Wow. If there is one headline I didn’t think I would ever have to write, it is this one. The Red Sox mascot, and everyone’s best friend, Wally the Green Monster, was arrested for possession of marijuana late Thursday night in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston. This comes as a complete shock to everyone who knows the lovable character and will create a huge void for the Red Sox, especially if Wally is not released by April 8th, the Red Sox home opener. Bail is set at $500 thousand and currently the Red Sox front office is trying to pull together the money to bail out their favorite employee. They are also working on an alternate plan for a mascot in case Wally is locked-up in a long legal battle.
A few of the names that have been suggested as possible replacements for Wally are the Philly Phanatic and Mr. Met, but both obviously have prior commitments and would need to travel often back and forth from Philadelphia and New York respectively. Another option that seems the most reasonable, is to bring back Youppi, the retired mascot of the Montreal Expos. Youppi’s fiery attitude has gotten him in trouble in the past, as he holds the distinction as being the only mascot thrown out of an MLB game after he made excessive noise on the dugout during an at-bat. His controversial past may make the Red Sox front office hesitant to bring him on, even in a temporary role. Raymond, the Tampa Bay Rays mascot, was brought up in conversation, but given the tumultuous history with Wally, Jerry Remy, and Don Orsillo, it is the least likely scenario.
Wally’s best friend, Jerry Remy, was approached for a comment on this situation, but he declined. The exact nature of Wally’s arrest has not been disclosed, but eye witnesses said Wally was pounding on the J.P. Licks door, demanding some ice cream at around 2:30am on Friday morning. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, April Fools.
For all the latest news and analysis from BoSox Injection, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or with our RSS feed.