And the baseball world gets a little smaller

Earlier this season, we lost the voice of Fenway when Carl Beane died.

Yesterday, we lost the heart of the Red Sox with the passing of Johnny Pesky.

Despite knowing that he couldn't possibly live forever, I didn't think the end would come this soon. My heart is broken. I'm sure many, many people can relate when I say I felt like Johnny Pesky was my grandfather.

Johnny always had a minute to spare for anyone who wanted one. I met him on a few occasions, and he was always wonderful and accommodating. Johnny once said that his autograph was worth about ten cents, and maybe he's right about that. The autograph may be worth ten cents, but the experience of getting to talk to him for even two minutes was priceless.

I cried when I heard. I always wondered what I would do when Johnny passed away. I didn't expect that the answer would be 'bawl like a giant baby and mess up dinner because I just couldn't properly roll arancini through my grief.' Dinner came out ok despite my inability to roll risotto, but it tasted sad. If you can taste the love put into a meal, you can taste the sadness behind it as well.

My boyfriend laughed at me last night. Maybe he was right to. I probably looked ridiculous sitting on the couch, clutching a tissue, with tears rolling down my cheeks as I watched the NESN special on Johnny. He said he didn't understand why I was getting so upset over the death of someone I didn't even know. I told him he didn't have to understand, he just had to accept.

It eases my grief a little that the last game Johnny attended was a win. Also knowing that he got to play such a prominent part in both the 100th anniversary celebration, Opening Day, and the World Series victories. I am thankful that the Red Sox officially declared the right field pole "Pesky's Pole" and retired his old number 6 while he was still around to see it. I don't think anyone loved the Red Sox, Fenway, or baseball more than Johnny Pesky, and now no one can ever separate Fenway and Johnny. His name, his fingerprints, his stories are all over that park.

Johnny, if there is a ball park in the afterlife, I honestly hope to see you there. And if I do, I suspect that you will be sitting in a folding chair, signing autographs and telling stories. Rest in peace, dear man. You are loved and missed.

Rest In Peace, Carl Beane

I know I haven't had time to post a lot, but the tragedies that have happened in the sports world lately deserve at least a few words.

I was out shopping for new apartment stuff (like curtains... you don't realize how important curtains are until you don't have them) and a TV on in one of the stores was talking about the death of Carl Beane. I had to stop and ask the guy behind the register what happened. Car accident. I would find out later that it was a heart attack that caused the car accident. It's a terrible, tragic loss. Carl was too young to be lost.

I guess that's the nature of tragedy. It takes people who are too young whenever it pleases. It turns a routine drive home into a nightmare. It leaves wives without husbands, daughters without father, and grandchildren without a grandpa. It also leaves Fenway without a voice.

I'm going to the game tonight, if it doesn't get rained out. I know that they will do the right thing and have a moment of silence for Mr. Beane. The more appropriate action would be to leave the park in silence for the night. For me, and for so many others, Carl was the voice of that old park. His narration at the 100th anniversary brought tears to my eyes. It was so beautiful.

All I can hope is that tonight, they win for Carl. Even if they do, it just won't sound the same. Rest in peace, Carl Beane. Fenway will never sound the same without you.

Rest in Peace, Junior.

I was sitting in my office when someone casually said from across the room, "Huh. Former Patriot Junior Seau found dead in his home." That shock, that moment of terror you feel when someone you know has been hurt or killed, flooded me. I walked over to my coworker's desk. "What?"

She read the headline again. "Who's Junior Seau?" She asked.

"He was one of my favorite football players." I responded, rushing back to my own desk so I could look up the information on my own. I didn't know Junior personally. I knew who he was on the football field, and I adored him. I frequently talk about how much I adore Tedy Bruschi, but if I had to pick a second favorite, it was Junior, hands down. So despite not knowing the man, I was struck by the news of his death. Even a few days later, just thinking that he's gone makes me sad. For so many, you connect to the players you watch week after week. You may never know the man, but you feel like you've gotten to know the player. You see the heart and determination that they lay out on the field in every game, and you connect. When tragedy befalls them, you feel it.... not nearly on the level that their loved ones do, but you feel it.

I didn't know if I was going to write anything about it. As more information came out, and the news of the death likely being caused by suicide arose, all I could think was that this could have been avoided if only Junior asked for help. I watched his mother weep on television, and my heart hurt for her. These were the tears of a woman who truly didn't know there was anything wrong with her son, a woman who would have done anything to help him had she known. But she didn't know. Junior, by all accounts, was a happy, friendly man who loved life. There were no signs. I keep reading the same thing. Everyone said there were no signs.

In 2010, when he drove over the cliff, it didn't register to me that it could have been intentional. Now I, surely along with everyone who knew him, wonders if he was trying to end his life that night. If someone that he knew and loved had recognized it as a cry for help instead of an accident, would he still be alive right now? Herein lies the problem with the more charismatic among us... they're so good at being charming that it's harder to see when there's a problem. No one can tell me Junior wasn't charismatic. I won't believe you.

So here I sat this morning, still thinking of what it took to push Junior to suicide, thinking that he should have just asked for help. I'm sure his family is thinking the same. I clicked through my blogroll, reading Sox updates when I came to an entry titled "Junior" on Cursed To First. Feel free to head over and read it. I'll wait.

...

Back? Good. I don't think it can be said enough... there's no shame, no weakness in needing help. I urge people to be an open ear or a shoulder to cry on for the people that they love most. If you're having a hard time coping with something in your life, please find someone, anyone to talk to. It can only get better if you stick around to see it get better.

In a perfect world, no families would have to suffer through the pain and confusion that Junior's family is going through right now. But even in this severely imperfect world, there's plenty of help to be had. It doesn't make you any less of a woman or a man to ask for it. Rest in peace, number 55. Though far, far too soon, rest in peace.

How To Say Goodbye To Your Captain: Jason Varitek's Best Moments

It was inevitable. Varitek wasn't going to play forever, and I knew it. My hope was that I'd never have to watch him play for another team. Well, with the announcement that he is going to retire on Thursday, the Captain has granted me one last wish. He played his entire major league career as a member of the Red Sox, and he should leave the game as a member of the Red Sox. I hate to think he'll be gone, but if he has to leave, this is the way to do it.

I wouldn't care about baseball if it weren't for Tek. He was the hook that drew me in, and it will be hard for me to love this team as much without him on it. A touch dramatic? Sure. But that's what I'm all about. In honor of Varitek's 15 years with the Sox, I wanted to recount some of the legacy he leaves behind and highlight just what a significant part of the Red Sox organization he's become. This is going to be long-winded, so here's your chance to get out now.....

Ok. Too late. Let's do this.

• Tek is the only player from Georgia Tech to have his number (33) retired.
• He is the only player in history to play in/on the Little League World Series, the college World Series, the Olympic baseball team, and Major League World Series

• There have been 1645 players in the Red Sox organization since 1901. There have been 19 team captains in that time span. Only one other catcher has been made captain in team history (Deacon McGuire in 1908), and he only lasted one season as the captain.

• Since 1923, there have been four team captains: Foxx (1940-1942), Yastrzemski (1969-1983), Rice (1985-1989), and Varitek (2005-2011). Yaz was the only captain in history who served a longer tenure than Tek.

• Jason is the only Red Sox catcher to ever have caught 1,000 games, his 1,000 being played on July 31, 2006. He finishes with 1,418 games as a catcher and 1,546 total games (the other 128 games were split between DH'ing and pinch hitting)

• He has played in more postseason games than any other Sox player in history. He has played in 63 games over the course of 14 series.
• Jason has the most post-season home runs for a catcher in history with 11. Johnny Bench and Javier Lopez each hit 10.
• He has the most opening day starts for a catcher in team history, starting in 10 straight opening days (2000-2009)

• Tek is the only catcher in MLB history to have caught 4 no-hitters (Hideo Nomo, Derek Lowe, Clay Buchholz, and Jon Lester)
• Devern Hansack's rain-shorted game on October 1st, 2006 could have possibly been #5 for Tek.
• He has also caught 8 one-hitters and  20 two-hitters.

• Appearances on Sox All-time lists include
• 9th for games played (1546)
• 9th for doubles (306)
• 10th for RBI's (757)

• 9th for extra base hits (513)
• 9th for sac flies (43)
• 10th for intentional walks (59)

• 4th for strikeouts (1216)
• 4th for hit by pitches (61)

• His professional resume includes:
• three All-Star appearances
• 2005 Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards
• Two World Series rings (but you all knew that)

• From 1997 to August 1999, Tek wore #47
• Since then, he's donned that old familiar #33 that we know so well.

• Jason hit his first grand slam on August 5, 2005. His second one didn't technically count towards his career stats as it happened on March 8, 2006 during the World Baseball classic. His third came against the Yankees on April 25, 2009.

• Back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs have occurred only seven times in major league history. Tek became part of this phenomenon on April 22, 2007 against the Yankees, being the fourth player in a row to hit a home run (other players were Manny Ramirez, JD Drew, and Mike Lowell)

• Tek has only been ejected from a game five times in his career. The most memorable one?
• He is the only Red Sox player to feed his glove to Alex Rodriguez.

For all the moments we've shared... the good times and the not so good times... for the professionalism, for the game calling, for all you've brought to your team, I salute you, Jason Varitek. Thank you for all those summer evenings we've spent together at Fenway. I truly hope to see #33 hanging from the Fenway facade, but if it never comes to be, we'll always have the memories. You'll always be the captain to me.

Timmy Wonderpitches: The Definition of "Class"

Every time I stepped on the field, I gave everything I had. All I ever wanted to do was win. - Tim Wakefield, February 17, 2012

I don't believe in my lifetime I will ever get the privilege of seeing another athlete that possessed the character and class that Tim Wakefield exhibited every time he stepped on the field. For whatever need the team had, in whatever role the gave him, Tim always gave his all. During his retirement speech, he explained how he felt honored to have had the chance to play on the same field as some of the greats. I only hope he can walk away from the game knowing that so many of us felt just as honored to have the opportunity to watch him play.

We love Tim Wakefield here in Boston. I know this isn't the last we've seen of him, but for all the wonderful moments we've shared together through the years, thank you, Tim. I wish you nothing but the best in your retirement.

Here are some of the better Wakefield pictures from my collection that I could find. I didn't always have the best seats, or a good camera, but I got what I could.

My first ever game at Fenway. Wakefield pitched. Tek and Bellhorn hit home runs. Sox won.

Wakey and Timlin, Spring training 2006

Pictures from Sept 12, 2007

Trying to get Wake, but got most of Schilling instead. Obviously 2007 victory parade.

April 22, 2009

April 20, 2010

May 22, 2011

Timmy attending The Varitek Charity Putt Putt, 2011

September 13, 2011

Congratulations on a wonderful career, Tim Wakefield. I guess that old knuckler will only be knuckling in back yards from now on. The things I expected to last forever...

We Did What?!: Sox Trade Scutaro? WHAT?!

I've been MIA, I know. There's not a whole ton going on with the Sox right now. I've got a lot on my plate. Full time job, wonderful boyfriend who deserves a lot more of my time than I can give to him, demanding family, new puppy, and Patriots in the playoffs (Superbowl! We totally didn't deserve to win that game, but we won! Wooo!), so I figured I would sit back and wait till Spring Training started up. But I'm not happy.

I'm not sure I've been happy with any of Keebler's moves. I know Scut was making $6M, but he was steady, and he was one of the three people who actually bothered to hit in September. Why can't we just stick with a shortstop?! This ridiculousness is exactly the type of thing that prompted this blog. Enough with changing shortstops. You want to PLATOON Mike Aviles and Nick Punto? Just stab me in the eye now. This is dumb. This is dumb, and I don't like it, and I am finding less and less to like about this team. I can't even say the team. It's the management. I cannot figure out what the strategy is.

Forgive me if I'm coming off as whiney. I'm not really feeling well, and I liked Scutaro. I'm really not sure I'm comfortable with what Keebs is doing. I guess we'll have to wait and see if it pans out. I'll miss you, Marco. I wish you nothing but good things, and maybe if the next time we play the Rockies, you hit a ball and it manages to hit Keebs in the stomach somehow, I would not disapprove. Good luck!

Lowrider: Astro?

Farewell Lowrider. We hardly knew ye. Mostly because you couldn't stop hurting yourself and you didn't really get a chance to play. Your future now includes a trip to Houston with your (hopefully) buddy Kyle Weiland. I always felt bad for Weiland. He struggled every time he seemed to pitch for us. I might have been imagining that, but I'm pretty sure I'm not.

Parting with Lowrie does not surprise me. He couldn't show them what he needed to show them in order to become the shortstop of the future. Weird, now he's actually a shortstop of the future (get it? Because the Astros are a futuristic team? Is that funny? I don't think it's as funny in print as it was in my head. Sorry). Regardless, I don't think this is going to make his BFF-MVP runner up very happy. You know Lowrider was the only one Jacoby actually liked by the end of the season... if you are willing to believe what the media tells us. I'm not. Well, sometimes I am, but not in this case.

Melacon will be shipped to us as payment for these fine baseball players that we've provided to them. He seemed to have put up pretty good numbers last year, with the caveat being that it was for the Astros. Is he supposed to be our new closer? I don't know if I'm comfortable with putting the fate of my baseball games in the hands of a former Yankee.

Whatever. I don't honestly care about Lowrider and Weiland getting traded. I'm still in mourning over the possible end of Varitek's Sox career. I wish them well, but that's really the best I can do right now. Good luck in Houston, guys.

Oh Captain: Don't Go

I'm not really sure WHAT to say right now. Nothing is official. There's a chance for him to come back in some capacity (though definitely not as a player), but with the recent signing of Kelly Shoppach, who I happen to loathe, it seems all but certain that Jason Varitek's days with the Sox have come to an end.

(Please take a moment to cue up "Yesterday" by Boyz II Men, as you will need it for reflective background music as I begin my goodbye speech)

Jason made me fall in love with baseball. We didn't watch sports in my house growing up. I had zero exposure to the world of baseball. My dad wasn't a sports fan and my mom (a closet sports fan) followed his lead. When I was 18, the guy I was dating suggested we watch a baseball game. I agreed, mostly because I wanted to impress him. And then there was Tek. One look, I was hooked. I can't explain it. He hit a home run in the very first game I ever watched. For some reason, with my complete lack of knowledge for the sport, I didn't expect that catchers were able to hit. Tek hit. I fell in love. From that moment on, I needed to know everything I could about the novel concept I had just witnessed. Baseball. Imagine that.

Fast forward eight years. I know I said I'm ready for Tek to not be on the team any more, but I'm not. I'll never be ready. I want him on the team, I just don't neccessarily want him playing! That's not too much to ask, right? We've got a bunch of guys on the team who didn't play last year and a bunch more who won't be playing this year. We give THEM money. We let THEM show up to the park. Sign Tek for league minimum and give him unneccessary surgery!

If our GM or our manager or our Larry Lucchino think that Kelly Shoppach is the answer to anything other than 'who is a worse offensive and defensive catcher than a 40 year old Jason Varitek,' they are either fooling themselves or they are morons. Honestly, I do not see a single upgrade in Shoppach other than he's not 40. He's not even good looking. We got rid of him for a reason back in the day. If anyone in the organization honestly believed that he was worth retaining, they wouldn't have traded him to begin with. Theo held on to his favorite minor leaguers with an iron grip. We didn't believe in Shoppach then, and I have less reasons to believe in him now.

I understand wanting to save money, but do we really have to downgrade at positions? I'm not liking this. Bringing back Ortiz was a gesture of good faith to the fanbase, but you've got to do better than Shoppach. In case I haven't mentioned this, I hate Shoppach.

But, if this is goodbye, Jason, I want you to know that I cherished every moment of our time together. My well-worn Varitek jersey will never be retired (not until it is literally falling apart beyond repair) and I will support you no matter where you may end up. My heart breaks at the thought of you leaving. I know I was distraught when Mikey left, and we hadn't shared as many moments as you and I have, Jason. I thought we were in it for the long haul, but I guess fate has decided to tear us apart. Maybe in some other capacity, we can be together again. I'll never forget you, oh captain, my captain. Now please give me a moment. I think I have something in my eye.

Pedro: Hall Of Fame Bound

There's no question in my mind that Pedro's going in to the Hall. Not as a spectator, not as a visitor, but as a first ballot Hall of Famer. If he's not first ballot, everyone who didn't vote for him should have their vote revoked. Love him or hate him, Pedro was a force. He made the best hitters pumped up on the best steroids look foolish. And he made it look easy. This article from the Bleacher Report highlights Pedro's HOF resume. I do not agree with the assumption that he is a second balloter, but we'll conveniently ignore that part. Also, I'm a shameless homer for the players I love.

Another issue that should not be up for debate... Pedro is going in as a member of the Red Sox. He was with us longer than any other team. He was in his prime, and therefore the most dominant. He won a World Series with us and accumulated two out of his three Cy Young awards with us. I know the HOF committee gets to decide what hat he wears, but they need to slap a B on his forehead and call it a day, no questions asked.

Aside from all this HOF talk, hearing of Pedro's retirement makes me sad. It's an end for me, as a fan. The era of Pedro is officially over. There's no hope remaining that he'll come back just for a few games, toss on that old #45 and make batters look silly. I've already missed him in the last few years. Knowing that he's not walking through those doors any more makes me miss him so much more. Good luck with family life, Petey. We'll see you at your induction speech.

Clever Joke About Entrance Theme: Goodbye Post

See ya, Paps. Good luck in Philly. That's really all I have to say about that.

Still working on that nickname. It's slow goings, guys. Slow goings.

Mike Cameron: Marlin

And just like that, it's over. After being designated for assigment by the Sox just a few days ago, Mike Cameron has been traded to the Florida Marlins for cash or the dreaded PTBNL.

I really do wish him well. He always had a smile on his face, whether he was hitting or not, whether he got playing time or not. It had to hurt watching them trot JD Drew out there, knowing that he was a better fielder and had the potential to be a better hitter. He handled it with grace. I hope he gets more playing time with the Marlins than he did with us. Good luck, Mike! Keep smiling!

In other matters... Theo, I need a favor. I don't know if you could actually get this done, but I promise to stop bitching at you at LEAST until the end of the season (maybe longer!) if you could at least try. Are you listening? Good!

So Theo... rumor has it that my coveted shortstop, JJ Hardy, is on the trading block. I want him on my team. You OWE me this, because you took Gonzo away from me TWICE! TWICE, THEO! Do you know how painful it was for me to see him leave twice? Damn near broke my heart. I'm asking nicely. Please try. Make an effort. I want Hardy between second and third by August 1st. I don't think it's much to ask. Do you? No. You don't. Thanks in advance!

Take Another Little Piece of My Heart: Manny Retires

Manny in spring training, 2008

It ends like this? It has to end so disgracefully? I guess there's no other way it could end. I'd given thought a few times in the past about how Manny would go out. I sort of assumed he'd retire during a mid-season at-bat with a 2-0 count. He'd call for a time out, turn to the ump, hand his bat over and say "I'm done, man," then he would just walk off the field and jump into a car and we'd never hear from him again. That would be a fitting end for the career of Manny, and it would have been an end I could enjoy.

I'm not enjoying this. Hearing that he retired after being notified of another problem with a drug test, well, it doesn't surprise me, but it does break my heart. It's become pretty fashionable to hate Manny. I understand that people have issues with the way he left town, and I can't tell anyone they're wrong for how they feel about the guy. While I was very hurt with Manny leaving town, I never hated him and I never stopped rooting for him. I couldn't. I fell in love with that swing the first time I ever saw it. I watched that man either contribute to so many wonderful moments, or provide his very own wonderful moments for years. He was on two World Series champion teams, and I can't forget that, but that swing... man, it was just beautiful.

Manny hitting his 500th HR (Baltimore, MD)

I'm so disappointed in him testing positive again, if that is indeed the case, because he was obviously so arrogant to think that he wasn't going to get caught. I don't know. I just don't know what to say about Manny. I think I'm going to have to bury my head in the sand and ignore the talk of juicing just so I can continue to enjoy my memories of Manny. He made me happy in his time with the Sox, and that's more than I can say about so many other players. When I'd see him come to the plate, I'd smile... and I am keeping that with me. Others can hate him for all the stupid things he's done. I'll never convince those who don't like him to like him, and I don't even want to. You don't have to like him. I do, and I'm sad to see him go.

So, this is goodbye, Manny. You broke my heart again, but I still hate to see you leave this way.

Armando Galarraga: Robbed

Ugh... All I have to say about the attempted perfect game by Galarraga is that the umpires blew it. To lose a no-hitter is one thing. Sure, it's painful, and sure, you may never get it again, but it's not as bad. Galarraga had what would have been the third perfect game of the 2010 season if the umpire at first, Jim Joyce, hadn't completely blown the call. There have never been as many as two perfect games in a season before this year. Three would have been amazing.

Listen, I can't speak for what Jim Joyce saw or heard, but Jason Donald was out by a whole step. Sure, Galarraga snow-coned the ball, but he was holding onto it. Heartbreaking. Galarraga handled the news well, but his facial expression broke my heart.

Jim Joyce should be ashamed of himself. I've been saying it all season... the umpiring this year has been disgraceful. I don't care if he made the call he thought was right, I hope he gets punished for it.

Also, in news that I feel I should have more to say about... Ken Griffey Jr. has announced his retirement. For a long time, Griffey was the embodiment of hope. He was going to be the next Hank Aaron. He was going to break the home run record. He was going to break every record there was. And then injuries derailed his career, and we were all left wondering what could have been. Don't get me wrong, The Kid put together a tremendous career, and his accomplishments are certainly nothing to be ashamed of. He had a wonderful 22 year and 2 month career that will almost definitely end with him getting into Cooperstown on the first ballot. If he doesn't, it'll be a crime against baseball for sure.

He finishes up with 630 home runs, putting him fifth on the all-time home run list. There's not a whole lot I can say about Griffey that won't be said a million times in the coming days. All I can say is that in the game of baseball and the hearts of baseball fans, he's a legend in his own right, and he will be missed. Thanks, Junior, for all the memories and good luck!

Smoltz: ::Sigh::.... What Could Have Been

Well, I fail.

I remember last year around this time, getting all hyped up for the return of John Smoltz to baseball and his first game as a member of the Sox. I was positively giddy, and I rode that giddiness almost all the way through his tenure on our pitching staff. I'm sure you all remember how that ended.

Yes. I was wrong. I thought Smoltz was going to work out, or at the very least give us more than he did. On occassions, he suffered from poor run support. More often than not, he suffered from poor control. Hey, don't blame me for wanting him to succeed so badly with my favorite team that I was willing to overlook how bad he was. He's a future HOF'er. I wanted to see the man pitch. Is that really a sin?

Cutting this short, baseball's "Smoltz Reclamation Project," which started and failed in Theo Epstein's hands, is more than likely coming to an end. While he hasn't officially announced his retirement yet, Smoltz has accepted a position as a TBS analyst. I sort of think this means that he hasn't gotten any offers and he knows he's all done. You hate to see HOF'ers go out like this.... after trying and failing to regain their past successes. Still, I regret not being able to see him pitch live. Oh well. Best of luck, Smoltzie.

End of the Road For Nomar: At Least He Gets To Wear His Sox Out the Door

So the big announcement today at 10:30 is rumored to be the Sox announcing the signing of Nomar for one day... just long enough that he'll get to retire a Red Sox. Nomar was never one of my favorite players by any means, but this is right. He was always supposed to end his career in Boston, and we had all pretty much resigned ourselves to the fact that he wouldn't. I like that sentimentality won over the front office and they did right by the fans. Nomar was, after all, our golden boy. He was the Rookie of the Year in '97, had (I think) six All-Star games under his belt, broke records, won hearts, and made baseball exciting in Boston. Tons of folks thought he would have been the best hitter the game had ever seen if not for that wrist injury. Most others would settle for the fact that he was just a great hitter.

Yeah, his batting quirks were annoying, but I guess if they work for you, you don't stop doing them. Nomar made the baseball fans of Boston very happy for a long time, and it broke many hearts that he wasn't on the field with the Sox that fateful night in October when they won the WS. It was Nomar's team, but he had to go in order for them to succeed. Bittersweet, indeed.

Listen, I'm not going to sit here and keep waxing poetic about the guy. I didn't dislike him for any reason in particular, it was just a case of circumstance that, I guess, didn't really have anything to do with him. But it's undeniable that the guy is loved here in Boston, and if anyone deserves to retire as a Red Sox (besides Varitek... hint, hint Jason), it's Nomar. I wish him the best in his new career on ESPN and thank the Red Sox for doing right by a local hero. Thanks, Nomar, for all the joy you brought to Boston while you were here.

Trying to be Diplomatic: Welcome Beltre, Goodbye Bay

I technically already made it official with moving Bay's name from the current list to the former list. That is a big thing for me, and really makes it all so official. I'm not one to adjust to change well, and I think I'm still in the middle of a temper tantrum over Manny being traded, but that's neither here nor there... and 'neither here nor there' is a phrase I really feel I need to start using more often.

Before I get into my welcomes and goodbyes, I want to take the time on my blog to acknowledge the wonderfulness of baby corn. My blog, I can do that. My lunch today included random baby corn, and surprise baby corn is just fantastic. Anyway, onto more important matters....

Jason "JayBay"/"Kazerud" Bay stepped up and filled in professionally when we needed him most. He was never gonna be Manny, but he was exactly what we needed at the time - not Manny. We needed everything not-Manny at the time. Oh, there was excitement about Kaz. A good player on a terrible team who was going to get his chance to shine in Boston? Excellent. He did just that. Shine. That's why he could command the contract that he got. Kaz was pretty fantastic, and I did enjoy almost all moments of the year and a half that he graced our left field. The pale one may be moving on, but he will hold a place in my heart for a long time. Not forever, but a long time. I wish him luck and genuinely he helps Prince and the rest of the Mets to anything except a horrible late-season collapse. They've had enough of that lately. Jason, it saddens me to see you go because our once "J"-dominated (Jason, JD, Jason, Jacoby, (ugh) Julio....) lineup is slowly slipping away. Good luck.

Adrian Beltre.... sigh. Do I have to do this? Everyone knows I love Mike Lowell. I really do want to keep being stubborn and ridiculous! All I will say is.... if Adrian takes Mike's job, I'll give him the same chance to win my heart that I gave Mikey after the departure of Billy Mueller. And I ADORED Billy Mueller (and wish we had him AND his surgically repaired knees back in some capacity. not as a third baseman. or player). I will try to be fair and understanding, and not hate Adrian for the mere fact that he is not Mikey, or not Billy. I will not boo him, even on opening day when I have to acknowledge that my Michael is gone. I will do my best to come up with a fun nickname for him, so I can embrace him as one of the guys... which, by the way, nicknaming is becoming much harder with this unimpressive bunch of ballplayers. Personality. That's what they need. I don't expect them to 'cowboy up' or anything, because that is so beyond overused that it has pushed into the realm of 'stab-me-in-the-ears'. That's a horrible realm.

What was I ranting about? Oh. Nicknames and Beltre. He'll get one. They'll all get one. I don't generally care if I have nicknames for outfielders, but infielders NEED nicknames. Scutaro, you're next.

Baseball, plz. I get all ranty without it.

Tim Wakefield: Triumphant Return

On a day that had many people (including myself) mourning the loss of Ted Kennedy, Tim Wakefield made his return to the Sox. We hadn't seen Tim since the All-Star game, where he had a prominent place on the bench and a great view of the game. I don't care what your politics are, or what you thought of Ted Kennedy, he did plenty for the people of this country, so I don't want any badmouthing. Rest in peace, Ted.

Wakefield made his return alright, and pitched as if he didn't miss over a month of the season. One ER. That's all he gave up. Pretty snazzy, huh? It was nice to see Wakefield back. But of course, I wouldn't expect him to let an injury keep him away from the Jimmy Fund telethon. He HAD to be back by now. I think it's written in his contract. More on the Jimmy Fund later.

Big Papi with two (that would be TWO) home runs last night. I watched his first walk-off in two years while sipping a delightful basil lime martini. I'll tell ya, I could do that every night. Heroic walkoffs and awesome cocktails? I LOVE that combination. It's nice to have a spark in this lineup when we need it most. And, for the record, no. No I'm not rooting for the Yankees while they play the Rangers. I'm also not rooting for the Rangers, but I would PREFER that the Rangers won. This division has not been handed to the Yankees yet. I want the Yanks to have to fight for it.... and lose. But fight, nonetheless!

Really, though, that home run in the 9th was just what this team needed. Can they keep it up? Can Papi be Papi when we need him? Can Beckett stop the suckfest that he's been propagating the last few outings and be Beckett? Can Brad Penny be out of town before the first pitch tonight, never to return!? Can these things happen!? I hope so.

No. I'm not sad that Penny was released. It had to happen. It had to happen for a long time now. So now that two out of Theo's three major reclamation projects from the beginning of the year have failed, can we PLEASE have a change in the motto of who we look for when acquiring pitchers? Saito has been.... ok. Nothing spectacular and I certainly don't trust him in close games. Penny and Smoltz failed. How much more of this has to happen before our GM realizes that it's not working. Time for a new strategy!

Farewell, Brad Penny. I'm glad I didn't bother coming up with a nickname for you. Thanks a lot for pitching on July 4th, and sucking really badly, therefore making me waste my best seats of the year on a crappy, horrible game. Thanks for that. I appreciate it. Now get away from Beckett, you're tainting him!

Welcome to August

Man, what a week, huh?

I've been going to Baltimore annually for a long time, and I can say that I don't quite remember seeing it that crowded ever. Don't get me wrong. It's always crowded when the Sox are in town on a weekend, but I felt like it was especially crowded this weekend.

I wanted to head into the park on Friday night to see Smoltz pitch, but after the drive, I was just too tired so I watched it online. I'll admit, when he starts, I almost expect a loss. I hope for a win, but I don't expect one. Getting him the win was nice of Youk, considering that Smoltz probably did not deserve it. That's the benefit of being on a team with a really good offense. They score you runs, you win more games. It doesn't even matter that his ERA is somewhere north of, of I don't know, Saturn? Is Saturn north enough? I guess it really doesn't matter. He won.

Saturday, I hoped with all of my might that Josh was terrible. The funny thing about Josh is, when he says that he has his best stuff, it's usually after a loss. I clearly recall on a few separate occassions, after a particularly rough beating administered by some unsuspecting team, Josh claimed that his stuff was just 'too good.' I know I don't know a lot about the mechanics and minutae of pitching, but really? I'm expected to believe that he gave up 8 runs because he was too good? Well, if he says so. So because of that, every time he pitches, I hope that he is awful. Saturday, he was awful. He was terrible to the tune of 0 ER and 7 IP. Granted, he had a lot of luck with the double plays, but he was still good enough. 13 wins, my friend. Two months left to go. I doubt he'll get to 20, but you never know. I'm not even going to go into the possible Cy Young talk, because they'll just give it to some stupid fat ass who really doesn't deserve it anyway.

I'm mixed about my feelings towards Victor Martinez. While I try to find a nickname that I feel suits him, he will more than likely be called VMart because there is no way I'm writing out Victor Martinez every time. Matter of fact, that's probably the last time you'll see me write it out, so cherish the moment, ok? It's not that I dislike him, per se. My issue comes in the fact that we had to surrender a perfectly good Fetus to get him. I adored Fetus. Honestly I did. I wish him all the best and I'm very sad to see him go. I will always root for him because he seems like such a genuinely nice guy. I hope the major leagues are good to him, where ever he may end up. I'm among the minority who faults Theo for not dumping Buchholz. I'm not sold on him. I just don't think he has what it takes to be a successful major leaguer. It would be nice if he could prove me wrong, I'm just not buying it with him. So we get rid of a pitcher I love to get a catcher who's purpose is to replace the catcher that I love. It's not that I dislike VMart... I'm just sad that he has to be here, is all.

I admit, sitting at the park on Saturday, seeing Fetus' name come up beside the score for Cleveland made me a little misty eyed. I'm sure Manny Delcarmen was misty eyed right along with me. Poor guy. His sadness made him give up two runs on Sunday (or so I heard). I didn't see a second of the game on Sunday, as I was stuck on the god forsaken George Washington Bridge until... oh, just about 20 minutes ago. What the hell?! I haven't been over that bridge in years, and now I remember why I always avoid it like the plague. I moved two miles in forty minutes. I wanted to jump off the goddamned bridge. What the hell, New York?!

So, I hear we scored 18 runs? Awesome. Think we can keep it up against Garza tomorrow? I hope so!

Nick Adenhart: I'm Not Sure What to Say

I've always been overly-sensitive. I cry watching Disney movies. My eyes tear up when I see footage from the '04 World Series or Jon Lester's no-hitter. There are certain Frank Sinatra songs that I cannot listen to if I don't have spare eyeliner with me. Sometimes I'd consider myself a crybaby. It doesn't bother me. It's how I am, and I've accepted that. I also tend to be a bit morbid, which makes a really strange combination. I'm the type of person who is fascinated by stories of serial killers, and then gets misty-eyed for the people who lost their lives.

I, like many baseball fans, had no idea who Nick Adenhart was until I watched the Sox game yesterday and heard Don and Remy talking about his death. Of course, I looked him up on the internet (which wasn't hard to do, as there were plenty of stories about him already). The thing that first popped out at me was the year he was born. This kid was a year younger than me. So was the monster that killed him and his friends.

I have no pity for people who drink and drive, especially after they get caught once and have their license taken away. Everyone makes mistakes, but if you don't learn from your mistakes then you deserve no pity. People like Andrew Gallo are despicable, and I hope he never finds himself a free man again. He doesn't deserve freedom.

So, reading the story about Nick Adenhart got me a little choked up (it's the sensitive side)... and then Fox Sports offered me a link to photos of the crime scene. My morbid side kicked in and I had to click the link (for anyone else like me, the photos can be found here). Perhaps some people would say it didn't look that bad, but it made me feel sick to my stomach. I can only hope that the poor people in the car didn't suffer too much. Sometimes a quick death is the best you can hope for.

This is certainly a sad start to the season. Nick was so young, and he was apparently just putting it all together. The one positive I can take from this is that he went out on a high note. Baseball as a whole is a life for me. I have real life, I have fictional life (which is a collection of the stories I write) and I have baseball life. This event makes baseball life sad. It doesn't matter that I didn't know him, or that I didn't ever see him pitch. He was part of the baseball family, and now he's gone. Who knows what he would have been if he had lived? Perhaps he would have faced the Sox for the AL pennant and gone 9 shutout innings, finally giving the Angels a playoff series win against Boston (in case you hadn't noticed, they haven't had one in a while). Maybe he would have ended up back in the minor leagues. I don't know what he would have been, but I feel it's unfair that this story line was taken away so soon. I hope Nick is peaceful where ever he is.

And of course, this is the perfect time for a public service announcement. Don't let people you care about drink and drive... don't let anyone you know drink and drive, because even if you don't care what happens to them, you're allowing them to put people you do care about at risk.. I know plenty of people who think they drive better when they're drunk, but they're wrong (and stupid). So many accidents like this could so easily be avoided....

Thank You, Curt

Before the 2004 season, he came to us with an impressive resume and a promise to break a curse after being wooed to Boston by Theo and Co. over Thanksgiving dinner.

That 2004 season is legend, and needs no explanation. Schilling made good on his promise, and the Red Sox became World Series champions for the first time in 86 years. Three seasons later, Curt helped the team to another World Series championship, and unofficially passed the 'ace' torch to our young fireballer, Josh Beckett. At that point, some suspected, but no one knew it would be Schilling's last hoorah. He was not able to participate in 2008 due to shoulder issues. Over the last year, we sort of knew it was coming. It just seemed like too big of an obstacle to get him back. The last game he pitched was a win in the World Series, 5.1 innings with a 1.69 ERA. That's as close to vintage Curt as we could ever hope for, and the perfect way to step out.

I wish he would have known how tough the rehab and possible return would have been right then and there, and maybe he could have retired on top instead of waiting a year trying to bounce back from surgery. I think everyone would have put their hearts into saying goodbye to this man just a little bit more. He meant so much to the baseball fans in Boston, for us to not be able to give him a proper send off seems unfair. Although, there was always the parade... I guess you can't get a much better send-off than a parade.

He's got a big mouth, and a ton of opinions that no one wants most of the time, but you could see how much he truly loved the game, and appreciated the fans. How much more could you ask for from an athlete? Few athletes made themselves and their lives so easily accesible to fans. Of course, his blog tended to get him into trouble, but admit it... it was awesome that a major league player was willing to blog and let us know what was going on. He may be a loudmouth republican (my favorite nickname for him), but nothing Schilling has ever said or written has gotten me angry. I've found great appreciation for him and great amusement from him. While I never got to see him pitch live, I can never forget what he brought to the Red Sox.

Love him or hate him, he essentially destroyed the remainder of his career to bring us that World Series in 2004. He bled for us. He put his health on the line. We watched him pitch his heart out every time he took that mound, and that's all I ever asked of him. Some might say he did it all for the personal glory, but honestly, the reason does not matter to me. All I care about is that he did what he said he was going to do, and he amused me along the way. Thank you, Curt, for everything you've done for the Red Sox and the communities that you constantly help out. You will be missed on that mound.

I hope you get into the hall of fame, because that's one induction speech that I just don't want to miss.