When the Boston Red Sox collapsed in 2011, we as fans were not very happy. After all, the team was all but assured of going to the playoffs with a nine game lead on the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL Wild Card standings.
But it happened and we wanted answers. It ended up being that those answers we sought were not what we wanted to hear. With everything that had transpired, it ultimately lost former skipper Terry Francona his job. It also led to the revelation that four players, Jon Lester, Josh Beckett and John Lackey along with Clay Buchholz were having rally beers along with some fried chicken during the downfall.
Lester and Buchholz have since apologized while who honestly cares what Lackey has to say. I only say that because I’m sure that no one really likes him here in New England.
But with Beckett being the veteran of that group, he was looked as at a leader. And it’s obvious, he wasn’t a very good one.
On Sunday, Beckett addressed the media assembled at Fenway South and basically did everything but apologize. But the one thing that stood out to me was the fact that he realized the team had lost the “trust” of the fans.
“Yeah, absolutely. I think we need to earn that trust back. They’re the best fans in baseball. There are some good, some bad, everything like that, but they’re the best fans in baseball. I definitely think we need to earn that trust back. The way we have to do that is go about our business the way we have in previous years and earn it back and win ballgames. That’s probably going to be best way.”
He’s definitely right about us being the best fans in baseball. When you’re a fan of Boston sports, we treat them like our best friends. After all, we spend half of the year with them.
So with everything that they did to get Francona fired, have “lapses in judgement”, Beckett reportedly “being out of shape”, among other things, they know people aren’t happy with them.
This is the first time in a long time that I’ve seen some Red Sox diehards not happy for a season. They are understandably upset. I don’t blame them.
I’m just glad that Beckett gets it. Hopefully, the rest of the team does as well.
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Photo credit: AP Photo
