Wow, where do I start?
Okay, now it's time for the coherent entry. Well, I'll try to be coherent, but we'll see how it goes.
Once again, I was with my group of Sox devotees in one of the nicer dorms on campus (I say this because I live in one of the notoriously bad ones...well, I wouldn't say it's the worst one, but...). We slowly gathered there - by the end of the game, there was quite a crowd in the common room - and watched inning after painstaking inning. The Sox took the lead early - Jacoby doubled, Dustin got him over to third on a grounder, and Papi brought him home. Lester held onto the lead with what are known on the internet as his "Houdini skills" (seriously, everyone online calls him Houdini due to his escape artistry with runners on base), and slowly the lead expanded to three runs with a good deal of help from an especially clutch Mike Lowell. Lester's night ended after 5 2/3 innings, and Manny Delcarmen took over for him. Although he gave up a home run during the seventh, he got the important final out of the sixth inning. Timlin came in to take care of the rest of the seventh and performed beautifully, but then we all panicked.
You see, we all noticed Gagne was warming up in the bullpen. Sure, Okajima was there, too, but the sight of Gagne standing up in such a close game filled the room with dread. Luckily, Okajima was the one to come in later in the eighth, and we calmed down.
Then Okajima gave up a home run. Okaji's savior last night, believe it or not, was Bobby Kielty, who had totally crushed Fuentes' first pitch the previous inning. The Sox led 4-3, but they were barely hanging on. Francona made a call to the bullpen, and there was no question amongst us who was coming out.
Of course, when we saw Papelbon we all cheered anyway. There's something about him that makes you feel safe - you know you're in good hands. (Not that I'd trust him with babysitting my kids, if I had any, but I'd put my life on him saving a ballgame. At least those kids would learn how to dance.) He did exactly what was expected of him, getting out of the eighth and bringing up our side for one last at-bat. We had a discussion about how funny it would be to see Papelbon bat, including how he'd probably have a totally stupid, crazy batting stance and the like. Then we realized how much funnier it would be if he went yard.
The way the three outs in the ninth came was strangely fitting. I don't mean that it was the way each batter was retired, though - it was who retired them that made it poignant. The first out was made by Dustin Pedroia, who fielded a grounder to second and tossed the ball over to Kevin Youkilis. The second out, the scariest of the three, was a spectacular catch at the wall by Jacoby Ellsbury, who had been moved to left field for defensive purposes. Papelbon took care of the last out himself, striking out Seth Smith. It was like a changing of the guard in a way; the younger players, two of whom were rookies, were the ones to finish the job. That struck me as particularly appropriate.
I also realized this morning that I cannot call Dustin Pedroia a rookie anymore. I can probably call him the 2007 AL Rookie of the Year, but he's not a rookie now, and it shows - he plays like a grizzled veteran. Jacoby will have his first full rookie season next year, as will Clay Buchholz, and I am fully looking forward to this, but it'll be strange to not lump Pedroia in with them as a rookie. This probably does not mean that he will stop getting picked on by the rest of the team, though, as he has a notably big mouth, but I'll have to get used to his non-rookie status. I've got all winter to do so.
Oh, if you happen to be in Cooperstown anytime soon, go and see the things the Sox have donated to the Hall of Fame whilst you're there! (I really want to see the bat Dustin used to knock that ball over the Monster in Game 1, but that's because I'm totally obsessed.)
Well, there's one more thing our little group has to do to close out the season. Tomorrow, we're going on an excursion to the nearest Taco Bell courtesy of Jacoby Ellsbury. If you're not too keen on Taco Bell's cuisine, though, you can actually donate your taco to help the victims of the wildfires in California. (I wonder if Jacoby knows about this...I bet he'd donate his 'cause he's so nice.)
And if you're in the Greater Boston area tomorrow, enjoy the parade!
(Oh, and Josh, you had better dance with Paps. There will be dire consequences if you don't. You promised to on national television.)
EDIT: The Players' Choice Awards results are in, and Dusty's been named their AL Rookie of the Year. You can watch the video here, complete with the return of the so-called "ugly green shirt." Yay!
EDIT 2: OMGz0rz Jed Lowrie. Okay, enough with the internet-speak, but according to this article Jed may get a cup of coffee in the majors next season!
With Game 4 winner Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz scheduled to follow Beckett and Matsuzaka in the rotation in ’08, and outfielder Brandon Moss and infielder Jed Lowrie close to assuming roles, the Sox’ future never looked so bright.
And that means it's Random Usage of Steph's Jed Lowrie Icon Time!
Once again, I was with my group of Sox devotees in one of the nicer dorms on campus (I say this because I live in one of the notoriously bad ones...well, I wouldn't say it's the worst one, but...). We slowly gathered there - by the end of the game, there was quite a crowd in the common room - and watched inning after painstaking inning. The Sox took the lead early - Jacoby doubled, Dustin got him over to third on a grounder, and Papi brought him home. Lester held onto the lead with what are known on the internet as his "Houdini skills" (seriously, everyone online calls him Houdini due to his escape artistry with runners on base), and slowly the lead expanded to three runs with a good deal of help from an especially clutch Mike Lowell. Lester's night ended after 5 2/3 innings, and Manny Delcarmen took over for him. Although he gave up a home run during the seventh, he got the important final out of the sixth inning. Timlin came in to take care of the rest of the seventh and performed beautifully, but then we all panicked.
You see, we all noticed Gagne was warming up in the bullpen. Sure, Okajima was there, too, but the sight of Gagne standing up in such a close game filled the room with dread. Luckily, Okajima was the one to come in later in the eighth, and we calmed down.
Then Okajima gave up a home run. Okaji's savior last night, believe it or not, was Bobby Kielty, who had totally crushed Fuentes' first pitch the previous inning. The Sox led 4-3, but they were barely hanging on. Francona made a call to the bullpen, and there was no question amongst us who was coming out.
Of course, when we saw Papelbon we all cheered anyway. There's something about him that makes you feel safe - you know you're in good hands. (Not that I'd trust him with babysitting my kids, if I had any, but I'd put my life on him saving a ballgame. At least those kids would learn how to dance.) He did exactly what was expected of him, getting out of the eighth and bringing up our side for one last at-bat. We had a discussion about how funny it would be to see Papelbon bat, including how he'd probably have a totally stupid, crazy batting stance and the like. Then we realized how much funnier it would be if he went yard.
The way the three outs in the ninth came was strangely fitting. I don't mean that it was the way each batter was retired, though - it was who retired them that made it poignant. The first out was made by Dustin Pedroia, who fielded a grounder to second and tossed the ball over to Kevin Youkilis. The second out, the scariest of the three, was a spectacular catch at the wall by Jacoby Ellsbury, who had been moved to left field for defensive purposes. Papelbon took care of the last out himself, striking out Seth Smith. It was like a changing of the guard in a way; the younger players, two of whom were rookies, were the ones to finish the job. That struck me as particularly appropriate.
I also realized this morning that I cannot call Dustin Pedroia a rookie anymore. I can probably call him the 2007 AL Rookie of the Year, but he's not a rookie now, and it shows - he plays like a grizzled veteran. Jacoby will have his first full rookie season next year, as will Clay Buchholz, and I am fully looking forward to this, but it'll be strange to not lump Pedroia in with them as a rookie. This probably does not mean that he will stop getting picked on by the rest of the team, though, as he has a notably big mouth, but I'll have to get used to his non-rookie status. I've got all winter to do so.
Oh, if you happen to be in Cooperstown anytime soon, go and see the things the Sox have donated to the Hall of Fame whilst you're there! (I really want to see the bat Dustin used to knock that ball over the Monster in Game 1, but that's because I'm totally obsessed.)
Well, there's one more thing our little group has to do to close out the season. Tomorrow, we're going on an excursion to the nearest Taco Bell courtesy of Jacoby Ellsbury. If you're not too keen on Taco Bell's cuisine, though, you can actually donate your taco to help the victims of the wildfires in California. (I wonder if Jacoby knows about this...I bet he'd donate his 'cause he's so nice.)
And if you're in the Greater Boston area tomorrow, enjoy the parade!
(Oh, and Josh, you had better dance with Paps. There will be dire consequences if you don't. You promised to on national television.)
EDIT: The Players' Choice Awards results are in, and Dusty's been named their AL Rookie of the Year. You can watch the video here, complete with the return of the so-called "ugly green shirt." Yay!
EDIT 2: OMGz0rz Jed Lowrie. Okay, enough with the internet-speak, but according to this article Jed may get a cup of coffee in the majors next season!
With Game 4 winner Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz scheduled to follow Beckett and Matsuzaka in the rotation in ’08, and outfielder Brandon Moss and infielder Jed Lowrie close to assuming roles, the Sox’ future never looked so bright.
And that means it's Random Usage of Steph's Jed Lowrie Icon Time!