I’ve had enough time to prepare for my debut on WEEI.com, but I didn’t. I didn’t prepare at all. Really didn’t think I needed to. Heck, I’ve been blogging about the Red Sox for almost four years and I never prepare, I just write. So I figured that, when the time came, I’d be fine. Just start typing and something will come. Of course, I didn’t take into consideration that “the time” would come during the off-season. A time when I, generally, am lazy about blogging. Where I blog every day (sometimes two or three times a day) during the season, I usually blog every other day during the off-season. It wasn’t until I got word today that the blog is finally moving to the new digs, that it hit me I should have a plan for, at the very least, my inaugural post here.
Great. What the hell am I going to write about? I’ve written about Youk (and let me go on record, again, as saying I’m quite happy we know who will be on first and second for the next few years) so I want to write about something else. Just as I’m about to scour the Internet for something fabulous to ramble on about, I notice Alex Speier has a blurb that John Henry will be meeting with Jason Varitek and that he talks about that on Comcast Sports Net at 6:30 tonight.
Generally, I’d rather pour acid in my eyes than watch Comcast Sports Net (unless they’re airing a basketball game), but I decided that it was worth watching because, if for no other reason, I really want to know what’s going on with Varitek. The idea that the principal owner is making the trip to Atlanta tonight to talk to Tek without Scott Boras (hiss!) present, fascinates me. So Mr. Henry hands me something to write about. It’s just like during the season. Yay information!
Photo of Manny taken by me at Fenway in 2005 |
Whilst I wait for “Sports Tonight” to begin, I’m sitting through Comcast’s original program “Manny being Manny” and, voila, I have something else to write about. This program was created months after Manny was traded. Months. And it features many local sports writers (Rob Bradford, Sean McAdam, Gerry Callahan and CHB, most notably) dishing on Manny. As I sit and watch this 30 minute program, it occurs to me that it was only created to give Red Sox fans the finger. “See! We told you all along that Manny was ‘bad’ and you didn’t believe us!! Who’s laughing now??”
I hate smug. And you don’t get any more smug than creating a program about, arguably, one of the best hitters in MLB and one of the, historically, most popular players in Red Sox history, solely for the purpose of sticking it to the fans. We know Manny was an ass in the way he worked his way out of town. We don’t need this shoved down our throats. Thanks anyway.
So here I am. Thanks, again, to everyone who made this opportunity possible. If you’ve followed me here from “Toeingtherubber.com” you’ll know what to expect (and thank you!). Pretty much the same as always with a few less curse words thrown in. If you’re finding me because you frequent WEEI.com, welcome and thanks for stopping by. I’ll never claim to know it all and I’m sure there will be many times that what I write makes you bang your head, but I love the Red Sox and baseball in general, and enjoy writing about both. Please feel free to leave comments (or drop me a line!) and tell me what you think because I’m always eager to hear what other folks think, even if you don’t agree with me.
Even during the off-season, the plan is to blog every day. Sometimes the spirit hits more than once a day, though, so keep checking back. There will definitely be more tonight after we get some info about the meeting between the Captain and Mr. Henry.
Incidentally, I’m not a reporter. I have no special access and I have no specific orders on what to write about. I have an affection for the entire team but especially for the players who don’t always get the spotlight. (This is where I give my shout-out to Kyle Snyder!)
This blog is going to be one fan’s ramblings about the game, the team and the players she loves.
You’ve been warned.