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Comments on: That which doesn’t kill you will make you stronger http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/ Media, Baseball, Boston, the Red Sox, Music, Literature, and Mnookins Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:58:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.2 by: jack mccarthy http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-502 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 00:40:41 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-502 I know this sounds like a cliche, but there is a lot of baseball left--including some more head to head games with the Yankees. Baseball is a game of streaks. At the beginning of the season, the team over performed. Since the fourth of July, they have underperformed. They are better than this. You know it and they know it. Things can and often do happen. Wells, Wakefield, Schilling and Beckett have big hearts and pride. Lester is learning a lot about himself. I'm not saying they are going to win the World Series, or even the Wild Card, but it is possible. And, if you love baseball, just open yourself to the possibility that anything can, and often does happen. Enjoy the baseball and it may surprise you. I still believe in this team's defense, their OBP and their slugging percentage. The arms are tired (maybe dead) because they've been abused. But they are better than this and this, too, pass. I know this sounds like a cliche, but there is a lot of baseball left–including some more head to head games with the Yankees. Baseball is a game of streaks. At the beginning of the season, the team over performed. Since the fourth of July, they have underperformed. They are better than this. You know it and they know it. Things can and often do happen. Wells, Wakefield, Schilling and Beckett have big hearts and pride. Lester is learning a lot about himself. I’m not saying they are going to win the World Series, or even the Wild Card, but it is possible. And, if you love baseball, just open yourself to the possibility that anything can, and often does happen. Enjoy the baseball and it may surprise you. I still believe in this team’s defense, their OBP and their slugging percentage. The arms are tired (maybe dead) because they’ve been abused. But they are better than this and this, too, pass.

]]> by: PatsFanDK http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-501 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 22:07:47 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-501 My Plan For 2007: 1. Papelbon goes into the rotation. So now you have a rotation of Schilling, Beckett, Paps, Lester, Wake. Cross your fingers Schil stays healthy and Beckett figures out how to pitch. 2. Trade and/or sign a closer to replace Papelbon and a setup guy to replace Timlin. I'd go for Linebrink to setup. Suggestions are welcome for who would be the closer. DO NOT hesitate to trade Delcarmen and/or Hansen. These are setup guys for heaven's sake, not can't miss studs. 3. Make a strong push for Andruw Jones. Imagine Papi/Manny/Jones 3-4-5. Devastating. Would have to trade Coco, Wily Mo, and perhaps a prospect or two. The only problem here is Atlanta wanted Lester when this trade was explored earlier. 4. Right field is an obvious question mark. Someone help me out here! Other small moves need to be made...backup catcher possibly, SS (I'd re-sign Gonzo), 2B (Pedroia or Lugo). It's a start anyway... My Plan For 2007:

1. Papelbon goes into the rotation. So now you have a rotation of Schilling, Beckett, Paps, Lester, Wake. Cross your fingers Schil stays healthy and Beckett figures out how to pitch.

2. Trade and/or sign a closer to replace Papelbon and a setup guy to replace Timlin. I’d go for Linebrink to setup. Suggestions are welcome for who would be the closer. DO NOT hesitate to trade Delcarmen and/or Hansen. These are setup guys for heaven’s sake, not can’t miss studs.

3. Make a strong push for Andruw Jones. Imagine Papi/Manny/Jones 3-4-5. Devastating. Would have to trade Coco, Wily Mo, and perhaps a prospect or two. The only problem here is Atlanta wanted Lester when this trade was explored earlier.

4. Right field is an obvious question mark. Someone help me out here! Other small moves need to be made…backup catcher possibly, SS (I’d re-sign Gonzo), 2B (Pedroia or Lugo).

It’s a start anyway…

]]> by: jeremyz http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-497 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 20:59:24 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-497 <blockquote>They won it by staging the most amazing comeback in the history of sports.</blockquote> Thanks for this -- I don't think people in Boston truly understand how lucky we've been over the last few years. Most sports fans in this country are lucky to experience once what we experienced first in Super Bowl XXXVI and then again (in an even more extreme fashion) in October '04. The 2004 ALCS was quite literally one of the most incredible stories in the history of sports. That phrase -- "in the history of sports" -- is almost too big to wrap one's mind around. It's easy to say that, for example, no one's hit .400 in MLB since 1941, and we can quickly calculate that it's an impressive feat, not having been accomplished in over a half-century. But ever? In any major U.S. sport (but hockey)? And add to that the qualitative Sox-Yankees story underlying the accomplishment, and the Yankees' place at the top of the athletic pyramid for most of the 1900s -- for THIS TEAM to do THAT against THEM...it's fundamentally unsurpassable. We lived it. The capital-S Story of the Boston Red Sox ended on October 27, 2004. I feel lucky to have been on the right side of that event. The Schilling meltdown in Game 1, and The Ass-Whooping in Game 3. The Steal and The Single and Big Papi II in Game Four. The Passed Balls (accompanied by The Claw-the-Rug Episode in my den) and The Bloop in Game Five. The Bloody Sock and The Slap in Game Six (I was at this one, and I think I'm still harboring residual fear that Tony Clark's going to hit a bomb off an obviously gassed Keith Foulke to bring down the Stadium around me). And of course, The Slam, The Momentary Crowd Rejuvenation, and The Whimpering Exit in Game 7. The 2006 club is just a flawed team that doesn't deserve to make the playoffs. It doesn't mean they're screwed for the millennium or the decade or even next year. I had hoped that 2004's legacy would be nothing if not calmness in the face of failure. We are no longer in danger of never living to see a Red Sox championship. Let's enjoy our summers, eh?

They won it by staging the most amazing comeback in the history of sports.

Thanks for this — I don’t think people in Boston truly understand how lucky we’ve been over the last few years.

Most sports fans in this country are lucky to experience once what we experienced first in Super Bowl XXXVI and then again (in an even more extreme fashion) in October ‘04.

The 2004 ALCS was quite literally one of the most incredible stories in the history of sports. That phrase — “in the history of sports” — is almost too big to wrap one’s mind around. It’s easy to say that, for example, no one’s hit .400 in MLB since 1941, and we can quickly calculate that it’s an impressive feat, not having been accomplished in over a half-century.

But ever? In any major U.S. sport (but hockey)? And add to that the qualitative Sox-Yankees story underlying the accomplishment, and the Yankees’ place at the top of the athletic pyramid for most of the 1900s — for THIS TEAM to do THAT against THEM…it’s fundamentally unsurpassable.

We lived it. The capital-S Story of the Boston Red Sox ended on October 27, 2004.

I feel lucky to have been on the right side of that event. The Schilling meltdown in Game 1, and The Ass-Whooping in Game 3. The Steal and The Single and Big Papi II in Game Four. The Passed Balls (accompanied by The Claw-the-Rug Episode in my den) and The Bloop in Game Five. The Bloody Sock and The Slap in Game Six (I was at this one, and I think I’m still harboring residual fear that Tony Clark’s going to hit a bomb off an obviously gassed Keith Foulke to bring down the Stadium around me). And of course, The Slam, The Momentary Crowd Rejuvenation, and The Whimpering Exit in Game 7.

The 2006 club is just a flawed team that doesn’t deserve to make the playoffs. It doesn’t mean they’re screwed for the millennium or the decade or even next year. I had hoped that 2004’s legacy would be nothing if not calmness in the face of failure.

We are no longer in danger of never living to see a Red Sox championship. Let’s enjoy our summers, eh?

]]> by: HFXBOB http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-494 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 20:34:47 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-494 I agree, and I thought so at the time, it was a huge mistake not to have Papelbon start the eighth. I'm sure if the situation was reversed, Torre would have had Rivera start the eighth. Joe learned his lesson in 2004 ALCS game 5 when he let Tom Gordon start the 8th instead of Rivera. Sometimes you have to take the best shot you have right now. The Sox just lost game 5, which was only slightly less predictable than Tiger winning the PGA. Somewhat perversely I look forward to the final commentaries on this now complete debacle. My only way of getting through this is to imagine what I would feel like now if they hadn't won in 2004. I agree, and I thought so at the time, it was a huge mistake not to have Papelbon start the eighth. I’m sure if the situation was reversed, Torre would have had Rivera start the eighth. Joe learned his lesson in 2004 ALCS game 5 when he let Tom Gordon start the 8th instead of Rivera. Sometimes you have to take the best shot you have right now.

The Sox just lost game 5, which was only slightly less predictable than Tiger winning the PGA. Somewhat perversely I look forward to the final commentaries on this now complete debacle. My only way of getting through this is to imagine what I would feel like now if they hadn’t won in 2004.

]]> by: crimsonohsix http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-493 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 20:32:11 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-493 tommyk8: one thing that is positive about this series is the return of foulke. He looked pretty darn good today, and seeing jeter strike out way in front of his signature changeup gave me a little bit of hope for a turn around... tommyk8: one thing that is positive about this series is the return of foulke. He looked pretty darn good today, and seeing jeter strike out way in front of his signature changeup gave me a little bit of hope for a turn around…

]]> by: tommyk8 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-491 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 19:56:58 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-491 I have been searching deep within myself to try to find a positive in the midst of this 5 game debacle, on our home field, being humiliated by Johnny Damon and the Yankees. And here's what I came up with: 1. Watching the games on TV, I have seen no banners or posters held by Yankee fans with "1918" on them. I have seen no pictures of Babe Ruth. There has been no discussion of curses, or ghosts. There have been no derisive chants referencing 86 years of futility. At the very least, we don't have to suffer that indignity ever again. 2. I can only hope that losing in this fashion to New York stiffens the resolve of Theo and the ownership team to turn this around beginning in 2007. I hope the players remember how this series felt, and that they owe the Yankees one in a big way. That's what I've come up with so far. I'll keep searching. I have been searching deep within myself to try to find a positive in the midst of this 5 game debacle, on our home field, being humiliated by Johnny Damon and the Yankees. And here’s what I came up with:

1. Watching the games on TV, I have seen no banners or posters held by Yankee fans with “1918″ on them. I have seen no pictures of Babe Ruth. There has been no discussion of curses, or ghosts. There have been no derisive chants referencing 86 years of futility. At the very least, we don’t have to suffer that indignity ever again.
2. I can only hope that losing in this fashion to New York stiffens the resolve of Theo and the ownership team to turn this around beginning in 2007. I hope the players remember how this series felt, and that they owe the Yankees one in a big way.

That’s what I’ve come up with so far. I’ll keep searching.

]]> by: miles44 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-485 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 17:12:00 +0000 http://www.sethmnookin.com/blog/2006/08/21/that-which-doesnt-kill-you-will-make-you-stronger/#comment-485 It's all Theo's fault that Wakefield, Varitek, Nixon, Clement, Foulke, Gonzalez, and DiNardo are hurt. It's also Theo's fault that Wells, Crisp, and Pena were hurt earlier in the season and missed large chunks of time. The Yankees would never have allowed this to happen! This is why we always lose! Thank you ladies and gentlemen, that's my impression of a WEEI caller today. I'll be here all week, try the veal! It’s all Theo’s fault that Wakefield, Varitek, Nixon, Clement, Foulke, Gonzalez, and DiNardo are hurt. It’s also Theo’s fault that Wells, Crisp, and Pena were hurt earlier in the season and missed large chunks of time. The Yankees would never have allowed this to happen! This is why we always lose!

Thank you ladies and gentlemen, that’s my impression of a WEEI caller today. I’ll be here all week, try the veal!

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