BOSTON (TCR) - Boston Bruins GM Mike O'Connell outbid many others in a "Be The Red Sox GM For A Day" promotion to benefit the Jimmy Fund, and wasted no time putting his stamp on the team.
He traded AL MVP runner-up David Ortiz to the New York Yankees for aging center fielder Bernie Williams.
"I did my homework on this Manny Ortiz (sic) and he really didn't blossom until he came here, suggesting he's a prototypical Fenway hitter," said O'Connell. "I checked the schedule through March and the Yankees aren't scheduled to be in Fenway at all, so I don't think this will hurt us at all."
He also traded recently acquired starting pitcher Josh Beckett back to the Florida Marlins, along with left fielder Manny Ramirez and catcher and team captain Jason Varitek for pitcher Anibel Sanchez. As part of the deal, the Red Sox will pay 95% of the salaries for Ramirez, Beckett and Varitek.
"In a sport without cost certainty, the system just doesn't work," said O'Connell. "It was just a few years ago that the Florida Panthers (sic) beat the New York Yankees for the Grey Cup (sic), and now they have to dismantle their team? That's crazy. As a large market team, we must do whatever we can to help them."
Red Sox Principal Owner John Henry, his trademark soft voice barely above a whisper, said, "(expletive) the (expletive) Jimmy (expletive) Fund."
Team President/CEO Larry Luccino, in a statement released through Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessey, said "This reminds me of a time the Celtics couldn't play Larry Bird because of recurring back spasms."
Boston Bruins team officials were unavailable for comment. But building maintenance staff were seen changing all the locks on the doors of the Boston Garden.
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