Red Sox continue to make strides NESN coverage should be dialed back

Like most springs in our neck of the woods, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the Boston Red Sox.

Having grown up listening, watching, and following the highs and the lows of the Olde Towne Team, I bask in the glow of early-season success.

Collectively, this franchise has made great strides in several different areas, most notably talent and promotion. My, these guys are publicized seemingly everywhere in several different media outlets.

Locally, I enjoy the offerings of the Sports Zone, AM 620, and their “Nothing But Sox Talk,” which airs game day weeknights at 6 p.m. I find the Boston sports talk guys to be a little too critical for my blood, but the Bangor-based guys are more serene.

A couple of comments are in order today regarding the regional coverage of all this Red Sox stuff.

For my money – yes, we do buy into a lot of this, especially on cable TV – there is way too much pre- and postgame coverage on the New England Sports Network. Granted, this is a fan’s dream to have so much baseball on the air, but commentators often beat the obvious to death.

I’ll tell you what else upsets me a bit in regards to NESN and the Red Sox.

I am not a big fan of this so-called Red Sox Nation foolishness. I never have enjoyed that concept, and, quite frankly, I’m not sure I ever will.

I caught a show the other night on NESN which attempted to pinpoint the actual rise of fan interest to nation status in Red Sox lore. The general consensus among the so-called experts that night was that the 1967 “Impossible Dream” season, which so captured the hearts and minds of New England baseball faithful, was where the “one nation” phenomenon began. Yes, crowds had been down prior to 1967, but the fervor of baseball in Boston occurred as far back as 1946, the last pennant winner prior to the first Yaz American League title winner.

For the record, I will not complain about the team that ownership puts out on the field, however. Well, maybe a little bit.

There are a couple of small things that upset me.

Someone explain to me why all-star second baseman Mark Loretta is playing someplace else.

Last year, the Red Sox were one of the best defensive teams in baseball. This year, they are anything but.

With big, booming bats winning lots of games early, some in the so-called nation forget how good the double play combination of a year ago was. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez was as good as it gets, and he, too, is game.

Management needs to take Alex Cora and keep him in the lineup every day. GM Theo Epstein made a management error when he thrust former Portland Sea Dog Dustin Pedroia into the limelight too quickly. He’s not ready, and he has all the potential to be a bust – which would be sad.

All the aforementioned hype will win zero games out on the field. If the John Henry ownership group is investing in professional auto racing, my advice would be to reinvest in some sound baseball thinking. Lose the “one nation” talk, reap the rich rewards of two Japanese star pitchers, and concentrate on those field decisions to improve the chances of success in the fall.

30-Second Time Out

Speculation is rampant in Boston this week as to why Roger Clemens chose the New York Yankees for his return to professional baseball over the Houston Astros and the aforementioned Sox.

The Associated Press is reporting that the Bronx Bombers wanted him sooner than Houston and Boston, and I’m guessing that in the Rocket’s Texas drawl, we might soon be hearing “never let the same dog bite you twice.”

BDN columnist Ron Brown, a retired high school basketball coach, can be reached at bdnsports@bangordailynews.net