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Gutsy Schilling, 'Big Papi' make the Nation proud

Sporting News, The, Nov 8, 2004 by Todd Jones

I hate to say I told you so, but, wow, I told you so. Just as I predicted, the Red Sox reached the promised land. If you don't live in Boston, you probably have grown tired of all the coverage.

If you aren't a member of Red Sox Nation, you don't understand. October was a month to be savored. New Englanders literally have waited their whole lives for this.

In my opinion, this World Series also will be the event that assures Curt Schilling's entry into the Hall of Fame. It's always a good sign to teammates when they hear an injured player such as Schilling--after the fact--say, "I'm OK. It's not too bad." Well, that ankle was bad. A tendon fell off the bone, and it had to be sutured back into place just so he could pitch. Schilling's performance might have trumped Willis Reed's in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals. Remember how Reed limped onto the court with a deep thigh injury and inspired his Knicks teammates to victory?

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As a player, once you find out that you can't do any more damage to your body, you live to show your teammates what you're made of. That's what made Schilling's performance even more impressive. He was willing to risk further damage---maybe even his career--for this chance. Other guys aren't willing to do that.

Then there are Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. Manny is the greatest guy, but he still might not know they won the whole thing. He's intelligent, but he spaces out sometimes. He's a very simple guy, and when the lights are on, he's at his best. Maybe that simplicity helps him perform in the big-stage environment. He can't figure out what the big deal is--he just sees the ball and hits it.

On the other hand, I know David wanted this for a long time. I was with him for a period in Minnesota and Boston. He looked like he was screaming on the inside to then-Twins manager Tom Kelly: "Just leave me alone, and let me hit." He didn't want to hit to the opposite field the way the Twins wanted. So Minnesota let him go, and he wound up in Boston. He got hot, gained some confidence and became an All-Star. Now he's "Big Papi," and he's a winner. And in his mind, he's still screaming, "Just leave me alone, and let me hit." The Red Sox are glad they've done just that.

I'm proud for all the Sox. I'm happiest for Tim Wakefield. As a member of the Sox for a long time, he knows that the amount of Fenway dirt a player has on his spikes means a lot in Boston--to the fans, to teammates and to the front office. Boston is a tough place to play. He has lasted 10 years and counting.

But part of me is hurting, too. I hurt for Nomar Garciaparra. He's a champion, but he didn't get to celebrate. Can you imagine?

E-mail Todd Jones, a reliever for the Phillies, at tjones@sportingnews.com.

Gutsy Schilling, 'Big Papi' make the Nation proud

Sporting News, The, Nov 8, 2004 by Todd Jones

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