I got a real kick out of reading the Boston Globe's latest article last night. The Red Sox empire is crumbling as we speak and I couldn't be happier about it.
The only real part of interest to Padres fans might be the portion about Adrian Gonzalez.
The gift of leadership also eluded Adrian Gonzalez. On the field, Gonzalez’s overall production was superb, but he provided none of the energy or passion off the field that the Sox sorely needed. His most unfortunate act in September was grousing about the Sox schedule, which required the team to play five getaway games on Sunday nights.
"We play too many night games on getaway days and get into places at 4 in the morning,’’ Gonzalez complained. "This has been my toughest season physically because of that.’’
Blaming five stressful nights over a six-month season for a tough year smacked of the self-interest that is uncommon among leaders of championship-caliber teams.
You may find it surprising that I don't blame Adrian. That's because he has been very clear his entire sporting career that he's not a leader.
"I'm not a leader," he said.
And he isn't above whining either.
When you trade for Adrian Gonzalez you should know what you're going to get. You don't need to be a professional scout or have seen the Moneyball movie twice. You should know you get a professional hitter, a solid glove, a good arm and a mopey face. You're not going to get leadership, hustle, a good interview or any kind of energy whatsoever.