edgar

[j_d_mcnugent]

Renteria Picks Up Where He Left Off
April 4, 2005
By JEFF GOLDBERG, Courant Staff Writer

NEW YORK -- Edgar Renteria, as all of New England knows, made the last out of the 2004 season, grounding back to Keith Foulke and into baseball history.

Renteria was with the Cardinals then, part of the sudden sweep that finished what Boston's apocalyptic comeback against the Yankees had started.

The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry was renewed at Yankee Stadium Sunday night in the season opener, and Renteria was in the middle of it, having arrived in Boston via free agency to replace the popular Orlando Cabrera at shortstop.

Renteria came advertised as everything Cabrera was, only a little bit better. But Renteria's debut Sunday probably had Red Sox fans longing for that October night in St. Louis, when his outs were a welcome sight.

Renteria was no match for Randy Johnson and the Yankees, going 0-for-4 with three groundouts and a strikeout in a 9-2 loss. Not even Renteria's Gold Glove credentials could help him. Renteria couldn't handle a Jorge Posada grounder that extended a three-run third inning against David Wells, and he nearly committed a throwing error on Tony Womack's infield hit in the seventh.

After the game, Renteria ducked out of the clubhouse without speaking to the media.

"That guy has a World Series under his belt, he's a veteran," Kevin Millar said. "Edgar's fine."

Renteria was Johnson's first strikeout victim as the second batter of the season. In the third, Johnny Damon reached on an error to lead off, but Renteria erased him, grounding into a 5-4-3 double play. Trailing 4-1 in the fifth, Renteria left Mark Bellhorn at second, grounding out to shortstop to end the inning.

Renteria's final at-bat summed up his evening. He smacked a grounder hard toward third base, but Alex Rodriguez made a diving stab and easily threw him out.

After taking a 1-0 lead in the second, the Red Sox gave up nine unanswered runs. The Red Sox were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and allowed runs on a bases-loaded balk by Wells in the third inning and a bases-loaded dribbler through reliever John Halama's legs in a three-run eighth.

"I don't know, it could be worse," Damon said. "We got the first game under our belt. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out as well as we planned. But we got Edgar introduced to the rivalry. Hopefully, next time we'll be better."

anybody can put up an 0-4 against rj so thats not the real news. if he is already avoiding the media it could be a long year for him. he has shown in stl if he isnt 100% comfortable he doesnt perform well.

[Pogotheostrich]

Seems like they are making a big deal out of one game. Renteria never was too comfortable with the media in STL. I hope he doesn't get overwhelmed by the Boston press.

[SaintsOfTheDiamond]

Seems like they are making a big deal out of one game. Renteria never was too comfortable with the media in STL. I hope he doesn't get overwhelmed by the Boston press.

Same here.

[JTWood]

I guess I'm less forgiving. I was cheering when he grounded into each of those DPs the other day, and I was booing when he had the 2-run single in the top of the ninth.

I don't like his pretenses for leaving this town. He is quoted as saying that Boston just wanted him more and their offer was more generous. Bull spit! Our offer was about 40% greater than Boston's when you make his annual salary a percentage of each team's payroll.

I don't want him to get hurt or anything, but I would be happy with a .260, 8 HR, 60 RBI year.

[free]

I guess I'm less forgiving. I was cheering when he grounded into each of those DPs the other day, and I was booing when he had the 2-run single in the top of the ninth.

I don't like his pretenses for leaving this town. He is quoted as saying that Boston just wanted him more and their offer was more generous. Bull spit! Our offer was about 40% greater than Boston's when you make his annual salary a percentage of each team's payroll.

I don't want him to get hurt or anything, but I would be happy with a .260, 8 HR, 60 RBI year.

same here that's a big drop off from being my favorite player on the team the past few years hope he gets the kind of "respect" he's looking for in boston on a side note, how awful is eck's arm

[j_d_mcnugent]

Renteria Coming Up Short
May 24, 2005
By DAVID HEUSCHKEL, Courant Staff Writer

BOSTON -- Edgar Renteria probably should have read the fine print in the four-year, $40 million contract he signed with the Red Sox last winter that states playing in Boston is different than playing in St. Louis.

Never mind the expectations. Renteria - whose .239 average is 50 points below his career mark going into the season - must first prove that he can make the transition from the National League the way Curt Schilling, Kevin Millar and Bill Mueller did.

Take it from another player who switched leagues last winter. Braves pitcher Tim Hudson, who spent the previous six years in Oakland, said that is the reason Renteria has gotten off to a slow start with his new team.

"Without a doubt," Hudson said. "It's a new league. It's a different style of play. Pitchers pitch a little differently in the American League than they do in the National League. There's a lot more fastballs in the National League. It's going to be a little bit different. There's new ballparks, new cities. You're just unfamiliar with the surroundings and with teams. There's going to be a little adjusting period."

The fans also might be a factor. Hudson knows how tough Red Sox fans can be. Pitching for the A's, he was involved in a confrontation with fans in a Boston bar during the 2003 playoffs.

"There is a difference, going from smaller-market teams to big-market teams," Hudson said. "A lot of that has to do with the player's personality, how they can adjust to it. Some players thrive in the big market, that kind of thing. Some players think they can handle it, but they realize that they may not be able to once they get there. Unfortunately that happens sometimes. I don't think that's the case with Edgar. He came from one of the best baseball cities in baseball and he's a great player. I don't think he'll struggle much longer."

Red Sox fans have grown impatient with Renteria, who was booed in all three games this past weekend against the Braves as he went 1-for-13.

"People are freaking out," Red Sox captain Jason Varitek said. "He's still hitting .240. He won't be hitting .240 by the end of the year, I guarantee you that."

Renteria needs to get on base more. His .292 on-base percentage is 50 points lower than Mark Bellhorn's, the next lowest of the nine regulars.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa probably didn't help matters by going on a Boston radio station before the season recently and saying Renteria, his shortstop in St. Louis the past six years, might not respond well to criticism because he's sensitive.

Millar only fanned the talk show flames by imploring the media and fans to "lay off" Renteria.

A two-time Gold Glove winner, Renteria's defense has been shaky. He leads American League shortstops with eight errors, three fewer than he made in 149 games with St. Louis last year.

"I think it's probably comfort more than anything," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He signed a big contract, came over and wanted to impress everybody. I think that's human nature. He didn't start out real strong and started trying to do too much."

Renteria hit .228 in April and is hitting .254 this month. But he has struggled against righthanders, hitting .214 compared to .298 vs. lefties. One thing he has been consistent with is ducking the media. In doing so, he has fueled speculation he really can't take the heat.

"Edgar is fine here," Francona said. "I understand some of the uniqueness of Boston, but I think that's where our team takes over. They'll take care of guys."

[SaintsOfTheDiamond]

I guess I'm one of the few, but I wanted to see him do well in BOS. Guess that's easier to say, though, when Eck has been playing like he has.