Marco It Is Then.

That certainly happened quickly. I was still kicking around ideas for my Marco Scutaro post when Edes has it that they're thisclose to signing him. And Ian Browne has it at two years. I suppose that he was the best option available but mostly it's just uninspiring. Welcome to Boston though.

I Heard a Man in Reno.

If Reno was even a little bit closer, I might seriously consider attending a fundraiser for Western Nevada College's baseball and softball programs on January 16. The reason? Dustin Pedroia will be the featured speaker. There's very little that amuses me as much as a Dustin Pedroia quote; his combination of humor and braggadocio is an absolute hoot. And I can't imagine that he'd have a difficult time speaking on the topic of: The Dustin Pedroia Story. You do have to wonder if he came up with the title himself.

Billy the Brave.

Billy Wagner didn't want to come to Boston unless the Sox agreed to not pick up his option and to not offer him arbitration. His wife convinced him that it might be worth it to go even if they did offer him arbitration and so he went. Then the season ended and his agent started making noise about accepting arbitration should it be offered but Theo was unfazed: We'd love to have him back, he claimed. Yesterday an offer of arbitration was extended and before the ink had even had a chance to dry, Wagner was reportedly accepting a deal to become the closer for the Atlanta Braves. Sometimes everything works out in the end. Theo loves his draft picks and (as of right now) he ended up with the twentieth pick overall in June. Not a bad deal.

Re: Just an Old Baseball Club in Search of a Shortstop.

Username: StatBustinDustin
Vitals: Male; 26 years old; Boston, MA

Introduction: 'Sup? The name's Dustin but people call me DP or Pedey or whatever. I saw your ad about looking for a new shortstop and think that I'd be awesome at it. I gotta say: I know where you're coming from. I was also disappointed in the way 2009 turned out for me and am hoping for better things in 2010.

What I Bring to the Table: I may not be the biggest guy who responds to your ad but I've got heart and I've got hustle. And I would literally be a shortstop <--- Punny, right? I really don't harp on my height and hope that you'd be able to see past it. I love a challenge (and since I've already accomplished everything that could ever be accomplished at second, moving to short and doing it all again would be a challenge). But I did play short in college and in the minors, so it wouldn't be completely new. Plus, since we already know each other there wouldn't be any getting to know you period. Lastly, my, like, personal theme song:



Hit me back. Let's talk.

Come Live With Me and Be My Love.

Username: BoSox2010
Headline: Just an Old Baseball Club in Search of a Shortstop.
Vitals: 105 years old, Boston, MA


About Me: First things first, the obligatory: Personal ads are always so hard to fill out. How do you say that last season you were a pretty good baseball club, consisting of (relatively) decent people, who pitched pretty well, scored a lot of runs, and won a lot of games, without sounding like you're full of yourself? And if you succeed in doing that, how do explain why you're once again heading into the holiday season without a reliable shortstop to share it with--without sounding like you're a waste of time? I'm really not a bad ball club to play for. I'm dedicated to winning and playing in the post season. I'm competitive. I have a worshipful (albeit slightly crazy) fan base. I've been burned in the past and am sometimes a little wary to start out but I'm looking forward to taking some chances and seeing who's out there.

About the One I'm Looking For: I smile when I think of you. You might not be overly flashy or sexy but you are competent. You're cool and collected. You're goal oriented and nothing is going to stand in you're way. You're so comfortable in your own skin that you don't have to be the star. You don't make waves or cause a fuss. You've got a pleasant personality and you're interested in something--anything will do.

My Idea of a Perfect First Date: You go one for two with a pair of walks and an RBI. You play passable defense--I'm not asking for anything spectacular--you make the routine plays; maybe turn a double play or two.

My Perception of an Ideal Relationship: I'm not looking for a long term commitment. (My last shortstop left me to go to Toronto because I wasn't ready to commit to him yet.) We'd spend a lot of time together but nothing too serious. We get along. We laugh. I'm comfortable, you're comfortable. And we work together to help each other be better.

What I've Learned From Past Relationships: For the past five years, I've been trying, unsuccessfully, to fill the void left by my last great love. It hasn't been easy. I've been picking up bits and pieces along the way but none have been able to fulfill that role. I've learned that not everyone can play here. And while I thought that I could deal with sub-par defense if it might come with an improved offense, that doesn't seem to be the case. At the same time though, all glove and no bat won't cut it either.

Sound like you? I'd love to hear from you. Ask for Theo.

Must Be David Ortiz Day.

While in the Dominican Republic David Ortiz is championing another cause besides raising funds for pediatric cardiology services, he is also lending his voice to a campaign to end domestic violence.

The radio campaign "Pégale a la Pelota, Jamás a una Mujer" (Hit a ball, Never a woman) is aimed at baseball fans and has ballplayers making comparisons between baseball and abused women. (It probably isn't as awful as that sounds or it plays better in a more chauvinistic culture.)

Says David of women (my translation):

"...so beautiful and I think that we know that we come from a woman and that we should pay them respect. And know that we live for a woman and that she is a rose."

"[A woman] is a flower that decorates the lives of men and that we should only give her caresses."

*Quietly mumbles to herself that he means well and that it's a different culture where he can say things like that. Is also very impressed that she got the accent marks to appear.*

Domestic violence is a serious issue anywhere so good on David for standing up against it.

Como se Dice Big Papi?

This amused me:

David Ortiz is in the middle of an extensive publicity campaign for his golf tournament; Facebook, Twitter, press conference at Fenway, and now a press conference down in the Dominican Republic. Besides the golf tournament, he spoke with Hoy (a Dominican newspaper) about trade rumors and the possibility of playing Dominican Winter ball. Regarding trade rumors he gave the standard answer that they didn't faze him and that he was turning the page on last season. And he didn't so yes or no to playing for the Dominican team Leones del Escogido. (Although here he says that on a scale of one to ten the possibility of him playing is a five--I'd take that as a diplomatic no.)

The part that amused me though was in the comments, where twice he's referred to as Big Daddy. It was just sort of odd.

Also, how the hell does he know Rachel Dratch? (Who is one of the celebrities invited to the tournament.) I just learned that she's from Lexington but it seems like a strange combination.