Millah!

Kevin at Spring Training 2005 – Picture taken by meI shut down the Kevin Millar website yesterday.  It upset me to do so because that site helped bring me together with my ‘sistahs’ (well the site didn’t really, but Millar did!) and I think Millar is a good guy.  It was just time to move on.

So it was nice to see stories in Boston papers about him this morning. 

As much as you have to love Millar, one of his quotes struck me:

"Theo [ Epstein] did a great job with the talent in ’03 and ’04 and ’05. But in ’06 it just didn’t work out."

It sticks out because, personally, 2005 hurt a lot more than 2006. The way the Sox got booted out of the ALDS by the White Sox was ugly.  They were over matched and couldn’t get it together at all.  Sure, in ’06 they ended in 3rd place, but the way they had been playing, well, that’s where they belonged.

2005 wasn’t much better just because they got to play in 3 games after the regular season ended

It makes me smile that Millar still thinks of the Red Sox, because there are plenty of fans who still think of him…but I believe it is time for him to focus on the team that’s paying him and not the one he wishes was. 

What also struck me was this line from the piece in the Herald: 

Every time there’s a visit from Millar, it becomes obvious how much the Sox miss him, and what he brings to the table in terms of brightening up the room. They no longer have a loose cannon, someone to bring some levity to the joint.

Lord knows I agree that Millar brought a  lot to the team when he was here, on many levels.  But I certainly think that not signing him was what was best for the team.  It hurts to admit that, but I do.  I miss him being on the team, and hope he can come back in some capacity some day, but I don’t think the only reason he was good for the Red Sox was because he was an ‘idiot’.

My favorite quote from all of this comes from Tito, a guy who got beat up a lot in the media for sticking with Millar (which, apparently, the press has now forgotten since Millar’s the golden boy now that he’s gone).  I think it sums Kevin up quite nicely: 

“He was a very unique, but good presence,”