..And with the way the Boston ownership is treating Francona and Epstein, they've earned another 86 year drought.

/Yankee fan

AtticusFinchEsq

And their next manager committed suicide.

I had hoped Henry & co. could turn the team around, and they did a great job for eight years, but the way they handle defeat is nothing short of disgusting. There was no reason to smear Francona like they did, and I'm frankly horrified to see that story leaked. I can't blame Papi for wanting out of this drama. We were one game out of a playoff spot and now everything's blowing up, and ownership's to blame.

What an awful way to go into Fenway's centennial season. Even if we can attract free agents to this mess (and at least the Sox have deep pockets), even if we win, there'll be a huge cloud hanging over the team next year.

AtticusFinchEsq: Seven years later, the Boston ownership fired manager Jimmy Collins, concocted a story about him "engaging in nefarious fornication with a colored woman," and it all descended into a report by the Boston Globe that a certain member of the Americans' waitstaff was "unchaste and likely unclean."

TRADITION!

/win

During the games, were any of the starting pitchers in the clubhouse drinking ale, eating fried oysters & watching the nickleodeon?

Was the manager rumored to be addicted to laudanum?

After failing to make the play-offs Boston fans scramble for reasons to discuss the Red Sox.

notmtwain

Providence is close enough. It almost counts. Heck, the P-Bruins play there and the Pawsox in the next town over.

Wow, the season really was shorter back then. Now we're talking about extending the playoffs further into November. If the Twins go deep in that scenario they might be able to have a snowman play left field...

Is it any surprise that it was against the Pirates...

GimpyNip: Hell, they offered Damon a bullshiat contract that was way below market and then acted like he was a traitor.

I'm glad someone up there realizes it. Nobody can just leave the Red Sox without being cast as some sort of villain.

Pitchers of beer.

Yanks_RSJ: GimpyNip: Hell, they offered Damon a bullshiat contract that was way below market and then acted like he was a traitor.

I'm glad someone up there realizes it. Nobody can just leave the Red Sox without being cast as some sort of villain.

You can if you don't go to the Yankees. Pedro was welcomed back with open arms.

108 years later, baseball still boring.

GimpyNip: Homers are retarded. 'Oh, I'd leave 15$ million on the table to play fah tha sawx!' yet this same asshole wouldn't leave 50 cents on a scratch ticket. What's even more amusing is that the Sox bought Damon from the A's. It's not like he was farm team or even a local guy.

Yeah I never understood that. They had NO problem when Damon bolted Oakland for a long-term deal in Boston. He played his guts out for the team that ended an 86-year championship drought. Then, like any player would, he took a MUCH better offer to go play somewhere else.

He didn't owe them anything, but because he signed with the "MFY" he's a traitor.

Tim Wakefield had a little more zip on his fastball then, too.

Wadded Beef: Tim Wakefield had a little more zip on his fastball then, too.

Zing!

/well played

Primitive Screwhead: Wadded Beef: Tim Wakefield had a little more zip on his fastball then, too.

Zing!

/well played

Hell, in 1908, he was still an outfielder for the Pirates!

/older than Wakefield

jackiepaper: AtticusFinchEsq: Yanks_RSJ: He didn't owe them anything, but because he signed with the "MFY" he's a traitor.

For the record, I am not in the "Boo Damon" camp, and think he deserves a warm round of applause whenever he returns to the Fens. However, Damon himself was pretty outspoken during his tenure about never going to the Yankees, and I think that riles up some people.

People who don't understand the business end of the game, mind you, but people nonetheless.

cf: Giants fans and Juan Uribe. Uribe was instrumental in the Giants winning the title, but when he went to the Doyers for 3 yrs/$22M, we were all like "well, bye." The only reason we boo him now is because he's just another one of the 25 guys wearing that god-awful blue uniform.

And the Giants fans did give him a good round of applause when the Dodgers came for their first series here this year when they presented him with his ring. (As opposed to Dodgers fans, who celebrated the first series this year in LA by beating an EMT within inches of his life...)

AtticusFinchEsq: Yanks_RSJ: He didn't owe them anything, but because he signed with the "MFY" he's a traitor.

For the record, I am not in the "Boo Damon" camp, and think he deserves a warm round of applause whenever he returns to the Fens. However, Damon himself was pretty outspoken during his tenure about never going to the Yankees, and I think that riles up some people.

People who don't understand the business end of the game, mind you, but people nonetheless.

The Red Sox are the only fanbase that actually asks this question of its players.

While playing for the Sox, it's easy to say "Of course not" when asked-- it placates the stupider faction of Sox fans who don't understand that baseball is a business.

Wise_Guy: The Red Sox are the only fanbase that actually asks this question of its players.

While playing for the Sox, it's easy to say "Of course not" when asked-- it placates the stupider faction of Sox fans who don't understand that baseball is a business.

Yeah, I'm wondering how they would have responded if he'd said, "well sure, if they offer me a contract worth $12 million more than the Red Sox, I'd have to be an idiot not to take it."

"Fack you, Jawnnny you Yankee-lovin cawksuckah!" is my guess.

Wise_Guy: AtticusFinchEsq: Yanks_RSJ: He didn't owe them anything, but because he signed with the "MFY" he's a traitor.

For the record, I am not in the "Boo Damon" camp, and think he deserves a warm round of applause whenever he returns to the Fens. However, Damon himself was pretty outspoken during his tenure about never going to the Yankees, and I think that riles up some people.

People who don't understand the business end of the game, mind you, but people nonetheless.

The Red Sox are the only fanbase that actually asks this question of its players.

While playing for the Sox, it's easy to say "Of course not" when asked-- it placates the stupider faction of Sox fans who don't understand that baseball is a business.

I'm all for a player going where the money is best. At the end of the day that's all that matters. The fans aren't going to be paying your bills and taking care of your kids and grandkids after you're gone. Having said that, it just makes him seem like a huge douche to say "I'll never play for the Yankees!" and then go and sign with the Yankees. Try to have at least some integrity and speak the truth.

I've been a Red Sox fan my entire life. If someone asked me if I'd ever play for the Yankees I'd say, "If they offered me enough money, fark yeah I would."

PonchoNeilio: Wow, the season really was shorter back then. Now we're talking about extending the playoffs further into November. If the Twins go deep in that scenario they might be able to have a snowman play left field...

Memorial Day through Labor Day would be enough for me.

Small world ...

Mattyb710: Wise_Guy: AtticusFinchEsq: Yanks_RSJ: He didn't owe them anything, but because he signed with the "MFY" he's a traitor.

For the record, I am not in the "Boo Damon" camp, and think he deserves a warm round of applause whenever he returns to the Fens. However, Damon himself was pretty outspoken during his tenure about never going to the Yankees, and I think that riles up some people.

People who don't understand the business end of the game, mind you, but people nonetheless.

The Red Sox are the only fanbase that actually asks this question of its players.

While playing for the Sox, it's easy to say "Of course not" when asked-- it placates the stupider faction of Sox fans who don't understand that baseball is a business.

I'm all for a player going where the money is best. At the end of the day that's all that matters. The fans aren't going to be paying your bills and taking care of your kids and grandkids after you're gone. Having said that, it just makes him seem like a huge douche to say "I'll never play for the Yankees!" and then go and sign with the Yankees. Try to have at least some integrity and speak the truth.

I've been a Red Sox fan my entire life. If someone asked me if I'd ever play for the Yankees I'd say, "If they offered me enough money, fark yeah I would."

It's a stupid question to ask. Only Red Sox fans ask that of their players and only about the Yankees.

...and 103 years ago the Cubs won the World Series....their LAST one it seems.

/5 generations since a WS win...wow!

DalaiLamaDingDong: 108 years later, baseball still boring.

It should be replaced by dodgeball.


Yeah, I said it.

Wise_Guy: It's a stupid question to ask. Only Red Sox fans ask that of their players and only about the Yankees.

So because it's a stupid question to ask that means it's ok to answer it with a lie?
I'm not trying to strawman, I really don't understand your position.
I never said it wasn't a stupid question. I said answering it honestly would show some integrity.

Good answer: "I have no idea where the future will take me, but I'm wearing a Red Sox uniform right now and I am fully dedicated to this team. I'm just focusing on doing my part to help us win a championship....taking it one game at a time."

Douche answer: "I'll never play for ! Never!" signs with next year

I still can't believe Sam Leever hurt his shoulder while trap shooting. Totally changed the Series and cost me big time.

Mattyb710: So because it's a stupid question to ask that means it's ok to answer it with a lie?
I'm not trying to strawman, I really don't understand your position.
I never said it wasn't a stupid question. I said answering it honestly would show some integrity.

Good answer: "I have no idea where the future will take me, but I'm wearing a Red Sox uniform right now and I am fully dedicated to this team. I'm just focusing on doing my part to help us win a championship....taking it one game at a time."

Next day's headline: "Damon leaves door open for move to Yankees!"

You obviously don't understand how the sports media feeding frenzy works. Sometimes little white lies help prevent it. If you want to call him a "liar" for diffusing that stupid firestorm, go right ahead. He's obviously much more media savvy than you are.

Yanks_RSJ: Next day's headline: "Damon leaves door open for move to Yankees!"

You obviously don't understand how the sports media feeding frenzy works. Sometimes little white lies help prevent it. If you want to call him a "liar" for diffusing that stupid firestorm, go right ahead. He's obviously much more media savvy than you are.

Why are you putting the word liar in quotations? Are you trying to insinuate that even though he lied it wasn't really a lie? Are you a republican too?
Your point about him being media savvy is pretty ridiculous since there was a "stupid firestorm" when he signed with the Yankees.

You can't control what questions people will ask you, you can only control your answers. You can't control what the headlines will say about you tomorrow, you can only speak the truth, and use that as your shield when the bullshiat headlines hit the papers.

Mattyb710: You can't control what the headlines will say about you tomorrow, you can only speak the truth, and use that as your shield when the bullshiat headlines hit the papers.

The questions WOULD NEVER STOP. Do you get that? Do you like getting harassed every day of your life about nonsense? Would you prefer a simpler solution that ultimately harms nobody? Sorry your feelings were hurt.

Agree to disagree on this one, since your mind is made up anyway. Nobody is EVER allowed to change their mind as circumstances change, and should be forced to adhere to every statement they've ever made as if it was decreed on high.