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It took them 23 years to recognize Ray Durham. I spoke with Ray after that and he was very aware of that time gap. I agree with most. Much too soon. We're trying to move past that era. I honestly see people at the ballpark with Kopech or Moncada jerseys and I get irrationally angry lol. I can name a lot of people from this organization that deserve a night ahead of his. They simply saw the sellout from the Ozzie game and saw another chance for some more green, thats all this is.

A fair perspective but from many accounts TA was inviting his jumpoffs into the front row at the same time his wife and young daughter were traveling with the team. I mean, he was a DOG from all accounts. I don't really rate infidelity that high on the list of sins, but dude was pushing the limits of what any married man can get away with, famous athlete or not.

I dont mind this at all. I was a big fan of TA and hate how his time ended. Gasp, a professional athlete, is not a role model. While I do not agree with his personal decisions and by no means respect what he did to his wife and family, I wonder how many of us would be ok with having our dirty laundry being aired with the entire world. Many of the people trashing him, have the same or a worse moral compass. To each their own. I will be in NY for work, if not I'd go to the game.

Eh

I'd say: Taylor (100%): They want him starting. He's flashed some decent changeups and shown some ability to vary his breaking ball. Hagen Smith (50%): I'd imagine it depends on how this experiment goes. I don't know how his command improves out of the pen but if nothing else at least he knows he's gotta get through 1 or 2 innings, not 5 or 6, could help him. McDougal: 100%): I think they want him as a SP only. The other guys in contention for a spot would be Noah, Sandlin and Shane Smith I guess? Burke, Castillo, Martin, Taylor, Shane Smith should be penciled in IMO. Who knows what FA will look like. Noah to me is a dead end right now. I can see him spending the entire next season in AAA assuming it happens. Grab a year back on his clock and figure out a delivery that he can repeat under pressure.

They have these on the bridge across 35th St from the ramps/gift shop/bar to the stadium. Yeah, that's pretty cool to see. The Brewers are another team who have successfully done this by creating a "walk of fame/wall of honor". https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-walk-of-fame-and-wall-of-honor

TA got slammed here for having an extra kid.

My hotel was on Ka'anapali beach but we saw close to every inch of that island while we were there. We rented a jeep and we were on the go the whole time. We did a ton of activities and ate at a ton of restaurants. It really was incredible, like you said.

TA retired no way thought he was on Charlotte. ??

I like TA. He played hard on a team where few did. Somewhat surprised, but glad to celebrate a Sox All Star position player of which there have been very few in my lifetime.

Agreed all around. That's why I'm against a Jose Abreu celebration or retirement as well. No thanks.

Ah I like Destin, a few too many red necks, but a beautiful beach. Good charter fishing if you're into that sorta thing. I'll be on Oahu. I went to Maui the other year, incredible, maybe the most beautiful place I've ever been. Oahu looks beautiful in its own way and is quite a bit cheaper, still pricey, but not Maui pricey. Where were you in Maui? I was in Napili / Kapalua area. Just stunning. The sunsets were unreal, something out of a foreign planet.

Yeah, seems like strange timing.

I think next stadium will be a good time to coordinate a bit better. They have a lot of statues, they are awesome (i mean that). They have the decals on the walls - they seem half-assed. I don't want a yankees museum but I would like it be a bigger deal to have your jersey retired

Destin. Where at in Hawaii? I went to Maui for my honeymoon in Feb 2020, right before covid hit. Loved it!

Just like nature intended

He had a good 4-yr stretch in which he played 68% of the games. It’s completely bizarre they are doing anything for him.

I was at the ballpark picking up my Pope jersey last week and it was at a part of the ballpark where they had all the all-stars for each position listed like all the 3B, CF, C etc. That was cool to see but yes they definitely need to do more.

No, but as an aside, I wish the Sox created a team "Hall of Fame" like many other teams have that honor impactful players who don't rise to the level of having their number retired. There are lots of players that could be inducted - AJ, Dick Allen, Ventura, Kittle, Black Jack......I could go on and on. I was at Busch Stadium and they do a great job of commemorating such people who don't rise the the level of retired number status.

Seeing videos of Sox fans dressed like the pope on Halloween celebrating a game 7 win over the Dodgers is gonna be nuts.

Again - my main thing is just I don't really want to remember or honor the decade preceding this year. It's not really TAs fault, but they are all wrapped together as a team that led to the dark ages. Worst of all they were all just poseurs. Hahn was a poseur GM, capable of reading the same things we were and saying that he was doing the same things as the smart GMs, but not actually being as smart or talented. That's why he had so many leaks, he needed amateurs to flatter him that his decision making was interesting when it wasn't. We had to believe this GM doing the same moves as the successful franchises would be successful. He wasn't though, he was just a poseur. So many of the players, we believed because they were highly ranked and looked the part would dominate. They did too, but they didn't put in the work of those real baseball players. They fell off. That's the Jose ramirez metaphor. They go up against a real baseball player even in non baseball and they crumble. Their Instagrams were full of them lifting rocks to get ripped but not like, for baseball activities. When it failed it all was so obvious they were a potemkin village of a baseball franchise. Now we have a team that, even if they don't make the playoffs, certainly feels like an mlb baseball team playing mlb baseball like the rest. I don't want a reminder of where we came from. No bringing ex girlfriends on the friend trip.

Seems odd to have a game marking his retirement, but whatever. It's nothing to get all bent out of shape over like some people here seem to be doing. It's not like they're hiring him as a coach or anything. If JR, Brooks, & Co. want to honor him, then that's their choice and it's not going to affect this team on and off the field either way. He definitely had a huge fall from grace both on and off the field, but I hope he has gotten his life together and will have a happy retirement.