Bill Buckners return

[efin98]

I believe Stanley works for the Sox, and Gedman is a local guy who stlll shows up from time to time. I'm not sure what McNamara is up to, but he certainly hasn't been shunned by anyone.

Stanley is a coach with the Connecticut Defenders(AA-Giants). Gedman is the manager for the Worcester Tornadoes(Independent, Can-Am League). McNamara is retired. Stanley was celebrated by the team with induction into the Red Sox Hall of Fame, hardly any animosity towards him as there was towards Buckner by team...

Looking back at the game stats I gotta know why the heck wasn't Stanley put in at the start to protect the lead in the 10th- he was the bloody closer and that was his one job on the team to do that!!! Any idiot would have yanked Schiraldi(who had given you 2 innings already) in favor of the fresh armed closer.

[brose3312]

BTW, the fans seem to have forgiven Buckner years ago, but it's the hack writers like Dan Shaugnessy who have really never let up on Buckner as a symbol of "the curse "

I think REAL Red Sox fans, not the ones that though the team began playing ball in 2003, have never really hated Buckner. Sure we all cringe when that replay is shown but when he came back in 1990 he got a standing ovation. You hit the nail on the head it's the media that ran him out of town, the same as with Nomar (Why should any fan really hate him). The media is now in a situation where they cant use the lovable loser tag yet they can't bring themselves to enjoy what is happening on the field. As Rick Pitino so eloquently put it; "The negativity in this town sucks."

[hellborn]

I see Schiraldi as being the #1 culprit in that collapse...the guy was clearly terrified, and just tossed mediocre fastballs down the middle in that inning. I guess I really blame McNamara even more than Calvin for not seeing how scared the kid was and getting him out of there.
I don't think that Billy Buck even would have gotten Wilson at first, given that guy's speed...watch carefully how close Mookie is to the bag as the ball trickles through Buckner. The run wouldn't have scored then if he had stopped the ball, but the game would have been tied with men on.
Of course, Buckner shouldn't have even been out there at that point...the guy could barely even walk. Criminal stupidity or negligence on McNamara's part.

I cheered and clapped like crazy for Billy Buck, and was touched to see how emotional he was. I think that 2 million people would show up and cheer if a public whipping could somehow be arranged for Shaughnessy at Govt Center...how does that guy keep his job? The Buckner reception reminded me of the overwhelming standing ovation Wake got at the Baseball Writer's dinner after the '03 ALCS...the fans' way of telling him that it wasn't HIS fault that Grady Little was a moron.

[Mike D.]

Why not give that type of welcome to John McNamara, Bob Stanley & Rich Gedman, the true goats of Game 6? Buckner has been unjustly scapegoated for that WS.

Why not? Because while the Game 6 loss may have been as much (if not more) their fault than Buckners, it was never really seen that way by the fans, and more so, the media.

I believe Stanley works for the Sox, and Gedman is a local guy who stlll shows up from time to time. I'm not sure what McNamara is up to, but he certainly hasn't been shunned by anyone.

BTW, I found this story interesting this morning...the fans seem to have forgiven Buckner years ago, but it's the hack writers like Dan Shaugnessy who have really never let up on Buckner as a symbol of "the curse".

[Steve Jeltz]

Why not give that type of welcome to John McNamara, Bob Stanley & Rich Gedman, the true goats of Game 6? Buckner has been unjustly scapegoated for that WS.

[footballbaseballtalk]

very classsy move redsox nation! Buckner is a great player and im glad as a baseball fan to see this type of welcome. http://footballbaseballtalk.com/bill...egorized/...my take on the issue