Hoo's On First

Best Time Ever

2005-04-15T10:54:00.000-05:00

Went to the Sox/Yanks game on Wednesday

Best thing that happened to me

A Few Open Letters

2005-04-09T15:14:00.000-05:00

Dear Red Sox,
Please stop giving your manager chest pains. Even a win like last night can't be good for his health.
Love,
Me.

Dear Tito,
I'm glad you're feeling better Maybe you should just turn the TV off in the seventh or so and just meditate. Breathe in. And out. In. Out. In. Out. Doesn't that feel better?
Love,
Me.

Dear Edgah,
Please hit.
Love,
Me

Dear DLo,
I hear you're coming back for the ceremony on Monday. Thank you. You need some appreciation in person, Mr PostSeason.
Love,
Me.

Dear Mr. Old Yankee Fan,
Remember how you came in yesterday morning and made fun of my Red Sox starting pitching? I didn't see you this morning. Too bad.
Love,
Me.

Dear O's,
Thank you for last night. Now can you do to the Yanks this year what you did to us last? And maybe give us a break.
Love,
Me.

Dear Boomer,
Well it was an improvement. Keep it up. At this rate, you could win next start.
Love,
Me.

Dear Mr. Mills,
Give us more of a chance to love Boomer. Only 70some pitches?
Love,
Me.

Dear Papi and Horny,
Don't do anything different.
Love,
Me.

Dear Tek,
I don't care what they say. I love the C. And keep up the good work.
Love,
Me.

Dear Jays,
:-P
Love,
Me

Terry Sprung

2005-04-08T18:34:00.000-05:00

Terry Francona out of the hospital.

Team physician Dr. Thomas Gill said Friday that tests showed no evidence of a serious heart problem and that Francona's chest pains probably were caused by "a recent viral illness."

"He will be monitored over the weekend by the Red Sox medical staff, and should be ready to return to the bench on Monday for the team's home opener," Gill said in a statement. "He is in good spirits, and is extremely eager to return to the team."

And I was thinking about a long involved rant in another post, but this says it better than I probably could.

Media bad, tree pretty

Random Encounters

2005-04-08T17:24:00.000-05:00

I got yelled at by a Yankee fan today.

I was at work and a elderly female (and huge sox fan) coworker of mine came up to me and asked me who was starting tonight. "Arroyo," I told her. "Good," she said. And before she could say anything else this OldMan (tm) in a Yankee hat came up to us and started wagging his finger and yelling that the sox "had the worst starting rotation in baseball and how did we feel about our hero now that he was getting knocked around by minor leaguers and how we had just gotten lucky and how before that we hadn't won in 75 years [blogger's note. jeez if you're going to give a diatribe, get your facts right] and we could only win once a century and we weren't going to win for another 75 years and WHERE WERE WE GOING TO BE THEN!!!???*" And I smiled ever so sweetly at him and said "Alive."

He didn't have much to say about that. And wandered off still muttering. He was just sooooo defensive about it all. So. Funny. And hey! I was nice! I didn't start making chocking noises or anything.

I giggled to myself about it for hours after. I'd heard about other Sox fans having these encounters, but this was my first. I've been deflowered. . . Cool.

Who's Your Daddy, Now?

2005-04-07T16:22:00.000-05:00

My how things have changed.

It wasn't long ago that Rivera coming into the game meant the end. Game over. It all started to change mid last summer (say July 24), even if we didn't know it yet. It was a shock when Mueller hit that walk-off homer. So much of a shock I called my father to scream "THEY WON! THEY DID IT! WOOHOO".

Then came that September game and "catch the ball". Hmmm

Then the post season. We all remember that.

Then April 5th. Rivera came into the game. And my first thought was, we have a chance. And Tek took it. Of course then Rivera held the line, and the Sox lost in a walk-off homer in the bottom of that inning.

Then April 6th. Sox down by one. Enter Sandman. And I went "Yes! Here we go!" And there the Sox went. I even had a friend call me on my cell in the middle of that inning crowing, "Now he's the fruitless bat!"

There is no more dread for me in the ninth inning of a Sox/Yanks game. And the Red Sox are the defending world champions. I like this new world of ours.

Thoughts and Prayers for Tito

2005-04-06T11:02:00.000-05:00

Francona rushed to hospital

NEW YORK -- Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona has been taken to a New York City hospital after complaining of tightness in his chest.

A team spokesman said Francona, 45, was taken to Cornell Medical Center for "precautionary reasons." He will miss today's game between the Red Sox and Yankees. Bench coach Brad Mills will serve as interim manager.

Sox general manager Theo Epstein said he was taken to the hospital by ambulance for what he called "precautionary testing." Francona was accompanied to the hospital by Sox trainer Jim Rowe.

Mills told the media he spoke to Francona at the hospital, and said the Sox manager told him "he feels OK."

Francona suffered life-threatening blood clots following arthroscopic knee surgery in November 2002. He was in Seattle interviewing for the Mariners' managing job when he experienced severe chest pains.

"I got off the plane and thought I'd had a heart attack," Francona later told The Boston Globe.

Doctors prescribed blood thinners and the problem was thought to be under control, but complications developed. He had staph infections in both knees, then developed serious hemorrhaging in his leg. He was hospitalized for more than a month and ultimately underwent eight operations.

"With the circulatory problems that he's had in the past, they (the doctors) want to make sure things are checked out a little bit more and I think they might be a little bit more cautious with him ...," Mills told the media this morning. "I think we'll just wait and see what happens and we'll get more news as the day goes."

Mills also said Francona fell asleep on the bus ride over to Yankee Stadium this morning, and said Francona told him, "I don't feel very well."

From what the Sox say, he seems to be in good spirits.

Win today for Terry, guys.

Accentuate the Positive

2005-04-06T08:56:00.000-05:00

What I liked about yesterday's game

1) Matt Clement pitched ok. Kept them in the game, didn't seem to get rattled. If not for that error and botched DP, his line would have looked better.

2) Tito's management of the bullpen. Perfect.

3) The bullpen. Almost perfect.

4) Mike Myers making Matsui look foolish. OK, he eventually got a bloop. But damn did he look silly before that.

5) We're starting to hit.

6)We're starting to hit for power
.
7) Making Rivera blow Yet Another Save. I actually thought, when he came in, oh good, we can get him. Great feeling. And it was ALMOST a loss potential, if JD's ball had just traveled a few more feet.

8) Millar's defense. Some *great* places. That 3-2-3 DP was a thing of beauty.

9) Our Captain Clutch.

10) Mark Bellhorn's line - On base twice/Two K's. That's so Bellhorn.

11) The Stienbrenner-Cam. Did you see the look on his face in the top of the ninth? Priceless. First the Pickle-face(tm). Then the dismissive hand-flap. Then the pasty-white jawdrop. Great stuff.

Things I didn't like so much.

1) The loss (duh)

2) The lineup. C'mon, Tito, drop Edgar down the lineup at least until he gets over his nerves or whatever they are. Stick Bellhorn back in the two-hole maybe? That seemed to work ok last year.

The lineup I'd put out.
Johnny Damon
Mark Bellhorn
Manny Ramirez
David Ortiz
Kevin Millar
Trot Nixon
Jason Varitek
Bill Mueller
Edgar Renteria.

3) Clement needs to work on his control just a *smidge* more. (although I was really fine with his hitting Jeter, that man needs to move off the plate). But I'm sure Clement will. He looked great in Spring Training with this aspect and today Im sure the adrenaline and nerves were off the charts.

4)Edgar Renteria. I realize Manny hasn't hit either, but I know Manny. He has his mini-slumps. He breaks out. I don't know Edgar yet. Also that error? *shudder*. I'm willing to believe in the New Team Nerves. Look at Cabrera last year. I felt the *exact* same way, yet by the end, I adored him. I can see it happening again.

See? The list of stuff I liked is MUCH longer than the stuff I didn't like.
Game on in a few hours. Go, Sox!

Keeping Up the Tradition

2005-04-04T11:35:00.000-05:00

So we lost Opening Day. Big deal. One down, one hundred sixty one to go. Marathon not a sprint. Blah blah etc.

Although, I should say - we lost Opening Day.. . again. We lost Opening Day last year. And the year before. And look how good we wound up doing then. In fact, we haven't won an Opening Day since 2000. You could say we haven't won an Opening Day this century/millenium. And it hasn't slowed us down.

A couple of interesting patterns. We haven't won an Opening Day since 2000. When's the last time the Yankees won the World Series? 2000. So. Red Sox lose Opening Day=Yankees don't win the World Series. I'll take that pattern.

I looked into the stats a bit.

2001. Lost Opening Day 2-1 in 11 innings. Almost won but eventually lost. We held on that year longer than we had any business to. We lost Pedro, Nomar *and* Varitek. And we held on for a good chunk of the year. OK, it all crashed and burned eventually, but that's the year the boston dirt dog came into being (and I don't mean the website).

2002, we lost Opening Day 12-11. A worse loss. We were seriously scored against, but again, almost won. We won 93 games that year.

2003, we had a 4-1 lead and blew it in the ninth and lost 6-4 I believe. An even worse loss. That year we won 95 games, made it to the playoffs and came within 5 outs of the World Series.

In 2004, we were blown out by the O's 7-2. The worst loss so far. And we all know what happened at the end of THAT season.

So. The worse we lose Opening Day, the better we do in the season! That's a good sign, right?

So a couple of random facts.
----------------------------
First pitch of the season to the Sox - a foul to Johnny Damon
First out of the season by the Sox - Johnny Damon 4-3
First K of the season by Sox batter - Edgar Rentaria
First pitch of the season thrown by Sox - ball
First hit of the season against the Sox - Wells, by Jeter
First out of the season made by Sox - Arod, F8
First K of the season thrown by Sox - Sierra
First hit of the season by Sox - David Ortiz
First Run of the Season - Payton drives in Ortiz.

First off day of the season. Today. Sigh.

The Deep Breath Before the Plunge

2005-04-02T15:01:00.000-05:00

This morning, the following was the entire text of the Providence Journal's sports front page.

There's a guy who hawks T-shirts and hats in the Yankee Stadium parking lots. Whenever the Red Sox came to town, his inventory consisted of "1918" baseball caps and "Killer B's: Babe, Bucky, Buckner, Boone" T-shirts.

He went out of business last October. So did everyone else who hitched their financial wagon to the "Curse Of The Bambino."

Welcome to baseball's new reality. In 2004, the Red Sox did more than win a World Series for the first time in 86 years. They destroyed a cottage industry, pulled the plug on decades-old taunts -- never again will we hear the chant "NINE-TEEN! EIGHT-TEEN!" -- and changed the sport's very culture.

Wile E. Coyote caught the Roadrunner. Nothing will ever be the same.

And now the Red Sox face a whole new challenge: Living life as the hunted, rather than the hunter. Trying to defend, rather than seek, a crown.

Today we look at the '05 Sox, along with the rest of the teams in baseball. Tomorrow we'll examine the new Red Sox-Yankee dynamic.

And then the new season -- and the new world order -- begins.

And it will begin. Tomorrow (barring inclement weather). And it begins like no other in my memory. I still smile at random moments. Have you seen that McDonald's commercial? That's me. I'm excited and anticipatory and happy and nostalgic and impatiant and looking forward to warm summer evenings filled with Red Sox baseball. But for the first time, I no longer feel anxiaty. And it's an amazing thing.

A few takes, from a few angles.

More Than a Game
(Three Tissue Alert)

The Yankee-Red Sox rivalry is much more than the oldest, strongest, most intense clash in American sports. It's a tapestry of generations, linked by heartache and hope. It's a decades-long soap, the characters cloaked in pinstripes or solid gray. It's balls ping-ponging around the lyrical bandbox in Boston's Back Bay, and legends growling in Monument Park. It's Babe Ruth and Harry Frazee, Joe D. and Teddy Ballgame. It's Bucky Dent lean, lean, leaning; it's Roger Clemens, in a Yankee cap, taking a bow before the Fenway faithful; it's Aaron Boone, stealing Dent's vulgar faux middle name.

It's scalding passion, often producing history at its rawest. It can be both vile and sweet, emotions flittering with one swing of the bat. It used to be 26 World Championships and chants of "1918," but not anymore. It's an obsession, one that digs into your soul and stays there for eternity. It abides through strikes, steroids, scandals and war. If the rivalry ceased to exist, the Eastern seaboard might as well close its shutters for the summer.

A New Battle Is About to Begin

We know it will be special. If the last two years - or 25, or 50, or 90 - have taught us anything, that is it. If we can dream it, the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox can do it. What it is, we don't know. Neither do they. But starting tonight, there will be more moments for the ages, more questions in which the context is forever understood.

Chapter 102

I'm not even sure what that means. Somehow, it makes sense. I spent my winter secretly hoping that the steroids saga would morph into a prolonged, unexpected lockout, just to give me more time to appreciate what happened. It was too improbable, too surreal, too magnificent. On Oct. 16, the Sox were getting last rites. On Oct. 27, they were pouring champagne in St. Louis. Remember the book "Thirteen Days," the one about the Cuban Missile Crisis? This one could have been called "Twelve Days." In eight games over 12 days, everything changed

Play Ball.

Better Than the First Robin of Spring

2005-03-30T16:46:00.000-05:00

No words necessary.

pic from boston.com

Someday

2005-03-30T10:39:00.000-05:00

Someday, I will get here.

Going the Distance

DYERSVILLE, Iowa -- More than 15 years after Ray Kinsella built it, people still come.

Just like Shoeless Joe Jackson, throngs of baseball fans -- 65,000 a year -- are drawn to this city to see the ballpark Kevin Costner's character built in a cornfield in the 1989 movie ''Field of Dreams."

I read (and reread to tatters and had to buy a second copy) the book many years before the movie came out. Both are two of my favorite sports creative works I have ever experienced.

And someday, my dream of getting there will be realized.

Bit o Blog News

2005-03-28T17:00:00.000-05:00

Evan and his Firebrand of the American League has moved and now can be found here. Link has been changed in my sidebar.

Evan is also calling for question submissions here

I'll quote a bit

Will Carroll has given me the opportunity for Red Sox Nation to ask him questions! Will Carroll is the author of a new book - "The Juice: The Real Story of Baseball's Drug Problems" and is also an expert on injury - if a player is subsceptible to injuries and what not. He writes for Baseball Prospectus and blogs at Baseball Toaster. Here’s your chance to ask him ANY question. Have a question about steroids? Injuries? Anything in general? Leave a comment and talk about it…

So. Any burning questions? See Evan.

Barry Zito, Ace Photographer

2005-03-28T16:46:00.000-05:00

I'm a bit of a compulsive shutterbug (you should see how many rolls of pictures I come home from trips with) and I also love experimenting with differnt angles and framing techniques and lighting and subject matter and etc.

That said, I found some of these wonderful and fascinating. Thanks to Amy on the SGMB for the link.

You know what would be great? If SI/MLB/someone had a project where they gave one player (at least) on every team a camera and had them going around taking Day in the Life pictures. Can you imagine what a Kevin Millar could do?

Man, Id pay money to see that.

I think he's growing on me

2005-03-24T19:11:00.000-05:00

Boomtown

He loves Boston's Idiot Club For Men.

"I tried going back [to New York], but I'm glad I got this uniform on," he said. "It's a thing of beauty over here. You can't get that in New York, but you can get it here and that's why guys are the way they are here. I'm on cloud nine over here. I could have dealt with this for a long time. It's a lot of fun . . . I had a bad day today and guys are cutting up already. Some guys can handle it. I don't know if Kevin Brown can. Coming in here, it's like I've been here 20 years."

Lefty Loose

Said general manager Theo Epstein when asked about adding a potentially abrasive personality to the Sox clubhouse: ``What, we don't have any guys like that already?''
Looking back, maybe the young GM was onto something. Wells has been nothing short of a surgeon during a career in which he has won 212 games. Now he resides in a Red Sox clubhouse where there are, perhaps, more people like him than ever before, where he is no longer an outcast as much as he is just another one of the boys.
And lest anyone forget, he wins.

This might actually work out.

Captain of the Pen

2005-03-24T17:51:00.000-05:00

Good article on Timlin in The Globe today.

Timlin Stands Tall

Funny how far faith, a mother's love, and a survivor's instinct can take a man. The White House? Hey, that was a great day, don't misunderstand. Timlin couldn't have stood much taller than he did that afternoon, when George W. Bush saluted a fellow Texan. But if you really want to take the measure of the man, beyond the fact that this is his 15th year in the big leagues and he has pitched for a half-dozen teams and has three World Series rings and has appeared in more games than all but 26 pitchers in big-league history, you'd do well to recall what Red Sox manager Terry Francona said earlier this spring.

"I know Foulkey's our closer," Francona said, referring to Keith Foulke, "but this has been Timlin's bullpen. He kind of leads that bullpen. He'll take the ball any day you give it to him, even when he shouldn't. You have to be careful of that, but it's also a real compliment for a guy when I say that."

They have a name for Timlin in the Sox bullpen. They call him "Captain," not in a formal, Jason Varitek sort of way, maybe even with a touch of old-goat teasing in there, but also because he's as steady as they come.

They said he had no guts in Baltimore," a veteran major league scout said here yesterday. "Nobody in Boston says that, do they?"

No, we don't.

Field of Dreams

2005-03-22T14:56:00.000-05:00

Fenway lives!

And I have to say I couldn't be happier. I love that park. And yes. I have been there. In fact, I go to a dozen or more games a year. I've sat in almost every section of the park. Still working on a couple. *knocks wood about Green Monster lottery*. And I love every bit. OK the right field grandstand's could be improved, which actually is a possibility. And I find it so easy to get to. Yes really. And I don't pay $40 for parking either.

And you can't rebuild history. The red seat. The Wall. The Pesky Pole. The scoreboard. The Morse Code. The CitGo sign and the view of the Pru. You can try to duplicate, but it would only be a pale copy.

I'll tell you one thing. When I go to a game, I get there, go in the gate. Enjoy the Yawkey Way Fest (thanks, Owners). And then I use the rest room, get something to eat and drink. And then I find my seat, sit, and then I don't move the rest of the game. I don't need any fancy diversions, any special concessions (although thanks for the right field concourse. Good stuff.) or any of that stuff people say Fenway lacks. I go to watch a game, and to soak up the ambiance and atmosphere. And Fenway has that in spades.

You know. In my neck of the woods, there are lots of beautiful beach cottages and houses in the woods. And people come in, buy them up, tear them down and build McMansions. And I can't help feeling something's been lost in the process.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation, By Bronson Arroyo

2005-03-18T20:05:00.000-05:00

Judging by the second photograph here , Bronson should be the one wearing David Wells' hat.

(Thanks to Annette on the Surviving Grady Message Board for the link.)

RIP "The Monster"

2005-03-17T16:12:00.000-05:00

Dick Radatz, whose towering presence and 95-mile-per-hour fastball made him baseball's most dominant relief pitcher in the mid-1960s and earned him the unforgettable nickname of "The Monster" in Red Sox lore, died yesterday when he fell down a flight of stairs in his home in Easton, according to police.

I wasn't old enough to see him play, but all that I've read and seen show that he will be missed.

On the way home from work today, they had Johnny Pesky on the radio, talking to him about his memories of Radatz. He was telling wonderful stories in incredible detail about things that happened 40 years ago. I can't even remember all I did last week.
Johnny is an absolute treasure. We as Red Sox fans are truly blessed.

Warning. Danger, Will Robinson

2005-03-16T16:18:00.000-05:00

Whatever you do, don't drink and read this at the same time. A definite Hazard For Your Keyboard(tm).

Because of this, John Flahrety will be hereafter known in my house as "Dobby".

#54

2005-03-16T15:09:00.000-05:00

A bit more news on Tedy Bruschi here

I almost find this less scary than the previous news. I mean, the heart is easier to fix than the brain, right?

mmmmm Good

2005-03-16T11:30:00.000-05:00

My Stop and Shop got the Hood Red Sox ice cream last week.

They are as follows:

Comeback Caramel - Chocolate and Caramel Socks with thick caramel swirled with caramel ice cream.

Fenway Fudge - Chocolate and fudge socks swirled with fudge in chocolate ice cream.

Green Monster Mint - Chocolate and mint socks swirled with thick fudge in mint ice cream

Peanut Butter Nation - Chocolate and peanut butter socks swirled with thick fudge in vanilla ice cream.

You can see pictures of them here

I'm going to try each. As soon as I have room in my freezer by finishing off the ice cream already in there. BTW? Turkey Hill Coconut Cream Pie Ice Cream is incredible. Just so you know.

Fab Five Update

2005-03-14T12:45:00.000-05:00

In the Herald today.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -The "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's" Fab Five will take on the Red Sox' Fab Six here today as Kevin Millar, Johnny Damon, Bill Mueller, Jason Varitek, Doug Mirabelli and Tim Wakefield line up for some serious tszujing.

The five stars of the hit Bravo reality show, Carson Kressley, Kyan Douglas, Ted Allen, Jai Rodriguez and Thom Filicia, are scheduled to descend on the City of Palms Park sometime after noon to begin making over the scruffy bunch of idiots who rode loosey-goosey attitudes and bad grooming all the way to the World Series last season.

But don't worry, gals. Damon will not be Sampson to Kyan's Delilah.

The caveman outfielder has a clause in his book contract that prohibits him being shorn until his new tome, "IDIOT: Beating 'The Curse' and Enjoying the Game of Life," is released.

"I think he told them they could trim it a little, but nothing dramatic," Sox spokesguy Glenn Geffner said. "The guys are being great sports about it though. Bill Mueller basically told them, 'Have your way with me.' "

Well! Don't let Carson hear that!

Anyway, the show will tape today, tomorrow and Wednesday at the Sox spring training facility. The guys will get new clothes, a grooming makeover, probably a few cooking lessons from Ted and Thom, the decorator, will work his magic on the clubhouse.

Jai, as usual, will be sensitive and supportive.

The Fab bunch were originally scheduled to overhaul only Millar, the red-neck Red Sox who has had some challenging hair issues over the past couple of seasons. But then Kevvie's teammates decided to get in on the action.

The show will air in June - possibly as the "Queer Eye" new season premiere. Do stay tuned. . . .

Have I mentioned I can't wait? This should be a total kick.

Must Have

2005-03-13T16:10:00.000-05:00

Gleaned from boston.com

The cover of the 2005 Red Sox media guide shows Doug Mientkiewicz leaping on top of a barely visible Jason Varitek and an obscured Keith Foulke, while Bronson Arroyo, Kevin Millar, Schilling, and Dave Roberts charge toward the celebration after Game 4 of the World Series. In an unusual twist, the club, next to a photo of the championship trophy, runs the following text: "This championship isn't just about these 25 guys. This is for every fan who has ever been to Fenway Park. This is for Johnny Pesky, Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio and Ted. This is for Yaz and Lonborg, Tiant and Fisk, Evans and Rice. This championship is for everyone who came so close and for everyone who cared so much." Classy.

I can't wait.

Checking In With an Old Friend

2005-03-13T15:35:00.000-05:00

Great article on Nomar today in The Herald.

A separate peace

"When you spend so much of your life in one place, it matters. As far as that city goes, those fans, they always embraced me," Garciaparra said before last week's exhibition against Texas. "I tried to do everything I could. I will always appreciate them.
"After everything that happened, I realized I have a big heart. There will always be a place for them there. Just because I'm not there doesn't mean I'll forget them. They were out there on my birthday, singing 'Happy Birthday.' Not just once, but every year. It was incredible. How many other players does that happen to?"

"I never watch the World Series. There are only two times I've watched the World Series. The last one (before 2004) was in 2000, because Jay Payton was my roommate in college, and he was my boy," Garciaparra said. "You have to watch your boys when they're in the World Series. I'm watching the Red Sox, and these guys are my boys, too. Pedro (Martinez) and D-Lowe (Derek Lowe ).
``When they were down, 3-0, to the Yankees, I told my friends that if the Yankees didn't sweep, the Sox were going to win it. They said, `How can you predict that?' and I said, `Because I know my boys."

Boomer . . . Butter . . . Butter . . . Boomer . . .

2005-03-12T13:34:00.000-05:00

Nicked the pic off of The SGMB

According to BC&RS his name is "Butter", he belongs to Padre Ryan Klesko and apparently likes hanging out in the bullpen. (Who can blame him.)

Personally, I think from certain angles he looks a bit like David Wells.

What do you think?

Thoughts and Prayers for Mrs Pesky

2005-03-12T12:57:00.000-05:00

Wife's heart attack turned Pesky's smiles to tears

Ruthie Pesky, 82, was stricken last month. Johnny Pesky stayed at her side, missing the opening of spring training for the first
time in years. She's better now, and the Red Sox icon will be in Fort Myers on Monday.

Must See TV

2005-03-09T12:21:00.000-05:00

Rather than have him face the Fab Five from Bravo's ``Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'' all by his lonesome, Kevin Millar's teammates have decided to help him out. Not only will Millar get a makeover, but Bill Mueller, Tim Wakefield, Doug Mirabelli, Varitek and yes, Damon will also participate. Carson Kressley, the most fabulous of the show's five hosts, will don a special pink Red Sox jersey to help him focus on his duties.

And Must Read Magazines

Yesterday, Johnny Damon posed for the cover of Sports Illustrated's upcoming baseball preview edition. Damon, who posed in home whites without his cap while a photographer's assistant waved a large placard so that Damon's flowing locks would appear in motion, will share the superimposed cover with the Yankees' Derek Jeter.

Damon, who went 1-for-3 with an error in yesterday's 7-4 victory over the Twins, is also on the cover of the current Sports Illustrated for Kids issue.
Also scheduled to be photographed soon for upcoming national magazine covers are Curt Schilling for The Sporting News' baseball preview issue and Jason Varitek for ESPN The Magazine. TV Guide is also planning to feature someone from the Red Sox for its issue scheduled around Opening Day.

Must Read Books

Damon, whose book ``Idiot: Beating the Curse and Enjoying the Game of Life'' is expected to hit bookstores in the coming days, followed up that photo shoot with another cover shot.

And a Must View Movie

Hollywood stars Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon flew to Fort Myers last night and came directly to the visiting clubhouse at City of Palms Park, where Damon was waiting to join them for a photo session for an upcoming cover for Entertainment Weekly on Barrymore, Fallon and the Farrellys Brothers' ``Fever Pitch'' flick about an obsessed Red Sox fan.

Man, what a spring. And soon. Games! Games that count!

Life is rich when you're a Red Sox fan.

All info gleaned from The Boston Herald

Run to Glory.

2005-03-06T14:55:00.000-05:00

Nicked the url off of SOSH .

Great article in Newsday on Dave Roberts.

New England's Most Famous Run

And Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta began speaking the consoling GM dialect that says we've found a good place for you - yeah, right - as the joy sapped out of Dave's expression and Tricia began saying, "Where? Where? Where?"

Dave mouthed the word "Boston," and that's when the crying started, and he would say, "It was a shock to all of us," and she would say, "It was a bad day. At the time we thought it was the worst thing that could have happened."

*****

"Until you put on that Red Sox uniform and experience those fans and that ballpark on an everyday basis . . .," he said and paused, then said, "It changed my whole attitude and perception. It became real. It's something I wish everybody who puts on a baseball uniform could experience. It would almost be a disservice for me to try to describe it."

*****

So the crestfallen Tampa-bound baseball player turned up in the 2004 Red Sox clubhouse, probably the best place for a crestfallen anybody to alight. He immediately noticed uncommon warmth. He saw a team that actually breakfasted and lunched together, and he'd eat with folks such as Gabe Kapler, Doug Mirabelli, Kevin Millar, Tim Wakefield.

*****

When Tricia went into labor in mid-September, a potential complication arose as the team found itself in Tampa and "I broke down at the ballpark," Dave said. "I was supposed to play that night. And the guys actually were there with me supporting me, and I'd just gotten there. Curt Schilling and Kevin Millar and Jason Varitek came in, and they said they arranged it so I could fly [a private plane] home."

*****

At six pounds, 12 ounces, Emme Roberts joined the world ultimately without complication on Sept. 19 - born in Boston, in the far-flung corner of the country.

Should she so choose 17 years from now, she might find herself the recipient of a scintilla of favoritism from various Boston-based college admission-board members.

That's because of the night of Sunday, Oct. 17.

*****
Go. Read. Enjoy. Remember.

Ringing In a New Season

2005-03-06T11:06:00.000-05:00

Interesting blurb in Peter Gammon's latest column.

Lowe's teammate in Boston, Mike Myers, says he has an off day and is flying in to Boston for the ring ceremony at Fenway Park. "I'm really excited about being there. I will never forget that parade. People holding up pictures of their dead parents and grandparents and yelling, 'thank you.' I had tears in my eyes. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience." Informed about Myers' decision, Lowe said, "I have the day off, and I want to be there so badly I may fly in from L.A. for the ceremony and fly back. To be there when those rings are handed out would be unbelievable."

I hope they both can make it. I'll never forget Myers coming on to strike out Matsui in game 5. Such an important out. But in some ways, DLo *was* the postseason for me. Man. Three wins in each of the three clinching games. Pitching in two elimination games against the Yankees. Pitching on *two days rest*. I don't know if I'll ever see a post season pitching accomplishment like that in a long long time. I hope the Sox and the Dodgers find a way to make it happen. I'd love to see DLo get his ring in front of a Boston crowd in Fenway park.

In fact. I hope they can get as many of the 04 Sox there for it as they can. I know a lot of them will be playing games for their own teams. But those who are retired, like Burks and Leskanic? Get them there. Pawtucket and Portland are close. Get people like Abe Alverez there. Anybody still unsigned? Ship them in. Can we borrow Gabe from Japan for a day?

Opening Day.
I can't wait.

Millar's Moment

2005-03-04T09:29:00.000-05:00

Great article in today's Globe about Kevin Millar.

Character development

Kevin and his wife, Jeana, have wanted a child since late in Millar's days with the Florida Marlins. But they never could bridge the gap between that desire and deliverance. In late 2003, they turned to in vitro fertilization. But, 14 weeks along, in mid-April, two weeks into the last baseball season, season, Jeana miscarried.

"It was tough," Millar said last week. "It was tough because I knew how much she's been trying and wanting it. It was a tough time for a couple days, but I kind of kept that on the down low and kept going."

He kept going, but he hit .218 that month and never really flipped the switch until late July. As of July 20, he'd hit just five home runs with 25 RBIs.

Millar was home just a few weeks after the World Series. The family was gathered for Thanksgiving when the phone rang. Millar, like Doug Mientkiewicz, had stated he wanted to play full time, forcing the Sox to begin shopping one of the two.

His agent had this question: In case you are traded, where would you prefer to go?

"You sit there and go, 'Huh? Where do I want to go?' " Millar said. "I'm from California. I grew up in Los Angeles. Dodgers? Padres? The Giants?' I'm sitting here going, `There's not a team in this world that I could tell you I want to go to that could bring a smile to my face.

"Not the Houston Astros, not the Rangers, where I live now. I don't want to go anywhere. I want this not to happen. I feel that I've played in Boston my whole career. I was petrified."

Said Judy Millar: "When he said, `I'd rather stay with Boston,' that's when I knew this guy is a diehard, not even to want to come home. He was scared."

The way Millar sees it, he doesn't have Alex Rodriguez's Inspector Gadget tools, Gabe Kapler's slingshot right arm, or Dave Roberts's pistons. What he has is the ability to help turn a band of cowboys and idiots into a symphony.

"I'm not blessed with any ability that is outside of the norm," he said. "All the tools they talk about, like I always say, I don't have a toolbox, but I do love this game more than anybody.

"Manny can hit the ball anywhere he wants. My tool? I love my teammates. I love my clubhouse. I love just hanging out, and soaking all of this in, because it's such a short career.

"This is a dream. You have to be thankful and appreciate this. And I don't think enough guys do. You're in this little fantasy world. Any chance you get, you've got to have fun, and I think that's what I do. How can you have a bad day in the major leagues? Seriously, how can guys come in miserable and angry?"

He will stay in, or around baseball.

"If I have to hit fungos somewhere," Millar said, "I'll hit fungos."

For now, he'll put off being Johnny Pesky and keep on being Kevin Millar.

"All I want to do is enjoy this year," he said. "All I can hope is that Theo and the Red Sox keep me. I would definitely want to play here the rest of my life, as long as they want me. Can it possibly be [my last year here]? Yeah, of course. If somebody wants some different first baseman, then yeah, I'm gone.

"I'm going to do everything in my power to stay here."

All this and more, to be found on the Globe Site.

One more quote.

They were on the phone last week when one of them mentioned a make of candy sold only in California.

"He goes, `Momma, please send it overnight. That sounds so good,' " Judy said.

She complied. The box of chocolates cost $12, the shipping $40. The chocolates arrived in the mail Tuesday, packaged with a Playboy magazine, and a note, saying he'd have something to read while eating his chocolate.

What a great Mom.

Garden-ing

2005-03-03T16:19:00.000-05:00

The Garden has returned. In name anyway. I think I like it. It's not "The Boston Garden", but it can be shortened to The Garden. And they're right. Much better than a Center.

The deal ends the whimsical auction of daily naming rights on eBay that resulted in the building being named -- officially, if not in actual usage -- such things as the KurtCenter, the JoeyColinAbbyCenter and the Nocturnal Nannies Arena for 24-hour periods over the past month.

One New York lawyer's bid to name the arena for New York Yankees' star Derek Jeter was derailed after his friend chipped in and they agreed to name it the "Jimmy Fund Center," after the Boston-based cancer charity.

The auctioning raised more than $150,000 for charity over three weeks.

The last of those auctions, for March 13 rights, ended Thursday morning. It was not immediately known what the arena would be called between March 13 and July 1, when it assumes the TD Banknorth name

I think we should call it "Fred".

Misters Sox Go to Washington

2005-03-03T14:16:00.000-05:00

Don't our boys clean up nice?

First the owners attend the Jackie Robinson Medal Ceremony.

Then the entire team make a trip to the White House for the traditional Champion Of Whatever Sport Has Photo Op On South Lawn.

Then a trip to Walter Reed Hospital to visit with the Soldiers. (Tissue alert for this one.)

And on another note, I need this book.

An Unfortunate Choice of Words

2005-03-02T11:32:00.000-05:00

I'm still poking around The Daily News when I find this

TAMPA - After pitching two innings in yesterday's intrasquad game, Kevin Brown said that his body feels as good as it has since he joined the Yankees last winter.

"I'm not throwing up against a brick wall right now like I did all the time last year," the 39-year-old righty said.

Um. Kevin? You might want to avoid wall references for a while. Just a small piece of advice.

All Hail the Theo

2005-03-02T11:17:00.000-05:00

Nice article about Theo today in the NY Daily News, of all places.

Now, "they'll probably build a monument in Boston for him," Yankees GM Brian Cashman says. "He's got to be one of the most famous people in New England, when you're the guy who brings that to an end."

Woo hoo!

2005-03-01T15:15:00.000-05:00

*does a solo conga line-like dance*

My tickets came today, yeah!
My tickets came today, yeah!
My tickets came today, yeah!

And they're so pretty with a shiny shiny trophy pic.

Also of the pretty, the pocket schedule with a huggy leapy Tek and Foulk.

Whee! Tickets!

More of that Amusing Yourself Thing

2005-02-28T20:42:00.000-05:00

Hey, it's a long winter. *Eyes the piling snow out her window*

Got the url from Grand Mental Station

You can make your very own Red Sox player (or other player/team/yourself) out of virtual legos!

Here's my attempt at LegoTek.

Wake and the Other Side of the Battery

2005-02-28T13:45:00.000-05:00

The dueling player articles continues. A few days ago, we had MannyDay. Then it was Bellhorn's turn. Today, it appears to be our veterin knuckleballer, Tim Wakefield.
The two articles even feature the same picture.

The Globe

Wakefield's is gripping story

To the Sox, Wakefield is just one of those gifts who keep on giving -- another dozen wins and 30 starts last season for the stat-minded, who should also know that with another 10 wins this season, Wakefield will vault to third place on the team's list, trailing only a guy named Cy Young and a guy (Clemens) who has won more of Cy Young's awards than any pitcher, living or dead.

But his value to the club is measured in so many other meaningful ways, on and off the field. We'll give you two. Game 3 of the ALCS, Wakefield pitches 3 1/3 innings of relief in a 19-8 blowout loss to the Bombers that costs him a scheduled start in Game 4 but saves the bullpen to live another day.

"We had to get through that night before we could play the next night," he said yesterday. "When you're in the heat of the moment, you try to do what you think is the right thing to do."

That was on the field. Just days after the Sox won the World Series, Wakefield was in Portland, Maine, fulfilling a promise to a friend: Singer-songwriter Cindy Bullens, who lost her 11-year-old daughter, Jessie Bullens-Crewe, to Hodgkin's Disease, was having a concert to benefit the Jessie B-C Fund as well as the Maine Children's Cancer Center, and Wakefield showed up, guitar in hand. He played with her band, then took the mike and let them back him up while he sang the Eagles' "Take It Easy."

The Boston Herald

Wake Might Be Next

The Red Sox went from Ted Williams to Carl Yastrzemski to Jim Rice to Clemens, degrees of separation that connected 1939 to 1996. Then Clemens hit the road and Mo Vaughn followed, and at the trading deadline last season, Garciaparra was traded away by a 30-year-old general manager who grew up in the shadows of Fenway Park.

During that brief span of time, the Red Sox went from a locally owned business to a corporate machine, a change that was both necessary and inevitable. Sox management has performed miracles with Fenway Park and brought Boston baseball into the 21st century, producing more spin-off ventures than "All in the Family."

Still, it is difficult to think that we have not lost at least a little bit of something here. Among current Red Sox players, Wakefield is the team leader in continuous service time. Wakefield looks to be in great shape - he resumed the training regimen he employed before 2002 and 2003, when he was a combined 22-12 with a 3.52 ERA - and he has accepted pitching out of the rotation or bullpen, the latter where he could end up again at some point this season.
Along the way, we can honestly say we got to know him, and opportunities of the like are becoming more and more rare.

The Herald even has a bit on the other side of the battery with an article on Doug Mirabelli

"There's something about me and 'Tek being together," Mirabelli said. "It's a relationship that's worked well. We've got such mutual respect, let alone being really good friends. Our families go out and eat dinner together. It's that kind of relationship."

The Rooter

2005-02-27T14:44:00.000-05:00

I knew she was quite a gal anyway, but I never knew this

A woman of many interests, indeed.

I'd like to see some of this stuff in her museum.

EDIT- Fixed Link. Sorry.

Cool

2005-02-27T14:27:00.000-05:00

Not Sox related but this machine sounds unusual and interesting.

Waiting for the End of Winter

2005-02-26T20:20:00.000-05:00

As we all are. In truth, it's a little early to be complaining about winter. A perfectly sensible arbitrary rule of thumb is that you're not allowed to complain about winter until March 1, which, stretching things a bit, is sort of the beginning of the end for winter - if we're lucky. But, in fact, there comes a time every winter when a switch turns on, the last snowfall feels like just about all you need, and it's time to move on.

It's time to move on.

Some Count Only 3 Seasons: Fall, Winter and Baseball

Create Your Own Fun

2005-02-25T16:41:00.000-05:00

That's my motto.

Images available from Boston.com, in today's Spring Training Gallery. Apparently it rained.

**insert funny caption here**

This Blast From the Past Is a Giggle

2005-02-24T15:09:00.000-05:00

I was poking around Nyyfans.com today, reading a thread on David Ortiz, when I saw this in the "related links" box.

Take a look at this thread from December, 2002.

I love small, amusing things. You may have noticed that.

Saved by the Bellhorn

2005-02-24T12:57:00.000-05:00

Apparently yesterday was MannyDay. Today the papers go with Bellhorn.
The Globe

Loud and Clear

Why express in more words what can be conveyed with one? Or, what can be conveyed with one swing of the bat?

"He's quiet," said Johnny Damon. "He's a gentleman. The rest of us aren't."

Little seems to have changed this spring about Bellhorn. He still doesn't say boo, though Kevin Millar, who brought Manny Ramirez out of his shell last season, is working to do the same with the placid Bellhorn.

"Millar wants me to be a little louder," Bellhorn said. "I'm going to be a little tougher [than Manny]."

The Herald

Mark of a Winner

``I called my buddy, Jamie Quirk, in Colorado and said, `Jamie, you've got to help me,' '' Francona said, referring to the Rockies coach. ``I said, `This guy hates me. He won't even talk to me!' Jamie started laughing like hell. He said, `Don't worry, he just doesn't talk. We called him Mute.' That made me feel better.''

Entering his second season with the Sox, the second baseman still doesn't say much but if actions truly speak louder than words, he's about as loquacious as Winston Churchill.

Success and a World Series title haven't exactly made Bellhorn verbose but that's just fine with his manager.

``He's himself and you've got to be true to yourself,'' Francona said. ``He just comes to the ballpark and gives you everything he has. Players appreciate that. I know I do.''

A view from the Post

2005-02-23T14:05:00.000-05:00

Interesting article on the Sox in today's New York Post

SAWX REALLY RING-ING IN SPRING

These Red Sox are looking ahead - and not back - at what they accomplished, and that is bad news for the Yankees. Johnny Damon is in a walk year and reported to camp in terrific shape. Manny Ramirez showed up yesterday with beads in his hair, a smile on his face and thunder in his bat. After spending a week with these Red Sox, it's clear they are a zany, but focused, group.

A Couple of Random bits from Boston.com

2005-02-23T11:48:00.000-05:00

"Primer" on the 40 man roster

The Captain is in the Building

At one point during the meeting, applause could be heard outside the clubhouse walls.

"You know what they were cheering about?" Henry said. "Jason Varitek was introduced as our captain, and everybody in the room cheered. That was a great moment."

A Manny in the Sun

2005-02-23T11:14:00.000-05:00

Pair of great articles on Manny today in the Herald today.

A Good Humor Man

FORT MYERS - Manny Ramirez was at his locker, smiling, laughing, joking, apprising one Boston print reporter of his offseason exploits in Brazil and Argentina, when ESPN baseball analyst Peter Gammons approached and asked for a moment of the slugger's time.
``Sure, no problem,'' Ramirez said, excusing himself. ``You want to go get a donut?''
Go get a donut? Like at Krispy Kreme?

``It was really great for me,'' Ramirez said after the workout. ``If I knew a long time ago that it would be so good, I would have done it sooner. I really didn't hate the media. I just wasn't comfortable with my English.'

Red Sox slugger happy Manny -- WS MVP finds comfort zone

FORT MYERS - Manny Ramirez didn't pause yesterday, when asked if he'd set any goals for 2005.
``I'm thinking, maybe, an average of .275 with 25 homers and, maybe, 100 RBI,'' he replied. ``Yeah, that's my goal.''
On hand for the Red Sox first day of full-squad workouts, Ramirez tried to suppress a smirk when told his averages during his first four seasons in Boston - .321, 38 1/2 home runs and 116 1/2 RBI - were far higher than what he'd set for the upcoming year.
``I know,'' he said with a widening grin. ``But this way I'm going to feel good about myself when I reach them.''

``I told my mom I don't care about winning a regular-season MVP,'' Ramirez said. ``I want to win it in the postseason because that means we won.''

Just look at that smile! And the hair beads! (I love the hair beads!). Can I just say once again - Thank GOD we didn't trade our Manny for *shudder* Arod. Mr Huggy vs Mr Slappy. No contest.

I Scream, You Scream

2005-02-22T14:50:00.000-05:00

I work in a grocery store, and we're having an ice cream shelf reset in a few weeks. I got the diagrams and I was making all the new tags for the shelves, when I did a small double-take.

Looks like Hood is coming out with a line of Red Sox themed flavors. Translating the tags, it looks like we're getting

Fenway Fudge
Comeback Caramel
Green Monster Mint
Peanutbutter Nation

Sounds tasty.

Random thought

2005-02-21T20:36:00.000-05:00

Is anyone else annoyed that Arod keeps calling Arroyo "Brandon"?

I think that the next time Bronson gives an interview, he should talk in glowing terms about Arod, but call him "Alan" throughout.

Well. It would amuse me, anyway.

When Media Attacks! Tonight at 11.

2005-02-21T16:14:00.000-05:00

Interesting article in the New York times today by Murray Chass.
The title says it all.

Ask Stupid Questions, Print Distorted Answers

Worthy of the Hall

2005-02-21T15:52:00.000-05:00

Ken Coleman has made the list of ten finalists for election to the Hall of Fame. I hope he makes it. He is the voice of my childhood Sox memories.

Besides how cool would it be to have Boggs, Gammons and Coleman all go the same year?

Article here.

With a distinguished and deep voice, Coleman called some of the greatest moments in Red Sox history, many of which came during the Impossible Dream season of 1967.

Wish I was there

2005-02-21T15:33:00.000-05:00

Here. It's cold. It's wet. There's another six inches of snow on the ground.
There. . Well, it isnt.

Doesn't it look like they're having a great time?

Teams that have fun, are fun to watch.
I can't wait until the actual games start.
Wish I was there.

pictures from boston.com

A Shining Example

2005-02-20T13:01:00.000-05:00

The Red Sox have ordered *five hundred* World Series Rings, according to the Boston Globe. Five. Hundred. Wow. What a amazingly generous move by the front office. I'm glad that it looks like people like Nomar, and Daubach are getting a ring. Heck, looks like Bobby Jones and Cesar Crespo are getting them. I think this is right. They played for the team. They got hits and outs and RBI's and helped this team win. They deserve rings. I'm also glad that employees and the like will also get rewarded with this.

Some of the interesting bits from the article.

The Sox will issue 500 World Series rings to players, coaches, management, and myriad team employees, obliterating the record for the largest
order ever received by Minneapolis-based ring maker Jostens Inc.

"That's so beyond the record it's unbelievable," said Al Nuness, vice president of sports sales for Jostens. "The most we've ever done for a
championship ring in the past has been the Patriots when they first won their rings [in 2002]. That was about 225 rings. This is going to be a
major celebration for the Red Sox."

"This ring will change the way championship rings will be designed. That's how elegant this ring will be. Most rings in the past, it's gross, so
much bling. With this you'll see . . . a ring that would really represent a place like Boston that has been in baseball forever."

The Sox have yet to decide whether to issue the rings April 11, the day of the home opener against the Yankees. If that is the team's decision,
Nuness said, the rings will be ready.

"That's our commitment to Boston, to have the rings ready whenever John Henry wants them," he said. "

Lots more interesting stuff there, so go click the above link and read!

On a side note, I'd pay money for them to give Johnny Pesky his ring during the ceremony, live on TV. Damn, that would be a sight.

"You can't write about the Yankees without writing about the Red Sox"

2005-02-19T16:35:00.000-05:00

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The cleat is on the other foot. The apple is in the other throat. The Red Sox are the reigning world champions and the
Yankees are trying to recover from international disgrace. And New Yorkers are now obsessed with Boston's baseball team.

Red Sox fans aren't the only ones with Sox on the brain

I love it. I just love it.

Tek's 'C' will wear well

2005-02-19T14:57:00.001-05:00

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Grudgingly, Jason Varitek is going to accept an addition to his jersey.

Actually, it will just be one extra letter stitched onto his uniform. But it is an important letter, one that is a testament to the catcher's grit, hard
work, talent, passion to succeed, humility and, most of all, his ability to lead the Boston Red Sox on the field and in the clubhouse.

It is the letter "C," and it will stand for captain.

Tek's 'C' will wear well

Bruschi Update

2005-02-18T16:57:00.000-05:00

Bruschi released from hospital

BOSTON -- New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi was released Friday from Massachusetts General Hospital, where he spent two days
following a mild stroke that caused numbness, blurred vision and severe headaches.

Wearing a gay [sic] sweat suit, Bruschi smiled and waved to reporters and fans as he walked with his wife, Heidi, to a waiting sports utility
vehicle outside the hospital. He did not comment.

Bruschi, 31, was reportedly walking and talking normally a day after the stroke. Doctors said such positive reports so soon after the stroke were
good indicators that he could continue his football career, but his prognosis remains uncertain.

We're still praying for you, Tedy.

Fun at nyyfans.com

2005-02-18T14:50:00.000-05:00

No, really!

Interview here

Good interview with former Yankees Announcer (now Dodger Announcer) Charley Steiner.

But there's a particuar bit that will warm a Sox fan's heart.

PHIL ALLARD: Could you feel the series slipping away from the Yankees in 2004?

CHARLEY STEINER: Oh, Absolutely. It was palpable. When they Sox were down 3-0, to a man they said: "If we win tonight, I like our chances." If you spent as much time with the Red Sox as I have, you know when they mean it. Now there are a lot of good guys on the Yankees and I like them very much. But what happened was after the Sox won the 4th game, then Doug Mientkiewicz and Kevin Millar, said "We are on our way." Then, BANG, you could feel it.

PHIL ALLARD: You were quoted earlier this winter (and I am paraphrasing here) that you felt that the Yankees didn't show joy when they won as much as relief. Can you embellish on that a bit?

CHARLEY STEINER: There should be emotion of joy and euphoria, and "God, isn't that great." Unfortunately, with the Yanks, the prevailing attitude after a victory is one of relief, and then "God, we have to go out and do it again." That is the pressure that is put on them by the Steinbrenner way of doing business and you know, it's been enormously successful for him and the Yankees. But it's also very pressure-intensive. The Yanks were far tighter leading 3 games to 1 then the Red Sox were trailing 3 games to 1. Again, the Yanks have had an enormous amount of success doing business in that fashion for a very long time. So, to second guess them would be hypocritical.

PHIL ALLARD: After game 3, Sheff, Mat, and A-Rod hit, I believe, somewhere in the .100s. All those chances they had, if anyone came through they would have won the ALCS.

CHARLEY STEINER: But again, you look back on it, if they closed the Sox out in the 9th inning of game 4, we wouldn't be talking this way. If Mo doesn't walk Millar . . .

If "ifs" and "buts" were candy and nuts, wouldn't it be a Merry
Christmas? - Don Meredith

Well it certainly was for me! *insert smiley here* It's been Christmas since October.

He's already under their skins

2005-02-18T14:21:00.000-05:00

I love it

Example

David Wells further fueled The Rivalry yesterday when he clearly staked himself as a Red Sox by sniping at George Steinbrenner, Joe Torre and
Mel Stottlemyre to explain his defection

Post Article

I love this rivalry. I love it on the field. I love it off the field. I love it with a fox, I love it in a box. I do love this rivalry. I do love it, Sam . . . Sorry. Got carried away there.

I think he just might fit in here

2005-02-18T12:52:00.000-05:00

When we first signed him, I had my doubts on David Wells, but I think Boomer might just fit in with this group of Cowboys/Idiots/ThisYearsIdentifyingNickname

Boomer at Spring Training

On one foul line stood Curt Schilling, wearing black Reebok cleats,
white uniform pants, two red socks, and a Red Sox cap. "Changeup,"
Schilling barked yesterday afternoon, releasing a pitch.

About 60 feet away, his throw settled into the glove of a man wearing
white sneakers, white crew-cut socks, team-issued shorts, a sleeveless
Red Sox T-shirt, and a black cap that read "Whiteboy." The shirt
revealed two tattoos on his right arm of his children's faces. Twice the
cap fell off, providing the odd juxtaposition of a bald head and a black
goatee.

Perfect, he's not.

*****

"If I need to protect my teammates, no matter what happens, I've been
around long enough, I know what to do."

*****

On Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez: "He's a five-tool player. He's
one of the best out there. But I remember reading his press conference
when he went there. He said a `we' in his conference, like he's won
three or four rings with them, and he hasn't. That kind of disturbed me
. . . He shouldn't put himself in that category, like he's been there
the whole time. He's got to earn it."

*****

Cashman wasn't interested, Wells said. In March 2003, Cashman said Wells
"did tarnish the Yankee image" with his book. Wells was fined $100,000
by the team.

"I said, `If there was any interest, I'd love to come back to New York
and play,' " Wells said. "Brian told me, `We'd love to have you, but the
Boss is looking in the other direction. We're going to go with youth
this year.' They turn around and sign [41-year-old] Randy [Johnson].
What part of that I didn't get I don't know.

*****

Wells is here, he said, because "when you want to go out, you want to
go out on top. I thought this was probably the best team out there to
win."

In fact, Wells claims he picked the Sox to win the World Series prior to
last season, citing the team's pitching staff as his rationale.

"I should've put some money down on it, huh?" Wells said.

*****

"I'll enjoy it," he said of the notoriety. "I'll push it aside. Like I
said, I can overcome all those things. I overcame a lot of things in my
life, and I still go out between the lines. That is my sanctuary. I have
fun. I'm like a kid out there.

"I want to go out on top. I'm not going to let anything stop me."

Get your Spring Training Wallpaper here!

2005-02-18T11:43:00.000-05:00

Wallpaper

Personally, I'm keeping my Tek/Millar post-WS knee celebration though. Still, nice to see the palm trees again. I've been to Spring Training Twice. Once, for a few hours on a family theme park trip back in Feb, 1995. We just saw workouts but it was still great. And for a four day weekend trip in 2002 with my stepsister. Actual games. Bestest Part? Getting to interact with Jason Varitek. He is a nice, nice man.

More on Bruschi

2005-02-17T21:19:00.000-05:00

Boston.com has another update

BOSTON -- New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi suffered a mild stroke but is walking, talking and in good spirits, the team said Thursday.

Bruschi experienced temporary numbness, blurred vision and headaches Wednesday night and was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.

"It has been determined that these symptoms were the results of a mild stroke," team spokesman Stacey James said. "Tedy is in good condition and, as always, his spirits are high. He is walking and talking normally and stressed that he would like to thank everyone for keeping him and his family in their thoughts and prayers."

The Patriots said Bruschi could be released as early as Friday.

"The outpouring of support has been overwhelming and the Bruschi family is very appreciative," James said''

article here

Number 54

2005-02-17T14:06:00.000-05:00

Get well, Tedy.

EDIT - At 3:30pm, WEEI reported that Bruschi had a "broken blood vessel in his head". Nothing about his brain or a stroke. So could be fairly good news. *knocks wood*

EDIT2 - 5:30 on boston.com "The Patriots' Pro Bowl linebacker was admitted to the hospital Wednesday after suffering from persistent headaches and numbness. The numbness is now gone."

Only a Day Away

2005-02-16T13:09:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
They report tomorrow!
It's only a day away!

Sunday's Red and Rover

*

Net Surfing USA

2005-02-16T11:55:00.000-05:00

Interview with Curt on FoxSports
Part 1
Part 2

Poor Drew
I know it would be a step down for him, but I'd love to have him back here as Brady's backup. I've always been a big fan of Drew and he carried this club for many years when we didn't have much to look forward to. He took the team to the Superbowl and it was much closer against the Packers than the final score indicated. And he had heart and guts to spare. I still remember those games he played with the pins sticking out of his broken fingers. And these last couple years, one of the big questions was "what would happen if Brady goes down". Well. I'd trust Drew to step up if that unthinkable event happened.

Things like this still make me smile

2005-02-15T16:55:00.000-05:00

I love coming across these things out of nowhere.

Backstory - I was watching some kind of documentary (don't remember now) and they had an interview with a screenwriter with the last name of Epstein. Since I knew Theo's grandfather and uncle wrote the screenplays Casablanca and other movies, I wondered if this man was related. So I popped over to the internet movie database to check the man. Couldn't find a connection, so I popped over to the Casablanca page to see if I could find a link there. Where upon I came across

Julias Epstein

Great uncle of Theo Epstein - the GM of the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox.

Philip Epstein

Trivia
Is the grandfather of Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein (the youngest GM in baseball history, who built the 2004 team than won the first Red Sox World Series victory since 1918, reversing the so-called "curse of the Bambino")

How cool. Remember when *Theo* first was hired and everyone was "Theo is the relative of so and so and blah. And now it's "related to Theo Epstein". And the "2004 World Champian Boston Red Sox" NEVER gets old.

Oh, Captain, My Captain

2005-02-13T14:28:00.000-05:00

Go. Read this article now. Go!

He listens to them, prods them, encourages them, comforts them, and celebrates with them. He is their database, their muse, their rock, their captain.

He is Jason Varitek

Best. Blog. Post. Ever.

2005-02-12T13:47:00.000-05:00

It's time to play the music
It's time to light the lights
It's time to get things started
At the Stadium tonight

Hello again

2005-02-11T10:32:00.000-05:00

Good article on Mantei in the Globe

He sounds like a good guy and a great player, as long as he is healthy.

He has some interesting things to say on:

The club

Mantei said he's intrigued by the personalities in the Sox clubhouse. And, he said he might be willing to be a setup man here for a few seasons rather than close elsewhere because of the personalities on the team and the passion of the city. Henry said that attitude, coupled with his composure, will serve Mantei well. In Florida, he developed the nickname "Ice Man."

Himself

Mantei said that win or lose, he will be at his locker, waiting for the media.

"I'll always be there," he said. "If I give it up, I'll be there. If I strike out the side in the eighth, I'll be there. It doesn't matter to me. You can't really think about it too much or it'll eat you up."

Randy as a Yankee

According to Mantei, that might happen with his former Arizona teammate, and new Yankee, Randy Johnson.

"He doesn't like attention," Mantei said. "He's going to have problems. He doesn't like a lot of attention, lots of people bothering him. It's not a good place. It would be like coming here. The more people bothering you, if you don't like attention, it's not the right spot."

The owner

"I remember I blew a save early in the season, I think it was '99," Mantei said. "I came back the next day and there was a note in my locker from John Henry. He told me not to worry about it, that I was still one of the best closers in baseball, that I'd have a great year. He was just a really genuine, nice person."

Is it Spring Training yet?

More signs of Spring

2005-02-11T10:26:00.000-05:00

The truck will be leaving the building

The Sox equipment truck leaves Yawkey Way for Fort Myers, Fla., today. Forget about Doppler Radar, Chikage Windler, Punxsutawney Phil, Ed Carroll, and other forecasters; the Sox truck is the best weather prognosticator of all.

Pitching Rotations

2005-02-10T21:27:00.000-05:00

Sports Illustrated columnist Jacob Luft ranks Sox rotation as number one.

Article here

I can't wait for Spring Training.

Game 7

2005-02-10T13:42:00.000-05:00

NESN reruns game seven tonight. In a way, to me, the mood of the game was a lot like the mood of the World Series. After the tension and the turmoil, it was almost a blessed relief. Ortiz-homer. Damon-grand slam. And they (and we) never looked back.

One thing that annoyed me with the coverage of the game. McCarver, Buck and Leiter throughout the game, kept discussing how amazing it was that Derek Lowe was pitching so well on three days rest. Well, guess what Announcer Boys, it's even more amazing than that. He pitched on *two* days rest. Two. Something that a pitcher has almost *never* done, or done so well. Even someone like Jim Lonborg, back in '67. I'm almost afraid that in the progression of the years, when the game is rerun on ESPN classic and clips are utilized that this may be forgotten. That the real, amazing fact might disappear from recollection. I hope not. What DLo did should be remembered in baseball minds forever.

And speaking of the man, Lowe speaks

I, for one, will miss him.

Who are you? Who Who Who Who.

2005-02-09T15:45:00.000-05:00

Nicked this from Basegirl . Working its way around the blogworld.

What Red Sox Player Are You?

Although, apparently I'm tied. If I had answered the tie-breaking question the other day, I would have been a Big Papi. Cool.

You scored as Johnny Damon. You are Johnny Damon!! You are very
down-to-earth and like to joke around a lot. This is apparent through
your appearance. You are known for looking unkempt, perhaps even
caveman-like, but everyone loves you for it. Oh yea... Johnny is my
homeboy!

Johnny Damon

70%

David Ortiz

70%

Manny Ramirez

60%

Kevin Millar

60%

Curt Schilling

57%

Mark Bellhorn

53%

Theo Epstein

40%

Jason Varitek

33%

Which Red Sox Player Are You?
created with QuizFarm.com

Random bit on Game 5

2005-02-09T14:57:00.000-05:00

I only noticed this upon an upteenth viewing of my DVD and then with DVD zoom to check it out. Laughed outloud when I saw it "live" last night.

When Eyechart hits his ground rule double that Sheffield can't get to, it bounces into the stands. The cop stationed there, reaches out to snag it. The college age man standing next to him gives him these "hey, congratuations" pats, where upon the cop hands him the ball. The guy seems to be dumbfounded for about 1.2 seconds and then does this WOO movement anc crushes the cop in a bearhug, almost knocking off his hat.

Funny stuff.

My other personal, not play-related, bit of that game is Schilling, DLow and Wake as The Three Gunslingers. Wow.

Game 6 tonight. The Sock. Horny's Homer. Slappy McBluelips is born. Riot squad on the field. 55K New Yorkers shutting up. I can't wait.

The Bottom Line

2005-02-08T16:06:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't believe Jose Canseco if he told me the sky was blue.

The Day After

2005-02-07T13:33:00.000-05:00

Some random thoughts on last night's game from a sleep deprived fan.

The National Anthem. Absolutely spine-tingling. I actually felt shivers. That's the way it should be done. None of the "look how well I can sing, look I can trill and add vibreto and stuff in extra notes". Beautiful.

It was a close game. The Eagles played us well. It's weird that the score was tied in the first, second and third. The Patriots didn't score first and fell behind. But Brady and his team did not get rattled and tied it right off. And then, like the Sox, never trailed again. Hey, all of you that had identical pairs of numbers in those Squares office pools did well.

I really loved the fact that the stadium played the scoring music for each team that they have in their own stadium. Is this new or has the Superbowl always done this? I have to admit, I pantomimed throwing snow into the air at every HEY.

I am so happy for Deion Branch. That man has been told his whole life he's too small to play football. And now he's MVP of the Superbowl. And he deserved it.

Although, personally, I wanted to give it to Rodney Harrison. That man came up huge. He left everything on that field, and got to "give something" to the opposition. He didn't get to give it to Freddie Mitchel personally, but I suppose Rodney can take pleasure in the fact he caught more passes than Freddie did. And that last drive interception was just the sweet cherry on the even sweeter sundae.

Tedy. What can you say about him. Sack and interception machine. I was worried when he went down, but he seems to be ok. Rodney Harrison gave me a scare there too, but he was back sooner than I expected, making a big play. I hope Eugene Wilson will be okay.

Vrabel. Another Superbowl; another touchdown catch. The other side seemed to expect it this time, but Mike made an amazing, tipping catch, worthy of any highlight reel.

Brady. No MVP this year, but wow. Three Superbowl rings and he's only 27. We are so lucky.

Corey. I am so happy for Corey Dillon I was very dubious when they traded for this guy. I wondered about his reputation. But he's turned out to be better than my wildest dreams. Thank you, Cinci. It was a lovely present.

Hey, Bill. The other bench! And thanks for wearing the hoodie. It just wouldn't be the same without it.

TO played phoenominally. I wasn't expecting much but man, he would have been MVP if the score had been reversed. Amazing.

The halftime show was so much better than last year. Something that made you want to sit and listen. Last year I wandered away from the TV and did other things. This year I even sang along.

Another three point Superbowl. What IS it with our team and winning a Superbowl by three points? Another game decided by an Adam Vinatieri field goal. At least this time, he got to do it earlier in the game and relax a bit.

The "aw" moment. Watching Bill, Romeo and Charlie hug on the sidelines after the win. I got a bit verklempt. Goodbye, Mr Crennel and Mr Weiss. We'll miss you. Thanks for everything.

I love the water dump on the coach (just as long as it's not too cold for the poor guy), but jeez, get his dad out of the way first. Although he's an old football coach himself, he might have liked it.

Now with all that gushing and babbling out of the way -

What the Hell were the Eagles thinking in the closing minutes of the game? What was with the clock (mis)management? They just took their time in the last chunk of the game, ESPECIALLY after they scored that touchdown to pull within 3. Ok, the onside kick was debatable. They're difficult but not impossible and if they had pulled it off they would have been in great position (thank you, Christian). But they're very risky. Personally I would have punted, trying to nail the Pats near their own goalline. The Eagles had a good defense. I think they should have tried to make the Pats go three and out and take over with possibly good field position. Ok, so they didn't. They still stopped the Pats and took over with plenty of time left to do something. But what did they do? Play like it was the third quarter. Where was the hurry up offense? Where was the no-huddle play? They'd wander into a huddle. Then they'd amble to the line. Seconds ticked away. The *game* ticked away. And then they were forced to toss and Rodney put it away. Now, the Pats would not have done that. Judging by their last two Superbowls, Tom would have gone to the hurry up, drove his team down the field and Adam would have kicked the game tying FG. But then again. I'm glad they did what they did. :)

So. Now comes the parade. I love duckboats and confetti. And a week and a half or so until pitchers and catchers report. I wonder if the Sox will have the Patriots throw out the first pitch(es) on Opening Day again. Worked last year. I did hear a rumor that the Sox wanted to keep the Opening Day ceremonies concentrated on the World Series and the fact that they play at home on Patriots Day would mean something. But we'll see, I suppose.

Gah I need a nap. But it's hard to sleep when you're floating on air.

Oh my god

2005-02-06T22:18:00.000-05:00

What a game

I'm speechless.

I'm drained

I'm shaking

And I'm HAPPY.

WOO HOO.

More later

Through the Generations

2005-02-06T13:04:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about my grandmother this weekend. Ever since the news broke about Tom Brady losing his grandmother, I've had mine come to mind. She passed away two months ago, also in a nursing home, at 103.

It's partly to her, I owe being a sports fan. We used to curl up on the couch together on Sunday afternoons and watch the Patriots or the Red Sox play, depending on the season. She was more of a Patriots fan -she liked the tight shiny pants (if you can picture an 80some year old lady being a butt-gal. Cause she certainly was ). When I see the center, and the quarterback get ready for the snap, I think of her. And smile. She was quite a woman. My dad, her son, took me to my first game at Fenway. And the parade last year. He wouldn't have missed the ride for the world.

My grandfather on the other side was a Brooklyn Dogers fan. And a journalist. My mother recently told me that back when, he got to travel with Branch Rickey and Jackie Robinson to do a story on that season. I wish I had know this when he was alive, I bet he had some amazing stories. When the Dodgers left Brooklyn, he split his affections between the Mets and the Red Sox. (He always hated the Yankees.) He took my mother to football games. And me to my only one. Harvard/Yale. Now that's a rivelry.

And so here I am. Patriots Fan. Red Sox Fan. Yankee Hater. Admirerer of Men In Tight Shiny Pants. The beat goes on.

More Vinatieri Love

2005-02-04T15:34:00.000-05:00

"The Kick" - one of the top five most significant plays in the last 25 years, says Sports Illistrated.

One thing about which there is no debate is this: If your life depended on a field goal, no matter the situation, Vinatieri is the man you'd ask to kick it. Like Tom Brady, he is not necessarily perfect all the time -- few remember that Vinatieri missed one field goal and had another blocked in the first half of last year's Super Bowl -- but he has always been pretty damned-near perfect when it counts most.

At least no McCarver this time

2005-02-04T13:33:00.000-05:00

Joe Buck mentioned an interesting item this week: He's never seen the Patriots play in person.

You know. I got that feeling with him and the Red Sox last year

Best line

"It's an honor to be on so many tapes of the telecast, even though angry Red Sox fans chased me into my hotel in New York during the ALCS," Buck said

Got Bruschi?

2005-02-04T11:59:00.000-05:00

I'd kill for this as a poster.

Edit - Something I did not know about the "milk".

Stewart concocted the 'stache recipe -- a strange brew that includes cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla ice cream and secret ingredients Stewart refuses to divulge.

Remembrance and Reflection

2005-02-03T14:14:00.000-05:00

Remembrance and reflection how allied!
What thin partitions sense from thought divide!
-Alexander Pope (1688-1744)

NESN reruns ALCS game 4 tonight. I've seen it multiple times on my recording, but I will be watching every minute of this one tonight. As I said, there's just something about watching things "live". And this game holds even more special memories for me. I was there. Three rows behind first, next to the photographers pit. And as Leigh Montville says, in his book Why Not Us? "the stories are the story" and every fan has his/her story. Well this is mine.

I suppose I need to begin with the Patriots game that Sunday. For the past while, I get together with a few other female sports fans in a chat room on a mutual friend's private server. And we either get in #pats or #sox to watch the game. Well we were gathered in #pats that day to watch the Patriots win their 20th in a row. We virtually cheered them on to victory. The game had just ended and I was just waiting for the post game show, when my friend Sheltie * totally freaks out in channel.

Her-"Oh my god!"
Me -*thinking * Yes they won. Woohoo "Yes?"
Her - "Want to go to the game?"
Me- "But the game just ended . . . The Pats won."
Her- "No, silly, the Red Sox game tonight.
Me-*spittake*

Her father has season tickets (great seats. We've sat there before) and he didn't want them. Didn't . . . want . . .

Me-"I'll meet you in Kenmore Square in two hours"

I live almost exactly two hours south of Fenway; it takes me two hours to the minute from my driveway to the gates of the park. (Barring traffic jams, accidents, etc). So I figured since we were meeting "closer" to me than the park, if I ran around like a mad woman, we could be at the park in plenty of time for the 730 time on the tickets. (Turns out the game didn't get off until after 8 so we had plenty of time). I changed out of my sweats, threw on my Schilling jersey, grabbed my binoculars and a jacketand I was out the door.

I didn't want to listen to WEEI on they way up, I knew they were going to be trashing the team. I hate that. I'm a glass is full kind of fan. We can be down 10-0 in the bottom of the ninth with two out and if the batter walks, my brain goes "rally time". All day I had been thinking much like Millar turned out to be. "If we win tonight, we have Pedro. Then Schilling. And then Game 7. And Game 7 is Anything Can Happen Game. I was so excited that drive-I made great time. Parked myself at Riverside (I wouldn't be caught dead driving into Boston ), put the last of my cash into the parking and the T fare in and boarded the train. Got off and Sheltie was waiting for me. Had to go to the ATM because I had about 5 cents in my pocket. Hadn't had time to get to a bank (or reason to, before that phone call.) She gave me my ticket. Man, was it pretty. Outside the park they were giving out those little signs. These said "We Still Believe." We grabbed them and headed in. I bought a soda in a playoff cup (man is it pretty too) and made our way down to those incredible seats. Ordered some food and we were ready to go. I began that mantra "if we win tonight . . ."and then I stopped. Bad luck to get ahead of things. Bad karma. So I switched. "If we win tonight, they won't sweep us. No sweep. No sweep for them. Not in our house." I leaned over to Sheltie and said, "No matter what happens, we were here for it.

And then we waited. And waited. Apparently they had moved back the start of the game, but we didn't care. I love watching warm ups anyway, and we had a bit of a view into the Sox dugout, so there was plenty to watch. DLo started to make his way from the dugout to the bullpen for his warmups. From his first steps out of the dugout, people started to stand and clap and chant his name. By the time he got out to the pen, he had a full standing ovation going. It was a really powerful moment. Happy and nostalgic at the same time. We all knew it could have been his last time in a Sox uniform. And there was years of appreciation in every clap. Thank you DLo. Thank you for everything. And good luck. We trust you.

Soon it was time for the pregame.. The Kingston Trio. I love the Kingston Trio. We stood to the National Anthem and then danced and sang along to Charlie on the MTA. The place was rocking. And then the first pitch. Smokey Joe Wood's son threw to Bill Carrigan's son. A very nice moment. And then a little gap in time where you just knew they were going tocommercial on the network. And then DLo made his way back to the dugout. Another ovation. We're behind you, Derek.

And then the game finally started. Both pitchers did well. Lowe was pitching great. There were more than a few dLO dLO dLO chants. I laughed when I watched the recording after at the immortal words of Joe Buck, "DLo. That's a nickname for Derek Lowe. Duh, Mr. Buck. The place erupted in the second when Matsui was thrown out at the plate. Man, that was a great play. The cheering seemed to go on forever. The mood was very positive. Then, in the third inning Arod hit a two run homer completely over the monster and into the street beyond. The entire park groaned, almost in unison. But before despair could set in, wvoop! Back came the ball, landing in centerfield. As one, we laughed, tension just about broken. Damon ran, picked it out and rifled it back over the wall to the street. Hey, he DOES have an arm. Wvoop. Back came the ball. Now the tension was totally gone as we laughed, almost hysterically, bad feelings rushing out in our mirth. Thank you, whoever you were. You made a difference.

Mood up, the place erupted again when the sox scored three in the fifth with a bunch of walks and a few timely hits. Then, Matsui hit his triple and Francona went out to pull Lowe. The park went nuts, and not in a positive way . BOOOOOOO. Nobody wanted to take out Derek. But out he came. As soon as he stepped up, the boo's stopped and we all rose for a standing ovation. Thank you, DLo. Great job. You deserved a win.

Sadly it was not to be. I believe it was the very next batter, a hit, the run scored and the lead, and Derek's win was gone. The fans had so wanted Lowe to get that win. The crowed deflated quite a bit. We had emotionally invested ourselves that game with Derek and when he lost his chance for the win, it almost felt as we had lost something. But, there was still a game to be played. And the mood picked up a bit, after Varitek threw out a baserunner. Lots of cheering for Tek.

Unfortunatly, Bellhorn couldn't handle a grounder (and I have to admit,from where I was sitting it looked hard to handle) and the go ahead run scored.
Lots of fans chanted for Pokey then, but I didn't. I don't like things like that, personally. And I like Bellhorn. As I said, I' m a glasses half full kind of gal. The inning ended soon after and I leaned over to Sheltie. "Only one run. That's not too bad."

I bounced in place until the ninth. Rivera was still on. I wasn't afraid. I lost a lot of fear about Rivera that season, what with the Mueller walk off game and that multi-rain delay game in September. He no longer seems immortal to me. And I think no longer to the Sox, which I think meant a lot in this game. Millar walked and the park rose to its' feet cheering and whistling and clapping and stomping. Now. Now was the time. Dave Roberts came on and all the commentators are right. We all knew he was going. Now was the time. Pick. Pick. Pick. . . Run . . SAFE! Bonkers. Mueller up. Now. Was. The. Time. Basehit! Roberts sprints home! Tie game! That driving music kicked in and fans danced and hopped in unison. We had them. It was only a matter of time but we had them

And it was getting that time where the T usually stops running. I wasn't about to leave however. I was going to stay there to the bitter end, no matter how many extra innings it took. Sheltie would have to leave before too long to catch the last train north. She had just started a new job and couldn't risk missing it. Me, I've been at my currant place for years and my boss is a rabid Sox fan. I was planning, if the T had stopped, to take a taxi out to Newton no matter what the cost, or failing that, try to find a hotel room *somewhere* in the city. But I was NOT going to leave.

They teased us for a few innings, both teams threatening but not scoring. The pitching was amazing. Foulke was incredible. Embree was good too. Then Leskanic. Nobody panic, we've got Leskanic. And he held them. Sheltie left at her last possible minutes with instructions to call when it was over. At the end of each inning, a few more fans would leave, but there was still an extremely large number, considering it was after 1 am.

Before the 12th, the PA blasted out that old 80s song "Holding Out for a Hero" and my section got up and danced. What a perfect song, I thought. This would be a perfect time. Leskanic held them again in the top of the 12th. And then it was our turn. Manny singled and the place went nuts. I think that song had put things in our minds. And then . . . words fail me. Ortiz swung. Heads turned. Eyes followed the ball. Would it it? Was it? As soon as the ball landed over the bullpen wall, screams erupted from thousands of throats. I leaped into the air screaming at the top of my lungs. Nothing coherent. Just sounds of pure joy. Ortiz reached home and was mobbed. Dirty Water throbbed from the speakers and people danced. I climbed on my chair waved my sign in the air and danced, singing along. Love that dirty water. Boston you're my home. Others danced on theirchairs with me. I particularly remember an older woman behind me, red clothes, red face paint, a straw hat. We high-fived and danced. We sang along to Tessie. To Joy to the World. A few more songs I no longer remember. We sang. We danced. There was joy in Mudville. We had won. There was no sweep for those damned Yankees. Pedro tomorrow. We wouldn't lose in our house. Schilling the next day. He'd get his redemption. And then Game Seven. Wednesday. Anything Can Happen Day.
We had WON.

All too soon I climbed off my chair. It was time to see if I had a way to get home. Ms Straw Hat asked if I would be okay. She said that they might have held the T, but if they didn't it would be easy to get a taxi out to Newton. I learned later, from reading Why Not Us that this was most probably Kate Rielly. So, Ms Rielly, thank you so much for being a dance partner, a high-five partner and for caring that I got home safely. Thank you.

So I made my way out of the park. There was a group of us fans, all moving in a big boisterous herd across the pike, through BC and BU and other college students heading over the bridge in the opposite direction. The herd moved past the ATM machines. I didn't stop. I had a token and we were moving towards the T stop. Maybe it was still running? We made our way in and down. Yes. Still running. My luck was running over that night. Or perhaps morning.

Soon we were all gathered at tracks. We waited. And waited. And waited some more. People kept coming down the stairs to wait with us. Then an officer came down with a radio, asking them to send trains for Xhundred of people. Then at a little before 2am, one set of trains from each line showed up in turn. There were lots of seats. I think they held them just for us. I found a seat next to the only visible Yankee fan, who had his head turned to the window. I sat next to him and he was pretty much left alone, except for a few "hey, good game/you played hard/maybe we can get you tomorrow too. Very friendly. Good for the fans. Lots of talk on the way out. Some on the incredible game we had just seen. But a lot of talk on the lateness of the hour, the length of our commutes home and what time we had to be at work the next morning. And who was going to call in sick. It was voted that I had the longest commute, with the Worcester contingent coming in second.

We got to Riverside at about 3am. I got in my car. I was so wide awake, still jazzed up. I don't ever remember a lot of that drive. Quickest drive home from a game in my life. I got home a little after 4. I was supposed to be up at 6 to be at work at 7. Why bother going to bed, I thought. So I took a nice hot bath to both warm up and wash. Changed my clothes. Drank some caffeine. And I just went to work. Was bumping into more than a few things, but rather enjoyed telling people why, Then it was home for game 5. And the rest, they say, was history.

So. That's what Game 4 means to me, and why I'll watch every second of it tonight. Thanks for indulging me in my reminiscence. Go, Sox.

*Her online name, but I call her that in Real Life, so that's who she is in my head. And yes, she calls me "Hoo".

I'm Loving it

2005-02-02T16:49:00.000-05:00

Found this url while reading the SOSH board.

Registration may be required. (I think I have their cookies already.)

No Erasing This

"To lose it the way we lost it," Sheffield said. "It's one thing if you lose a series, you win a game, lose a game, but to win three in a row and lose it like that, it's the toughest loss I've ever had to get over. You can't really get over it, because it seems everywhere you go there are Red Sox fans, in Tampa or wherever. We've got to erase that."

We're everywhere *insert evil cackle here*
And we're in their heads! I love it.

The Pro-Bowl Has A Bruschi

2005-02-02T13:57:00.000-05:00

Yay, Tedy

Why I Hate Tim McCarver, Reason #352

2005-02-01T21:59:00.000-05:00

Watching ALCS Game 2, NESN rebroadcast.

Yankee Stadium. Bottom of the first. Men on first and second. None out. Varitek goes out to the mound a few time to talk with Pedro.

Tim (paraphrasing) - "Why is he doing that. Why are they changing signs? Nothing has happened yet and they're changing already. Nobody's even been as far as second!"

Um, Tim? Look at second base? See the person in pinstripes? That's a baserunner. For the Yankees. Who can see the signs.

And I'll stop now. I could go on with McCarverisms for megabites of type.

Waiting for Godot

2005-02-01T15:56:00.000-05:00

Is it Spring Training yet? Hell, is it the Superbowl yet? Anything?

Entertaining myself by watching what ESPN News chooses to show of Media Day. Which, considering all the bedlum that has to be going on, really isn't that much. What they've shown of the Patriots - the players have been thoughtful and well spoken as a whole. Just what you would expect from this team. I really wish they'd just set up a camera and show us everything, espically all those crazy questions we only seem to hear about and not see.

And I'd kill for some real baseball news. Well, ok. Red Sox news. All that seems to be around at the moment is the Sosa to the O's stuff. That and apparently Arod got called to the principal's office. Or maybe the woodshed would be the more appropriate term.

Calling out A-Rod

A couple of the interesting passages

Yankees owner George Steinbrenner summoned Alex Rodriguez to Tampa last month to deliver a face-to-face message to his third baseman: It's
time to assert yourself on this team. Often using coarse language, Steinbrenner told Rodriguez to take more of a leadership role on and off the
field, according to a baseball source who was briefed on the meeting.

"I didn't bring you here to be just one of the guys," Steinbrenner said, according to the source.

Cool. More pressure. Judging on what happened in ALCS games 5-7 last year (plus the last half of game 4) I think that may be a good thing. I
also speculate that both the incidents of Arod/Arroyo might have sprung from exactly this kind of "pressure". I think Arod was trying to take on this "leadership role" and failed miserably. In the first incident, he only spurred the Sox on to a come back win, and help to gel them as a cohesieve team. And in the slap-play . . . well, who else thinks that the Purse Pic (tm) will be featured prominatly on signs in the park in the upcoming season? And besides providing Sox Nation wtth tons of future ammo, he also helped to cost his team that important game. Not only
did he make the out, he cost them a runner in scoring postition. Bring on the pressure!

And speaking of the ALCS. I watched bits and pieces of ALCS Game One last night on NESN (I was going to watch the seventh inning in entirety but my cable went fffzzttt) and it struck me - how different the whole feeling was for the first half of the series, as opposed to the second half. And I don't mean that just because they won and lost. But the way the games felt in the pregames, the first inning, before the wins and the losses were set. To me games 1-3 were a set, games 5-7 were a set and game 4 was a dividing line. And again, I don't mean that in hindsight. They felt that way from the pregames into the first pitches and on from there. And game 4 was the wall dividing the two. I think that perception is reinforced in my brain because game 4 is the only one I didn't see on TV. I actually got to go to that game (I'll post more on that later. Maybe on the NESN rebroadcast/anniversery). But the first three games I was all tense and rocking worse than Terry. And then I was in Fenway and there was cheering and screaming and nailbiting and more cheering and screaming. And then it seemed like that series was over, and another three game series took its place. I probably make no sense. But I do feel like there were 2 ALCS's in a way. And we won the one that counted.

Seperated at Birth?

2005-01-31T13:53:00.000-05:00

Andy Reid of the Eagles / David Wells

Or is it just me?

Bits and bobs

2005-01-31T13:04:00.000-05:00

I've been whining (and have always whined) whenever there's a two week bye in between the last playoff game and the Superbowl. "Two weeks are too long. Too much time for hype." etc. But his morning I thought of something. If Superbowl had only had one, it would have been over now. Nothing to look forward to anymore. In a way, it's like Christmas. Seems to take so long to get here, but the anticipation is a pleasure in itself. And that's a good thing. Besides, it also means that the gap between the Superbowl and pitchers and catchers reporting is shorter too.

This amused me.

Someone I'll be rooting for come Sunday. What a great story.

Dont forget. NESN continues its World Series Winter. Complete schedule here . First game of the 2004 ALCS is tonight. I suppose I'd be more excited if I didn't have the original FOX broadcasts on DVD already. (Thank god for people with TiVOs and DVD-R's.) But there's just something special watching something live, even if you have seen it before. And it's not like I've watched these games more than a couple (dozen) times. I'm not sure how much of the first three games I'll watch on NESN. But I may tune in tonight in time to see the seventh inning. Just for the sheer perverse thrill of watching Mussina's perfect game broken up. I'm so evil.
*insert evil grinning smiley face here*

And don't forget to vote in NESN's poll for a possible 2004 DVD set.
VOTE

There be tickets

2005-01-29T17:47:00.000-05:00

Woohoo!

After spending the entire afternoon in the lovely (not) Virtual Waiting Room (tm), I find myself the proud owner of two tickets to both an August DRays game and a Sept Angels game.

And now my credit card hates me and my back is killing me.

But. Tickets!

Annoyances

2005-01-28T14:38:00.000-05:00

Two things I find annoying

Well. Three things if I count the fact that I got my car out of my snow encased driveway to do an errand only to have it BREAK DOWN and have to be taken to the mechanics and it might have to stay there the whole weekend and I have to carpool with a coworker tomorrow and and . . . *whine*.

OK. I feel better now.

Anyway. Two things I find annoying.

Pink sports gear . Hey, I may be a "girl" but I hate the pink stuff. Sports gear should be sports gear, not frills and froo-froo. Women don't want oversized jerseys and big graphics? I have to take issue with that. My closet full of number jerseys and graphic intensive XL Tshirts says so. And thanks, but I like the sport itself. Although I have to admit cute&sexy players don't hurt. :)

And two. The way a certain boston writer has to take a dig at the Red Sox whenever possible, even in articles that have NOTHING to do with the Sox, or even baseball. Take this article where he says

Try to imagine this in the self-important, self-centered world of baseball. When Nomar and Pedro were injured, they immersed themselves in the magnitude of their misery and made sure everyone knew how much they hurt and how hard they were trying to return. Curt Schilling, who played through pain and delivered like no baseball player in the history of our town, elaborated on his struggle with a heartfelt postgame dissertation that elevated a playoff game to a veritable Fenway Fatima.

Now what the hell does that have to do with anything? Did he really need to stick a snarky remark in a very positive article on our home football team? I don't know why it continues to surprise me though. I should have gotten used to it by now.

And a totally random thought for a totally random day. Think this
will mean we'll be playing in the P&G stadium? The SOSH folk would get a chuckle.

Randomness

2005-01-28T09:46:00.000-05:00

Well it's my day off from work and there's just too much snow out there (and cold!) for it to be enjoyable driving or walking around. So I think it will be a plain ol' Surf The Net day. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Nice article about some of the Red Sox Prospects here . Sounds like a good group of kids.

So it's Mientkiewicz to the Mets. And I just learned to spell it too. I'll miss him. Some of those late inning picks he made were absolutly breathtaking. Watching him square off against Delgado when Doug had to play second that time was something too. (Wonder if Petey will plunk Carlos for him when the Mets and Marlins meet up next season.) And Eyechart was a great cheerleader from the bench. And I don't mean that as a dig at all. One of the great things about the '04 team was the way they cheered on and pulled for each other - from the star outfielder's doublepoints, to the way the non-roster-for-the-WS bench players did their cooler shuffles and leapt up to welcome each base runner back to the dugout. Such fun to watch.

But I have to admit. I'm so glad they kept Millar. I adore Millar. Yes, I know he can be brash and outspoken and prone to foot-in-mouth disease, but that's part of what I love about him. He's *entertaining*. He tells great stories. Personally I loved the "shots" story. I want to hear everything. I guess I'm strange but I never expected the "prudishness" that greeted that story from some of the fans. But as I said, I'm strange. He's willing to take to the press anytime, anywhere. And I think some of his "shyer" teammates appreciate that.

Another reason I love Millar? Just pop in the MLB 2004 World Series DVD and take a look at the bonus featuers. Where Millar is going around telling anyone who will listen not to let them win tonight. What confidence. And that whole attitude *worked*. And in other interviews you can see and hear his teammates reiteratiing his attitude. They took it to heart. And. It. Worked. My God, they did something that one one else in baseball has EVER done. And I have to think that attitude had something to do with it.

Plus I love the whole changing facial hair thing. What can I say. I was also a big Dauber fan.

More later. This is like the fourth time I've tried to make this post and I keep hitting the wrong button. So I need to get it posted before it disappears again and get my eyes looking at something different.

A Long Cold Winter

2005-01-27T19:28:00.000-05:00

It's a long cold winter. And not just because there's over two feet of snow on the ground and sub zero wind chill.

All I have to say is thank God for the Patriots. Without them my winter would be longer and colder. But football is only once a week. And right now, not for two weeks. And I have to admit, as much as I love football and the Patriots . . . baseball is my One True Love, so to speak. And the wait between the last game of the season until Spring Training seems interminable.

I've been whiling away a few nights watching and taping World Series Winter on NESN. I really enjoyed the 1975 series. I was only a small child at the time and watching the entire games has been great. I also watched games 1-5 of the 1986 series but last night I found myself unable to watch game 6 (or game 7 tonight for that matter). I know what happens. I've seen it al before. And with last October's triumphs, the fact they didn't win then doesn't hurt as much. Yet, I still couldn't bring myself to watch. And I tried to figure out why. I mean I had no trouble watching game 7 of the 1976 series. And I think I may know why. The '86 team was the first team I truly fell in love with. I knew all the players. I followed them. I had crushes on some of them. Heck I wore black hightops for years after that October. I felt I knew them. Almost . . . family in a way. And it's not my pain that I don't want to experiance. It's theirs. I didn't want to see Calvin allow those hits. I didn't want to watch Stanley and Geddy and that pitch. And I certainly didn't want to watch poor Billy Buck and that grounder. Like you don't want to see the people you love in your life screw up or experiance pain, I don't want to watch "my players" go through all that again.

And on a somewhat related note. Watching Buckner play with his ankles like they were has made me admire him all the more. In game 5, when he scored from second on that hit, it just looked so painful. And I thought - if they had won, he would have been hailed as a hero. He could have been the '86 version of Schilling in some ways. But fate, and baseballs, bounce in unexpected directions. I've naver ever blamed him. In fact, I wrote my very first fan letter to anyone ever to him that winter. Now Mcnamara on the other hand . . .

Getting Started

2005-01-27T16:16:00.000-05:00

Well. Where do I begin.

I was going to do one of these last season but everytime I keep track of the season, well. You know, right? Actually, I've never kept a journal but in 2000, 2001, and 2002 I had printouts where I logged wins, losses, rainouts, clippings etc and look what happened. So, being a "typical" supersitious baseball fan - 2003, I didn't keep formal track at all (although I did watch or go to all of the games as usual) and we made the playoffs. I was on to something. 2004, I did the same (even went to a few more games than usual). And it was the greatest sports year I ever had. So now my personal jinx is over. O V A.

And so I thought I'd try something new. This will be the result, I hope. Ive never really kept any kind of a journal at all, even a diary as a kid. So it will be a learning experiance.

Now I need to go make profiles and tweak settings and everything else I'm supposed to do here.

See you later.