Bambino's Curse

Midnight Express

This should be an interesting day:

The Sox have until midnight to offer their free agents salary arbitration or lose the right to negotiate with them until May 1. They have tried to reach agreements with several, including Cliff Floyd, Ugueth Urbina, and Dustin Hermanson, an effort that is expected to extend until late tonight. Urbina's rep, Chris Lieble, said, ''He's not writing them off, and they haven't written him off'' (Edes, Globe).

In the same story, Edes counters Buckley's claim in the Herald that Manny Ramirez asked owner John Henry to be traded from the team. Buckley quotes an unnamed "baseball source" -- But Edes has a direct quote from Manny's agent Jeff Moorad: "There were some bumps in the road the first two years, but at this time Manny Ramirez is a member of the Boston Red Sox, as happy as can be, for the next six years and possibly eight."

My money says Edes has it right and Buckley has it wrong. Not saying it's improbable that Moorad might be lying to the press to protect his client's interest. Just seems when you read the Buckley story that he's grasping at straws. His main proof that something is going on is that Ramirez had lunch with John Henry; however, they are also meeting with (lunch? dinner? breakfast?) all the teams' stars, including a trip to the Dominican Republic to visit Pedro.

On top of that, it's been my experience that Gordon Edes is the more level headed than Buckley, and I don't recall Edes ever sounding the shrill and hysterical "Stop the Presses" alarms that Buckley and some of the other media folks are infamous for.

"White lace and promises"

OK, muchachos y muchachas, no crying about Tom Glavine going to the Mets (or, for that matter, Sean McDonough going to the Mets as well.)

No crying because we've got an engagement to celebrate:

"It's true, we got engaged over Thanksgiving" Nomar told the [Herald's] Track. "People want to know where and when we're getting married, but you know what, I don't even know those details. We're just really happy right now and really enjoying our time together."

Awwww … isn't that sweet?

Put a Carpenters record on the turntable, please …

We've only just begun to live,
White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we're on our way.
And yes, We've just begun.

Before the rising sun we fly,
So many roads to choose
We start our walking and learn to run.
And yes, We've just begun.

Of course, the Nomar trade rumors continue unabated, so who knows if the groom will be wearing Red Sox with his nuptial tuxedo?

You're probably getting sick of me mentioning the ongoing behind the scenes redesign, but for me it's wicked exciting. On track for a beta release early next week and full release shortly thereafter (with minor version updates continuing through the holiday period).

We've only just begun.

"It's all about the smiles."

Ah, I'm a sucker for these feel good stories:

Garciaparra, who is in the midst of earning $44.25 million over seven years with the Sox, said his charity was inspired in part by several teammates from his rookie season in 1997.

''Mo Vaughn, [John] Valentin, [Tim] Naehring, they always used to say, `Hey, don't forget where you came from,''' Garciaparra said.
Growing up amid modest means also made a difference.

''I didn't come from a wealthy family at all, but I always got everything I needed,'' he said. ''And I remember my parents always saying that no matter what you've got, you've got to appreciate it and give back'' (Hohler, Globe).

Can you imagine being a kid and getting a present from Nomar?

''Look at the smiles on their faces,'' [Nomar] said. ''It's all about the smiles.''

Indeed, it is.

Snow day for me. Office is closed. Good timing as I'm still fighting this cold, and can use the day to just muck about at home. Going to try to make major progress on the new redesigns.

Nicaragüense

Yes, this site has quickly devolved into the 24/7 Cuban watch. It's all I've got on these barren, wind swept days. Oh, sure, I could mention the Charlie Manuel thing. Yawn.

So here's the latest:

Cuban defector Jose Contreras, whom the Sox covet as a possible third starter, reportedly has put himself on track toward free agency by leaving the United States to set up residency in Nicaragua. The ace of the Cuban national team, Contreras would not have been eligible for free agency had he remained in the US after defecting via Mexico. By residing in Nicaragua, he could satisfy rules that prevent US teams from negotiating with Cubans, even those who defect here to play baseball (Hohler, Globe).

The pieces are falling into place. Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't need to tell me that it's still a long shot that the Red Sox will sign Contreras. And, even if they were to, it's an even bigger unknown whether the Cuban pitcher would be a boon or bust.

Still, as the snow falls and the fire crackles, I like to daydream. It's all I've got right now. Well, that and a low grade cold that just won't abate despite my hitting it like a B-52 with vitamin C.

Compañeros de beisbol

Compañeros de beisbol
Tomando en cuenta lo implacable …

[Rojas'] Harrowing escape from Cuba on a 15-foot rowboat/raft crammed with 13 people, including his wife and child. Six months waiting for freedom in an overcrowded tent in a dusty refugee camp in Guantanamo Bay, the same place now being used to house captured Al Qaeda terrorists. A star closer for the Cuban national team who may prove to be a great help in luring another talented Cuban defector, Jose Contreras, to Boston. A man who arrived too late to pitch in the big leagues but now dreams of becoming a big-league pitching coach (Edes, Globe).

The Spanish segue into the Edes pull quote above, is a play upon the opening of the third verse of Cuban folk singer Silvio Rodriguez's song "Playa Girón," or what we call "The Bay of Pigs" in English. I use it here because the song so perfectly expresses the tensions that still exist between the United States and Cuba, tensions that are played out every time another baseball player defects from the island nation.

In the song, Rodriguez asks the rhetorical question:

what type of adjectives should one use
to write a poem about a boat
without making it sentimental, making it avante garde
without it sounding like propaganda,
if I have to use words like
Cuban Fishing Fleet and
Playa Girón?

The answer is you can't. Just as one can't discuss the hiring of Euclides Rojas as bullpen coach of the Boston Red Sox without making reference to his defection and harrowing escape on a rowboat. It is heroic. As it was also heroic how the fisherman militia of Playa Girón successfully defended their home from the CIA backed invaders in 1961.

The relationship between Cuba and the United States is a complex one. Nothing is completely black and white. Castro is a horrible, despotic ruler on the one hand; on the other hand, the government of the USA has at times been despicable in its treatment of Cuba.

Silvio Rodriguez again:

¿que debiera decir, qué fronteras debo respetartar?
Si alguien roba comida
y después da la vida, ¿qué hacer?
¿Hasta dónde debemos practicar las verdades?
¿Hasta dónde sabemos?

what would it mean, which borders should I respect?
If someone steals food
and later gives life, what is to be done?
Up to what point do we practice truths?
Up to what point do we know?

I'm happy that Euclides Rojas is fulfilling his dreams of becoming a major league coach. I'm happy he's with the Red Sox. I'm hopeful that Rojas will help the Red Sox in luring the latest Cuban defector, Jose Contreras, to sign with the Red Sox. Yet each time the name of one of the Cuban expatriates comes up, I feel a tinge of remorse and I'm reminded how the world outside the ballpark isn't a game at all.

No news is good news

Still on the vitamin C. Feeling a bit worse this morning but I think it's due to having to get up early and return to work more than anything else.

6, 2 and even.

According to Boston Media Watch, Theo Epstein told Bob Lobel on Sports Final his favorite "Theo Joke" is the one that "he was spotted being dangled over a balcony by Michael Jackson."

Too funny. Makes me laugh out loud just thinking about it.

Absolutely nothing else going on in Red Sox news.

It's only December 2 yet it seems like winter has always been with us. Difficult to imagine spring and baseball on days like this.

Vitamin C

So I started to feel a bit under the weather on Friday -- scratchy throat, achy joints, congestion -- and immediately began a high dosage of vitamin C prescriptive regimen. So far, it seems to be working as I haven't gotten any worse.

But my lethargy is certainly effecting my ability and desire to post to Bambino's. Not much to comment on anyway, as we are in the doldrums of baseball activity in the week preceding Dec. 7 deadline for free agent compensation.

As always, whenever I'm not feeling 100% I think of Cal Ripken and wonder how he managed to play so many consecutive games? You know he must have played through illness and pain on many occasions. All the Major League guys do. Impressive always, more so when I'm shuffling around in my slippers and full of self-pity because of my sniffles.

Meanwhile, the redesign(s) of Bambino's is proceeding on schedule. Hopefully, later this week I'll be putting out a request for beta test volunteers to give the new looks and CSS switcher a test for those who might be interested in that sort of thing.