tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24509057402786824512024-03-13T21:35:13.038-07:00Wikked Hahd: A Dad's Life in Baw-stahnDiapers, dresses and 4 a.m. feedings... I signed up for this.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-85119129574561422332012-05-30T09:15:00.001-07:002012-05-30T09:15:57.831-07:00You'll always be my special big girlDearest Ava,<br />
Your little brother arrives on Friday. We've been telling you you'll be a Big Sister for a while, and now that day is almost here. Before your brother arrives, though, I wanted to make sure that you always know how special you are to Daddy.<br />
<br />
Someday when you're older and can read this blog, you'll see a lot of posts about how Daddy's life changed so much after you were born. You'll read about changing diapers, about all the pink stuff in our house, how Daddy worries about making sure he does his part to make the world a better place for you and Mommy. Maybe you'll laugh, surely you'll cringe, and you'll definitely probably think Daddy's a silly sap.<br />
<br />
But I hope you'll read how I think you are the most amazing thing I've been a part of. I can't even explain to you how much you have changed me -- simply by being born.<br />
<br />
I remember when we first brought you home from the hospital and how in awe of you I was. Mommy and I couldn't believe that we had made you, borne out of our love for one another. You would lay there in my arms -- sometimes awake, sometimes asleep -- and I would be hypnotized by you. Every yawn, blink of your eyes, wiggle or snuggle was a revelation. You had me instantly, completely, and forever.<br />
<br />
As you grew, it seemed like every day was a new discovery. The first time you grabbed my finger. The first time you smiled at me. The first time you rolled over or held a toy or giggled or blew raspberries at Mommy and Daddy... they were revelations, "firsts" that seemed to happen at a breakneck pace. You were the most amazing, wonderful thing I had ever seen.<br />
<br />
When you called me "Dada" for the first time, it melted my heart. When you crawled (and "butt-scooted") I cheered. When you stood up, I watched with equal parts joy and sheer terror. When you walked for the first time, I was so proud (and scared). When you learned to climb the stairs and ride your bike, I cheered again. <br />
<br />
Now you sing and dance and play the piano and draw and run and laugh and make up stories... and so many other things. You're so smart and beautiful and funny and silly. I can't believe we made you.<br />
<br />
It will probably be hard for you sometimes to be a Big Sister, knowing how long you got to be the only one. You'll have to share toys, attention, food, all sorts of things that used to be "just yours." You'll be mad, and maybe sad, and probably wonder if all the things that used to be just for you are now changed or gone.<br />
<br />
They're not. You'll always have special Mommy-Daddy Hugs and Mommy-Daddy Kisses. You'll always have dance parties with Daddy. You'll always have bedtime stories and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." <br />
<br />
You'll always be my special big girl. And you'll always hear me say "Daddy loves you."<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Daddy <br />CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-59738299701178577412012-04-17T10:57:00.000-07:002012-04-17T10:57:12.398-07:00My only prayer is, if I can’t be there/ Lord, protect my childI've been reading about the new documentary film "Bully" a lot recently. And I've been wondering how a filmmaker could shoot a film like this -- which follows three kids being bullied and two sets of parents whose children committed suicide because of bullying -- without intervening.<br />
<br />
Even though I've only been a parent for a short time, I've learned that standing idly by is not a luxury a parent has. Whether it's hovering anxiously while your child takes her first tentative steps or staying that extra second (or 20) in her day care room at dropoff to make sure she's happy, the idea that your child is unhappy or could be hurt (emotionally or physically) is unbearable. You just can't watch.<br />
<br />
Now this is not -- in any way -- an indictment of the film's director, Lee Hirsch; on the contrary, his shining a light on bullying is incredibly important. In Massachusetts alone we've seen the positive impact of the Pheobe Prince and Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover bullying tragedies, both which spurred schools and lawmakers to take decisive action to end bullying. The "It Gets Better" campaign has been revelatory to many, exposing the harsh truth that -- pop culture notwithstanding -- being gay or "different" as a teen is a lonely and harsh existence for too many of our children. Hirsch's film and the "It Gets Better" campaign will hopefully be important building blocks in the effort to stop bullying in our schools and, maybe, our society.<br />
<br />
What "Bully" has done is make me think of what would happen if that were my child. And they were different.<br />
<br />
I'm hopeful for so many things for my daughter and my son-to-come (due in June). I want them to be happy. I want them to love and be loved. I want them to be healthy, to laugh, to sing, to dream... to be whatever they want to be.<br />
<br />
Maybe they'll be scholars. Or singers. Or athletes.<br />
<br />
Or maybe they'll be different. Maybe they like art and they're classmates prefer sports. Maybe they'll love books while others prefer video games. Maybe they'll be short and others tall, fat while others are thin, brunette while others are blonde. Or maybe they'll be gay.<br />
<br />
Whatever they are or want to be, it will probably be different from their friends, classmates, neighbors, whatever. When I was a kid, I loved singing and acting whilst almost all the kids in my neighborhood were jocks (including my brothers). I wasn't fast or strong or, really, at all athletic. Sometimes, it didn't matter; but sometimes, it was everything.<br />
<br />
For example, when I was in sixth grade, I was still singing soprano in the school chorus; I would have liked to played baseball for the school, but I wasn't good enough (I tried out). Yes, I was teased, even by girls. Not bullied like Pheobe, Carl Joseph or the kids in "Bully" -- not even close -- but I was made to feel different. I was lucky; my "being different" came down to something pretty mild
compared to the pain and suffering of others. But that difference was, to my pre-teen self, everything to
me. And it hurt. <br />
<br />
Eventually, I discovered that who I was and what I liked made me different, yes, but also made me unique and special. That made me feel good. It gave me confidence.. That confidence -- reinforced and nurtured by my parents, my brothers, my friends and teachers -- was what I needed to grow and become who I am today.<br />
<br />
Someday, my daughter and my son may wake up and find out that they like (or are) something different from their friends and classmates. It might be a something small -- liking a different band or type of clothes -- or it might be something big -- being smart or short or gay -- that could make them a target for their peers.<br />
<br />
I hope that they don't get bullied.<br />
<br />
I hope that they can accept and celebrate their difference.<br />
<br />
<br />
And that when I'm not there to protect them that they I have done everything I can to give them the confidence to be who they are. Being different is not bad -- it's what makes us great.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-30308605975229333282012-04-11T14:08:00.000-07:002012-04-11T14:08:52.796-07:00When she wraps her hand around my finger, it puts a smile in my heartIt's been a while since I had any new programming on this channel, so here's something I think about a lot...<br />
<br />
Things you do that make me laugh:<br />
- Your "magic trick"<br />
- Nak-ey Bab-ey!<br />
- Dance parties<br />
- Surfing<br />
- The toothbrush dance<br />
- Bibi taste testing<br />
- Changing Lulu's "stinky poop"<br />
- Trampoline time<br />
<br />
Things you do that make me smile:<br />
- Singing along in the car<br />
- Mommy-Daddy hugs<br />
- Dress up<br />
- "Reading" your books aloud<br />
- Screaming "Daddy!" when I come home from work<br />
- Correct me every time I call you "Baby" by saying "I'm not a baby... I'm a big girl!" <br />
- Holding my hand when we walk<br />
<br />
Things you do that make me happy:<br />
- Everything<br />
<br />
I love you, Baby Girl!CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-82238085803791335252011-11-23T07:10:00.001-08:002011-11-23T08:02:17.293-08:00And so today, my world it smilesIn my office every year, there's a "Giving Tree" that has paper ornaments with wishes for gifts from children at a local shelter. The kids are as young as 1 year old and as old as 17, and the gifts range from a winter coat to blocks. Every year I go up and read the tags and try to pick just one, and end up with 3-4. And I always feel like it's not enough.<br />
<br />
My heart literally breaks when I see the things that these kids ask for. Many are from broken homes, their young lives torn apart by parents, family members and guardians consumed by drugs, alcohol, abuse, violence... all the things that no child should ever have to experience, yet so many do.<br />
<br />
I wish that these children -- or anyone -- never had to deal with these types of things, these horrors and abuses that force them out of the world of a child into one that is far crueler, far more desperate and far more dangerous than I have ever known.<br />
<br />
But they do. And if a winter coat or set of blocks or toy kitchen or a Dora doll can provide these kids with a brief light, a small measure of hope, in what has been a hard life, then it's worth the sacrifice of a few dollars.<br />
<br />In this season of thanks, I am thankful that my parents raised me in a home where -- even if we couldn't have everything we wanted -- we had more than we need: shelter, food, clothes, and most importantly love and support. Showing me what a strong, vital marriage is -- hard work and selflessness mixed with equal parts passion and humor -- gave me the faith to believe that I find that, too,<br />
<br />
I am thankful that I have two brothers who, being fathers and husbands themselves, taught me that being a good husband
and good father doesn't mean "giving in" to your spouse or "sacrificing
your life." Instead, it means taking a leap of faith that giving
yourself over to your wife and children will bring you so much more than
you could ever have alone.<br />
<br />
I am thankful that I have friends who know how vain, moody, and/or strange I can be... and still stand by me.<br />
<br />
I am thankful that I have my amazing, kind, supportive and incredibly beautiful wife, who shows me every day what love is and what it can be, and how giving in to that love and returning it can bring you a happiness that is impossible to describe.<br />
<br />
I am thankful that I have a happy, healthy, growing daughter who has taught me more about myself and the world I live in than any college course could ever do, challenging me to be a better man and make the world a better place.<br />
<br />
But I am most thankful that I have been given so many blessings -- health, family, friends, love and security -- that many don't have. I am humbled by these gifts, and eternally grateful for all that I have.<br />
<br />
Happy Thanksgiving, and God bless you and your loved ones.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-60573948503946530702011-11-15T17:28:00.001-08:002011-11-15T18:01:55.326-08:00On Penn State and responsibilityAs you know from reading this blog -- and the title of the blog itself -- I am a dad. A new(ish) Dad. And I admittedly am learning on the job every day. Some of that learning is fun (Where are my daughter's ticklish spots? What's her favorite bedtime story?); some of it not so much (What are the signs of an ear infection? How do I sleep-train my daughter?)...<br />
<br />
I can tell you one thing I didn't need to learn, tho. I didn't need to learn that a child is vulnerable, maybe the most vulnerable thing in the world. Vulnerable to sickness. Vulnerable to a new world that might not be fully be baby-proofed. And vulnerable to those who prey on them. <br />
<br />
Those like Jerry Sandusky, the alleged pedophile at Penn State.<br />
<br />
I tried to hold off writing this; I really did. I do believe in innocence until proven guilty. I believe in due process. But when a crime like this -- one so heinous that it shakes you truly to your core -- is alleged, I go blind. Blind to reason and justice and, frankly, logic.<br />
<br />
Sandusky -- allegedly -- took advantage of young boys who came to his Second Mile charity foundation seeking guidance. Many of them came from single family or broken homes, looking for something or someone that would help them escape what I'm sure were awful situations. What they got was far, far worse.<br />
<br />
They asked for help. Instead, they got a predator who was -- allegedly -- only too happy to take advantage of that need, that want, to feed his own sickness. To me -- again, if guilty -- Sandusky should go to prison for the rest of his life, where he will be subject to a Hell that monsters like him deserve. It's well known that child molesters and pedophiles are the most hated, most reviled, most ostracized members of any prison community. They are the ones that murderers, thieves and rapists look down. Men with no moral compass know a true monster when they see one.<br />
<br />
But this is not just about one man who took advantage of children who were vulnerable. This is also about responsibility, more specifically moral responsibility.<br />
<br />
There's no question that, when confronted by the reports that a predator was in their midst, using his position and influence in the football program and access to the facilities, the leaders in the Penn State community chose to bury the truth rather than confront it. The firings and resignations of the last two weeks -- academic, institutional and athletic leaders all have been dismissed, chose to leave or have been placed on leave -- are proof of that.<br />
<br />
Many of these individuals claim that they "followed the rules" in reporting what they saw or what they knew to their higher-ups. That may be true, and -- legally at least -- was a responsible move.<br />
<br />
But what about going further? What about realizing that a child often has neither the mental capacity to understand nor courage to report to an adult that another adult has taken advantage of them? Some children barely have the courage or smarts to tell a teacher when a classmate steals their pudding at lunch or hits them at recess, let alone that they have been sexually assaulted by someone they know and probably trust. <br />
<br />
Now remember that, to many of these children, that adult was a "friend" who gave them gifts, took them on trips, and told their parents that he was "helping them to a better future." <br />
<br />
So, confronted with an unspeakable crime, the coaches, administrators and leaders at Penn State chose to keep it in house. Take care of it their way. Not go to the police, protect the children, and stop a monster.<br />
<br />
Those leaders, those pillars of the Penn State community, had a moral obligation -- as self-described teachers and leaders of men -- to report this and try to put a stop to it. And they failed. <br />
<br />
And those children paid the price.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-85111763087528315202011-10-24T17:28:00.001-07:002011-10-24T18:07:50.066-07:00And when I die, and when I'm gone...The title of this post sounds way darker ("dah-keh") than I intended, but I'm a slave to my "theme" (such as it is)...<br /><br />There's this commercial that I'm sure most of you have seen where a Dad is using all sorts of web tools (Google, YouTube, Blogger, etc.) to document all these moments in his kids' lives, and it ends with him typing the line "I can't wait to show you these...", and it got me thinking.<br /><br />What am I leaving behind for my daughter?<br /><br />Not the obvious things -- money (hopefully), photos, our home, maybe a car, some personal possessions (jewelry, etc.) -- but things that are maybe more ephemeral, more intangible... like a better world, as much as I can. A legacy of trying to do the right thing. Of being a good person. Caring about the world I live in and my place in it, trying to make my corner of it a better place.<br /><br />It's funny how these things seem "important" when you're young and single, but -- let's face it -- they're really not your primary focus. Or maybe not even secondary. You're young, just starting to figure out who you are and what kind of person you want to be, what kind of job or career you want, and how fast you can get there and how much fun you can have on the trip.<br /><br />Of course, that all changes when you get "older." That word does not necessarily mean years, mind you; I know my fair share of 40+ year old men (and some women) still working out that "Who am I? What's my place? What are my goals?" stuff. And they have every right to take as much time as they need.<br /><br />Because I sure did. I was 35 when I got married, and believe me (and I tell my wife all the time), I needed every one of those 35 years to get to a place where I was ready for my world to expand and become about more than just myself. Which is really what starting a family is about -- putting someone and something else first.<br /><br />I was 37 when my daughter was born, and again that was right when I was ready. Being a husband is one of the hardest and best jobs I have ever had. Being a father is even harder and more rewarding -- which probably goes without saying.<br /><br />That's why today, more than ever, I think about the world I live in and what my place is in it.<br /><br />That's not to say that I have that licked, by the way. Every day I have the internal conversation about whether the time I have to spend away from my family to work is worth the sacrifice (i.e., the "Waah! I have to work to support my family but I'd rather be home with them!" feeling). What about the trips to the gym a few times a week? It's a balancing act.<br /><br />So, yeah, what I do every day is a mix of trying to help my world and the world overall. Some days, I do it real good with one. Some days, it's the other. Very rarely, it's both. Often, it feel like neither. And it feels empty and not fulfilling.<br /><br />But I wake up every day believing that day will be the one where I fill up both columns, a better world for my family and the world in general. And I keep waking up every day feeling that way; otherwise, why get out of bed?<br /><br />That's what I am trying to leave behind. And that's what I want my daughter (and any future children) to know and remember. I tried every day to make the world a better place.<br /><br />And that, to me, is the best legacy I can leave for my daughter. Because I'd want her to follow that more than anything else.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-31808692668522444112011-07-14T09:54:00.000-07:002011-07-14T10:10:12.970-07:00I just called...So my office (really a cube) phone just rang, and I answered. The voice on the other end of the phone said "Hi Dada!"<br /><br />It was awesome.<br /><br />Crazy, really... for a while now, my daughter's been playing "telephone," picking up our house phone or cell phone(s) or even remote controls (or her baby monitor) and saying "Hi!" and telling us she's calling Grandma (my mother-in-law) or Nana & Papa (my parents). But when it came time for her to talk on a real phone to a real person, she would usually just smile at me (or my wife) when we told her to "Say 'Hi!' to" whomever was on the phone.<br /><br />Now, though, she seems to be on board with talking on the phone, for real.<br /><br />I'm sure there will come a time when I'll be asking her to NOT talk on the phone so much.<br /><br />But for now, I can't wait till she calls again.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-56717059768687780022011-03-07T13:11:00.000-08:002011-03-08T13:23:56.806-08:00So let them be little 'cause they're only that way for a whileWarning - this one's gonna be all over the place...<br /><br />The March issue of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">GQ</span> featured a profile on Bill Ray Cyrus (of "Achy-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Breaky</span> Heart" fame) which detailed, in equal parts, a heart-breaking (no pun intended) and searing look at the toll of being Hannah Montana's daddy. It's <a href="http://www.gq.com/entertainment/celebrities/201103/billy-ray-cyrus-mr-hannah-montana-miley">here</a> if you want to read it.<br /><br />In the piece, Cyrus acknowledges that he played a part in allowing his daughter to become a massively popular and now -- arguably -- out-of-control star with the "Hannah Montana" show, concerts, albums, etc. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Miley</span> Cyrus, his daughter, seems to be well on her way to becoming another burnt out child star fallen victim to partying, booze, etc. Think Lindsay <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Lohan</span> with a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Nickelodeon</span> instead of Disney pedigree. The story is equally sympathetic to, and scathing in its critique of, the Cyrus clan, with Daddy Billy Ray seeming despondent that his little girl is gone and may never come back to him.<br /><br />For a while, this story was the most read and most emailed piece on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">GQ</span>.com (which is where I read it), probably due to the "car-wreck" factor of the story and the easy jokes about Billy Ray and his rise to fame (and infamy) on the wave of his one hit, his acid wash jeans and spectacular mullet (he likes the term "Kentucky Waterfall"). But it resonated with me for an entirely different reason.<br /><br />Billy Ray is a father. He sent his little girl out into the world because he thought it was best for her talent, and he believed in her. Now his daughter is in trouble, under the sway of folks who care only for her money (and don't care about her), and he knows it's partially his fault. And he doesn't know what to do.<br /><br />In the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">GQ</span> piece, Billy Ray talks about how he thought he had everything under control when he and his wife made the decision to let his daughter become a TV star. They thought the family bubble was strong enough to withstand the pressures and temptations of fame... but it wasn't, and now they have a daughter who, at 18, is essentially estranged from him, beholden to people who care about her as a commodity and not a person. His lament is painful, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">moreso</span> because he doesn't hide the fact that he doesn't know what to do.<br /><br />Now, don't misunderstand me -- I am in no way saying that the clan Cyrus are victims (they knowingly chose this for their child), nor do I think my daughter will someday be a huge TV star and pop icon that will cause me the same regret.<br /><br />It goes without saying that you never stop being a parent. Even when your children grow up and become parents themselves, they're still <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">someone's</span> child. And you never go to sleep at night without saying a prayer that your child will be happy, loved and safe in the world.<br /><br />You always think that your choices will be made in the best interests of your child. If they want to play soccer or take ballet, you weigh the pros and cons and then let them do what they want. If they want something bigger -- like to be a TV star or pop singer -- you do the same thing.<br /><br />And it's struggle -- you want to let them fly, but you need to protect them. You want them to grow up and experience all that life can give them, but you also want them to remain little forever, protected inside the bubble of your family.<br /><br />It's the parents' dilemma: Love them and nurture them to follow their dreams while secretly praying that their dream won't take them beyond what they can handle or control. And all the while you're longing for them to remain your little girl (or boy), who looks at you adoringly and depends on you for everything.<br /><br />I know that someday my daughter will grow up, spread her wings, and leave the nest. Maybe it will be for college in a far-off city, maybe for a job, maybe for a husband... or maybe all three. And I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me sad to think of that now, even though she's barely 14 months.<br /><br />Someday when she's older, she'll read this and think I worried too much about something that wasn't a big deal. But to me, it's everything. And when I came to that realization, that's when I knew I was a Parent.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-17050016983903239222011-02-01T07:35:00.000-08:002011-02-01T09:12:53.817-08:00Time passages...So, umm, hey... what's going on? Been a while since I Daddy-blogged. A lot has happened.<br /><br />We had our first Christmas, and it was, hyperbole notwithstanding, truly magical. My daughter was excited, confused, tired (as were Mommy & Daddy) and delighted by both her presents and the boxes they came in. Wrapping paper proved a little confusing; she would rip it a bit, then stop and wait for something to happen, which led Mommy and Daddy to finish the job.<br /><br />Elmo-themed gifts were a hit, including an Elmo Remote Control that satisfied both her urge to play with anything that has buttons (remotes, phones, BlackBerries, etc.) and the aforementioned love for Elmo. She also loved a front-door/house play set, which was -- surprisingly -- easy to assemble the night before. It has all sorts of sounds, bells, and other stuff to play with that she loves, and it's actually fun for us to play with her.<br /><br />A few weeks later, we had her first birthday party -- 30+ people in our house (which is a lot of people) -- and it was a great day. We pushed our Baby Girl beyond her usual nap times, so there was a minor meltdown. She also wasn't so excited about birthday cake, much to our chagrin, as we were really hoping for some fun "frosting face" photos. She got great gifts from everyone, and my wife and I were humbled by how much everyone gave and how excited they were for such a wonderful milestone.<br /><br />She had her first day in the snow. The last six weeks, we've been getting hammered by snow in the Boston area. After the last round of 10-12 inches, we took her out into the snow to let her play. She wasn't a fan... at least, not yet.<br /><br />And then, just this past weekend, the big milestones started -- walking and talking. Almost overnight, our Baby Girl started saying all sorts of stuff, and is moving all over. When she's walking, the look on her face is priceless: A combination of playing it cool and a sly "Look at me!" smile since she knows how excited Mommy & Daddy are. It's just remarkable to see her walking around and talking up a storm.<br /><br />All these things happened in about a five-week span. It went from "I can't believe she's gonna be a year old" to "She's doing it all!" in what seems like the blink of an eye. When I decided that I would re-start this blog as a "Daddy Blog" I always thought that, while all these things were happening, I'd have so much material and blog posts on all of them. Then I looked up and it was February and I hadn't written a thing.<br /><br />It's funny -- all the cliches people have for parenting are right. It DOES go fast. A year ago, I would hold our five-week-old Little Peanut and just be in awe of this little life. Now I hold her and she looks at me and I know she's thinking "That's Daddy!" and she smiles and hugs me.<br /><br />You always tell yourself to "Remember every moment" and document everything. You try to take mental snapshots of smiles, hugs, playtime... all that stuff. And then all of a sudden everything happens and you feel like you haven't enjoyed it enough.<br /><br />Part of me is so excited to see our Little Peanut walking, talking, smiling, feeding herself... all those great things. And part of me is sad that each first step, first word, new milestone means that she's getting older. And that I need to hold on to each of those moments however I can.<br /><br />When she's old enough - and if I keep posting - I'll show my daughter this blog. Hopefully, all of these moments will be captured. If not for her, then for me.<br /><br />Because it does go by fast.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-83263021381747136512010-12-14T06:37:00.000-08:002010-12-14T07:15:45.885-08:00Goodnight my angel now it's time to sleepSince I work in downtown Boston, I leave the house pretty early in the morning to catch the commuter rail. As a result, I miss being a part of the morning routine for my daughter - my wife handles the morning feeding, getting her dressed, etc. and brings her to daycare, conveniently located in the school where my wife teaches one town over.<br /><br />To make sure I get enough Daddy Time, I catch the earliest train possible home so I can take the bedtime routine - bath, bottle, bed. It gives me about an hour of uninterrupted time to be with my daughter, and gives my wife a much-needed break to relax.<br /><br />Almost from the day we brought her home from the hospital, that bedtime routine has included songs and lullabies after she finishes her bedtime bottle. FULL DISCLOSURE: My wife is an insanely talented singer and music teacher, and yours truly is a not-so-secret musical theatre geek. So we my daughter's been exposed to pretty wide selection of music.<br /><br />As she's gotten older, I've added to the catalog of music I sing to her on a given night, everything from "The Rainbow Connection" to "Sparks" by Coldplay. It's funny, tho - no matter how many different songs I sing, I always seem to gravitate to the same three songs:<br />- "When Somebody Loved Me" from "Toy Story 2"<br />- "Somewhere That's Green" from "Little Shop of Horrors"<br />- "Goodnight, My Angel (Lullaby)" by Billy Joel<br /><br />To recap: A song about a toy left behind (watch this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px0j1EHF8Y0">clip</a> and try not to be affected) by an owner who grew up; a song about yearning for a better life that, in the context of the show, is only a dream; and a "lullaby" that acknowledges that, one day, a father will be gone and a daughter will be on her own.<br /><br />Umm... not exactly the happiest jukebox in the joint. So why do I sing them to my daughter before she goes off to sleep? Probably because - besides being a melancholy, sentimental schmuck - I have started to become more and more aware of how much my life has changed, how quickly my daughter is growing, and how much I want for my daughter.<br /><br />Anyone who has ever listened to a lullaby of any sort knows they are inherently sad. Any song about longing, regardless of what context, has that sadness in its DNA. That's why they are so relatable; every one of us, regardless of how happy our lives are (and mine is quite happy, indeed), always has a longing for something. It might not be something you want; it may be something you lost... but it's there.<br /><br />A year ago, I didn't have a baby or a house; now I have both. Six months ago, my daughter had only started to sit up, verbalize and interact with us; now she's standing, cruising, babbling and smiling like crazy. And someday, she will grow up and head out into the world on her own.<br /><br />It's funny to me to think that even though my daughter is not a year old, I already know I will soon long for times like last night, like tonight when I start to sing to her and she looks at me and I know that, in that one moment, I am her whole world.<br /><br />Someday, when she is grown up, someone will ask me about her and I will instantly flash to holding her in my arms, singing about "somewhere that's green," and I will get a little choked up.<br /><br />And I'll smile. Because, to paraphrase Billy Joel, "I'll know, in my heart, I will always be part of her"...CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-37471547208561927082010-10-19T13:34:00.000-07:002010-10-20T13:42:28.976-07:00We have movement!Baby-Proof (def): Making your home safe for your newly-mobile child, including covering sharp edges and blocking dangerous surfaces (i.e., stairs, doors, etc.); also, a parent's worst nightmare. <em>See "I'M NOT READY!"</em><br /><br />So my daughter is crawling, pulling up, doing all of her <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">pre</span>-walking stuff.<br /><br />Three words: Wow! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Yay</span>! F%$K!<br /><br />Wow! - It's becoming increasingly clear to me that the cliche "they grow up so fast" is not just a trite saying; children really do grow fast. Nine & 1/2 months ago, my daughter was a newborn. We had no idea what her personality would be, when she would start to vocalize, get her first teeth, etc. Now she's a happy, smiling, squealing, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">mischievous</span> ball of fun who babbles ("<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">ogoly</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">ogoly</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">ogoly</span>" is a favorite phrase) with eight teeth and more on the way. She's so interactive and engaging - just plain fun - that I have to remind myself she's not even a year old yet... and yet, a small part of me misses the days when I would hold her and she would open her eyes and melt my heart with a small gurgle or a grasp of my finger in her tiny hands.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Yay</span>! - After 8 months of butt-scooting and "almost" crawling (laying on her belly and pulling herself with her arms Army-man style), my daughter started crawling, pulling herself up and even trying free standing - all in ONE MONTH! It seriously made my head spin. My wife and I were starting to wonder if she was developmentally-delayed, even though I was a late-crawler, too. Well, we ain't worried no more.<br /><br />F%$K! - Now we have to baby-proof our house. When we bought our house in May, it was semi-baby proofed - some latches on drawers and cabinets, plug covers, the door to the basement had a handle protector... but it also had a few things that still needed to be done. We have to get a gate for the stairs (curiously, the top of the stairs was set up with a gate, but not the bottom - kids can fall down stairs from any stair, right?). And oh yeah - now we have to make sure closet doors are closed and there aren't any objects at the two-foot level that can be pulled down on top of our daughter.<br /><br />But one of the best parts is we can now play games with her that are interactive and that she can move around... roll stuff to her, she pushes it back. Put her on one side of the room and she crawls towards us (or away, her choice). Really, it's just unbelievable how far she's come.<br /><br />And to think - she's not even a year old yet!CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-472190476966087112010-09-16T10:50:00.000-07:002010-09-16T13:19:33.516-07:00Day-care, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Just Hand Over My KidMy daughter started day care a couple of weeks ago. Early returns have been, for the most part, positive, albeit with a few rough days - though none in the last week or so.<br /><br />Me, on the other hand, I'm day-to-day; some days, I'm thrilled at the idea that my daughter is in day care and is interacting with other kids, the teachers, all that stuff.<br /><br />Some days, though, I'm a mess. I think about how the little hermetically-sealed bubble of "Daddy, Mommy & Baby" has been forever and irretrievably punctured. We'll never get that bubble back; the baby bird is out of the nest, etc.<br /><br />I think about how, in those first few days, she would cry at drop off and hold out her arms to be taken back. How our "happiest baby in the world" would seem sad sometimes.<br /><br />Mostly, though, I felt like the worst parent in the world; when forced to choose between being home and caring for my child or handing her off to strangers so I could make a buck, I chose money... <br /><br />Here's the thing, though; it's not really a choice. My wife and I struggled with this everyday (her much more than me, since she had been home with our daughter every day since she was born), often feeling bad about our choice. I've come to realize that it's not a choice - in order for us to provide our baby girl with a home, clothes, a future, and all that stuff, we have to work. Life is too expensive - day care ain't cheap, that's for sure - and money is not just a necessary evil; it's required.<br /><br />On the way to our parental steel-cage wrestling match with this existential crisis of money vs. family, a funny - and wholly unsurprising - thing happened: My daughter adjusted and is FINE. She's still happy.<br /><br />She still giggles when I imitate Cookie Monster (an admittedly poor imitation, but she doesn't know that yet)... loves Peek-A-Boo... thinks "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" is the best book ever... basically, she's adapted and is as happy, playful and smiley (Scrunchy Face) as ever. Seeing that, and hearing from the day care folks that she such a happy baby, helps, too.<br /><br />Mommy and Daddy still can be prone to over-thinking and suffering paralyzing paroxysms of parental guilt, but we're learning to deal with it. Once again, I'm finding that I - we - have just as much to learn from her as she does from me.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-14536787384871238812010-08-09T05:43:00.000-07:002010-08-09T06:04:22.222-07:00The Scrunchy FaceI was once told, probably sometime during my wife's pregnancy, that the day your child smiles at you for the first time will be magical and amazing and will melt your heart and make you realize you have a little person, etc., etc.<br /><br />And when my daughter smiled at us for the first time, it was all that. It really did send me to another place. But I knew she was "my daughter" when she started making what my wife and I call "The Scrunchy Face."<br /><br />It is exactly what it sounds like - my daughter will, in moments of happiness (laughing or babbling), scrunch up her face in a "super smile" that is both insanely cute and wildly entertaining. Her eyes crinkle and her dimples will pop and she will smile her biggest, almost toothless grin. <br /><br />And the best part about it is that, when she does it, I do it right back to her and we look alike.<br /><br />Now it may seem strange that it would take something like this to make me feel like she is my daughter, especially since a lot of people have said she looks like me. It's not her looks, though, that I am talking about. It's the fact that when she does it, I do it back to her - and we both laugh.<br /><br />So, more than my "looks" (God help her), maybe she has my sense of humor. And that's something unique to me and her.<br /><br />And that's how I know she's my girl.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-69969576370439020792010-08-04T13:38:00.000-07:002010-08-04T13:51:46.961-07:00So this guys walks into a delivery room...."It's a girl."<br /><br />You could have pretty much knocked me over with a feather when the doctor said that to me. I mean, really and truly - my legs were wobbly and everything.<br /><br />And it wasn't because we had been told it would be a boy and it was wrong. It had just become an unspoken agreement between my wife and I that we were having a boy. After all, I was one of three boys, my brother had two boys of his own... and our baby had been tracking bigger all during my wife's pregnancy.<br /><br />During those 41 weeks (our daughter was a week late), I used to joke with people all the time that "My family only makes boys" and that "if I have a girl, I'm screwed" because I had no reference point for how to raise a girl. My wife, also one of three, has a younger brother and sister and seemed a little less trepadacious about having a girl, but still... we just thought "boy" all along.<br /><br />The funny thing is that, all throughout the pregnancy, I stubbornly refused to find out the sex of the baby. I had always said that having a baby is one of life's few, true surprises - if you choose to not find out, you really won't know what you're having unil that magic moment when the doctor says "it's a..."<br /><br />Even when I asked my wife to marry me, I was reasonably sure she would say yes, mostly because we had always talked about it and we were living together, etc. But this was a true surprise. And one that I would never have spoiled, no matter what.<br /><br />I know how to raise a boy. I'm a little out of my depth when it comes to a girl. And the truth is, I love that. <br /><br />Because now my daughter and I get to find out how to grow up together.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-85904724606094981972010-08-04T13:30:00.001-07:002010-08-04T13:36:25.624-07:00New direction, same authorSo about 100 years ago, I started this blog ostensibly as a way for me to keep the (very) dim pilot light on for my nascent sportswriting career.<br /><br />A lot has happened since then, tho - including a seismic event in my life that has, quite simply, profoundly straightened out my priorities and simplified my worldview.<br /><br />On January 11, 2010, I became a father. And, to use the most devalued and overused word in today's popular lexicon, it has been the most amazing journey of my life.<br /><br />Hence, this blog will have a new "flava" - it will be about my life as someone's father. I might still discuss sports or pop culture or politics or whatever, but it will most certainly be through that prism.<br /><br />Because that's exactly where everything in my life that really truly matters now begins.<br /><br />I'm someone's Dad.<br /><br />And it's the greatest thing in the world.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-68356521474638730522009-08-25T08:31:00.000-07:002009-08-25T08:35:02.350-07:00SoxycontinBrought to you by Paul "Fitzy" Fitzgerald... Check him out on NESN's "<a href="http://www.nesn.com/pocket-money/">Pocket Money</a>"!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEEwGZixc6Y">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEEwGZixc6Y</a><br /><br /><object width="853" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oEEwGZixc6Y&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oEEwGZixc6Y&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="853" height="505"></embed></object>CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-70623101617302069712009-08-24T10:22:00.000-07:002009-08-24T11:25:18.477-07:00Lost weekend?So the Red <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sox</span> dropped 2 of 3 to the Yankees and, for all intents and purposes, said goodbye to any chance of taking the AL East division title this season.<br /><br />And with 39 games to go in the regular season, it's all about the following numbers -- 1, 6, 20, 22.<br /><br />1 - The Wild Card standings currently have the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> sporting a one-game lead over the Rangers. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> currently have a 2-7 record against the Rangers, who just dropped 2 of 3 against the Rays, the other serious Wild card contender. Which brings us to...<br /><br />6 - That's the number of games the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> have remaining against the Tampa Bay Rays. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> have posted a 4-8 mark against the Rays this season, looking old and slow against the youthful Rays. The six games are split evenly - 3 in Boston, 3 in Tampa - and that bears watching, as the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> have gone 3-3 vs. the Rays at home, but 1-5 at the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Trop</span>. At the very least, they need to hold serve against the Rays at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fenway</span> and try and steal two games at Tampa. FYI - the Rays are 3 games back of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> in the Wild Card standings.<br /><br />20 - At 70-53, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> have 39 games left, of which 20 (slightly more than half for you math majors out there) are against teams with winning records. Eleven of those games are at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Fenway</span>, where the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> are 39-20 (vs. 31-33 on the road).<br /><br />22 - Of those 39 remaining games, 22 are at home. The <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> need to take advantage of this advantage and win these home games, especially since they finish the season with 7 games at home vs. the under-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">achieving</span> Blue Jays and Indians, both of whom should be well into "playing for next year" mode by the end of September.<br /><br />Before I sign off, a quick note on last night's 8-4 homer-happy loss to the Yankees last night. After both Derek J<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">eter</span> and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hideki</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Matsui</span> hit Josh Beckett's first-pitch fastball home runs to start the first and second innings, respectively, I turned to Mrs. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Wikked</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Hahd</span> and said "I guess the Yanks plan is look first-pitch fastball for tonight"...<br /><br />Come to find out that indeed was the case, as almost all of the Yankees homers on Sunday came on first-pitch fastballs and two-strike <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">curveballs</span> - Buster <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">Olney</span> on ESPN.com pointed that out <a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4418450&name=olney_buster">here</a> (scroll down to the "Sunday's Games" segment). So why could I see that but Beckett, Jason <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">Varitek</span>, Terry <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">Francona</span> and John Farrell couldn't? Is it because of Beckett's legendary <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error">stubborness</span>? Or is he due for some pounding after being so brilliant for so long? He <a href="http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/red-sox/alex-speier/2009/08/24/five-things-we-learned-night-when-beckett-was-humbled?page=0,0">insists </a>he's healthy and has no physical issues, so it could just be a blip.<br /><br />Either way, it's never a good sign when I can see what's going on from my couch better than the Sawx from the field.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-75655981488275489502009-08-21T07:48:00.000-07:002009-08-21T08:03:03.467-07:00Favre = Chump.I know this space is reserved for <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Baw</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">stahn</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">spoohts</span> postings, but I just had to say...<br /><br />Brett <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Favre</span> is a chump.<br /><br />Why do we care? It's a freaking joke. The guy is killing his reputation and legacy in some sad Quixotic quest to remain relevant. And like Roger Clemens - the most recent "can't let go" <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">athlete</span> - he's ruining any goodwill from his career because he craves the spotlight too much to go off into the sunset (holy mixed metaphors!).<br /><br />In the process, he's making fools of all football writers - from Peter King on down - whom he told just weeks ago that he was "done" and was "really" retired. Imagine you're Peter king: <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Favre</span> is your real football <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">BFF</span> with whom you've shared innumerable dinners, locker room chats and text messages. He tells you "I'm done" and you report it to the world, only to have him reverse field a week later and come back. So now King, who is to the NFL what Peter <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gammons</span> is to baseball, looks like a fool. You think his reputation didn't take a hit and he's not upset? Check out the first half of this <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/peter_king/08/18/favre/index.html">story</a> for the former, and this one for the <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2225648/">latter</a>.<br /><br />Don't forget, he's also pissing off his die-hard fans in Green Bay, folks who stood in sub-zero weather with foam <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">cheeseheads</span> on their head cheering for their icon. So now his fans look like fools, the football media <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">cognoscenti</span> look like fools, and - worst of all - he's burning bridges left and right.<br /><br />Sigh... when November rolls around and he's hurt again and throwing wounded ducks up for grabs - ruining the Vikings chances for the playoffs and beyond - we'll all have to go through another stupid news cycle of "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Favre</span> done?" again. Only this time, hopefully no one will want to listen.<br /><br />Hopefully...CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-51204493147777199912009-08-19T08:07:00.000-07:002009-08-19T12:45:25.383-07:00Drew-ing a blankQuick quiz, "Jeopardy"-style: Five years, $70 million, highest per-year salary on the team in 2009.<br /><br />Answer: Who is J.D. Drew?<br /><br />That's right - the highest-paid player on the Boston Red <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sox</span> is not Josh Beckett, not Jonathan <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Papelbon</span>, not Kevin <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Youkilis</span>, not Jason Bay, and not Dustin <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pedroia</span>. Heck, not even David Ortiz.<br />And for that $14 million per year investment, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> have gotten the following: 43 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">HRs</span>, 173 RBI, 225 R, and a .269 Avg. in 2-3/4 seasons... meanwhile, Drew has done nothing to shed his injury-prone reputation, playing in 80 percent of his team's games (349 of a possible 442, counting last night). It's not for nothing that Bill <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Conlin</span>, a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News (a city Drew famously spurned because they wouldn't pay him the Scott <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Boras</span>-demanded $10 million as a draft pick), once called Drew "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Superwuss</span>" for his myriad of injuries.<br /><br />By contrast, each of the positional players named (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Youkilis</span>, Bay & <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pedroia</span>) have played in 90% of those games -- collectively -- while making $15.8 million total. And each has more runs, more RBI, more HR and a higher batting average in that span.<br /><br />What's most maddening, tho, is looking at the players currently outperforming Drew for other teams for a fraction of the cost, knowing that the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> are on the hook for Drew's salary for another 2 & 1/4 seasons, which hurts when you consider that <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Youkilis</span> and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Pedroia</span> both have bigger salaries that kick in next season and Bay is a free agent at the end of this season, and you have to believe that Drew's salary will be a sticking point in those negotiations.<br /><br />In his defense, you can't quite call Drew's salary "dead money" because chances are, on one of those days when he DOES play, he COULD do something to help the team win at least one game. Unfortunately, no one -- not Terry <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Francona</span>, not his teammates, not Theo "J.D. has naked pictures of me" Epstein, and especially not Red <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sox</span> Nation -- knows when those days or that game will be. It's just as likely to be in a meaningless May game as it is in Game 6 of the 2007 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">ALCS</span> to send the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span> to a decisive Game 7 and eventual World Series title.<br /><br />So when you watch Drew strike out on bad pitches out of the strike zone, bounce out to the second basemen to kill a rally, or pull up on a line drive to right field, it is enough to make you nuts. Last night's bad strikeout in the eighth inning (on an inside fastball around his eyebrows) and obvious pull-up on a line drive to him that scored two runs and prolonged a painful inning only serve as Exhibits 100 & 101 of how frustrating a player he is.<br /><br />By all accounts, Drew is a nice guy -- respectful, deferential, a good husband and father (most players aren't either, let alone one or the other) -- but appears to be an indifferent teammate and not a "gamer" (on a team full of them) willing to "grind it out" and play hurt for the team.<br /><br />And therein lies the rub -- he's a talented player who has proven that he can be a game-changing force, but has never delivered on that talent and seems to not give a crap either way. Epstein was captivated by the promise of that talent, and is now hostage to it.<br /><br />And so are we... but just think: Only 2 & 1/4 seasons and $30 million or so left to go.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-21532402917951780822009-08-17T06:57:00.000-07:002009-08-19T12:45:06.378-07:00Stick a fork in them?It's August 17 - six weeks to go in the season, and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Red <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sox</span> </span>are now trailing in both the AL East and Wild Card standings.<br /><br />7-1/2 games back of the Yankees, 1/2 game back of the Rangers. 12-17 in their last 29 games.<br /><br />This is not a blip - it's a trend, and it's looking ugly.<br /><br />Beyond wins & losses, though, is this troubling statistical split -- 118 and 20. The first number is the amount of stolen bases allowed by the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> pitching/catching batteries this season, the second is the number of runners caught stealing. That's a 98 stolen-base split... yikes. In fact, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> are last in both stolen bases allowed and runners thrown out.<br /><br />As the Tampa Bay Rays have demonstrated in nearly every game against Boston this season -- and as the Texas Rangers painfully <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">reinforced</span> this weekend (8 steals in 3 games) -- today's game is a speed/defense/pitching game, and not the bash people's heads in game of past years. Sure, everyone knows that, and the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> are Exhibit A writ large of what can happen when you fall behind the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">athlete</span> curve.<br /><br />As a team, the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> have stolen 92 bases and succeed in their steals 75 percent of the time -- fourth in the AL in both categories. Those rankings, though, are deceptive: <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Jacoby</span></span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ellbury</span></span> has 53 of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> 92 steals, and is the only player on the team with 20+ steals and a plus-75% success rate (generally considered the cut-off for an effective base-stealer). By contrast, the Rays have 3 players with 20+ steals, each <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">exceeding</span> 75% in their success rates (Carl Crawford 54 steals, 84% success rate; B.J Upton 35 steals, 76% success rate, Jason Bartlett 21 steals, 88 % success rate) and a team mark of 80% success rate (158 steals, 39 caught), which trails only Texas (84%) in the base-stealing efficiency ranks.<br /><br />Here's another troubling fact -- the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> are now the sixth-best fielding team in the league by fielding percentage (.984 - total assists & putouts/total chances), but that's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">deceiving</span> when you consider that the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> have the fewest amount of total chances in the league. Some of that is due to the pitching staff, which has struck out the second-most batters (900) in the league - after all, you can't catch the ball if the batter strikes out - but the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> have also allowed better than a hit per inning (1.02 H/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">IP</span></span>). Amongst contending teams - division leaders and wild-card contenders - only the AL West-leading Angels have allowed more.<br /><br />Number, numbers, numbers... what does this all REALLY mean? It means that the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span>, who for the last three season either had the highest or tied for the highest fielding percentage in the AL, are slipping behind their competition. Hence the trade for Alex Gonzalez to solve their shortstop problem, the shuffling of Mike Lowell between 3B and DH, the move of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Youkilis</span></span> to 3B, the trade for Casey <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_14" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kotchman</span></span>, bringing up Josh <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_15" class="blsp-spelling-error">Reddick</span></span>, etc. - all moves designed to make the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_16" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> better in on defense.<br /><br />When you consider that the 3-5 spots in the pitching rotation currently sport a collective ERA of almost 6.00 and a WHIP (walks + hits/<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_17" class="blsp-spelling-error">IP</span></span>) of almost 2.00, it's critical for this team to be able to get outs in the field and control the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">base paths</span>. And the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_23" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_18" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> are just not getting it done in those departments - and no amount of production from the offense will fix that. You can't beat the opposition if you can't get them out or stop them from running on your pitchers/catchers.<br /><br />The truth is, this team's flaws were evident early in the season, but the line-up was producing (Big <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_24" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_19" class="blsp-spelling-error">Papi's</span></span> season-long funk notwithstanding) so they weren't as obvious. But now they are... and I'm not sure how they can be fixed as we move into the Aug/Sept stretch drive.<br /><br />And that, more than the lack of production from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_25" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_20" class="blsp-spelling-error">Papi</span></span>, J.D. Drew, Jason <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_26" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_21" class="blsp-spelling-error">Varitek</span></span>, etc., may have the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_27" class="blsp-spelling-error"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_22" class="blsp-spelling-error">Sawx</span></span> on the outside looking in when the playoffs roll around.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-12825743850642757552009-04-21T11:22:00.000-07:002009-04-21T14:14:59.657-07:00Waay Late Posting - Sawx pitching staffOK - so the whole "come back tomorrow and read my thoughts on the Sawx pitching staff" thingie didn't really work out so well. Here it is, three weeks into the season, and I am finally posting part two of my Sawx season preview.<br /><br />Damn you, Life and your incessant busy-ness! Damn you, uber-successful Boston pro sports teams! Damn you, springtime and your siren song of warm weather and late sunsets!<br /><br />And, just for fun, you damn dirty apes!<br /><br />Now that I have that out of my system, here's my preview of the Sawx pitching staff, striving for objectivity but influenced by the mixed results of the first three weeks of the 2009 season.<br /><br />Starting Rotation<br />Josh Beckett - Any conversation about the Sawx pitching staff's ability to make a postseason run begins with Beckett, the unquestioned "ace" of the staff and the veritable bell cow of the Sawx pitching staff. If he's right, he can carry the team to the promised land; if he's not, he might still be able to keep the team chugging along. And he only seems to be getting better, especially now that he's figured out how to harness his 90+ fastball, killer curve and has added a legit changeup. Three starts into 2009, we've seen one great start (Opening Day vs. the Rays - 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 10 K) and two middling starts (start #2 vs. Angels - 6 IP, 8 H, 4 ER, one near-brawl with Bobby Abreu; start #3 vs. Orioles - 6 IP, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K). If we can get more of the former, and less of the latter, this team will go a long way.<br /><br />Jon Lester - His breakthrough 2008 season saw Lester put it all together. Long known for his fastball/curve combo, Lester starting mixing in a slider and a changeup, with fantastic results - 16-6, 3.21 ERA, 152 Ks, 210 IP - wearing down only in his final start of the playoffs against the Rays, where he dropped consecutive starts. Heading into this season, Lester seemed primed to emerge as the 1A to Beckett's 1, the only concern being the possible effects of a 147-inning bump in his workload. After a couple of rough starts against Tampa Bay (5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER) and Oakland (6 IP, 10 H, 6 ER), he bounced back with a vintage 2008 Lester outing against the Orioles, going 7 innings, whiffing 9 batters and allowing just 4 hits. It would appear he's turned the corner; let's see what happens when he faces the Yankees, Rays, et al.<br /><br />Daisuke Matsuzaka - Oh boy. The worst fears of Red Sox Nation about Dice-K came true, quite quickly, this season. After pitching in - and being named the MVP of - the WBC, Dice-K started the season with a vintage100-pitch, five-inning outing against the Rays (3 HRs allowed) in which he took the loss. Unfortunately, that would be his best outing of the season, as he would go just one inning in his next appearance, throwing 43 pitches, giving up 5 hits and 2 walks, and five runs. Following the game, he went on the DL with a tired shoulder & arm. Time will tell if his WBC outings - 98 pitches in one four-inning stint - have taken a toll. The Sawx can survive without Dice-K for a while, but the deep lineups in their division will catch up with them if they don't have that extra starter, whether it's Dice-K, John Smoltz, or whomever else.<br /><br />Tim Wakefield - The guy is amazing... he's 42 years old and still has that knuckleball fluttering. His versatility and longevity make him a valuable asset for this team, and if they can handle the standard two-week tired arm period in mid-season, Wakefield will continue to give this team 27-30 starts, 180+ innings, and 11-14 wins - all key compenents to helping this team compete and go deep into the postseason. He has two World Series rings and the eternal respect of his peers as a gamer and a stalwart member of the Sawx rotation.<br /><br />Brad Penny - To <a href="http://wikkedhahd.blogspot.com/2009/02/hope-springs-eternal-even-though-its.html">reference myself</a> "[S]ay what you want about [Penny's] injury history, but remember two things: He is just two seasons removed from a dominant season, and he is now in a rotation with his old Marlins buddy Josh Beckett. Remember when the Marlins had a rotation of Beckett, Carl Pavano, Brad Penny and A.J. Burnett and won the 2003 World Series? Good to have 1/2 of that quartet with the Sox." Well, Penny's had two starts in 2009 - one decent, one decidely awful - and has looked like, well, a fifth starter. One thing to remember: In Penny's career at Fenway, including his April 17 home start against the Orioles (3 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 5 BB), he has pitched a total of 8 innings and allowed a whopping 17 runs. That's a 19.13 ERA...<br /><br />Bullpen<br />Some quick hits on these guys:<br />- Ramon Ramirez - been as good as advertised. Great fastball, decent slider/change, gets outs as a strikeout/fly ball pitcher. He's allowed 3 hits in 26 ABs over 8 IP. A great pick-up thus far for the 7th or 8th inning bridge to Papelbon.<br />- Manny Delcarmen - appears to have comfortably settled in to his middle relief role, overpowering hitters with fastballs and getting key outs in his 8 innings thus far. He may never be the power set-up guy he was drafted to be, but he will give this team a lot of value by filling the middle innings to get to the set-up guys.<br />- Javier Lopez - after a great 2008, Lopez has been a bit bumpy this year, posting a 2.57 WHIP in seven appearances this season. He gets guys out; he just might give you a heart attack in doing so, throwing an average of more than 20 pitches per inning to do it.<br />- Takashi Saito - appears to be a real steal. Thought to be done because of elbow troubles, Saito has been a valuable addition, proving the Sawx gambled right in adding him to be a set-up guy and a secondary closer. Although he has an ERA over 6, Saito is averaging more than a strikeout per inning and has a save and a hold in his four appearances.<br />- Hideki Okajima - despite a bumpy start to 2009, Okajima has settled into a nice groove, with 6 Ks in his last appearances and two holds, setting up Papelbon nicely. If he can continue to work his fastball/curve/changeup mix effectively, he should remain one of the Sawx primary set-up guys and key cogs in this bullpen.<br />- Justin Masterson - an emerging stud in this pitching staff. His versatility - he can be a reliever, pick up spot starts in Dice-K's absence, and even close if needed - is unmatched on this team (maybe only Wakefield is as versatile), and his ability to get swings & misses on his sinker and plus fastball, mixing in a slider and occasional changeup, make him a real asset to this team. His future is bright indeed.<br />- Jonathan Papelbon - he's basically become a fastball-only guy, mixing in his self-proclaimed "slutter" (slider/cutter). He can still bust out the splitter ocassionally, but with his plus fastball and control, he usually doesn't need it (his April 11 outing against the Angels notwithstanding). he still gets a ton of swing & misses, and can make batters look silly waving at his stuff. if he can avoid the tired shoulder that's plagued him at the end of the last few seasons, Paps will stay one of the most valuable Sawx - and pitchers - on the team.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-59067789841295347062009-03-31T11:47:00.000-07:002009-03-31T14:37:22.057-07:002009 Sawx Preview - "Are you ready for a war?!?!"So it's finally upon us... the 2009 Red Sox season is less than a week away and it's time to <a href="http://www.moviesoundclips.net/movies1/braveheart/bravehearta.wav">begin the battle for the AL East</a>.<br /><br />With the Yanks having spent gazillions on a new pitching staff and Mark Teixeira, and the Rays maturing (and adding a potent bat in Pat Burrell), it's pretty clear that this season will be one of the most challenging - and most exciting - in recent memory for the Sawx.<br /><br />The Sawx, who rightly believe that their team was not that far from championship caliber last season, spent their offseason tweaking the roster around the edges, adding some high-risk/high-reward types to the rotation (Brad Penny & John Smoltz), the bullpen (Takashi Saito) and the positional roster (Rocco Baldelli) while making sure they locked their younger core players - Dustin Pedroia, KevinYoukilis, Jon Lester - into long-term, team-friendly contracts.<br /><br />Was that strategy prudent? Will the new guys, balanced with some other fresh faces from within (George Kottaras, Jed Lowrie) and without (Ramon Ramirez), be enough to match the dazzling free agents and emerging super-duper-stars of the Yanks & Rays? Well... that's why we play the games!<br /><br />So, with Tony Massarotti offering his <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/multimedia/03_31_2009_mazz_scouting_report/">preview</a> on the Sawx today, I thought I'd spend a little time giving my two cents on the Sawx position players and line-up. Tomorrow I'll do the rotation and bullpen... And around the diamond we go!<br /><br />POSITION PLAYERS<br />Catcher - Jason Varitek, George Kottaras<br />You get the feeling that this position is a work in progress, because there's no way that the Sawx make it through the entire season with this tandem. Varitek has done it all for the Sawx - who can forget his dust-up with A-Rod, big homer in last year's ALCS vs. the Rays, or the way he calmly guided young studs Jon Lester and Clay Bucholz through their no-hitters - but the window isn't just closing on him; it's just about shut. A .220 batting average last year and <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?playerId=3760">declining OPS</a> (career-high .872 in 2004 to last year's .672) don't bode well for the Captain's future with the Sawx. Kottaras, a rookie this season and will be the designated Wakefield catcher to start, has just five major league ABs and seems to have gotten the job because he's cheaper and younger than Josh Bard, who was supposed to have been Wake's caddy this season. Don't be surprised if the Sawx make a move for a better catching prospect (Miguel Montero, Taylor Teagrden, Jarrod Saltalamachia) come mid-season.<br /><br />First Base - Kevin Youkilis, Chris Carter/Mark Kotsay (injured)<br />What was once a bit of black hole for the Sawx (Kevin Millar, where have you gone? Toronto, that's where) has become a position of considerable strength thanks to the sterling glovework of Kevin Youkilis and the emrgence of Chris Carter. Youkilis, who has become - arguably - one of the premier firstbasemen in the A.L., emerged last season as a legit MVP candidate with his .312/29/115 campaign at the plate and a Gold Glove in the field. A slight drop-off is probably expected this season as pitcher get smart to how to get him out (<a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/players/scouting?playerId=5375">down & in or get him to chase</a>), but .300/20-25/95-105 would seem reachable, especially if he has good protection from Drew/Bay/Lowell in the line-up. As for Carter, he has been raking (.359, 6 HRs) in spring training, but may have a short-lived stay on the big club when Kotsay comes off the DL. Either way, this is a definite position of strength.<br /><br />Second Base - Dustin Pedroia, Nick Green<br />What other superlatives can you bestow on Pedroia that haven't already been given to him? Video game coverboy... Reigning MVP... WBC leader for Team USA... and in the meantime, <a href="http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3958013">serious ball-buster and "iron worker"</a> in the offseason. Teh guy once thought of as too small and with a swing too big is considered to be the best at his position in all of baseball. It'll be tough to top last year's scintillating MVP campaign (.327/17/83/20 SBs, .869 OPS), but it seems likely that Pedroia might be putting up those numbers here for a while. And, having already stated his desire to <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/02/20/all_pedroia_all_the_time/">play every day</a>, it's unlikely Nick Green will ever see significant playing time, which is too bad, because Green has been terrific this spring (.345, 2 HRs, great defense), but his great versatility will be a plus for the Sawx in the early part of the season.<br /><br />Shortstop - Jed Lowrie, Green/Julio Lugo (injured)<br />Ah, yes... the NEW black hole of the Sawx. Ever since Nomah's departure in July 2004, the Sox shortstop carousel has seen the likes of Orlando Cabrera, Alex Gonzalez, Edgar Renteria, Tony Graffanino, Alex Cora, Royce Clayton, Lugo, and now Lowrie trotting out to the "6." Now, with Lugo on the DL and Lowrie having proven himself in the <a href="http://www.truveo.com/Lowries-walkoff-single/id/1721324940">crucible of a pennant race</a>, it looks like the Sox will break camp with the steady Lowrie at short, and Green backing him up until Lugo comes off the DL in mid-April. Chances are, Lugo will then get the bulk of the ABs at short because of his salary, but Lowrie may be back in the lineup full-time by mid-season if Lugo reverts to form. Stay tuned...<br /><br />Third Base - Mike Lowell, Jed Lowrie (Youkilis)<br />One of the bigger question marks of spring training has been Lowell's status coming back from offseason hip surgery. The prognosis is good, but Lowell is 35 and plays a position where bending, twisting and diving occur on a regular basis, which means that his hip - repaired or not - will be under stress all season. If he stays healthy, he's a line-drive machine who has seen his doubles stroke pay off well in Fenway (<a href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/players/scouting?playerId=3972">he peppers the Green Monstah</a>) and is good for .280/17-20/85-95 easy. If he's hurt, we'll see Youk slide over to 3B with Lowrie/Green taking the occasional spot start. Either way, this is an ongoing area of concern for the Sawx - I for one hope Lowell makes it thru, because when right he is a prime asset for this team in the field, at the plate and in the clubhouse.<br /><br />Left Field - Jason Bay, Rocco Baldelli<br />The late July trade that sent Manny packing and brough Jason Bay to town turned out to be the best thing that could have happened for the Sawx. Adding a pro like Bay to the lineup was a great addition, made even more important when Mike Lowell went down in the playoffs and Bay's right-handed power helped keep the linup balanced. Bay, who finished with a .286/31/101 line last season (.293/9/43 with the Sawx), should see similar production with his fly-ball swing and the protection he'll have in the Sawx lineup. Plus he's proven himself to be a great leftfielder in Fenway (no easy task) and has <a href="http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090321&content_id=4041562&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos">fit right in to the clubhouse</a>. Expect .285-.290, 30 HRs, 100 RBI and a .900+ OPS. As for Baldelli, he remains a bit of an enigma. He hasn't been the same since being diagnosed with chanelothapy, and his production this spring (.194, 2 HRs, .694 OPS) hasn't looked so good. Still, he can provide pop off the bench, is a more than capable fielder with plus skills, and could prove valuable as a spot-starter. Any more than a couple of starts a week would be dicey, tho.<br /><br />Center Field - Jacoby Ellsbury, Baldelli<br />With the trade of Coco Crisp for Ramon Ramirez in the winter, the Sawx have basically ceded the center field job to Ellsbury, and he seems poised and ready to take it. Despite wearing down at points in the season (and being benched, ironically, for Crisp in the playoffs), The Kid managed a .280/9/47 stat line for 2008, with 98 runs and 50 SBs; however, a .336 OBP as a lead-off hitter isn't gonna cut it. Ellsbury, who can fall into fly-ball ruts and gets pull-happy at the plate, combined with his <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/03/08/primed_for_a_vintage_year/">well-publicized trouble with the inside fastball</a>, needs to up that number to help make the Sawx offense go. In the field, his stellar defense and instincts mean no drop-off from Crisp, and his speed on the basepaths has really changed the Sawx offense. He is a key player for this team, seemingly poised for a breakout season if he rediscovers his 2007 late-season magic.<br /><br />Right Field - J.D. Drew, Baldelli<br />On a lesser team without the support (cover) the Sawx line-up offers, Drew's two season in Boston thus far would be called a disaster. He followed a .270/11/64/.796 OPS 2007 with a .280/19/64/.927 line in 2008, largely inflated by a .337/12/27/1.310 OPS (!) month of June where he carried the Sawx while Big Papi dealt with his wrist. Both seasons featured flashes of brilliance combined with extended visits to the DL. Drew, who once seemed like the ideal power/OBP/fielding candidate the Sawx covet, can still be the player Theo Epstein believes he is. But extended production for a whole seaosn seems unlikely; as ESPN.com puts it, be "<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3956">highly skeptical [that] Drew will ever see the high side of 500 at-bats ever again</a>" which doesn't bode well for the Sawx. If Drew misses significant time, it could mean more ABs for Baldelli (a risk, considering his health) or a mid-season acquisition - Matt Holliday? - that could see one of the Sawx prize prospects leave in a trade. A question mark that will be answered, one way or the other.<br /><br />Designated Hitter - David Ortiz, any number of other candidates<br />I guess theoretically, any one could DH on any given day for the Sawx, but let's be honest: If Big Papi isn't in there for 150+ games and 500+ ABs, this team is in trouble. Simply put, he is maybe the most indispensable part of the lineup. They can make do for a little while if he goes down, but Pedroia loses his protection, Youkilis loses his, and the whole line-up has to be adjusted. Papi, who missed time last season with a wrist injury, is no longer considered a lock for .300/35-40/120. If healthy, it's not unreasonable to suggest .290-.300/30/100 out of Papi, with significant numbers for walks and runs scored. And a monster chip on his shoulder, given how many people seem to be doubting him. I, for one, believe Papi can be productive for this season and return to his familair dominant position in the Sawx lineup.<br /><br />Projected Opening Day Lineup<br />CF Ellsbury<br />2B Pedroia<br />DH Ortiz<br />1B Youkilis<br />RF Drew<br />LF Bay<br />3B Lowell<br />C Varitek<br />SS Lowrie<br /><br />TOMORROW - Pitchers!CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-65017390973215050862009-03-26T08:36:00.000-07:002009-03-26T09:26:34.768-07:00Sawx in Spring Update - random thoughtsWith Opening Day for the Red Sox less than two weeks away, a quick check on the storylines from late February:<br /><br />- The New Guys - Hard to read where the new Sawx (Smoltz, Penny, Baldelli, Ramirez, Saito, et al.) stand as spring training winds down. On the one hand, utlility candidate Nick Green has been a stud, thanks to extra ABs from Pedroia's WBC absence, batting .340, slugging .520 and making it easy to see him as the extra infielder to start the season. On the other hand, Brad Penny only just started throwing in games (3 IP, 3 Ks) and Smoltz has started bullpen sessions. Ramon Ramirez has been inconsistent (8 1/3 IP, 8 Ks, 9 hits, 3 HRs) while Saito has been solid (8 IP, 8 Ks). Baldelli's been up and down (.179 Avg., 7 Ks in 28 ABs) and Brad Wilkerson, expected to be a dark-horse fourth outfielder candidate, has been abysmal with 18 whiffs in 42 ABs. Stay tuned, I guess...<br /><br />- The Kids - The big story of spring training has been the revelation that is Daniel Bard, who has been dominant, with 12 Ks in 9 1/3 IP and just 5 hits allowed. As important as Bard's development has been the stabilization of Clay Bucholz, who seems have regained the stuff - and swagger - he had in his brilliant '07 late-season tenure with the Sawx. Factor in Jon Lester's consistency and Justin Masterson's continued growth and maturation, and the Sawx have serious depth in the rotation and bullpen with both the big club and the PawSox.<br /><br />- Big Papi, Lowell and Drew - Three acknowledged question marks that have, for the most part, not really been answered this spring. In limited ABs, Mike Lowell (.318, 3 HRs, 1.045 OPS) has looked like he is making his way back, while David Ortiz has been solid if unspectacular (.280, 2 HRs, .947 OPS) and J.D. Drew has been, well, J.D. Drew - he's left camp with a back issue and then missed some time with a hand problem (courtesy of a fastball off said hand last Friday) - and hasn't really lit it up in limited action (.174, 1 HR, .684 OPS). I guess, in large part, the jury is still out on this VIT - Very Important Triptych - for the Sawx. Stay tuned...<br /><br />- Tickets Still Available?!?! - According to RedSox.com, there are still tickets available for almost every series in April (excluding the Yanks, of course), which is pretty much unheard of. This is a blog post on its own (foreshadowing? you betcha!), but it would certainly seem like the twin spectres of the economic repression (not quite a recession, not quite a depression, with <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/30895/the-simpsons-brunch">a slice of cantaloupe at the end</a>) and general fan ennui might be to blame. Too much success in the last 5 years after decades of futility seem to have spoiled Sawx fans. More to come later.<br /><br />- No A-Rod? No Manny? No problem... oh wait - Yes, it's true: A-Rod is out until May with a hip problem (douche) and Manny is back in L.A., so it would seem like the Sawx have nothing to worry about from two of their more recent nemeses. Well, except that pesky little WBC, which almost torpedoed the Sawx season with injuries to Pedroia and Youkilis. Luckily, it seems like both Pedey and Youk are on the mend and will be fine by Opening Day... but it only throws into sharp relief the folly of holding the WBC in March when most of these guys have yet to take a swing in anger, let alone even see a live pitch. Well, at least Dice-K looked good.<br /><br />Well, that's all for now. I for one am glad to see the mundane inanity of Spring Training drawing to close, because I'm done with the NCAA tournament (my bracket was toast after the first weekend) and ready for the Sawx to start the season.<br /><br />Go Sawx!CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-53411065221511291192009-03-24T10:27:00.000-07:002009-03-24T11:26:36.213-07:00A "Curt" career comes to a close -- does the Globe know?<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5BDCgK1hJDdJ6CF7udSw2g0DkfudKym4wuy1C3spB4ThY71zFWGAuFB9OlplLQQ3FkDD6_GnNTXMS1iC9EivXJGXvxST5OiHFL-KYzbRNc8TLoPZRGzblioHR3R08yG9k-XP50mvbV8/s1600-h/Bye+Schill.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316821798148119698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 130px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl5BDCgK1hJDdJ6CF7udSw2g0DkfudKym4wuy1C3spB4ThY71zFWGAuFB9OlplLQQ3FkDD6_GnNTXMS1iC9EivXJGXvxST5OiHFL-KYzbRNc8TLoPZRGzblioHR3R08yG9k-XP50mvbV8/s200/Bye+Schill.jpg" border="0" /></a>And so Curt Schilling <a href="http://38pitches.weei.com/">goes off quietly into that good night</a>...<br /><br />I won't spend any time rehashing Curt's baseball legacy or his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sawx </span>tenure, other than to point you towards <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Jayson</span> Stark's great <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4010217&name=stark_jayson">piece</a> on Schilling from ESPN.com <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">where</span> he relays a conversation with Johnny Damon about Schilling. When you get that kind of respect from your peers, all the other plaudits seem superfluous.<br /><br />Rather, Schilling's retirement throws into sharp relief the dearth of real, true sports reporting at the Boston Globe. The Globe has fallen into its own trap of reporting. By cultivating the curmudgeons of baseball writing (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Shaughnessy</span>, Ryan, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Cafardo</span>, etc.) and severing ties with the loudmouths at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">WEEI</span>, they have removed themselves as a relevant outlet to "break" sports news.<br /><br />How else do you explain Schilling opting to use his own blog -- and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">WEEI</span> by extension -- to announce he is retiring? It's a well-known fact that, Tony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Massaroti</span> excluded, Schilling and many of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Sawx</span> have no time for the Globe, eloquently detailed by Schilling in comments aired on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">WEEI's</span> "<a href="http://www.weei.com/shows/dennis-callahan/home">Dennis & Callahan</a>" -- which singled out Shaughnessy in particular, basically summed up as "I don't have anything bad to say about him [<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Shaughnessy</span>] but he hates his job, hates baseball, is lazy and nobody likes him... but he's a talented writer."<br /><br />Hard to believe the Globe is now second banana (or third, if you count <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">WEEI</span> as a legit sports news outlet) in Boston, especially considering it was once home to writers like Peter <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Gammons</span>, Will <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">McDonough</span>, Peter May and Jackie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">MacMullan</span>, among others -- writers and columnists in my lifetime who redefined what it meant to cover their sports and created classic prose along the way (don't forget John Updike's classic "<a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/redsox/williams/july_7/updike_essay.shtml">Hub fans bid Kid Adieu</a>" which -- <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">despite</span> being published in The New Yorker -- remains one of the most classic piece of Boston sports writing ever published).<br /><br />Now - with the exception of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Massarotti</span> -- we get the artist formerly known as Bob Ryan and a bunch of "writers" like Chad Finn and others who seem to spend more time writing boring game stories and trolling other sites and sources and less time writing original stories that capture the moment and make readers think. And there's a special place for Shaughnessy, who seems to be elevating uselessness and irrelevancy to an art form.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Undaunted</span> by the fact that he is <a href="http://danshaughnessy.blogspot.com/2007/03/dan-needed-three-weeks-to-write-this.html">widely reviled by readers and contemporaries alike</a>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Shaughnessy</span> still found a way to <a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2009/03/24/he_was_bloody_good_here/">take a shot at Schilling</a> as he left the building by comparing him to George McGovern and Dick van Dyke -- ooh snap! -- which serves only to demonstrate how woefully out of touch <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070515105825AAOxcmW">Mr. Curly-Haired Boyfriend</a> himself is. As many <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">bloggers</span> (including yours truly) have demonstrated time and time again, arcane pop culture references and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">snarkiness</span> usually end up being witty for an audience of one, and only serve to push your readers away.<br /><br />Sigh...<br /><br />It's sad that I don't ever read the Globe for sports coverage anymore -- ESPN.com has better local coverage through its blogs and beat writers (not to mention The Sports Guy) of Boston sports than the Globe does. I used to read the Globe sports section front to back every day, and I loved <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Gammons</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">McDonough</span>, May, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">MacMullan</span>, and others -- thought-provoking writers whose columns were must-read and must-discuss amongst my family and friends. Nowadays, not so much.<br /><br />So farewell, Curt... Thanks for 2004, thanks for being a part of 2007, and thanks for being a ringleader for 5 of the most exciting years I've ever experienced as a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">Sawx</span> fan. I'm glad you won't be completely gone, but I'm sorry you didn't get the farewell you should have gotten from the Globe.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglSp7UVlFwNL6e60q9Pwxd-kLnIWGR2rs4-236BoDQwOUDLGA3JfxFbPHtOTAIBUfHRvxoIVaoCpis8zRybLH0JP3R76JoS6VOYcVE_o_5_Q1XFEfX2be8_mxMjfvLLTZrm8b8-Aru7v8/s1600-h/Bloody+Sawk.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316822288468997234" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 157px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglSp7UVlFwNL6e60q9Pwxd-kLnIWGR2rs4-236BoDQwOUDLGA3JfxFbPHtOTAIBUfHRvxoIVaoCpis8zRybLH0JP3R76JoS6VOYcVE_o_5_Q1XFEfX2be8_mxMjfvLLTZrm8b8-Aru7v8/s200/Bloody+Sawk.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And P.S. - you are a Hall of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">Famer</span>, no question. Discussion for another time.</div>CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450905740278682451.post-63225002304149698712009-03-12T08:32:00.000-07:002009-03-12T13:21:26.798-07:00Paps shoots at Manny - Hit or Miss?Well, after hearing all sorts of vague and innuendo-laden quotes from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sawx</span> personnel since last July, someone finally came out and said what most people suspected... Manny Ramirez is a "cancer." And not a moment too soon, apparently, for a city starved for some kind of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Sawx</span> spice for an otherwise bland and quiet spring training this year.<br /><br />Here's Jonathan <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Papelbon</span> on Manny from the <a href="http://www.esquire.com/features/the-game/jonathan-papelbon-0409">April issue of Esquire</a> (as reported by the Boston Globe):<br /><br />"It just takes one guy to bring an entire team down, and that's exactly what was happening," <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Papelbon</span> is quoted as saying in the interview with Esquire's Chris Jones. "Once we saw that, we weren't afraid to get rid of him. It's like cancer. That what he was. Cancer. He had to go. . . . [That] was the only scenario that was going to work."<br /><br />It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that it was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Papelbon</span> who went on record with this type of comment. With Curt Schilling now moving on to his next career - radio commentator and baseball's unofficial quasi-conscience - <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Papelbon</span> would seem to be the most likely candidate to step up as the new go-to quote source for the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Sawx</span>.<br /><br />What does come as a bit of a surprise is that there hasn't been a swift response from the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Sawx</span> brass to rebuke or refute the comments. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Sawx</span> have been so careful not to come out and say what everyone long suspected (and what Paps confirmed in his inimitable style): Manny was a distraction to his teammates not for his play on the field, but his conduct off the field and in the locker room.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Sawx</span> have gone to great lengths to distance themselves from the "25 players, 25 cabs" era and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">other</span> tawdry reputations that dogged this team in the '80s & '90s. For the most part, they have been successful in creating a culture where players are professional, team-oriented and all pointed in one direction with minimal distractions. The No. 1 word you hear thrown around when people discuss the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Sawx</span> in the national media is "professional" - and the team's stars (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Pedroia</span>, Ortiz, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Youkilis</span>, Beckett, etc.) all embody that. They show up, work hard, play hard and generally keep low profiles.<br /><br />Except, apparently for <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Papelbon</span>. Personally, I like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Papelpon</span> - he clearly has the right mindset for his job as closer and loves competing. He speaks his mind, isn't afraid to be himself, and generally entertains both on the the field and off.<br /><br />His comments, though, might be more than his bosses on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">Yawkey</span> Way can stomach and could bring the "wrong" kind of attention to a team that has generally been flying way below the radar this spring.<br /><br />Nevertheless, the Boston sports media FINALLY has a story to run with, and we finally have something interesting to talk about this spring besides <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">Lugo</span> vs. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Lowrie</span>.<br /><br />I say keep talking, Paps - we can use some more spice this Spring. Not sure if <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Mssrs</span>. Epstein, Henry and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Lucchino</span> feel the same.CPottshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11180661468466560542noreply@blogger.com0