A Final Paean to Manny

A final ode to Manny from Charlie Pierce.

Charles Pierce, Boston Globe: Manny Ramirez's Long Goodbye
Exit stage left, dude. It's been fun.

Farewell to Mr. Bloody Sock

Boston Globe: Schilling to have season-ending surgery

Curt Schilling revealed this morning that he will have season-ending surgery on his right shoulder on Monday, saying there was a "pretty decent chance that I've thrown my last pitch forever."

The 41-year-old Red Sox righthander made the disclosure during his weekly interview on sports radio WEEI's Dennis and Callahan show, sounding very much like a player whose career could be over.

"I don't want it to end this way, but if this is the way it has to end, I'm OK with that," Schilling said. "If it's over and my last pitch was in the 2007 World Series, I'm OK with that. I just can't stress enough where I am mentally with this. I have not a regret in the world. ... None of this makes me bitter or angry or pissed. It is what it is. In that sense, honestly, it's very, very easy for me because of what I've been able to experience compared to what I wanted when I first started my career, but if I have some say in how this is gonna end, I want it to be different than what it is right now."

Thanks for the memories, Curt. We'll always have 2004.

Enjoy yourself out there stumping for John McBush this summer.

Red Sox Notes

Boston Herald: Photo by Matt Stone
Josh Beckett not looking like a lean, mean pitching machine that he reportedly is at Spring Training in Florida yesterday.

I always feel like this when I put on my bathing suit on the first beach day of the year.

Spring training has begun! Well, at least pitchers & catchers and a few other early birds (click on this link & watch the video on the right for a hilarious interview with Jonathon Papelbon) have reported. Time to begin reading Joy of Sox and The Soxaholix daily again.

We are having one brutal winter, which I hate, but do you realize that the last terrible winter we had followed our last World Series triumph (2004). So now we know: When the Red Sox win the World Series, we spend the winter digging out. Good trade; let it snow, let snow, let it snow.

Great long piece on Dustin Pedroia from Sunday's Boston Globe.

Clay Buchholtz (Mr. Rookie No-No) spent the offseason working out & putting on 10 much-needed pounds.

Dice-K's got a mullet.

Okajima, on the other hand, tells the media that he's got a new secret pitch. Ooooh!

Didja know that Jacoby Ellsbury is a Mormon? So is Dennis Eckersley. This blogger put both on his her All-Mormon team.

Our happy warrior.Boston Globe:
Papelbon addressed the media, saying, "Just on the way down here, you know, driving and stuff, you think about what happened last year, going out there and doing it again. You turn the radio up loud. You cruise. It's always a fun time of the year for me."
(AP Photo)

Papelbon on Letterman, Updated

For those of you who, like me, fell asleep on the couch waiting for Papelbon's appearance on Letterman. Transcript; video:



hat tip on the video to Cursed to First

Update: Centerfield has Papelbon's appearance on QVC hawking World Series gear. The guy who interviews him is a total QVC tool; see if you make it any farther through the video than I did (about 2 minutes!)

Wait 'Til Next Year

Listen to the Captain - Re-Sign Lowell. (Actually the sign says "RESIGN LOWELL", kind of like "SURRENDER DOROTHY", but I know what it means.)
Boston Globe
The baseball season is officially over. The rallying cry in Red Sox Nation used to be "Wait 'Til Next Year". Doesn't really seem appropriate any more. How 'bout "Let's Go 3 For 5!" It's so....positive...and so unlike the old Red Sox mentality.

Some final Red Sox goodness:

Tom Verducci's great article summarizing the Sox season, with this prize nugget:

Or maybe, just maybe, they won it when a very large, angry man cleared the clubhouse of everybody but Red Sox players after Game 3 of the American League Championship Series in Cleveland, which Boston had lost to the Indians to go down 2-1.

"Listen," designated hitter David Ortiz began, "we're not just a good team. We're a great team. And don't you f------ forget that. And let's go play one at a time and go prove that. Because let me tell you something...."

Ortiz pulled on the sides of his gray road jersey. "There's a reason why you wear this Red Sox uniform...."

Ortiz paused for a beat, letting the suspenseful silence fill the rapt room.

"Because you're a bad mother------."

Now I ask you, who among us does not love Big Papi?

Boston Globe photo galleries:

Papelbon (that boy is crazy); Rolling Rally; the plane ride home.

Nice piece from Basegirl about the joys of watching the Sox win it all, with family; and another one from Sawxblog about taking his dad to Game 1 of the World Series.

World Series Heroes

After several signature moments in the World Series, Jacoby Ellsbury took time out to have his teammates sign his jersey.

(Globe Staff Photo / Stan Grossfeld)


Hope he is enjoying the parade today. Every local TV station is showing it live. Papelbon is dancing up a storm. Varitek is holding a "Sign Lowell" sign that must have been passed to him from the crowd. Boston loves their Red Sox.

I went to the Celtics championship celebrations in 1984 and 1986 and those were pretty special, but I bet there were 1/20th there compared to the huge crowd of people at this rally. Maybe 1/100th. This is a one team town. We love the other teams when they're successful. but everyone is a Red Sox fan, no matter whether they're world champs or 86-76 (that would be last year, folks).

Sox Sweep 2007 World Series 4-0

Again, I am exhausted by another exciting, nail-biter of a game. Congratulations to the Red Sox and their organization. I was also really impressed by the Rockies fans who never gave up on their team. They were still cheering lustily with two outs in the bottom of the 9th.

Mike Lowell wins a well-deserved post-season MVP. Perfect. He was the regular season MVP, and he did everything right, especially in those two close games. You'd think he was fast from the way he ran the bases. But he was better than fast -- he was fundamentally sound and he took every inch the Rockies gave. Please God let the Sox resign him. At least don't sign the odious A-Fraud. Please, please, I'm begging you, don't sign him. Just step away.

Reason 728 why I love Jerry Remy: On the postgame show on NESN he is asked about Alex Rodriguez's agent announcing during the 7th inning of the World Series that Rodriguez is opting out. Remy spits out: "It's disgusting....disgusting and despicable." And of course the dopes at Fox were happy to hijack the attention from the Sox to the attention whore Rodriguez.

Like most of Red Sox Nation, I would be physically sick if the Sox signed the pretty loser, PayFraud. Although it would be fun to see how he gets along with Mike Timlin. I can see Timlin impaling him with the bullpen rake if they really got into it. Why would the Red Sox, a team that prides itself on character, associate the franchise with the hooker-patronizing StrayRod? And it's not like you'd be getting him for post-season production, 'cause he disappears when the stakes are high. Do you need to know more? That's why fans last night were chanting two things: "Re-sign Mike Lowell" and "Don't Sign A-Rod." Good advice, Theo. Take it.

Oh god, I'm pulling a Fox and getting distracted by He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Done with that.

Didn't you love Timlin's Ode to Wake, while standing right next to him, making them both cry? That was awesome.

Speaking of MVP performances, while I agreed that Lowell was the man, it was close. Coach Mom thought it would be Ellsbury. He did hit a scorching .438 in his first World Series, with an OBP of .500 and a SLG of .688. Those are just phenomenal numbers for our phenom. And he fielded every position they put him in like a pro, and his speed terrorized the Rockies pitchers and fielders. I wanted him to get MVP just so he could win the Rookie of the Year award next year after winning World Series MVP.

My friend G wanted Pedroia to get the award, but I think that was sentimental as much as anything. DP had a better shot at MVP of the ALCS. My favorite quote of the postseason by far is Julio Lugo in the clubhouse after the ALCS clinching game, speaking of Pedroia: "That little midget is THE MAN!"

The third player who should have gotten serious MVP consideration has to be Papelbon. Nails didn't give up a run, only 2 hits in 4.1 innings, with three consecutive saves to close out the four game sweep. He did get a lot of help from one Jacoby Ellsbury catch in the 9th inning last night at the wall. Can't wait to see Pap dancing on the duck boat tomorrow!

Final thought: People who weren't here for the entire season who deserve a full World Series share: Kason Gabbard -- his four wins while Schilling was out were huge, and Bobby Kielty -- the guy had one chance in the World Series and really had that one shining moment, a one-pitch home run that was the winning run of the clinching game. Seven years in the majors, four different teams, one pitch to win the World Series. Priceless.

Cloud Nine

Papelbon flies in triumph after closing out Game 4 for the World Champion Boston Red Sox.
(Getty Images Photo / Jeff Gross)

WaPo: Red Sox Have the World at Their Feet
Four-Game Sweep Clinches Second Crown in Four Seasons: Red Sox 4, Rockies 3

I Should Have Bought a Couch

Our new hero.
Boston Globe
Exhausted by another very satisfying, very late night Red Sox win. I wonder how many other people are thinking like me -- I should have bought a couch! Because the Red Sox are going to win this Series going away, and all those people who bought furniture at Jordan's in April are getting their money back.

Those rookies at the top were simply amazing. Ellsbury will be Boston's starting centerfielder for a long time to come. You knew he was special when he scored from second on wild pitch in his very first game in July, but setting records in the World Series? Who could have predicted this from a kid who was carrying his own equipment in Double A In Portland, Maine in April? And how is it possible that he was the 23rd pick in the baseball draft in 2005? That's like Tom Brady being a 6th rounder; it just defies the imagination. 22 teams saw that blinding speed and mad skills and said, nah, we'll pass. (Just looked it up; Troy Trulowitzki went #7. I can justify picking him. What an arm.)

Fucking Fox is trying hard to ruin my World Series experience. We ignore their lame pregame (except for the lineup announcements) and mute the commercials, but to hear the crowd we are forced to listen to dumb and bum, Buck and McCarver. Why do they hate Manny Ramirez so? Is it because he's hitting the lights out in the postseason? I think it's racial racism (edited 10/29/07 to be more direct). He's not a tight-assed white guy like them and they just don't like it. Why were they going on and on about his helmet falling off as he rounded the bases in the third inning? They started talking about his dreadlocks obsessively. They were this close to calling him a nappy-headed ho. Hey, morons, he's got dreadlocks because that's the way his hair grows. Read Pam Spaulding's terrific piece on The Politics of Hair to see how all this white obsession with cornrows is just plain old discrimination against black people. STFU and stop exposing your KKK attitudes.

Back to single Ks. Dice K was awesome. Love that little butt waggle he does before he delivers. When he's really on he does it before every pitch. It's so cute! I don't think I'd have pulled him as quickly as Francona did, but it worked out so I can't complain. He gets his first major league hit -- and in the World Series no less -- so he not only pitched for the win, he had two RBIs and until next year at least, his World Series batting average is .333.

Tonight I'm rooting for cancer survivor Jon Lester to cap his year of amazing comebacks with a win in Game 4 of the 2007 World Series. Plus, I need to start going to bed before 2:00 a.m. I need a win tonight, boys.

Yeah, the angst is gone. This year, I'm not afraid to say: We're going to win it all. One of my friends reminded me last night that I predicted this in July. I don't remember that, but I'm old and I don't remember much any more. But I'm pretty sure I'll never forget the 2007 Red Sox.

Somewhere Sherm Feller is smiling. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to Fenway Park and your 2007 World Series Champions, The Boston Red Sox.

I Wish I Wrote This

Esquire: TheSide: Blog
Why You Should Root for the Boston Red Sox
Because they represent everything that is good about America. (Of course, not everyone agrees with this.)

Read the whole thing; it's hilarious. For this:

I've left out some people, I'm sure, but that's basically your 2007 Boston Red Sox: two Japanese exchange students, a feisty runt, a tough-looking Jew, a Navajo Indian, an idiot-savant, a right-wing asshole, the human embodiment of charisma, and a man named after a breakfast cereal. That's America, right there. And, ain't that something worth cheering for?

And this:

Eric Gillin: The Colorado Rockies? Seriously? How can anyone cheer for the Colorado Rockies? They're like a bag of Wonder Bread with a jar of Miracle Whip -- a bland collection of forgettable ballplayers with candy-ass names like "Taylor" and "Jamey." If you could buy the Colorado Rockies in the grocery store, they'd come in a white box with giant black letters across the front saying BASEBALL TEAM. Their lineup looks like it came off a Mattel production line, a ball-free collection of multicultural Kens with the occasional goatee and the underwear already stamped in.

I know this is unfair, but I still consider the Rockies a bush league marketing ploy that allowed baseball to sell more black merchandise when all the pro sports leagues overexpanded in the 1990s. I know I'm going to regret this later, but right now I have trouble taking the franchise seriously. They play 5,000 feet above sea level. They've never won their own division. Their Website crashed when World Series tickets went on sale. Their uniforms don't have sleeves.

And this immortal video of Manny Ramirez petting Julian Tavares' head:

Manny pets Tavarez
Uploaded by bjs1234

Hat tip to Cursed to First.

Random Red Sawx Notes

Boston Globe
- I just drove by two girls, maybe 10 years old, in a park on the edge of Main St., holding up a sign that said "Honk if you Love the Red Sox", both outfitted in Sox shirts and sunglasses, screamingly gleefully at each car that honked as it went by. Pure joy.

- What's with Clint Hurdle and the bobbing cap? I've never seen anyone chew their gum so intensely that those little muscles on the side of your temples could move your baseball cap. It's really weird to watch.

- Someone please give Tim McCarver and Joe Buck a big cup of STFU. I would pay extra for a TV that let me mute announcers and listen to nothing but the crowd noise.

- What's with all the limp dick ads during the World Series? Pee medicine, erection medicine, ewwwwwwww. Last night I noticed that the first one came on at 10:00 p.m. Luckily the two kids in the room were already asleep, so I didn't have to explain weak stream or four hour erections to teenagers. Are baseball fans the target audience? Is there a high percentage of men with defective equipment watching the Series? Personally, I'm sick of hearing about it.

- Jonathon Papelbon is married. Can you imagine living with him? Does he make that face at home? Is it his Baby let's do it face? (That question is definitely influenced by all those limp dick ads I've been forced to watch for the last two weeks.) Dance? Talk crazy? I'd imagine that he is exhilarating, infuriating and exhausting, all in the same day.

- Did anyone else feel kind of icky hearing the bullpen band banging out the Atlanta Braves Indian tom-tom rhythm while Jacoby Ellsbury was batting? And a couple of them were doing the tomahawk chop. To me, that's racist and not cool. John Henry: a little education is in order here.

- Ellsbury a/k/a Tacoby Bellsbury wins America a free taco with an uncontested steal. Appropriate as he is the fastest guy on the field. This NYTimes writer is offended by the taped conversations in the dugout about the Taco Bell challenge; to me they make sense. These guys didn't come from money. They probably still go to Taco Bell while making their million dollar salaries.

- I love love love Pedroia the Destroia. Especially since I'm convinced I can look him in the eye. He's listed at 5'9", but Francona says he's 5'7", and on ESPN the other night Peter Gammons said what I believe to be true: He's 5'5". He's the Muggsy Bogues of baseball! Some other guy on ESPN said Pedroia has the smallest hands he's ever seen on a major league baseball player. They don't look freakishly small to me, but the camera does put on 10 lbs.

Feel the Pedroia love: Arizona Republic, USAToady, Boston Globe, The Republican, Braves.scout.com, East Valley (AZ) Tribune, Boston Herald (his mom), Dallas Morning News, Los Angeles Times, San Diego Union Tribune.

- Best sign of the night had to be the giant dancing Papelbon puppet. The swinging legs! The compression shorts! Two-dimensional Cinco Ocho.

- Hope the Sox resign Mike Lowell, if just to save me from the horror of having to watch Alex Rodriguez, the pretty loser. I just can't cheer for the guy. Let the Cubs have him; let the Cubs prolong their agony.

Boston Globe: Photoshopping the Sox

Sweet

boston.com:
ALCS celebration
Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon celebrated on the field after the Red Sox won the AL pennant.
(Getty Images Photo / Al Bello)

The Sultan of Smack

One of the Juice Boys is back in the headlines:



















On the left is Jason Giambi in 2006; to the right is his rookie card.

Boston Globe: Report: Giambi failed amphetamines test

NYDailyNews: Exclusive
Giambi meets with MLB officials

Red Sox Nation will never forget Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series, (aka the Bronx Robbery) where long before Grady left Pedro in too long, long before Aaron Boone put himself into history with his walkoff homer against Tim Wakefield in the 11th inning, juiced Jason Giambi hit two solo homeruns. No juice, no comeback, no win. I repeat my call for the tiny hypodermic needle to be placed next to the stats of every one of these cheaters.

Cool World Series Montage

Sawx wouldn't have been in the World Series were it not for The Steal

World Series Montage

What World Series, you ask?

But of course, 2004, the night of the orange moon.

I miss Dave Roberts.

hat tip to Touching All the Bases