Say What?

Seriously, I leave baseball alone for a couple of days and look what happens. In all my years, and there are many, I have never heard of something so absurd.

Yes, I know this isn't Red Sox related, and I'm probably messing with the fabric of the universe for reporting on the Yanks, but c'mon folks. (Also, Eric has gone MIA again so SOMEBODY's got to do it.) Just because the dude's got a lot of money, doesn't mean he should get to suit up and go out there. I'm a huge fan, but I know I'm never going to step on the wonderfully squishy grass of the Fens. To me, this is just a mockery of the game.

Or I'm jealous.

In other slightly stale news, Captain Kick-Ass himself has suffered back spasms and is considering scratching himself from opening day in Japan. From redsox.com:

"I don't think we know [for sure] yet," Red Sox manager Terry Francona told ESPN.com. "But we're certainly not going to rush him back to pitch a game March [25] if he's not ready. And I think if you look at it with common sense, he's not going to pitch over there."

If he's really hurt, he needs to be immersed in a bacta tank IMMEDIATELY until he is fully recovered. (Don't tell the Mets about bacta though, ok?) I'm more of the mind that Josh probably just doesn't want to go to Japan, and I don't blame him. Players who have made the trip say it is exhausting, and it take a couple of weeks to recover from. Personally, I would rather have a healthy Beckett spittin' nails on Opening Day at Fenway rather than a Beckett hung over from sake and Harajuku girls... I mean...back injury. But seriously, Dice-K's wife is due to give birth in two weeks, and losing both of our starters right off the bat would be soooo not good.

Also, the Sox manned up and made it rain for Jonathan with a one-year, $775,000 deal. Can't say I'm too upset by that decision, especially as he was looking for something in the neighborhood of $900,000 to begin with. Said the Papel-bot:

"I want to help this organization look good and I want to help this organization go out there and win championships. That's what the whole goal is here, and that's the whole thing I try to keep in mind. At the same time, you've got to go to work and produce championship teams year after year after year. I plan on being here for a long time and I plan on winning a lot of championships here."

Boy, does that make my little heart just jump for joy. "What else makes you happy, Carly?" you might ask. Oh, I don't know....beating the Mets?

Oh yeah, that is pretty good! Said beating occurred today with a 4-3 final. Manny and good ol' Mike Lowell got some good knocks in, but unfortunately, scrappy little Dusty Pedroia took the day off with the flu. I know his gritty grit and determination will help him kick that flu bug sooner than you can say "Dustin Pedroia is the next David Eckstein."

Yes, I know, I'm desperate for a real, meaningful baseball fix. 14 days until Opening Day....does anyone know how to say "Play ball!" in Japanese?