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POLLS, FAN
INTERACTION, STORIES, MEETINGS AND MORE
From Julie in
San Diego -
hello,
I live here in San Diego and have been a big
Padre fan forever. honestly I didn't hear about Mark Bellhorn until the
2004 season. I recently came across your website www.markbellhorn.net
and I just wanted to say THANK YOU!! Mark has become my favorite Padre
and I am glad to see he has loyal fans still in Boston...
Keep up the good work!!!
from
www.livejournal.com/users/yohkochan
thank you for the great feelings!!
February 2 - OMG SO WARM
AND FUZZY
I was listening to the radio on the way home from school and they're talking
about how close Valentine's Day is, then they're like "And 2 weeks until
Spring Training... pitchers and catchers report. For the Red Sox, Jason Varitek
will be there, ready to go as team captain..."
I started squirming happily at the thought of baseball and I would have done a
little dance if I wasn't driving. So I settled for a squeal until I got home,
where I did a little dance coming inside. ^^
OMG I CAN'T WAIT
FOR BASEBALL!
*dancedancedance**squeesqueesquee*
February 4 - Last night was game 4 of the ALCS. I watched it very happily. ^__^
At the end, I wrote in my Red Sox Diaries so I wouldn't forget the feeling I had
last night.
"Oh my god, ALCS game 4 on NESN’s World Series Winter.
It’s hard to type because my eyes are blurred with tears.
Nothing but talk of “No team has ever come back…” “The Yankees are 3
outs away…” etc. When Roberts stole second I was still… wow. No words can
describe it.
An hour later, Ortiz is up in the bottom of the 12th… you can hear those
people pounding on the wall, as if your heartbeat has been magnified a hundred
times… pounding, pounding, pounding… a ball… a strike… and a blast. Into
the bullpen. I uttered a small shriek when Ortiz’s bat connected, and the
tears started falling.
People who don’t like sports consider them to be barbaric, just dim-witted
people acting like children.
If you just watch a game, you might think like this.
If you WATCH a game… you might begin to understand.
But when you follow a team like the Red Sox… so many emotions, so much
drama… that feeling you get with The Steal… the Home Run… after years of
frustration…
You just look at the team swarming the field, and there’s that raw human
emotion… it’s just as beautiful as any famous piece of art you want to show
me. Don’t say sports are moronic unless you’ve truly watched with your
heart"
*******************************************************************************
A Mark-meeting
I saw Mark Bellhorn at an autography signing
recently. First
of all, I must note that Bellhorn looked happier than a pig in a mud hole. A
WARM mud hole. He never stopped smiling from the moment he walked in the door
(to warm applause and cheers). He was chatting with fans, signing, smiling for
pictures, cooing at babies - it was quite a sight.
When I got up to the head of the line, I gave him a couple of pictures to sign
as he greeted me with a "how you doing?" I said, "have you seen
your new T-shirt yet?" and opened my cardigan sweater to reveal my
"Don't blame me, I voted for Bellhorn" shirt. He stared at my chest
(*pauses to fan self*) and then broke into a dazzling smile and said, "I've
got to get one of those!" "Survivinggrady.com" I said. "The
same place your 'other' shirt is from." I don't know if he got the
reference, but he looked pretty happy as he signed the pictures for me.
I wanted to tell him so much more, how I rooted for him every step of the
way, even though I knew he couldn't hear me 90 miles from Fenway, how I had
faith in him and never lost it. But I could say little after that, as I
didn't want to hold up the line, and I didn't want to sound like a babbling
idiot. ;-)
If I may add a moronic fangirl note, I do have to note that the guy is frreakin'
gorgeous in person. Seriously - his photos and even seeing him on TV do not do
him justice. The teen-age girl behind me kept whispering "He's so hot! He's
so hot!" and even though I'm a long, long way from being a teen-ager, I had
to agree.
Later, guys!
Char
12121212121212121212121212121212121212
01/08/05
QUESTIONS
Should Doug Minky get to keep the ball, or should it belong to the
Red Sox?
Alanna 01/21/05
I say let him keep it. Not only did he catch the ball but he held on to it AND
he was standing on base at the same time. If you hadn't noticed before, that's
been rather hard for us to do in the past 86 years so I have to give
him credit for that. Plus, it's not like he's holding it ransom or anything,
refusing to let anyone near it or anything. I'd be perfectly happy with him
keeping it and sending the kids off to college. ;)
Trinitygal 01/09/05
I think that the whole story with Minky and the
baseball are hilarious. It's just a ball when you look at it.
It wasn't even the most valuable play in the Red Sox's World Series
accomplishment. The spikes that were on Dave Robert's feet when he stole
second base must be more valuable. The batting gloves, double-flapper
helmet and homerun baseballs from Mark Bellhorn must be more valuable.
Everything David Ortiz wore the night he kept the sox alive against the
Yankees must be more valuable. Who knows? They won as a team, and
everything they did was equally important. With that said I say let him
keep it. He was just probably joking about using it as a retirement fund
(as he said in the Manchester Union Leader). Big deal. That was
the final out that broke an 86 year-old curse; but it wasn't the only play
that made it all possible. Giving it to the Baseball Hall of Fame would
probably be the best suggestion, though.
Essay question - list the pro and cons of Doug Mientkiewicz and
Kevin Millar at first base and as a personality (clubhouse presence,
etc.) Who should we keep? In a trade, who should we get in return (or what position)?
Which one do you like better and why (personally)?
Alanna 01/21/05
I'll avoid doing a true list because it reminds me
too much of school (blah) so I'll sum it all up into one. In terms of overall
value, I think Millar comes in first. Sure his defense ain't the best but it's
not the worse either. Add his offensive skills and his personality and I think
he beats Minky out. I hate to see Minky go because you always got a good show
from him at first base and I'd love to watch him some more this season but I'd
hate to lose Millar more.
On the other side, I also think Minky would be
more valuable in a trade. I think that we would get a better pick of
prospects/ bench players than with Millar.
In terms of who I like better, Millar wins that
one too. I love (LOVE!) Minky but I've always been a big fan of Millar. He's
just too funny and I love that you never know what is going to come out
of his mouth (even if it gets him in trouble.) So that's how I feel. I'm very
eager for all of it to get over with so I don't have to stress over it
anymore. *sigh*
12121212121212121212121212121212
01/01/05 - These are just some
opinions on the fan interaction essay Q's:
Pedro Martinez has, in fact, been a great asset to this team and organization;
but I believe the key word here is "has." And to keep somebody
like Pedro on the roster for one of the highest pay-rolls in MLB would be
insane. With that money we could acquire players that are less expensive and
maybe even more reliable. We could strengthen our pitching staff with
more reliable pitchers. I think the Yankees are well on their way
to embracing that philosophy.
Orlando has done nothing but deliver incessantly to this team. He was fun -
coming up with all those hand shakes. He fitted in fine with all of those
"idiots". I will greatly miss him; but I think Theo has another
strategy in mind.
I really do not know what it is because Renteria carries a higher pay roll
(7,500,000) than Cabrera (6,000,000) a year. I am dying to find out how this action is going to work. The guys are basically equal - with OBP
about the same - Renteria (a little higher); same for averages. HRs are
practically the same with 10 for 2004. Same situation with RBIs: 62 - Cabrera;
72 - Renteria. Cabrera has a little less experience than Renteria though with
5 years vs.Renteria's 9. Maybe Renteria will also prove to be a major contribution to the
team this year. Who knows, we may just have to wait and see.
D-Lo struggled for most of the year, but awoke during the post season as the
clincher of the three most important post season games. He was awesome
here in Boston and I wish him luck. I hope he fixes his problems. This pattern
seems very similar to the time when D-Lo was an unhittable closer. He
lost his stuff and became an awesome starter. Now he is in a hole. I don't know.
If we keep him, maybe we should put him in as a relief pitcher if he'll have
it. He may just have a fantastic year for us.
As for our pitchers matching those of the Yanks: I'm praying right now
that all fails for them and these pitchers have really bad years. I am so
upset that we lost Pavano to them as well as Johnson. They are two amazing
pitchers that we could use on our roster to help mend the wound of our loss of
Pedro and most likely D-Lo. Our bats are fearless so I have little
doubts about us getting pounded by those Yanks. Maybe our pitching
staff will come together and work up some magic for 2005. Who knows? Maybe
Wells will fire up some gassy pitches. It must be extremely difficult for
Theo right now. I will not exile him from Boston if all goes wrong, he was
really dealing with some tough decisions this year with all of those free
agents.
It is true that we may have to trade either Millar or Minky this year.
We have two excellent first basemen - Minky with his golden glove and Millar
with his new "kick-butt" stance. But nobody wants to sit out anymore
and I understand. Personally, I think Brian Daubach should come back and
be the first baseman. He really rocks and I miss not having him around
in Boston on an everyday basis. We all remember the "Belville
Basher," right?
As for other things, does anyone know what Pokey Reese is gonna do or what the
Sox are doing right now for him? I love Pokey, but Bellhorn's pretty
tough competition and I love him also. I want them both. If
Cabrera had to leave, and I had my way; Pokey would play SS and Mark would
play 2B. That's what I would love to see. -Lucie aka Trinitygal
*************************************************************
from Judy 12/30/04
I'm bummed also about
losing Orlando Cabrera but I heard Renteria is also just as good.
Keeping Jason on the other hand, I couldn't be happier. I couldn't
imagine any other catcher behind that plate, I don't know why I just couldn't
envision it. Thank you Jason for deciding to stay. (It
was surely my favorite Christmas present, along with Mark signing! - Pam)
I was bumming at first
about Pedro but then when he sold out his team and talked about Schill, I kind
of got upset. Good Luck to Petie.
*************************************************************
This
is Mark and Alicia at an autograph signing at Trumpets in Chicopee, MA on
December 16.. Such a nice picture - thanks Alicia!! And of course we're
all jealous!! (But very happy for you!)
**********************************
Check this out - read everything if you can, it's wonderful.. but make sure
you check out the picture posted on Dec 25!!!
and read the comments - Mark is really very much loved...
http://survivinggrady.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
December 20, 2004
Hey guys. I just wanted to say
thank you so much for creating this site. I really think that Mark is
totally awesome in every way. I just wish he'd smile a little more! If
he ever gets curious and reads this stuff, it's so great that people support
him so much. It's not even that he is so beautiful. What I love most about
him is his quiet, positive personality and his determination. He seems
like he can't be changed by fame, and I hope that will always be true.
Because that is so rare. He just seems so genuine and true to himself.
I hope everyone will continue to
support him next season, no matter what. He works so hard and really
deserves it. I would also like to know if all you guys would still love him
even if he left the Sox? I know I would, even if I am a die-hard Sox fan.
Thanks again for the great site,
(I love all the photos!) and keep up the good work!
Kay
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
New
Questions
12/18/04
How is everyone feeling about losing Pedro and Orlando and most
likely Derek?
We have a
lot of new pitchers - but of course the Yankees got the BEST ones -
do we have a chance?? I'm very upset that Carl Pavano signed
with them - I really liked him - and now I can't anymore, right??
Are we all
happy about Eddie Renteria? I'm sure it was a wise decision,
but I'm really going to miss my "Lando"
Do you
think we will lose Kevin M and/or Minky to a trade?
Will Jason
sign with us or go to the Dodgers if the big trade works out with
the Yankees and Diamondbacks?
On your comments about Pedro....I
have to say....I'm glad. I have a couple of friends that are
"pro" Pedro....but I really lost interest in him last year - and
quite frankly... considered us lucky that we got what we did from him this
year! I'm not a fan of his "attitude"...we all know (as Pedro
said himself) it wasn't about the money! Bottom line... Pedro was
second best here and couldn't handle it....rather than have the utmost respect
for Schilling and what he accomplished with us in '04...he was jealous - and
it became his downfall. Good riddance! I was at a Christmas party
the other night and after all that Pedro has said recently and all that he is
"stirring" up - my friends agreed that his attitude has spoiled
things here a bit!
I would be upset if they didn't sign Varitek
- I did like Cabrera and I think Renteria is a bit overrated - so we'll have
to see how that plays out.. If we can only keep one for 1st base.. I
hate to say it but I think it should be Doug (as much as I love Millar)!
His defense is second to none! I don't believe they will trade Manny....
I think this year he has confirmed himself a home in Boston. Obviously I
want to see Mark at second - I hope he gets what he deserves (1.2 million at
least). I never quite got on the Pokey bandwagon...good player...but
he'll be better off elsewhere.
The pitching is now a tough issue! I
will admit - wasn't real happy with the David Wells addition. I would
have preferred to see Lowe stick around (which I knew was not going to
happen). I like the other additions but think we would have been better
off with Hudson... that hurt. We'll see...there is some trading to be
done at this point!
Keep up the good work! Julie
12/21/04
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