11/05/24
June 12, 2004
Arod at third, Jeter at short, Nomar at second? Don't laugh. It could happen.
That would royally suck. Certain players, for whatever reason, seem to just belong in one place.
posted by dusted at 12:54 AM on June 12, 2004
What unfavorable media coverage. There's nothing concrete in that piece to suggest a Garciaparra trade is any closer than it was on Opening Day; just a lot of ham-fisted speculation. I'm glad the hometown rags don't write about my team this way.
posted by kjh at 03:53 AM on June 12, 2004
Lesson #1 of Boston Media: Dan Shaughnessy makes his money off of exploiting the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. It is therefore safe to completely ignore anything he has to say regarding it. In fact, it's better to just ignore him completely because he's nothing more than a clown. In any conceivable world other than the one that Shaughnessy sees in his wet dreams, Nomar wouldn't play for the Yankees. One of the big reasons they think he wants out it that he's got a frosty relationship with the media (partly because of collumns like this, I imagine). Do you really think that he's better off in New York? Conventional wisdom says that he'll end up on the west coast because a) He's from there; b) Mia likes it; c) There's much less media scrutiny.
posted by Jugwine at 05:56 AM on June 12, 2004
That wasn't laughing Gary, that was bawling. :) Here are my thoughts on the issue: First, it's Shaughnessy. He makes a living exploiting the fears and anger of Red Sox Nation and some of that is by way of the NY Boston rivalry. If he's not throwing out a hypothetical about "The Yankees are going to sign Pedro/Nomar!" then it's "We have a right to be angry about (insert minute issue here)". It took me a little while to understand why everyone in town hates him. Let me give you all an idea of how Shank operates. Within the last few months, he wrote an article wherein he spoke of himself as an owner of the Boston Red Sox. Shaughnessy works for the Globe. The Globe is owned by the NY Times. The Times has a small percentage ownership of the Boston Red Sox. He somehow deduced that he was a team owner. Someone on a message board pointed it out, so I checked it out. It was one of the most obnoxious self-indulgent articles I had read in a long time. If Shaughnessy isn't bitching about Manny, he's bitching about Pedro, and before that he was bitching about Carl Everett. Actually, for those who aren't in Boston, Carl Everett and Shaughnessy were mortal enemies. Carl Everett once called Shaughnessy a "Curly Haired Boyfriend". Funny stuff. Second, if Nomar goes, then he goes. Don't get me wrong, I'd hate it if he left and the knife would twist just oh so much more if he went to NY. Ugh, the pain of seeing him in pinstripes. Ok, no more of that. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Third, really, wtf? How terrible is that? Nomar at second, ARod at third and Jeter stays at second? If this was going to happen, Captain Intangibles should be moved to second and not waste away the two best shortstops at 3rd and 2nd.
posted by jerseygirl at 08:27 AM on June 12, 2004
I am warming to the idea that the Yankees are building an entire team of All-Star shortstops who play other positions because their intangibles are smaller than Derek's. Speaking of Derek, what's the deal with his near Mendoza Line batting average this year?
posted by rcade at 09:47 AM on June 12, 2004
Speaking of Derek, what's the deal with his near Mendoza Line batting average this year? Much has been made of his struggle at the plate this season, but he's hitting .375 with a .464 OBP so he seems to be coming around...
posted by crank at 10:57 AM on June 12, 2004
Nomar to the Giants, perhaps? Would Bonds get a few more pitches to hit in that lineup?
posted by billsaysthis at 01:12 PM on June 12, 2004
Danny's one of those guys in the "Hitler, [evil person] and Dan Shaughnessy are walking down the street and you have a gun with only two bullets" jokes. I'd forgotten how much I love Nomah after the A-Rod flirtation and the injuries and the bitterness. The one thing the Sox have in their favor is his OCD: does he really want to move to a new city and have to find new places to hang out?
posted by yerfatma at 06:04 PM on June 12, 2004
No way. If Nomar is signed by the Yankees to play 2nd next year, I'm officially on the "Alternate Universe Theorum" bandwagon. Frankly things like that don't happen in a rational universe.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 08:33 PM on June 12, 2004
what jugwine said. i don't think nomar or his wife would want to deal with the new york media. if he doesn't stay in boston i can see him going to LA. and i heard pedro may end up in anaheim.
posted by goddam at 08:56 PM on June 12, 2004
but he's hitting .375 with a .464 OBP so he seems to be coming around... I don't understand. Is he hitting .235 or .375?
posted by Mike McD at 09:27 PM on June 12, 2004
i think crank meant in the past x amount of games he's hitting .375. he ended the day at .244
posted by goddam at 09:37 PM on June 12, 2004
uh, yeah.. i meant he's hitting that in June
posted by crank at 09:07 AM on June 13, 2004
Who'd want him? I mean, honestly, if you've got Enrique Wilson and Miguel Cairo, why would you saddle yourself with another millionaire crybaby? Personally, I think that in terms of fielding skills, Nomar isn't worthy to wash Enrique Wilson's socks (but then again, few players are).
posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:29 PM on June 13, 2004
Nomar isn't worthy to wash Enrique Wilson's socks (but then again, few players are) you forgot your /sarcasm tag. No biggie, let me get that for ya: Nomar isn't worthy to wash Enrique Wilson's socks (but then again, few players are) /sarcasm
posted by jerseygirl at 09:57 PM on June 13, 2004
Personally, I think that in terms of fielding skills, Nomar isn't worthy to wash Enrique Wilson's socks Still a better fielder than jeter though.
posted by justgary at 10:36 PM on June 13, 2004
Still a better fielder than jeter though. that's ok. we love him anyway. i'd still take cap'n intangible over garciapopup in new york.
posted by goddam at 08:12 AM on June 14, 2004
Ha.. well I'm not gonna get into the Nomar v. Wilson comparison, but I have to say the Cairo/Wilson platoon has been working out great so far. It seems one or the other has a hot bat so they aren't really an offensive liability. It was strange watching Wilson put up some monster numbers for about a 10 game stretch in late May. Both are actually really good fielders and Wilson made some great plays at short when Jeter was out for a few games. I dunno, Wilson just doesn't look AT ALL athletic, but he's a pretty good ball player...
posted by crank at 09:51 AM on June 14, 2004
Are you kidding? If Nomar went to NY it would be "Enrique Who?" within fifteen minutes. The only reason he's even on the team is because he has unreal numbers against Pedro. Now that I think about it, I wonder if Tejada would consider a move to first for that "all shortstop all all-star" infield.
posted by Jugwine at 10:57 AM on June 14, 2004
He's on the team because the yankees need a second baseman. The numbers against pedro are just a freak plus. Don't expect to see wilson batting 3rd the next time they face pedro.
posted by crank at 11:17 AM on June 14, 2004
He still looks as happy as a guy in the on deck circle at the root canal clinic and his agent is telling people he wants to play second base for the Yankees next year. How would yankee fans feel about this? Would this be good for baseball? On a side note, if it does happen, Jeter will be flanked by two better fielding shortstops than himself.