The Yankees just selected Roc Riggio. If you don't know him, know this.... you will love him. He's about as hardnosed as it gets.
Riggio was drafted by the Yankees in the 4th round, a second baseman who loves to taunt and loves to be taunted. Why? Because it's part of the game. In a world where people are sensitive to their feelings and have gone soft, Riggio goes by the beat of his own drum, and he's only a sophomore in college.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, NJ.com will help you. In a nutshell, he's with Oklahoma State, cranked out a homer against the University of Arkansas and as he celebrated, he ran the bases on his tip-toes and his arms raised in the air.
That pissed off the University of Arkansas pretty badly. To make it worse, he was a freshman when he did it. This guy drips with confidence:
“I like having a target on my back,” Riggio told the Oklahoman earlier this year. “I like when guys go at me, I like people when people talk (crap) to me. I love all that.... Let me hear it. Give it to me because I know I can handle it. It’s different for other guys who can’t handle it, but I know whatever you throw at me I can handle.”
The dude's an aggressive hitter, and many say he's similar to Dustin Pedroia in that regard.
But his confidence at his age is what really makes me happy. We need guys that continue to love the game and play hard. In a nutshell I am thrilled to see that we just snagged Riggio.
I would often refer to him as an ulcer. He was genuinely a giant pain in my ass...even standing at 5' 3" or whatever the Sox program listed his height to be. Dustin Pedroia was truly a giant in the New York vs Boston Rivalry. He played the game the right way. He busted his butt down the line...even when drawing a walk (which was infuriating!). He was always in a dirty uniform from flat out hustle. HE PROVED ANYONE of any shape or size can play this game! I couldn't stand Pedy and loved him in the same breath. He was a real ballplayer in every respect.
After many bouts with nagging injury the "Little Engine that Could" Red Sox 2nd baseman is calling it a career....and what a career it was. Years ago I wrote about the difference between Pedroia and Cano...I didn't have a crystal ball then....you don't need one to see how their stories would wrap up.
The classic tale of the little, nut gathering worker putting in extra time to prep for winter and the lazy rabbit who couldn't be bothered with hustle playing out on a Major League diamond. Robbie is a cautionary tale to be told....Dustin may, one day, have a street near Fenway named in his honor...and I hope that street is constantly under construction...it would be appropriate given the FACT that this guy never stopped grinding to improve upon himself. Never.
This brings me to my list. A list I'm sad to admit continues to add names of enemy combatants from the Bay State. They are the Sox I wish were Yankees. Up until now the list is as follows:
And now...Dustin "The Laser Show" Pedroia. They were just guys who would've been revered in the Bronx. They always hustled. They hated to lose...they had what O'Neill and Tino ran on....heart.
I will missed Pedy. He was what was great about the Yanks and Sox. You got a sick feeling in your gut when he was at the plate in a big spot (the crouching catcher still a inch of two taller than him) knowing he'd pepper one off the Monster or go opposite field and find the untended pin that is Pesky's Pole for a 4 Beantown Bagger. That was, oddly, something I almost looked forward to. It was the fight these two clubs have always shared...it was fun to watch...just like Dustin.
Love him or hate him, and I know the majority of you hate him, this is shocking news to me, and because it's baseball news, and because Dustin Pedoria has had an impact on this game, I found it fitting to report. Pedroia may be done with baseball... forever. Crazy to think about, but true.
"He has been the Red Sox’s heart and soul since the first day he put on the uniform, epitomizing toughness and resiliency. Boston won three World Series championships during his tenure, and Pedroia helped keep the franchise into a perennial power.
Now, the time has come, Pedroia acknowledged Monday, to accept the harsh reality that his career may be over.
Pedroia is returning home to Chandler, Ariz., next week and will give his left knee time to rest, and perhaps, finally heal.
It has been two years since Pedroia has played regularly, and the pain refuses to go away.
'I’m at a point right now where I need some time,’ Pedroia said.
'Right now, I know I need a break from the everyday stresses I’ve been dealing with. … It’s weird, man. Some days, I feel fine. An hour later, walking is tough.'"
Say what you will about this guy. One thing you can't call him is lazy. He's the hardest worker on the field when he's there. Red Sock or not... you really need to respect him. He'd a gamer.
Get well soon Dustin. Shame... baseball gave you a tough break.
He's a good player. He still has it, he's just slowed down... and the Red Sox know it. And so, they designated Hanley Ramirez for assignment. The Boston Globe tweeted this:
Now the reason is to make room for Dustin Pedroia, but it's gotta be slightly a shock for Hanley, a veteran. Who knows... maybe he saw it coming. The Globe writes:
Photo: Getty Images
"The Red Sox are responsible for more than $15 million remaining on Ramirez’s salary through the duration of this season. They will have seven days to trade or release him. "
Some team will sign this guy and I will bet he just gets hot again. Sometimes the same routine kills a player. Maybe that's what happened to Ramirez in Boston.
Photo: Getty Images
At any rate... I'm a Dustin fan, so this is just fine by me.
I wonder what fellow #BYBHubblog Section 36 thinks about this? They're a Red Sox fan site, and a great one at that.
Quick note. Both Tyler Austin and Joe Kelly had suspensions handed down to them for their glorious brawl the other night. This is really not a detailed post... I just wanted to show more pictures and the video again.
"Sox pitcher Joe Kelly was suspended for six games by MLB chief baseball officer Joe Torre and fined an undisclosed amount for intentionally hitting Tyler Austin in the seventh inning.
Austin was suspended five games and fined for charging the mound and fighting.
Both players appealed their suspensions and will be available to play until their cases are heard.
Photo: USA Today
MLB also fined Sox manager Alex Cora and Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin.
Four players on the disabled list who went onto the field — Xander Bogaerts, Marco Hernandez and Dustin Pedroia of the Sox and Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia — also were fined."
By the way, love this play by play:
Yes. 100% yes. The title is taking a shot at Jose Altuve. I'm a big fan of his human interest story. Yep, outstandingly impressive to think that this guy was told "NO! and don't come back!"...and he did anyway, and in a BIG way. Sure, he is extremely talented and, like Pedroia, he is showing the Sports World that you measure the player's heart, not height. I love Jose's game...I just don't love Jose.
I'm guessing that Joe Buck's over the top, sickening, praise of everything he did in the ALCS soured me. However, it was Altu-D2 himself who got to me with his jacked up antics.
Photo: Getty Images
I love emotion. I do. But an MVP candidate should act like he's been there before. I don't want to spend too comparing the MIGHTY Aaron Judge to Altu...but, what the hell.
Photo: Getty Images
Aaron is the epitome of class and handles himself like a veteran leader...Jose seems more like somebody who didn't quite make the cast of MTV's Jersey Shore. He beats up the beat and puffs out his chest like a clown. Aaron is the bigger man in more way than one. I grew tired of him and many of the Astro players early in the series. The Yankees out classed them....it's a shame there is no stat sheet for playing the game with class.
Source: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America
Now, this post (ADMITTEDLY) is for the Yankee Fan. I'm hurting over game 7 and am looking to take a shot at one of the game's best players...ya know what? Altu-D2 can get bent.
The Yankees WILL be back. They will do it better, stronger and BIGGER than the mouthy, little man and his crew of bad haircuts. Enjoy LA, Jose.
Stop in to Fox Studios while you're in town...the next Star Wars movie may need an operator to stuff into a tin can to roll around with BB-8 and R2-D2.
Sorry...actually, no, no I'm not. His act grew old.
Photo: Getty Images
**What else can you do but play the song written by the guy who wrote "We love LA". Jose and company will learn that one too.**
--Mike O'Hara BYB Contributor Follow me on Twitter:@mikeyoh21
Do you care about Big Papi? I certainly don't. I view the man as a selfish player, a guy that skated most of his Red Sox career under the cloud of PEDs. In short, I guess he kisses the right ass. Who really knows...
Now, I'm not sure how I missed this, but I did, and I wanted to bring it to your attention now at least so you can get as annoyed as I am.
Bleacher Report did a Big Papi All-Star Team of his era. You read that correctly... they actually took the time to ask Ortiz who he would put on his 'All-Star' team. Here's the Tweet:
I know, I threw up in my mouth too. He forgot to add Bud Selig as his commissioner... you know, the one who protected him all these years.
Any, I found the whole exercise to be ridiculous. Never mind the fact that he didn't choose his friend Alex Rodriguez. But the bigger question is why? Why should anyone care about this? NJ.com even expanded on it...
"Here's what the Red Sox star said about his Yankee picks:
Cano: "I thought Chuck Knoblauch was the one player who I thought
was going to dominate that position for a long time. But once you got
to see [Dustin] Pedroia and Robinson Cano play, they took that position
to another level. Looking at Cano, you're looking at a third baseman
playing second base with good range. He makes everything look like he's
not even trying."
Jeter: "The Captain was a champ. He was the guy you want to play
for your team at shortstop for the next 20 years. He had consistency
over the years. He may go down as the best shortstop of all time because
he won so many championships. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. That's
what it's about. To compete against Jeter was incredible. I played
against him tons of times. It was a competition. You wanted to beat him,
but you enjoyed watching him do his thing. There was respect."
Rivera: "He had one pitch [his cut fastball]. You knew it was coming, but it didn't make a difference."
Interestingly, Ortiz didn't select Alex Rodriguez at
either position that the the three-time AL MVP won the award at:
Shortstop or third base. While Jeter's longevity at the position makes
sense as the reason to pick him, Ortiz did admit that A-Rod was the
better player at shortstop before making the position switch when
landing in New York in 2004."
I also find it unbelievable that Papi picks Can over his own teammate Dustin Pedroia. Everyone knows that's wrong.
But let's be honest, this isn't Ortiz thinking hard and long about who should play were... this is Papi choosing his friends and once again getting unneeded press. Either I'm in the minority here... or this guy is a big teddy bear. Who knows, I just can't understand it.
Whatever the case, I missed it, I'm sorry... but now you see it. Carry on.
(Photo Credit: John Wilcox)
I don't like to see any player hurt... but sometimes karma takes over, and David Ortiz needs a slice of reality... his behavior may have finally caught up with him.
Ortiz got hurt last night in the Yankees win over the Red Sox. I didn't feel bad. When it happened, I was thrilled, and maybe it's just me being annoyed with the way this guy has presented himself all these years.
Papi is a liar. Papi is a selfish player. I always found that that New York Times article from July 2009 about him being on a PEDs list from 2003 was very telling. Granted, PEDs weren't restricted until after that, but you don't show up on a banned substance list is you don't take banned substances... you know what I mean? I don't like the way he skates. I don't like the way he gets defensive when people ask him about it. I don't like that he doesn't understand why press is ALLOWED to ask him about it.
I found it odd that Bug Selig praised this man in Major League Baseball for years. At the same time Selig was looking to turn ARod to the gas chamber for PED use, he was hugging Papi on public television.
Most of all though, I couldn't believe the balls of this guy to think that he actually deserved a farewell tour. He's not Derek Jeter. We wrote about that. Read THERE'S NO WAY PAPI'S MORE BELOVED THAN JETER...shout out to Suzie Pinstripe on an instant #BYBClassic.
But karma is a powerful thing and sometimes it's refreshing to sit back and watch people that are powerful in their own mind crumble. I found it hysterical that his Ortiz Bobblehead night was cancelled. Now granted, it was shattered because of an utterly, racially offensive bobblehead, but my point is, another Ortiz celebration didn't happen. That works for me.
And when the injury happened last night, I smiled. No, I'm not the devil. I wish harm on no one... but some folks need a dose of reality... and now it's Papi's turn. That's all I'm saying.
This article is pointed... I do not like David Ortiz. Red Sox fans will hammer me and I get that, but much like they hate all of our Yankee players... I have opinions about a few Sox ones. But let me be clear... I was a Wade Boggs fanatic when I was a kid... I love Dustin Pedroia. I believe Mookie Betts is totally awesome and I'm a big Yankee fan. I just don't feel the same about Ortiz. There's something "off" and I'm hoping it comes to a head soon.
I believe that for far too long, David "Big Papi" Arias believes his shit don't stink... but it does... it stinks real bad.
Sometimes Karma reigns down. Maybe it's raining....
I’ll go on the record; I really like David “Big Papi” Ortiz…off the field. I don’t remember too much about my days at the MLB Fan Cave, but I will fully admit that my time with the Red Sox slugger was something I’ll remember with a smile. David was not only friendly, but also funny and down to earth. He was up for the sketches we wrote for him and even roamed the streets of the Big Apple looking for hugs.
Towards the end of the year, at the World Series in fact, I ran into David at a MLB event and he greeted me like an old pal. I was surprised he remembered me. Basically I have nothing bad to say about what I know of Ortiz.
Unfortunately I can’t support the New York Yankee announcement that the organization will give Big Papi a big sendoff this year at the Stadium. Look, I understand and really admire the way the Boston Red Sox (Organization, players & fans) said goodbye to Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter. The whole operation was a first class act! It was done perfectly for both Yankee Greats and deservedly so. Should the same respectful ceremony be given to David? No. No, I don’t believe so at all.
There is no question that David Ortiz is an outstanding, clutch hitter and YANKEE KILLER. There is NO QUESTION that he has meant more to the Red Sox winning ways than any other player. In short David is an impact player and the Sox will miss him.
However Ortiz is NOT a Jeter or Rivera type. Papi has always been a “Me First” guy on the field and shown as much numerous times (The Baltimore dugout phone incident that got him a talking to by Pedroia). The countless bat flipping jogs to show up another team’s pitcher. The way he was not shy about ripping another player…name a time Jeets or Mo did ANYTHING like that…I’ll wait. No? That’s what I thought.
Look, I was never one to hold my tongue or not let emotion get away from me when I played competitive sports. I am not saying that guys/gals that do so are bad. All I’m saying is that that type player shouldn’t get honored. That should be saved for truly transcendent athletes who played the game the right way with class and selflessness. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are not just Yankees that are examples of what Big Leaguers should be.
And then there is the looming shadow of PED use when it comes to Big Papi. Do I know for certain that he used? Nope. But the only reason nobody is taking a closer look is because David uses his “Pap-ularity” to bully the league. He shouts down rumors and frankly was protected by the Selig Regime. The unfortunate fact seems to be that athletes from the Dominican Republic have what appears to be unlimited access to PEDs. It’s almost as if the “D.R.” stands for DAMN RIGHT they’re using. That is not an accusation on Dominican people. NOT. AT. ALL. There are countless players that hail from the Republic that NEVER took or would ever take HGH, Steroids and the like. But many do…Manny, Alex, Sosa (Those rumored to a possible link like Cano, Pujols and Bautista).
The bottom line is that David Ortiz is NOT in the same class with Jeter and Mo. Now, when Dustin Pedroia hangs them up I could see a nice goodbye from the Yankees.
Pedy is a leader, not a showboat and always said he takes so much from watching his friend Jeter on and off the field.
Is this a biased post? Sure, I guess so. But remember, I really do like Ortiz. I mean that. It isn’t personal in any way shape or form. He has made the rivalry better. He is an exciting player to watch. If I were a Sox fan, (LAWD HELP ME) I’d be a huge Big Papi fan, BUT I’d still think he didn’t deserve a farewell from the Bronx Bombers…and they Yankees should KNOW that too.
Sorry David. I wish you the best man.
** Here’s what should play over the Stadium PA when Papi takes his last AB in the Bronx **
Yes indeed the Boston (We aren’t the Evil Empire and don’t buy the league like them) Red Sox paid David Price all the Money that Ben Affleck and Jeremy Renner stole from them in “THE TOWN” and called Rhode Island to pitch in another couple million. They WAY overpaid if you ask me…but David is an ace. There is no doubt about it. He is a #1 and that staff NEEDED one in a big way. Well, they got him. Let’s all move on.
Here is a nightmare scenario for Yankee fans. Maybe David Price helps bring the Sawks and the Big Papi Farewell Tour back to the Promised Land. It could happen. They also have a big time closer in Kimbrel.Pedy should be healthy. Bogarts and Bradley are legit. This could and may very well happen, folks. What would REALLY smart is seeing Ortiz go out the way Jeet and Mo didn’t.
Derek and Mariano faded into retirement with love and fanfare…but well short of another ticker tape parade. But let us take a closer look at the Boston Red Sox shall we?
Breathe Yankee fans. The sky is not falling. No, I’m NOT saying that the Bronx Bombers will be better than the Sox…or the Jays, O’s and Rays for that matter. We have more issues than TIME Magazine. Nope, all I’m saying is that the Sox may have the names but don’t have the Rare Breed that brought rings to Fenway.
When I mention O’Neill, Jeter, Bernie, Cone, Tino, Jorge, Andy and Mo INSTANTLY you may think of WINNING. Winning was their business and brothers and sisters, BUSINESS WAS A BOOMIN’. These players epitomized the RARE BREED I’m thinking of. They were all heart. They were team first players and it was about the W not whether they looked good or had the biggest contracts.
Now, we may not want to ever give Boston their due, but they also had players of the same ilk. It’s very true. It’s FACTUAL. Varitek, Nixon, Millar, Miller, Schilling, Wake, Pedy and yes, even Pedro. They were ALL cut from the same cloth. That’s what made the battles so epic between that class of Yanks and Sox. In my opinion it is now sorely lacking both in the Bronx and Beantown.
The Sox have players (LOOKING RIGHT AT YOU PANDA AND HANLEY) just don’t have the guts and grit of Red Sox past. They are ME FIRST AND THE GIMME GIMMES. And it is this culture that undercuts the biggest signings and trades. The team isn’t one unit going to battle everyday…it’s a team of All Star egos that seem to crumble once they hit a losing skid. Boston might be upended by a lopsided payroll, underachieving stars and the Papi Traveling Circus.
The Yankees will most likely not make any big moves, and maybe that’s the play this year. Maybe we take it on the chin a bit more this year…or even shock the world. Nobody expects this club to do anything. To quote Lou Brown, “Let’s give ‘em a nice, big sh** burger to eat.”
2016 may be a tough season for the New York Yankees…but it may be a giant, EXPENSIVE disaster up in Chowda City. Without that Rare Breed…well, you just don’t win when it matters most. KNAWK YAWSELVES OUT, SAWKS.
** Here’s one for the 2016 Boston Red Sox from Me First and The Gimme Gimmes **
