Inside the mind of Edgar Renteria…
When it was announced that former St. Louis Cardinals shortstop, Edgar Renteria, was coming to patrol the infield for the Red Sox, I was ecstatic; This was a guy whose defensive brilliance was already the stuff of legend in his (relatively) short career, and was just the sort of player Red Sox Nation needed to help get over the heartbreak of losing Nomar Garciaparra. Sure, I liked Orlando Cabrera, but, according to insiders, few inside the clubhouse did, and, besides, Edgar was better! Right?
Well, the jury is still out on that one. Forty games into the season, Renteria has yet to show what the fuss was all about. Already the owner of eight errors, a batting average that dips with each outing, and an infuriating knack for hitting (or swinging) the Red Sox out of rallies (in a recent game, Renteria failed to deliver in two bases loaded opportunities), its time to seriously consider what is going on in the head of our new $40 million dollar shortstop.
Cardinals fans, and Cards skipper, Tony LaRussa, all insist that we will see the best of Edgar come June. However, LaRussa also suggests that the pressure of Boston may be too much for the shy, introverted Renteria to bear, which raises another question; what happens if Edgar never comes around? It’s happened before (Cliff Floyd? B.K. Kim?) but never with such a long-term, high-priced commitment. Could this be Theo Epstein first major misstep? Will we look back on this signing with the same frothing intensity we reserve for Dan Duquette’s dismissal of “over the hill” Roger Clemmons, or Lou Gorman’s non-tender to Carlton Fisk?
To hear his teammates tell it, Renteria is a couple of good at-bats and a few brilliant defensive plays from turning it all around. Curt Schilling, in a radio interview in which he blasted Tony LaRussa for suggesting Rent may not cut it in Boston, predicts the shortstop will make us all forget about his slow start by seasons’ end. Meanwhile, Kevin Millar has reached out to Fenway fans, behooving them not to boo Renteria, and to, instead, direct their ire at himself (don’t worry, Kev; keep hitting below .240 and you’ll start hearing the boo birds, too).
Personally, I believe Renteria will turn it around. Boston isn’t an easy place to play, let alone adjust to after a career in the National League. And, to make matters worse, the poor fellow finds himself in the unenviable situation of replacing a New England sports icon; a legend whose two syllable first name is synonymous with Boston baseball.
Yep, this city will never get over losing Pokey Reese.
When it was announced that former St. Louis Cardinals shortstop, Edgar Renteria, was coming to patrol the infield for the Red Sox, I was ecstatic; This was a guy whose defensive brilliance was already the stuff of legend in his (relatively) short career, and was just the sort of player Red Sox Nation needed to help get over the heartbreak of losing Nomar Garciaparra. Sure, I liked Orlando Cabrera, but, according to insiders, few inside the clubhouse did, and, besides, Edgar was better! Right?
