(Newtonville, April 11, 2001) I really miss Mo. After two nice years for the Angels, he's reportedly out for the season. This years' Red Sox would have been a juggernaut with Mo in the lineup. But DuQuette just couldn't stand him. His Hall of Fame chances are diminishing - he's 34 now, he'd probably need 4-5 really good seasons for consideration. Excellent ballplayer nonetheless. A true leader.

(Boston, November 27, 1998) It's now official: Mo Vaughn is (for 5 minutes or so) the highest paid player in baseball. The Disney owned Anaheim Angels have the former Sox slugger's signature on a 6-year deal said to be worth $80 million. Within an hour, CF Bernie Williams was resigned by the Yankees, who made an 11th hour offer to keep Williams from defecting to the Red Sox. Big Stein put his credit card on the table, matching an outrageous Bosox offer of 7 years and $87.5 million. The Yanks will now enter 1999 with their big guns intact, and attempt a followup to their record-smashing season. And the Sox are not the only division rival to lose ground here. The defection of 2B Roberto Alomar to the Cleveland Indians and the possible loss of free agent 1B Rafael Palmeiro could leave the underachieving Orioles at a severe disadvantage to overtake the Bronx Bombfest.

(Boston, November 6, 1998) As of today, the great Mo Vaughn is a free agent. After 8 stellar seasons with the Boston Red Sox, he can now dictate his own future. As the Mets took the initiative on their superstars, signing C Mike Piazza and LHP Al Leiter in the 15-day window before they were officially eligible, the Sox played the media game and now stand to lose another of their greatest players in the same fashion they lost Roger Clemens two years ago.

As was the case with Clemens, they could have had Mo signed for a fraction of his free-market value had they approached him a year ago in an honest and respectful manner. But for reasons known only to John Harrington and GM Dan Duquette, his services here are no longer desired. Perhaps the Sox will toss a respectable offer towards Vaughn, for the sake of PR. Or maybe they have a "plan". Hard to understand...

There ain't many players in Mo's class. He's the acknowledged team leader, an intimidating presence at the plate, hits for average and power, and one of the most consistant players in the game today. Off the field, his activism in the inner city is legendary. When you have an athlete of this magnitude, it seems to me, you should hold onto him. But then, I am merely a baseball fan, a fan that will be asked by the Bosox to pay 15% more for a ticket in 1999...

Eighty years ago, in 1918, the Boston Red Sox won their 5th World Championship. Within a year they sold Babe Ruth and several other key players to the Yankees, priming their path towards 24 Championships. Those same Yankees, along with the Angels, Dodgers, Orioles, and others, are now courting Mo Vaughn. Could this be the Curse of the Black Bambino??? Hope it don't rain on me!