Boston Red Sox: Four “turkeys” for Thanksgiving
May 4, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; A general view of Fenway Park during the third inning of the game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Red Sox have had more than their share of “turkeys” over the years and many a fan would gladly – on occasion – give them “the bird.”
On Thanksgiving Day, we enjoy the cornerstone of celebration with our family – the Turkey. Tom Turkey was – if Ben Franklin had his way, the national bird and thus relegating the majestic eagle to second class bird citizen. The Boston Red Sox have had more than their share of “turkeys” over the years and many a fan would gladly – on occasion – give them “the bird.”
Sometimes it is just the bizarre that sets them apart such as Gene Conley and Pumpsie Green walking off the team bus in the Bronx and disappearing for three days. But the one or two off the reservation issues are just part of a long season and what I look for is a pattern of behavior. Beer and Chicken? Same thing – a temporary discretion. Also, the medical issues should be firmly ignored such as Roger Moret and Jim Piersall.
Baseball players are no different from any other cross-section of society only more notable. Behaviors that are appalling are publicized or generally well-known within the baseball circles. On occasion, a player will be released or traded over the fact that a manager and/or GM would rather top their meal with ground glass than spend another day babysitting and generating excuses.
So three of the memorable ones stand out for me. They also happen to be just about the brightest of stars in the Red Sox galaxy, but I also toss in one that is not to show that great talent can have bad behaviors ignored and mediocre talent will not.
Apr 2, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (2) stands with (left- right) Andy Pettitte and Mike Stanton and Roger Clemens and Milo Hamilton before a game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Roger Clemens has a title that should always be used somewhere in a discussion – “The Texas Con Man.” A hearty “thank you” to the late Will McDonough of the Boston Globe. When an individual has the social skills of a viper and the intellectual capacity of a bag of hammers you have plenty of potential for being a miscreant.
There is a professional responsibility and Clemens eventually had a contract clause that allowed him to avoid travel on road trips he was not scheduled to pitch. This was part of his Yankees contract and from a team that prides itself on the professional appearance of their players. The comments from fellow union members were scathing.
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In his Red Sox days came the complaints about having to carry his own luggage through airports and the miserable conditions that existed in the clubhouse and the park itself. Too bad Clemens was arguably the best in the game otherwise he would have enjoyed the conditions at Portland.
Clemens certainly could cause microaggreesions in a stadium if he played today based on some rather spurious comments he directed at Japanese and Korean baseball fans. Nothing is complete without his retirements. I happen to be a huge Frank Sinatra fan and he had less retirement tours than Clemens.
Clemens could fill up chapters in books about his surly behaviors. I thought it was appropriate that Clemens appeared in the movie “Cobb” since they shared some similar flaws.
Jul 8, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs hitting coach Manny Ramirez prior to the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Manny being Manny was the locally generated justification for Manny Ramirez simply being an ass for want of better terminology. The beauty of Manny’s behaviors were that many were hilarious and that somewhat offset the ones that were not. The disappearing act in the Green Monster or clubhouse antics that I will avoid.
In Cleveland, one of the big issues in the payroll department was they had to get after Manny to cash his checks. Amazing! I get a one dollar rebate check and I scamper to the bank. But that does give some insight into an individual who is totally ambivalent to his surroundings.
Possibly the bottom to me was one that took place in a game against the Yankees where the petulant Manny – smarting over some type of injustice – simply stood at the plate and took three pitches right down Broadway – for an out. Manny also had a laundry list of similar non-hustle actions such as doing a sloth trot on a ground ball.
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Manny was also called out by teammate Kevin Youkilis during a game that we got to enjoy on TV. For me, it was far more explosive than Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin dust-up back in the 1970s.
Certain actions are inexcusable and cannot be defended and that is the situation with Traveling Secretary Jack McCormick. Manny wished more tickets for a game and the situation escalated to where Manny got physical with the 64-year-ol McCormick. Too bad it was not Will McDonough, who had a confrontation with Patriots Ray Clayborn – Will stuffed him in a locker.
Those are some that I have in my memory banks, but there are certainly many or is it “Manny” more?
April 20, 2012; Boston, MA, USA; Fans line up at gate B and surround the statues of former Red Sox players Ted Williams (not pictured), Bobby Doerr (not pictured), Johnny Pesky (not pictured), and Dom Dimaggio (not pictured) before the start of the 100th anniversary celebration and the game between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Even the greatest are not without their flaws and Ted Williams certainly fits into that category. With “Teddy Ballgame” it was just his irascible nature that Williams readily acknowledged. This may have been either a defense mechanism or one driven by an immense ego that could not tolerate even the slightest of slights.
Williams’s relationship with the press was one of contentious hostility especially with Dave Egan and Austen Lake. A real research adventure is examining some of their articles and one can understand why Ted may have blown a gasket. Controversy sells and what better way to generate controversy than be critical – real or deserved – of “The Great Man” and watch the sparks fly. And fans loved to pick up on this knowing that one negative comment from the grandstand would outweigh a thousand positives.
Williams would often spit towards the press box and that was something I witnessed on more than one occasion. Comments back towards fans showed Williams had no filters about who was in the general vicinity – women, children and even nun’s. I actually saw that on Nun’s Day.” Yes – they had that at Fenway Park. Williams would float a tirade of bombs – the F type – in the general area of whom offended him.
There was the infamous bat tossing incident in which Williams tossed his bat after a called third strike – hitting a woman in the stands. The woman, the housekeeper for GM Joe Cronin, had to be taken to the hospital. That was just one of many shining examples of Williams’s negative behaviors that caused controversy.
I wrote recently about my meeting with TSW and have greatly admired Williams for his charity, war service and providing me with the opportunity to see the greatest hitter that ever existed. But truth be told TSW could really be a simple bonehead when so moved.
Oct 16, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a glove and baseball during batting practice prior to game one of the ALCS between the Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Israel Alcántara is but a blip in Red Sox history, but I had the opportunity to witness his dysfunctional play at both Fenway Park and McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket. Izzy was supposed to provide some power for a desperate power shortage Red Sox team and initially did just that. As Dr, Phil would say: “past behaviors are indicative of current and future behaviors.”
Izzy simply was a dangerous item for any team and had an extensive history of on-field behaviors that would make Ramirez look like Charlie Hustle himself. At Pawtucket, I would witness a cavalier attitude on fly balls with the fans wondering just when (or if) will Izzy get motivated to go after this one? Being in close proximity of the dugout, the occasional shouting match would ensue with a pitcher whose earned run average suddenly bumped up over a ball that should have been flagged down.
In Boston little changed. Jimy Williams had enough and finally benched Izzy after a particularly slow boat action in the outfield. Eventually, Izzy was sent packing only to return the following season for another brief appearance.
Izzy was not done and drifted, after further ruin in North America, into Taiwan baseball where he was nicknamed “Al-Qaeda”. That should give some telling details of his personality.
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I will cut Izzy some slack since the kid could hit. At Pawtucket, he led the International League in home runs on two occasions and had a nice power swing from the right side. But Izzy was in his late 20s and should have displayed a better understanding of being a professional. This was a wasted talent. If Izzy was banging out 30+ home runs a season, they would have kept him.