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.

Day 265: Football at Friendly Fenway!

Here's something pretty cool... Fenway Park will host its first football game in over four decades on November 21, 2015. The game will pit hometown Boston College against Notre Dame under the lights and NBC will carry the match. Football hasn't been played at friendly Fenway since the Patriots (then the Boston Patriots) hosted their last contest there in 1968.

Fenway isn't just for baseball these days. Many a concert has been held there over the last several years including Bruce Springsteen, The Police and Aerosmith to name a few. But the real draw during the baseball offseason is the hockey.

In 2010, the third annual NHL Winter Classic was held on the grounds of Fenway on New Years Day. The Boston Bruins beat the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in overtime. The Winter Classic has now morphed into a college-based series called Frozen Fenway. Each year this annual series features hockey teams from local and regional colleges and universities, including many Hockey East teams.

Some one of these days I'm going to make it to a concert and Fenway or this Frozen Fenway thing—although sitting in Fenway during the winter months seems like it would be a tad chilly. I guess if it's not chilly, there will be no ice! Regardless, I bet it's a ton of fun! For all you Maine alums, the Black Bears will be playing Boston University on January 11th at 6:30pm.

I attempted a concert once... The Police played the day after my birthday in 2007 and I desperately wanted to go but I just couldn't pull the trigger on the tickets. How do tickets sell out so damn fast? It boggles my mind!

With so many weird corners and support posts in Fenway, I have to wonder how much of the hockey rink (or football field) will be obstructed from view. Still... it's Fenway and that in itself is reason enough to go!

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 214: Thank You, Red Sox... World Series Champions!!

Dear Red Sox,

I'm not sure if you got a chance to read my letter to you back on July 16th... if not, here it is. Surprisingly and gleefully, not much has changed since that day. My feelings for this team never changed. And your drive to succeed never changed. You all went about the season like it was your passion, and not your job.

Now, to reward your fans with not just a worst to first turnaround, but a worst to World Series Champion turnaround, is something that, as a fan, I will never forget. There was a will, there was a desire and there was a camaraderie that fueled this team to overcome adversity and deficits that many Red Sox teams from years past would never have been able to accomplish.

For a team that rarely had problems producing hits and runs over the regular season to still triumph when many of the bats went quiet, was a feat beyond explanation. When bats were silenced, the pitching lifted the team. When pitching floundered, batters who may have been slumping, made timely hits.

And let's not forget about the MVP of the World Series... David Ortiz. The one bat in the lineup that never quieted. The one bat that instilled fear into each pitcher who dared to take the mound against him. In the end, Big Papi batted .688 in the Series and at one point, reached base in nine consecutive at bats. But it was not only his bat that had such a huge impact, but his enthusiasm and leadership. When Ortiz pulled the troops together for a game four pep talk, the Series took a turn in the Sox favor—a pivotal moment for sure.

Jon Lester deserves major kudos as well. The game one and game five starter was masterful in both World Series outings, and if Ortiz hadn't been so locked in, he may have collected that MVP award. Lester has had his problems over the past couple of seasons, but he dug down deep and pulled off one of his greatest accomplishments. He won both starts, allowing just one run, striking out 15 in 15.1 innings, finishing with an ERA of 1.73.

I wish I had the words to thank ever single amazing guy on this team who not only played such a huge role in this World Series run, but also succeeded in reigniting my faith in the team I've loved my whole life. You know who you are... and so does every member of Red Sox Nation. We'll never forget...

For the third time in 10 years, I sat in front of my television, celebrating a World Series Championship and crying tears of joy. So thank you, Red Sox, for making this season one full of fantastic fun and foolish facial hair.

Congratulations!
~Stacy

Day 212: Some World Series Fun Facts

As my friend's almost seven-year-old daughter read her library book about the Red Sox the other morning, she made this astute observation: "Mum, I know why they call it the World Series... because the world watches, and it's really serious." That kid is wise beyond her years. The World Series is very serious business—especially for the die hard Sox fan.

Game five is in the books. The final of the three games on the road in St. Louis was another hard fought battle and another win for the Red Sox. This series is headed back to Fenway Park, giving the Sox a chance to win the World Series at home for the first time since 1918. Can you even imagine what a friggin' zoo Fenway will be?

Instead of trying to give you a recap of yet another nail-biter of a game—because who isn't watching this series—I figured I'd throw out some fun facts...

• Have you ever seen Jon Lester pitch so masterfully? In 15.1 innings pitched in the World Series, Lester is 2-0 with an ERA of 0.59 and 15 strikeouts. He looks cool and collected. He looks comfortable and confident. He looks almost like he could pitch ever night and never get winded. He's locked in, and according to John Farrell, could even possibly be available for some bullpen work, should this series go to a game seven.

• Speaking of locked in... how about David Oritz? What the hell, Big Papi!? I've never seen anything like it. Ortiz is a lean, mean hitting machine. His stats in the WS are mind-blowing. Through the first five games, he's gone 11-for-15 (.733 batting average) with two doubles, two home runs and six RBIs. In addition to the .733 average, his on-base percentage is .750 and he's slugging 1.267. His OPS is a whopping 2.017. He's nipping at the heels of Billy Hatcher's 1990 record for batting average in a World Series of .750.

• And speaking of records... Koji Uehara is approaching one of his own. His save on Monday night was his seventh of the postseason, tying him for most ever by a closer for the playoffs. He also became just the fourth pitcher in playoff history to record four saves of four or more outs. It's not a record, but it puts him in some pretty damn good company. Koji has pitched 12 2/3 innings allowing just one run. All this and he still gets ridiculously excited about every single win.

• And speaking of being excited... THE RED SOX ARE ONE WIN AWAY FROM THEIR THIRD WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE LAST DECADE!!! I might be just a little bit excited about this. I also might be getting more and more superstitious with every passing day. I almost kicked my parents out of my house on Saturday night—citing their presence as the reason the Sox fell behind. Also, I'll be wearing the same exact clothes and sitting in the same exact spot on the exact same couch with the exact same blanket over me.

All I can say is holy shit... it's going to be a crazy ride on Wednesday night!! GO SOX!

Day 207: One Down, Three to Go, Sox Fans!

Red Sox Nation breathed a collective relieved sigh early in game one of the World Series on Wednesday night when the Sox took an early 5-0 lead after two innings. After scratching and clawing for every run in the ALCS, it was nice to put some early distance between themselves and those tough Cardinals.

If you missed the first few innings, I'm not sure I could even describe what type of shenanigans took place. And I'm not sure you'd even believe me. It may have been a bad sign of things to come when the 6'7" Adam Wainwright doinked his head on the made-for-the-vertically-challenged Fenway dugout roof as he took the field for the first time. Who knows... but the regular season wins leader in the NL with 19 didn't look quite right.

Or maybe it wasn't that Wainwright looked any different... maybe it was that he hadn't faced a lineup as complete and relentless as the Red Sox. The normally solid defense of the Cardinals failed to make simple outs, setting the Sox up for a bases clearing, three-run double from Mike Napoli in the bottom of the first. It was all the scoring needed behind Jon Lester's masterful outing where he pitched 7.2 innings of shutout ball and struck out eight. (And of course, because he was so unhittable, he must have cheated, right? That's what some Sox-haters are saying... but MLB says Lester didn't break any rules.)

The Cardinals, who had the fourth best fielding percentage (.988) in the majors during the regular season, committed three errors and a couple of other miscues luckily not scored as errors. My most favorite blunder came in the second inning when Stephen Drew led off the inning with a sky high pop-up just in front of the plate. Wainwright called for it, waving his arms as Yadier Molina came towards him. Wainwright looked at Molina... Molina looked at Wainwright... and neither one of them caught the ball. It was like a scene out of (insert cliched baseball movie here) The Bad News Bears as the ball dropped innocently between them. Drew was safe at first.

The Red Sox managed to load the bases again in the second on that miscue by Wainwright, a single and another error, setting up a situation no pitcher enjoys—Big Papi sauntering to the plate with the bases jammed. And he scared the living shit out of the pitcher when he launched a bomb into right field that surely looked destined for the bullpen. That's until Carlos Beltran ran it down and robbed Oritz of his second post-season slam while crashing into the wall. Even a Sox fan has to tip their cap to that play. So instead, it was a very long, very loud sac fly.

As the start of game two approaches, my butterflies start to come back. There's a strong change that this game could be the complete opposite of game one—a grinding pitchers' duel that has me watching through my fingers as if it were a scary movie. John Lackey takes the hill against the 22-year-old Michael Wacha who is 3-0 with a 0.43 ERA in the postseason. GO RED SOX!

Day 197: Does It Get Any Better Than This, New England Sports Fans?

Am I the only one whose heart rate just returned to normal after those two finishes on Sunday? I think my heart was racing from about 4:30pm until the end of that amazing Red Sox game. Has there ever been a more exciting one-two punch with last second wins for both the Patriots and Sox in one day? If so, I don't think it has happened in my life time. Wow... just wow.

First, the football game between the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints had shitshow written all over it. While their records were very similar, the Patriots were still struggling with injuries and seemed to be losing more guys than they were getting back. And we know all about Drew Brees's high-flying offensive attacks. I'm not going to lie, I was pretty nervous.

The Brady - Brees showdown was one of the most exciting games I've seen the Patriots play so far this season. The Pats scored early and headed into the locker rooms at the half with a 17-7 lead. But Brees came back in the second half scoring 20 points and with less than two minutes to go in the game, the Saints had a slim 27-23 lead.

Tom Brady is accustomed to these type of pressure situations and appeared cool as a cucumber as he marched his team 70 yards down the field with no time outs and the clock ticking down fast. And with just :05 left in the game, he connected with Kenbrell Thompkins in the corner of the end zone for the winning touchdown. I'm pretty sure I scared the crap out of my dogs with my sudden outburst of screaming when the score occurred. 

Radio announcer for 98.5 the Sports Hub, color analyst Scott Zolak could possibly have had the best reaction EVER to the amazing play: UNICORNS! SHOW PONIES! WHERE'S THE BEEF? Listen here for the audio...

As if that ending wasn't enough excitement for my Sunday evening, the Red Sox had to get into the mix. It's no secret, game two was a must-win situation for the Sox. They could not go to Detroit down two games to none. But it was not going to be an easy feat as they would have to get by AL best Max Scherzer and his freaky eyeballs. Like the night before, the Sox were held hitless through over half of the game. But unlike the night before, when the bats came alive... the bats came alive.

Detroit had what seemed like an insurmountable lead going into the bottom of the eighth inning, especially given what both their starters and relievers have been able to do against this lineup. All it took was for Scherzer to be pulled from the game and the Sox took advantage of three different pitchers to load the bases on a double, a walk and a single.

Then the Tigers brought in the fourth pitcher of the inning, closer Joaquin Benoit, to face David Ortiz. Ortiz had never homered against Benoit... until Sunday night. Big Papi took the first pitch fastball into the Red Sox bullpen for the game tying grand slam that also took Tiger right fielder Torii Hunter ass over teakettle over the fence, landing on his head.

Red Sox radio announcer, Dave O'Brien's reaction was great... but not as awesome as Zolak's earlier Patriots' call... THIS GAME IS TIED! THIS GAME IS TIED! DAVID ORTIZ! DAVID ORTIZ! DAVID ORTIZ!

But it didn't end here. The Sox still needed a run to win after Koji Uehara put down the Tigers in order in the top of the ninth. Jonny Gomes led off the inning by legging out an infield single and took second on an errant throw. He then moved to third on a wild pitch. Jarrod Saltalamacchia then punched a 3-1 fastball through the left side of the infield for the walk-off single and a spectacularly amazing win for the Red Sox.

So now we head to the Motor City for game three on Tuesday night. John Lackey matches up with Justin Verlander—the Tigers' rotation just never gets any easier, does it? Game time is 4pm. Oh how I love this game!!

Day 196: Pitchers' Duel Goes Tigers' Way

Just as I thought it would, the ALCS kicked off with a nerve-wracking, nail-biter of a contest on Saturday night at Fenway Park. Game one had the potential to be a low scoring affair with Jon Lester matching up against Anibal Sanchez and that's exactly what happened. And unfortunately, the Red Sox found themselves on the short end of that 1-0 score.

Not only were the normally loud Sox bats quieted, but they barely escaped being no-hit by a collection of five Tigers pitchers. They also struck out... a lot. Seventeen times to be exact. Their lone hit came in the bottom of the ninth when Daniel Nava singled on a soft line drive to center. Despite their dismal night at the plate, it's not like the Sox didn't have their chances.

In the first inning, after a Jacoby Ellsbury strike out, Shane Victorino struck out swinging but reached on a wild pitch. Dustin Pedroia followed with a walk. But then David Oritz and Mike Napoli both struck out to end the threat. Sanchez became the 67th pitcher to strike out four batters in one inning, but only the second in major league history to do it in a postseason game. Kind of set the tone for the night...

The Red Sox had the bases loaded (all on walks) in the sixth inning, but also failed to score. Something else weird happened too... Anibal Sanchez was taken out after the sixth inning with a no-hitter going, but he also had thrown 116 pitches. So if there was going to be a no-hitter, it would be a no-no by committee. Thankfully that didn't happen because getting no-hit in the ALCS could be embarrassing.

As great as the Tigers' pitchers were, the Sox were almost as great. Jon Lester held the Tigers lineup, that had the best average in baseball during the regular season, to just one run over 6.1 innings. Junichi Tazawa, Craig Breslow and Koji Uehara all followed with scoreless outings. Just one of those games. Depressing really. I might need to drown my sorrows in brownies today.

The two teams are back at it tonight at Fenway... Clay Buchholz and Max Scherzer square off... and it starts at 8pm which means I will be in a constant battle with my eyelids, willing them not to slam shut. But I don't have to work on Monday and I plan on napping often today to make sure I win that battle.

Day 188: It's Been 77 Years Since This Has Happened

The Boston Red Sox accomplished a feat Friday afternoon in the first game of the American League Divisional Series that hasn't been done since 1936. And it was quite impressive—especially coming against such a strong pitcher in Matt Moore that the Sox lineup clearly had problems with in their previous two meetings.

In their first game back in May, only three batters managed to get hits: Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Stephen Drew. Of course, Ortiz's hit was a three-run home run, but they still lost to the Rays that day. Their second meeting in July was a different story. Just Ortiz and Mike Napoli managed to squeak out a hit on a day where Moore stymied the normally lively bats and pitched an impressive complete game, two-hit shut out.

Friday was different. Sure, Moore may have started off looking like the same ol' tough lefty from earlier in the season. But when your defense doesn't get the memo that they're playing in a postseason game, it makes things tough for a pitcher who is only as good as the fielding behind him.

So... a Boston Red Sox line up that had just five hits in two games before Friday, did something no team has done in 77 years. Every starter notched a hit and a run in a postseason game. It's a fun box score to look at—12 runs on 14 hits:

• Jacoby Ellsbury:  2-for-5, one run scored, one RBI
• Shane Victorino:  3-for-4, two runs scored, two RBIs
• Dustin Pedroia:  2-for-5, two runs scored
• David Ortiz:  1-for-4, a walk, two runs scored
• Mike Napoli:  1-for-4, a walk, one run scored, one RBI
• Jonny Gomes:  1-for-4, a walk, two runs scored, two RBIs
• Jarrod Saltalamacchia:  2-for-4, a walk, one run scored, three RBIs
• Stephen Drew:  1-for-5, one run scored, one RBI 

Saturday's game features another great matchup with John Lackey toeing the rubber against David Price. Last year's Cy Young winner went 2-3 against the Red Sox this season, but those two wins were unforgettable when he beat Boston twice within a five day window at the end of July. But I don't want to think about those two games... I'd rather dwell on the three that the Sox won. And I'm sure that's just what John Farrell and the Boston lineup are doing today!

GO SOX!!

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 169: Red Sox Bid Fond Farewell to Mariano Rivera

The scene—Fenway Park. Sunday night baseball. Red Sox versus Yankees. What more could you ask for on a crisp, mid-September evening. The Red Sox were going for the three-game sweep, to continue to expand their division lead. The Yankees were just trying to save any chance of making the post season.

Normally a game like this would have a whole lot of meaning. The rivalry demands it. But this year, the Yankees, a team plagued by injuries, are struggling to stay in the wild card race. And the Red Sox have got the pedal to the metal, not letting up on their quest to win the AL East pennant for the first time since 2007.

Sunday night was also about saying farewell to an old friend. Yankees closer, Mariano Rivera, retires at the end of this season and has been on a sort of good-bye tour throughout MLB. Each team greeting him with the same class he has displayed over his 19-year career. Each team presenting him with a special momento... the Cleveland Indians gave him a gold record of Metallica's "Enter Sandman"—his entry song. He got a surfboard from the Oakland A's inscribed with the #42. The Minnesota Twins presented him with the "Chair of Broken Dreams"—a rocking chair made of broken bats.

The Red Sox display of gifts was one of the biggest so far. They began with a painting of Rivera's reaction that Opening Day in April of 2005 when he was greeted with a standing ovation from Boston fans as they raised the World Series flag. He also received the #42 green placard that would indicate he was pitching on the Green Monster—it was signed by every member of the Sox team and served as a reminder that no one will ever wear that number again.

But that's not all... he was given a Fenway Park seat from 1934 with the #42 on it. It was blue, of course. And a bullpen rubber inscribed with the following that appeared to make Mo a little misty: "We tip our cap to the great Rivera, a real gentleman, a fierce competitor and a most worthy opponent." The organization finished off the ceremony with a donation for Rivera's charity work in Panama from the Red Sox Foundation.

Sure, the Red Sox may have rubbed in the 2004 Yankees' collapse just a bit too much, but it was all in good fun and Mo didn't seem to mind, he was all smiles throughout the short ceremony. In case you missed it...

 

Good luck, Mo! By the way, you're going to need a whole new room in your house for all your new stuff!!

PS. The magic number is four!!

Day 148: Red Sox Take Two From Dodgers, I Call That Success!

On June 22nd, the Los Angeles Dodgers were 9.5 games out of first place and dead last in the National League West. On August 26th, their story is a little different. That same team—the hottest team in baseball—now has a commanding 9.5 game league in the NL West after going 46-12 since June 22. And this past weekend, another hot team headed to the City of Angels to face some old teammates.

The Red Sox came into the weekend series in a tiny August slump, but had just taken two of three from the SF Giants so they were on a little bit of a roll. Unfortunately for the Sox, the fiery Dodgers continued on their tear and prevailed Friday night in a pitchers' duel decided by a single two-run home run by former Red Sox prospect, Hanley Ramirez. The Sox bats were held to just two singles and John Lackey took yet another tough loss.

On Saturday, things turned around and Jon Lester earned his 12th win behind a four-run first inning—all the runs the Sox would need. Lester pitched 7.1 innings, giving up just one run while striking out six. And it appears that Mike Napoli's bat is starting to come around, going 3-for-4 in the effort. Jonny Gomes hit a three run home run in the first to put the game away. And let's not discuss the horrific base running blunder by Jacoby Ellsbury in the top of the ninth...pay attention kids, don't let this happen to you. Luckily, it had no effect on the game's outcome.

But the gem of the weekend happened on the first anniversary of the historic trade between the Red Sox and Dodgers on August 25, 2012. It was a ballsy trade, but one that turned the financial future of Boston around and allowed them to make deals in the off-season to better the attitude and atmosphere in the team's clubhouse. The nine-player deal saw $200 million in salaries change hands. The Red Sox unloaded the ridiculously enormous contracts of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, as well as the ridiculously enormous head of Josh Beckett. Good riddance, I said.

So what better way to celebrate such a significant day in Red Sox history, than with a convincing win over their old friends. Jake Peavy pitched his best game to date in a Sox uniform—a complete game, three hitter. He allowed just one run and struck out five. On the other side of the ball, the Sox pounded out eight runs on 12 hits, including round-trippers from Saltalamacchia, Victorino and Napoli. Not a bad way to finish off the short west coast swing.

The Red Sox returned home to an off day today, and then play the Orioles, White Sox and Tigers at friendly Fenway. With just 30 games left of the 2013 season, I can honestly say I never imagined this team would be in first place. But I'll take it!

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 141: Yeesh... Not a Good Weekend for the Red Sox

The dog days of summer are amongst us... and I'm not talking weather either. If a baseball team can experience dog days, the Red Sox are doing just that this month. August has not been kind. Granted, 16 of their 28 games this month have been on the road but geez... get a hold of yourselves, men! We still have some baseball to play!

I'm going out on a limb and saying the last couple of weeks are going to constitute as a slump. At least in my mind it does. Yes, I know that the Sox have not lost more than three in a row at any given time this season, but right now, that's a lot of luck and strategically placed wins. They're 8-9 in August and have lost their last three series. Appears they need to figure out how to get some of that early season fire back in their bellies.

I especially can't handle the series loss to the Yankees over the weekend. Alex Rodriguez's presence on that team makes me so incredibly sick and pissed off, that now I just think the whole team is cheating. Who's to say he's still not on the juice? Who's to say he's not still finding some way to cheat during this appeal process? Because I think he's that arrogant. And from the actions of Ryan Dempster last night, it's obvious that he's sick of this shit too. I might have done the same exact thing.

Time and time again, it's been discussed on various sports shows and radio talk shows and wherever else folks are ranting about the Biogenesis deal. Being able to play during the appeal process is a bunch of bullshit. He is helping his team win games and that makes me very angry. Every time he opens his smug mouth in front of the press, I want to stuff a homeless person's socks in it.

I better quit now... I'm still feeling bitter and let down by the events of the past weekend at Fenway Park. I need to pull myself together and look to (hopefully) better performances going forward. Maybe Xander Bogaerts will be the spark that gets these guys through the rest of the season.

Positive thoughts... positive thoughts... positive thoughts.

Day 110: Second Half Kicks Off Tonight: A Red Sox-Yankees Preview.

I hope the Red Sox have taken advantage of their All-Star break and enjoyed some much deserved rest and relaxation because they're going to hit the ground running tonight. The second half of the season kicks off with a bang with a three game series at Fenway Park against the fourth place (but still dangerous) New York Yankees. This will be the first trip to Boston for the Yanks this season. And it won't get much easier after that with the Rays and Orioles up next.

So far 2013 has not been kind to the Yankees lineup. They're currently suffering from a number of key injuries including Mark Teixeira, Kevin Youkilis and Curtis Granderson. Derek Jeter came back from his injury just before the break, but immediately hurt himself again. And they're expecting Alex Rodriguez back in the lineup sometime next week—although I'm not sure anyone is very excited about that event.

The Red Sox currently have a six game lead over New York, but like the Yankees, kind of skidded into the break—both teams were 5-5 in their last 10 games. And in the six games these two teams played earlier in the season, the Sox have have a slight leg up having won four of them. While the Sox are second in the major leagues in team batting average with a .277, (the Yankees are 24th of 30 total teams), NY does have better overall pitching numbers so it could be a pretty even match up.

This series is important for both teams. The Sox will host the recently hot Tampa Bay Rays for four games next week and they don't need to go into the series still struggling. Especially because they head to Baltimore after that for three with the hard-hitting Orioles. And the Yanks certainly don't want to fall even further out of first place, so we could have a real battle this weekend!

Here's how the series looks for the pitching matchups:

Friday, July 19th @ 7:10pm
Felix Doubront (6-3, 3.91) vs. Andy Pettitte (7-6, 4.39)

Saturday, July 20th @ 4:05pm
John Lackey (7-6, 2.78) vs. Hiroki Kuroda (8-6, 2.65)

Sunday, July 21st @ 8:05pm
Jon Lester (8-6, 4.58) vs. CC Sabathia (9-8, 4.07)

I don't have any predictions for this series, just hopes. I hope that John Lackey continues his domination on the mound. I hope that Jon Lester pulls his head out of his ass and pitches like we know he can. And I hope the offense picks up where it left off before the All-Star break because that's fun!

I also hope this heat breaks soon or I might melt before this game even starts.

Day 102: Big Papi Reaches DH Milestone

David Ortiz loves Boston and Boston loves Big Papi. This is evident by his most recent contract with the Red Sox. At age 37, after his 2012 season was cut short by an achilles injury, the Sox acknowledged his years of hard work and commitment to this team with a two-year, $26 million contract that will keep him in Boston through 2014.

Some thought it was ridiculous—especially in an age where teams don't put much thought, importance or money into the DH position. In the 2008-2010 seasons, he experienced some of his lowest batting averages in a Red Sox uniform, but the team never gave up on him. They continued to see him as a valued member of the organization and rewarded him as such.

No one quite knew what this year would bring and if that hefty contract would come back to haunt the front office. Big Papi missed the first couple weeks of the season still trying to get that achilles back to fighting form and when he finally returned to the lineup less than a week after the Boston Marathon tragedy, he returned with a vengeance. For the remainder of the month of April, he broke out with 18 hits in nine games and a .500 average. Obviously it's impossible to continue that torrid pace, but his batting average has not dipped below .300 in the 73 games he's played this season.

Yesterday, David Ortiz reached yet another pinnacle in his long career—he became baseball's all-time leader in hits as a designated hitter, surpassing Harold Baines. He entered last night's game tied with Baines at 1,688 hits and with his two hits against the Mariners, took over the #1 spot with 1,690.

After his first hit of the night, a double to left-center to lead off the second, his accomplishment was posted on the video board and he was greeted with a standing ovation from the Mariners' fans. I wouldn't expect anything else from classy Seattle. He tipped his helmet to the fans, touched by the recognition. Ortiz also holds the top spot by a designated hitter for most runs scored, doubles, home runs, extra-base hits and RBIs.

This is your city, Big Papi, and it's going to be a sad day for Boston fans when your smiling face, big personality and intimidating bat are no longer part of the Red Sox lineup. But while you are still here... keep up the good work! Congratulations!

Day 96: For the Red Sox, There's No Place Like Home

What a difference a year makes! Last season I dreaded writing about the Red Sox. It was so... not fun. Finding new ways to say they sucked proved challenging. Recapping games often made me want to poke myself in the eye with a sharp stick... because that would be less painful. A root canal without novocaine would probably have been more fun than witnessing that Valentine-piloted shit show.

But this season is much more fun. I pinch myself to confirm that I, in fact, am not dreaming. But I'm also careful not to get too excited and jinx the whole shebang. I hate that my superstitious side doesn't let me have more fun. Jerk.

The latest nine-game homestand gives a glimpse into how well this team plays in friendly Fenway. Just like Dorothy says as she clicks her heels together—there's no place like home. They finished 8-1 after finishing a sweep of the San Diego Padres. The team averaged .349 at the plate with 12.1 hits and 5.7 runs per game. The Sox had 30 doubles and if you don't feel like doing the math, that comes out to 3.3 per game which is probably why the on base percentage hovered right around .400.

This got me wondering, as we approach the All-Star break, how they have fared at home since the season started. The answer? Pretty damn good. The Red Sox lead the Major Leagues in wins (31), doubles (127) and runs batted in (239). They also stand #2 behind the Detroit Tigers in total hits at home (464) and team batting average (.293).

Well then I just had to find out how they stood overall—home and away—in MLB. Again, they're #1 or tied for #1 in wins (tied with 53), doubles (197) and runs batted in (434). And again, second behind the Tigers in hits (834) and team average (.278).

When this season commenced, a big concern with the 2013 roster was their power. With the off-season signings, could they maintain the home run potential they had enjoyed in the past? Well... they're not great, but they don't totally suck either. They rank 11th overall with 89 and 12th at home with 44. But what they lack in power, they certainly make up for in timely hitting and base running smarts.

Now on to the West Coast and lots of late starts that I won't get to see. I would love nothing more than to head into the break holding on to that top spot in the AL East.

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.