A Farewell to #34

Balls of All Sizes has been pretty quiet in the past 17 months but there are certain people who just deserved to be memorialized. David Ortiz is one.

Well... the Red Sox 2016 season came to a screeching halt on Monday after a horribly lackluster performance in the ALDS losing three straight to the Terry Francona-helmed Cleveland Indians and with it, the hallowed career of Mr. David Ortiz... Big Papi... #34. This loss was incredibly disappointing for a team that led the majors in runs per game, total runs, hits, doubles, RBI, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging, OPS and total bases. They had three players finish in the top 10 for batting average for crying out loud! But after winning 19 games in September (including an 11 game winning streak), they hobbled into the playoffs with silent bats and a pitching staff lacking confidence.

But this story isn't about the Red Sox failure to perform... this story is about a career so magical it was very nearly unbelievable. This story is about a guy who was released by the Minnesota Twins at the age of 27 and given a one-year contract with the Red Sox on the word of Pedro Martinez. This story is about a guy who went on to become the heart of Boston.

When Big Papi arrived in Boston for the 2003 season, the Sox had been relegated to 2nd place behind the powerhouse (and extremely annoying) New York Yankees for several seasons in the midst of winning three consecutive World Series. Painful with a capital P. And 2003 wasn't any less traumatic when Aaron Boone hit an ALCS Game 7 walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th to send the Sox home. But it was only Ortiz's first season. Clearly, the best was still yet to come.

Who knows what happened during the winter of 2003-04 with Big Papi, but he was a greatly improved player in 2004. And we all know how that season ended... An amazing ALCS where the Sox finally got revenge on the Yankees by coming back from a 3-0 deficit for a trip to the World Series. Ortiz won the ALCS MVP after batting .387 with 3 home runs and 11 RBI. The Sox went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals and win their first World Series in 86 years. Goodbye, Curse and Hello Blessing... a blessing in the form of a Big Papi!

David Oritz went on to spend the next 14 seasons delighting Red Sox Nation. A 10-time All-Star, 6-time Silver Slugger winner, and the most important title of all, 3-time World Series Champion. I've been a Red Sox fan my whole life and I often wondered if they would ever win just ONE more World Series so THREE has been a dream come true. He hit 541 total home runs landing himself at #17 on the all-time list sandwiched between Mike Schmidt (548) and Mickey Mantle (536). Not too shabby.

In 2013, Ortiz unofficially took back the city of Boston after terrorists bombed the finish line of the Boston Marathon and not only inspired the community but sparked a team of bearded ballplayers to rally around their broken city and propel the team to their third World Series Championship. Why? Because this is our f#@*ing city!

And then on November 18, 2015, his 40th birthday, Big Papi announced his retirement. Sadness and disbelief settled on the Red Sox fandom. And we all wondered... has he lost his edge? Is he no longer confident in his ability to hit the ball as he once did? Or maybe he's just tired of the aches and pains associated with a twenty-year career...

Ortiz spent the 2016 MLB season on a farewell tour but also showed NO signs that he was a forty-year-old in his final season. He finished in the top 10 in batting average, bashed 38 home runs (the most by any player in his final season), led the majors with 48 doubles and tied for 1st in the American League with 127 RBI. So WHY ARE YOU LEAVING US BIG PAPI?? *sobs*

He was giving a hero's sendoff from every ballpark he visited in his final season with the pinnacle being his final game at Fenway Park. The city of Boston announced they would rename the Brookline Bridge the "Big Papi" David Ortiz Bridge... The Red Sox announced they would retire #34 at the beginning of the 2017 season... Maine native and 3rd base coach Brian Butterfield presented the entire Ortiz family with custom #34 LL Bean Boots... And he was basically offered any job in the Red Sox organization he wanted. A very emotional goodbye for everyone.

There's so much of Big Papi that I'll miss. His presence... big and bold and loud. His smile... bright and warm and welcoming. His heart... passionate and open and devoted. I'll miss his stride to the plate, the spit, the clap, the slow trot around the bases and the salute to his late mother as he crosses home plate. I'll miss that sparkle in his eye that told me he was just an all around great guy. I'll miss that energy he brought to the ballpark in every at bat. And I'll also miss that I probably missed any chance of getting a Big Papi hug... *sniff*

It was the ultimate walk-off. Good luck, Big Papi and thanks for the many memories. xoxo

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.

One Week and Counting: Opening Day is Almost Here!

Monday, April 6th. It's a day I've been looking forward to all winter—all five months of frigid temperatures and endless snowstorms. But now, even as the temps struggle to make it out of the 30s, I can see baseball season. I can see the real sign that spring is actually here no matter what the thermometer or the snow in my yard says. And I will surely argue with myself that morning of April 6th whether or not I feel well enough to go to work.

My hope for this season? A respectable finish would be nice. You know... sort of like that season they had in 2013 and preferably not the two that flanked it. I don't like last place. I especially don't like last place living with a Yankees fan. There's no greater pain.

I have no idea what the Red Sox starting rotation is going to look like this year—especially with all these new faces. I do know that Clay Buchholz has been named Opening Day starter and after last season's 5.34 ERA, my confidence in the lanky righthander is not high. Former Tiger, Rick Porcello, seems to have the best 2014 resume of the bunch with a 3.43 ERA. And Justin Masterson returns to the Sox after spending time with the Indians and Cardinals, but despite an All-Star appearance in 2013, in 2014 he was worse than Buchholz with a 5.88 ERA. So basically... oy.

The Sox picked up a couple of big offensive threats in the off-season in Hanley Ramirez (who came up through the Red Sox farm system a decade ago) and Pablo Sandoval. Ramirez has had a respectable spring, but Sandoval hasn't impressed me too much. Mike Napoli has been on fire and as usual, Jackie Bradley Jr. is tearing up the spring. What is it about Bradley Jr. and his spring training successes? And will he carry that spark north to Boston? Because last year he was sort of a giant disappointment.

But Mookie Betts, dude. MOOKIE BETTS!! If the Sox don't find a spot for him to play regularly, I'm going to have someone's head. Seriously. (Unless, of course, he has JBJ disease and can't seem to play in the regular season.) This guy has been on hotter than fire. He's been like molten lava. He's logged among the most at bats during the pre-season and boasts a .452 average with 19 hits, seven doubles, two triples and two home runs—one of which was an inside-the-park jobby. He has scored 11 runs and has an OPS of 1.334. DUDE! Mookie for President!

So the jury is still out on how I feel about this team. Can Pedroia bounce back from a very un-Pedroia-like 2014? Can Big Papi still smash the ball without his ever growing ego getting in the way? What will the Sox do to solve their latest complication behind the plate with Christian Vazquez going out for the season? And most importantly, what are they going to do to stay out of the cellar so I can maintain my sanity?

Now I just sit and wait and wring my hands until the final 25-man roster is named and I become that crazed Boston fan who is never satisfied with any decision they make. I will also to continue to hope for a team that respects each other enough to not end up in last place again. A team that plays for the parade. I really liked that team.

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!!

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.

Rest in Peace, Tony Gwynn... Mr. Padre.

Photo from HERE

Baseball lost a special person today. The greatest San Diego Padre to ever wear that hideous uniform, Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr., lost his battle with cancer at the young age of 54. Folks who knew him said he was also a pretty awesome guy which is nice to hear, especially with some of the douchebags in the game these days.

Having grown up a Red Sox fan, I never really got a chance to follow guys in the National League. But I knew he was special during the 1999 All-Star game at Fenway Park when he helped Ted Williams throw out the first pitch... making sure the old guy didn't fall over.

The Hall of Fame outfielder was a magician with the bat. In his 20 seasons, all with the Padres, he amassed some rather ridiculous numbers.

• 3,141 hits (good for #18 all time)
• 15 time All-Star
• 7 Silver Slugger Awards
• 5 Gold Gloves
• 8 National League batting titles
• 7 time National League hits leader
• .338 lifetime batting average (good for #16 all time)

Gwynn also hit .394 in the strike shortened 1994 season which was the highest season average since the Splendid Splinter, Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941.

ESPN.com had a couple of other pretty cool stats too:

• Over his 20-year career, Gwynn's .338 lifetime batting average was the highest of any player whose career started after World War II—no one with 5,000 or more plate appearances has even gotten close. 
• No hitter born after 1900 reached 3,000 hits in fewer games (2,284) or at-bats (8.874) than #19. 
• No 3,000-hit man who was born after 1900 had a higher lifetime batting average than Gwynn.
• No hitter who has played his entire career since the invention of the designated hitter has accumulated as many hits as Gwynn (3,141) without spending a large portion of his career in the American League. (I love this stat.)

For the last four years, Gwynn has been battling salivary gland cancer, most likely from using smokeless tobacco. He underwent multiple surgeries, but the cancer forced him to take a leave of absence from his head coaching job at San Diego State, his alma mater, where he had coached for 12 season.

Tony Gwynn never wanted your sympathy... so instead of feeling sad, let's celebrate the life and achievements of an amazing ballplayer and person. Rest in peace, Mr. Padre.

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!!

Day 365: Party's Over... Said the Girl.

Opening Day (yay, baseball) is one of my most favorite days of the year—right behind Christmas (oooh, presents) and Thanksgiving (hmmm, food). The beginning of six months and 162 glorious games that will make me happy and sad and angry all in the span of nine innings.

Three hundred and sixty-five days ago, on Opening Day of the 2013 baseball season, I began a quest. That quest was to start a blog and post at least once a day about sports for a whole year. I wasn't sure I would have enough topics to write about. I wasn't sure if my discipline was strong enough to complete the task. And I certainly wasn't sure if people would read what I was putting out there. Well, that quest is now completed and now I sort of feel empty. Please hold me.

The Boston sports scene gave me more subject matter than I knew what to do with. I honestly don't think I could've written about a better year. Even though I started writing a week earlier, it really all started with my very first trip to Opening Day at Fenway Park—a gorgeous, sunshiny Monday afternoon that concluded with a Red Sox win. That day was full of promise and possibility after what had happened the previous disastrous year. And it just steamrolled from there.

There was the Boston Marathon bombing that unsettled an entire city and enlisted the sports community to rally Boston Strong around the tragedy. The Aaron Hernandez arrest for murder and the Patriots' subsequent release of the talented yet brainless tight end. The Boston Bruins incredibly determined run to the Stanley Cup final and heartbreaking loss. Let's not forget the magical World Series Championship season put forth by those lovable, bearded Red Sox—a worst-to-first miracle. And then there was the Patriots making a postseason run even after Wes Welker's departure and a yet again injured Rob Gronkowski—leaving Tom Brady with virtually no targets.

What I loved most about writing every day was the freedom to include whatever I wanted. There were no real rules—just as long as the post was about some type of sport. I loved being able to write about a good deed done by a baseball player, or a killer play made by a tiny person, or a sport that I knew absolutely nothing about, like sailing. I also loved being able to pay tribute to my parents on their birthdays for their part in this obsession and posting videos that made me giggle.

I also wanted to thank everyone who loyally followed Balls of All Sizes and didn't get annoyed that I spammed your Facebook timeline every single day. I know it was quite a commitment and I completely understand if you missed a day here and there. Thanks to those non-sports fans that supported me by reading even when, at times, you had no freaking clue what the hell I was writing about. And, even though he'll never read this post, thanks to my extremely understanding husband who could've gotten really annoyed at the hour plus I spent on putting forth what I hope was a somewhat intelligent blog post every single day for the past year.

Balls of All Sizes isn't going away... it's just taking a little siesta. There will be occasional posts, probably once or twice a week, after a little well-deserved break. I'd be lying if I said some days weren't just a bit stressful. I suffered from writer's block and brain cramps and drunky writing and oops, I almost forgot days. And there was that one time I thought it was over because I was on my way to Fenway for a evening game and I hadn't written anything—thank you iPads with 3G!!

And just like that... game one of 2014 is in the books. Unfortunately, unlike their Opening Day win a year ago, the Sox lose to the O's 2-1, leaving 12 men on base and wasting a perfectly good outing by Jon Lester. I was hoping to maybe end this quest on a high note. I'm trying to be optimistic that this isn't indicative of the season to come, but I'm a Sox fan—glass half empty, remember?

Anyway... the party's over. Elvis has left the building. The fat lady has sung.

PS: Bonus points if you can tell me what movie the title of this post comes from!

Day 364: And Like That... Baseball is Back!

The 2014 Major League Baseball season officially kicks off tonight as Sunday Night Baseball returns featuring a matchup between National League West rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. But the real action doesn't start until Monday. At 3:05pm EST, the Red Sox open their season at Camden Yards to take on the Orioles for three.

If the weather reports are correct, it looks like a spectacular day for baseball with sunny skies and temps right around 60˚—a little better than the 39˚ and rain expected in Boston tomorrow. Winter really mistreated the northeast over the past several months and it doesn't appear to be in too much of a hurry to surrender and let spring take over. But after the deep freeze we've experienced, 45˚ sounds downright balmy!

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited for Monday and that doesn't happen very often. Monday is usually reserved for a belly full of dread as the impending work week looms with piles of shit to do. But I've already got my name on the calendar indicating I will be OUT of the office for the afternoon to park my ass on the couch and bask in the glow of yet another Opening Day.

The Orioles will send Chris Tillman (16-7, 3.71 in '13) to the hill against the World Series workhorse, Jon Lester (15-8, 3.75 in '13). I'm guessing the lineup will look a little something like this (let's see how close I get): (1) Grady Sizemore, CF; (2) Daniel Nava, LF; (3) Dustin Pedroia, 2B; (4) David Ortiz, DH; (5) Mike Napoli, 1B; (6) Shane Victorino, RF; (7) Xander Bogaerts, SS; (8) Will Middlebrooks, 3B and (9) AJ Pierzynski.

Victorino is a question mark for Opening Day after suffering a strained hamstring in the final spring training game, so if he's not available, it could be Jackie Bradley Jr. in right and I would guess he would bat 9th. My pick for Sizemore to lead-off is a shaky choice... so I'll be curious to see who John Farrell puts in that spot to replace the speedy and recently departed Jacoby Ellsbury. Sizemore has been known to have some speed and his numbers in spring training were pretty good.

The best thing the Red Sox could do at this point is to get the thought of repeating as World Series Champs completely out of the conversation. This is a new year, with some new faces and, most certainly, some new challenges. They need to play it one game at a time like they did in 2013. They need to play as a team... and grow those gnarly yet magical beards like their lives and wins depend on it.

As the team's spring training t-shirts read: Turn the [Bleep]ing Page. If they can focus on making a fresh start, I'd say there's a pretty good chance it will be another fun season to be a Sox fan.

Day 362: Grady Sizemore Wins Opening Day CF Job

Opening Day is in four days. You know what else happens in four days? I will have officially reached the Balls of All Sizes goal of 365 straight days of posting... Opening Day of 2013 to Opening Day of 2014. And I have loved every single moment. You know what else I love? I love surprises. I especially love surprises like Grady Sizemore.

If there was one guy I was rooting for this spring, it was Grady Sizemore. The 31-year-old former Cleveland Indian hasn't played a big league game since September 22, 2011. Yes, 2011. He has been out of major league baseball for more than two full seasons. And now? Well, Red Sox skipper John Farrell has just named Sizemore as the starting center fielder for Opening Day.

Sizemore beat out Jackie Bradley Jr. who started last season's Opening Day, but never fared as well in regular season, big league action than he did in spring training. And Bradley has yet to bounce back and was optioned back to Triple-A Pawtucket prior to today's game. Sizemore is having an outstanding spring with a .333 batting average in 39 at bats and a home run and he's also made some pretty spectacular catches too!

I feel sort of bad for Bradley though. With the departure of Jacoby Ellsbury, that center field job was most certainly his for the taking. But what a difference a year makes. After batting a staggering .419 in spring training back in 2013, Bradley is batting just a .158 this spring. He never hit over .200 in his short time with the Red Sox last year—it's like something just broke him.

And who knows... maybe Sizemore won't be able to handle the strains of playing every day. I mean shit, he's had like seven surgeries in the past few years and his knees are going to be the issue—if there is one. But if Bradley can't prove he can successfully hit on the major league level, the Sox will have to use someone like Jonny Gomes to take the pressure off Sizemore.

Whatever the case may be... I'll be rooting for Sizemore to do well and stay injury free. This guy truly does deserve a break.

Day 358: Deal is Done: Ortiz Will Finish Career in Boston

Well, David Ortiz got his way, like he always does. After a bit of a snippy spring where Ortiz, once again, voiced his desire to stay in Boston...for the right price, the Red Sox signed him essentially through 2017. If you're keeping track, Ortiz would turn 42 on November 18, 2017. But they haven't promised the money with no strings attached.

In 2014, Ortiz will make $15 million in the final year of his current two-year contract that was signed in 2012. The original total was $26 million, but with him spending fewer than 20 days on the DL in 2013, he'll earn an additional $4 million for a performance clause. The $15 million due to Ortiz this season ranks as the second highest salary behind Mike Napoli who signed a two-year, $32 million deal in December. The new deal signed on Sunday will pay Big Papi $16 million for the 2015 season. A club/vesting option is in place for 2016 that will kick in if he achieves a certain number of plate appearances, and then there's a club option for 2017.

It helps that the Red Sox will most likely have a number of low-paid players in the line up in 2014—Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Will Middlebrooks won't even be eligible for salary arbitration until after 2015. Frees up lots of moola for the big man.

I've been in that boat that doesn't necessarily agree with the way the Red Sox front office treats Ortiz differently than other players when it comes to negotiating contracts. In a time when teams just don't offer up $15 million deals to single-faceted players, Big Papi is bucking the trend and getting that big payday. But there's no denying that he's an integral part of the organization and the city of Boston. And it doesn't hurt that his contributions have had an immeasurable impact on the value of the team. Ortiz is the only player on the team who has been a part of all three of the most recent World Series Championships.

Who knows if Ortiz can maintain the same level of performance through the 2017 season, but at least there will come a time where he'll need to achieve some numbers in order to get paid. Maybe he'll even see this move by the team as a sign of respect and he'll stop moaning about it. Now let's just hope the current .057 spring training batting average is just a minor aberration.

Day 357: 2013 Red Sox Recap: Bearded Band of Brothers

October 30, 2013: "Ninth inning of game six. Two balls, two strikes, two outs. Red Sox lead the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1. Koji ready. He turns on the rubber, the 2-2 home..."

We all know what happened next... something that hadn't transpired in Fenway Park since 1918—a World Series Championship clinching win. It's a moment that gives me full body chills even now five months later.

NESN put together an amazing compilation of the 2013 season's events and subsequent Championship called "Bearded Band of Brothers" that is a must-see for any Red Sox fan. I've had the DVD for months and finally just watched it today. Maybe it's because the start of the new baseball season is just over a week away and the 2014 Red Sox haven't done anything too exciting in spring training. I needed a little pick-me-up, a reminder of what can happen to this team.

I know it's asking a lot for a repeat of the fairytale magic that occurred last year and I know the chances of winning the World Series in back-to-back seasons are somewhat slim, but watching that DVD just reaffirmed what a special team this was and could be again. As long as they continue with the same team-unifying attitude and positive outlook, it could happen.

This video covers everything from those dark days of 2012, to the blockbuster deal with the Dodgers, to the unconventional and controversial players signed in the offseason. Then from that special walk-off win on Patriots Day, to the darkness of the events that happened on the heels of that win, to the week that followed leading up to the capture of the bombers and David Ortiz's heartfelt declaration.

And in the wake of that tragedy, this video documents the never-say-die, fight-till-the-end outlook this team displayed for the rest of that extraordinary season. It seemed like every other night, there was some heroic feat that catapulted them to yet another win. Whether it was a lights out pitching performance, a diving, run-stealing catch, or yet another walk-off win, each and every player contributed to the team's successes at some point.

It was also a season that was defined by many different themes. When Will Middlebrooks innocently hashtagged a tweet following the Marathon bombing with #BostonStrong, it became the motto for the entire city. And let's not forget Koji's post-save high five parade... or the massive horde of players who waited at home plate to excitedly (and sometimes violently) greet every guy responsible for a walk-off win. But most of all, it was the year of the facial hair with beards so long there was quite possibly small, woodland creatures inhabiting them... and where the handshake or ass slap was replaced by a beard tug.

And of course, October and all its glory.

Like most things related to that amazing worst-to-first performance, the DVD made me cry, it made me laugh and it made me smile. I smiled a lot. If you need something to get you pumped up for 2014 Red Sox baseball, click HERE to buy this DVD. Go Sox!

Day 356: Yankees Get Taste of Ellsbury's Injury Antics

Baseball players can be real sissies. In my opinion, Jacoby Ellsbury might be the president of that club. I'm not saying all players are wimps. I know plenty that play hurt—hell, Dustin Pedroia seems to be always playing with some type of injury. Or how about Cincinnati Reds pitcher, Aroldis Chapman who was blasted in the eye socket by a line drive last week? They're now saying he'll pitch again this season which blows my mind after seeing the replay. The guy had a steel plate inserted into his head and reports are that he could be throwing a ball in a couple of weeks.

And then you have players like Ellsbury. One of my biggest problems with him when he played for the Red Sox, was his inability to return in a timely fashion from an injury. There is absolutely no sense of urgency for this guy to get back in the lineup which tells me, he's more interested in what's best for him than what's best for the team. Maybe that will do something for his longevity in this game, but dude, come on.

When he hit the free agent market after the 2013 season, I really wondered what type of pay day a guy like him would score. He had two seasons with the Red Sox that were significantly shortened by an injury that I'm convinced wasn't debilitating enough to warrant missing that much time. But then again, I'm not a doctor so who am I to judge... just a sneaking suspicion, I guess. So after the Yankees signed him to seven year, $153 million contract, my first thought was, good friggin' luck getting your money's worth out of that pansy.

The regular season hasn't even started yet and ol' Jacoby is up to his old tricks. He hasn't played in a spring training game since March 14th because of tightness in his right calf. He had an MRI late last week and then tested it out the following day by doing some light running and hopes to be back in the lineup on Tuesday. He hopes... you know, if there's absolutely not even one tiny little twinge of pain. Although there were reports that he said if it was the regular season, he coooooould play. Douche.

Oh Jacoby, I'm sorry you're such a wuss. But I'm not sorry you're playing for a different team this year. Your their problem now.

Day 352: Baseball for Beginners: Lesson #9 - Dress the Part

Just two lessons left which means that the Balls of All Sizes quest is nearing its finale—just 13 days left. Up until now, Baseball for Beginners has covered the following areas: Pitchers, Catchers, Infielders, Outfielders, the Lineup, Some Basic Rules, Lingo and More Lingo. I'm sure I could do another half dozen posts on baseball lingo, but I figured you have enough to get you started and make you sound like you know what you're doing.

One of the most important lessons for new female baseball fans is the wardrobe. And we're not so much talking about what the players are wearing on the field. They were uniforms, by the way... not costumes or outfits. What I'm talking about is what you are wearing to the ballpark.

If you plan on attending a few games, please just purchase a hat. It's a pretty inexpensive item and can serve dual purposes. The hat can show your allegiance to your team, but also keep the sun out of your eyes if you're enjoying a day game in the bleachers. However... please, PLEASE never, EVER purchase a pink hat. If you're not under the age of five, this is not allowed. There's not much that screams "I have no friggin' idea what I'm doing" more than the pink hat.

Sometimes you might hear someone referred to as a "pink hat." This is not a compliment. Urban Dictionary defines a "pink hat" as "an over zealous, typically female fan of a recently successful local pro sports franchise. Characterized by the brand spanking new, officially licensed pink team hat. Typically spends the majority of the game chatting on cell phone, waving to TV camera, asking idiotic questions, and being a stupid, annoying nuisance in general." If you're trying to be a respectable, new baseball fan, steer clear of the pink hats. Don't let this happen to you!

There's no law that says you must wear a team-inspired t-shirt. But if you're next purchase happens to be a shirt, the choices are endless. I try to stay away from shirts with players' names on the back strictly because it bugs the shit out of me when you see a person sitting in Fenway Park wearing a NIXON jersey when Trot Nixon hasn't played for the Red Sox since 2006. The only exception are #8 Yastrzemski or #9 Williams shirts—or anyone else who played the majority of their career AND retired while with the Sox. (If you're not a Red Sox fan, this applies to your local team too!)

However... I would rather have you buy a shirt with someone's name on the back than a shirt that has any type of embellishment or bedazzles. Victoria's Secret has a PINK sports gear line that is absolutely the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life. Click on the link HERE to view the absurdity, but please refrain from purchasing anything from this website. If the shirt sparkles or glitters, put it down and walk away from it... fast. I know there's a lot of gear made specifically for women. If you must buy it, go ahead. Just please make sure it won't blind someone when the sun hits it, and it displays the team colors.

Just follow these simple rules in clothing yourself for a trip to the ballpark and now one gets hurt. And I'll definitely let you sit next to me!

Day 351: Sox Score St. Paddy's Day Spring Win

Opening Day is exactly two weeks away. TWO WEEKS! Is it just me or has this spring training absolutely crawled by? Or wait, maybe it's because this winter has been never ending and all I want is to see some green grass and some dirt and some friggin' baseball. The temperature is supposed to bottom out at -2˚ overnight. That's just ridiculous. RIDICULOUS! It's mid-March for crying out loud. I'm not sure the snow is going to melt in time for baseball to happen in northern New England.

But I digress... the Red Sox have won six of their last ten spring training game so thing are looking up... sort of.

The Red Sox celebrated St. Patrick's Day with green uniforms and a nice 10-5 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. And there were even a few fireworks. Mike Napoli, Dustin Pedroia and Ryan Lavarnway all launched home runs, while Grady Sizemore went 3-for-4 in the leadoff position making a bid for a starting job come March 31st. Napoli and Pedey both had three RBIs to lead the scoring.

It's nice to see Sizemore have success with the Red Sox—he's currently batting .381 in Grapefruit League play. If you remember, Sizemore has struggled with injuries over the past few years which forced him to sit out of baseball completely in 2012 and 2013. In addition to his strong offensive outing, he also made two spectacular catches—one as he crashed into the wall, the other a diving catch that saved what would surely have been a run-scoring double. Click HERE to see both catches!

Unfortunately, Sox starter John Lackey did not have the best day on the mound. In five innings, he game up five earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts and two walks. He managed to walk away with the win (saved by the bats), but in the spring, his ERA is a whopping 9.39. The bullpen held the lead and Koji Uehara continues his scoreless spring. (Ok, so he's only pitched four innings...)

Well... I can't wait for this season to start and I've already marked myself off on the calendar at work for the afternoon of the 31st so I can sit back, relax and enjoy the Opening Day festivities! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Day 347: David Oritz... Get Over Yourself.

There's a pretty telling article written by Rob Bradford on WEEI.com today where Rob sits down with David Ortiz. Ortiz is evidently feeling some pressure to perform these days. At 38 years old, the Red Sox still continue to put an enormous amount of faith and trust into Ortiz's ability to still crush the ball and make opposing pitchers very afraid. That's why they also keep on paying him a pretty hefty salary for his designated hitter services—something that most teams don't do anymore.

Lately, Big Papi has been quite vocal about his current contract status. He's entering the final year of a two-year, $30 million contract and is concerned that if he doesn't come to some kind of agreement with the team either during spring training or early in the season, the front office's lack of respect is going to force him to entertain other offers. As a fan, I despise public contract negotiations and disputes and whining. One side of me says just pay the guy what he wants—he's not going to be playing for that much longer. But the other side of me just wants the team to call his bluff and not bow to his demands.

So back to this article that Bradford wrote... if you don't feel like reading it, the gist is that Ortiz feels like the Red Sox are not doing anything to protect him in the line up. He's not getting ample opportunity to hit the ball. Last season, he was intentionally walked a career high 27 times in the regular season due mainly to the fact that there wasn't a big deep ball threat behind him. Or in front of him for that matter.

"It's not always going to be about me. I saw last year. Last year, game on the line, late in the game, go to first base. They pitch around you to see if you chase. Nope? Go to first base. I've been through that since Day 1. But last year was even more different. How long am I going to be able to do what I do and be that locked? I don't know. It wears you out -- in my case, I know I do nothing but hit, but to stay that focused and not try to get out of the strike zone."

It sounds to me like maybe Ortiz is setting us up for something. Maybe if he voices his worries about not having more threatening batters around him, when he fails, it won't be his fault. Or how about this? I think this is yet another ploy in his contract negotiations. The team puts so much pressure on him as a player and a leader to carry this team that if they don't back that up with a hefty raise, maybe he'll get a little tired in July, pull a Manny and take a couple days off.

"I'll give it a try, but I don't think there's a baseball player that has lived through this pressure at my age. Think about it. Guys my age are supposed to be complementary players. Nobody signs guys my age to be 'The Man.' If you look at every team, 'The Man' are guys in their prime. Because it's hard. It's hard. I don't take anything for granted. I go at it every day. But living through the pressure, having to be the man every day, at this stage, when everybody is asking you when you're going to retire ..."

If I were his teammates, I think I would take offense to this interview. He has basically said that he's the only guy out of the nine that can produce—that all the pressure is on him. Ok... so maybe that was true in the World Series last year where he essentially carried the team by batting a staggering .688 but bitch, please... let's not get too big for your already too big britches.

Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'm being too hard on him. Maybe I'm reading too far into this recent diatribe. Or maybe I'm just tired of all the money talk in sports and these grown men who play for a living and make millions of dollars doing it, just bitch and whine over money and respect. (I wonder if that would work for me?)

I still love the guy and if anything, the last 11 seasons have been more enjoyable because of him. Except 2012—there was absolutely nothing enjoyable about that season.

Day 345: Baseball for Beginners: Lesson #8 - More Lingo!

Only a couple weeks left to learn (almost) everything you need know to be the best baseball fan ever! So far, Baseball for Beginners has covered the following important areas: Pitchers, Catchers, Infielders, Outfielders, the Lineup, Some Basic Rules and the Lingo. Let's be serious here... if you haven't been following right along, you might be screwed. The baseball season opens in approximately 20 days (depending on where you live) and you've got some reading to do!

There's really so much slang in baseball that one post just barely scratched the surface. Every aspect of the game—from pitching to hitting to fielding—has some special term associated with it. From a simple single, also called a base knock, to a frozen rope or hard hit line drive, to a shot up the middle (through the middle of the infield), there are a variety of different types of hits. A gapper hit between two outfielders could mean two bases, and sometimes even three.

But there's no hit in baseball that has more awesome names than a home run. If you ask me, it makes it that much more fun when you're sitting in the stands and the guy up to bat hits a dinger—it might even be a moon shot (a high, towering shot.) You could hear fans around you refer to it as a four bagger... you know, because the player gets to run around the bases or four bags. Or they might say, "he went yard."

One of the most dramatic round-trippers in baseball happens when the bases are juiced or loaded, meaning there's a runner on each bag. That's called a grand slam or grand salami! My favorite recent grand salami happened last October... watch and enjoy! Ahhhhhh... While it wasn't a tape measure shot (a very long home run), it was certainly a special one. Even that cop in the bullpen thought so.

  )

That long ball by Big Papi didn't win the game, but it did tie it up giving them a fighting chance. The Red Sox ended up winning this one with a walk off single (a hit that wins the game in the final at bat for the home team.) It really was one of the best games ever!!

Here's hoping for more of the same in 2014!!

Day 343: The Rarely Seen Locker Monster

I had a movie date with my nearly three-year-old niece today and we watched Monsters, Inc. I haven't seen this film in a long time and this was a first time for her so it was quite fun to watch it again and watch her reaction. So needless to say, I've had my fair share of scary monsters today.

Then I'm perusing the interwebs and happen across a video taken in the LA Dodgers' locker room. In the video, Juan Uribe falls victim to a prank by his teammate, Hanley Ramirez. You might wonder why I'm talking about an animated movie about monsters and a couple Dodgers players. Well, watch the video and you'll know. Looks like Ramirez could give James P. Sullivan a run for his money.

It also looks like Uribe wasn't the only one punked. The camera man, who know exactly what was going to happen, got in on the action. I probably would've peed my pants. My favorite part of the video is Uribe's reaction...

 

Day 342: Baseball's Bad Habit: Smokeless Tobacco

Chewing (or smokeless) tobacco is some bad shit. These days there aren't many people who don't know this. With all the health warnings and education on its dangers, it's surprising that anyone would be stupid enough to put this crap in their mouth. Plus, it's just gross. Despite an effort a couple years ago to ban it from major league baseball completely (which was shot down by the player's union), it's still quite prevalent among players—including over a third of men reporting to Red Sox spring training this year.

There are 28 cancer causing carcinogens in smokeless tobacco. Many of those ingredients are quite recognizable—and most certainly are not things you would normally put in your mouth. So it just boggles my mind why people still use it? Arsenic and Cyanide are both poisons. Cadmium is found in car batteries. Formaldehyde is used to embalm the dead. Uranium 235 is used in nuclear weapons and Polonium is a nuclear waste product. Fiberglass and sand are included to help rough up the inside of the mouth and get the nicotine into the bloodstream faster. And let's not forget sugar because why not make it taste sweet too... you know, for the children.

Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe wrote an article this past week about why it's so hard to shake this disgusting habit. It's a really interesting and telling story and on one hand, you feel for the Boston players who are locked into using it because it's part of their routine. But on the other hand, you just want to smack them for being so ignorant and stubborn. Some guys picked up the habit years ago while in the minor leagues and can't seem to shake it. Now, smokeless tobacco is banned in minor league baseball, but according to some current MiLB players, that ban is only loosely enforced.

Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz is one veteran who can't seem to shake his dependency. The pinch of tobacco in his cheek is as much a part of his at-bat routine as spitting in his batting glove and slapping his hands together before digging in to the batter's box.

“I use it as a stimulator when I go to hit,” Ortiz said. “But the minute I finish my at-bat I spit it out. It keeps me smooth and puts me in a good mood. I don’t do it in the offseason. I don’t really like it that much, to be honest with you.”

It's a nasty habit and no member of the Red Sox will tell you otherwise. Most of the players that are suffering from addiction to smokeless tobacco say that they would quit if their family asked them to or if they thought they could without it affecting their game. Now it's silly to say that the use of smokeless tobacco actually can determine how well a guy plays the game, but some say it would be hard not to blame a slump on giving up the chaw.

There is one Boston player who said he didn't want to quit using chewing tobacco—outfielder, Jonny Gomes. He told Peter Abraham that he would quit if his family wanted him to.

“The kids aren’t old enough to realize what’s going on," Gomes said. "People are baffled I don’t do it in the offseason because I do it all the time when we’re playing. But I don’t have an addictive personality. There’s just something about it that goes with baseball. There’s something attached to hitting. I can’t describe it. Once I stop playing, I’ll never do it again. I know it’s a bad idea.”

Like Gomes, most players interviewed said they use smokeless tobacco only during the season and also claim that once they're done playing baseball, they'll never touch the stuff again. They all know how damaging it is—just ask former San Diego Padres star Tony Gwynn who battled mouth cancer back in 2012. My hope is that all these guys quit in time to avoid any long-term effects.