By Bob Lobel (@boblobel)
The Red Sox are now in the business of selling hope.
There isn’t much of a difference between what the Sox are selling and that hidden force drags you kicking and screaming into a store that sells golf clubs. You’re there for the same reason you are still watching the local entry in the American League East: Hope on a stick.
There is that strange, yet unproven belief that walking into a golf store to get a new putter, hybrid rescue club or driver will get you paired with Rory on the weekend. It’s not unlike your strange belief that the Boston Red Sox will somehow find a way to get to the post season, even if it is a one and done, stupid second Wild Card game.
Of course, if you do get into the one and done game there is new, and maybe brief, “hopes are us.”
What a balancing act it must be running a baseball team.
This used to be a tough and demanding town, but 3 world championships have made Fenway like a whale watch or a trip to Plymouth Rock. Dan Shaughnessy of the Globe pointed all that out perfectly by saying we have become a powder puff town of fans.
It’s not a bad thing, but it’s just not the image we like to put out there for all to see. Of course, the next couple of weeks against AL east opponents will tell all, we think. We are not sure but we think we have a shot at turning this strange season around, Lester or no Lester.
This is a very annoying subject since we all seem to think we know what the team should or should not do (or spend) on their lefty ace. Every caller in talk radio world seems to know. Every host of call radio world seems to know. Nobody knows, not even the people that make the decisions.
Sign him, trade him, lose him, blah, blah, blah. He has become a terrific pitcher and will make a lot of money even if he has Liverpool’s logo or NASCAR on the sleeve.
Somebody is going to pay him.
History has shown that it is not the best investment going, but that’s why we all want to be these guys. Crazy money on the back of crazy living has always sounded good to me. I say, hang in there, at least through the next two weeks. If they give you reason to hang around for more, even better.
If not, the Patriots are looming. And, as a bonus for the Belichick/Brady fix, Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston, who is my go to guy for football information, says another Super Bowl will come this way. Just to stay ahead of the Red Sox and to bring down the Karma of winning it in Arizona. After all, it’s Karma or luck, or both.
I do have a favorite number, and it is now being worn by the young rookie Red Sox catcher. Vasquez is a terrific looking player. To me, with number 55, he is a can’t miss.
Ok it was my high school football number and it was worn by a favorite player, Maxie Baughn, a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles. Ok, nobody’s perfect.
Yes, I believe in Karma and luck and all that stuff. And, if the Red Sox do what appears to be next to impossible, it will be hailed as another great triumph.
Here is the question of the week: What is more likely to happen? The Red Sox making it to post season, or re-signing Lester?”
Or, of course, none of the above, and yes, all of the above. I have no clue.
Go ask a talk show host. They seem to know it all. And feel free go and get some hope on a stick.
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