Wild Wild Card

My Twitter timeline was dominated by a couple different themes last night, relating to the Wild Card play-in game. Both of them, frankly, bothered me.

The first one was different variations of “What an incredible game to watch, but I’m glad the Red Sox aren’t playing in it. I’d be a mess.” While people were suggesting that the one game play-in was an exciting game to watch, they all seemed to acknowledge that it’s a downright terrible way to decide if your team gets to advance in a playoff system. I’m not sure I like the idea of having those exclusive thoughts. If you agree that it’s not something you’d want to have your team have to go through, why are you watching? Why would you endorse making another team go through a coin flip in order to advance to the playoffs? As someone who hates playoffs in general, I just can’t wrap my arms around it. If we’re looking to crown a World Champion, what are we trying to base it on? Is it based on 162 games played over the course of six months, or are we basing it on a game based almost entirely on luck? Who happens to be healthy in this one particular game? Who happens to be rested and ready? Who happens to be hot? Who happens to have an off night? Which ball happens to take a weird bounce? This is what we’re basing our champions on now? Can you imagine the Red Sox losing the game last night because a ball hits the bag? Or because it goes extra innings and who knows which pitcher is available? That would be outrageous. 

And, I know the answer I’m going to get. Don’t want to be in the play-in game? Win your division. With that, I completely agree. So, eliminate the Wild Card game altogether. Why stop there? After all, we already had that six month season. Why should anyone but the team that finished the season with the most wins be eligible to be called “World Champion”? Because they won one more game in October? Why are those games the only ones that matter? Why not select the champions based on a series in mid-May? That would be just as arbitrary. 

If everyone knows it’s a crazy way to decide a champion, why do we encourage it? If you just have to have a tournament, I’ve already told you how to do that. But, why are we so excited about throwing an entire season away over a bad bounce in the one game we decide to count? I don’t get it.

The other theme that dominated Twitter was Zach Britton. The Orioles didn’t bring in their all-star closer at any point in the game, and they lost. Um…so? 

Let me start out by saying that I’m one of the people who hates the “closer” role. I don’t understand ever saving your best pitcher for a situation that might be less intense later. Why you would throw your third best pitcher with a one run lead in the seventh, but your best pitcher with a three run lead in the ninth is simply mind boggling to me. 

I also understand that other people don’t feel that way. They like the idea of having that shut-down closer come out and seal the victory. Give that lead to him, and the game is over. That’s the way they feel. So, while I disagreed with them, I understood when they complained over and over that John Farrell kept bringing Craig Kimbrel into games when they weren’t save situations. They had the closer role in their head, and the manager needed to stick to the plan. They would even complain when Kimbrel was brought into a tie game at home. Even though there would never be a save situation in that game, Kimbrel wasn’t supposed to be used. My goodness they would complain.

Then came last night. “How can Buck not pitch his best pitcher?!?!?!?!” People were incredulous. What was he thinking? It was a must-win game. Why on earth would he have his best pitcher on the bench in a tie game?

Umm…because it wasn’t a save situation? He was saving him for a hopeful save situation the next inning?

Isn’t that what everyone wants? Wasn’t that the kicking and screaming I heard all season? Don’t you dare bring your closer into a tie game?  Now, suddenly, they’re kicking and screaming for the exact opposite reason? Why doesn’t it make sense to people that Britton was being held for a save situation that, unfortunately, never materialized? 

So, if the Sox are tied in the ninth inning of game five in Cleveland next week…what is John Farrell supposed to do? Bring in Kimbrel like he’s done all year, and has gotten screamed at over all year, or save him for the save situation that might come along, like Buck did last night and got screamed at over? Do people know? Or is it another case of complaining about whichever move doesn’t work. 

Sometimes I don’t understand people.

Thanking Papi!

Yesterday the Red Sox gave their final thank-you to David Ortiz, as the finale of the David Ortiz celebration weekend. It was a long and wonderful ceremony befitting a player of Ortiz’s stature. How good was the ceremony? Oh, I don’t know. It’s hard to compare. Can a retirement ceremony ever be as amazing as a ring ceremony? Or the ceremony before the 1999 All-Star game? Or a 100^th birthday ceremony? 

I’ve been trying to remember the difference ceremonies that I’ve been to at Fenway. The three ring ceremonies. The Ted Williams Celebration. Fisk’s number retirement. The All-Star game. The keys to all the ceremonies fall in a few areas. 

Quality of Guests. If you’re going to have a former teammate come out, it better be Pedro or Manny. If it was only Curtis Leskanic, you’ve got some issues. Sometimes the quality comes from the rarity. Since Pedro works (or worked?) for the team, he’s a slightly more frequent guest than, say, Kyle Snyder. So, it’s nice to be able to welcome him back.

Which brings us to the “uniqueness of guests” area. Jason Varitek is around a lot. Pedro has shown up at some rather mundane times. Jim Rice. Even Yaz seems to be the “go to legend.” Mixing it up every once in a while is a lot more fun.

There’s also the presentation of the event. I remember during the 2005 ring ceremony, they introduced the 2004 team in order of tenure. That meant there was a long stretch of people who had only appeared for the Sox briefly in 2004. Even less than a year later, that was a long line of people who people didn’t know, and had no real affinity for. When they got to 2007, they mixed that order up a bit. So, the stars and fan favorites were more evenly dispersed.

So, how did yesterday’s ceremony do? Very well.

Having the commissioner there was a big bang out of the gate. I’m not sure I remember him being there before. Following that up with three political heavyweights just added onto the uniqueness. Yaz and Rice came out next. While they are definitely regular

participants in these events, the fact that they were there as retired numbers to announce that Ortiz would be joining them was highly appropriate. Then came the parade of teammates. This is where the Sox hit it out of the park. They could have invited all his teammates. Or any of his teammates, or his first teammates. Instead, the Red Sox focused on what the fans would enjoy the most. The World Champions. (OK. This may have been a gimmie. But, still.) Not only did this keep the numbers down, but it kept the recognition up. The representatives of the 2004 team were all key contributors. The stars of the other two teams were all there two. Honestly can only think of a player or two (of those not active players/managers) that I would have wanted to see. That was a home run when it came to player selection. Having the president of the Dominican Republic there was fantastic. Talk about a high quality guest.

If I had one complaint, I suppose it would be the song by Mary J Blige. I get that she’s apparently Ortiz’s favorite artist. But after singing the anthem, the additional song seemed forced and unnecessary.

What about the gifts and presentations? They did really well with those too.

First, I was surprised to hear that the Sox gave Ortiz some gifts privately. Made me wonder about the nature of those gifts, and why they were just between them.

The L.L. Bean boots seemed forced. I know that Brian Butterfield is from Maine, and there may be an inside joke there. But, it just screamed “paid advertisement” to me. I thought the announcement of the new fellowship with MLB was a nice gesture. It was a unique way to recognize Ortiz on a corporate level. Naming a bridge and a road after him was another incredible gesture, although probably a bit overkill to have both. Especially were they basically touch each other. Announcing that his number would be retired next year was a bit of a surprise. Not that he doesn‘t deserve the honor. In fact, it’s one of the times I can absolutely see ignoring the written rules. It’s the “next year” part. Thought they’d want to space it out a bit. Maybe wait the five years to see if he goes into the Hall on the first ballot. Where they just had this ceremony now, what are they going to do differently next season? Of course, the highlight of the gifts, at least according to Ortiz, was the dual donation to the David Ortiz Children’s Fund. Where almost every team that honored Ortiz included a donation to the fund, you knew the Sox had to do something. They really knocked it out of the park. Especially by combining a foundation donation with a more personal match. Wow. Just wow.

So there you have it. An incredible ceremony for a well deserving player. What did you think of it? I know Ortiz said he was getting worn out by all the ceremonies, but I’m glad they went so well. And, I hope Ortiz is up for at least one more.

He’ll need to come back for a ring ceremony next April.

David Ortiz in Cards

As we celebrate Big Papi Weekend, I thought it would be fun to share my 34 favorite David Ortiz cards in my collection! I figured it would be easier in pieces, so the posts won't be too long. And, why not just do it in chronological order? So, here are my next ten favorites! (You can find the first ten here. And the second ten here.)

Here we'll finish up with the final four. Three are memorabilia the cards, which makes them all pretty cool.

He looks ready.

Not thrilled that Wally is bugger than Ortiz.

Small, but amazing.

Not only not a Red Sox jersey...but practically a Mets one.

There you have them all 34. Do you have a favorite of yours?

Big Papi in Cards

As we celebrate Big Papi Weekend, I thought it would be fun to share my 34 favorite David Ortiz cards in my collection! I figured it would be easier in pieces, so the posts won't be too long. And, why not just do it in chronological order? So, here are my next ten favorites! (You can find the first ten here. And the second ten here.)

Ortiz just fits on this card

Another championship celebration card that never gets old.

That pose looks great as a painting.

This one does too. Hey...wait a second.

Great clean picture. Just what you'd expect from Stadium Club

Another boring shot. Typical of the Topps base set.

That's sort of an odd face.

A Fenway 100th Anniversary set piece.

Another slight oddball.

Just like you'd expect to see on the original set.

Ortiz in Cards!

As we celebrate Big Papi Weekend, I thought it would be fun to share my 34 favorite David Ortiz cards in my collection! I figured it would be easier in pieces, so the posts won't be too long. And, why not just do it in chronological order? So, here are my next ten favorites! (You can find the first ten here)

Like the cropping on this one.

Think he scored?

Four 2007 Topps cards? Seems like a lot.

Busting out of the box?

This format works with Ortiz.

Oops. Another non-Topps. But, with good reason.

Aww, Manny