Red Sox jackets prompt fan cheers

[KC]

Red Sox jackets prompt fan cheers
By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com

BOSTON -- Forget the jumbotron.
The Red Sox used everything at their disposal on Saturday against the Athletics, including a unique brand of inspiration to incite the boisterous crowd during the home team's 3-1 victory at Fenway Park.

Standing on the top step of their dugout in the bottom of the fifth inning, Lou Merloni, Adrian Brown, Doug Mirabelli, and Andy Abad each had white letters taped to the back of their jackets that spelled out "Li-l-ly," the name of opposing starting pitcher Ted Lilly.

A few thousand fans chanted the name Lilly during the inning, but motivational jackets were not an overwhelming success. Lilly for the most part was. He allowed only two hits in seven innings.

"He was pitching a great game and the fans had the chant going a little so we thought we had to get the chant going a little louder," Merloni said. "It was pretty funny. We did it all in fun and we just tried to get the crowd going a little bit. It didn't work out and he shut us down. He pitched a great game."

Oakland players appreciated the humor and were not offended by the gesture.

"Good for them," Oakland center fielder Eric Byrnes said. "They're a confident group and they like to have fun. Whatever they think works for them to get the crowd fired up."

"That's funny, I guess," Lilly said "We're willing to do whatever it takes. I guess so were they. If you were in either dugout tonight I'm sure you would have found that both teams were willing to do whatever it takes to win tonight."

[bakntime]

Bush league ****. Very unprofessional.

[PettittesPrincess]

Very classy aholes... wtg Ted for shutting them up!

[Hitman23]

Originally posted by bakntime
Bush league ****. Very unprofessional.

They're just trying to get the crowd into it. I don't see anything wrong. Lilly shut them up so it's all good.

[nybabygurl2]

Originally posted by bakntime
Bush league ****. Very unprofessional.

I agree totally. They're saying they need their fans to help them--they can't win by their own strength. :rolleyes: Glad that Ted shut em up!

[Jim F.]

That's not as bush league, IMO, as Eric Byrnes pushing Veritek... what a tool...

-jim

[ACPS]

The umpires had "Lilly" on their backs?!?!

[yankeegeek]

What do you expect it is Boston we are talking about. They cheer "Yankees ****" during a Super Bowl Victory rally. I have come to expect anything from Boston. Anything from that crap on the jacket, to stealing signs.


Once a looser, always a looser!!!

[Jersey Yankee]

From 1986 WS:

Daaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyylllllllllllll!!!

From 2003 regular season:

Roooooooooooooogggggggeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrr!!!

Same idiots, different day.

[NDBoston]

Originally posted by yankeegeek
What do you expect it is Boston we are talking about. They cheer "Yankees ****" during a Super Bowl Victory rally. I have come to expect anything from Boston. Anything from that crap on the jacket, to stealing signs.


Once a looser, always a looser!!!

It was a Patriot who started that chant; Larry Izzo.

You don't want to talk about the Jets, do you?

[yankeegeek]

Originally posted by NDBoston




You don't want to talk about the Jets, do you?

What the hell do the Jets have to do with the discussion?? We are talking about the low class that is Boston Sports.

[NDBoston]

Originally posted by yankeegeek



What the hell do the Jets have to do with the discussion?? We are talking about the low class that is Boston Sports.

I didn't bring up the Super Bowl. The fact is a Patriot started the chant for whatever reason.

Larry Izzo isn't all there, so I give him a pass.

Boston is a great sports town. The fans love their team and are very knowledgable baseball fans.

A few examples of class from Boston fans:

Giving Joe Torre a standing ovation when he came back from cancer treatments.
Giving Roger a standing ovation on his last appearance at Fenway.

Chanting "Beat LA" in Game 7 of the NBA conference playoff finals, when Philly was beating the Celtics.

Nothing beats the passion of the East Coast fans of Boston, NY and to some extent Philly.

I have lived in Boston for 12 years and NYC for 4 years. Both cities have their idiot fans. That comes with the territory

I have been to many Notre Dame away games. Try going to a game at WV, Ohio State or Ann Arbor. I've seen what class means. Yankee and Red Sox fans are passionate but not low class.

I know you're a Yankee fan, but do you really Boston is a low class sports city?
It's sad if you do.

[bakntime]

Originally posted by NDBoston


I didn't bring up the Super Bowl. The fact is a Patriot started the chant for whatever reason.

Larry Izzo isn't all there, so I give him a pass.

Boston is a great sports town. The fans love their team and are very knowledgable baseball fans.

A few examples of class from Boston fans:

Giving Joe Torre a standing ovation when he came back from cancer treatments.
Giving Roger a standing ovation on his last appearance at Fenway.

Chanting "Beat LA" in Game 7 of the NBA conference playoff finals, when Philly was beating the Celtics.

Nothing beats the passion of the East Coast fans of Boston, NY and to some extent Philly.

I have lived in Boston for 12 years and NYC for 4 years. Both cities have their idiot fans. That comes with the territory

I have been to many Notre Dame away games. Try going to a game at WV, Ohio State or Ann Arbor. I've seen what class means. Yankee and Red Sox fans are passionate but not low class.

I know you're a Yankee fan, but do you really Boston is a low class sports city?
It's sad if you do.

I don't know how this became a disussion about the fans, but I think if you're talking about the players, there's no comparison. Yankees=class, Boston=not so much. The whole Lilly thing, then Johnny Damon making constant comments about how they're not afraid of the Yankees, and Todd Walker talking trash about Oakland before the ALDS started. It's rampant.

[GoBernie]

Don't forget their joking comments about feeding the A's rat poison.

[ACPS]

I think any respectable Red Sox fan would boo the hell out of Roger Clemens, even if it was his last game.

[Alex]

I thought we were talking about their low class players, not their low class fans...

[Gehrig'sGhost]

Originally posted by Alex
I thought we were talking about their low class players, not their low class fans...

I think the discussion somehow turned to include both, Alex. Not surprised to see one of them back here only AFTER they won two, though.

[Judge Mental]

Not so much?

[Alex]

Originally posted by Judge Mental

Not so much?

Thanks for the pic!!! Good game Wells!!!

As low as he ever got, it was never so low as to paint a name on his back to leade cheers taunting opposing players. Thanks for reminding me that even the most classless Yankee knows where to draw the line and not disrespect opposing players!

[GoBernie]

Originally posted by Alex


Thanks for the pic!!! Good game Wells!!!

As low as he ever got, it was never so low as to paint a name on his back to cheer taunts of opposing players. Thanks for reminding me that even the most classless Yankee knows where to draw the line and not disrespect opposing players!

Also, he loves the Yankee fans. He's the only pitcher that acknowledges the roll call now. I can't imagine him ever flipping the crowd off.

[yankeegeek]

Originally posted by NDBoston



I have been to many Notre Dame away games. Try going to a game at WV, Ohio State or Ann Arbor. I've seen what class means. Yankee and Red Sox fans are passionate but not low class.

I know you're a Yankee fan, but do you really Boston is a low class sports city?
It's sad if you do.

I am a Nets fan. Remind me what they did to Jason Kidd and his family?

[b-ball-lunachick]

Originally posted by Hitman23

They're just trying to get the crowd into it. I don't see anything wrong. Lilly shut them up so it's all good.

sorry Steve -- have to disagree there...if the fans who have been so desperate for a championship need the players to feed them chants, that's a problem -- I think I'd be offended as a Sox fan that they'd think we couldn't be loud or inventive enough on our own I'm glad the Oakland players are taking it lightheartedly -- at least that's what they said publicly anyway.

Like I always say, you can shave the mullet off the boys, but it doesn't shave off the bush-league in the boys.

[RhodyYanksFan]

Low class Boston players:
1. Johnny Damon talking trash about the Yankees 2 weeks after being traded there (i won't even get into his mullett).
2. BY Kim giving his home fans the finger. He obviously can't take the criticism that comes with a large market media happy franchise.
3. Not baseball but who remembers what Marty McSorley did a few years ago as a Bruin. Assault with a deadly weapon??

Low class Boston fans:
1. Chanting Yankees S*ck! at all sorts of events. I've been at Patriots games, college football games, bars, concerts, and even a red sox/oakland game where there were Yankees s*ck chants.


There are many people up here who are "Yankees s*ck" fans and not "Boston Red Sox" fans. Don't believe me? See how much Yankees s*ck merchandise you can buy on Yawkey Way as opposed to Red Sox merch. It's easiely 3-1.

[Luvtino]

I saw it as bush league. Unprofessional.

[biggiantpencil]

I am a Nets fan. Remind me what they did to Jason Kidd and his family?


I am a fan of not beating women. Remind me what Jason Kidd did to his wife.