Renteria Happy In Atlanta
By Karen Guregian/ Boston Herald
June 19, 2006
ATLANTA -- Sitting at his locker in workout clothes prior to last night's game, a wad of smokeless tobacco clenched between his teeth, Edgar Renteria finally fessed up.
You got to him.
That's right, Red Sox fans. You made a two-time Gold Glove winner, three time Silver Slugger recipient and genuinely nice guy turn to jello.
Boston was a bad fit. He'll admit that now that he's back in a warmer, more player-friendly environment.
And forget about the complaints of a poor infield. Renteria didn't appreciate the boos, and he didn't adapt well to the added pressure that comes with playing for the Red Sox, because none of that made him perform the way he's capable.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't please Red Sox Nation.
"I'm more comfortable, more happy," said Renteria, who for the past two days, avoided the Boston media. "When you're happy, you can do a lot of things."
Like hit over .300, and play a better brand of defense. At the moment, Renteria is in the top 10 in the National League in batting. He's certainly not in Alex Gonzalez' league in the field, but he's not on pace to commit 30 errors, either, having eight in 59 games.
"I don't know what kind of expectations they had for me," Renteria said of Sox fans. "But they had to know I was a player, and I never gave up. I was hurt and still played every day. And I was glad to win.
"I don't know what the fans were thinking, or what they were looking for from me. I don't know if they were looking for 30 homers, like (Nomar) Garciaparra, in the past did, but it was crazy. It was crazy because I never had been booed in my career. I don't think those fans have any confidence in their players. That's why they didn't win the World Series before."
Tony LaRussa, who managed Renteria in St. Louis, suggested Boston fans would get to Edgar, and it turns out, he was correct.
"Nobody wants to have a bad year. If you work hard and play hard, it's bad if the fans boo you. But I guess, that's life," said Renteria, who played with back and hamstring problems. "But they don't know me. I wish they knew I worked hard for that team every day to get better. The second week of the season they booed players who won the World Series for them. So I knew I had to do better. So I put more pressure on myself. I tried to do more than what I could do."
Renteria couldn't believe the treatment of Mark Bellhorn and Keith Foulke, World Series heroes who were booed one year later.
"Fans in St. Louis, they know what you can do. They'd give you a chance," Renteria said. "They wouldn't boo you the second week in the season. They know me and what I could do. But it happened. Now I'm glad to be in Atlanta. These fans give you confidence, and if you give confidence to players, they'll do good in the field."
Would he have done better with a second year in Boston had the Sox not traded him, or would the issues still have made it difficult?
"Maybe yes, maybe no," Renteria answered. "I just know one thing. I know myself. I know what I can do, and I think I'm a better player. Right now I'm happy."
As for his former team, Renteria is still in contact with many players, namely Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. Having kept tabs on the club and played against them, Renteria believes the Sox could very well go the distance. He loves their starting pitchers, which is key in a playoff run, and their closer.
"He's amazing," Renteria said of Jonathan Papelbon. "I saw him last year with us. He's pitching like a veteran. He's not scared. That's what you need for your closer. It's amazing how he made the adjustment so quick. You have to have a lot of talent to do it.
"I think he's going to be one of the best (ever) if he continues to work because he has everything."
Including, it appears, what Renteria didn't have: the makeup to play in Boston.
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