The White House Visit

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming (of paint-by-numbers profiles of a handful of Red Sox players during spring training) to bring you a favorite Boston Globe pastime - a column designed to paint a Republican president in a less than flattering light.

Could a White House visit divide the Red Sox? Team brass says no

Funny how I get the impression Shank's going to do some 'dividing' soon...

White House, scheduled for May 9 after the team plays a series in Baltimore, projects to be an awkward affair as we continue to get feedback regarding who plans to go and who plans to skip the event.

In November, days after the Sox won the World Series, manager Alex Cora initially said he would go to the White House with the team. Cora backed away from that pledge when he came to Boston in late January. Saturday morning here, the manager said he’s still undecided.

An unfortunate byproduct of winning a championship in any professional sport is the inevitable controversy around the traditional visit to the White House, this being Donald Trump’s White House.

Interesting to note that no controversy seems to exist when World Series winners visit the White House when there's a Democrat president. Read on if you want your intelligence insulted with disingenuous 'arguments'.

UPDATE AT 7:05 AM - Just remember - White House visits are totally different when you're the beat writer covering the Boston Celtics in the 1980's or when there's a Democrat in office.