Kevin Millar: Back with the Red Sox?

Who would have thought it? The Boston Red Sox, after being down 3-1 in the American League Championship series, overcame the deficit and beat the Cleveland Indians in game seven to win the American League Championship. They are now headed t o the World Series where they will face the Colorado Rockies. Ever since the Red Sox broke the “Curse of the Bambino” in 2004 by winning the World Series, it seems like they can do no wrong. Dare it be said, after their latest comeback against the Indians, they may finally have some luck. Surprisingly, Baltimore Orioles first baseman Kevin Millar might have given Boston the little extra push they needed to win game seven. Millar is a former Red Sox first baseman and was a key figure in the Red Sox's run for the Pennant in 2004. This is not the first time Millar has been back to the hallowed park that is Fenway. He has returned multiple times since his departure from the Red Sox in 2006. However, his return visits have been as an opposing player. In 2006 Millar joined the Baltimore Orioles, a team that is in the American League East with the Red Sox. This time to first baseman was back in Boston to throw out the ceremonial first pitch (pictured right) of the game.

Having Kevin Millar throw out the first pitch was the first time in MLB history that a current player has thrown out the ceremonial pitch. Millar received a huge standing ovation as he made his way to the mound before the game. He stayed around on the field after he threw the pitch, and recorded a commercial in which he stated that "We (the Red Sox) need to win." After the game Millar said, "This is all fun. This is an exciting time. It's baseball." He may be right, it might just all be about fun. However, ethically, is it right to go and support a team that is a rival of your current team? There is no question that Millar is a fan favorite in Boston. Known for coining the phrase “Cowboy Up” and being an integral part of the 2004 World Series team, Kevin Millar will forever be a part of Red Sox lore. However, it does not seem right for him to publicly support a rival team. However, it does not seem right for him to publicly support a rival team. Red Sox manager Terry Francona stated, “This is another one of those things where he can pull it off. He's a member of the Baltimore Orioles, he's going to be spurring on the Red Sox and nobody is going to say a word. He'll probably bring the house down. I love it, but I don't get it. It's Millar. It's hilarious.” It turned out Francona was wrong that no one would say a word about Millar's actions.

The day after he threw out the first pitch, pictures of Millar laughing and striding around Fenway Park with his former teammates was all over the news. Debates rose up about whether it was right for Millar to support a rival team (Millar supporting the team is shown to the left). News was released that the Red Sox also asked for former pitcher Pedro Martinez, who is now with the New York Mets to also make an appearance. Martinez and the Mets respectfully declined this offer. According to the Red Sox, they asked and received permission from Andy McPhail, the President of Baseball Operations for the Orioles, before having Millar throw out the first pitch, yet it still was not right for Millar to support a rival team.

Professional athletes have a team that they like to be defined with. Often times it is where they played the longest or where they played their best. For example, Nomar Garciaparra is now playing with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he will always be remembered as a Red Sox because that is where he played his best seasons. It is clear that Millar wants to be remembered as a Red Sox. He was part of their historic 2004 team and is still friends with a lot of his ex-teammates. However, Millar needs to remember that Major League Baseball is still a business. He signed with the Orioles and until he is done playing in the league, his loyalties should lie with his current team. He currently is still under contract with the Orioles. His contract included an option for 2008, but as long as he had 274 at-bats in 2007 (which he accomplished), then his option would immediately go into effect.

The bottom line is that despite the fact that the Orioles front office said it was acceptable, it is disrespectful to his current teammates and Orioles fans for him to go out and blatantly support another team. Seeing him joking around and supporting a rival team makes me question his dedication and support for his current team. I am not saying that he cannot go to the game and support his friends, but he should not have made his support public by throwing out the first pitch. That was disrespectful to to the Orioles and their fans. It is great that Kevin Millar still has such a following in Boston. He will always be remembered synonymously with the magical year that was 2004 (shown on the right). Once he retires, he can profess his love for the Red Sox and how he will be a Red Sox for life, but until then, he needs to stay loyal to his team and teammates and show them that he is one-hundred percent behind that team.