April Showers Bring Red Sox Updates

Yesterday was quite the sports-filled Saturday—it was the perfect storm of sports, if you will, with just about every single professional sport active in some way. A virtual buffet of sporting events to choose from on the boob tube, it made my head spin—from MLB action to the NFL Draft, NBA and NHL playoffs, WGC-Cadillac Match Play, the Kentucky Derby and, of course, the over-priced boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Spoiler alert: Mayweather and American Pharoah were winners!

But I'm not going to talk about any of those contests. I'm not even going to talk about the Red Sox series against the Yankees (and if you're a Sox fan, you know why!) I feel the need to recap the first month of the Red Sox season. Yeah... I know it's only April, but no matter how newborn the season may be, it's still important to have some success in these early days so as not to fall too far behind. Playing catch up is hard.

There are so many new faces on this Boston team, I still don't really know everyone—especially the pitchers (take away my fan card if you must.) I'm getting there, but I'm not going to lie, I need a cheat sheet. With new faces come new growing pains while these players get accustomed to Fenway Park and the big Boston stage. And as with every year, some will flourish, and some will flounder.

Let's take a gander at some of what's been happening with our beloved BoSox in the early days of the 2015 season:

The GOOD...

• Brock Holt "The Brock Star" is such a blast to watch. He only appeared in 14 games in April, but he hit .386. 
• Newcomer Pablo Sandoval has been a consistent bat. In 20 games, he has 24 hits, 12 runs scored and 11 RBI with a respectable .312 average.
• Welcome back to Boston, Hanley Ramirez! Hanley smashed 10 homers and drove in 22 in the month of April, tying him for the major league lead in both categories. If that stupid hairdo has anything to do with the home runs, keep it... even if it does make your helmet fall off every...damn...time.
• It appears that the Dustin Pedroia of pre-2014 is back. His average is just a few ticks under .300 and he has four home runs—so he's definitely on pace to beat his 2014 total of seven.
• Relievers Craig Breslow and Junichi Tazawa seem to be the only real bright spots in the bullpen, both posting ERAs of 1.38 and 1.69 respectively.

The BAD...

• Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, Justin Masterson and Joe Kelly. This team is so blatantly missing an ace—it makes me feel a little stabby. Kelly is the only starter to have a sub-5.00 ERA and even then, just barely. 
• Big Papi's .236 average is disappointing. Even though he's notoriously bad in April, I still think he needs to spend less time on his hairstyle and beard grooming and more time in the batting cages.
• After destroying the ball in spring training with a .429 average, Mookie Betts has gotten off to a slow start, batting only .230 in April. Maybe he has Big Papi's disease.
• Pablo Sandoval isn't going to win any Gold Gloves at third base with three errors this past month.

The UGLY...

• Wade Miley. Need I say more? This guy pitches like a champ one start and then gives up a hundred runs in his next. His ERA in April was 8.62 and in four starts, he only pitched 15.2 innings. I'll save you from having to do the math... that's not even four innings per start. Geez...
• The pitching staff as a whole. They are currently LAST in the major leagues in ERA. That's slightly embarrassing.
• Mike Napoli and Daniel Nava. Batting .162 and .154 respectively with a combined one home run and 10 RBIs. 
• Shane Victorino is injured again so I won't piss on his stats too much. Even though in 12 starts, he IS hitting only .143. Come on.

So overall April was just meh. The Red Sox went 12-10 while scoring the most runs (119) in the majors which speaks volumes for how bad their pitching is (113 earned runs allowed, also leads majors!) That's a lot of close, high scoring games! They really have some work to do—I'm giving you the side eye, pitching staff—if they're going to make my World Series prediction come true. I don't like to be wrong.

Bombs Away! Red Sox Rout Phillies in Season Opener.

HOT DAMN! Now that's how to kick off a season, boys! Another Opening Day in the books and I'm really liking what I'm seeing—especially considering the dismalness of 2014. This game had it all—stunning offense, some awesome defensive plays and lights out pitching. I don't even know where to start!

It was a beautiful 72˚ day in Philadelphia (major jealousy!) for the official start of the 2015 season for both teams. I'll admit, I was a bit nervous with the ever-dangerous Cole Hamels on the mound, not entirely sure how Clay Buchholz would match up. My worry was all for nothing. Cole sucked, Clay did not. Cole managed to last just five innings and left down 4-0. Clay did not. Buchholz was masterful—in seven innings, he allowed just three hits, no runs and he struck out nine. I'll take that any and every day of the week.

And the Red Sox lineup? Well, they did something the Sox couldn't manage all of last season... blasting FIVE home runs. Yes, FIVE. Lucky for the Phillies' self-esteem, four of those home runs were solo shots. Well, that is until Hanley "the other dreadlocked" Ramirez jacked a grand slam off the left-field foul pole in the top of the ninth to put the game out of reach at 8-0! And just for the record, he hit that slam with a broken freakin' bat. Duuuuuuuuuude!

Dustin Pedroia had much to prove coming into this season. Pedey was not Pedey last year recording his lowest full-season batting average (.278) with just seven home runs. He's nearly a third of the way to that total after just one game after belting two homers and going 3-for-5 in the effort. He also flashed some leather at second base, and yes, got that uniform dirty. Does Pedroia ever finish a game with a clean uniform? Even with a day off, I bet he still finds a way to get that thing dirty.

Mookie Betts rounded out the bomb brigade with a solo shot in the third. This kid has some quick hands—so quick, I barely saw him swing the bat. I've probably said this before, but I see good things for this 22-year-old youngster. I'm happy to see the Sox giving him an Opening Day start—although there probably would've been some seriously raised eyebrows if they didn't after he tore up the spring hitting .429 in 56 at-bats.

I followed the Red Sox and other players on Instagram over the spring and it truly looked like a group of men that enjoy each other's company, love having some fun and try not to take themselves too seriously. I love that. And I love this video more than words can describe! I also think Big Papi and Hanley Ramirez might love each other too (dancing to That's Amore between innings!)

I agree Pete... I love them already too! (video from here)

Oh, it's a good day today. Not only is baseball back but the Red Sox have not left me shaking my head wondering if it's going to be another long and tedious season. I know it's just game one of 162, but I'm determined to keep the glass half full.

Spring Means Baseball and Sunshine and Melting Snow... and Baseball. Did I Mention Baseball?

Well, it's not spring yet, but it is March 1st—the day I am officially over winter. Granted, February set a record for coldest month ever in the state of Maine—or at least since they've been keeping records—so I'm going out on a limb and saying that I was over winter sometime last month. And I'm a fan of winter, so you know it had to be a bad one.

But March is full of hope too. It's full of days to look forward to that actually might just signify that winter is on its way out and we could possibly see bare ground before the month's end. The town I live in, Gray, Maine, has received nearly 100" of snow so far this year and I'm fairly certain all of it is still on the ground so we're going to need some seriously warm days to get rid of this white shit.

The days get longer. There's a holiday that's dedicated to drinking. And let's not forget, if the old adage is right, March goes out like a lamb. A nice, soft, cuddly lamb I like to call April—a month that is chock full of good stuff.

So come, sit down next to me and let's dream of days in the not too distant future that will make us ridiculously happy... especially after Mother Nature tortured us for no apparent reason the last couple of months.

Tuesday, March 3rd: The Red Sox kick off their spring training game schedule with their annual doubleheader against the college kids of Boston College and Northeastern. 

Sunday, March 8th: Daylight Saving Time! Yay, we get an extra hour of daylight after work!! Although we do lose a precious hour of weekend so that sort of aggravates me.

Monday, March 9th: National Napping Day. To make up for that lost hour!! Although I'm not sure my bosses would appreciate me sleeping on the job. Again.

Tuesday, March 17th: St. Patty's Day. Gotta love a holiday dedicated to drinking. The only day of the year, the Irish pub near my office has a full deck at 8am. Now that's commitment. 

Friday, March 20th: THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING!! And yes, it did deserve the shouty caps. It's also the day where any snow that occurs after pisses us off more than any other snow of the season. Unless you're a skier.

Wednesday, April 1st: April Fools Day. Don't believe a word of anything anyone says to you. And watch out for saran wrap on your toilet. 

Sunday, April 5th: Easter Sunday. Chocolate eggs. Chocolate bunnies. Chocolate everything. Did I mention chocolate? I'm sure there's another reason for Easter, but right now all I can think about is chocolate! 

Monday, April 6th: Opening Day for the Red Sox in Philadephia. It's a fresh start after a dismal 2014 season. Could they perhaps become the only team to go worst to first to worst to first? Fingers crossed. 

Tuesday, April 7th: National Beer Day! Excuse me... wouldn't it make more sense to have this day on... say... a Saturday? Whatever. It's beer. And baseball season so... yeah. 

Friday, April 10th - Sunday, April 12th: Red Sox vs. Yankees, Version 1.0. Gotta love that first series of the year between these two rivals. And we'll see a Jeter-less Yankee team for the first time since 1995. 

Sunday, April 12th: Happy Birthday, Dad! And Sunday at Augusta National for the final round of the Masters. 

Monday, April 13th: Red Sox Home Opener! I can only hope they're 6-0 by the time they make it to Fenway Park. I am expecting a championship, you know. 

Monday, April 20th: Patriots Day... a holiday only celebrated in Maine and Massachusetts, but it's the day of the Boston Marathon and the Red Sox play at 11am—the only game I watch in my PJs while eating breakfast. 

Friday, April 24th: Happy Birthday, Mom! (And it just happens to be National Pigs in a Blanket day. Who knew??)

So there you have it. There is a light at the end of this long, dark, snowy, COLD tunnel and it smells like grass, sunshine, and beer. This list might just keep me from throwing myself in front of plow truck during the next (and you know there will be a next) snow storm.

Happy Almost Spring!!

Congratulations, Pedro! (A little belated...)

Pedro Martinez is going to Cooperstown! Yeah, yeah... I know I'm a little late to the party but these days, I'm lucky if I remember my own name, so better late than never. Like most Red Sox fans, I loved Pedro. His way of getting the job done was always fun to watch, not to mention his ridiculous personality. He actually told TMZ Sports a couple days ago that he hoped his Jheri curl makes an appearance on his Hall of Fame plaque. I'm just hoping it's a Red Sox cap covering those curls.

I could go on and on about his accomplishments — three-time Cy Young winner, eight-time All-Star, five-time ERA champion and three-time strikeout champion, but who doesn't already know all this? He pitched in two World Series but only won one... one very, very memorable World Series for Red Sox fans. But really more impressive is the baseball era in which he dominated as a pitcher... the dreaded steroid era. And he always pitched clean.

During Pedro's career with the Red Sox, I never once got to see him pitch. Believe me, I'm still bitter about this. One summer, I honestly can't remember when, I went to a game with my parents. It was a drizzly, miserable night but Pedro was scheduled to pitch and I was so excited, it could've been snowing and I wouldn't have cared. About 15 minutes before the game was to start, the public address announcer says there's been a change in the line up and Pedro Martinez would not be pitching. I looked at my parents and said, "I want to go home." But we didn't because that would've been silly. I was so pissed!

It wasn't until 2006 when Martinez returned to pitch at Fenway Park as a New York Met that I finally got to see him live. The cheer he got as a visiting pitcher was thunderous. But the Sox kicked his ass so that was fun too!

I don't think I saw Pedro again at Fenway Park until April 20, 2012 — the 100th anniversary game. But that day, I saw just about everyone through my tears of joy. Pedro and Kevin Millar led all of Fenway Park in a toast to 100 years, complete with what appeared to be a bottle of champagne each. It was funny, touching and perfect.

Congratulations, Pedro... I can't think of any Red Sox pitcher in my lifetime that deserved a first ballot induction into the Hall of Fame more. I wish I could be in Cooperstown with you to celebrate! And congrats also to his classmates, Craig Biggio, Randy Johnson and John Smoltz.

Brock Holt: A Breath of Fresh Air for Red Sox

I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like watching the Red Sox this season is somewhat painful. They are definitely not that same bearded team we watched celebrate a World Series Championship last fall and frankly, it's just plain depressing. This group of guys can't seem to get out of their own way and it's hard to tell which team is going to show up day in and day out. They've got a whole Jekyll and Hyde thing going and it's not even remotely cute.

What Boston needs is a swift kick in the ass. I think that kick in the ass is called Brock Holt. Who? Honestly, I don't recall ever hearing his name before he was called up to the Red Sox earlier this season. In the 38 games with the Red Sox, Holt has 51 hits, 12 of those doubles, and a .329 batting average. Not bad for a 26-year-old who began his season in Triple-A Pawtucket.

Not only has he been producing at the plate, he's been a real trooper defensively. He has filled in at third base, first base, and most recently, the outfield. While he's not the greatest glove on the field, he's persistent and not afraid to throw his body around. And Jonny Gomes should be thankful for Holt's style of play because it totally bailed his ass out the other night.

Check out the best catch I've seen in a very long time...

Almost makes you want to hop back on that Red Sox train again, doesn't it? Maybe this acrobatic and somewhat impossible catch, coupled with the recent release of Grady Sizemore, are just the ingredients this team is looking for to help turn this season around. I have hope. It might be just a glimmer, but it's there.

Oh Red Sox... Where has the Magic Gone?

I think it's safe to say that for a Red Sox fan, the 2013 season was just plain magical. It was a season where things just fell perfectly together — like you just knew at some point late last summer that this team was destined to win it all. Every game was fun. Every game was an adventure. And every game felt winnable.

Maybe it was that fateful event that occurred on April 15th that sparked this group of men to give their all for every inning of every game for the rest of that season. They did have that Boston Strong rally cry to live up to, after all. What kind of team would they have been if they couldn't boost the spirits of this city with win after dramatic win? They really had no choice but to excel. They were a team fueled by hometown spirit and pride.

It was just magical. I know that sounds corny, but for me, it's true. And I'm going to venture a guess that I'm not the only sappy fan out there that feels that way.

Was it the facial hair that carried that winning mojo? Or was it a particular player? Maybe it was David Ortiz's heartfelt speech on April 20th that sparked something that can never again be had. I have no idea what special force caused this ragtag group of guys to succeed when no one gave them a chance, but I do know this... that magic has left the effing building, my friends.

In April of 2013, the Red Sox were third in Major League Baseball in batting with a .271 team average. They had hit 26 home runs collectively, had an on-base percentage of .347 and slugged .446. In April of this season, their team batting average was .246 — good for 19th overall. Well that sucks. Orioles' left fielder, Nelson Cruz, has more home runs this season (21) than the Red Sox hit as a team in May (20). Seriously?

So needless to say, I'm annoyed. Sure there have been multiple injuries to key players like Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino and Will Middlebrooks. And the starting rotation has had some hiccups... like Clay Buchholz who went 5-0 with a 1.19 ERA last April... and this year, he was 1-2 with a 6.66 ERA. I'm not even going to tell you what the difference is year-to-year between opponents batting average because it will make you want to throw up.

What I do know about this team is that Stephen Drew is NOT the answer. He wasn't the answer in the off-season at $14 million a year, and he's sure as hell not the answer for $10 million after sitting out the first two months of the season. He hit a whopping .111 in the entire 2013 postseason, and is batting a big fat ZERO since he's returned to the lineup. (Ok, so it's only been a couple games but I don't care!)

Something needs to happen and it needs to happen tout de suite. If you don't know, that's French for RIGHT THE EFF NOW! This season is slowly slipping to the point of no return. SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING!!

One Year Ago Today...

April 15, 2013—just another Patriots Day (for Maine and Massachusetts, at least.) That day when the Red Sox play early enough that you can watch while still clad in pajamas. (Isn't everyone still in their PJs at 11am on a day off from work?) That day that I mark as the deadline to get all that crappy raking done—that is if the snow has melted. And every Patriots Day, the Boston Marathon snakes through the streets as Fenway comes alive with the sounds of baseball.

But April 15, 2013 was anything but just another Patriots Day. At 2:49pm, as runners and spectators crowded the Marathon finish line, an explosion rocked a city.

One year ago today... a tragedy shook the Boston Marathon. A vile, terrorist act that took the lives of three innocent souls and injured over 260 others. When you think of how gravely many of those were hurt, it's a miracle there weren't more casualties.

One year ago today... we learned of a young man named Jeff Bauman who viciously lost both legs in the blast, but perseveres. He's not angry, he's thankful. He's thankful for the people who rushed to his aid, the people who saved his life, and the people who cheered him on throughout his recovery. Jeff played a pivotal part in the identification of the terrorists.

One year ago today... we learned of a man named Carlos Arredondo who, like many others, rushed towards the blast to provide help to the injured. He was the first to get Jeff Bauman and saved his life.

One year ago today... we learned about the Richard family. They stood closest to the backpack. Mother Denise lost an eye. Father Bill suffered damage to his eardrums. They lost their 8-year-old son, Martin. Their daughter Jane lost her leg, endured 14 grueling surgeries and had to learn to walk again.

One year ago today... changed the lives of hundreds of people, their families and the city. Two backpacks. Two bombs. Two loathsome and deplorable monsters. A day the people of Boston and the country will never forget.

One year ago today... a city came together to become Boston Strong.

I don't live in Boston. I didn't run in the Marathon. I didn't know anyone injured in this horrific act. I'm not going to pretend to know what the people involved went through or are still going through. But like many, I'm inspired by the stories of those who refused to give up in the face of adversity.

Day 315: The Truck is On Its Way to Spring Training!

For non-baseball fans, the term Truck Day might elicit a "Huh?" But for many Red Sox fans, Truck Day is really the official start of Spring Training. And yes, that stupid rodent in Punxsutawney, PA is telling us that winter won't end for another six weeks up here in the north, but down in Fort Meyers, Florida, spring will abound with the sights and sounds of baseball season. *sigh*

Photo Credit: Krista Nordgren

Every year I pledge that this is the year I make it down for a look at the team before they head north in April. And every year, March at JetBlue Park passes by without me. I'll get the occasional text from a lucky friend or family member as they sit lazily in the Florida sunshine enjoying friendly Fenway South, but still I have never been to even one spring training game. I feel like my fan status should be downgraded or something. I suck, to put it simply.

I know, you're probably wondering what the big whoop is since pitchers and catchers don't report until Saturday. But how do you think all that equipment gets to Florida? One big-ass tractor trailer truck, that's how. So bright and early Saturday morning, the movers loaded box after box of equipment into the truck in front of a small but loyal gathering of fans who braved the cold to bid the truck a fond farewell.

The 18-wheeler would be hauling 20,400 baseballs, 1,100 bats, 400 pairs of socks and 60 cases of sunflower seeds to name just a few of the baseball necessities. There might even be some various player articles on that thing—like maybe some spikes belonging to Will Middlebrooks and Mike Carp and Jake Peavy's bag. The nearly 1,500-mile journey will be piloted by Milford native, Al Hartz, who is embarking on the trip south for the 16th straight year.

So it's really quite silly to get so excited about a truck full of equipment, but after the bitter cold and snowy winter we're experiencing here in New England, the thought of baseball makes spring seem right around the corner!

Day 305: Boston Marathon Bomber Will Face Death Penalty

Do you remember what you were doing at 2:49pm on April 15, 2013? I do... I had the day off because it was Patriots Day (yay!) and I was doing yard work (boo-hiss!) I remember coming into the house, checking my phone and seeing an alert that simply said there had been an explosion at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. There was nothing simple about what had happened.

What followed over the next five days stunned and horrified the whole country and put the city of Boston on high alert. On Friday, April 19th the entire city of Boston shut down. The internet soon was filled with images of empty streets and freeways and popular gathering places. The images were eery and strange. Residents were asked to stay home while law enforcement and military personnel scoured the city, looking for this piece of shit. 

We were glued to the television that Friday evening, waiting for the word to come that they had found the younger bomber. When it finally did, the city of Boston erupted into a celebration and rightfully so. When, if our lifetime, has any one douche bag shut down an entire city the size of Boston? He deserves every thing that comes his way... and it sounds like none of it will be pleasant.

I'm not going try to sugarcoat my incredible glee for the news that was published today. If Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is found guilty of planting bombs that killed three and wounded 264 people at the Boston Marathon last April, he will be put to death. The only thing I have to say about that is good riddance, pond scum.

This decision is for Martin Richard, Krystle Campbell and Lingzi Lu... and while it won't bring these three back to their families, at least those families won't be paying for that piece of turd to rot in prison for the rest of his life. This decision is for Jeff Bauman's legs and everyone else who lost limbs and suffered injuries—both physically and mentally. It won't change what happened, but it will hopefully give these victims some piece of mind that the monster responsible will pay.

I can only hope that when the Boston Marathon happens in just a few short months, the crowds are even bigger and more supportive as the city of Boston extends a big, giant middle finger to any would-be terrorists who would dare try and take down this city again.

Day 278: 30 for 30: Four Days in October

I'm embarrassed to say that "Four Days in October" is the first "30 for 30" that I've watched—and I'm even more embarrassed that it took me this long to watch it. I hope no one tries to revoke my fan status because of it. This was a film full of memories of those October days that altered lives for an entire generation of Red Sox fans.

October 17, 2004 is one of those dates Sox fans will remember forever. It was a day that changed the face of an organization and reversed an 86-year-old curse all in one fell swoop. But on that day, no one knew it would be a day that would live on in infamy. It was just another day. It was a day that followed an embarrassing 19-8 loss that put the Sox in a 3-0 hole, facing elimination at the hands of the Yankees for the second straight year.

But we all know what happened on October 17th and the days that followed. The Boston Red Sox, who hadn't won a World Series since 1918, accomplished something that had never done in professional sports—they came back from a three game deficit to win four straight and send the Yankees home. From that stolen base in the bottom of the ninth in game four to a famous bloody sock, it was a series full of pivotal events, clutch plays and cowboy upping.

Watching this special brought back so many memories. Like how much of a cheerleader Kevin Millar was for this team—he was telling everyone, "Don't let us win today." Like how close the Yankees were to going to the World Series—just three outs away with Mariano Rivera on the mound. Like how you could hear a pin drop in Fenway with Dave Roberts on first in the bottom of the ninth in game four. Or how his stolen base brings tears to my eyes every time I see it.

What about the clutch hitting of David Ortiz, driving in the winning runs for games four and five, both in extra innings. Or Curt Schilling's pitching in a do or die game six in Yankee Stadium with a bloody sock. The memory of a horrible ankle injury, a fresh surgical scar, and a blood stain that slowly grew with each passing inning. He pitched seven heroic innings allowing just on earned run on four hits.

Or like when Alex Rodriguez, desperate to get on base, swatted the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's glove and then tried to say it was just his running motion. And then his tantrum on second base—refusing to leave the field, convinced he did nothing wrong. Or the subsequent shower of shit from the stands (because Yankees fans are classy like that) prompting the NYPD to take the field in riot gear.

Then there was Derek Lowe who pitched game seven on just two days rest and ended up spinning a six-inning, one-run beauty. Or like when Pedro came in to relieve Lowe to the chants of "who's your dad-dy!" and giving up two runs. But Boston's bats had exploded in that final game giving them a lead they would never surrender.

When that final out of the ALCS was recorded, you just knew... there was no way the Red Sox could lose that World Series.

If you don't have Netflix, you can watch the whole special right here on YouTube... if you have an hour to kill, do it. It's so worth reliving the plight of a group of idiots that simply asked, "Why not us?" [Dad... if you haven't seen this special, you must watch it right now!]

Day 216: I Love a Parade: Red Sox Rolling Rally

Saying this 2013 Boston Red Sox season has been an emotional one would be an understatement. With the tragedy of the Boston Marathon bombings happening just two weeks into the season, the Sox have rode the emotional "Boston Strong" battle cry throughout the regular season and postseason. The Red Sox played each game with the 617 jersey in their dugout as a reminder of what they were working towards... to put a smile on the faces of Bostonians and New Englanders everywhere by winning it all.

Just days into spring training, Jonny Gomes had no doubt that he would be a World Series Champion as a member of the Red Sox. Ryan Dempster remembers a conversation he had with Jonny early in the preseason. Dempster asked Gomes how he was doing. He replied, "Hey, we're one day closer to the parade."

Well, Jonny... you got your parade.

This gorgeous fall morning, millions crowded the streets of Boston as the Red Sox boarded the now famous duck boat (some bearded) convoy and celebrated their World Series victory with their fans. Unfortunately, I'm too lazy and never made it down to Beantown for the festivities, but I did watch the NESN coverage which included a completely awesome poem by the Red Sox PA announcer, Dick Flavin. In case you missed it, click here! It was pretty friggin' amazing.

As the motorcade of duck boats approached the Boston Marathon finish line, they came to a stop. Jonny Gomes (clad in his brand new, custom-made LL Bean World Series Champs boots) and Jarrod Saltalamacchia got off the boats and set the World Series trophy on the finish line with the 617 Boston Strong jersey. It was an emotional scene for all involved, which included a group picture with some of those affected by the bombing, and also a tear-jerking rendition of God Bless America. This scene at the finish line made me cry... (surprise, surprise!)

Did you see Jonny's boots? Pretty awesome, eh?

Other than the tears at the finish line, I basically sat on my couch and smiled like a damn fool watching this parade. It was a much deserved end to an amazing season for a bunch of extraordinary baseball players. Pedey said it best...

"We played for a lot more this year, obviously," said second baseman Dustin Pedroia. "It's important the way the Red Sox play the game, but this year we were playing for other things, and it was pretty special the way we ended it. Hopefully we made a lot of people happy."

Phenomenal season... incredible team... World Series Champs... and lots of really happy fans. How many days until pitchers and catchers report? I'm having withdrawals already!!

Day 215: What Comes Next for the Red Sox?

Before the official start to the Red Sox off-season begins, they have one more World Series celebration on the docket—this time celebrating with the city of Boston in the much loved Duck Boat Rolling Rally. If you find yourself in Boston Saturday morning around 10am, find a spot on Boylston, Tremont or along the Charles to try for a glimpse of the new World Series champions. It's supposed to be a beautiful November day... I'm sorry I'll miss it.

After the parade, the players' season might end, but the front office presses on with making sure Boston fields a team in 2014 that rivals these bearded champions. The off-season will be busy dealing with a number of would-be free agents.

The first order of business: Jon Lester. The Sox have exercised their $13 million option on the lefty, keeping him with the team through the 2014 season. Lester was 15-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 33 starts and in the playoffs, he was even better going 4-1 with a 1.56 ERA and 29 strikeouts in five starts. That's one they can cross off the list.

Jacoby Ellsbury is also a concern. He hits the free agent market coming off a season where he batted .298 and led the team with 52 stolen bases. The problem with Ellsbury is that mouth-breathing agent of his. Scott Boras is not a friend to the Red Sox. After the high of winning a World Series title, you might hope that Ellbury would like the winning more than a long-term, big-money contract. I'm going to guess Boras won't let that happen...

If Ellsbury doesn't get paid the big bucks, neither does Bor-ass. It's too bad, really. I mean Ells has had his ups and downs over his time in Boston—some might even question his physical toughness, but he's a speedy center fielder who can cover a lot of ground and shred pitchers' and catchers' nerves while on base. If he does go, will the Sox place their stock in Jackie Bradley, Jr. as a replacement in center? In his limited time in Boston this season, he really didn't make much of a splash.

In addition to Ellsbury, Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Stephen Drew and Mike Napoli are all free agents and the Red Sox have until 5pm on Monday to make $14 million qualifying offers to all three. If the Sox do so, the players then have one week to accept the offer or decline and sign with another team. The qualifying offer isn't required, and the Sox can still make deals with those free agents.

If the team opts not to put forth the qualifying offers, they could be on the hunt for another catcher, a first baseman and possibly another infielder. If Drew doesn't return, there's always Xander Bogaerts waiting patiently in the wings to talk over at short. He more than proved himself and his ability to perform on the big stage in the postseason.

We'll see how it goes... the front office won't get much of a break heading into the holidays. This season's success will be a hard act to follow.

Day 183: First Half Recap: 6 Months Down, 6 Months to Go!

The Balls of All Sizes quest for 365 consecutive days of sports blogging is half over as of today. For six straight months, I have (surprisingly) stuck to my goal and it has been a blast doing it. I've learned a lot about sports I don't normally watch and blogged about some that don't really involve balls. A lot has happened over the past six months—some pretty awesome stuff and some pretty awesomely bad stuff. 

Just in case you're new to Balls, here are a few of my favorites:

April 12:  Day 12: Happy Birthday, Dad!

What better way to honor my dad on his birthday than to write a post for him. He's the reason I love sports so much—it's his fault I care so deeply about every win and loss.

April 24:  Day 24: Happy Birthday, Mom!

It just wouldn't have been fair to honor dad without giving mom her day in the sun. She also has a lot to do with my sports addiction. She allowed it.

May 10:  Day 40: An Act of Kindness. A Happy Fan.

Even though I'm not a Dodgers fan and really don't care what they do, I fell in love with this story and Matt Kemp's selfless act of kindness making a young man's day.

May 22:  Day 52: Jerry Remy: Commentator Extraordinaire or Playgirl Pinup?

This post totally cracked me up to research and write and it was one of my most successful with 122 views. (For me, that's a banner day!!)

June 27:  Day 88: Aaron Hernandez is a Dumbass

Even though there were a couple Hernandez posts that precede Day 88, this one is by far my favorite. Not only because I got the chance to rant about a completely ridiculous situation, but also because the damn post got 251 views. Must've been the title!

June 29:  Day 90: These are a Few of My Favorite (Fenway) Things

Just because I love Fenway Park so much... if anyone ever tears this ballpark down, I'll be forever broken. Baseball season is the only time of year I sort of wish I lived in Boston.

July 16:  Day 107: An Open Letter to the Pre All-Star Break Red Sox

I actually got to the point of hating the Red Sox towards the end of last season. I went to a game in August and wanted so badly to throat-punch each and every guy on the field. It was just to nice to love this team again.

July 17:  Day 108: Those Rolling Stone Idiots Really Have No Clue

I've never been so disgusted with a publication as I was with Rolling Stone for glorifying that asshole who was responsible for the Boston Marathon Bombings. 

August 8:  Day 130: Wes Welker Left Because Bill Belichick was Mean... Really?

I love this post for many reasons, but mainly because I was half in the bag when I wrote it. And I still think I managed to write a pretty mistake-free post that actually made some sense!

September 9:  Day 162: Red sky at night, sailor's delight.

This post was a favor for a friend who loves sailing. Who knew that I would become so caught up in the America's Cup, I would write not one, but three posts about the oldest trophy in sports. It was fun doing the research and learning all about this rich man's race.

September 21:  Day 174: Red Sox Clinch the AL East... And I WAS THERE!!

Of course this one is on my list... I've never been to a division clinching game before so this was so much fun. What a season for the Sox!!

Well, I think that's probably enough favorites for now. I just hope the next six months provide as much material as the first six did. Minus murderers on my favorite teams... I've had enough of that. 

Do you have a favorite?

Day 174: Red Sox Clinch AL East... And I WAS THERE!!

It was a gorgeous night to be at Fenway Park and even better, the magic number was one! My dad and I embarked on a trip to Boston with hopes of getting to be a part of the division clinching celebration. All we needed was a win!

When I got the tickets for the Red Sox vs. Blue Jays game on September 20th, I figured the game would mean nothing. I figured it would just be another in-division game that the Red Sox would most likely win seeing as the Blue Jays have taken up permanent residence in the AL East basement... and, well... the Sox just find ways to win this season. I honestly had no idea how special the night would turn out to be.

The Blue Jays made the Sox work for their win. Boston scored early, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, and then added another run in the third. Toronto scored one in the fifth and kept the game close until the Sox broke out for three runs in the seventh. With a 5-1 lead going into the eighth inning, it was pretty evident to most in attendance that this game was in the bag. The ballpark was alive. Barely a single soul departed early. You could see the Sox owners make their way down to the seats next to the dugout in anticipation.

Junichi Tazawa replaced Jon Lester in the top of the eighth. Lester managed to hold the Jays to just one run on five hits while striking out eight over seven innings. Tazawa struggled a bit giving up a two-run homer to pinch hitter, Adam Lind. And now we're looking at a 5-3 lead and a lot of fingernails got a lot shorter. With one out, John Farrell called upon Koji Uehara to come in and complete a five out save. I'm pretty sure he was trying to give me a heart attack.

I think Koji is even more dynamic and fun to watch in person. He did give up a couple hits in his outing, but he struck out the final batter of the game swinging to empty the dugout and turn the pitchers' mound into a sea of jumping, bearded kids. They traded game jerseys for We Own the East t-shirts and donned ski goggles in preparation of the champagne attack.

We stayed until the end. We witnessed that final strike and that mound mosh pit. There's just something about being there in person... to hear the whooping and yelling and back slapping. Experiencing first hand the love these guys have for each other and the hugging and beard tugging. We left when the celebration moved into the clubhouse so we weren't around when the booze-soaked team emerged from the dugout. 

We missed Mike Napoli and David Ortiz spraying beer on fans above the dugout. We missed an army helmeted Jonny Gomes punting beers into the stands (and nailing some guy in the face... oops!) Even Koji got in on the fun, sneaking up on the fans with a spraying champagne bottle as they chanted his name. He even hopped up on top of the dugout to high five the remaining fans. In case you missed it...click HERE.

The Red Sox complete the only worst-to-first turnaround in the club's history. All I know is this year... I believe in magic!

Day 171: Red Sox closer Koji Uehara is human...but at least he doesn't suck.

The Red Sox have slogged through closers since Jonathan Papelbon left the team after the 2011 season. Over his seven years with the Sox, Papelbon was pretty awesome with 219 saves and a 2.33 ERA. The 219 saves makes him the Red Sox career saves leader. And in August of 2007, he recorded his 30th save and became the first Boston pitcher to ever have two 30-save seasons—he ended up with six straight 30+ save seasons.

There was not much that got the stands at Fenway rocking like the gravelly opening notes of Dropkick Murphy's "Shipping Up to Boston" as he trotted in from the bullpen. I miss those days. Things have been... shall we say... somewhat painful since Paps departure.

In the two seasons since, the Sox have seen numerous bodies toe the rubber with the game on the line in crucial late inning situations. Up until now, none of them has done anything earth shattering. For a fleeting moment, Daniel Bard seemed to be the obvious choice as Papelbon's successor. And then Bobby Valentine broke him—tried to make him a starter and completely ruined a young pitcher's career. Bard never recovered and is no longer with the team.

Andrew Bailey was acquired before the 2012 season to fill the roll, but suffered a thumb injury in spring training and basically did diddly-squat the entire season. Enter Mark Melancon who ended up getting shelled in April, was shipped off to Triple-A Pawtucket and never saw action in Boston again. And then there was Alfredo Aceves... he butted heads often with the manager and felt he deserved more credit than his stats (5.36 ERA and 25 saves in 69 relief appearances) warranted.

The 2013 season started with a presumably healthy Bailey and newly signed Joel Hanrahan. All set, right? Nope. Hanrahan injured his elbow early in the season and Bailey just plain sucked. So now what?

John Farrell was forced to look deep into his bullpen for a reliever sturdy enough to last and poised enough to stay focused with the game on the line. Enter veteran right-hander Koji Uehara. The 38-year-old, in his first year with the Sox, had just 14 total saves in his previous four seasons split between Baltimore and Texas. And you want to do what, Mr. Farrell?

But Farrell must have seen something special in Koji. Since being handed the closer role in late June, he has 19 saves. But even more impressive is the 37 straight batters he has retired since July 9th. That streak ended on Tuesday night against the Orioles but Koji didn't let it distract him. He came back and got the next three batters but allowed a sac fly to drive in the go ahead run and give him his first loss of the season. Still...color me impressed.

So we find out that Uehara is not Superman, but he's still a super closer. I love his energy, his fire, his intensity, his high-fives and his fierce fist-pumping. Just one more guy picking up the slack, like so many players have done during this amazing season!

Day 142: Fenway Park Hosts a Special Game While Sox On West Coast

The Red Sox are currently on the road playing on a dreaded west coast swing—those games you barely see the first couple innings of before your eyelids slam shut. You cross your fingers as you check the scores the next morning, just hoping they notched a win in the wee hours of your morning. And last night they did win behind a gem of an outing from Jon Lester and they still hold that slim one game lead. Yay!

Last night, Fenway Park hosted a different kind of game. It was the kind of game where the players didn't earn paychecks that could buy a small country. A game where the fans were admitted to the park for free and asked only for a donation. This game was a game for heroes.

The Wounded Warriors Amputee Softball Team made a stop in Boston to take on the Boston Marathon First Responders in a charity softball game to benefit the One Fund. According to MLB.com, the WWAST is made up of both veterans and active duty soldiers who have lost limbs and was formed in 2011 when the University of Arizona received a congressional grant to finance a disabled-veteran sports camp. After the week-long camp ended, many of the attendees didn't want to stop and the WWAST was born. The team travels around the country playing against mostly police and fire departments. Pretty much kicking ass and taking names.

The Boston Marathon First Responders was pulled together shortly before the game and evidently learned quickly they were in over their heads. MLB.com says:

The First Responders should've had a few practices beforehand, a theory they realized shortly after the game started. It wasn't that they didn't take their opponent seriously -- "To be on the same field as these guys is an honor itself," said Boston firefighter Phil Byrne, who was three blocks away from the first explosion April 15 -- they just never thought to organize a practice.

The WWAST is such a great role model for both adults and kids, with and without limbs. They display such persistence and determination. There are men who play nearly as well now as they did before their injuries. And they show the younger amputees that life doesn't end with the loss of a limb. General manager, David Van Sleet, an Army veteran, says they have a motto: "Life without limb is limitless. But more importantly, life goes on."

By the way, the First Responders got their butts kicked, 28-11.

Day 108: Those Rolling Stone Idiots Really Have No Clue

Rolling Stone magazine usually doesn't get mentioned much in a sports blog, but when the do something so utterly deplorable, it's sometimes necessary to discuss—even if it's not exactly sports-related. But it sort of is...

Usually one of the first things I do in the morning is scroll through my Facebook timeline to see what sort of hijinks went on overnight. This morning, what I found nearly knocked me off my feet. A posting by a local news station featured the cover photo of the newest issue of Rolling Stone. Now I'm sure this magazine has a whole team of editors and writers and publishers that sit around a table and discuss what musician, celebrity or notable news figure is going to be featured on the cover. Dr. Hook wrote a friggin' song about it so it must be a pretty important place to be. (You're humming the tune right now, aren't you?) So you would think that at least one of these people would have a speck of common sense, right? Wrong.

Rolling Stone decided to write a cover piece on the Boston Marathon bombing. Understandable. It's still a current topic—one that affected countless New Englanders. Many of the victims still struggle daily with their injuries. And there are those families that continue to mourn for those lost in this horrible tragedy. The magazine could've easily picked one of these stories to recount.

What about Richard family? Eight-year-old Martin, whose life was unfairly cut short by that black backpack. Or how about Martin's younger sister, Jane? The seven-year-old endured 39 days in the ICU at Boston's Children's Hospital, undergoing 12 surgeries on her amputated leg. And then there's Martin's mom, Denise, who is blind in one eye.

Maybe Rolling Stone readers would be interested in hearing about bombing victim, Jeff Bauman and the cowboy hat wearing Carlos Arredondo who heroically leapt into action after the blast, saving Jeff's life. Both of Jeff's legs were blown off yet he made the most miraculous recovery, being released from the hospital faster than any other amputee victim. Jeff now has a shiny new pair of legs he showed off before Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals.

But they chose not to write about a victim. Instead, they elected to write about the demon behind this gruesome tragedy. They glorified and rockstarified this useless piece of shit, showcasing his diabolical face on the cover of a national magazine. A magazine that would be prominently displayed in the aisles of local stores across the country, and more importantly New England.

The face of this murdering savage would be staring at victim's families as they shopped at their local grocery store, book store or corner store. Thankfully, many local businesses and chains have boycotted this issue of Rolling Stone. Tedeschi Food Shops, CVS/pharmacy, Roche Bros., Stop and Shop, Cumberland Farms and Shaw's/Star Market have all opted to keep the offensive periodical off it's shelves.

I started to read the article titled: The Bomber: How a Popular, Promising Student Was Failed by His Family, Fell Into Radical Islam and Became a Monster. WTF? I barely made it through one page before I was forced to stop, the bile rising in the back of my throat. I was overwhelmed by disgust and outrage. I don't give a crap what kind of upbringing this asshole had, a shitty family does not give you the right to blow up innocent people... children! Take responsibility for your actions and stop making excuses for your evilness.

I refuse to link the story in this post. If you feel the need to read this steaming pile of vomit, you'll have to use the Google. I'm glad I haven't given that publication a dime of my paycheck since college. Rolling Stone is dead to me.

Day 90: These are a Few of My Favorite (Fenway) Things

Ahhhhh... a Friday night in late June at Fenway Park. Definitely not a bad way to spend a few hours. Every time I step foot onto Yawkey Way, I feel like a kid again—ridiculously excited to walk into the bustling concourse and up the ramp that reveals the field in all its green glory. As I sat there last night witnessing yet another hard-fought win by the Red Sox over the Blue Jays, I tried to pinpoint what makes this ballpark so special.

Maybe it's the history. The 101 year old Fenway Park is the oldest Major League ballpark still in operation. This park has been home to some of the greats like Babe, Ted, Yaz and Pedro. It has seen glorious championship celebrations in 1912, 1915, 1916 and 1918 but wouldn't see another one for 86 years. It has seen dramatic home runs and no hitters and strike out records. And it has seen the ultimate in disappointment (but I won't go there, for all our sakes.)

Maybe it's all the green and the red and the blue. The meticulously maintained field... the Green Monster, the green fences surrounding the field. The one red seat in a sea of blue in the bleachers in honor of a Splendid Splinter. The Citgo sign. The blue Boston Strong logo fueling a team to try just a little bit harder because "This is our f---ing city."

Maybe it's the sounds. The man behind me explaining to his two small children each play as it happens... The food vendors pedaling their peeeeea-nuuuuuuts and haaaaaawt doggggggggs... The PA announcer's introduction of the batter at the plate... a "Let's Go Red Sox" cheer started somewhere in the right field corner that quickly spreads from section to section.

Maybe it's the smells—good or bad. Peanuts and popcorn and hot dogs and sausages and cotton candy and pizza and beer. The current temperature has quite a bit of an impact on whether those smells make you want to pig out or vomit. Just for the record, when you stuff yourself beyond capacity pre-game at Boston Beer Works, those smells have an adverse effect.

Maybe it's the closeness. By Major League ballpark standards, Fenway Park is not considered voluminous. Quite the contrary... while you never feel far from the action, you also never feel far from the person sitting next to you. Sometimes they're just too close. Like the fat guy who sat next to me for a few innings... and who also spilled over just a tiny bit into my seat.  *gag* Some might say there's not a bad seat in the house. But those people probably never sat in the right field corner, or behind a support beam.

Maybe it's the energy. While I'm not one to do the wave (call me a commie if you must), I love the fan participation in all parts of the game. Whether it's the guy next to me passionately singing the National Anthem... or the kids in the bleachers belting out Take Me Out to the Ballgame... or the slightly drunk, middle-aged ladies on the Green Monster dancing like nobody's watching to Sweet Caroline... it all makes me smile.

Or maybe it's just the passion. The love Sox fans have for their ball club, win or lose. How we live and die with every pitch, every swing of the bat, every deep fly ball, every diving catch... hoping that in the end, when the last out is made, the sweet sounds of the Standell's Dirty Water fill the park and send fans home with a smile on their face.

Day 22: A Bat For a Good Cause

I think I've mentioned this before, but I absolutely love this Red Sox team. Love! Attitude, spirit, heart, guts, grit... just love. And the more I get to know some of the new guys, the more I can't help but love them a little more each day. This past week hasn't hurt their standing with me either—with so much sympathy and respect and tributes pouring out of several member of the team every day.

Photo courtesy of Will Middlebrooks Instagram

Whether it's Will Middlebrooks writing "Boston Strong" on his cleat, Jon Lester tweeting about the victims being on his mind during his performance last week, or Big Papi's heartfelt speech about whose city Boston really is—it has all been very inspiring.

Jonny Gomes took inspiration to a new level in the first game of yesterday's double header. On a suggestion by his agent, he had the names of the victims slain in (or as a result of) last Monday's tragedy, including MIT officer Sean Collier, engraved into the barrel of his bat. Of the four etched bats, Gomes used two in the game and plans to have the other two signed by the team and auctioned off to raise money. *sniff sniff*

It's too bad the bat didn't do more to help the Sox take at least one from the Royals on Sunday. Nothing sucks more than being swept in a double header.

Day 21: Sometimes the F-Word is Just So Necessary!

It was an emotional day at Fenway Park yesterday as the Boston Red Sox did their part to honor both the victims and the heroes in the Marathon bombing. The Sox donned special game day home jerseys where they replaced the familiar "Red Sox" with "Boston" and included a B Strong patch. And nearly everyone in the stands wore something that tied them to Beantown.

The poignant ceremony began with a tribute with photos of the Marathon...then the explosions...and then the chaos...all with the song "Hallelujah" accompanying it. It was hard to keep the lip from quivering. Then, victims of Monday's tragedy were invited out to throw the ceremonial first pitches while members of the Boston and Watertown police departments stood alongside.

An enormous American flag was dropped over the Green Monster and it was time for the national anthem. And for the second time in less than a week, I was reduced to tears as an entire stadium of over 35,000 Boston Strong joined together and sang.

As those involved in the pre game on-field ceremony began to file off, David Ortiz, fresh off the DL, took control of the microphone.

"All right," he said. "All right, Boston. This jersey that we wear today, it doesn't say Red Sox. It says Boston. We want to thank you Mayor Menino, Gov. Patrick, the whole police department for the great job they did this past week."

And then, he hits us with this... (needless to say, I almost fell of my couch and I even needed to rewind to make sure I actually heard what I thought I heard!)

And the FCC agreed that in this case, there was no need for a fine. Smart people. No one could have said it any better!

Oh yeah, and the Sox won on a 3-run homer by Daniel Nava in the 8th inning—most certainly sparked by a surprise visit by Neil Diamond to help sing Sweet Caroline!

What a day!