Sox Coach Out For Season?

The Red Sox based their 2005-2006 off-season on building a team anchored by pitching and defense. But how will it be smooth sailing this season if they do not have their Admiral at the helm?

Dave Wallace, the Red Sox pitching coach, is not likely to return to the Red Sox this season. If he does somehow make it back to the team, it will not be until after the All-Star break, but that is still highly unlikely.

According to reports in The Boston Globe, Wallace had an infection in his hip which almost killed him. The infection was related to a hip replacement he had several years ago. He underwent surgery Thursday, and is reported to be in stable condition now. Wallace had the surgery to take out the infection, and also has further more intentions to have his hip replaced, again. All of this will be occurring during the Red Sox season, and will take much time, so his return is doubtful.

The Red Sox players wish Wallace and his family the best. Schilling expressed his personal concern to Chris Snow of the Globe on Thursday stating, ''On a personal level, that's not the kind of situation I want to be in, having to relearn someone or have someone learn me at this point in my career. But this is one of those nothing-you-can-do-about-it situations." It is hard to replace Wallace, and right now this is putting a big hole in the Red Sox coaching staff.

Al Nipper, who was hired in the off season as the bull-pen coach will take over Wallace's spot. Nipper was drafted by the Sox in '80 and played from '83-'87. The Sox later traded him to the Chicago Cubs. He put together 42 wins with Boston, and had his best year in '84 with an 11-6 record and a 3.89 ERA. But we all remember him best from the incident when he "head-butted" Roger Clemens after Boston clinched the AL East title. Nipper has been in the Sox organization for 17 years, coaching throughout their Minor league system. Hopefully that experience will help him pick up where Wallace left off.

In my own opinion, all teams start, begin and end with coaching. A good coach makes a good team, Wallace was/is a good coach. You can have 9 all stars or 5 "aces", but without a coach or General to lead them where they need to go, you have nothing. Look at what Torre did for the Yankees in 1996. As much as I hate to refer to them, it was Torre who took that team to the World Series.

The Red Sox situation is that they currently have 7 starters in a 5-man rotation. To Dave Wallace, Josh Beckett was the only "newcomer" and the only one who does not yet have a definite role. For Al Nipper, he has 7 new guys and 7 new roles to fill.

Off-Note:
An article in The Hartford Courant By DAVID HEUSCHKEL yesterday reads-
"David Wells continued his long toss program. Playing catch in the outfield for 20 minutes, he could hear a boy behind the fence repeatedly asking him to stay. "All right kid, I heard you five times," said Wells, who has asked to be traded. Wells, who has not been working out with the other pitchers, said his motorcycles and guitars have been shipped to his San Diego home."

Oh, George...

George Steinbrenner seems very happy that baseball is returning. He is also very outspoken on his team this year. "We're going to win it this year," the Yankees owner said Wednesday. "We're going after it."

Those comments are interesting and disrespectful considering they have not won a World Series since 2000, and the Chicago White Sox are the new World Champions. But I doubt that the classy White Sox organization would guarantee a World Series Championship this year.

While Joe Torre, the Yankees manager, was doing an interview with reporters on Wednesday, Steinbrenner walked in and interrupted the press conference.

A reporter asked, "Who is the best owner in the majors?" Torre pointed at Steinbrenner.

Steinbrenner then interjected, "Who's the best manager in the majors?" then pointing to Torre.

Reporters then asked about how Johnny Damon could have came to the Yankees four years ago when Jason Giambi was signed.

"(Giambi) took all of the money so we couldn't do anything," Torre said, only to have Steinbrenner interrupt, "You got some, didn't you?" as everyone laughed .

Reporters asked Torre if he sat down with Johnny Damon to talk yet.

"I haven't had a chance sit down and really to talk to anybody," Torre began. "I've talked to ..."

"Me"' Steinbrenner yelled.

"Yeah, Mr. Steinbrenner," Torre said. "That's always nerve-wracking."

Steinbrenner remains an advocate against the World Baseball Classic. He's told his players he does not want them to participate in them. Jorge Posada has already pulled out of the WBC. Damon, Jeter and A-Rod have decided to stay in it, for now. Chien-Ming Wang is not sure if he wants to pitch for Taiwan yet. Hideki Matsui declined his invitation after hearing Steinbreinner's objection to the WBC.

What's up with Manny?

. . . It's the question that comes at the approach of spring every year.

March 1st is not the date spring training starts for the Red Sox, or the date players have to report. It is, however, the day that Manny Ramirez has decided to show up -- a full month after Trot Nixon was seen working out in Fort Myers. But don't worry, it's all OK with the Red Sox.

It seems that, more and more, Manny does what he wants, when he wants. Why shouldn't he? All he needs to do is show a face and he gets his $20 million. He doesn't even need to swing a bat, which he proved that last year. But this year is different, not because he "demanded" a trade, took it back, and "demanded" it again. That happens every year, about two-three times to be exact.

What is different this year, is the Sox need Manny Ramirez more than ever.

While the Sox focused on pitching and defense, the question marks lie within the offense: Will Mark Loretta become one of the best offensive 2nd basemen, much like he was a few years back? Will Mike Lowell use the Green Monster to his advantage, or will he bat .236 again? Will Trot stay healthy? Can Coco leadoff? All the weight is, at least for now, put on Manny and Ortiz' shoulders. But will Manny be around to take the weight?

According to the Red Sox, Manny has been given the permission to report March 1st. He will now miss the World Baseball Classic, in which he planned to represent the Dominican team. But the good news is he will now be at Fort Myers for "his" entire spring training (just the games, which start March 2nd). But is this really Manny's way to lash out at the Red Sox for not trading him? Or is this just Manny being Manny?

Most (if not all) of Manny's teammates say he is of good intensions, it's not always Manny being Manny, he just doesn't take the time to stick up for himself (heard the same thing about Nomar). According to the Red Sox, Manny is, in fact, in Florida. He is working with his trainer for a little while longer to "bulk up". Evidently, Manny has great expectations for himself this year, and wants to be in the MVP race. MVP for the Red Sox? Who knows?

Talkin' Baseball with Bronson Arroyo

Editor's Note: Here are some excerpts from a great interview with Bronson Arroyo sent to us by the author, Jon Chattman of Cheappop.com, an entertainment and humor site featuring celebrity interviews. Chattman tells us he interviewed the famously corn-rowed, Arod-irritating Red Sox pitcher by phone last Friday.

Arroyo on Theo's absence when the Sox ship seemed rudderless...
"JC: Was it a little dicey before Theo came back? There was a time where the team, after trading Edgar Renteria and losing Damon, had a bunch of holes and everything seemed up in the air. Did you know the team was going to land on its feet?

BA: No, doubt about it. I think everybody was worried. If you're a Red Sox player or fan you had to be a little worried. Theo was leading the organization, which is a big part of what makes this thing go. For him to leave and then to see guys like Renteria and Johnny both leave, which both seemed like moves that really didn't make much sense at the time, I was definitely worried. Having the guys that we're bringing in now, you just hope everything gels together, like it did the last two or three years. It's hard to find something that clicks the way it did for us in 2004."

On Manny being Manny...
"[With] Manny, what you see in the media is his true personality. He's very proud and he's very happy-go-lucky. He seems to not know what's going on all the time. Internally, he's more aware of a lot of things than he leads on to, but he definitely does some things that are bizarre and don't make sense, and he doesn't talk to the media much so he never justifies himself which leads everyone else to make their own assumptions."

On facing his old friend, Johnny Damon, in a Yankee uniform..."We were just talking to each other a little bit and he said, "Bronson hey, just make sure you don't hit me this year, you're always hitting somebody. Hit Jeter, hit somebody else besides me."

To read the full text of the interview, check out thecheappop.com, and thanks to Jon Chattman for sharing with the fans at Yankeessuck.com

YankeesSuck.com Fantasy Baseball

Jack Jablin has set up a fantasy baseball league for YankeesSuck.com. If you wish to participate, contact Jack Jablin or myself.

My e-mail is JoeDavis5@YankeesSuck.com.

The draft is scheduled for March 2nd at 8:30 PM EST.

Remembering Jackie

Yesterday the Red Sox held their fourth annual event celebrating the life of Jackie Robinson. Because of the renovations at Fenway, the event was held at the JFK Library in Boston where speakers spoke not only of Jackie's life, but his legacy at well to a tough crowd - an audience of about 200 middle school kids. (Anyone thinking middle school kids aren't a tough crowd, I challenge you to try speaking to a classroom full of them and see what you think.)

You can read the story at the Sox site

What was impressive was what I learned as an adult.

For example, I didn't realize that the Robinson's used to have jazz parties at their home in Connecticut to send down to the Freedom Riders in the south. When he met Dr. Martin Luther King and thanked him for his work, Dr. King apparently told Robinson, "I should be thanking you." He claimed Robinson had inspired him when he broke the color barrier long before he came along.

Think for a moment, long before Selma, long before Rosa Parks and other events we teach kids about that shaped our history, Jackie Robinson swallowed his personal feelings and projected a level of class, grace and dignity we just don't see much of today in professional sports. Yet, in spite of being one of the most important Americans to have ever shaped this country's history, 200 middle school kids all raised their hands when asked, "Who has ever heard of Dr. Martin Luther King?" and yet maybe, just maybe 75 of them raised their hands when asked "Who has ever heard of Jackie Robinson?"

It's time for all of us to start teaching folks that just because it's sports doesn't mean it's not important. Jackie Robinson and Arthur Ashe did more to integrate this society than they will ever receive credit for because they were athletes. Forget they were well spoken, graceful, educated leaders. It doesn't fit in with the "dumb jock" stereotype, so we celebrate their physical ability and ignore the rest. If you're a teacher that reads this site, think about how you can alter your curriculum to teach future generations.

We wouldn't let kids forget about Dr. King or Rosa Parks, we shouldn't let them forget Jackie Robinson.