Yesterday in the Globe’s OT, Chad Finn put forth the theory….and that’s ALL it was, as Finn states he has “no hard evidence to support this suspicion” that led him to write this…that if the Red Sox were to sign free agent slugger Mark Teixeira, that Theo Epstein “should at least gauge interest” in David Ortiz out on the market.
Today we get a good example of how the modern information age loves to take things and “re-report” them in the most sensational way possible. On the NBCSports.com’s “Scuttlebutt” they link Finn’s column with the headline If Red Sox get Tex, Big Papi is gone. Sounds pretty definitive. Si.com’s Fannation also ran with the story, as a “hot rumor,” simply citing the Boston Globe as the source.
The fact that these outlets could take Finn’s opinion – the piece was just an opinion column – and turn it into some kind of hot “rumor” is exactly what is wrong with so much of the sports coverage we get today. Finn wasn’t reporting anything, and much of the piece is in fact a tribute to Ortiz, who Finn clearly does not want to see traded.
Bill Simmons says that home field advantage isn’t what it once was. He also has his Week 12 picks.
Eric Wilbur, as he does every week, rounds up the predictions for this weekend’s Patriots game. A surprising majority appear to be picking the Patriots, which runs counter to my own gut feeling. (Which might be a good thing.)
Ronnie Brown is getting ready for an even bigger and better game against the Patriots this time around.
Wes Goldstein has the Bruins putting it all together under Claude Julien.
Tony Massarotti thinks that the Celtics have the East all wrapped up already.
Jessica Camerato says that these Celtics have swagger…and their opponents don’t particularly appreciate it at times.
Tom E. Curran says that Matt Ryan is starting to look Brady-like down in Atlanta. Lawyer Milloy backs him up.
Dave Hollander has an extensive interview with Erin Andrews.
Jason Whitlock goes after the media for their bashing of Donovan McNabb.
Even if you weren’t a fan of Mike Mussina, you’ve got to admire that he had made his mind up before the season that he was going to retire, but didn’t tell anyone, and that even his first ever 20 win season couldn’t change his mind.
Ken Fang’s Megalinks will be up either later tonight or at latest tomorrow morning…
Popularity: 14% [?]
Jeez, I just read the 150 some-odd comments on Chad’s piece and in many ways they are are discouraging as those ridiculous ‘hot rumor’ sites
well, you know how that goes….the comments section always draws out some real wacko’s……OPPS!
true enough, AOB. Except here, of course.
Oh, they do come here too of course. I generally just delete the useless ones, (unless they’re particularly amusing) which is why brilliant minds such as Rocky from Southie are relegated to emailing Mike Felger and hoping they can get into his mailbag for the week.
I view this situation just as Finn has speculated.
The conventional thinking is that if the Sox were to sign Teixeira, Lowell would automatically be the man to be moved. I don’t necessarily agree.
Mike Lowell could become the full-time DH, with Youkilis moving to third. Unlike Ortiz, Lowell could also play the field when necessary. Given his injury, I believe that Lowell would be receptive to such an assignment.
Fenway will be far more accomodating to an aging Lowell than it will to an aging Ortiz. Ortiz’ contributions have been critical to the club’s championship run, but the three and four holes are too critical to devote to a guy whose best days are apparently behind him…and who is getting significantly hindered by defensive shifts.
I envision an ‘09 batting order of Ellsbury, Pedroia, Youkilis, Teixeira, Bay, Drew, Lowell, Lowrie, Catcher.
As presently projected, the Sox do not possess a championship-caliber batting order. Teixeira would change things dramatically. He represents the best free-agent hitting/fielding prospect since Alex Rodriguez in 2000.
Ortiz should be the one who is moved if Teixeira is signed…perhaps to Seattle or Cleveland. Baltimore might even be interested due to their short, right-field fence.
just another example of a reason to NOT PAY ATTENTION to anything the sports media puts out….when you get right down to it, what’s the rush to know?…All these “rumors” and “speculation”……wake me up on opening day then we will know FOR SURE what the Red Sox lineup looks like and that’s the only time that REALY COUNTS…..99.9% of the sports media is about trying to predict the future (and stirring up shit in the process) just more noise pollution from the “knights of the keyboard”
Sign Texeria and then trade Papi and Lowrie to Texas for Michael Young and Taylor Teagarden (sp?). Not sure why Texas would do it w/o pitching but we could always throw in Bowden and expand the deal to get back the young stud hitter we gave them for Gagne.
Of course, I now sound like one of the idiots who call ‘EEI so “never mind”.
The are significant racial implications with a potential trading of Ortiz, especially with CoCo gone.
The Sox need to get darker — and quick — or face a Sharpton-led shakedown!