Fenway South and Chin Music

I attended Friday night's loss to the Red Sox and witnessed Daniel Cabrera's meltdown. The melee that wasn't turned into the game that wasn't if you follow the Orioles. The team was lifeless and the fans reluctant to cheer with the boisterous Red Sox crowd expecting victory. The "Let's Go Red Sox" cheer during the "melee" was thought to be in poor taste by some. They have every right to make their point--they have earned it. They have an impressive team and one that wins with regularity. We do not. Our park has become a "preferred" destination for the opposition.

Cabrera and his fragile psyche must go. The incident reminded me of Armando Benitez throwing at the Yankees a few years back. It's time for him to move on. We don't need another hard-thrower who can't field his position or control his pitches and emotions. He was shown up for sure by Coco Crisp who goaded him into a costly balk but headhunting was not an appopriate response in this instance and never should be.

A few years back in the mid-nineties, Ben McDonald straightened things out with the Yankees. In an earlier game that year, Tim Leary had broken the wrist of Oriole catcher Chris Hoiles. Leary was also discovered to have been doctoring the ball that night when sandpaper fell out of his glove. I watched Ben McDonald hit Matt Nokes in the head at Yankee Stadium. Catchers are sometimes the target because they relay the signals, I guess. The ball knocked his helmet off and sent Nokes face down into the dirt where he lay for several minutes. Nokes received a concussion and McDonald struck out nine of the next twelve Yankee hitters after a shaky start. The Orioles won the game. McDonald backed up his actions. He delivered a message on behalf of the ball club and let his pitching take over from there.

Before we can take back the yard, we need players who possess character and talent.