Good morning! 

Good Bye Number 33  

Regarding the prices charged for tickets, food, and drink sold at Fenway Park, I almost don't mind paying what they ask because it's the home of the Boston Red Sox and I get to  see my team in the sacred halls of the Fens. However, when I pay these outrageous prices, I do expect for my team to win once in a while - at least when I actually go to a game. I don't have the opportunity to attend that many games so the occasional win would be nice - and let's face it folks, wins in Fenway are in mighty short supply lately. But I lucked out last Saturday because back when I bought my tickets in January or February (who can remember?), little did I know that on that Saturday of all the Saturdays I could have selected, it would turn out to be Tek Day, the occasion of the long-awaited ceremony where Jason Varitek's fans, family, and friends could say their good byes to our beloved Captain. That thirty-minute rite made the whole and otherwise dismal weekend (Red Sox swept by the Blue Jays) worthwhile.

The ceremony honoring Jason Varitek was a classy display and a lesson in how honors should be bestowed on one of the Boston Red Sox's favorite sons. The Big Three (Henry, Werner, and Lucchino) were in attendance, of course, as well as Tek's family, but what was really very touching was the appearance of two of Tek's high school friends. Tributes were paid and gifts were given, including actual seats from Fenway and a new pick-up truck bestowed upon Tek by current and former Red Sox players. But the most moving experience was when the jumbo-tron/big screen featured a retrospective of Tek's life in baseball starting with his time as a catcher in the Little League World Series and the College World Series, up to his wins catching Major League Baseball's World series wins in 2004 and 2007.

All in all, the ceremony covered all the bases (pardon the pun) of Tek's life. As his family was chauffeured out of Fenway Park seated in the back of his new truck, slowly making their way along the first base and the right field warning track and waving to all the devoted fans as they had their last look at Tek on the field of Fenway Park, I have to believe there was hardly a dry eye in the house.

So long and good luck Number 33, you will be missed.

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I think the presence of Jason Varitek is surely missed by pitchers Josh Beckett and Jon Lester. They Both look out of sorts on the pitchers mound without Tek. Great presentation to Jason Varitek, who is definitely missed. Hopefully Tek will be back someday in another way to help the Red Sox team, which his dedication and help is definitely needed.

P. Titus * MA

To Bill, Warner, NH: Bravo! That was one of the funniest posts I've read in quite a while! While I don't agree with your booing stance, I love how you determine who gets booed by you and who doesn't (the Jeff Gordon wannabe DEFINITELY deserves your boos!) Thanks for that post, it was a good one.

Jeneen * Beverly, MA

Hey Terri!

Taste This BOOOOOOO!

Merrimack Valley Fredd 

A big atta boy to 16 year old Steve from Mass who read the autobiography of Papi and his thoughts on the harmony and attitude that is what is needed in the clubhouse and dugout. Tito and the dirt dogs in 2004 did a lot of what they did in 2007 and in both cases won the trophy,and in 2011 they faltered and he got the gate, Mr. No Nonsense Lucchino hired Mr No Nonsense Valentine and look where we are today.

Friends these are grown men who are competitive and have to be able to exude great joy in a winning and sadness at a loss and just pause for a moment and remember the clubhouse in 04 and 07 when all the champagne and cold brews were being passed around and you saw the combined joy of a team that had just won the big one. They resembled any little league team who just one the town championship, and that atmosphere is what is lacking with this Team to make them cohesive.

c John Maddon allows the brews and chow in the clubhouse as did Huggins with the Babe and his crew of rowdies and look at what they accomplished. So therein lies the problem folks, a happy team is a team who has great comeradery and a desire to win. And so, let's jettison a lot of our problems,first with the manager,and let's face it who wants Crawford, Lackey, DiceK after their year, and I am of the sad opinion that we are never getting into the post season, so let's experiment and bring up the young guns and prepare them for 2013 and get their feet wet and remember that they are young and need to have fun enjoy the games, and jump for joy when they win and cry when they lose.

In conclusion,fully realizing that it was Lucchino who hired Bobby V and knowing full well how Tito feels about John Henry,he would never return, but if it were to happen there would be much joy in Mudville because the Mighty Tito had returned. And remember how many times Steinbrenner fired and rehired Billy.

Dave from RI

Spahn and Sain and pray for rain. When Warren Spahn (hall of fame) and Johnny Sain were pitching for the Boston Braves, they were excellent, but there was little behind them for pitching. I understand that Spahn once started both ends of a double header. In the time since then, I can't remember a time when I wasn't happy that the top pitcher on that current team wasn't pitching that night. I was happy it was Pedro's turn, that we were seeing Bill Lee, or that Bill Monboquette or Mel Parnell or Derrike Lowe were going tonight. We ought to win tonight because Curt was going. My gut reaction now to Lester or Beckett, is, oh no, we're going to lose. This isn't a short term problem. Lester and Beckett are now five months in to this mess. This year, we're down Beckett, Lester and Bard. They've been good in the past ....... why are all three bombing now? Beckett's attitude is really annoying, but would replacing him with a different pitcher, make an improvement? The pitching coaches, manager, upper management that aren't helping these three, will they be any better with the next one? Is Salty handling these pitchers well? Should we sign Varitek as a coach? Should we fire the pitching coaches and start with a new one? (Unless he's retired, the ones that know anything are employed and under contract.)

I have the perfect solution. Let's put a dome on Fenway Park and it would upset everyone to the point they wouldn't notice we were losing!

Peggy * East Wakefield, NH

Steve 16 - Great quote from Papi's book. I am a huge believer in chemistry. But to call the Sox Players heartless & souless is unfair. It's obvious that there is something wrong with this club. There is very little unity or chemistry that I can see. They are not together as a unit. Not 25 men with one common goal. But to say they have no heart, no soul? Do we blame the players? Where is the blame for the coaching staff? Especially the Pitching coaches. What about Management? Ben & Bobby appear to be puppets of the 3 headed monster. Are they heartless? Souless? Chemistry is not something that just happens immediately. Like Papi said, you have to like the guys you play with, respect them. But respect has to be earned. That takes time. With all the new players & coaches, the Sox basically started from scratch. With all the guys coming & going on the DL, there really hasn't been a chance for this team to become cohesive.

If you look at the projected starting line-up, and starting rotation from Pre-season, not one player has not either struggled mightily at one point, or been on the DL, or both. It's the injuries that have put the Sox where they are now. Do you think this isn't a contending club if Ells, Crawford, and Bailey had been with us all year? The call ups have played well, but had there not been so many injuries, this club would look, and act a lot different. Without the injuries, we never see the likes of Middlebrooks, Kalish, Nava, and Ciriaco. A healthy Youk is still at 3rd. Darnel McDonald and his dreads are still our 5th outfielder, and the Sox are way up in the standings.

I'm not sure The Sox can get out of the hole they dug, but with everyone getting healthy, I have not given up hope. I beleive if the Red Sox can string a few wins together, maybe a dramatic walk off or 2, they could build some momentum & get out of the dumps. If that happens great. If not, then we go back to how it was before 2004. Back to the "how will the Sox blow it this yea" days. Back to the pessimism that was spawned from '75, '78, '86, '03 and all the other bad years. We loved them then. Maybe more than we do now. They were chokers and losers and they broke your heart every year. But they were our losers. We lived & died by them. Mostly died, BUT WE LIKED IT JUST FINE!

We've become so spoiled with our recent success that we forget what it was like before Tito & 2004. Of course you don't remember those days at all becasue back then you were Steve 8.

Bill (Almost 46) * Warner NH

To: Jim Griswold, re: your comments in today's Rem Report. I "get" you! Perfectly said and you took the words right out of my mouth. Exactly what I've been trying to convey for days now.

Linda * Cheshire, CT

Just a small observation about this years season. The players on the team have proven in the psat that they are solid pros and can get the job done. If pros are not functioning well it is usually mental problems. Mental games in the clubhouse and front office hurt the team last year with a strong manager in place. I suspect the same kind of mind games are going on this year and Valentine, especially being his first year can't control them. To me it is the only thing that makes sense.

Bob Owen * Cumberland, RI

First of all I am NOT attacking Trish - I was simply pointing out that NONE of us are perfect..... would you want someone to boo you for doing your job to the best of your ability, was my intent?? Second since you are all entitled to your opinion, I am too, so stop attacking me! - Boo-ing makes the fans look really bad. Boston fans are known for being the best - do we want that to change for one season that admittedly is crappy?? I sure don't! Did you all not see Lester leaving the field? He wears his heart on his sleeve and emotions on his face. He was as upset as the fans! His quote after the game was "I am tired of sucking!" That tells me that he needs help from the pitching coaches and not getting it.....they are to blame as much as anyone. And read yesterday post - if you buy something you don't like you return it and not use it, so if you are unhappy with the game, don't buy tickets until they have a better team......

Terri B * Franklin

Terri ... I didn't think you were attacking me at all.  I think you were/are being passionate about what you believe.  I was too, but expressed it in a different way.  We will never see eye to eye on this topic, and I still feel as though you do not truly understand what I am stating.  You argue points that I never made.  So, it is best dropped between us - do we agree on this?  

As for the point someone made about ending this forum - now THAT came out of left field!  This is an open forum and if we all agreed ... YAWN!  We all share our passion for the Sox, no matter how it is displayed.  We have glass half empty and glass half full.  We have booer's and non-booer's.  We have red hats and pink hats.  And our common bond is our team.

Now WHO wants to argue THAT!  :-)     Trish