Chris Jaffe wrote a great piece on how old Jack McKeon is for The Hardball Times. Well his first decision didn't bode well for the return of Trader Jack.
He benched Hanley Ramirez. Yeah yeah yeah. He was showing his star that nobody was safe.
Yeah yeah yeah. Old School blah blah blah.
The team lost again. They lost their 11th straight game. They lost 2-1.
Hanley Ramirez could have been helpful.
The Fish had better win a game pretty soon. They are 9 games in the loss column out of a Wild Card spot.
Or else Trader Jack might be trading away some of his players.
Josh Beckett’s tenure with the Red Sox is in sync with the quality of the Star Trek movies. Don’t believe me? Don’t understand me?
Follow along… it is logical.
Josh Beckett’s first season in Boston (2006) mirrored Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Both were eagerly anticipated by fans:
Red Sox fans were getting the 2003 World Series MVP who conquered the Yankees.
Star Trek fans were getting to return to the Enterprise for the first time in more than a decade.
Both were trying to recreate a success from 2 years before: The Red Sox needed an ace to fill Pedro Martinez’s shoes and replicate the 2004 World Championship.
Paramount needed a science fiction blockbuster in 1979 to answer the staggering success of Star Wars.
Both were incredibly expensive: Beckett cost the Red Sox budding superstar Hanley Ramirez, a good pitcher in Anibal Sanchez and a big fat $30 million contract extension.
Star Trek The Motion Picture was, at the time, the most expensive movie ever produced. It’s price tag was around $45 million.
Both were initially big let downs: Beckett let up way too many homers, his ERA soared to 5.01 and Red Sox fans shook their heads. “This is NOT what we wanted in an ace.”
Star Trek The Motion Picture lumbered along with a not exactly action packed plot. And the flight through V’Ger was the longest and most dull special effects sequence in history, rivaled only by the laborious introduction of the Enterprise.
Both had some decent numbers, but not what was expected: Beckett won 16 games and pitched over 200 innings, which would be fine for most pitchers. But for Pedro Martinez’s replacement, it was a let down.
Star Trek The Motion Picture grossed over $130 million world wide and made $30 million in profits for Paramount. Impressive, but not even close to Star Wars.
Both had, in retrospect, some bright spots: Beckett pitched brilliantly out of the gate, winning his first three starts convincingly. He homered in a game against the Phillies. And on September 21, in his second to last start of the season, he out pitched Johan Santana in a game where the Twins were trying to take over the Division lead. Beckett went 8 innings of shutout ball.
There are some cool scenes in Star Trek The Motion Picture. The Klingons attacking the V’Ger cloud at the opening was neat. Spock’s spacewalk and mindmeld with V’Ger was a cool scene. And in retrospect, the film plays like a very good episode that happened to have some overlong special effects sequences shoved into it.
Josh Beckett’s second season in Boston (2007) mirrored Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Both addressed what went wrong before: Beckett stopped relying on his fastball and learned how to pitch in the American League with his breaking stuff and location. And along the way reduced the walks and homers that plagued his 2006 season.
For Star Trek II, they brought in a whole new creative cast and crew. And (get ready for some blasphemy) removing Gene Roddenberry in favor of Harve Bennet was the best thing to ever happen to Star Trek! The Wrath of Khan acted like Star Trek The Motion Picture didn’t even happen. It picked the story up with Kirk wanting the Enterprise back and, unlike the first movie, acknowledged the fact that the cast was old. Now the age of Kirk was no longer a distraction but part of the story and it worked big time.
Both obliterated all of the earlier doubts: Beckett’s 2006 made people wonder if he was yet another National League pitcher who couldn’t make it in the American League. And some people started pointing out that his regular season stats weren’t exactly eye popping. Nobody was saying that after 2007.
Critics wondered if Star Trek was just a TV show that couldn’t translate to the big screen. I mean if they couldn’t make it work with a big budget and Robert Wise directing, what chance did it have? The new producers, writers and director solved that!
Both were so much better than anyone could have imagined: Beckett was hoping for a good rebound season. What he got was a Cy Young caliber season where he played the role of ace and etched his name into Red Sox lore.
The Wrath of Khan became the gold standard of every Star Trek movie and episode since. It was more than a good Star Trek movie. It was a good MOVIE. Even non Trekkies (or Trekkers) admit that it is a heck of a good sci fi action film.
Both had a cool bad ass quality: Beckett didn’t just win. He won with an unmistakable swagger and he was unflappable. Remember how the Red Sox were down 3-1 in the ALCS and Beckett had to save the season? He not only won, but he barely broke a sweat. The Indians hired his ex girlfriend to sing the national anthem. He didn’t care. Kenny Lofton tried to charge the mound, and Beckett shrugged. Nothing phased him.
Think Star Trek is nerdy? Check out Riccardo Montalban as Khan, chest out and out hamming William Shatner. There was nothing dorky about dropping creatures into Chekov’s ear. And Kirk was at his coolest, out smarting Khan and finding out he was a dad. Even Spock showed a unflappable side, lying in one scene taking one for the team at the end. The Enterprise was never cooler.
It just kept betting better: Beckett just kept winning. On September 15th he faced off against the Yankees supposed ace Chien-Ming Wang and won easily. He opened the Division Series with a complete game shutout of the Angels. Won the ALCS MVP and probably would have been the World Series MVP if he got another start.
Wrath of Khan kept topping itself. The Khan sneak attack. The Genesis planet. Kirk screaming Khaaaaaaaan! The battle in the Nebula. And just when the film couldn’t get any better, Spock had a death scene. Are you kidding me?
The ending was not delivered goose bumps but promised more greatness: Beckett won the opener of the World Series and set the tone for the Red Sox sweep. When they won, it felt different than 2004. There was the possibility of more titles on the way.
Wrath of Khan ended with the funeral of Spock. But then the camera swooped down to the Genesis planet with all new life forming from death… AND SPOCK’S COFFIN WAS INTACT! And the “Space The Final Frontier” monologue was said by Spock, not Kirk. You know what that means: There was going to be an awesome sequel with Spock in it!
Josh Beckett’s third season in Boston (2008) mirrored Star Trek III: The Search For Spock
Both had an impossible act to follow: How could Beckett top his near Cy Young winning 2007 season where he built on his reputation of being an all time Post Season pitcher? He couldn’t.
Could The Search for Spock even come close to the awesome roller coaster that was Wrath of Khan? Nope.
Both seemed like hollow facsimiles of the previous triumph: Beckett got some big wins to be sure. But he hovered around .500 around most of the season and his ERA hovered around 4.00. Not bad, but not great.
There were some nice scenes in The Search for Spock. But Christopher Lloyd was a poor man’s Khan. And destroying the Enterprise and killing Kirk’s son just didn’t hold a candle to Spock’s sacrifice.
Both saved the best for last: Despite some bad outings against the Angels and Rays in the playoffs, Beckett won Game 6 forcing the ALCS to go the limit. It didn’t have the cool ending as 2007, but Beckett did his job at the end.
The Search for Spock felt a little cheap and slapped together after Wrath of Khan. But the finale on Vulcan and Spock raising his eyebrow was a great ending.
Josh Beckett’s fourth season in Boston (2009) mirrored Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
Both were fun if a little light and less ambitious: Beckett won a bunch of games including a terrific opening day start against the Rays and a complete game shutout against the Braves. He also showed his fire was there when he threw at Bobby Abreu’s head and got suspended. The Angels got revenge by beating Beckett in the playoffs.
The Voyage Home had no intention of topping Wrath of Khan. There was no bad guy and no great sacrifice. There were funny scenes in San Francisco and a save the whales message. It was the big screen equivalent of The Trouble with Tribbles.
Both were a nice return to form: While he didn’t dominate in the playoffs, Beckett became an All Star starter and along side Jon Lester, it looked like the Red Sox had their aces back.
The Voyage Home was no Wrath of Khan. But all the crew was back and in uniform. Rand and Chapel had cameos. Even Spock’s mom showed up to say hello. And at the end, a new Enterprise was introduced meaning that the series was going to get a fresh start.
Josh Beckett’s fifth season in Boston (2010) mirrored Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Both looked bad right from the beginning: Beckett started the season against the Yankees got clobbered, being chased in the 5th inning. He looked bad and it wasn’t going to get better.
The Final Frontier opened with Spock, McCoy and Kirk singing "Row Row Row your boat" around a camp fire. It was worse than embarrassing. It was Mystery Science Theater material.
Both tried but failed to fix things in mid stream: Beckett sat out a start in May before getting his butt kicked by the Yankees again. He was put on the disabled list after the Yankee start. But when he came back, he was dreadful, watching his ERA rising to 6.67 in mid August.
The Final Frontier went through so many different script changes and reedits that I am convinced that none of the actors knew what the plot was from scene to scene.
Both were so bad that you wondered if there was any hope for the future: Forget being an ace. A 30 year old pitcher going 6-6 with a 5.78 ERA could be filed in the “he’s done” bin.
With the incomprehensible ending on the God planet, a return to the camp fire and a fat and old cast, the idea of another Star Trek voyage seemed unlikely. Both made you think “better leave it to the next generation”:
Beckett was no longer the ace. Buchholz and Lester had that title. Should Beckett step down and give the Michael Bowden and Felix Doubronts of the world a shot?
Kirk, Spock and McCoy? By 1989 they should leave the “boldly going” to Piccard and company.
So where does this leave Beckett for 2011?
The good news is that Star Trek VI was the best written film of the series other than Wrath of Khan and gave the crew a great send off. So things look good for the Sox and Beckett.
Bad news is the NEXT Star Trek film, Generations, blew a great chance to have Kirk and Piccard team up. The film was a mess. Which means Beckett will probably flop in 2012.
However Star Trek: First Contact was a terrific and fun film. The Borg on the big screen? Awesome. Which bodes well for Beckett and the Sox in 2013.
The last year of Beckett’s contract is 2014. Sadly Star Trek: Insurrection was so forgettable that I forgot I saw it while I was in the theater. Doesn’t look good for Beckett that year.
And if a team signs him for 2015, bad news. I couldn’t finish Star Trek: Nemesis. I am guessing Beckett won’t finish that season.
A ray of hope for 2016? The Star Trek reboot wasn’t bad. Maybe he’ll finish in style.
Live long and prosper, Josh Beckett.
(How often can I combine two different childhood obsessions into one post?)
It is easy to trash the fish for their cheap ways. But right now they are looking to make the NL East very very interesting in 2012.
The Marlins are indeed the strangest franchise in all of American sports. On the surface they look like a classic Quadruple A team like the Royals and Pirates. They trade veterans for prospects, turn those prospects into big league players and when they ask for too much money, ship them off for more prospects.
Along with playing in a football stadium that isn't designed for baseball and having it be either too hot or too rainy, the inability for Marlins fans to get emotionally attached to any player is as big a reason to why they have had trouble drawing over the years.
And yet there is something so different about the Marlins as compared to Kansas City and Pittsburgh.
First of all they can have winning seasons. The Marlins played their first game in 1993. The Royals and Pirates have combined for two winning seasons in that stretch, both by Kansas City. The Marlins have had 6 winnings seasons in the same stretch.
And of course they remain the only MLB franchise to have never lost a post season series. They are 6-0 in October, winning it all in 1997 and 2003.
This little franchise that could has as many World Series titles as the Mets, the Cubs, the Indians and the Phillies. They are one World Series title behind the Orioles, who have a history of putting consistent winners on the field during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
One thing they do better than Pittsburgh and Kansas City is they actually get VALUE back when they make trades. When I wrote the Home Grown vs. Acquired post for the Marlins, their home grown talent was minimal. But the players they picked up from other clubs were the backbone for their winning teams.
But their spending habits have been laughable. In 2006 their opening day payroll was $16 million... or $4 million less than what the Yankees paid Jason Giambi. The fact that Joe Girardi almost led that team to a winning record was all he needed to win Manager of the Year that year.
In 2008 they spent $22 million on players and had a winning season. Imagine if their payroll went from "Laughable pathetic" to merely "Small." They probably could have won the Wild Card.
With the Players Association trashing their payroll and forcing the Marlins to spend a little bit, a refreshing picture is starting to emerge in South Florida that has nothing to do with LeBron James.
The Marlins are moving into their new tax payer sinkhole in 2012. And for the first time in their history, the Marlins will have a ballpark to call their own instead of feel like they are crashing on the Dolphins couch.
Miami fans will be able to know they will have decent seats, they won't be rained on and it won't be stifling with humidity.
In other words there will be an incentive to actually GO to the game.
And unless the Marlins trade off a lot of salary between now and 2012, guess who will be under contract and wearing teal?
Hanley Ramirez. Josh Johnson. Ricky Nolasco. Anibal Sanchez. Mike Stanton. Gaby Sanchez. Logan Morrison. Chris Coghlan. Chris Volstad.
That's a decent core with an MVP candidate, a Cy Young candidate and some good young pitchers and hitters.
And with Ricky Nolasco signing an extension this year to go along with Hanley Ramirez's extension and Josh Johnson's pact, the Marlins will have three solid players entering their 7th year with the team when they go into the new ballpark.
That's enough time to attach some emotion to a player.
Add to that the new revenue and the fact that Miami, with its many transplanted Northeasterners to go along with the Latin population, should be a baseball haven. And with some money, big free agents should want to live in the low taxed, glamorous Miami lifestyle playing in a low pressure environment.
By 2012 the Phillies juggernaut may be slowing down. Jimmy Rollins will be a free agent and the Cliff Lees and Roy Halladays and Ryan Howards would all be deeper into their 30s.
2012 could also be the time that Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper are ready to shine in Washington. And the Braves are continuing to build on their strong core.
By then a young Marlins team with a burst of energy in the new ballpark and some more money to spend might just be ready to make their move.
And with their post season good fortune, they might indeed win another World Series title. (How would THAT sit with the Cubs and Indians fans of the world?)
So I give you credit, Marlins. You are operating in the Cleveland Indians mold from the mid 1990s. Put together a talented core and by the time you have a new ballpark and new fans filing in, give them a good product.
And before long, who knows? Maybe the Marlins will be one of those teams that people say "It isn't fair. They always out bid other teams on free agents!"
I am guess the the answer to that question is "no."
That's too bad. Two teams that don't get a hell of a lot of press played this week in front of a lot of empty seats in Joe Robbie Stadium... or Pro Player Park... or Dolphins Stadium... or Landshark Stadium... or whatever the hell it is called now.
And listening to each of the games on my XM radio, I must say, I was riveted by the games. They weren't the cleanest games ever played... but holy cow they were exciting.
First of all both teams are loaded with exciting young players. Of course the Marlins have Hanley Ramirez is an MVP contender. Dan Uggla is an All Star. Chris Coghlan is the defending NL Rookie of the Year. Jorge Cantu is on pace to drive in 100 runs by the end of the week!
The Reds have young players like Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce on their squad.
In the first game of the series, had lead changes, go ahead homers, game tying infield singles and a Houdini act by Nick Masset to escape a bases loaded 1 out game tied situation in the 9th. In the end Scott Rolen won the game with 2 homers and an RBI single in the 10th.
The second game saw the Reds take a 6-1 lead on a pair of three run shots... one by Johnny Gomes and one by Ryan Hanigan. The Marlins cut it to 1, thanks in part to RBI machine Jorge Cantu. The Reds tried to pull away but Cody Ross hit a 2 out, 3 run homer in the 8th to tie the game. In the 11th, Chris Coghlan made a spectacular game saving catch, only to see the Reds rally with 2 outs for the win.
Today's game continued the drama. Jorge Cantu homered, knocking in his 14th run of the season. He also is the first player in big league history to get a hit and an RBI in each of his team's first 9 games. Chris Volstad pitched a terrific game until Reds shortstop Paul Janish hit a three run homer to make it a 2 run game. Burke Badenhop pitched the last 2 innings for his first career save as the Marlins avoided the sweep.
Why am I writing about these games? First of all because I don't want anyone accusing me of only caring about the Red Sox and Yankees.
But also, I love baseball. And I love compelling baseball. And I don't care if it is played in a packed house in front of the most passionate fans in the world on a cold October night... or if it is played on an April in Miami with tons of seats available.
The game is compelling... the game is fascinating... and it is on EVERY NIGHT.
Keep your eyes open, baseball fans. There's some great baseball being played EVERYWHERE!
He's as good as gone, and no doubt the prospects the Marlins get for Hanley will make the Marlins surprise contenders in 2010 (as opposed to their surprise contending in 2006, 2008 and 2009... maybe we should stop being surprised!)
Whenever I see a Marlins game (and I've watched waaaaaay too many so far this year), I inevitably see Hanley Ramirez, Dan Uggla or someone else park one into the left field seats at Dolphin Stadium.
And just as inevitably the seats in left field are as empty as the seats behind home plate and behind the dugouts at the New Yankee Stadium.
So if you've always wanted to catch a home run ball, here's a suggestion from your pal Sully:
Get a flight to Miami and go see a Marlins game. Park your butt out in left field and wait.
One will come your way, rattle about in the empty seats and you will walk away with a souvenir.
I may go just to get one for me, one for each of my two sons, one for my dad and one for good luck.
Hey Marlins... do you REALLY want to alienate your MVP candidate over his hair?
Really? That's where your priorities are now? You can't draw fans, you play to empty orange seats despite putting a winning product on the field and you want to get on the bad side of potentially the best player to put on the uniform?
I'm not saying the inmates should running the asylum, but what's the difference if he grows his hair long?
And spare me the whole "it's important to look professional" garbage.
The Oakland A's in the 1970 looked like slobs and they won three straight World Series.
There have been a lot of teams with clean shaven faces and short haircuts that lose 100 games.
It's not about grooming. It's about winning games... and if your MVP candidate wants long hair, then why not?
I remember during the 2004 ALCS, when the Yankees took a 3-0 lead, a lot of the writers starting blathering on about "See... it was the professionalism and class that the Yankees projected that made them champions while the hairy slobs known as the Red Sox showed they didn't have what it took to win."
Suddenly the Red Sox won 4 in a row and the same writers would say "the carefree attitude of the Red Sox carried them while the buttoned down Yankees were wound too tight."
Well which was it?
How about this answer?
NEITHER WERE RIGHT! The Red Sox pitching stunk in games 1 and 3 and suddenly it got great.
I think Keith Foulke's arm, Curt Schilling's ankle, Kevin Millar's eye, Dave Roberts legs and David Ortiz's bat had a lot more to do with the win than their hair.
And I think the Yankees lost not because they had short hair but because their best pitcher for Game 7 was Kevin Brown!
So what difference does it make if Hanley Ramirez grows his hair out, provided he plays well?
It doesn't make a team better or worse.
It was expressed best by the profound John Kruk. When he played for the slobs known as the 1993 National League Champion Phillies, a group of reporters asked him about their unkempt appearance and if it helped them win.
For only the second time this month, the Marlins won a game. It was 2 managers ago that they last won.
