Shaughnessy claims that Manny's latest madness is the final straw. "Manny has punched his ticket out of town," Shaughnessy breathlessly exclaims.
I'll state up front that I agree with Shaughnessy's conclusion. I doubt Ramirez will be back next year and who even knows about the rest of this year.? I do think Francona's actions are pretty revealing and signal the team's frustration.
That being said, Shaughnessy's woeful inability to craft a cogent and meaningful column continues to baffle. This story played out in the afternoon...Shaughnessy had quite a bit of time to write a meaningful piece and he delivers absolute garbage yet again. A few points:
- First, Steve Buckley pretty much writes the same column in the Herald although Buckley does scoop old Shank when he writes "Yet after taking himself out of the lineup, he stepped into the batting cage under the first base grandstand and proceeded to rake the ball. Until Manny pulled the curtain on me, I was standing there watching the Clown Prince."
- Dan's penchant for exaggeration is on display when he calls this the biggest game of the season. This statement coming just weeks after he declared the Yankees were dead and that the thrill from Yankees-Red Sox games were missing
- Dan calls Francona an enabler. That is a cheap shot. Francona deserves a lot of credit for keeping this team together. Shaughnessy's editors are more the enablers for allowing him to get away with the crap that he dishes on a regular basis
- Dan cant get any direct quotes from any Red Sox officials and so he quotes a fan (Bob Crane). Who elected Bob Crane President of Red Sox Nation?
- Dan repeats for the hundredth time (and the 101st for that matter) that Ramirez quit on the Sox in 2006. He still has yet to offer any good proof of that. In a recent column, he even couched his claim about 2006 just a little bit but now that Manny has pulled this latest business, Shaughnessy is emboldened yet again to unequivocally state (twice) that Ramirez quit in 2006 but still offers no proof.
- Dan loves to get the stat book out once a month as if to prove some point. Today, he says Manny's OPS is down the past two years. "By a lot." The fact that he is in the Top 5 of the league this year does not seem to matter much.
- I love how he fashions himself as the old school journalist ("When Theo Epstein saw this typist coming...") I know he must view himself as the hard-edged reporter...and he can't even begin to appreciate the fact of why Sox officials wont talk to him - it's not because they are scared of him (as he likely believes) but because of his history of doing hatchet jobs
This column would have been a lot more effective coming from someone like Ryan. Shaughnessy makes some valid points but given his MO of making everything personal, it's really difficult to sift the wheat from the considerable chaff.
Disclaimer: I am not a Ramirez apologist. Frankly, I dont care if he stays or goes. For that matter, I am not a Red Sox team apologist. Shaughnessy can criticize the team and player all he wants - just wish he would do it in a more meaningful cogent manner.
13 comments:
What pointless nonsense.
Again, a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
OB - glad you have finally seen the light about CHB
Bil l- appreciate your comments in the other thread - very much on target
OB - thanks for stirring the pot. You are da bomb
The best part of that column was CHB approaching Epstein for comment and Epstein's reaction. "Crap, it's Shaughnessy! Quick, pretend to be on your cell phone!" Real subtle.
This piece has been reprinted in a lot of papers around the country. That's unfortunate.
Objectivebruce said it best, more pointless nonsense from Shank
I wonder how this article might affect the Boston Globe?
And the best part was being at a cookout yesterday afternoon and having the cousin of a friend (who I'm not a fan of anyway) say as we're watching the game, "Manny's definitely gone after this year."
Knowing where this was going, I asked him if he had inside knowledge of this. His response? "Shaughnessy said it in his article today."
After informing this person that the Shank-master was nothing more than an agenda-ridden hack, I told him it was a column and not an article and therefore, while it may or may not be true, the CHB was offering his opinion, which is what columnists do.
He responded, "Well, he's going to be traded this week. Good riddance." I asked if he was aware that Manny was a 10-5 guy and could veto any trade, I was asked what that had to do with anything.
It is frightening to me that people read the words that Shank spews and people take it as Gospel.
Why would Theo talk to Shank except to say, eff you?
Bruce (aka a member of Shank's family or Steve Silva), it's 10:50 a.m., where are the Globe circulation numbers from today?
Gordon Edes 'got out of Dodge' I guess, but was DENIED his 'buyout payout.' Clearly there is a demand on the national stage for him...something that does not exist for Shaughnessy. He may think that there is some sort of demand for his talents on the national stage, but clearly (and laughably) he is wrong. This is for our little drive-by hitman OB, who no doubt will read this, fume about it, and then realize he can't counter it.
Roger, the New York Times may be the 'Paper of Record' (trademark applied for), but the Globe is simply the 'paper of discord.' Jack Welch and his big buyout offer for the Globe from several years back ain't walkin' through that door (as Rick Petino might say).
I am not a big fan of hers but Amalie Benjamin but she had a much more unemotional balanced take on the Manny affair today. A day after Shaughnessy emphatically declares that this is it for Manny, Benjamin says the issue has petered out.
The story still has legs though - sounds like the Red Sox are fed up
Shaughnessy felt compelled to pen yet ANOTHER column (Monday) on Manny, titled 'Slugger's act has grown very tiresome.' PLEASE title your next Blog entry, 'Columnist's act has grown very tiresome.' In point of absolute fact, it really has.
Seriously. Is Dr. Charles still feeding him information, only this time from 3,000 miles away?
Follow The Money
1. Manny Always Works Hard and Does His Job to the Best of His Ability
2. Manny is Smart Enough to Always Get the Best Agent to Represent His Interests
3. Manny Is Smart Enough to Gain Leverage (hard work teaches you that)
4. To Regain a Sense of Leverage the Red Sox Have Monkey Boy Put Important Corporate Talent (Manny) on Waivers
5. When that doesn't work, the Red Sox allow The Village Idiot to Humiliate Manny
6. Manny Continues to Produce
7. The Red Sox set a Precedent by Rewarding The Schill with a Farce of a Guaranteed Contract $8 million for his hard work and dedication
8. Manny Works Harder and Prepares for 2008 Hoping to Get Reward of Long-term Thank You Contract
9. Red Sox Allow a matured Monkey Boy to use his Gorilla Brains by saying that if Manny Agrees to Trade they Would Trade Him
10. Village Idiot Proves He is also a Racist - Adios Amigo!
Bottom Line =
Manny Works Hard For His Money
Red Sox Win 2 World Series (Manny is MVP of one)
Red Sox Make Ton of Money
Manny IS Always On The Winning Team (check the stats during his career)
Pay Manny Like The Winner That He Is
Red Sox Are Misguided By Monkey Boy with Gorilla Brain Trying To Win The Money Game since and a Village Idiot who doesn't Like What He Sees in The Mirror
Funny How Money is the Root of All Evil
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