As I waved goodbye to my overnight guest this morning, I scanned the headlines of the Globe sitting on my front stoop. I carried my paper back up to my apartment and sank into a chair at the kitchen table, dumbfounded. I don't know which front page story affected me more: Sc*tt Petersen's death sentence or Pedro going to the Mets.
I can't say I was stunned by either story but both surprised me. I figured that the lack of specific material evidence against Petersen would have led to a life sentence. I don't doubt whether he was guilty. I personally think he should have to live for a good, long time getting abused by his fellow inmates at San Quentin for his heinous crimes. Besides, a life sentence actually costs us taxpayers less than a death sentence, what with all the appeals and such. So with a life sentence, we as a society could get to be vengeful AND economical at the same time. And we wouldn't need to actually take another life, which was what (I thought) we were supposed to be condemning Petersen for anyway.
As for Pedro, I thought he might actually have some genuine affection for this city and the team with which he won the World Series. I can't say I feel as venomous about it as Dan Shaughnessy apparently does, but I thought there might be something extra keeping him here so long as the Sox showed him how much he is valued. I can't be inside the man's head and I surely have no idea whether that extra few mil and additional year in his Mets contract might improve his life over the next four years in ways that I can't comprehend. It just makes me extremely sad, is all. Pedro has been and will always be a crucial part of the great history of the Sox and the city of Boston. I'm truly sorry to see him go, and I'm just glad that he had some really great offers to choose from. He deserved that.
Posted by cynical at December 14, 2004 10:36 AMThe news saddens me...it really does. But, I am glad he is gone. Great pitcher...no question! The diva routine the last few years got REALLY tiring! The demands for special treatment... He set his one schedule IE always late to the ballpark, mid-season trips back home to the Dominican Republic. I've read reports of his right shoulder is very fragile. His labrum has a tear which makes a 100 pitch count when he pitches necessary (that's roughly six innings in the American league and seven innings in the National league). Moving to the Mets makes good sense for Martinez...paying $50 million to Martinez is WAY too much! Good luck to Martinez!
Posted by: sally on December 14, 2004 02:14 PMIt's about legacy...Martinex can extend his career an extra two or three years pitching in the National League!
Posted by: sally on December 14, 2004 02:16 PMUm.....overnight guest?
Posted by: TJ on December 14, 2004 03:34 PM*spewing Coke all over the room*
Spill it!
What was the rest of that post about? You can't "yada yada yada" an overnight guest!
Posted by: Easycure on December 14, 2004 03:38 PMHide the overnight guest information in the first sentence...mention Pedro Martinez leaving the Red Sox for the Mets...sneaky!
Posted by: sally on December 14, 2004 03:51 PMand she was WONDERFUL...a great pair of hostesses. Us three young ladies had a DELIGHTFUL time...THANK YOU! (and I'm glad I was gone before the paper was unleashed...eek! you just *know* we would have ended up talking another 6 hours!! as it was, I forgot I was supposed to be home before 1pm! ha ha ha!)...THANK YOU!
Posted by: meg on December 14, 2004 04:11 PM1. The overnight guest explains why there was no posting yesterday. (we see who's more important)
2. Pedro who? and he plays for what team? It didn't effect the SF Giants so it doesn't matter, right?
3. I live less than an hour from where Mr Peterson used to live (emphasis on past tense). It took less than 5 minutes from the reading of ther verdict for everyone here to hear about it. TJ's story is probably right, he'll most likely never get the death penalty, he'll rot first. I only wished this were Texas in this case. They off more criminals more often than anywhere else.
Posted by: Woody on December 14, 2004 08:00 PMWoo! WE'RE NUMBER ONE! WE'RE NUMBER ONE!
Posted by: TJ on December 15, 2004 11:34 AMFinally, I can say "Bow-chika-bow-wow."
Posted by: Polerand on December 15, 2004 07:40 PMI had exactly the same thoughts about Peterson. Kinda spooky, that.
I know nuttin' about no Pedro.
Posted by: deborah on December 15, 2004 08:20 PM