Al Nipper is Back

On the eve of Rivalry Weekend, a Bostonist favorite, the tilt and the rest of college football, the Sox have announced some RIVETING news to their legions of fandom. Al Nipper, old Sox pitcher known best for his headbutt he gave Roger Clemens a couple hours after the Olde Towne Team clinched the AL East in '86, will serve as bullpen coach to the Sox in the 2006 season.

Al Nipper is "...very excited, to put it bluntly", said Nipper. "I'm very exited about being with the Red Sox..., and being back in the big leagues."

Now, it is important to have a coaching staff that will help the squad througout the season, no question. A bullpen coach is important, along with every other position within the staff. But Bostonist wonders if there aren't bigger fish to fry here. Doesnt it seem like the Sox are falling behind the rest of the league in the off-season, specifically the Yankees?

The Sox have obvious GM issues that have yet to be resolved, and in the meantime the Yanks have resigned Hideki Matsui and have Joe Torre recruiting Brian Giles. It seems to Bostonist that the Sox are starting the 2006 campaign by giving the rest of the league a head start due to their GM woes, does it not? Ahem... Johnny Damon... , Bill Mueller, starting pitching, relief pitching...

In case anyone doesn't really get it, hiring a bullpen coach in baseball is like Microsoft hiring a new janitorial staff... But, on the flip side, its always good to see old Sox come back and work with the team... It reminds us all of tradition, and that is really what sports are all about, isn't it? Just ask anyone playing in a rivalry football game tomorrow... they'll tell you all about it.