Millar On Toucher & Rich: Red Sox Players Need To Be Accountable
BOSTON (CBS) – For the Red Sox players that are unhappy in Boston, Kevin Millar has a message for them.
"It's not that hard to play (in Boston) with the personality of that big media market and big-time team. It's not for everybody, but that's what makes Boston unique," Millar told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich Thursday morning.
While Millar, who was a fan and media favorite during his three seasons with the Sox, admitted the Boston media can get a little overwhelming and the surroundings aren't for everyone, this current Red Sox teams is lacking accountability.
"It takes a certain personality to play in Boston; I enjoyed it. I grew up in the West Coast but I love the passion of the east coast fans, the passion of the media," said Millar. I had fun with it because it's OK to battle with them also. You just have to pick your spots. You can't cry about your situations; you have to be accountable sometimes as players."
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"That's the toughest thing for players; to look in the mirror or get in front of the microphone and say 'you know what, we stink.' There is no story after that," said Millar. "If you can be accountable for your actions or be accountable for your team, and just say 'we stink,' where can they go from there? They go when there are excuses made and it just snowballs."
"You have to enjoy every day you get to go to the major league field and play for the Red Sox," said Millar. "It becomes a distraction when a little stupid story start because there are 10-12 guys covering one paper, and there is only one game to talk about, but there are so many little stories, like did Youkilis get along with Bobby Valentine, does Bobby Valentine get along with coaches; those are distractions. That's what everyone means when they say there are so many distractions. You're answering so many little things that aren't about the game. But on the flip side, you answer and get them over with and when the doors close it's about you and your teammates."
"It's not rocket science, it's the big leagues. You make big money and you deal with these kinds of things, period," said Millar. "If you're not happy move on, ask for a trade. How many times did Manny Ramirez ask for a trade the years I was there? You have to handle things in a certain way, and you have to be accountable for you actions. There were things going on, false or true, get in front of a microphone and squash it like a bug. But if we let it linger… they just keep going and going, and now your teammates have to answer them."
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When Millar was with the Sox from 2003-2005, there were certain players who didn't like addressing the media. That left it to other players to handle that task, which they did to avoid any further distractions.
"Manny Ramirez and Nomar Garcaiaparra didn't like talking to the media. Guess what, Johnny Damon,Bill Mueller, Trot Nixon -- we had to talk to the media. We understood that as a team. If this is going on that bad, it's time to say 'hey guys get in front of the microphone, answer the questions – wrong, false – just clear it up.'"
Also, how does Millar think the Red Sox will do in the second half of the season? If they don't make the postseason, will Bobby Valentine be out of a job? And what is the best scenario for Carl Crawford? Kevin Millar breaks it all down with Toucher and Rich!
