On and Off the Record
The Red Sox are looking trimmer both on the field and in the payroll by completing two signings to avoid arbitration. Right-handed starting pitcher Josh Beckett inked a one-year, $4.325M contract and center fielder Coco Crisp signed a one-year, $2.75M deal. An official announcement of the signing of shortstop Alex Gonzalez, formerly of the Marlins, was also released yesterday.
A rousing round of musical numbers accompany the new Boston players. Mike Lowell used to wear 19 with the Marlins, but now former teammate Beckett will be adorned with this prime number. Lowell will be wearing 25. The number 21 has not been granted to any Red Sox player since Roger Clemens pitched for the Olde Towne Team.
The club is using new-fangled gimmickry to lure Clemens back into the fold, according to Gerry Callahan of the Boston Herald. Clemens will be presented with a sleek video consisting of fans’ supplications for his return. Red Sox chairman and television mogul Tom Werner knows what will capture the hearts, minds, and eyeballs of his club’s fandom: the re-entry of the Rocket. But how many more stages does the 43-year old pitcher have?
Comments
One more? That would be nice.
Peter*N ∙ 7 February 2006 ∙ 1:27 PM