Amen re the Sox losing Xander and Mookie. The latter reminds me of Willie Mays and to this day I can't understand the logic of the Sox letting him go. What the hell were they thinking? Certainly not about the fans. Mookie is special, not just because he can do it all -- hit, run, and field -- but he also has an appealing personality that make him a fan favorite. Boston fans appreciated the talents of less charismatic players like Jacoby Ellsbury or David Price, but they loved Mookie.
I remember listening to Terry Francona on a talk radio show when he was managing the Sox. He got very indignant when a caller referred to the Sox as "entertainers." "We're not entertainers, we're ball players!" he snapped. Well, sorry, but like every other professional sports team that's exactly what they are. If it weren't for the millions of fan followers who are entertained by their play -- and support the advertisers who fund the multimillion dollar salaries -- they wouldn't exist. If I were the owner of a sports team I'd consider the entertainment value of a player like Mookie to be just about as important as his skill on the field. The Sox owners don't seem to think that way, and I suspect the result will be that a lot of people like you and me will be looking elsewhere for our entertainment.
Amen re the Sox losing Xander and Mookie. The latter reminds me of Willie Mays and to this day I can't understand the logic of the Sox letting him go. What the hell were they thinking? Certainly not about the fans. Mookie is special, not just because he can do it all -- hit, run, and field -- but he also has an appealing personality that make him a fan favorite. Boston fans appreciated the talents of less charismatic players like Jacoby Ellsbury or David Price, but they loved Mookie.
I remember listening to Terry Francona on a talk radio show when he was managing the Sox. He got very indignant when a caller referred to the Sox as "entertainers." "We're not entertainers, we're ball players!" he snapped. Well, sorry, but like every other professional sports team that's exactly what they are. If it weren't for the millions of fan followers who are entertained by their play -- and support the advertisers who fund the multimillion dollar salaries -- they wouldn't exist. If I were the owner of a sports team I'd consider the entertainment value of a player like Mookie to be just about as important as his skill on the field. The Sox owners don't seem to think that way, and I suspect the result will be that a lot of people like you and me will be looking elsewhere for our entertainment.