What’s Your Name?

As part of an upcoming MLB-wide “Players Weekend” event, the Red Sox unveiled some special uniforms yesterday. Players will be wearing jerseys with their nicknames on the back, instead of their last names. (Or, in the case of the Red Sox home uniforms, no names at all.)

I’m trying to think of a more god awful idea.

Now, I’m not one of those purist types. I’m not aghast at the idea of putting names on the back of the home uniforms. Honestly, the only thing I like about not having names on the uniforms is that it makes them cheaper, and more fun to carry over from year to year. A Josh Beckett jersey becomes a Koji jersey becomes a JBJ jersey.

I also don’t mind the alternate jerseys. I’m not automatically bothered if the Red Sox don’t wear the red and white. I even really like the throwback jerseys. Now, I agree that they’ve been doing it way too much lately. With the throwback jerseys, and the MLB-wide holiday jerseys. It seems like the classic jersey is the alternate.

What bothers me is that the nickname jerseys are just…how do I put it…stupid. 

If it’s part of a “Players Weekend”, does this mean players have been asking for this? Has Mookie Betts been begging the Red Sox to let him wear “Mookie” on the back of his uniform? I don’t think so. It’s forced. Players are picking nicknames that are never used. They’re picking nicknames that are just odd. Simply because everyone is forced to pick a nickname. 

Why? Simply to sell more jerseys.

Sure, I know that the whole point of any alternate jersey is to sell more in the team store. But, at least have a reason for it. Make a jersey celebrating a championship team. Or honoring a great cause. Don’t make a jersey with crazy stripes just to make a jersey with crazy stripes. There are so many great things you could do with a jersey. Why do this?

Why make MLB the XFL?

My Best TTM Response Ever

I can't believe I haven't mentioned this one before. After all, I've had it for years. But, better late than never I always say.

Around 15 years ago, a friend of mine was reading a baseball book. It was a book made of a collection of letters. The author had written various baseball players and asked them to tell a story from their playing days, or something like that. He actually got enough responses to make a book out of it. That was interesting enough. But, what really caught my eye was the level of players. Roger Clemens was one of the responses.

Now, I knew that the first rule of TTM autograph requests was that the better players probably wouldn't respond. Go after the minor stars. Better yet, bench players. But, this guy got letters? Amazing.

Would it work if I tried it? I had no idea.

So, I tried an experiment. The most amazing event I had ever attended was the 1999 All-Star game at Fenway Park. It's still easily top two or three baseball games I've seen live. What if I did a project around that? So, I wrote some letters. I wrote to every member of that team, as well as the coaching staff. I asked them all the same question. "What do you remember most about the 1999 All-Star game?"

I wasn't going to get any responses. I was prepared for that. Well, no actual answers at least. After all, I wasn't going after the middling players. I went right to the top tier. 

But, I actually got some stuff. Most of it was the kind of SWAG you might expect. I got some fan club informational pamphlets. The Rockies players sent back postcards saying they required a donation for an autograph. (Were I a Rockies fan, I probably would have taken them up on it.) Cal Ripken sent a Drink Milk sort of advertisement. Tony Gwynn, for some reason, sent what looks like a photocopy of his entry in the Padres Media Guide. Like, 20 pages of photocopies in a manilla envelope. 

I also got some autographs. Some players sent autographed cards. Jimy Williams actually sent an autographed 8x10 photo. I was pretty impressed since I never actually asked for an autograph, and certainly didn't supply anything for them to sign. It was all on their dime.

I was thrilled with the collection I was forming of 1999 All-Star game items. It was a cool little bunch of memories of a wonderful game.

Then, this came in the mail from Rangers reliever Jeff Zimmerman.

In case you can't make it out, here's what it says.

Thank you for your letter. I appreciate your support and interest in my career. Hopefully you are enjoying another exciting season of Red Sox baseball and Pedro will be back soon. The time spent in Boston during the '99 All Star game was amazing. The 3 days were an absolute blur leading up to the game but once I got on the mound time stood still. My most powerful memories were of the All Century Team introductions and the moving response Ted Williams received from the crowd and players. Being on the field and seeing him surrounded by both teams with McGwire and Gwynn in the forefront gave me chills. I wanted to go shake his hand but did not feel worthy among all the other great players out there. Definitely a magical time. Thanks for your interest. Best Wishes. - Jeff Zimmerman.

This letter is beyond amazing for so many reasons. First, IT'S AN ANSWER! I mean, the guy took time mid-season to hand write a page long response. Mind boggling. 

Second, it's on Rangers stationary, which is just really cool.

What I really like, though, is the line about not feeling worthy to shake Ted Williams's hand. If you remember, Zimmerman was hardly a prospect. He came from out of nowhere to have the best half season of his life leading up the the 1999 All-Star break. So not exactly McGwire and Gwynn, but he's still a major league pitcher. An All-Star in fact. And he was hesitant to approach Williams. If you watch the video of the ceremony, you can clearly see Zimmerman lurking in the back of the crowd. Looking on with awe, but not getting any closer.

This letter definitely has a place of honor in the collection. It's a pretty unique glimpse into one of my favorite memories.

And my best TTM response ever.

What's yours? 

The 30-Day Baseball Card Challenge: Day #17

Tony, the wonderful writer of the “Off Hiatus Baseball” blog, started a fun activity based off the “30-Day Music Challenge” that Twitter users were taking. The list of challenges looks like this:

Today, we’ll continue with Challenge #17: A card from the first set you put together hand collated.

So, when I made my Day 3 post, I decided that my first completed set was 1987 Topps, but that it might have been 1986 Topps. So, for this post, I'm going to hedge my bets a bit. I'm going to say that I first completed this set:

1986 Topps.

Of course, just to be annoying, I picked a card that looks nothing like the basic 1986 Topps. But, I like the look of this subset. Or special card. Ot whatever it it. I was a clouded look that Topps went back to on their leaders cards. On the one hand, it really doesn't have the feel of the rest of the set. But, on the other hand it adds some variety to a collection. I guess you can't have it both way.

In 1986, Evans was one of my favorite Red Sox players. Either him or Jim Rice. So, it was nice to be able to get the extra card of him in the set.

It made everything a little bit more fun.

Visit a Visitor!

I’m sure everyone remembers my most recent visitor. Miss Merrimack Kylee Kurto was nice enough to visit just last week, and her interview has been very popular ever since.

But, now you have the chance to turn the tables.

You have the chance to visit her!

Kylee will be making an appearance at the Lowell Spinners game against the Hudson Valley Renegades this Friday August 4^th as part of their annual “Princess Night”! This is a fun event where fans are encouraged to join in and dress in their best princess costumes.

But, it gets better.

Starting at 5:30, Kylee will be available to sign autographs! She’ll have head shots ready to sign for you, which is great. But if you have your own item, she’ll happily sign that as well. She’ll even

pose for a picture with you, if you ask her really nicely. (Wouldn’t it be fun to ask her to autograph a Section 36 logo, and then hold it in your picture with her?)

Get there early, though, because Kylee has more to do. She’ll be throwing out the first pitch before the game. So, make sure you have time to meet her, and be in your seats in plenty of time to see her fire a strike.

After that, you’re free to enjoy the game as the future Red Sox battle the future Rays. An AL East rivalry game!

Not sure I can imagine a better way to spend an evening at LeLacheur Park!

Oh, and when you meet Kylee be sure to tell her how much you enjoyed her visit to Section 36!

The Sacrifices I Make

Usually I'm thrilled when the Red Sox trade for a player already on my fantasy team. After all, I always prefer to have a Red Sox player over another player. If the Sox happen to trade for someone already on my team, I get to have that player without looking like too much of a homer. So, I should have been super-excited when the Red Sox traded for Addison Reed yesterday. 

But, Reed was one of my best closers. Now that he's on the Red Sox, he better not be getting more than a save or two the rest of the year. This move really hurts my team in the worst way.

I'm willing to make that sacrifice.

For one thing, I will always choose real life over the fantasy team. That's why I don't have any Yankees on the team. For another, my team is in ninth place...not sure how much those saves were helping.

Which is good, because this is a huge move. Oh, I know, not Chris Sale big. Or even, probably, Drew Pomeranz big. But, when you're adding a player and you add to the top, it's always so much better than adding at the bottom. 

The Red Sox bullpen was having trouble cobbling together stretches of quality innings. So, the team could have acquired a reasonable bullpen arm. That would have helped. But, it still would have left the cobbling together. Instead the Sox went to the top. The got a guy to try and lock down the eighth inning on the way to Kimbrel. That makes the entire bullpen better. Not just one slot.

Suddenly, the collection of players trying to get through 6-7-8 only need to get 6-7. Or, probably just 7. Getting one inning out of the rest of the pen would seem to be a much shorter task.

It has effects everywhere. The rest of the pen can get a little less work. They can all be a little more rested. They can all be a lot more efficient in holding onto leads. The starters just need to worry about starting. They don't need to be the middle relief too.

Reed isn't as sexy an acquisition as some others. But, sometimes the big splash isn't what you need. The Red Sox are a very good team. A few minor adjustments can go a long way.

It'll make the second half a lot more fun!