Jim Rice Talking Crap

[BudweiserCeltic]

Just read this article that came out on Tuesday on a Q&A with Jim Rice, and the things this guy is saying truely disgusts me, especially being employed by the Red Soxs and particularly what he says about the Red Soxs' World Series squad and Manny Ramirez.

http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/20080603/SPORTS01/106072526

Comments?

[CoachCowens]

Not that bad. The writer said he was unimpressed with Manny. he never said he was unimpressed.  He liked his 75 team better. Not a big deal

[Bahku]

He seems a tad bitter in his "old age" ... but it's just his opinion, and I wouldn't hold too much faith in it. It's a bit disappointing that he wouldn't be more positive about his team ... show a little respect for his club, but I think these statements hurt himself more than they do the Sox. I was never terribly impressed with Jim as a personality anyway.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Seems to me that he was about belittling everyone (a great Red Sox squad that won a World Series, and a shoe-in potential Hall of Famer) in order to make what he did in the playing field seem greater than what he really is.

This is really he being angry about not being selected to the Hall of Fame. There's no need to belittle a World Series team in which you are a hitting coach, and talk crap about its star player.

We're celebrating Manny's 500 home runs, and the best he could do was talk crap about Manny being Manny? Give me a break.

I'll tell you some players that could've been replaced that year:

1B Youkilis for Carl Yastrzemski - This was a down year for Carl, though he came big in the playoffs. Youkilis had the stronger year with his hitting streak, great defense, plus he came big against Cleveland.

3B Mike Lowell for Rico Petrocelli - Easy choice, WS MVP.

2B Dustin Pedroia for Doug Griffin or Denny Doyle - Rookie of the year.

LF Manny Ramirez for Jim Rice - Manny was simply amazing during the playoffs, plus I like him a lot more than Rice.

RF Anyone for Dwight Evans - Seriously, I'd take the underperforming Coco (defense) and Drew over him. Plus Ellsburry came up quite big for us in the later portion of the playoffs.

DH David Ortiz over everyone. Seriously, who's out there?

Beckett anyone?

I just find it annoying that he needs to go to this length to belittle a WS team of an organization he forms part of, and disregard pretty much the whole roster and its accomplishments... something he couldn't manage in his whole career, for the sake of making himself look better because he played in a better era and what not. He's bitter about being snubbed from the Hall of Fame, but there's no reason to talk this crap about the ball club.

[Bahku]

Seems to me that he was about belittling everyone (a great Red Sox squad that won a World Series, and a shoe-in potential Hall of Famer) in order to make what he did in the playing field seem greater than what he really is.

This is really he being angry about not being selected to the Hall of Fame. There's no need to belittle a World Series team in which you are a hitting coach, and talk crap about its star player.

We're celebrating Manny's 500 home runs, and the best he could do was talk crap about Manny being Manny? Give me a break.

I'll tell you some players that could've been replaced that year:

1B Youkilis for Carl Yastrzemski - This was a down year for Carl, though he came big in the playoffs. Youkilis had the stronger year with his hitting streak, great defense, plus he came big against Cleveland.

3B Mike Lowell for Rico Petrocelli - Easy choice, WS MVP.

2B Dustin Pedroia for Doug Griffin or Denny Doyle - Rookie of the year.

LF Manny Ramirez for Jim Rice - Manny was simply amazing during the playoffs, plus I like him a lot more than Rice.

RF Anyone for Dwight Evans - Seriously, I'd take the underperforming Coco (defense) and Drew over him. Plus Ellsburry came up quite big for us in the later portion of the playoffs.

DH David Ortiz over everyone. Seriously, who's out there?

Beckett anyone?

I just find it annoying that he needs to go to this length to belittle a WS team of an organization he forms part of, and disregard pretty much the whole roster and its accomplishments... something he couldn't manage in his whole career, for the sake of making himself look better because he played in a better era and what not. He's bitter about being snubbed from the Hall of Fame, but there's no reason to talk this crap about the ball club.

Yup ... I agree, BC ... it was pretty "small" of him to not show any loyalty to his old club. It's quite clear that he's just as selfish and self-serving as he ever was, and that he's carrying his lack of Hall-Of-Fame nod around like a cross. I get slammed whenever I say it, but I just never liked the guy personally, and always thought that his selfishness motivated most of what he ever did. To see a retired guy with so much bitterness is a bit sad. I understand his negativity to a degree, but don't blame your club, or belittle it's present players because they're different. Just don't get that ... he should have kept his mouth shut when it got to that, but then again ... he never could show such good restraint. Sad.

[Roy Hobbs]

Jim Rice couldn't hold Manny's jock as a hitter.  He always seemed to be the king of empty numbers.  I'll take "Manny being Manny" over leading the league in double plays hit into four consecutive seasons.

Pretty classless, Jim.  There are very few Red Sox players I haven't liked historically, but Jim Rice has always been one of them.

[Finkelskyhook]

I have no problem with Rice's comments on Manny's defense.  Spectacular sometimes and sometimes not the slightest effort.  Watch other superstars in the game.  Their effort isn't inconsistent.  When a triple becomes a single because Manny doesn't start running until 5 seconds after the play starts?  The guy is one of the highest paid players in baseball history.  His effort should reflect it on every play.  If he had the same committment on every play  he's involved in as he does to his hitting what Rice says could be construed as classless.  As it is, what he said is true.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I have no problem with Rice's comments on Manny's defense.  Spectacular sometimes and sometimes not the slightest effort.  Watch other superstars in the game.  Their effort isn't inconsistent.  When a triple becomes a single because Manny doesn't start running until 5 seconds after the play starts?  The guy is one of the highest paid players in baseball history.  His effort should reflect it on every play.  If he had the same committment on every play  he's involved in as he does to his hitting what Rice says could be construed as classless.  As it is, what he said is true.

Wrong person, wrong time, wrong reason to start being honest and speaking the truth about Manny's defense.

It's as if some historic figure in the NBA, being in the Celtics organization but is getting snubbed from the Hall of Fame gets asked what he thinks of Garnett's Defensive Player of the Year Award, and he responds "You know, I'm tired of all this Garnett's defense crap. The guy doesn't do much in the 4th quarter and is not clutch" and build up from there. I know it's a bit of a stretch, but the absurdity of both situations is comparable.

[Finkelskyhook]

I have no problem with Rice's comments on Manny's defense.  Spectacular sometimes and sometimes not the slightest effort.  Watch other superstars in the game.  Their effort isn't inconsistent.  When a triple becomes a single because Manny doesn't start running until 5 seconds after the play starts?  The guy is one of the highest paid players in baseball history.  His effort should reflect it on every play.  If he had the same committment on every play  he's involved in as he does to his hitting what Rice says could be construed as classless.  As it is, what he said is true.

Wrong person, wrong time, wrong reason to start being honest and speaking the truth about Manny's defense.

It's as if some historic figure in the NBA, being in the Celtics organization but is getting snubbed from the Hall of Fame gets asked what he thinks of Garnett's Defensive Player of the Year Award, and he responds "You know, I'm tired of all this Garnett's defense crap. The guy doesn't do much in the 4th quarter and is not clutch" and build up from there. I know it's a bit of a stretch, but the absurdity of both situations is comparable.

The only absurdity is the comparison. However, if the person in your scenario said that about Garnett, he'd be right about everything except the defense part.  That followup dunk was one of only a handful of end of game highlights for Garnett.  What makes the comparisons different is the body of work.  Manny has a history with the Red Sox for Rice to look at.  Garnett has only the bulk of one season with the Celtics for the historian to look at.

Rice, if I'm not mistaken, is an analyst on NESN.  He's not like those two idiots, Smith and Hill on ESPN screaming out stuff he knows nothing about.  They are classless and barely literate.  I think Rice exudes class.   He also knows what he's talking about. 

I love watching Manny.  But he frustrates me.  I understand where Rice is coming from.  Manny is an amazing hitter and for the most part an amazing player.  His amazing catches and outfield assists tell you what kind of left fielder he could be if applied himself every play.  But his "character" (Manny being Manny) so to speak screws up some games by not hustling, daydreaming, etc.  Rice may not be your or Roy's favorite.  But everything I've heard from him is accurate.

I loved Rice as a player.  Hall of Fame for Rice?  If there's requisite stats for it, he's not quite there.  If there's a requisite championship since the stats aren't there, he's not there either.  I wouldn't be crazy about his comments if I thought they were sour grapes.  I don't believe they are.  He's a commentator commentating about something he knows a lot about.  He's also right.

[bbc3341]

I heard the Celtics are playing a game tonight, is that right?

[BudweiserCeltic]

I have no problem with Rice's comments on Manny's defense.  Spectacular sometimes and sometimes not the slightest effort.  Watch other superstars in the game.  Their effort isn't inconsistent.  When a triple becomes a single because Manny doesn't start running until 5 seconds after the play starts?  The guy is one of the highest paid players in baseball history.  His effort should reflect it on every play.  If he had the same committment on every play  he's involved in as he does to his hitting what Rice says could be construed as classless.  As it is, what he said is true.

Wrong person, wrong time, wrong reason to start being honest and speaking the truth about Manny's defense.

It's as if some historic figure in the NBA, being in the Celtics organization but is getting snubbed from the Hall of Fame gets asked what he thinks of Garnett's Defensive Player of the Year Award, and he responds "You know, I'm tired of all this Garnett's defense crap. The guy doesn't do much in the 4th quarter and is not clutch" and build up from there. I know it's a bit of a stretch, but the absurdity of both situations is comparable.

The only absurdity is the comparison. However, if the person in your scenario said that about Garnett, he'd be right about everything except the defense part.  That followup dunk was one of only a handful of end of game highlights for Garnett.  What makes the comparisons different is the body of work.  Manny has a history with the Red Sox for Rice to look at.  Garnett has only the bulk of one season with the Celtics for the historian to look at.

Rice, if I'm not mistaken, is an analyst on NESN.  He's not like those two idiots, Smith and Hill on ESPN screaming out stuff he knows nothing about.  They are classless and barely literate.  I think Rice exudes class.   He also knows what he's talking about. 

I love watching Manny.  But he frustrates me.  I understand where Rice is coming from.  Manny is an amazing hitter and for the most part an amazing player.  His amazing catches and outfield assists tell you what kind of left fielder he could be if applied himself every play.  But his "character" (Manny being Manny) so to speak screws up some games by not hustling, daydreaming, etc.  Rice may not be your or Roy's favorite.  But everything I've heard from him is accurate.

I loved Rice as a player.  Hall of Fame for Rice?  If there's requisite stats for it, he's not quite there.  If there's a requisite championship since the stats aren't there, he's not there either.  I wouldn't be crazy about his comments if I thought they were sour grapes.  I don't believe they are.  He's a commentator commentating about something he knows a lot about.  He's also right.

Here's what the comparison is:

Manny getting a milestone 500 homers vs. Garnett winning Defensive Player of the Year
Both have the historic player that forms part of the organization, but is bitter about not being in the HoF
Both were asked for a reaction to the accomplishments that were recently gained.
Both talked crap, wether truthful or not, for no apparent reason.

I think the comparison is quite accurate.  But it wasn't just about Manny, he started spewing other nonsense about the WS team, and more than anything I question his intentions because if you read the whole article it seems that he was simply setting everything up to make himself look good by belittling the accomplishments of others. I don't know in what world that's called being classy... in my world that's called being selfish, arrogant, and bitter then targetting the bitterness towards the wrong people.

I heard the Celtics are playing a game tonight, is that right?

I heard this is the Red Soxs portion of the site, is that right?

[Finkelskyhook]

After rereading the article I agree with your premise.

wrong time, wrong reason to start being honest and speaking the truth about Manny's defense