Mark Loretta, baby!

Mark Loretta was on a ‘webcast’ with Dan Roche earlier this month and pieces of it was aired on Red Sox this Week last night.  The only part they showed on television was what he said about Manny.  You can watch the entire episode here.  But I thought it would be cool to print some highlights

He spoke very highly of Mike Lowell and is convinced Lowell will be at third in Boston in 2007.  He’s not so sure about himself, although he does want to come back.  I want him back too.  I just don’t see the problem.  He’s good defensively, he’s good offensively…so what if he’s 35 years old?  I want him there a heck of a lot more than I do Dustin Pedroia right now.  But, as usual, I digress.

He spoke of how much he enjoyed playing in Boston this year. "The fan base is second to none." (Hey, thanks Mark!) He also feels like he has ‘unfinished business’ and he wants to come back and finish it.

He also said he spoke with Theo and Theo has different ‘scenarios’, some of which involve him and some that don’t.  He seems pretty convinced that all will work out whether or not he comes back.

About Manny…he came right out and said we needed him in that lineup.  And he was disappointed that Manny wasn’t there at the end. He also added that people have different levels of pain tolerance and he summed up Manny in a way I’ve never heard any one else sum him up:

"Some people need to feel 80, 90, 100% in order to feel like they can compete and be as successful as they are. And Manny plays at such a high level that if he feels that he can’t go out there and play at that high, high level, I think maybe he doesn’t realize that even having him at 60 or 70% is 50% better than the majority of the hitters that we could run out there.  I think that’s maybe something that he doesn’t grasp as well as some other players might"

This is such an interesting description of Manny.  I think Mark has a really good grasp on it.  And, once again, this ‘interview’ shows Mark to be a classy, good-natured guy.  I truly hope he’s still with the team in February.  Dang, that seems like such a long time away.

(screen grabs taken by me)