There was no safe place in Northern California for Boston Red Sox scout Gary Hughes after the Pablo Sandoval signing — not even church.
According to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com, Hughes attends Resurrection Catholic Community in Aptos, a town just outside of Santa Cruz, which also happens to be San Francisco Giants territory. So when rumors about the Red Sox targeting Sandoval first started popping up a few months back, Father Ron Shirley decided to have some fun with Hughes, telling him to be careful about breaking the seventh commandment.
“I think you need to go to confession,” Father Ron told Hughes, per ESPN Boston. “You’re trying to steal something.”
Of course Hughes and the Red Sox did more than just try, they succeeded in landing the Panda, and that’s when Father Ron turned things up a notch. The parish priest told the congregation that not only was Hughes in attendance on Ash Wednesday, but that it was his fault Sandoval signed with the Sox. Sure, that’s quite a stretch, but that didn’t stop the boo birds from coming out.
“They booed me,’’ Hughes said Friday. “During the mass.’’
It wasn’t Hughes against the entire church, though. One youngster turned around and whispered to Hughes that he was a Red Sox fan.
Thumbnail photo via Steve Mitchell/USA TODAY Sports Images
