Manny, Moss power Sox to Opening Day victory

Boston 6, Oakland 5 (10 inns)
WP: Okajima (1-0)
LP: Street (0-1)
SV: Papelbon (1)
HRs: Bos- Moss (1); Oak: Ellis (1), Hannahan (1)

Superstar(s) of the Game: Manny & Moss 4-9, 2R, 2 2Bs, HR, 6BI
Ramirez knocked in 4 of the 6 Sox runs with a pair of two-run doubles, including the game winners in the 10th, and Brandon Moss, a late fill in for J.D. Drew, knocked in the other two with an RBI single in the 6th and the game-tying solo shot in the 9th, his 1st career home run.

The Biggest Loser: Huston Street 1.2IP, 3H 3ER, BB, 2K, HR, BS, L
The stellar young As closer blew the save when he allowed Moss' shot in the 9th, then got torched for 2 more runs on 2 hits and a walk in the 10th to take the loss. No sushi for you!

RECAP:
At times it wasn't pretty.

Other times it was downright terrific.

All of the time it was damn early.

But either way you look at it the end result was Boston stole a victory in the Land of the Rising Sun in a game that began just after sunrise on the East Coast, squeaking out an extra-inning win over a bunch of relatively unknown baby As after a shaky performance by starter Daisuke Matsuzaka and reliever Kyle Snyder.

Matsuzaka (5IP, 2H, 2ER, 5BB, 6K, HR, HBP), making his first start in his homeland since defecting to Boston prior to last season, pitched 5 innings of topsy-turvy ball, allowing 2 runs on 60 pitches through the first two innings before settling down and holding the As at bay, allowing his teammates a chance to climb back in it with their potent offense.

Except that offense was being stymied by the bend-but-don't-break attack of Joe Blanton (5.2IP, 7H, 3ER, BB, 3K), who despite getting into mini-jams in each of the first 3 innings inning held the Sox scoreless through the first five of this early bird special.

The game began with Dustin Pedroia ripping a single up the middle at just after 6:10 EST this morning (7:00PM tonight Japan time) and ended when Jonathan Papelbon got Kurt Suzuki to ground out to Youk just before 10:00 Eastern, and in between the game featured a little bit of everything, including helmeted waitresses in the stands, geisha girls dancing on the field before the game, Hub-centric tunes like "Shipping off to Boston" and "Sweet Caroline" playing on the LOUDspeakers, and raucous ovations for Boston's two Japanese imports, Dice-K and Hideki Okajima.

Too bad once the game actually got started the hospitality and goodwill Boston had been receiving throughout the entire trip came to a sudden and screeching halt.

First came the news that J.D. Drew, who had homered in each of the two prior exhibition games vs. Japanese League teams over here, was a game-time scratch due to a back spasm of some sort, forcing the green Moss (sorry) into the starting lineup just 3 minutes prior to game time.

Pedroia then promptly sparked what appeared to be an early rally for the away team with his solid single to center and after Youk's fielder's choice got him into scoring position it was up to the big boys to get the early run in. Except Papi (0-4,BB, R) popped out to third on the first pitch he saw and Ramirez fouled out to right 4 pitches later, and suddenly it was time for Matsuzaka to make his Tokyo Dome re-debut.

Unfortunately what followed was a lesson of how not to pitch when you are being welcomed back to the place your career began as Dice-K looked like a Little Leaguer on the hill for the biggest game of his life. Matsuzaka got Travis Buck to ground out on the first pitch he threw, then proceeded to serve up a gopher ball to Mark Ellis two pitches later to give Oakland an early (literally) 1-0 lead.

It didn't get much better from there as Dice walked unknown Daric Barton, hit Jack w/ a 'K' Cust on the foot on a 2-2 count, then after wild pitching the runners over, loaded the bases on another free pass to the feeble Emil Brown. Only a slow roller to the mound by plummeting Bobby Crosby that plated one and a strikeout (on a 3-2 count) to Jack Hannahan, who was replacing the injured Eric Chavez, prevented the A's from blowing the game open before the first Sapporo of the evening was downed.

The 2nd inning brought more of the same as Boston wasted a leadoff single by Mike Lowell only to see Matsuzaka get himself in another predicament thanks to his inability to throw a breaking ball for a strike, resulting in a bases-loaded situation courtesy of two walks and a single by Suzuki in the bottom of the frame.

This time only a strikeout of Kust prevented an As uprising as Matsuzaka escaped the inning unscathed to keep the deficit at 2-0, but by this time it looked as though Dice would be gone from the game before the last wisps of darkness faded from the morning sky here in the States.

Things settled won from there, with the teams trading 1-2-3 innings for a bit until the Sox finally broke through against Blanton in the top of the 6th.

Pedroia (2-4) began the uprising with a ringing double off the wall in right center that was misplayed by Buck, and after Youk drew a 4-pitch walk, Papi had another chance to do some damage and slice into the As lead. But he fouled out to third.

Luckily Manny brought his hitting shoes in the first game of his contract year -is it any wonder why he's so focused & prepared this early in the season?- as he laced the first pitch he saw from Blanton down the third base line and deep into the corner for a 2-run double that tied the score and brought the fans from both nations (of course RSN was well represented for this ultimate roadie) to their feet for the first time since the beginning of the game.

After Lowell fanned, Mos began his rise to cult status and started the murmurs of "play him instead of the oft-injured Drew" when he ripped 1B to RF to score Manny, and the Sox had the lead at 3-2 and a potential win for Matsuzaka, who gutted it out despite his early struggles and deserved a W here.

Too bad Kyle Snyder didn't follow the script, as he allowed a single to Crosby and a homer to Hannahan 5 pitches into the bottom of the 6th, and now Boston would have to play catch up again.

The next few innings featured a parade of relievers, including a couple of familiar faces on the Oakland side in Lenny DiNardo and old friend Keith the Burger King Foulke, who threw a 1-2-3 8th that included a whiff of Manny to end the frame, and then the Sox were down to their final at bats.

Thankfully Huston Street was willing to play the role of goodwill ambassador today.

Moss spanked Street's 1-out, 2-2 offering into the stands in right for a game-tying solo shot that sent the crowd into a frenzy, and even though he retired the next two batters, you could sense the momentum had definitely shifted to the home-away-from home team.

Sure enough after Oki, who received a louder greeting from the fans than fellow countryman Matsuzaka, set the As down in the bottom of the 9th, Boston quickly went to work on ending this thing in the 10th when Lugo reached on an infield single to lead off, and then after an intentional walk to Papi, Ramirez roped a double high off the right field wall that scored both runners and effectively sent the fans home happy.

Sure Papelbon struggled in the bottom of the 10th, letting in a run on three hits, but by that time everyone was either too spent to worry about it or had already left for work assuming that Boston had lost in regulation.

But on this day (night? morning?) the Sox would prove to be just as resilient as they were 5 months ago, when no deficit was too large and no game was unimportant enough to brush aside.

Especially one where the psyche of two nations was resting on their shoulders.

Hey, whadda ya say we all do it again tomorrow morning?

See ya at 6:00.

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Hours away from Opening Day

Boston Red Sox (0-0) vs. Oakland A's (0-0)
GM 1 Tue 6am EST ESPN2: Matsuzaka (NR) vs. Joe Blanton (NR)
GM 2 Wed 6am EST ESPN2: Lester (NR) vs.0 Harden (NR)

As most of the country sleeps, two nations will be awake with the giddy anticipation that the new baseball season always brings. Or bleary-eyed and groggy while watching our national pastime kick off the 2008 season 7,000 miles away from home at an hour reserved for pre-dawn pee trips and nauseating early birds.

But definitely one or the other.

The Boston Red Sox begin their title defense in the land of the rising sun at about the time the sun is rising in the West, which is why it will feel so odd when the first game between the Sox and A's starts at approximately 6:07 a.m. EST. After all, there are still Grapefruit and Cactus league games being played stateside, and after this 2 game set is complete, Boston will play three additional "preseason" games against the Dodgers this weekend in LA.

Preseason games. After the season has officially started.

And baseball fans thought Bud Selig fucked up with the All Star Game tie.

But no matter. When the game starts it will be all about Dice K receiving a hero's welcome in his homeland, Jacoby Ellsbury continuing his quest to be the home-grown folk hero Judas Demon never was, and Big Papi attempting to put his sub-par (by his standards) 2007 season behind him by winning that elusive MVP he so rightfully deserves.

The Sox tuned up for this odd goodwill mission that is a marriage of horsehide and greenbacks by taking a pair of exhibition games from Japanese League teams the Yomiuri Giants and Hanshin Tigers, a surefire way to prepare for 'real' MLB teams like the San Fran Giants and Detroit Tigers if there ever was one.

The only major news to come from the trip to Japan was the sore neck incurred by backup 1B Sean The Mayor Casey, as the combination of the 17-hour flight and a poor sleeping position proved debilitating for the aging vet, and proved the Sox brass were quite wise to keep rehabbing ace Josh Beckett back home for some fine tuning on his injured back.

Beckett was officially placed on the DL before the trip, but he pitched a couple innings against scrub minor leaguers yesterday and is progressing nicely with his injury and should be ready for the Sox first real series back home next week sometime.

In the meantime his mates will try to win a couple of games in a foreign land at an odd hour with a pair of Nations glued to the sets to see what this opening series will bring.

If the Sox take a pir and come away with no major maladies, food poisoning or super strain of jet lag, all should be well.

But god forbid Boston drops a pair, Dice-K gets a hold of some bad sushi from a disgruntled Seibu Lions fan, and JD Drew goes 0-8 with 3 Ks and four groundouts.

Then the real grumbling will begin.

I can hear the mid-summer mantra now: "if only they didn't have to start the fucking season in fucking Japan..."

Play Ball and Go Sox!!!

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Good news: Dice is a daddy, Becks' back's better

In this abbreviated spring filled with more bad news than good, the Sox get a couple of encouraging signs heading into the opener in Tokyo

First Dice-K's wife had the couple's first child on Saturday, 10 days ahead of schedule, enabling the Japanese starter to return to his homeland and pitch in the opening series against the A's in Tokyo. Then word came that Josh Beckett's back has gotten exponentially better, and that even though he will not make the trip overseas, he should be able to start in the team's first series back on the mainland against the A's on April 1-2.

Matsuzaka's wife Tomoyo was scheduled to give birth on March 25, Opening Day, but even though she insisted her husband make the trip back home with his team, Dice, ever the gentleman, decided to stay behind with her for the birth.

Luckily, as all the parents out there know all too well, the baby was not born on time, probably due to the prayers of millions of fans from both nations, so the issue became moot. Matsuzaka will now make the trip and start the opener in what should be a raucous Tokyo Dome, while Jon Lester will most likely get the start in Game 2.

So for at least one day Boston got some encouraging news to help brighten up what had been shaping up to be a depressing start to their title-defense season.

Now as long as they survive the grueling schedule of the first few weeks, maybe they will actually be able to defend that title.

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Beckett's bad back=bad news for Bosox

It was one thing to have the defending champs open the season 6000+ miles away from home in what promised to be a most untimely road trip, but now it appears they will have to do so without the services of their number 1 starter, ace Josh Beckett.

Talk about things going from bad to worse.

The Red Sox righty and reigning Cy Young winner (shut up, I know he didn't win, we're just ignoring that small fact) tweaked his back while warming up for a Grapefruit league start on Saturday, and after initial diagnosis downplayed the significance of the injury and an MRI confirmed no serious damage to the area, the last couple of days have only seen his condition improve mildly, therefore putting his opening day start on March 25 in Tokyo in jeopardy.

According to a report in today's Globe, Tito and co. have not ruled out Beckett making the Tokyo trip, where the Sox will play two exhibition games and two regular season games against the A's before returning to the country, but as ESPN.com's Jayson Starke put it, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that a 17-hour plane ride is not the best therapy for an ailing ace with a balky back.

Combine that bad news with the fact that Dice K was already doubtful for the trip back to his homeland due to the impending birth of his child (anyone else see the irony in that?),and what you have is a team trying to defend its title by travelling halfway around the world to play 4 cash-grab, errrr, goodwill games without its two best starters.

Sounds like a surefire recipe for a repeat to me.

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Magic words: Pitchers and catchers (& Sox bloggers) report

After a winter of celebrating the title, contemplating the new season and recuperating from the championship run, it's time for the me & the boys to get back to work

It's been a long offseason, but after three months of rest and following the Patriots painful finish to what was shaping up to be an historic season, I think it's safe to say that I am ready for baseball season to start.

I know I haven't been very timely with my posts since the Sox tasted the champagne from winning its second World Series in four years, but after what seemed like perpetual blogging at all hours of the day and night from March to November, I was on the verge of blogger burnout out before my blog's 1st birthday.

So I took a few months off, started a new job, coached my son's Little League team (yup, we play baseball all year 'round down here in FLA, suckers) and generally steered clear of the blogosphere for a while.

But the Pats chase for perfection brought me back to my other blog, and the sour ending to their sweet season dovetailed nicely into the day that baseball lovers yearn for: the start of spring training.

Now I'm back and ready to post my ass off, and what better way to start than with a recap of everything I've missed, Sox-wise, since my last champagne-soaked post on November 14th:

-MLB announced the Sox would open the regular season in Japan with a 2-game series against the A's. This money grab, errr baseball goodwill gesture, means that spring training will be shorter, angering scalpers in Florida who will lose thousands of dollars in revenue charging World Series prices for Grapefruit League seats

-Boston agreed to terms with hotly contested free agent Mike Lowell, keeping the WS MVP from the clutches of the archrival Stankees. Granted they probably overpaid (3 years, 36 million) for a 34-year old whose skills could erode at any time, but with the Stanks reportedly offering more money and years, and with the potential fan backlash letting the team's most beloved player this side of Papi leave, Boston had no choice but to bring him back.

-The hot stove nearly scalded Sox fans as rumors of a deal with Minnesota for ace Johan Santana alternated between simmering and boiling for a couple of weeks. The names mentioned brought groans from the Nation as young studs Jon Lester and Jacoby Ellsbury were floated in various scenarios, but the thought of 2-time Cy-tana alongside (shoulda been Cy) Beckett, Dice K, Wake and whichever young hurler didn't get traded had others frothing at the mouth. In the end the worrying/hoping was all for naught, as Santana signaled the end of his dominance by inking a record deal with the Mets

-Aging reliever Mike Timlin resigned for another season of topsy-turvy relief, but uber goat Eric Gagne refused arbitration and became a free agent. Milwaukee would later ink the stinky pen man, who was linked to HGH use in the infamous Mitchell report, to a one-year, $10 million dollar deal, prompting Senator Mitchell to call for an doping investigation into the Brewers' front office

-Speaking of the Mitchell report, the only recent Sox players named were Gagne & Brendan Donnelly, both when they were with other teams; but much to the Nation's delight, the roster of users was chock full o' Stankees, including Chuck Knoblach, Andy Pettitte, Garry Sheffield, Jason Giambi, and Hub pariah Roidger Clemens.

-Jim Rice fell 16 votes shy of getting into the HOF, proving that Red Sox hating has officially become a national past time

-C Doug Mirabelli resigned for another year. There was no police escort, but he did immediately give half his salary to Tim Wakefield, the man single-handedly responsible for him still being employed

-Shoring up the mediocre middle relief corps, Boston resigned Kyle Snyder and Javier Lopez, then inked Julian Tavarez, failed former closer Dan Kolb and 57-year-old Dan Miceli to deals. Righty David Aardsma also signed. And the Nation prays Hanson, Manny D and Breslow mature very quickly

-Boston also signed veteran 1B Sean "The Mayor" Casey to a 1-year deal to back up Youk and Lowell and replace the departed Eric "Big Hit" Hinske, who made some memorable contributions to the Championship season. The Sox clubhouse guys reportedly threw a fiesta in honor of the arrival of one of the game's best tippers

-In what could be the biggest news of the offseason, Curt Schilling, who agreed to a 1-year, $8 million dollar deal after the season, came up with a shoulder injury right before the start of spring training--you're right, that's not news from a 40+ pitcher with a history of shoulder trouble. What is surprising is that Schill's doctors and the team's doctors disagree over the severity of the injury and the best course of treatment in order to get him back to the rotation as soon as possible.

Schill's doctor believes the tendon is torn and recommends surgery, which would sideline the aging righty for most of the season, while the Sox doc says the tendon is damaged, not torn, and with rest & rehab the vocal vet should be back by mid-season. Big disagreement, big questions, like whether or not Schill deceived the club by signing the deal and then coming up with an injury that could have been diagnosed earlier, and which doctor is right, seeing as each as a different best interest at stake.

Right now Schill is taking cortisone shots and not saying much, but should this thing linger and not go the way the Sox planned, look for the situation to get very ugly by the time the All Star Break rolls around.

Lots of changes, lots of drama, a season opening across the globe, and the difficulty of repeating will be front and center on everyone's mind...

..ah baseball is back in Beantown, and I am ready for it.

Play Ball!

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2007 *Sigh* Young: Beckett robbed by Sabathia

Beckett definitely should have won the Cy, and not just because he signed my son's glove at a Rays game this season

We knew it had to end sometime, this inexplicable run of good luck and positive news surrounding the Red Sox this season, but no one in the Nation ever expected the gravy train to come to a screeching halt like this:

Cleveland Indians pitcher C.C. Sabathia bested our own Josh Beckett for the 2007 American league Cy Young award.

Stats aside, and we can all agree that the pair's numbers are extremely comparable, how can anyone in their right mind select Captain Cheeseburger over bad-ass Becks?

From Day 2 of the 2007 season, when Josh won the first of his ML-leading 20 games, the focus from all corners of the baseball globe has been centered on Boston's hard-throwing righty.

He went on to win his first seven starts, shrugged off a trip to the DL to post victories in his first nine decisions stretching into early June, and was the backbone of a staff that helped Boston climb to a 14 1/2 game division lead.

He was also the winning pitcher in the All Star Game, where he struck out two batters and allowed one hit in two innings of work, and following a mini-slump in which he went 4-5, he reeled off a 7-2 streak to end the season as the majors first 20-game winner in three years.

And although it does not matter in Cy balloting, for good measure he crushed all competition en route to another fantastic postseason, winning four games, including two Ws against Sabathia and the Tribe in the ALCS, and another in the World Series against Colorado, to cement his reputation as one of the best playoff performers in modern history.

And what does he get for his epic season for the ages?

Second place in the Cy.

Well, that and another World Series ring.

Guess that'll have to do.

But let me go on record saying that it's absolutely ridiculous that a man who arguably might have been the second best pitcher on his own team, let alone the entire league, win the award.

For what reason was he bestowed this honor? After all, Beckett bested the beefy lefty in nearly every significant statistical category; in fact, Becks was first in the entire AL in wins, winning %, WHIP and Ks/9 innings while allowing the fewest hits, runs, earned runs and lowest batting average against in the league.

The only categories that Sabathia was better than Beckett were ERA, innings pitched and strikeouts, and so it's pretty shitty when you realize Becks was robbed of the only meaningful trophy that's missing from his mantle over 41 innings,.06 runs per game and 14 strikeouts.

See what happens when you let fucking sportswriters decide major awards?

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More Medals: Pedroia wins AL ROY; 3 Sox in top 6

The diminutive second baseman becomes Boston's first ROY in a decade Not known for the longball, Pedroia hit a couple of big blasts in the postseason

From people clamoring for him to be replaced by Alex Cora (did that really happen?) to becoming a clutch offensive catalyst and pee-wee sized postseason hero, Dustin Pedroia's season certainly ran the gamut from unnerving to invaluable.

Now the kid has something to quiet all those cries that he's too...fill in the blank (short, free-swinging, weak-armed...) to make it in the majors.

The 5'9'-ish 23-year-old second baseman became Boston's first Rookie of the Year since Nomar Garciaparra swept us off our feet in 1997, and the vote wasn't even close; Pedroia easily outpointed Tampa Bay's Delmon Young, 132-56, and he garnered 24 of the 28 first place votes available.

Dustin's unexpected meteoric rise to the top 5 of the Nation's faves list has been an achievement that is nearly Disney-esque in its cliche-filled sappiness.

Picture this: undersized overachiever is told by players, scouts, and coaches at all levels of the game that he is too small, doesn't have the prototypical tools necessary to make it very far as a baseball player.

Kid ignores all objections, takes his sluggers' swing and sailor's swagger to the big leagues, shakes off early-season slump and catcalls for his manager to replace him in the lineup, goes on to bat over .300 (.317), provides excellent defense, and goes on to tear it up in the playoffs, batting .283 with 2 homers and 10 ribbies in the playoffs, including a herculean .385 in the ALCS.

So the kid with the wind-producing swing and "I think I can" demeanor triumphed against all odds, becoming just the sixth Sox player to win the award and fourth second baseman ever, leading his team to a World Series sweep while riding the wave of Boston sports mania that has people treating him like the son they wish they had.

Did I forget to mention that he's played with a broken bone in his hand since early September?

Yeah, he's a gamer.

And a World Champion.

And now he's the American League's Rookie of the Year for 2007.
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Not to be forgotten, preseason ROY favorite Daisuke Matsuzaka finished fourth in the balloting, behind Pedroia, Young and Kansas City pitcher Brian Bannister, and fellow BoSox and Japanese countryman Hideki Okajima also shocked a lot of people this season and finished 6th in the voting.

Not bad. Three of the top six rookies of the year, a Gold Glover, a World series MVP, and a Cy Young winner to follow.

No wonder everyone hates us.

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Post-Title Notes: Schill's back for '08; Youk's glove is Golden

Sorry I've been gone so long--I was busy sipping champagne out of my official 2007 World Series Champions hat and watching the replay of Game 4 on my iPod Touch all day at work for the past two weeks or so.

Also, I was completely spent after a long, arduous but fruitful season of following and blogging about our favorite team.

But now the hangover has subsided (obviously it wasn't as long or as intense as the one that followed the dream season of 2004), and the reality of having witnessed two Sox championships in my lifetime has sunk in, and combined with the onset of the awards/free agency season, I knew it was time for me to pick up my keyboard and start typing about the Boston baseball club again.

Talk about a short off season.

Anyone possessing a Red Sox Nation membership card and/or an avatar on a fantasy baseball website knows that the end of the post season signifies the start of another wild and crazy period on the baseball calendar: the free agency and awards season.

And true to their spotlight-hogging, critic-flogging, media-centric ways, Sox players are already garnering major attention in both categories.

Schilling signs 1-year deal worth $8 mil plus incentives, will retire as a BoSox
From the early days of spring training to the latter days of the playoffs, no one associated with the Red Sox, media, fan or front office personnel, believed that Curt Schilling would be back with the ballclub after the 2007 season.

Schill was an ageing, injury-riddled vet whose best years were clearly behind him, a player who came into The Fort out of shape and seemingly content to rest on his "I helped break the curse" laurels. To make matters worse, he declared that he would not resign with the club for anything less than the $13 mil he was slated to pocket in 07, and if the deal didn't get down in the spring then talks would have to wait to resume until the fall.

Throw in a mid-season shoulder ailment that forced him to the DL for two months and helped drop his velocity from the mid-90s to the mid-80s on the gun, plus a late-season bombSchill in which he stated he seriously would not mind pitching for the D-Rays in 08, and it looked for sure like the last time he took the mound in 2007 would be the last time he donned a Boston uniform as a player.

Surely a future Hall of Fame pitcher who nearly threw a no-hitter this season and then added three more W's to his closet full of October wins would command a multi-year, mega million dollar deal, despite the fact that he's 41 and coming with serious injury baggage, right?

But then something...strange...happened.

The big blogger agreed to a one-year deal with Boston for a paltry $8 million bucks, a contract laced with enough incentives to bring the total to the figure he half-demanded earlier in the year, $13 million, provided the vet can reach certain innings and weight clauses.

According to Curt himself, via 38Pitches, the contract breaks down as follows:

-Base salary:$8 million
-Innings pitched clauses: $3 million ($375k for pitching 130 innings, plus $375k for every 10-innings pitched up to 200 innings)
-Weight clauses: $2 million ($333,333 for reaching six team-designated weight goals during the six months of the 2008 season)

Other reported contract perks include a million dollar bonus if Schill receives a single Cy Young vote, the standard game tickets, luxury suite use for his family and friends, and a lifetime membership to the Boston sports legend HOF.

I, for one, am glad the man is back on the staff, if for no other reason than to provide the all-to-cliched veteran leadership and stability to a rotation that will be in a state of transition over the next couple of seasons.

Not to mention the fact that his post season heroics gave birth to the best name in the blogosphere.

Welcome back, Curt. Let's make 08 a memorable swan song.

Youk's the only Boston man with a Golden Glove in 2007
MLB's version of the Oscars (ie long, drawn out award program) kicked off yesterday with the the naming of the 2007 Gold Glove award winners, and although its no surprise Boston had a recipient, the name of the winner may have come as somewhat of a shock to the casual fan.

Kevin Youkilis won the Gold Glove for his stellar fielding at first base this season, when he did not make a single error in 1,080 total regular season chances and a span of 135 consecutive games, a feat made all the more incredible for the fact that this was only his second season of playing the position full time.

Nation favorite Yooooouuuuk became the first Sox first baseman to win the award since Boomer Scott in 1971, and only a minor miscue in Game 4 of the ALCS against Cleveland prevented the goateed one from having a flawless season in the field.

So instead of Coco Crisp, whose nightly highlight-reel catches were not enough to get him past the phalanx of Torii Hunter, Ichiro and Grady Sizemore in the outfield, winning his first Glove, we get to see the newest king of the Dirt Dogs take home one of baseball's shiniest trophies.

Here's hoping that he sees his reflection in the thing and decide to eradicate that mini-monkey from his chin.
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In other Sox news, Big Papi got that troublesome right knee scoped, a procedure that had been announced nearly three months ago, and the Boston brass continues to negotiate with free agent Mike Lowell in hopes of signing the World Series MVP to a new deal soon.

Guess he ain't considered a throw-in any more, huh.

More to come as the hardware rolls in.

Up next: Pedroia's R.o.Y., Beckett's Cy.

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Tell me I'm not dreaming?

In the daylight hours following a long night of celebrating, as I wipe the champagne out of my eyes (man I need a pair of Papi's special goggles), it still hasn't hit me that the Red Sox are World Champs once again.

After all, it was just four short seasons ago that this franchise was considered one of the unluckiest in all of sports, wading through eight decades of disappointment and heartache with the same sorry mantra serving as their psuedo-rallying cry: wait 'til next year....

Now, as RSN basks in the glow of Boston's second title in four years, that "woe is me" lament hasn't been replaced, but merely altered, to sound more like this: wait 'til next year!

That's right, the 2007 Boston Red Sox accomplished something that not even that special 2004 squad could achieve during that curse-busting 2004 Series sweep--they validated the current incarnation of the franchise as a true winner, not merely a high-payroll, flash-in-the-pan team.

The scariest thing about winning the title again is that with the arch rival Stankees in utter disarray thanks to the jettisoning of Joe Torre and the defecation, I mean defection of A-Rod, the Sox have now officially become the standard bearer, the hunted, the Vegas lock as the team to beat when it comes to winning titles for at least the next 5-10 years.

In other words they've become the New England Patriots.

Wait til next year.

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Red Sox Win 2007 World Series!

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World Series GM 4: Potential sweep is in Lester's hands

Game 4 @ Colorado 825 EST FOX
Jon Lester (0-0, 4.25) vs. Aaron Cook (NR)
Boston leads series, 3-0

STARTING LINEUPS:

Colorado-
1. Kazuo Matsui 2B
2. Troy Tulowitzki SS
3. Matt Holliday LF
4. Todd Helton 1B
5. Garrett Atkins 3B
6. Ryan Spilborghs CF
7. Brad Hawpe RF
8. Yorvit Torrealba C
9. Aaron Cook P

Boston-
1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
2. Dustin Pedroia 2B
3. David Ortiz 1B
4. Manny Ramirez LF
5. Mike Lowell 3B
6. J.D. Drew RF
7. Jason Varitek C
8. Julio Lugo SS
9. Jon Lester P

And so it's come to this.

Jon Lester, the 24-year-old lefty who fought the toughest real-life opponent of all, The Big C, and won, has been entrusted with winning one of the biggest games in Boston Red Sox history.

A victory tonight would simultaneously elate Boston's Nation and infuriate its legions of haters, and who better elicit those kinds of emotions than a man who has stared cancer in the eye and said "I will not be defeated by you", who not only overcame the disease but returned as an above-average young major league pitcher?

And now, 13 months after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, that courageous young starter finds himself starting a potential World Series-deciding game. In his first career playoff start.

Funny how life turns out sometimes.

The Red Sox can wrap up their second Series sweep in four years tonight with another win in frosty Colorado, and as long as the offense keeps producing like it has for most of this postseason, Lester won't have to worry about shutting out the Rockies lineup.

Boston has been scalding the ball all over the yard this postseason, averaging nearly 7 1/2 runs per game in 13 games while scoring in double digits in six of those contests, and with the new lineup in place, rookies Ellsbury leading off and Pedroia batting second, setting the table for the heart of the lineup, it looks as if there is no stopping this team of destiny.

The job of trying to slow down the Sox juggernaut falls on the right shoulder of 28-year-old Colorado starter Aaron Cook, a man who also has survived life-threatening illness as well as season-stalling injury to find his way to the mound as a World Series starter.

After overcoming blood clots on his lungs in 2004, Cook went on to become one of the Rockies most reliable starters over the last two years. He was Colorado's opening day starter this year, but a rib injury sidelined him for two months in early August, and he hasn't pitched in a major league game since August 10th.

Now he will be entrusted with extending Colorado's magical season at least for one more night.

Two starters who have overcome enormous obstacles to get to the game's biggest stage as the World Series title hangs in the balance. Two teams that have appeared to be on destined paths, riding surreal highs and improbable wins all the way to the brink of greatness.

But only one club will walk away from this series with a satisfied feeling.

I've already got the bottle of bubbly and Montecristo waiting, fellas.

Let's end it tonight.

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World Series GM 3: Boston's 1-2 punch decimates Rockies title hopes

Sox 10, Colorado 5
Boston leads series, 3-0
WP: Matsuzaka (2-1)
LP: Fogg (2-1)
HRs: COL-Holliday (5)

SUMMARY
The revamped Boston lineup produced 15 hits and 10 runs, but it was the top of the order that did the majority of the damage as the Sox took a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Boston's first two hitters, Jacoby Ellsbury (4-5, 2R, 2BI) and Dustin Pedroia (3-5, 1R, 2BI), combined to go 7-10 with four doubles, three runs and four RBIs as the duo became the first pair of rookie teammates to notch at least three hits apiece in a playoff game. Mike Lowell also had a big night with a pair of hits including a huge, 2-RBI single in Boston's six-run third inning, and Daisuke Matsuzaka (5.1IP, 3H, 2ER, 3BB, 5K) threw 5+ quality innings before faltering in the sixth, and then the bullpen nearly blew the game.

Leading 6-0 after that explosive third, Javier Lopez, Hideki Okajima, Mike Timlin and Manny Delcarmen combined to allow seven hits and three earned runs in 2 1/3 innings, lowlighted by a three-run homer by Matt Holiday on Okajima's first pitch of the game that trimmed the Sox lead to 6-5 in the seventh.

But after allowing a single to Todd Helton following the homer, Okajima bounced back to retire the next three batters, two by strikeout, and when Manny D. allowed a pair of baserunners with two outs in the 8th, Papelbon came in and retired Holliday on one pitch to effectively end the game.

Other highlights of this 4 hour, 19 minute affair, which by the way is also aa major league record for a 9-inning playoff game:

- Dice-K's first career hit that drove in a pair of runs in the third

- Julio Lugo made two sensational defensive plays, the second a leaping grab of a liner that would have scored the tying run in the seventh

- Ellsbury was 3-3 after three innings, and the scintillating rookie, who has effectively ended Coco's career with the Sox with his play this past week, became the first rookie to have two two-baggers in an inning in WS history

- when J.D. Drew doubled to lead off the fifth it meant that every member of the lineup had reached base at least one time

- Manny Ramirez was tagged out on a questionable play at home in the third, partially due to his wayward batting helmet/horrible hairdo affecting his baserunning

- Mike Lowell became the first player to steal third base in a playoff game since the immortal Juan Beniquez in the 1975 ALCS.

All that record-breaking offense added up to another sound Red Sox beating of a helpless opponent, and if the last few games are any indication, this series should come to a quck conclusion tomorrow evening in the thin, chilly air of the Rocky Mountains.

Get that bottle of Dom ready and prepare to call in on Monday, RSN, cause it looks like we are about to witness history--again.

Tomorrow night: "Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!"

Right now: sleep sleep, sleep.

Go Sox!

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World Series GM 3 Preview: Matsuzaka meets the Mile High City

Game 3 @ Colorado 825EST FOX
Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-1, 5.65) vs. Josh Fogg (2-0, 1.13)

STARTING LINEUPS:

Colorado-
1. Kazuo Matsui 2B
2. Troy Tulowitzki SS
3. Matt Holiday LF
4. Todd Helton 1B
5. Garrett Atkins 3B
6. Brad Hawpe RF
7. Yorvit Torrealba C
8. Cory Sullivan CF
9. Josh Fogg P

Boston-
1. Jacoby Ellsbury CF
2. Dustin Pedroia 2B
3. David Ortiz 1B
4. Manny Ramirez LF
5. Mike Lowell 3B
6. J.D. Drew RF
7. Jason Varitek C
8. Julio Lugo SS
9. Daisuke Matsuzaka P

As the Series shifts top the thin air out West the Sox, who hold a comfy 2-0 advantage after winning the first two games at Fenway by a combined score of 15-2, will look to their prized, pricey free agent acquisition from the Far East to get them to a near-insurmountable 3-0 series edge.

But the venue and landscape aren't the only things changing with the teams set to play the next three contests in the National League park over the next three nights.

The biggest adjustment to either lineup is the removal of the blazing hot Boston first baseman Kevin Youkilis (.396, 4HR, 10 RBI in the postseason) in favor of playoff legend but balky-kneed David Ortiz. The dilemma for Tito over the last few days has been which player to sit with the DH unavailable in Denver, but evidently four years of historic homers and walk-off hits won out over a couple of weeks of blistering the baseball all over the yard.

Other major adjustments include the ascension of un-intimidated rookie Jacoby Ellsbury, who began the postseason on the bench, graduated to starting in place of the injured & ineffective Coco Crisp and batting 8th & 9th, to leading off the first road game of the series.

The loss of Youk enabled Francona to move the equally scorching Dustin Pedroia to the 2-hole behind Ellsbury, giving the club a dynamic 1-2 punch at the top of the order before hitting the terrific trifecta of Papi-Manny-Lowell in the middle.

The Rockies, meanwhile, have some lineup changes of their own heading into the first World Series game at home in franchise history.

First, Colorado manager Clint Hurdle benched struggling leadoff man Willy Taveras (.120, 4 runs scored in postseason) in favor of rookie Cory Sullivan; Kaz Matsui will fill the leadoff spot while Sullivan takes Taveras' place in center. Hurdle aalso moved Rookie of the Year candidate Troy Tulowitzki and his .212 playoff average to the two-hole in hopes of sparking both himself and his team.

But the story of the game, which could lead to an offensive explosion for the dormant Rocks, is going to be the play of Daisuke Matsuzaka. The erratic rookie came through in the clutch when the Sox needed him most, tossing 5 innings of 2-run ball against the Indians in Game 7 of the ALCS, but his roller-coaster ways can't give the nation or the Sox brass much confidence that he will easily master the tricky ways of Coors Field.

He will be opposed by six year veteran Josh Fogg, the dogged Rockies starter who has overcome numerous injuries to become the emotional leader of the Colorado pitching staff. In the postseason he has pitched 10 innings of one-run ball, logging his first playoff win in Game 3 of the NLDS against the D-Backs.

So the focal point of the series now becomes the ability of the third and fourth starters to keep the scores low and gives their clubs the chance to come away with a win. If Matsuzaka can use the atmospheric abnormalities to his advantage, maybe he can go longer than five innings like he'd logged in his last three playoff starts.

And maybe the Sox offense will come back to life after being shut down in Game 2 by rookie righthander Ubaldo Jimenez and the Rockies bullpen.

All I know is that with this revamped lineup Boston should be able to score some runs off the fragile Fogg, and if Dice can prevent the reeling Rockies from doing any major damage, we'll be one step closer to a second consecutive Sox World series sweep.

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World Series GM 2 Recap: Schill on the hill worth 2 games in hand

Sox 2, Colorado 1
Boston leads series, 2-0
WP: Schilling (3-0)
LP: Jimenez (0-1)
SV: Papelbon (2)
HRs: None

SUMMARY
One night after clubbing 17 hits and scoring 13 runs the Sox offense was stymied by hard-throwing young Colorado righthander Ubaldo Jimenez. Boston notched just six hits and a pair of runs, but the way Curt Schilling and the bullpen pitched tonight, it was good enough to defeat the frigid Rocks.

Schilling was Maddox-esque in tossing 5 1/3 innings of 4-hit, 1-run ball. The effort not only earned him his 11th career postseason win, but completed an eerie parallel to the 2004 Series, when Schilling pitched his team to victory in Game 2 against St. Louis en route to Boston's sweep of the Cardinals.

Deja vu all over again anyone?

Let's hope so.

#1 STUNNER Boston pitchers 9IP, 5H, 1ER, 2BB, 10K
When Schill got into a spot of trouble (2 on, one out) in the 5th, Hideki Okajima came in and retired the next two batters to escape the jam, and he went on to hurl 2 1/3 innings of no hit ball, striking out four Rockies.

After fanning the first two batters in the 8th, Papelbon relieved Oki and allowed an infield single to Matt Holliday before picking him off first, then he tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to nail down his first ever World Series save.

No word on whether he did another Riverdance in celebration.

GAGME Colorado offense 5H, 1R, 2BB, 10K
You know your team is in a heap of offensive trouble when it has only managed 11 hits and two runs in two games, and 8 of those hits have come from three players.

Tonight all of the "damage" was done by 3B Garrett Atkins, who had four of the Rockies five base knocks, while the rest of the team was a horrid 1-25 on the night.

Are we sure this is the team that won 21 of 22 games coming in to this series? Oh yeah, that streak happened against National League competition.

RECAP
He came.

He pitched.

He won.

Again.

Curt Schilling, the Nation's favorite blogging postseason hero, added another clutch win to his already impressive playoff resume in what may have been his final performance in a Boston uniform. The veteran righty, who has had to rely on guile, guts and location at this stage of his career rather than adrenaline and high octane, deftly maneuvered through the Rockies lineup like a surgeon navigating a patient's interior, escaping a few mini-jams while holding the Rockies to a measly four singles.

Following another stirring rendition of the National Anthem, this time by Boston's beloved velvet-voiced balladeer James Taylor, things didn't start off too well for Schill when he hit the first batter of the game, Willy Taveras, with a pitch that barely grazed the speedy centerfielder's batting glove.

After getting Kaz Matsui to fly out to center, Schill fell asleep on a ground ball by Matt Holliday (4-4) that went off Mike Lowell's glove and careened into short left field. As Lowell fired the ball back to third to try and get the streaking Taveras, Schill got a late start to the bag, and not only was Taveras safe at third, but Holliday made it all the way to second on a sloppy play that did not epitomize the Sox effort so far in this series.

Todd Helton brought the run home with an RBI grounder to Youk that gave Colorado its first lead of the series, but that just like the previous game, that single run would be the only one to cross the plate for the Rockies all night.

Unlike last night it would be a while before Boston's batters could catch up as the fireballing Jimenez (4.2IP, 3H, 2ER, 5BB, 2K), a wafer-thin 23-year-old who has appeared in just 17 games in his career, baffled the Sox over the first three innings, allowing only three baserunners on a hit-by-pitch and a pair of walks.

But Boston would get on the board in the fourth, and it was thanks to some heads-up baserunning by the Sox that allowed them to tie it up.

Manny popped out to lead off the frame, then Mike Lowell drew a walk from the often erratic Jimenez, who throws 100 mph heat but sometimes can't control where that missile is going. The smoking hot J.D. Drew followed with a single to right field, and the heady Lowell, who saw that Brad Hawpe was kind of nonchalantly playing the ball, broke for third and beat the throw to the bag by a nose.

One pitch later Cap'n Tek blasted a fly ball to deep center to score Lowell easily, and although the game was only tied at one, for some reason it felt like the Sox had already won it.

How's your own medicine taste, suckers?!

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World Series GM 1 Result: Sox hammer Rox as Beckett wins again

Sox 13, Colorado 1
Sox lead series, 1-0
WP: Beckett (4-0)
LP: Francis (2-1)
HRs: Pedroia (2)

RECAP
The Red Sox postseason express steamrolled right through the formerly blistering hot Colorado Rockies, setting numerous team and MLB playoff records in this win as the offense racked up 13 runs on 17 hits while ace Josh Beckett came one step closer to completing one of the most impressive seasons in baseball history, notching his 4th win of this postseason.

Beckett shut the Rockies down on six hits and a run over seven innings while fanning nine batters, including four straight to begin the game, and the Sox exploded for seven runs in the fifth inning to end the Rockies playoff win streak at seven games. Boston extended its Series winning streak to five games.

Every starter except Jacoby Ellsbury had at least one hit for Boston while everyone but RBI king Mike Lowell drove in at least one run. Boston also walked eight times, three times in a row with the bases loaded in the fateful fifth, and mashed a World Series record-tying 9 extra base hits.

Oh, did I mention that they also set an MLB record for margin of victory and runs scored in a series opener?

Now that's what I call a team of destiny.

One down and three to go.

#1 STUNNER Beckett 7IP, 6H, 1ER, 1BB, 9K
We are running out of superlatives to describe what the terrific Texan is doing this season.

Though not as dominant as in some of his other starts, Beckett was impressive for the way he relied on his fastball for most of the early part of the game, then mesmerized the mentally-mismatched Rockies with a knee-buckling curve later in the outing.

20-game winner. All Star game winner. ALCS MVP. {Cy Young.} {World series MVP.}

Pretty nice list of accomplishemnts, huh?

GAGME Jeff Francis 4IP, 10H, 6ER, 3BB, 3K, HR
This guys is supposed to be their ace? Bahahhahahahahahahahahahahaha!

RECAP
Another night, another link complete in the Josh Beckett championship chain.

Beckett took his phenomenal season to a whole 'nother level, treating the pressure of the ultimate postseason series like another sandlot scrum by mowing down the Rockies hitters like British locals infected with the Rage virus, earning his second World Series win in the process.

But as good as Beckett was, his suddenly resurgent offense was even better. For the third consecutive game and fifth time this postseason the Sox scored at least ten runs, and over the last four games Boston has outscored its opponents by a score of 43-6. The beauty of the barrage is that the contributions are coming from every member of the lineup, not just the Big Three of Papi, Manny and Lowell for a change.

The game began under a steady drizzle as the muted crowd watched the great John Williams conduct a stirring rendition of the National Anthem, capped off by a flyover that was hard to see against the dimly lit skies but roared through my surround sound loud enough to rattle the knick-knacks on the shelves.

Shortly after that the ass-kicking began.

Beckett wasted no time establishing his dominance when he started the game off by fanning the first three Colorado batters, Willy Taveras looking and Kaz Matsui and Matt Holiday swinging.

With Beckett's stamp of awe-inspiring authenticity already firmly placed on the game, the offense wasted no time in making sure their horse had enough runs to work with so he didn't have to pitch another shutout in order to get another postseason win.

Dustin Pedroia took care of that potential problem when he nailed Jeff Francis' second pitch of the game off the top of the Monster for a momentum-building home run, and Boston's little dynamo became just the second player in World Series history to lead off a Fall Classic with a homer.

And to think fans were clamoring for his benching early in the season.

The equally hot Kevin Youkilis followed with a scalded double to deep left center, and after Papi's groundout moved Youk to third, Manny knocked him in with a solid single to left over heralded rookie SS Troy Tulowitzki's glove for a lightning-quick 2-0 Boston lead, and juts minutes into the game Boston had all the runs Beckett would need to wrap up another playoff win.

Beckett began the second by striking out Todd Helton for his fourth straight K, a feat olast accomplished by the great Sandy Koufax in 1963, but then he proved he was human by allowing the first (and only) Rockies run on a pair of Wall doubles, a towering scraper by Garrett Atkins and a liner off the scoreboard by Tulowitzki to slice the lead to 3-1.

But the Sox struck back with a single run in the bottom of the inning when Papi drove in Youk, who had walked, with a double over Tulowitzki's glove to push the lead back to three, and things remained that way until the bottom of the fourth.

After Beckett escaped a potential jam (a one-out double by Helton) by fanning the next two batters to end the top of the fourth, the Sox struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, both runs scoring with two outs, a method of scoring that Boston would employ for much of the rest of the game.

Papi () began the rally with a 2-out single to right, then Manny doubled into the right centerfield gap to set up second & third for Lowell. After Francis intentionally walked the RBI king to load the bases, Captain Clutch ripped a double over Tulowitzki's head (that kid better get a ladder) to score both Manny & Papi, and with a 6-1 lead and Beckett on the mound, even the most ardent Rockies supporter had to realize that this one was all but over.

Just in case those bandwagoners didn't get the message, the Sox exploded for seven runs in a 34-minute fifth inning that featured six hits, four walks including three with the bases loaded, and served as a warning to the Colorado team: we don't care how hot you were coming into this series, you're not playing the pussy National league anymore, and this is how we roll here in Beantown.

Saddled with a 13-1 lead after the carnage ended, Tito chose to leave Beckett in to rub it in Colorado's faces, and the righty responded with two more scoreless inning before giving way to Mike Timlin in the 8th.

By then the rain had stopped and the partying had begun, and after the final three outs were recorded by none other than Eric Mop Up Man Gagne, instead of drenching themselves further with more champagne, the all-business Sox set their sights on Game 2, when a rookie hurler will go up against Mr. Curt Schilling before the Series shifts to the West.

By then the Sox should be up 2-0, and we should all be able to get ready for another parade, rain or shine.

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World Series Game 1 Preview: The Beckett Experience continues

Game 1 Starters 830EST FOX
Jeff Francis (2-0, 4.86) vs. Josh Beckett (3-0, 1.21)

Lineups:

COLORADO-
1. Taveras CF
2. Matsui 2B
3. Holiday LF
4. Helton 1B
5. Atkins 3B
6. Hawpe RF
7. Tulowitzki SS
8. Torrealba C
9. Spillborghs DH

BOSTON-
1. Pedroia 2B
2. Youk 1B
3. Papi DH
4. Manny LF
5. Lowell 3B
6. Varitek C
7. Drew RF
8. Lugo SS
9. Ellsbury CF

The Sox continue their quest for postseason glory tonight when calm, cool and accolade-collecting Josh Beckett takes the mound tonight to open the 2007 World series against the Colorado Rockies.

Beckett is putting together one of the most impressive postseason resumes in MLB history, continuing his run of dominance that began with a World Series MVP performance in 2003 with the Marlins and could end with a bookend trophy when this series is all done.

In three postseason starts the ace has allowed a mere 13 hits and three runs in 23 innings, and he's fanned an astonishing 26 batters while walking only one during that time. he's simply having one of the best postseasons ever.

His mound opponent will be Rockies "ace" Jeff Francis, a guy who won 17 regular season games this year but had an ERA over 4.00 and who wasn't even in the league when Beckett destroyed the Stanks' title dreams in '03.

Ironically--and I say that because this stat has absolutely no bearing on this game whatsoever, yet analysts and announcers keep pointing to it as a meaningful fact--when these two clubs met back in mid-June at Fenway as part of interleague play, Francis was the winning pitcher while Colorado hung Beckett's first loss of the season on him following 9 consecutive wins in a 7-1 Rockies victory.

In that contest Beckett allowed a grand slam to Garrett Atkins and a solo shot to MVP candidate Matt Holliday as the probable Cy Young winner allowed a season-high six runs on 10 hits in five innings. Francis, meanwhile, threw five innings of shutout ball, scattering 7 hits and holding the scorching Boston lineup in check.

But like I said, that game and that whole series for that matter means nothing when these clubs take the field tonight.

Beckett will be just as focused and determined as he has been all season. Boston, which has clubbed 70 runs in seven postseason games this year, should pick up right where they left off against the Indians on Sunday night, while the rusty Rockies will most definitely feel the effects of an 8-day layoff combined with the blinding glare that comes with being at the center of the international media spotlight.

In other words my money's on the Sox laying the foundation for a second consecutive series sweep as Beckett all but ensures his name will be engraved on another MVP trophy as the Sox win convincingly in Game 1.

NOTES: Jacoby Ellsbury, a 24-year-old kid with just 166 major league at bats, will get the nod to start in Game 1 in place of the slumping/ailing Coco Crisp. Crisp injured his ankle making the game-ending catch in deep center in game 7 against the Indians, and that combined with his putrid .161/2R/2BI postseason performance has led Tito to start the electrifying rookie...rain is forecast for the Greater Boston Area tonight, so we could be in for another lengthy, late-night postseason ballgame if there are any extended weather delays...Francona announced rookie Jon Lester will pitch Game 4 in place of injured starter Tim Wakefield

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World Series Preview: Why the Sox will win it all

With all the previews, breakdowns and analysis floating around the series, I'm gonna keep this short and sweet.

5 Reasons why the Sox will win the World Series:

5.) Pitching
The Sox have studs like Cy Young lock Josh Beckett, playoff prince Curt Schilling, scary closer Jonathan Papelbon, and devastating setup men Hideki Okajima and Manny Delcarmen. The Rockies have the stable of Josh Fogg, Jeff Francis, Aaron Cook as starters and one-year wonder Manny Corpas closing.

'Nuff said.

4.) Experience
Boston has been to the playoffs three of the last four years, has three World Series MVPs on the roster (Beckett, Schilling and Manny) and play more "must win" games over the course of the season than any team other than its mutual "must win" opponent, the Stanks.

Colorado players had a grand total of 18 meaningful October games under its belt before this season, all by outfielder Willy Taveras, and the longest-tenured player in team history, first baseman Todd Helton, had never sniffed a postseason at bat until two weeks ago.

Some will say all that goes out the window when the games are on the line, but you can't tell me a team full of seasoned playoff vets doesn't hold a decided advantage over a team of "happy to be here" greenhorns.

3.) Balls
Boston is home to some of the more fiery fans in the US, and its baseball team is a fair representative of that F-you mentality. From the little second sacker who could, Dustin Pedroia, to the intimidating presence of Schill, Papelbon & Beckett, to the bat rack-busting exploits of Kevin Youkilis, no team possesses more hard-headed hotheads than Boston.

That bulldog-like approach helped them chew up the soft Angels and softer Indians, and it should also help propel them past the so nice they're gross Rockies.

2.) Money
The Red Sox brass has compiled one of the best teams money can buy while Colorado has a budget that would barely cover the expense of negotiating for Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Boston has a payroll of approximately $143 million including 4 players who make over $12 million a year (Manny, Papi, Drew, Schill), while the Rox have a mere $54 million invested in their merry band of Rocky Mountain, topping out with Helton's $16 mill for 2007.

I know they say money can't but you love, but $154 million sure as hell better buy you a team that can beat a band of bargain-bin castoffs.

1.) Destiny
I know, I know, the team that has won 21 of 22 games would appear to be riding a magic carpet all the way to World Series-winning glory, but that meteoric rise began a mere five weeks ago; Boston has been destined to win the title this year since before the season started, by outbidding the New York teams for Daisuke Matsuzaka, by jumping out to that phenomenal 14 game lead, by balancing above-average pitching with an explosive, well-balanced offense, and by staying on the path to glory despite numerous obstacles, staunch opposition, and by avoiding that lingering inbred propensity for choking when the games matter most.


As you see, when you lay it all out scientifically like this, there really is only one choice to hoist the championship trophy this season.

And that team doesn't eat Rocky Mountain oysters for midnight snacks.

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2007 World Series Preview: Rockies @ Red Sox

Colorado Rockies (90-73)
vs.
Boston Red Sox (96-66)

-GM 1 Wed Oct 24 @ BOS
-GM 2 Thu Oct 25 @ BOS
-GM 3 Sat Oct 27 @ COL
-GM 4 Sun Oct 28 @ COL
*GM 5 Mon Oct 29 @ COL
*GM 6 Wed Oct 31 @ BOS
*GM 7 Fri Nov 1 @ BOS

After 172 games filled with gasp-inducing highs and groan-inducing lows, chock full of meteoric rises and near-catastrophic falls, and a season in which the motto at the beginning of the year was 'World Series or bust', the Sox have finally reached their preferred destination.

Now we'll find out if their journey will be a bust.

Boston will take the field for its second Fall Classic in four years Wednesday night, a feat that has practically deified the once-vilified Terry Francona, and no one seems to mind that its opponent won't be a traditional baseball power like the Braves, or a team with a longstanding tradition and legion of adoring fans like the Cardinals, or even a box office draw like the Barry Bonds-led Giants.

Instead the small-market, bandwagon driving Rockies will put its 21-1 hot streak, 14-years of history and month and a half of loyalty on the line when the two best teams in the majors square off for the right to be called the 2007 champs.

Wonder which team has the advantage?

The Rockies were hotter than a California wildfire when the postseason began, winners of 13 of its last 14 regular season games to force a one-game playoff with San Diego, and then they stole a breathtaking play-in game from the stunned Padres to make it to the big dance for the first time since 1995.

Since then the Rox have reeled off 7 straight postseason wins, first grabbing three quick wins against the hapless Phils, then by blowing the doors off the over achieving Diamondbacks, and here they are just a month removed from sitting on the outside of the playoff picture looking in to the verge of pulling off one of the most improbable runs of all time.

Only thing standing in their way is a motivated, determined, focused and most important experienced Boston team.

The Sox have weathered every kind of storm this season after jumping out to a huge division lead just two months into the season. A second half swoon nearly cost them a shot at their first division title in 12 years, but a late sure propelled them to the postseason for the third time in the last four years.

But after dispatching with their personal playoff bitches, the overrated Angels, in three games in the ALDS, the season-ling sporadic performances of the pitchers and batters haunted the Sox in the ALCS against Cleveland.

That inconsistency, especially an inane inability to push runs across the plate in key situations, caused Boston to fall into a 3 games to 1 hole against the pesky & talented Tribe.

But just like Stella, Boston got its groove back just in time to, running off a 30-5 run-scoring blitzkrieg in the final three games of the series to send the Tribe packing and make it back to the Series for the first time since that magical 2004 season.

And here we are.

No matter what everyone thought at the beginning of the season, it's still hard to believe that after an 8 1/2-decade drought, Boston could bring the title back to Beantown for the second time in less than half a decade.

Or it could suffer another monumental collapse of historic proportions.

Either way the Sox have given the Nation everything it could ask for in 2007: scintillating pitching performances (Beckett, pick one; Schill's near no-no; Bucholz' actual no-no), epic offensive exploits (four consecutive homers; 5-run 9th inning comebacks; Youk hitting an inside-the parker), and eye-popping defensive gems (Coco Crisp every game; J.D. Drew's back-breaker; Eric Hinske's gravel-scraper).

Now all it needs to do is complete its primary objective.

That's not too much for a title-hungry Nation to ask for, is it?

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Comeback kings reign again as Sox head back to Series

Sox 11, Cleveland 2
Sox win series, 4-3

WP: Matsuzaka (1-1)
LP: Westbrook (1-1)
HRs: BOS-Pedroia (1), Youk (2)

The Boston Red Sox overcoame another seemingly insurmountable ALCS deficit to capture the American League pennant for the 2nd time in four years, and Game 1 of the World Series will be played Wednesday night at Fenway.

I repeat, Game 1 of the World series will be Wednesady night at Fenway.

I, like much of the Nation, am in no condition to properly recap this one, but in a nutshell here's what happened:

-Boston scored single runs in each of the first three innings, but also grounded into double plays in three of the first four frames, keeping the game close

-Daisuke Matsuzaka made the early 3-0 lead hold up with five solid innings of work, allowing two earned runs on six hits with no walks and three Ks

-Dustin Pedroia was the star of the game with three hits including a homer and five RBIs, and Kevin Youkilis was right behind him with a three hits and two ribbies including a mammoth 2-run homer

-Numerous costly miscues and unlucky breaks on Cleveand's side seemed to doom the Tribe from the start, including bad bounces, bad calls, and menatl and physical errors

-Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon combined for four innings of scoreless relief, with Paps coming in with two on and no outs in the eighth and escaping that jam and then going on to close out the win in the ninth

-Boston broke open a 5-2 game one inning after Kenny Lofton failed to score from second on a double when the Sox scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth, the big blow being Youk's Monster shot that made the score 11-2

-Josh beckett won the ALCS MVP award for his brilliance in Games 2 and 5, the latter of which allowed the Sox to make it to this glorious Game 7.

The Sox won the last three games of the series by a combined score of 30-5, and now will face the hottest team in baseball, the Colorada Rockies, in a World Series that will feature everything from a huge contingent of Japanese media to the probability of snow flakes on the field during the games.

But who the fuck cares about that now.

The Red Sox did what many people thought they could do and just as many were hoping they couldn't.

Let's just bask in the glory for tonight, and enjoy a couple of days of gloating before we have to actually think about winning another series.

(Like we really gotta worry about the friggin Rockies)

Congrats, Bosox! Mission nearly accomplished

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ALCS Game Result: Beckett leads Sox back to Boston

Sox 7, Cleveland 1
Indians lead series, 3-2
WP: Beckett (3-0)
LP: Sabathia (1-2)
HRs: BOS-Youk (2)

SUMMARY
Another chapter was added to the brilliant season of Josh Beckett as the Cy Young front runner pitched his third consecutive gem in this postseason, handcuffing the hot Tribe batters on five hits and one run with 11 strikeouts in eight innings of work.

Boston clung to a 2-1 lead through six innings as numerous scoring chances fell by the wayside, but after plating five runs over the seventh and eighth innings to break the game open, the Sox ensured there will be at least one more game played in Fenway Park this season.

#1 STUNNER Beckett 8IP, 5H, 1ER, 0BB, 11K
What more can said about this stud that hasn't been said during the course of this season? The man has absolutely carried this team on his back for an entire year, and his performance tonight in an elimination game is just the kind of effort that can spark a team to a come-from-behind series win.

Guess that ex-girlfriend-singing-the-anthem ploy didn't quite work out, eh Cleveland?

GAGME Travis Hafner 0-4, 2K
The man they call "Pronk" has been a major wonk for the Tribe this series. The chrome-domed slugger struck out two more times tonight, bringing his series total to a whopping 8 Ks in five games, and if he's not producing, chances of the Tribe winning are greatly reduced.

RECAP
When the stakes are high, the chips are down and the season is on the line, there may be no better pitcher in the game right now than Josh Beckett.

Strike that, there IS no better big game pitcher in the league right now than the Mr. October of the new millennium.

Beckett ran his postseason record to 5-2 with his fourth straight playoff victory, and it seems like every win is better than the last. Tonight he put his struggling team on his back and basically said if you can get me enough runs I'm gonna get this series back to Beantown.

Turns out a pair was good enough for this ace.

Unfortunately the game ended after midnight, and after a long week at work and a couple of late nights watching the games, I don't have the strength to do a complete post on this one.

I'll have to try and finish it at work tomorrow, where I will be revelling in the fact that the Indians fan in the office is going to be as nervous as Chipper Jones on Father's Day and the Stankee lover is going to have to hold off on the insults and taunts until at least Monday morning.

Hopefully I'll be back to taunting her by then.

Thanks, Josh

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ALCS Notes: Manny Being Manny infuriates Nation--again

"Why should we panic? We've got a great team. It doesn't happen, so who cares? There's always next year. It's not like it's the end of the world."--Manny Ramirez on the possibility of the Sox losing the ALCS

By now everyone has heard the latest shot heard 'round the world from the immortal ManRam, his open interpretation of what would happen should Josh Beckett and the anemic offense prove to be unable to carry the slumping Sox to the World Series, and the response in the Nation has been fast & furious

My reaction to Manny's candor: he's right.

Maybe it has to do with the fact that they've already "reversed the curse" by winning it all in '04, rendering any future postseason failures less earth-shattering, at least for the foreseeable future, or maybe it has to do with the fact that anyone who's religiously followed the club all year could easily have foreseen this collapse coming.

But whatever the underlying reason I find that his comment was nothing more than a candid observation as to what would happen should the Sox get ousted from the playoffs this evening.

Will we like it?

Obviously not.

Will be pissed off for a few days, go around snapping at our spouses and coworkers while wearing an "I hate the world" expression on our faces?

Most definitely.

But after the initial shock and aw! wears off, life will go on, and soon enough there will be that all-too familiar cry of "wait till next year" ringing throughout the Nation. And with the nucleus of the team coming back and plenty of money to spend on new additions, Manny is right in believing that if they don't get the job done this season, they will have a decent shot at try, trying again next year.

So for all those who have vilified Manny for speaking his mind, I say be careful what you wish for.

Because for a man who doesn't speak too the public very much and is often accused of having an empty head, his thoughts on this subject were right on the money.

For the record, though, let's hope "it" doesn't happen tonight.

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ALCS GM4: Sox are one step closer to elimination

Cleveland 7, Sox 3
WP: Byrd (2-0)
LP: Wakefield (0-1)
HRs: BOS-Youk (1), Papi (3), Manny (3)

RECAP
It's too late in the season and too late in the evening for my usual post, so I am going to forsake my formula for a sour recap of how the magical season of the 2007 Sox is about to abruptly end with another bitter postseason failure.

Tim Wakefield returned to action after sitting out 16 days due to a nagging shoulder/back injury, and the 40-something knuckleballer pitched his ass off for four plus innings, shutting the Indians out while making stud sluggers like Travis Hafner look like Preston Wilson.

Unfortunately fellow fastball-challenged geezer Paul Byrd was dealing just as well, baffling the Boston hitters with an assortment of actual strikes and balls perceived to be strikes by the home plate umpire, picking up where fellow afterthought starter Jake Westbrook left off last night.

And then came the fifth.

The inning was one of the sort that makes a fandom and yes even a team sit back and think "hmmm, maybe this isn't our year after all."

The Indians were at bat for 35 minutes in the fifth, and most of that time was devoted to actual hitting. When the Indians weren't slugging and blooping the ball all over the Jake, weird, freaky shit was happening to the Sox in the field.

Here's a brief summary of the bad karma carnage that took place in the fateful fifth:

-Youk bobbled and dropped a foul pop up that would have been the critical 2nd out of the inning.

-Wake deflected a potential double-play ground ball into a run-scoring, head-scratching hit.

-Former Red Sox prospect catcher Kelly Shoppach was hit by a pitch that wasn't strong enough to break a pane of glass.

-Casey Blake led off the frame with a monster homer, then aadded a bloop RBI single thant plated the final run of the inning

-Chubby Jhonny Peralta slammed his second 3-run homer in three games off beleagured reliever Manny Delcarmen, who gagged again in crunch time when the team needed him most.

By the time the dust settled the Tribe had sent 11 men to the plate, compiled seven runs on seven hits, a walk, a hit by pitch, and effectively put this series on life support for the staggered Sox.

Just as millions of disgusted Nation members were about to turn the gaame off and nearly as quickly as we reminded ourselves of Game 4, 2004, Boston's bats came alive in the top of the sixth with an unprecedented barrage of longballs that brought back pleasant memories of pounding the Stanks back in April.

Youk, Papi and Manny hit back-to-back-back home runs to become the first set of teammates to ever accomplish the feat in League Championship series play, and the sudden surge of runs gave hope that the slumbering Sox attack had received a much-needed jump start.

But it was merely a case of too little, too late.

After surrendering the historic homers Cleveland bounced back and set the Boston batters down meekly over the last four frames, and as the ninth inning approached I was overcome with the feeling that for this the first time all year we have have to face the fact that this talented, erratic, and gutsy group of guys just might not make it back to the game's biggest stage.

Not to go all Suzyn Waldman on you.

So its up to Josh Beckett (who else?) to salvage the season (of course) on Thursday night and in the meantime I think all of us will be pulling out the DVD of the 2004 ALCS and hoping for a reapeat performance.

Any chance of acquiring Dave Roberts for that game?

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ALCS Gm 3: Quiet bats and a mediocre Matsuzaka put Sox in 2-1 hole

Cleveland 4, Sox 2
WP: Westbrook (1-1)
LP: Matsuzaka (0-1)
SV: Borowski (2)
HRs: BOS-Tek (1); CLE-Lofton (1)

SUMMARY
The Sox slipped and fell squarely behind the eight ball tonight as Daisuke Matsuzaka failed to escape the fifth inning again in his second straight postseason start, and if not for a late homer by Jason Varitek, Boston would have had the dubious distinction of being shutout by Jake Westbrook in a crucial playoff game.

Jake Freakin Westbrook.

#1 STUNNER Jake Freakin' Westbrook 6.2IP, 7H, 2ER, 3BB, 2K, HR
Don't let the linescore fool ya, this guy was more money than Cleveland's top two Cy Young contending starters, Sabathia and Carmona, put together tonight. Although he doesn't weigh nearly as much.

Honorable mention to the amazing Kenny Lofton, who continues to defy the laws of physicality, and to the terrific Tribe bully, which notched 2 1/3 innings of no-hit, scoreless relief.

GAGME Boston offense 7H, 2ER, 3BB, 3GIDP
After scoring 16 runs on 21 hits in the first 14 innings of this series, the Sox sizzling bats have suddenly gone stone cold; Boston has scored just 2 runs on 10 hits while hitting into four double plays in its last 15 innings, dating back to the 5th inning of Game 2 Saturday night.

RECAP
Their backs are against the wall, their season is on the brink, and a half a year's worth of blood, sweat and tears could go up in a puff of smoke before anyone even realizes what the hell happened.

And it will all be traced back to Eric Gagne entering the game in the 11th inning on Saturday night, an omen that could turn out to have been more ominous than a black cat crossing your path while walking under a ladder holding a broken mirror.

On Friday the 13th.

For the second straight start high-priced disappointment Daisuke Matsuzaka lasted only 4 2/3 innings before being forcibly removed by Terry Francona; much like his performance in Game 2 of the ALDS, his outing wasn't horrible enough to classify it as a disaster, but was lousy enough to make people wonder what all the fuss was ever about regarding the promising Japanese prospect.

Unlike the last outing the Sox batters were not able to bail him out of a loss with some late game dramatics.

But the brunt of the blame for this collapse has to go to the Sox offense, which has been stymied by a slew of unknown relievers for the last two games and tonight by a perennially-injured starter with a career record of 62-62 and a lifetime ERA of 4.35.

In other words Boston got jaked by Jake at the Jake.

Sorry, but poor humor is seeping out of me like Bombay sapphire after the office Christmas party in the wake of these last two losses, as the Sox now face the semi-daunting task of taking 2 of 3 games here in C-Town just to get the series back to Boston.

Weren't we just dancing naked on Comm Ave and preparing for another trip to the World Series, revelling in the fact that the hated Stanks were falling apart at the seams while our team was playing its best baseball since early June?

Where have all the good times gone?

Like many of Matsuzaka's starts this season, his hot & cold performance ran the gamut from impressive to downright depressing.

The expressionless rookie tossed 1-2-3 frames in the first and fourth innings, striking out three batters including Travis Hafner looking to end the first; allowed two baserunners in each of the second and third innings, including Lofton's pop-fly home run that gave the Tribe a 2-0 lead; and got run from the game when he surrendered two runs on three hits, a walk, a wild pitch and a fielder's choice in the bottom of the fifth.

To his credit had he received any kind of run support he may have hung in there and willed his way to a win despite the fact that had thrown 101 pitches up to that point, but the Boston bats sang that all-too-familiar song of missed opportunities that has shadowed this team all season just waiting to strike when the team can least afford it.

In the first two innings alone the Sox squandered a pair of potential run-scoring chances that would later come back to haunt them: Big Papi (1-3, BB) grounded into a double play on a nice effort by Asdrubal Cabrera and Ryan Garko following a one-out single by Youk in the first, and then they came up empty in a bases loaded, no out situation in the second.

Manny (1-3, BB) led off the inning by drawing a walk off Westbrook, then a single to center by Mike Lowell was followed by an error on first baseman Ryan Garko that let J.D. Drew reach base, and suddenly the Sox had Cleveland on the ropes and looked to be on the verge of busting the game wide open.

Ah, not quite.

Varitek hit a meek pop up to shallow left for out number one, and four pitches later Coco Crisp tapped a weak grounder to short that went for a routine 6-4-3 double play, and in the blink of an eye a possible multiple-run inning turned into another groan-inducing disaster by the erratic Sox offense.

Lofton, the 40-year-old wunderkind who may be the biggest in-season acquisition in baseball this year, made the missed opp sting even more when he lofted (sorry again) a fly ball over Drew's head in right and off the top of the outfield wall with one on and one out in the bottom of the second, and another blunder by Boston would ensure that this was not the night for the townies.

Ortiz led off the fourth with a ringing double high off the left field wall that would have been out of most parks, except the Jake and Fenway, and with Manny and Lowell coming to bat it looked as if Boston would at least slice the Tribe lead in half.

Wrong again.

As Manny laced a shot into the hole at short, Papi inexplicably broke for third base and was pegged on the inner thigh by the batted ball, resulting in a soul-crushing out and ending any hopes of mounting a big inning with the heart of the lineup ready to hit.

To make a long and shitty story short Cleveland wound up scoring two more runs in the fifth to make the score 4-0 (although it felt like 12-0), and even Tek's two-run bomb in the 7th that finally got the Sox on the board seemed more like a token breaking of the seal rather than a full-fledged rally platform.

That's because the Cleveland bullpen has been about as untouchable as a pair of Hayden Panettiere's panties, and while the Sox pen men (Timlin, Okajima and Delcarmen) did do their job tonight, the lack of offensive support conspired to doom the struggling Sox.

And so the Nation's eyes will turn to Tim Wakefield to bail the team out of this mess in Game 4 tomorrow night, and if the offense continues to sputter again, the wise old veteran might have to throw a complete game shutout in order to ensure there will be a Game 6 in Boston on Saturday.

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ALCS GM2: Nixon burns Boston as bully implodes in 11th

Cleveland 13, Sox 6
WP: Mastny (1-0)
LP: Gagne (0-1)
HRs: BOS-Manny (3), Lowell (1)

RECAP
A see-saw affair that ended at 1:30 in the morning resulted in one of the most painful postseason losses in Red Sox history.

Original Dirt Dog Trot Nixon slapped a run-scoring single off alleged lefty specialist Javier Lopez with one out in the 11th inning, and Cleveland went on to score six more times to cap a long, cold, bizarre night at Fenway and tied the ALCS at two games apiece.

#1 STUNNER Jhonny Peralta 3-5, 3R, 4RBI, 2B, HR
The stubby shortstop was a thorn in Boston's side all night; he clubbed a three-run homer to erase a Sox lead in the fourth, scored the tying run after a leadoff walk in the sixth, and got the Tribe into double-digits when he greeted Jon Lester with an RBI double in the 11th.

Too bad he can't friggin spell.

Honorable mention for Trotter for coming through in the clutch against his former mates after sitting out most of the first two games, and to the Indians offense, which rapped 17 hits off the previously stellar Sox staff.

GAGME Eric Gagne 1/3IP, 1H, 2ER, 1BB, 1K
The man who will be forever saddled with the distinction of representing one of the worst mid-season acquisitions in Red Sox history lived up to his new reputation as a weak-armed, washed-up douchebag when he allowed a pair of baserunners and a pair of runs to start the 11th inning, cementing his status as a colossal has-been who can't get anyone out at any time ever.

Dishonorable mention to Javier Lopez for allowing Gagne's inherited problems to score, and also to Francona for having the utter stupidity to bring this piece of garbage into a tie, extra inning postseason ballgame.

RECAP
Wow.

Or maybe I should say "ow".

Because that would be the appropriate reaction to a loss that hurt pretty damn badly in an "it's only a game, not life or death" sorta way.

The Red Sox rollicking postseason party came to a screeching halt last night at Fenway as they fell to the Tribe in the frigid early morning hours after a game in which Curt Schilling couldn't make it through the fifth inning and the vaunted Boston bullpen could not get the big out when it needed to.

There will be plenty of blame to go around today, and I'm sure Francona is getting lambasted just as much as Gagne, Lopez and Delcarmen, but the truth is this loss was a team effort--nobody really played well enough to make sure the team left town with a 2-0 lead under its belt.

As I sit here after attending the Bucs game with my son today, I find that I can't even summon the strength nor the desire to post about this game. There were some fantastic highlights for the home team, like Manny and Lowell going back-to-back to give Boston a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the fifth, and, well, Manny walking with the bases loaded for the third time in the series and Lowell following that with a 2-RBI single that gave Boston an early 3-1 lead...

...but for each of those pleasant memories there are at least a half a dozen horrible ones, like a shaky Schilling (4.2IP, 9H, 5ER, 0BB, 3K, 2HR) surrendering a 3-run bomb to deep left center to Jhonny Peralta to cough up that 3-1 lead in the fourth, or Manny Delcarmen allowing an RBI groundout to tie the game at six in the sixth, a blunder that set the stage for this long game's journey into late night.

Not to mention Gagne's arrival into the picture, a move that elicited stunned silence from the Faithful and after his sudden-but expected departure, caused Stephen King to begin furiously penning a new tome entitled The Day a Has-Been Closer Might Have Blown the Pennant."

As you can see there is just too much to cover and so little time, and since I'm not making a dime for any of this, I'm just gonna let you guys read what everyone else is saying about this one and take a breather for a while.

Hopefully Francona will do the same for Gagne.

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