Random Baseball Stuff

I’ve spent most of today doing research for a longer piece I’m going to write when it hit me I didn’t write anything yesterday. I’m hoping to stop the alternate day posts and get back to posting every day…so here we go!

* Tony LaRussa announced today that he’s retiring.  I have absolutely nothing good to say about Tony LaRussa so I’ll just say goodbye.

* If Terry Francona became the manager for the Cardinals, I wouldn’t mind terribly.  I’m hoping when he does eventually get a job it’s with the national league.  (And given the Cardinals hiring practices, the hatchet job Tito got in October shouldn’t hinder his ability to get a job with them.)

*  I’m still very bitter that Mark McGwire will have a World Series ring

(I hadn’t intended this to be all about how much I dislike the Cardinals but they make it very easy.  I’m happy for their fans, who seem like a decent group, but that’s about it.)

*  Derek Lowe has reportedly been traded to the Cleveland Indians.  He was never one of the “25” that I expected to last this long. What do I know? The sad part of the trade is that the Braves are getting a single A player and $5 million toward the $15 million left on his contract.  Ouch.

*  The Red Sox picked up Marco Scutaro’s option which means that we will hopefully have another Jed Lowrie v Marco Scutaro competition for starting shortstop. As long as no one gets hurt, I’m good with that.

* Every Halloween I’m reminded of the Halloween that I sat at work and read that the Red Sox had come to an agreement with Theo Epstein only to get on the bus and come home to people on my street stopping me to ask if I had heard that Theo left the team.  It made for a miserable holiday.  No such drama today but we do have the free agent questions looming.  (The only one I’ve given much thought to is Jonathan Papelbon. I think he’ll test the market and eventually sign with the Red Sox.  Then again, I’m an optimist.) The Red Sox have until Thursday to negotiate with their free agents before they are officially on the market.  Could be an interesting week.

There are just over (or just under) 100 days until Truck Day.  That’s a long time to deal with the Hot Stove.