Paying Attention

Herein be random ruminations on politics, history, ideas, spirituality, religion, education, media, life, relationships, culture... and Boston sports when I really want to vent.

"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." (ubiquitous)

"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has and never will." (Frederick Douglass)

"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." (Susan B. Anthony)

"Clearly the trick in life is to die young as late as possible." (William Sloane Coffin)

February 28, 2012 7:50 pm

TEK

One of baseball’s all-time great catchers has announced his retirement.

Since his lifetime batting average is .259, he may not make the Hall of Fame, but that would be a travesty.  He belongs in Cooperstown.  To wit:

1) He was among the all-time best at handling a pitching staff, calling games and settling his team.  A catcher’s primary job.  (None of that involves hitting.)

2) He was rock solid as a player and a man. An exceptional leader.  The undisputed leader of one of baseball’s great franchises for many years.

3) He was a key reason — on and off the field — why the Red Sox were able to beat the psycho-moral-historical Curse of the Bambino in 2004.  Think about it.  A franchise without a World Series win in 86 years.  A fandom used to losing in ever-more painful ways and expecting to be punished for their love of the Sox.  A sports media market which is the most savage and negative in baseball.  It takes not just good ball players but well-put-together mentalities to overcome all that.  Tek was a main reason why they did.

4) He beat the snot out of A-Rod.

Case closed.

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