Question for Red Sox fans regarding Roger Clemens and Wade Boggs

Estil

As most of you know, my wife is a Red Sox fan and is from greater Boston and has loved the Red Sox (and Yaz especially) all her life. That being said, I don't understand why she considers Roger Clemens to be such a traitor but not Wade Boggs. Didn't they both CHOOSE to go to the Yankees via free agency? And in Mr. Clemens' case, he actually went to Toronto first before going to New York and I THINK he tried harder to stay in Boston than Mr. Boggs did. Do the other Red Sox fans feel the same way my wife does; that Mr. Clemens is a big traitor but not Mr. Boggs?

PS: She's felt this way long before the 'roids allegations as well as his well, "other" controversy.

lanemyer85

yes they both signed in NY as free agents. Duquette made no effort to resign Clemens from what I recall...they thought he was finished...which he probably was without chemical assistance. I don't recall if BOS made any real effort to resign Boggs or not, but I know he was allowed to reach FA so they couldn't have made much of an effort. I think at the time they had Scott Cooper pegged as his replacement.

MCMLVTopps

Baseball is a business and things change from year to year. For Red Sox Nation, I think it's hard to accept a well respected player who leaves and goes to the Yankees. Clemens got there via Toronto and Duquette was the prime driving force that he didn't resign with the Sox. Boggs was a strange cookie, 150 ground balls, the chicken thing and Margo-gate among other things. Perhaps when Boggs rode the NYPD horse around Yankee stadium when they won the WS was a bit much.

I think the worst of the worst was Damon, who expressly stated "I'd never play for the Yankees"...well, we know how that turned out. Now Damon is looking for a sponsor after having turned down $14m for 2, wanting more...GL Johnny, we don't miss you in center field.

If memory serves, I think Papelbon has expressed an interest in playing for the Yankees some day...who knows. Bay jumped ship for a little more coin, but at least he won't be returning to Fenway anytime soon.

Hate? Maybe disappointed how things sometimes turn out. As for Manram, I was glad to see his sorry ass leave, and yes, I know he was a major contributor in '04, but he was a cancer to the team.

VintageCardLover

Clemens got fat and lazy his last couple of years in Boston + steroids + incredible douche = greater loser.

VitoCo1972

Boggs was never loved as a Red Sox player - more like admired. Clemens was the toast of town when I was growing up.

edmundfitzgerald

Fans wanted Clemens to stay really bad. Thus the traitor label.

Boggs not so much.

They forgave Damon because Damon contributed greatly to a championship.

MCMLVTopps

They forgave Damon because Damon contributed greatly to a championship.

When did that happen? I think the booing has subsided, but I seriously doubt any forgiveness has taken place. Damon should have quietly left on gone for the bigger money, not said what he did about playing for the Yankees.

Estil

But I thought Mr. Boggs was one of the greatest batting average hitters of the 1980s! Why wouldn't the Red Sox not have loved him at the time?

TheVon

I just never thought Boggs was that likeable. Sure he was a great hitter, but in terms of popularity he was overshadowed by Clemens and (at least in my opinion) Rice and Evans.

Connecticoin

<< <i>yes they both signed in NY as free agents. Duquette made no effort to resign Clemens from what I recall... >>



That is false. The Red Sox offered $24.5 million for 4 years -- quite competitive considering his (relatively) poor performance in 1995 and 1996, and still a healthy raise from his prior contract. I think they were counting on him getting back in shape when they made that offer. Toronto was probably wowed by his 20 strikeout game in 1996 (aka last-ditch free agent audition) and hence ponied up the extra cash ($24 million for only 3 years). Clemens earned it, too, but, sadly, had some "help".

lanemyer85

you might be right but all I see is contract info from 1991. ..via the Globe's archives. Nothing that says Clemens was offered a formal contract (except for the Jays and Yankees' offers)...just that Duquette and the Red Sox's front office were fed up with Clemens' refusal to get into proper shape in the off-season...also see below.

and

BR.com
In 1996, after four subpar seasons, the Red Sox let Clemens become a free agent. He signed with the Toronto Blue Jays

here's a pretty good piece on why the Red Sox fans soured on Clemens though.
Simmons

Fueled by an increasingly vicious Boston media, Sox fans started to turn against Clemens, especially after his inevitable breakdown during the first part of the season (an extended DL stint) coincided with an improbable playoff run by the Red Sox. Of course, Clemens squandered his only playoff start to the Indians, fueling those "can't win the big one" doubts. That brings us to '96, the final season of Clemens' aforementioned four-year deal. Chunky, disinterested and increasingly vocal about Boston's failure to offer him a contract extension

During the All-Star Game ceremonies at Fenway that same summer, Clemens took part in the "Greatest Players of the 20th Century" introductions, where every living legend wore the cap of the team with whom they were most prominently associated. Of course, Clemens wore a Yankees hat because he had been playing in New York for a whopping three months.

jdip9

The difference is Clemens is an arrogant, self-serving, money-hungry, cheating, lying, despicible human being who only cares about himself. For me, I lost all respect for him when he went to the Yankees, and started kissing and rubbing Babe Ruth monument before every start. Every time I saw that, it made me so angry that I could punch kittens. It still angers me. He used to claim it was always a dream to play for the Yankees, even though he undoubtedly cheered for the Astros growing up. He is complete and total fraud.

Boggs breaking down crying and riding the horse after winning a title in NY bothered me a little, as did his kissing the plate on his 3,000th hit (a HR) as a Devil Ray, but I don't have any contempt for him. He was probably equally as selfish, but he didn't come off as such a jerk like Clemens.

perkdog

Baseball is a bussiness but in certain cases I do get annoyed at guys for going to the Yankees.

Clemens- The biggest scumbag of all the ex Sox players, and it goes deeper than his first stint with NY. I grew to hate him even more when he dissed the Sox after his Astros career.

Damon-I think he is just as much as an A-Hole as Clemens for going to NY- I am thankful for 2004 though.

Boggs- A traitor as well and I stopped liking him as soon as he went to NY

Manny- Im very dissapointed with how he ended his stay in Boston, although Im thankful for what he did for the Sox I cant forgive him for his actions during a heated race with NY right before he lefyt town.

augustaman

As a die hard Sox fan myself, I can only say............

"Who are these guys you're asking about? Never heard of 'em."

Mercury10c

<< <i>They forgave Damon because Damon contributed greatly to a championship. >>


Obviously not a Sox fan. I haven't forgiven the basterd, and I don't know anyone
who has.

ctsoxfan

<< <i>They forgave Damon because Damon contributed greatly to a championship. >>



Uh, where did this happen again? Maybe in 50 years, we will look back on the great 2004 team and no one will remember Damon's back stabbing run to NY for what amounted to just a few dollars. But right now, he is a traitor. I'm happy even the MFY have turned their backs on him.

WinPitcher

Wow, some of you guys act as if you would never change jobs for more money or more prestige.

Playing in Boston is like acting off off off broadway, playing in NY is doing it on broadway.


Ever hear the song by Sinatra?





Just kidding guys don't get ya panties all in a bunch.


I have no idea, I have never felt that way about anyone that left any team I have ever rooted for.


Saints 34 Colts 29


Steve

TomGshotput

Boggs was on Cheers so it's impossible not to appreciate him forever

All indications from virtually every source is that Clemens was an ass. Duquette's assessment than Clemens was too fat and washed up may or may not have been true without the drugs. But if he was going to use drugs, why did couldn't he have done it while on the Red Sox rather than waiting until he was pitching against them

TomGshotput

<< <i>Uh, where did this happen again? Maybe in 50 years, we will look back on the great 2004 team and no one will remember Damon's back stabbing run to NY for what amounted to just a few dollars. But right now, he is a traitor. I'm happy even the MFY have turned their backs on him. >>



An extra $50 million to spend however they pleased wasn't worth any less than what the Yankees got

DeutscherGeist

Boggs batted below .300 in his last season with Boston. Perhaps they thought he was finished or on the decline. I have no idea if Boston even wanted to keep him. The Yankees always wanted him and they figured he could come back to form--he did. He was very close to his first batting title as a Yankee (6th overall), but he did get a gold glove.

edmundfitzgerald

<< <i>

<< <i>They forgave Damon because Damon contributed greatly to a championship. >>


Obviously not a Sox fan. I haven't forgiven the basterd, and I don't know anyone
who has. >>




Well, what shall we say about all the Sox fans in attendance on Damon's return to fenway when
he got a lot of applause and he tipped his cap at home plate ? Sounds to me like there were a lot
of appreciative people in the stands that day.

jdip9

<<<Well, what shall we say about all the Sox fans in attendance on Damon's return to fenway when he got a lot of applause and he tipped his cap at home plate ? Sounds to me like there were a lot of appreciative people in the stands that day. >>>

Yes, and every time he came to the park after that first series he got booed louder than anyone but Jeter and Arod.

I'm not sure why everyone blames the player in these situations. If the Red Sox REALLY wanted Damon, they could have ponied up the extra $3m per year to keep him. I'm not going to hate someone for wanting to make 25% more somewhere else.