with Nomar Garciaparra, Manny Ramirez and Cliff Floyd in the middle of the lineup, how could the Sox not slug their way to more victories?
These were all logical questions, then came the illogical, moronic, and downright stupid answers.
The hosts said, “Pedro should take a more active role in the clubhouse,” and “Nomar is a great silent leader, but we need a more vocal leader.”
“Manny doesn’t care at all,” and “Grady Little never should have been made manager.”
Finally came the dumbest thing ever.
“If we [the Red Sox management] spend all this money on players, why can’t we get a guy like Miguel Tejada? The Red Sox have to entertain options for trading Nomar this off season.”
If one was driving in the Boston area and was bored and wanted to listen to something funny, they should have turned to WEEI to see what these supposedly intelligent sports fans would say next.
Having the best pitcher in the American League in Pedro Martinez isn’t good enough? What else does he have to do to please you?
Nomar isn’t the kind of leader we need? What more do you want out of this possible future Hall of Famer and hero to every Little League boy in the Red Sox nation?
Manny doesn’t care? The guy’s batting .344 with 33 home runs, plus he’s been battling a hand injury for half of the year.
Grady isn’t a good manager? The Sox are 21 games over .500 and if Oakland and Anaheim didn’t have incredibly great years, the Sox would be on the front lines of the Wild Card race, poised to make the post season.
Trade Nomar for Tejada? First of all, neither club would ever do it because both players are key in the chemistry of their own clubs. Second, even though Nomar isn’t batting well over .350 as he has done many times in the past, he is still putting up Hall of Fame numbers as a short stop.
So the real issue on WEEI and throughout the Red Sox nation is that Sox fans would rather complain about the teams problems instead of focuse on all the postitives for this year.
Complaining about the Sox is even more popular on WEEI than talking about the reigning SuperBowl Champions, the New England Patriots.
The Pats are 2-0 and the hottest team in the NFL, yet still they do not get top sports attention in Boston, even now! I want to hear more about Tom Brady and Willie McGinest, not Jason Varitek’s nine home runs and El Guapo’s bullpen collapse back in May.
So stop complaining, Red Sox fans. It was another great and exciting year, but sometimes you just come up a bit short. Put the Sox out of your mind this fall and watch the NFL’s great team play in the NFL’s newest and best stadium. As always with the Sox, wait till next year.