The 25 and Then Some....
I'll play my little part in something big "Big Casino"-Jimmy Eat World
This is part 3 of a many part series I've been trying to do on Sundays. This is just taking a look at the 2007 squad and trying to highlight some things about them and their contributions to the season at hand. Yes even the fringe dudes too. Everybody plays a part in this stuff, so it's fair to give each one a little recognition.
Position Players
Jason Varitek
Season: Tek's season was not exactly up to the standards of the better offensive catchers, but Tek hung in there and had a pretty solid season. His numbers were nailed almost to a T by Bill James, actually. He had a penchant for getting some big hits during the season, and did sometimes have some troubles with the high heat. He was excellent with the pitchers, as per usual, and even caught himself his third no-hitter(could've been four if Schill didn't shake him off, but I digress)
Postseason: He really didn't do entirely much in the ALDS but hit pretty decently in the ALCS before the World Series. In the World Series, Tek hit .333 and had 5 RBIs which lead the team.
Other Observations: Varitek was noticeably more giddy and happy this season than in seasons that I can remember. I'm not entirely sure why but it's worth noting. He also showed a little more of a joking side to his personality.
Signature Moment: To be honest, Varitek didn't really do a whole lot to stand out this season. Nothing against him by any stretch of the imagination, but he didn't really do a whole lot that was that great...however he did have a game tying homerun against the Devil Rays off of Al Reyes which tied the score up. That game would eventually be won and would be the playoff clincher for the team
Kevin Youkilis
Season: Youkilis had himself a Gold Glove caliber season with his defense, but his offense was what carried him. During the season, he was on fire in the first half and was very nearly an All Star. He tailed off a bit in the second half, fighting some contusions on his hand and other bumps and bruises but the rest he had gotten in September would soon pay off in October.
Postseason: He showed that he was born to play in October. Like his regular season career, Youkilis' first career hit in the postseason was a homerun. He would have a solid ALDS and a pretty damn good World Series in his first two games(he sat out games 3 and 4 due to the NL rules) but it is the ALCS for which he showed his awesome. He set or tied 6 records in the ALCS including batting average, runs, slugging percentage, and hits. He coudl arguably have been a co-MVP of the ALCS w/ Josh Beckett.
Other Observations: He was interviewed by Jonathan Papelbon about the sexiest pitcher and hitter. His pick for Sexiest Pitcher was Joel Pineiro and his pick for Sexiest Hitter was Mike Lowell. Kevin Millar was quoted as saying that his head is shaped like a Milk Dud. He also had one of the ugliest beards in the world which made him look like David Wells' kid brother. Was also the originator of the "Okie Dokie Dance"
Signature Moment: I think his homerun in Game 5 of the ALCS is probably his best moment. He set the tone for the rest of the team with that homerun, with Josh Beckett backing up the claims of "We ain't goin' down without a fight".
Dustin Pedroia
Season: Pedroia started off very slowly hitting .182 however once May rolled around and he found his bearings, he would explode onto the scene and kick all kinds of ass and take names. Dustin would hit .317 and earn himself the Rookie of the Year with his season. His quick hands at second base would also come in handy as he contributes with a huge play to help preserve a no-hitter.
Postseason: He didn't fare well in the ALDS and the first couple games of the ALCS, but once the team stated to mount their comeback, Dustin would find his way back in. He would contribute mightily in his last few games of the ALCS and the entire World Series. All the while with a broken hamate bone, which wasn't revealed until a week after the postseason, which only cements his tough sonofabitch status.
Other Observations: He may be most likely the closest thing to Tanner Boyle that the MLB has had in a while. The smartmouthed cocky profanity spewing snacksized second baseman would somehow endear himself to his teammates with these qualities. His ultra competitiveness would show as he keeps telling everybody how he owns certain people in certain games, like Mike Lowell and Cribbage. He also already has a job for after baseball being the bench coach for Alex Cora when Cora becomes manager.
Signature Moment: For the regular season, there's the robbing of Miguel Tejada to preserve the no-hitter for Buchholz aka the "Fuck yeah!" play. Then in the ALCS it has to be the Game 7 homerun which gave the Red Sox some much needed breathing room. The batflip he did was pretty fucking badassed as well.
Julio Lugo
Season: Okay his season sucked, we know this. However, the way he handled himself in his epic slump won my respect. He would break out of that epic June slump. People booed him but then I think his slump got to a point where it was just not fun anymore to boo. That's when it's really going back. However his gratefulness when he did break out of it is fondly remembered. Not to mention he did actually kick some ass after that, but well not entirely a lot but enough to make him okay for the rest of the season. He came up with a few huge hits(not counting Mother's Day Miracle...sorry) and hit the Game winning HR in the playoff spot clincher
Postseason: Did not do too much in the ALDS, nearly fucked up the game in the ALCS Game 7 but luckily the other guys picked him up like Okajima and Joel Skinner :P. However, he had a pretty good World Series hitting about .385
Other Observations: He took a real liking to Manny Ramirez and hopped all over him like a horny schoolgirl. He also has had a spotty past but for some reason, I just couldn't hate him. I tried to because I wasn't in support of the signing to begin with but I just couldn't. My brother calls him "Marvin the Martian" and he also makes some of the ugliest faces when he's either mad or throwing the ball.
Signature Moment: I could go with the game winning HR vs TB in the playoff spot clincher, but I think I'll go another route. I have to say that the signature moment for me with him was that first hit he got when he busted out of his slump. Just the pure joy and happiness he had on his face and gratefulness he had towards the crowd is just always going to be etched in my mind.
Mike Lowell
Season: Lowell showed us that he wasn't just a one half season wonder and had himself a stellar 2007 season. He was the most consistent guy on the team, other than David Ortiz. He was the number 5 hitter we really needed and even hit 4th when he was needed to and succeeded well in those spots. He came up with some big hits and was a huge producer. While his glove wasn't a great as it was in 2006(though he actually leads AL 3B in Defensive Win Shares), he still was steady and good. He was also an All Star and shared Player of the Week honors in late August with David Ortiz
Postseason: He kept it going well into the postseason as well with a pretty good ALDS, a nice ALCS, but a great World Series. He would end up being the World Series MVP. While he wasn't the big hero in any of the games, he did come through when you needed him to and was the model of consistency which is what you need sometimes.
Other Observations: He is one of the snarkiest/dryest senses of humor you'd ever see and is pretty much one of the most quotable guys on the team. He also was voted as the Sexiest Hitter on the team by Kevin Youkilis, Kevin Millar, and Manny Delcarmen. When asked about his opinion, he stated that Cinco Ocho(not to be confused with Jonathan Papelbon) and Alex Cora are the Sexiest Pitcher and Hitter on the team. Lowell also has made himself one of the most beloved Red Sox players in recent memory.
Signature Moment: Really with as consistent as he has been during the season, it's really hard to pinpoint a signature moment. However, if I had to really choose, it'd probably be the homerun he hit on August 14th game which to me was like the "Fuck you Cancer!" game because Lester pitched an absolute gem and Lowell hit the game tying HR. That was their way of saying "Cancer? Fuck that, we're ballplayers dammit!" Though a close second would probably be the 2-HR game he had on the 22nd, which includes being the third guy in the 4-HR barrage.
Manny Ramirez
Season: To simply put it, he wasn't quite Manny this regular season. His bat was slightly inconsistent, he battled an oblique strain at one point, and somehow through all of this was still an All Star. It wasn't that he was having a horrible season, he just wasn't at Manny standards. He didn't hit as many homeruns either and is still 11 short of 500. The rest he had due to the oblique strain however would pay off in the postseason.
Postseason: Manny found his Manny-ness in the postseason and kicked all kinds of ass. He hit the only walkoff homerun in the entire postseason, a majestic shot that went 'deep into the night' and then called himself a "bad man". He would keep this asskickingness during the ALCS and WS as well. The walkoff though, which was his first ever in a Red Sox uniform, is the shot that will be remembered for years to come.
Other Observations: Manny wasn't Manny with the bat, but in the dugout, he was still Manny. He was caught petting Julian Tavarez on camera, he hugged everybody within the distance, and wanted Varitek to buy him a Nintendo. He also wondered if he could work on NESN during the offseason. Manny, to his credit though, was an unlikely sage as well during the postseason with his line about it "not being the end of the world" if they lose, which actually was probably how they needed to look at it. Too much pressure=not good.
Signature Moment: The walkoff homerun in Game 2 of the ALDS. Dude, that thing was straight up majestic and amazing. I imagine "Ode to Joy" being played whenever that homerun is shown on TV.
Coco Crisp
Season: His bat was still disappointing, but despite that he had his fair share of huge hits from the bases clearing triple vs Rivera to the walkoff double vs Reyes and a few more I am neglecting. However what Coco will always be remembered for is his glove. He made highlight reel catches almost every night and STILL somehow got screwed over for a Gold Glove. That's okay though, I'm sure he likes that World Series ring he'll be getting. He had one of the best defensive seasons I've seen from a centerfielder.
Postseason: Coco's postseason was not a good one. He hit himself out of the starting lineup, but he handled it with enough class and grace that earned my respect. He did, however, earn himself a spot on the highlight reels by making an excellent over the shoulder catch for the final out of Game 7 of the ALCS, which clinched the pennant. He sacrificed life and limb despite the lead and made sure the Red Sox got that final out. So propers there. He also got a pinch hit in the World Series.
Other Observations: Coco either sported a fro or cornrows all season, varying on his mood. He also showed a lot of anger early on in the season including getting ejected in a game against the Yankees(though he had a point!). He also had a few pretty funny lines here and there as well. He also was nearly run down by the Mariner Moose who was on an ATV going around the park. This event illicted the ire of John Farrell, the pitching coach more than Coco who just laughed about it.
Signature Moment: I gotta go with that over the shoulder catch to clinch the AL pennant. You know, if it was a closer score, he would've been immortalized in Red Sox Nation, but alas it wasn't to be. I kind of feel bad for Coco in that sense. NOthing just ever really came together for him in Boston. But that's the way it goes sometimes.
JD Drew
Season: JD Drew's season was disappointing and he became the target of a lot of hateration. Now some of it was understandable, but also was kind of sad to see. The main reason he was hated on more than most is because he wasn't Trot Nixon, who wasn't having much of a great season either but would've probably shown more effort. The thing that bugged people about Drew was his nonchalant attitude. However, that being said, he played some pretty steady defense and had a few moments of good hitting like in interleague and at the end of the season.
Postseason: His ALDS and ALCS were pretty sucky, though in Game 2 of the ALDS he did come through with a clutch 2-run single early in the game. However, in Game 6 of the ALCS, all that changed when he hit, most likely, the most improbable homerun in Red Sox history...well depending on who you ask. He hit a 2-out grand slam off of Fausto Carmona that was to straightaway centerfield. And after that, he was just on fire and kicked all kinds of ass and all was forgiven.
Other Observations: He was very nonchalant of an attitude, however he also had some troubles with his son who was having health issues during some of the season. Sometimes you gotta let baseball take a backseat, people. Does not show much emotion on the field but has shown some goofiness off the field among teammates
Signature Moment: The Grand Slam. Suddenly everybody out there at Fenway were actually saying "Dreeewwwww" and they meant it!
David Ortiz
Season: While his power numbers were down, he still had an awesome regular season. His OPS was second to A-Rod and only one off. He set some career highs like in batting average but people called it an off year because he didn't hit as many homeruns as people are used to. He didn't show as much clutch skillz this season mostly due to the fact that people just started to walk him more, but he did have some huge hits. He hit a walkoff on September 12th and hit a grand slam at one of the games I went to.
Postseason: His postseason was the usual Papi fare, kicking ass and taking names. He didn't get to be the big postseason hero like in years past, but I think he's okay with Manny taking the spotlight for once. He still had a very good postseason and hit extremely well. Him and Manny and Lowell carried the team during the ALDS and first couple games of the ALCS
Other Observations: Is considered to be sexy by Kyle Snyder who voted him sexiest hitter on the team due to his charisma. He is still the goofy loveable "teddy bear"(Wakefield's words, not mine) as he has been just so damned loveable. Has a puppy named Mikey(not sure how they got the name...could be after Lowell or Timlin) and also has called a players only meeting during the ALCS to tell them all that they're all bad motherfuckers. After Game 5, he took over WJAR 10's microphone and jokingly asked Manny(who was dressed in a purple tie and in some dark clothes) "Where's the funeral?". He also has had shoes of his likeness
Signature Moment: I think probably that player's only meeting that happened. I know it's not offensive or anything like that. I mean there's countless things you can probably say but if you ask me, that meeting showed his leadership and his charisma(which Kyle Snyder loves so dearly) so I gotta go with that.
Jacoby Ellsbury
Season: Jacoby shot up through the Red Sox’ farm system just about at the same pace as Clay Buchholz. He made his major league debut on June 30 against the Texas Rangers and remained up there until the Tigers series when he was sent down. He had a one game callup in mid-August before being called up for good in September along with the other September callups. He would burst onto the scene big time and earn Rookie of the Month honors for September for being the sparkplug to the team.
Postseason: Jacoby didn’t really play a whole bunch at first but he earned his way onto the starting lineup and would stay there for a while. He hit very well in the games he was in and basically broke out onto the scene and had his whole coming out party on Game 3 of the World Series. He rocked the scene and basically has cemented himself as the next target for excessive fangirlism.
Other Observations: Well let’s start with the obvious that I have been saying a lot - he is hot. But regardless, he bears a striking resemblance to Bennie “The Jet” Rodriguez from The Sandlot. Jacoby has said he likes waffles with applesauce and once chased down a deer in high school. He was dressed as Little Red Riding Hood for Rookie Hazing for reasons beyond me. He is also believed to be the first player of Navajo descent to play in the MLB.
Signature Moment: This is kind of tough but I think I’m going to go with the scoring from second on a passed ball in July. It was the first real glimpse we got at Ellsbury and how fast he really is. Though the whole winning tacos for America thing works too.
Bobby Kielty
Season: After being released by the Oakland A’s, Kielty was signed by the Red Sox in August and placed on the roster on August 18. He bursted right onto the scene immediately endearing himself to Red Sox fans by robbing Casey Kotchman of a homerun. He would end up being pretty productive, especially against lefties which was the reason he was signed.
Postseason: He started in place of JD Drew in Games 1 and 5 of the ALCS and made CC Sabathia his bitch, which was great. In the World Series he only had one at-bat which was during Game 4 and he hit a pinch hit homerun which was the difference of the game.
Other Observations: Kielty went from having one of the worst seasons of his career to one of the best. You gotta appreciate those 180s that people have. Kielty was immediately embraced by a lot of Red Sox fans for his hardnosed playing style and his father’s Boston roots as well.
Signature Moment: It has to be the World Series homerun. How can it not be, right?
Eric Hinske
Season: Hinske was serviceable off the bench. He did a solid job playing 1st base in light of Youkilis and also manning the corner outfield spots. He also displayed a hardnosed style risking life and limb and taking out Jorge Posada at one point(even though he was still out) and nearly breaking his own face. He had a few huge hits including a bases clearing triple and a homerun in the night cap of a doubleheader against the Tigers.
Postseason: Was on the roster but did not play enough to really have much of an impact.
Other Observations: I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody as happy to be in Boston as Hinske was all season. He was so freaking enthusiastic that all I had to do was just watch him on the bench and I was all pumped up. The dude just was giddy as hell. Then again, he had never been in a situation like this so maybe it’s just he whole novelty of the playoffs. But the fact that he had no ego and had all that enthusiasm was just awesome to see. That’s all.
Signature Moment: I gotta say the faceplant catch he made. First off he’s a big dude and he was having a rough game in right. Then making that catch, I couldn’t believe it upon first viewing. He nearly broke his damn face! He broke his hat, though. And then he followed that catch with the game deciding homerun! That is quite a game from that guy. Close second is his whole railroading of Posada. That was pretty sweet.
Alex Cora
Season: Alex Cora may be the reason that Dustin Pedroia wasn’t tarred and feathered for his first month in Boston. Because Cora was doing so well, Pedroia didn’t have to be exposed as much and he was able to find his bearings while Cora held the fort. Once Pedroia did so, Cora stepped aside. During that time, he had a penchant of coming up with game tying or game winning RBIs, most famously in back-to-back games against the Blue Jays and then against the Yankees.
Postseason: Was on the roster but only appeared in a few games and didn’t really have too much of an impact
Other Observations: Cora had a tendency to homer whenever I did my homework, which wasn’t too much. He also was called the Sexiest Hitter by Mike Lowell when Lowell was polled by Jonathan Papelbon. Jerry Remy would probably agree with that sentiment as well. He is credited with helping out Dustin Pedroia when Pedroia was struggling as well. I am also strangely attached to him.
Signature Moment: The back-to-back game winning RBIs, most def. After being taken out by Lyle Overbay, Cora came back with an RBI triple to win the game. The next day, after Coco Crisp tied the game on an bases clearing triple, he blooped a single to left, scoring Crisp which was the game winning RBI. Though his homerun against the Yankees was pretty sweet too.
Doug Mirabelli
Season: Mirabelli was re-signed to be the catcher for Wakefield. He did a nice job behind the dish and had a few big hits as well, mostly bombs. Mirabelli was injured for a period of time in August due to a pulled hammy but returned in mid September to catch for Wake. He wasn’t as horrible as people make him out to be but he wasn’t that great either.
Postseason: Was on the roster but only appeared in one or two games and didn’t have too much of an impact
Other Observations: Well, besides the fact that he is a stud who hits bombs, he is also notorious for getting into little bickering matches with Curt Schilling. He also was then in the middle of some goofy ass controversy about the bloody sock which Gary Thorne accused him of telling him that Schilling doctored the sock. It got all completely batshit insane and stupid. Mirabelli also is not well liked by the San Diego Padres and still may think that Nomar is a pussy. He also has the worst at-bat music ever
Signature Moment: I’ll probably say the homerun against the Angels in April. He hit a HR to tie the ballgame during a Wakefield start. It was the first semblance of Run Support that Wakefield had seen in quite literally the entire season. I think that may have helped Wake with kicking ass…well in a sense.
Wily Mo Pena
Season: Wily Mo was just simply not meant to play here. He was a bit of a burden on the team but despite that he did an alright job. When he’d hit the ball, they’d result in some real bombs of homeruns. He had a few really huge games, most notably the games in Baltimore and one in Cleveland where he had a big hit.
Postseason: Did not play. Was traded 8/17/07 to Washington for PTBNL
Other Observations: Wily Mo seemed to endear himself to me for just being the way he is. He’s not the brightest guy and he’s not the best player but he at least tried and you could see it. He looked up to Big Papi more than anybody else and he loved to just watch him hit. It kind of sucks that he never really caught on here, but that’s just the way of the game. He was traded to somewhere where he could get his at-bats though. He also reminded me, for reasons beyond me, of Zoidberg from Futurama. I can’t explain it really he just does. He also is a pretty classy guy writing a Thank You Note to the fans in the Boston Herald. I also learned he does not like his vegetables.
Signature Moment: The grand slam off of Chris Ray against the Orioles. First off, it was quite a freaking shot that I think went into the visitor’s bullpen or at least around there. Second off, I kind of called it asking for something to make Wily Mo smile or something like that. And well, he got the grand slam!
Brandon Moss
Season: He was called up for 3 games in August where he was called into the first game by accident due to Manny being ejected. It was a rather forgettable debut for him given the fact that he effed up a fly ball and then ended the game with a strikeout. However his next game was much better where he got a hit and scored a run. He also fared well in September and ultimately hit about .280 during his time in Boston.
Postseason: Did not Play.
Other Observations: He dressed up as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz for the Rookie Hazing. He memorably was asked how he felt and he was like “Fantastic…Natural even” and then joked about how he was used to wearing the stuff cuz of Halloween. Moss was rather entertaining and was rather amusing during his time in Boston seeming to team up with Bobby Kielty in a lot of the celebrating of the AL East and ALDS to get everybody they could.
Signature Moment: Probably the rookie hazing video where he was interviewed. Those kind of things stick with me. He didn’t necessarily do anything particularly memorable with the bat but he didn’t entirely suck out there either. So credit to him on that.
Kevin Cash
Season: Cash was called up in August to replace Mirabelli. He ended up doing a fine job behind the dish with Tim Wakefield. He showed that he could catch the knuckleball and did a fine job. However, his bat….well his bat flat out sucked but he did have one good game with the bat. That game was the game against Tampa Bay where he had 3 RBIs with two of them coming on a 2-run single which brought the game closer. It would end up being a comeback from 7 runs down to pick up Wakefield and to win the game ultimately.
Postseason: Was on ALDS roster but did not Play.
Other Observations: Cash looked a lot like Keith Foulke and seemed to carry himself with a quiet type of dignity. He seemed like a cool dude, and did a fine job with the knuckleball. Other than that, he was rather forgettable. But he seems like a cool guy I guess. He would sometimes join up with the bullpen pirates to watch the game with them.
Signature Moment: The 2-run single against the Devil Rays. Hey, you take your hits where you can get them, right? Right. And that’s really all I got with Cash but he did a good job with Wake’s knuckleball.
Jeff Bailey
Season: He was only called up for 3 games but he did get one hit and that one hit being a homerun. That was his first career homerun too. You gotta be happy for the guy at least. Hopefully he can get called up somewhere else someday to make more of an impact.
Postseason: Did not play.
Other Observations: Jeff Bailey was called up for only 3 games and had been stewing in AAA for ages upon ages. You gotta be happy for the guy. The story is that he was at a gumball machine at a truckstop when they told him and he didn’t believe them at first.
Signature Moment: The homerun…well that’s all he’s really done with the team. Though I’m happy for him because he got to at least for one moment live his dream, which is better than not living it at all.
David Murphy
Season: Was called up for only three games in 2007 before being sent back down. He didn’t do too much in those games, but he was a useful cog in a trade that SHOULD have worked out. Unfortunately it didn’t and that sucks.
Postseason: Did not play. Was traded with Kason Gabbard to Texas on 7/31/07
Other Observations: Not enough time to make any other good observations. Sorry.
Signature Moment: Only 3 games…not enough to make a really good moment, but he did get a hit.
Royce Clayton
Season: He was signed with Pawtucket and called up in September to join the team. His first run scored was due to him pinch running for Doug Mirabelli. He only had 4 at-bats and went 0-fer.
Postseason: Did not play but was the good luck charm for the team and had some amusing moments when mic’d up for Fox
Other Observations: Is forever known as the Taco Man with Red Sox Nation given his whole “I ain’t got my taco yet!” line he said when trying to understand the whole steal a taco campaign. And then told Jacoby Ellsbury to steal a base for America to get tacos. Clayton also was a part of his first World Series experience as well which is awesome since he has been in the majors for like… a really long time
Signature Moment: Say it with me people “I AIN’T GOT MY TACO YET!”
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Pitchers
Josh Beckett
Season: This season, he finally started to trust Tek and finally became a pitcher and not a thrower. His progression showed greatly as he became the first 20 game winner in over a year and finished 2nd in Cy Young voting. His season also earned him a spot on the All Star team where he picked up the win. He also took over the reigns as the ACE of the staff and became the stopper whenever the team would be in trouble, he would come in and save the day. He was basically everything you could ask of him.
Postseason: After an A+ season from Beckett, he upped his game to A++ in the postseason and showed us all why he is special. I mean as a player not special as in a dumb dumb. He ended up the ALCS MVP after saving the asses of his teammates in Game 5(with help from Youkilis) and pitched a complete game shutout in Game 1 of the ALDS and also kicked mighty amounts of ass in Game 1 of the World Series as well. A good all around postseason that showed the world that 2003 was not a fluke.
Other Observations: Is notorious for dropping f-bombs left and right during press conferences, most famously saying he isn't paid "to make those fucking decisions" about his ex singing the National Anthem during Game 5 of the ALCS. He also has shown a love for many of his teammates in his own crazy way such as calling Papelbon a "dumb redneck", hopping on Dustin Pedroia's back, practically adopting Clay Buchholz as his protege and having Buchholz and Lester spend time with him at his ranch during the offseason. Beckett also called Royce Clayton up to hold the trophy first and Royce cried on his shoulder which was strangely sweet. He is also slightly more introspective than given credit for. He has also gotten me to like a Nickelback song(keep in mind, I HAAAAAAAAAATE Nickelback)
Signature Moment: Between Game 1 of the ALDS and Game 5 of the ALCS, it's really tough. While he had a complete game shutout in Game 1, he saved his team's bacon in Game 5 and was clutch like a motherfucker. I'd probably go with Game 5 because of what was at hand for them in that game. But it's a close call.
Curt Schilling
Season: He totally morphed his game this season. He started off as the 2004 version of himself which did not end well. After a stint on the DL, he came back and was a completely different pitcher. He was relying more on pinpoint control and on the quality of his pitches over the speed and overpowering. He also came within one out of a no-hitter before he shook off Tek and gave up a hit to Shannon Stewart.
Postseason: His postseason was the same old warrior Schill. He pitched in Game 3 of the ALDS and kicked ass by throwing 6 shutout innings. His Game 2 of the ALCS was not much to write home about but he came back in Game 6 of the ALCS with a gem and also in Game 2 of the World Series.
Other Observations: He still has not learned to STFU, despite Tito's best efforts. He yammers on and even has his own blog now and claims he doesn't like to talk to the media. That being said, Schill is still a good guy and a philanthropist which is pretty great to see. He also has interesting banter sessions with Doug Mirabelli which endlessly amuse me to no end. He also resembled a Fat George Washington during Spring Training.
Signature Moment: I'd have to say Game 3 of the ALDS was probably his best outing of the season. The 1-hitter was great too, but you gotta give it to the ALDS game because nobody was sure what they were going to get, but all in all it was good. He showed he can beat you even if he isn't the same guy he used to be. And that is awesome.
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Season: To say that his season was a disappointment is rather unfair to say. Sure he wasn’t as great as he can really be, but it was an adjustment year. He showed flashes of brilliance in a few games, but he had some control troubles and really let bad calls get to him. I reckon he’ll be better next season, at least I hope so for his own sake. He did, however, end the year on a positive note with his last two playoff games
Postseason: He had a couple rough starts in Game 2 of the ALDS and Game 3 of the ALCS. Almost inconsolable after Game 3, Josh Beckett insisted that he will pitch again, and he kept his promise. Matsuzaka fared better in Game 7 pitching his ass off for five innings before handing it over to the bullpen. In Game 3 of the World Series, he pitched himself quite a gem and also contributed offensively with a 2-run single which ended up being the game winning RBIs
Other Observations: He has a very sunny personality that nobody really thought he would have. He also was a favorite of Julian Tavarez who made every point he could to maul him. Okay maybe not that big, but still. He made a big effort to try to bond with his teammates and learn the English language and he also took a liking to the knuckleball, wanting Tim Wakefield to teach him how to pitch it. He also fell victim to the bubblegum on the hat trick during Game 4 of the World Series, courtesy of David Ortiz and his mischief. He was also dressed as a Teletubby for Rookie Hazing.
Signature Moment: I’d most likely say the game against Cleveland in the regular season where he outdueled CC Sabathia. That was one of the games where you saw the flashes of brilliance that people talked about over in Japan. Also Game 3 of the World Series where he pitched a pretty damn good game. That would be considered too. I’ll go with the Cleveland game for now because it was against the future Cy Young Award Winner.
Tim Wakefield
Season: While he will be remembered for what he didn’t do, Wakefield actually had himself a pretty good season. He tied his career high for wins with 17 and he had at least two streaks where he was practically unhittable. He owned Tampa Bay big time but was killed by the Yankees. He was basically the same old Wakefield and he thankfully was able to find a catcher other than Mirabelli to catch him well when Doug went down with injury(Kevin Cash) and that’s always good thing. He had a couple injuries down the line and was scratched from a start which made way for Clay Buchholz.
Postseason: Wakefield was left off the ALDS roster but was put on for the ALCS. In the ALCS he only pitched one game and looked good for a while before losing it completely in the 5th inning. After the ALCS, his shoulder hurt and he had a huge decision to make about the World Series. He decided to take himself off the roster which made way for Jon Lester’s chance to shine.
Other Observations: Mike Timlin nearly made him cry on live TV talking about how they won the World Series for him and how he loves him and how much heart he showed taking himself off the roster. He also tried to teach Matsuzaka the knuckleball and golfed with him, Beckett, and Okajima’s translator. Wakefield was the same old Wakey with the same ol’ calming presence which is strange because for a guy with such an inconsistent pitch, he’s become so amazingly consistent.
Signature Moment: Well I got to go with the whole taking himself off the World Series roster so that Jon Lester could shine. I mean seriously…can you imagine anybody else doing that? Honestly, I really can’t. Oh and the whole being scratched and having Clay Buchholz take the ball the next day which was the no-hitter. Honestly, this is quite a weird thing w/ Wake…whenever he sacrifices himself, the beneficiaries always shine.
Julian Tavarez
Season: Batshit, as he’s affectionately called, had a pretty good season. He was the number 5 starter for a long period of time and was surprisingly good. He had a great stretch in May where he was practically unhittable weirdly enough and I think is the only guy on the team who won 2 games against the Yankees. Then again, I could be wrong here. He was huge for them during the regular season and was delightfully insane and amusing and somehow won over Red Sox fans after a shitty 2006(with exception to September).
Postseason: DID NOT PLAY
Other Observations: He took a real liking to both Okajima and Matsuzaka, more the latter than the former. He tried to learn Japanese to communicate with them and also had a strange Pepe LePew fascination with Dice, who I think was a little creeped out by him at first. Tavarez was a quirky fellow who on more than one occasion rolled the ball to first base, causing Youkilis to crack up incessantly. He also got a swinging bunt single and was pet by Manny Ramirez like a kitty. Oh and when he was a kid he wanted to be a porn star when he grew up(true story)
Signature Moment: Pitching wise, you gotta go with the game against the Braves where he pitched 7 shutout innings. The game against the Tigers was pretty good too where he pitched 7 innings giving up only 1 run. Another good moment that is not really pitching-wise is probably the first time he bowled the ball over to Youkilis. There was a lot of weird looks and Youks was trying so hard not to laugh. That play is Tavarez in a nutshell.
Jon Lester
Season: The fact that he even pitched this season in the MLB is huge enough as it is. I mean upon the end of 2006 you figured he’d be in chemo for a while and then probably work his way back up to the minors around August and September. However, Lester blew by all of that. He came back in late July against the Indians and never looked back. He ended up having a pretty good season even if he was bouncing back and forth between Pawtucket and Boston and Portland(but only for a while he was there). Lester was basically what you’d expect from him with a few slight alterations and probably less fear than before. I still don’t think they Rookie Hazed him though.
Postseason: He was on all three rosters. He didn't pitch in teh ALDS and wasn't too good in Game 2 of the ALCS, but he looked a lot better in Game 4, picking up the pieces from Wake adn Manny Del. He'd get a chance to start in Game 4 of the World Series to cap off one of the best stories in baseball for 2007 throwing 6 innings and giving up only 1 run. Amazing, really.
Other Observations: He was pretty serious of a dude, but he seemed pretty cool depending on his surroundings. he wasn't exactly lights out at all during the regular season, but honestly that's fine by me. The fact that he started Game 4 after what he's been through is just nothing short of awesome in my book considering he was undergoing chemo about a year ago at that time.
Signature Moment: It's gotta be Game 4 of the World Series. No question. Though his first start back was pretty awesome too.
Clay Buchholz
Season: Buchholz shot through the system like a madman and ultimately made his way as the Red Sox’ top prospect. He made his major league debut on August 17 against the Angels and picked up the win. He would pitch in 2 more starts and one relief appearance. His biggest game was his second start of his career on September 1st where he pitched a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles. He’d also have a 3 inning stint against the O’s where he fared very well and did well. He’d start one more time against Toronto before being shut down for the rest of the season
Postseason: Did not play due to being shut down.
Other Observations: Buchholz has a very toothy grin and slightly resembles Dwight Schrute from The Office. He also had a shotty past with stealing laptops. However it was a one time thing. He also rooms with Jacoby Ellsbury(something I know and am not sure how) and he also has been somewhat adopted by Josh Beckett
Signature Moment: What the hell do you THINK I’m gonna choose? The no-hitter. DUHH! I still am in disbelief over it though. I mean holy crapezoid!
Jonathan Papelbon
Season: Papelbon was awesome. He may not have had as many saves as Joe Borowski but he was more dominating in as small of the time he played. His innings were watched by Tito which paid off in October. Papelbon came through in a lot of huge situations and ended up getting a spot on the All Star team as well. He became the first player to posts 30 save seasons in back-to-back season for the Red Sox EVER! That is huge. He also only blew 3 saves.
Postseason: Papelbon’s less innings paid off extremely well in the postseason where he was let loose and was dominant. From the icy glare to the strikeouts to the sheer ‘try and hit this shit’ fastball, Papelbon made everybody else around him his collective bitch.
Other Observations: Where do I begin? Let’s see, he’s danced in his underwear, Irish step danced, polled his teammates on the sexiness on the team, confessed to having an alter ego named Cinco Ocho, told everybody he has voices in his head, put a Bud Light box on his head, nearly went out celebrating in only a jockstrap and a kids Red Sox tee before putting on black underpants, claims he invented a new pitch called a ‘slutter’, nearly made Bobby Kielty go crosseyed at his logic, grabbed teammates crotches on three occasions, has likely made out with a teammate or two, nearly had his own head explode on man occasions, been a campaign manager for Okajima for All Star inclusion, has come up with nicknames for his teammates that make no sense like Julian “The Jukin Jackrabbit” Tavarez, been called a dumb redneck from Mississippi, accused Cleveland of intentionally having Josh’s ex sing the National Anthem citing ‘it’s the same city as the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame’, forgotten his cell phone on multiple occasions….and that’s just off the top of my head!
Signature Moment: Between the dancing and the strikeouts, it’s kind of tough but I’ll go with the 2 inning stint in Game 7 of the ALCS. He never pitched 2 innings of saveness before in the season, the closest being a 5 out save. The dancing was fun too, where he basically outed himself to everybody as an extremely crazy motherfucker.
Hideki Okajima
Season: Nobody expected anything from Okajima. He came out of Japan and basically out of nowhere, and had a pretty inauspicious beginning giving up a homerun to John Buck. After that, and thanks to a rain delay against the Angels, he discovered a new pitch ‘The Okie-Dokie’ and DOMINATED from then on. He was the defacto closer during times Papelbon wouldn’t be around and made it onto the All Star Team via the 32nd man vote. He was indispensable and even though he faltered a bit in September, he took a long period of time of rest. That rest would pay off in the postseason.
Postseason: Despite games 3 and 4 of the World Series, Okajima came up HUGE. He induced a HUGE double play in Game 7 of the ALCS, was amazing in Game 2 of the ALDS, and came up huge and basically the Player of the Game in Game 2 of the World Series. Just like the regular season, the Red Sox wouldn’t have won it all had it not been for Okajima, in my opinion. He was practically a godsend.
Other Observations: One thing that struck me about Okajima was his graciousness. He bowed to the fans when they cheered his All Star Game selection from the bullpen. He was very quiet and humble but he was great. There was even a song that he had made about him from Japan called “Okajima Okie Dokie” which his teammates call the greatest song ever and dance around to during a rain delay and other times as well. Okajima also danced with Papelbon and Timlin during the Parade. Okajima also was the first pitcher of Japanese descent to pitch in a World Series game and he dressed up as a pirate for the Rookie Hazing. He also benefited greatly from the stuffed parrot in the bullpen that Timlin’s wife got for them named Parlay. Also, he began and ended his 2007 with serving up homeruns…that is quite fitting in a weird way.
Signature Moment: It’s gotta be his coming out party on 4/20 when he basically finally really arrived onto the scene. Though also you gotta factor in Game 7 of the ALCS as well, which is probably the hugest play of the entire ALCS. Had that play not have happened, the Red Sox would’ve went home. Well okay Joel Skinner played a part too, but still.
Mike Timlin
Season: Mike Timlin began the season on and off the DL and nobody expected much out of him. They thought he was toast and he was living on borrowed time basically, career wise. He ended up proving everybody wrong and kicked all kinds of ass down the stretch. He was huge and was one of the big reasons that the bullpen was as great as it was. He made his 1,000th appearance on August 31, 2007 however sucked pretty hard.
Postseason: In the postseason, Timlin assumed his usual awesomeness and kicked ass yet again. He came through in some tight spots as well. Despite the one hiccup in Game 3 of the World Series, Timlin was still great and came up exceptionally huge in Game 4 of the World Series, striking out Tulowitzki and Spillborghs.
Other Observations: Mike Timlin proved to be also a pretty solid dancer as well during the World Series parade. He also gave endless amusement on live TV clinchings by kissing everybody he saw on the cheek during these live broadcasts. Timlin was the leader of the bullpen, as usual, and was called “The Admiral” by his fellow relievers. He also had a stuffed parrot named Parlay in the bullpen with them that his wife bought. He also nearly made Tim Wakefield cry by telling him that he is proud of him and how much heart he showed for taking himself off the roster after they won the World Series. That was awesome. He also is admired big time by Manny Delcarmen.
Signature Moment: I’d probably say the strikeouts of Tulowitzki and Spillborghs during Game 4 of the World Series. He came into the game after Okajima gave up a homerun to Atkins and took care of business from there.
Manny Delcarmen
Season: Manny Delcarmen began the season in Pawtucket where he was horrible. Just simply horrible. He was chewed out big time after a while by PawSox manager Ron Johnson but after that worked his way back to Boston and showed what he is made off and showed that he belonged in the big leagues. He responded well with a solid ERA and a solid season all around. He came through big, and earned his first big league save against the Cleveland Indians, closing out a win for Jon Lester in Lester’s first start back from his battle with cancer.
Postseason: In the postseason, Manny had a pretty okay postseason. He fared well in Game 2 of the ALDS but faltered in Game 2 of the ALCS and REALLY faltered in Game 4 of the ALCS. He was okay in Game 3, being one of the lone bright spots of the night. He came up big in Game 3 and was just okay in Game 4. He had his moments, but wasn’t entirely great.
Other Observations: Manny Del, as I call him, was one of the first local boys to win a World Series with Boston in ages most likely(Bellhorn doesn’t count because he was only born in Boston and wasn’t raised here). He also was the leader of the Manny Delcarmen Band which was the bullpen band that drummed around for rallies in the regular season and later on in the postseason. He also looks up to Mike Timlin and considered one of the big cogs to the bullpen for years to come. He picked Papelbon and Lowell for his picks as Sexiest Pitcher and Hitter when interviewed by Papelbon and even said that he could pose in Playgirl if he could.
Signature Moment: I’ll probably either go with his first MLB save or the strikeout to Sammy Sosa, both regular season feats. Both of them were huge though. The save helped close out the game started by Jon Lester and the strikeout was in an entirely huge spot. Forget the fact that Sooser strikes out a lot…it was still huge and preserved a 2-1 win for Wakefield.
Javier Lopez
Season: He made the team out of camp but spent most of the season going up and down through AAA and MLB. He would end up mostly with the big club and contributing rather well. A strange thing about Lopez is that he was here to be a lefty killer but fared much better against righties. This would prove to end badly in a few occasions however. However, Lopez came through a lot with double plays in some tight spots.
Postseason: Errr…he had a couple good moments but Game 2 of the ALCS was rough where he gave up the hit to Trot Nixon and just sucked out loud. Granted Eric Gagne didn’t help matters but still. He wasn’t as great after that but he still at least was better than Gagne.
Other Observations: I am still a little upset that he never pitched to Javy Lopez in 2006 but I’m okay with it now. Lopez was stingy on inherited runners in most cases, but it seemed like everytime he was out there in a Wakefield start(and later on, Matsuzaka starts too), he would let them score everytime. A little frustrating, no? He also was known to “instigate” Papelbon into doing stupid shit which makes me love him a little more than I should. Can’t dance that well also. Another intregal member of the bullpen drum band.
Signature Moment: Probably one of the many double plays he has induced…I can’t particularly think of one right now. Though the drumming in the bullpen works too. Yeah we’ll go with the drumming for now. He and Manny Del did a birthday drumming for Belli where they poked his sides.
Kyle Snyder
Season: Snyder had an unappreciated job of being the mop up guy. He did an admirable job with it. Sure he had a few instances where he sucked and gave up walkoff homeruns, but he came through more often than not even if it was just for an inning or so. He picked up two wins that were pretty important. One against Tampa Bay and one against the Yankees(the 4/20 game) and he also came up huge in a game against the Orioles when he was needed.
Postseason: Was on the World Series roster but Did Not Play.
Other Observations: He was interviewed by Papelbon and picked Joel Pineiro and David Ortiz for Sexiest Pitcher and Hitter. He also stated that he goes for charismatic guys. Snyder also stated the day that he made it on the roster from Opening Day on as the best moment of his career…at least until now. I mean, seriously. He also owns a pair of white shoes w/ David Ortiz’ mug on them. For some reason, this is really adorable to me. I was also convinced for about a week that his entrance music was “Late in the Evening”-Paul Simon
Signature Moment: Probably the 2 scoreless innings he pitched against Tampa Bay in extras where he picked up the win. That was huge and well needed since it showed that our bullpen B-Team is pretty damn good.
Eric Gagne
Season: Gagne came here with a lot of hype and a lot of giddiness. However, that did not last long as he showed that he had a tendency to suck when they were ahead runs but did well when they were behind runs. So the key here was to pick his spots so that he could pick up wins. There was even serious consideration about him being paid off by Steinbrenner and his cronies to suck ass.
Postseason: Pitched in meaningless situations where he sucked ass in during the ALDS and ALCS and World Series…however the one time when the game was on the line and he pitched he and Javier Lopez combined to make us all hate life and want to kill things. That is not cool. Not cool all.
Other Observations: He roots for cancer. Okay maybe he doesn’t really but he blew a save for Lester and then blew a save during the Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon so I said that he roots for cancer. And hates kids with cancer. Though on a more serious note, he did at least take his lumps like a man and put the blame on him. No excuses for Gagne, so you gotta give him credit there. But it’s gonna be a while before we can be happy with Canada again…hopefully someone can help that out.
Signature Moment: Well, um…he picked up the win in two games where he pitched where the team was behind runs. So um…those outings work I guess. Still doesn’t forgive the suckness.
Brendan Donnelly
Season: Everybody thought he would end up being the set-up man and this could’ve actually have happened had it not been for his injury. He was injured for the season and finally caved and decided to go for Tommy John Surgery.
Postseason: Did not play due to Tommy John Surgery
Other Observations: For some reason, he reminded me of The Janitor on Scrubs and I really don’t know why. He looks nothing like him but I always imagined him to be kinda like that sort of personality. He also liked to swear a lot and hates on Jose Guillen pretty hard. Funny thing is that after Guillen said that he said something rude towards him or made a gesture he was like “I’d never do that, there’s fucking kids in the stands!”. He also played cheerleader in the postseason where he hung out with the bullpen and in the dugout and cheered on the team with the other guys.
Signature Moment: Probably the near brawl with Jose Guillen. I love a good brawl so that’d probably be it. Though his cheerleading in the postseason was pretty cool.
JC Romero
Season: Romero may have had a good ERA for the Red Sox, but that doesn’t tell the full story. Romero was a heart attack waiting to happen and had extreme control problems sometimes. He would always find a way to make it through, but in the end Javier Lopez proved to be slightly more valuable so they DFA’d JC.
Postseason: Did not play for Red Sox. Was DFA’d in June and then signed by the Phillies where he was a godsend and had a pretty decent postseason.
Other Observations: Romero was pretty short for one thing and was very effective for Philly so that is pretty cool for them. I also think his entrance music may have been “My Sharona” which is pretty bizarrely amusing but then again that could‘ve just been the Fenway DJ. I kind of felt bad for him when he got DFA’d but he found his way back in the MLB and did well which is cool.
Signature Moment: He picked up the save at the game I went to on May 3rd. I’ll go with that one. It was typical JC Romero-ness. He’d allow many baserunners but then effectively strand them and scare the shit out of everybody around them. The heart attack approach. The only reason he was used though was because Papelbon and Okajima had been overworked so the bullpen’s B-Team was used.
Joel Pineiro
Season: He wasn’t really that great in the regular season but he hung in there. He had a few shining moments like bailing out Julian Tavarez after he faltered a bit against the Rangers. He also had a pretty good game on Father’s Day coming through in a pretty big spot. He would eventually be DFA’d and accepting the assignment to Pawtucket to work as a starter before being traded.
Postseason: Did not play - Traded to St. Louis 7/31/07
Other Observations: He had either the worst taste in music ever or a really twisted sense of humor, as evidenced in Spring Training. During then, he tortured/amused/bemused his teammates by playing his workout mix full of the worst 80’s ballads one can think of. It would end up being a cheesy good time apparently with the big song being “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin. I really wished he would’ve used that for his entrance music but I don’t think he did. Pineiro also is known to have an insanely hot wife but I wouldn’t know that for sure. Besides, I don’t think she’s as hot as Manny Ramirez’ wife…nobody can touch that. And I’m saying this as a perfectly straight female. He was also Kyle Snyder’s and Kevin Youkilis’ picks for Sexiest Pitcher on the team
Signature Moment: Probably the bailing out of Tavarez in May against the Rangers. Though I’d also probably consider the horrible music torturing during Spring Training because those kind of things I find hilarious and awesome.
Kason Gabbard
Season: Gabbard came up first on May 20th for a game against the Braves which he pitched well in. He came up for good in a game against the Mariners in late June where he didn’t fare so well but it was all clear sailing from there. He pitched well enough to win in his game against the Tigers, pitched a complete game shutout against the Royals, pitched 8 innings giving up only 1 run against the White Sox, and mildly faltered against Cleveland. However that stretch was enough to be a huge trading chip for the eventual Eric Gagne deal.
Postseason: Did not play. Was traded 7/31/07 to Texas
Other Observations: Gabbard looks exactly like Stifler from American Pie movies. He also seemed to be a lot more quiet and understated than the other guys. He showed a quiet dignity and was extremely quiet to the point that Tito said that he didn’t know who the hell he was when he first met him in a bar in Fort Myers.
Signature Moment: The complete game shutout against Kansas City. That stretch with that game and the Game against the White Sox were what intrigued others to him and ultimately allowed a trade without having to give up Buchholz, Delcarmen, or Ellsbury.
Bryan Corey
Season: He was called up in September after having a solid season in Pawtucket and fared rather well. He would be considered for a spot, but passed over in the end but his solid September may earn him a Spring Training invite.
Postseason: Did not play but was seriously considered for a spot.
Other Observations: He preferred to stay in the bullpen to watch the playoff games with the other relievers than in the dugout with everybody else. He was an important cog in the bullpen band and seemed to fit right into the bullpen and their madness. He played the water bottle drums which had some sort of ish in them, I think it was dirt. So there’s that. Corey was also a former teammate of Okajima’s in Japan when both were on the Youmuri Giants in 2004.
Signature Moment: Probably the drumming along with the other guys in the bullpen. He had some great outings though in September upon his callup and was seriously considered for a spot in the bullpen for the playoffs, but the bullpen drumming will stay with me.
Devern Hansack
Season: He only was in three games, one being a start which he did not fare well in. The other two were good however, but forgettable.
Postseason: Did not play.
Other Observations: He didn’t make a huge impact but he was pretty amusing in the Rookie Hazing video going around and complimenting everybody and then complaining why Hideki Okajima got the cool outfit.
Signature Moment: Too short a stay to really make much of an impact.
Sorry if this part sucks really hard.
This is part 3 of a many part series I've been trying to do on Sundays. This is just taking a look at the 2007 squad and trying to highlight some things about them and their contributions to the season at hand. Yes even the fringe dudes too. Everybody plays a part in this stuff, so it's fair to give each one a little recognition.
Position Players
Jason Varitek
Season: Tek's season was not exactly up to the standards of the better offensive catchers, but Tek hung in there and had a pretty solid season. His numbers were nailed almost to a T by Bill James, actually. He had a penchant for getting some big hits during the season, and did sometimes have some troubles with the high heat. He was excellent with the pitchers, as per usual, and even caught himself his third no-hitter(could've been four if Schill didn't shake him off, but I digress)
Postseason: He really didn't do entirely much in the ALDS but hit pretty decently in the ALCS before the World Series. In the World Series, Tek hit .333 and had 5 RBIs which lead the team.
Other Observations: Varitek was noticeably more giddy and happy this season than in seasons that I can remember. I'm not entirely sure why but it's worth noting. He also showed a little more of a joking side to his personality.
Signature Moment: To be honest, Varitek didn't really do a whole lot to stand out this season. Nothing against him by any stretch of the imagination, but he didn't really do a whole lot that was that great...however he did have a game tying homerun against the Devil Rays off of Al Reyes which tied the score up. That game would eventually be won and would be the playoff clincher for the team
Kevin Youkilis
Season: Youkilis had himself a Gold Glove caliber season with his defense, but his offense was what carried him. During the season, he was on fire in the first half and was very nearly an All Star. He tailed off a bit in the second half, fighting some contusions on his hand and other bumps and bruises but the rest he had gotten in September would soon pay off in October.
Postseason: He showed that he was born to play in October. Like his regular season career, Youkilis' first career hit in the postseason was a homerun. He would have a solid ALDS and a pretty damn good World Series in his first two games(he sat out games 3 and 4 due to the NL rules) but it is the ALCS for which he showed his awesome. He set or tied 6 records in the ALCS including batting average, runs, slugging percentage, and hits. He coudl arguably have been a co-MVP of the ALCS w/ Josh Beckett.
Other Observations: He was interviewed by Jonathan Papelbon about the sexiest pitcher and hitter. His pick for Sexiest Pitcher was Joel Pineiro and his pick for Sexiest Hitter was Mike Lowell. Kevin Millar was quoted as saying that his head is shaped like a Milk Dud. He also had one of the ugliest beards in the world which made him look like David Wells' kid brother. Was also the originator of the "Okie Dokie Dance"
Signature Moment: I think his homerun in Game 5 of the ALCS is probably his best moment. He set the tone for the rest of the team with that homerun, with Josh Beckett backing up the claims of "We ain't goin' down without a fight".
Dustin Pedroia
Season: Pedroia started off very slowly hitting .182 however once May rolled around and he found his bearings, he would explode onto the scene and kick all kinds of ass and take names. Dustin would hit .317 and earn himself the Rookie of the Year with his season. His quick hands at second base would also come in handy as he contributes with a huge play to help preserve a no-hitter.
Postseason: He didn't fare well in the ALDS and the first couple games of the ALCS, but once the team stated to mount their comeback, Dustin would find his way back in. He would contribute mightily in his last few games of the ALCS and the entire World Series. All the while with a broken hamate bone, which wasn't revealed until a week after the postseason, which only cements his tough sonofabitch status.
Other Observations: He may be most likely the closest thing to Tanner Boyle that the MLB has had in a while. The smartmouthed cocky profanity spewing snacksized second baseman would somehow endear himself to his teammates with these qualities. His ultra competitiveness would show as he keeps telling everybody how he owns certain people in certain games, like Mike Lowell and Cribbage. He also already has a job for after baseball being the bench coach for Alex Cora when Cora becomes manager.
Signature Moment: For the regular season, there's the robbing of Miguel Tejada to preserve the no-hitter for Buchholz aka the "Fuck yeah!" play. Then in the ALCS it has to be the Game 7 homerun which gave the Red Sox some much needed breathing room. The batflip he did was pretty fucking badassed as well.
Julio Lugo
Season: Okay his season sucked, we know this. However, the way he handled himself in his epic slump won my respect. He would break out of that epic June slump. People booed him but then I think his slump got to a point where it was just not fun anymore to boo. That's when it's really going back. However his gratefulness when he did break out of it is fondly remembered. Not to mention he did actually kick some ass after that, but well not entirely a lot but enough to make him okay for the rest of the season. He came up with a few huge hits(not counting Mother's Day Miracle...sorry) and hit the Game winning HR in the playoff spot clincher
Postseason: Did not do too much in the ALDS, nearly fucked up the game in the ALCS Game 7 but luckily the other guys picked him up like Okajima and Joel Skinner :P. However, he had a pretty good World Series hitting about .385
Other Observations: He took a real liking to Manny Ramirez and hopped all over him like a horny schoolgirl. He also has had a spotty past but for some reason, I just couldn't hate him. I tried to because I wasn't in support of the signing to begin with but I just couldn't. My brother calls him "Marvin the Martian" and he also makes some of the ugliest faces when he's either mad or throwing the ball.
Signature Moment: I could go with the game winning HR vs TB in the playoff spot clincher, but I think I'll go another route. I have to say that the signature moment for me with him was that first hit he got when he busted out of his slump. Just the pure joy and happiness he had on his face and gratefulness he had towards the crowd is just always going to be etched in my mind.
Mike Lowell
Season: Lowell showed us that he wasn't just a one half season wonder and had himself a stellar 2007 season. He was the most consistent guy on the team, other than David Ortiz. He was the number 5 hitter we really needed and even hit 4th when he was needed to and succeeded well in those spots. He came up with some big hits and was a huge producer. While his glove wasn't a great as it was in 2006(though he actually leads AL 3B in Defensive Win Shares), he still was steady and good. He was also an All Star and shared Player of the Week honors in late August with David Ortiz
Postseason: He kept it going well into the postseason as well with a pretty good ALDS, a nice ALCS, but a great World Series. He would end up being the World Series MVP. While he wasn't the big hero in any of the games, he did come through when you needed him to and was the model of consistency which is what you need sometimes.
Other Observations: He is one of the snarkiest/dryest senses of humor you'd ever see and is pretty much one of the most quotable guys on the team. He also was voted as the Sexiest Hitter on the team by Kevin Youkilis, Kevin Millar, and Manny Delcarmen. When asked about his opinion, he stated that Cinco Ocho(not to be confused with Jonathan Papelbon) and Alex Cora are the Sexiest Pitcher and Hitter on the team. Lowell also has made himself one of the most beloved Red Sox players in recent memory.
Signature Moment: Really with as consistent as he has been during the season, it's really hard to pinpoint a signature moment. However, if I had to really choose, it'd probably be the homerun he hit on August 14th game which to me was like the "Fuck you Cancer!" game because Lester pitched an absolute gem and Lowell hit the game tying HR. That was their way of saying "Cancer? Fuck that, we're ballplayers dammit!" Though a close second would probably be the 2-HR game he had on the 22nd, which includes being the third guy in the 4-HR barrage.
Manny Ramirez
Season: To simply put it, he wasn't quite Manny this regular season. His bat was slightly inconsistent, he battled an oblique strain at one point, and somehow through all of this was still an All Star. It wasn't that he was having a horrible season, he just wasn't at Manny standards. He didn't hit as many homeruns either and is still 11 short of 500. The rest he had due to the oblique strain however would pay off in the postseason.
Postseason: Manny found his Manny-ness in the postseason and kicked all kinds of ass. He hit the only walkoff homerun in the entire postseason, a majestic shot that went 'deep into the night' and then called himself a "bad man". He would keep this asskickingness during the ALCS and WS as well. The walkoff though, which was his first ever in a Red Sox uniform, is the shot that will be remembered for years to come.
Other Observations: Manny wasn't Manny with the bat, but in the dugout, he was still Manny. He was caught petting Julian Tavarez on camera, he hugged everybody within the distance, and wanted Varitek to buy him a Nintendo. He also wondered if he could work on NESN during the offseason. Manny, to his credit though, was an unlikely sage as well during the postseason with his line about it "not being the end of the world" if they lose, which actually was probably how they needed to look at it. Too much pressure=not good.
Signature Moment: The walkoff homerun in Game 2 of the ALDS. Dude, that thing was straight up majestic and amazing. I imagine "Ode to Joy" being played whenever that homerun is shown on TV.
Coco Crisp
Season: His bat was still disappointing, but despite that he had his fair share of huge hits from the bases clearing triple vs Rivera to the walkoff double vs Reyes and a few more I am neglecting. However what Coco will always be remembered for is his glove. He made highlight reel catches almost every night and STILL somehow got screwed over for a Gold Glove. That's okay though, I'm sure he likes that World Series ring he'll be getting. He had one of the best defensive seasons I've seen from a centerfielder.
Postseason: Coco's postseason was not a good one. He hit himself out of the starting lineup, but he handled it with enough class and grace that earned my respect. He did, however, earn himself a spot on the highlight reels by making an excellent over the shoulder catch for the final out of Game 7 of the ALCS, which clinched the pennant. He sacrificed life and limb despite the lead and made sure the Red Sox got that final out. So propers there. He also got a pinch hit in the World Series.
Other Observations: Coco either sported a fro or cornrows all season, varying on his mood. He also showed a lot of anger early on in the season including getting ejected in a game against the Yankees(though he had a point!). He also had a few pretty funny lines here and there as well. He also was nearly run down by the Mariner Moose who was on an ATV going around the park. This event illicted the ire of John Farrell, the pitching coach more than Coco who just laughed about it.
Signature Moment: I gotta go with that over the shoulder catch to clinch the AL pennant. You know, if it was a closer score, he would've been immortalized in Red Sox Nation, but alas it wasn't to be. I kind of feel bad for Coco in that sense. NOthing just ever really came together for him in Boston. But that's the way it goes sometimes.
JD Drew
Season: JD Drew's season was disappointing and he became the target of a lot of hateration. Now some of it was understandable, but also was kind of sad to see. The main reason he was hated on more than most is because he wasn't Trot Nixon, who wasn't having much of a great season either but would've probably shown more effort. The thing that bugged people about Drew was his nonchalant attitude. However, that being said, he played some pretty steady defense and had a few moments of good hitting like in interleague and at the end of the season.
Postseason: His ALDS and ALCS were pretty sucky, though in Game 2 of the ALDS he did come through with a clutch 2-run single early in the game. However, in Game 6 of the ALCS, all that changed when he hit, most likely, the most improbable homerun in Red Sox history...well depending on who you ask. He hit a 2-out grand slam off of Fausto Carmona that was to straightaway centerfield. And after that, he was just on fire and kicked all kinds of ass and all was forgiven.
Other Observations: He was very nonchalant of an attitude, however he also had some troubles with his son who was having health issues during some of the season. Sometimes you gotta let baseball take a backseat, people. Does not show much emotion on the field but has shown some goofiness off the field among teammates
Signature Moment: The Grand Slam. Suddenly everybody out there at Fenway were actually saying "Dreeewwwww" and they meant it!
David Ortiz
Season: While his power numbers were down, he still had an awesome regular season. His OPS was second to A-Rod and only one off. He set some career highs like in batting average but people called it an off year because he didn't hit as many homeruns as people are used to. He didn't show as much clutch skillz this season mostly due to the fact that people just started to walk him more, but he did have some huge hits. He hit a walkoff on September 12th and hit a grand slam at one of the games I went to.
Postseason: His postseason was the usual Papi fare, kicking ass and taking names. He didn't get to be the big postseason hero like in years past, but I think he's okay with Manny taking the spotlight for once. He still had a very good postseason and hit extremely well. Him and Manny and Lowell carried the team during the ALDS and first couple games of the ALCS
Other Observations: Is considered to be sexy by Kyle Snyder who voted him sexiest hitter on the team due to his charisma. He is still the goofy loveable "teddy bear"(Wakefield's words, not mine) as he has been just so damned loveable. Has a puppy named Mikey(not sure how they got the name...could be after Lowell or Timlin) and also has called a players only meeting during the ALCS to tell them all that they're all bad motherfuckers. After Game 5, he took over WJAR 10's microphone and jokingly asked Manny(who was dressed in a purple tie and in some dark clothes) "Where's the funeral?". He also has had shoes of his likeness
Signature Moment: I think probably that player's only meeting that happened. I know it's not offensive or anything like that. I mean there's countless things you can probably say but if you ask me, that meeting showed his leadership and his charisma(which Kyle Snyder loves so dearly) so I gotta go with that.
Jacoby Ellsbury
Season: Jacoby shot up through the Red Sox’ farm system just about at the same pace as Clay Buchholz. He made his major league debut on June 30 against the Texas Rangers and remained up there until the Tigers series when he was sent down. He had a one game callup in mid-August before being called up for good in September along with the other September callups. He would burst onto the scene big time and earn Rookie of the Month honors for September for being the sparkplug to the team.
Postseason: Jacoby didn’t really play a whole bunch at first but he earned his way onto the starting lineup and would stay there for a while. He hit very well in the games he was in and basically broke out onto the scene and had his whole coming out party on Game 3 of the World Series. He rocked the scene and basically has cemented himself as the next target for excessive fangirlism.
Other Observations: Well let’s start with the obvious that I have been saying a lot - he is hot. But regardless, he bears a striking resemblance to Bennie “The Jet” Rodriguez from The Sandlot. Jacoby has said he likes waffles with applesauce and once chased down a deer in high school. He was dressed as Little Red Riding Hood for Rookie Hazing for reasons beyond me. He is also believed to be the first player of Navajo descent to play in the MLB.
Signature Moment: This is kind of tough but I think I’m going to go with the scoring from second on a passed ball in July. It was the first real glimpse we got at Ellsbury and how fast he really is. Though the whole winning tacos for America thing works too.
Bobby Kielty
Season: After being released by the Oakland A’s, Kielty was signed by the Red Sox in August and placed on the roster on August 18. He bursted right onto the scene immediately endearing himself to Red Sox fans by robbing Casey Kotchman of a homerun. He would end up being pretty productive, especially against lefties which was the reason he was signed.
Postseason: He started in place of JD Drew in Games 1 and 5 of the ALCS and made CC Sabathia his bitch, which was great. In the World Series he only had one at-bat which was during Game 4 and he hit a pinch hit homerun which was the difference of the game.
Other Observations: Kielty went from having one of the worst seasons of his career to one of the best. You gotta appreciate those 180s that people have. Kielty was immediately embraced by a lot of Red Sox fans for his hardnosed playing style and his father’s Boston roots as well.
Signature Moment: It has to be the World Series homerun. How can it not be, right?
Eric Hinske
Season: Hinske was serviceable off the bench. He did a solid job playing 1st base in light of Youkilis and also manning the corner outfield spots. He also displayed a hardnosed style risking life and limb and taking out Jorge Posada at one point(even though he was still out) and nearly breaking his own face. He had a few huge hits including a bases clearing triple and a homerun in the night cap of a doubleheader against the Tigers.
Postseason: Was on the roster but did not play enough to really have much of an impact.
Other Observations: I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody as happy to be in Boston as Hinske was all season. He was so freaking enthusiastic that all I had to do was just watch him on the bench and I was all pumped up. The dude just was giddy as hell. Then again, he had never been in a situation like this so maybe it’s just he whole novelty of the playoffs. But the fact that he had no ego and had all that enthusiasm was just awesome to see. That’s all.
Signature Moment: I gotta say the faceplant catch he made. First off he’s a big dude and he was having a rough game in right. Then making that catch, I couldn’t believe it upon first viewing. He nearly broke his damn face! He broke his hat, though. And then he followed that catch with the game deciding homerun! That is quite a game from that guy. Close second is his whole railroading of Posada. That was pretty sweet.
Alex Cora
Season: Alex Cora may be the reason that Dustin Pedroia wasn’t tarred and feathered for his first month in Boston. Because Cora was doing so well, Pedroia didn’t have to be exposed as much and he was able to find his bearings while Cora held the fort. Once Pedroia did so, Cora stepped aside. During that time, he had a penchant of coming up with game tying or game winning RBIs, most famously in back-to-back games against the Blue Jays and then against the Yankees.
Postseason: Was on the roster but only appeared in a few games and didn’t really have too much of an impact
Other Observations: Cora had a tendency to homer whenever I did my homework, which wasn’t too much. He also was called the Sexiest Hitter by Mike Lowell when Lowell was polled by Jonathan Papelbon. Jerry Remy would probably agree with that sentiment as well. He is credited with helping out Dustin Pedroia when Pedroia was struggling as well. I am also strangely attached to him.
Signature Moment: The back-to-back game winning RBIs, most def. After being taken out by Lyle Overbay, Cora came back with an RBI triple to win the game. The next day, after Coco Crisp tied the game on an bases clearing triple, he blooped a single to left, scoring Crisp which was the game winning RBI. Though his homerun against the Yankees was pretty sweet too.
Doug Mirabelli
Season: Mirabelli was re-signed to be the catcher for Wakefield. He did a nice job behind the dish and had a few big hits as well, mostly bombs. Mirabelli was injured for a period of time in August due to a pulled hammy but returned in mid September to catch for Wake. He wasn’t as horrible as people make him out to be but he wasn’t that great either.
Postseason: Was on the roster but only appeared in one or two games and didn’t have too much of an impact
Other Observations: Well, besides the fact that he is a stud who hits bombs, he is also notorious for getting into little bickering matches with Curt Schilling. He also was then in the middle of some goofy ass controversy about the bloody sock which Gary Thorne accused him of telling him that Schilling doctored the sock. It got all completely batshit insane and stupid. Mirabelli also is not well liked by the San Diego Padres and still may think that Nomar is a pussy. He also has the worst at-bat music ever
Signature Moment: I’ll probably say the homerun against the Angels in April. He hit a HR to tie the ballgame during a Wakefield start. It was the first semblance of Run Support that Wakefield had seen in quite literally the entire season. I think that may have helped Wake with kicking ass…well in a sense.
Wily Mo Pena
Season: Wily Mo was just simply not meant to play here. He was a bit of a burden on the team but despite that he did an alright job. When he’d hit the ball, they’d result in some real bombs of homeruns. He had a few really huge games, most notably the games in Baltimore and one in Cleveland where he had a big hit.
Postseason: Did not play. Was traded 8/17/07 to Washington for PTBNL
Other Observations: Wily Mo seemed to endear himself to me for just being the way he is. He’s not the brightest guy and he’s not the best player but he at least tried and you could see it. He looked up to Big Papi more than anybody else and he loved to just watch him hit. It kind of sucks that he never really caught on here, but that’s just the way of the game. He was traded to somewhere where he could get his at-bats though. He also reminded me, for reasons beyond me, of Zoidberg from Futurama. I can’t explain it really he just does. He also is a pretty classy guy writing a Thank You Note to the fans in the Boston Herald. I also learned he does not like his vegetables.
Signature Moment: The grand slam off of Chris Ray against the Orioles. First off, it was quite a freaking shot that I think went into the visitor’s bullpen or at least around there. Second off, I kind of called it asking for something to make Wily Mo smile or something like that. And well, he got the grand slam!
Brandon Moss
Season: He was called up for 3 games in August where he was called into the first game by accident due to Manny being ejected. It was a rather forgettable debut for him given the fact that he effed up a fly ball and then ended the game with a strikeout. However his next game was much better where he got a hit and scored a run. He also fared well in September and ultimately hit about .280 during his time in Boston.
Postseason: Did not Play.
Other Observations: He dressed up as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz for the Rookie Hazing. He memorably was asked how he felt and he was like “Fantastic…Natural even” and then joked about how he was used to wearing the stuff cuz of Halloween. Moss was rather entertaining and was rather amusing during his time in Boston seeming to team up with Bobby Kielty in a lot of the celebrating of the AL East and ALDS to get everybody they could.
Signature Moment: Probably the rookie hazing video where he was interviewed. Those kind of things stick with me. He didn’t necessarily do anything particularly memorable with the bat but he didn’t entirely suck out there either. So credit to him on that.
Kevin Cash
Season: Cash was called up in August to replace Mirabelli. He ended up doing a fine job behind the dish with Tim Wakefield. He showed that he could catch the knuckleball and did a fine job. However, his bat….well his bat flat out sucked but he did have one good game with the bat. That game was the game against Tampa Bay where he had 3 RBIs with two of them coming on a 2-run single which brought the game closer. It would end up being a comeback from 7 runs down to pick up Wakefield and to win the game ultimately.
Postseason: Was on ALDS roster but did not Play.
Other Observations: Cash looked a lot like Keith Foulke and seemed to carry himself with a quiet type of dignity. He seemed like a cool dude, and did a fine job with the knuckleball. Other than that, he was rather forgettable. But he seems like a cool guy I guess. He would sometimes join up with the bullpen pirates to watch the game with them.
Signature Moment: The 2-run single against the Devil Rays. Hey, you take your hits where you can get them, right? Right. And that’s really all I got with Cash but he did a good job with Wake’s knuckleball.
Jeff Bailey
Season: He was only called up for 3 games but he did get one hit and that one hit being a homerun. That was his first career homerun too. You gotta be happy for the guy at least. Hopefully he can get called up somewhere else someday to make more of an impact.
Postseason: Did not play.
Other Observations: Jeff Bailey was called up for only 3 games and had been stewing in AAA for ages upon ages. You gotta be happy for the guy. The story is that he was at a gumball machine at a truckstop when they told him and he didn’t believe them at first.
Signature Moment: The homerun…well that’s all he’s really done with the team. Though I’m happy for him because he got to at least for one moment live his dream, which is better than not living it at all.
David Murphy
Season: Was called up for only three games in 2007 before being sent back down. He didn’t do too much in those games, but he was a useful cog in a trade that SHOULD have worked out. Unfortunately it didn’t and that sucks.
Postseason: Did not play. Was traded with Kason Gabbard to Texas on 7/31/07
Other Observations: Not enough time to make any other good observations. Sorry.
Signature Moment: Only 3 games…not enough to make a really good moment, but he did get a hit.
Royce Clayton
Season: He was signed with Pawtucket and called up in September to join the team. His first run scored was due to him pinch running for Doug Mirabelli. He only had 4 at-bats and went 0-fer.
Postseason: Did not play but was the good luck charm for the team and had some amusing moments when mic’d up for Fox
Other Observations: Is forever known as the Taco Man with Red Sox Nation given his whole “I ain’t got my taco yet!” line he said when trying to understand the whole steal a taco campaign. And then told Jacoby Ellsbury to steal a base for America to get tacos. Clayton also was a part of his first World Series experience as well which is awesome since he has been in the majors for like… a really long time
Signature Moment: Say it with me people “I AIN’T GOT MY TACO YET!”
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Pitchers
Josh Beckett
Season: This season, he finally started to trust Tek and finally became a pitcher and not a thrower. His progression showed greatly as he became the first 20 game winner in over a year and finished 2nd in Cy Young voting. His season also earned him a spot on the All Star team where he picked up the win. He also took over the reigns as the ACE of the staff and became the stopper whenever the team would be in trouble, he would come in and save the day. He was basically everything you could ask of him.
Postseason: After an A+ season from Beckett, he upped his game to A++ in the postseason and showed us all why he is special. I mean as a player not special as in a dumb dumb. He ended up the ALCS MVP after saving the asses of his teammates in Game 5(with help from Youkilis) and pitched a complete game shutout in Game 1 of the ALDS and also kicked mighty amounts of ass in Game 1 of the World Series as well. A good all around postseason that showed the world that 2003 was not a fluke.
Other Observations: Is notorious for dropping f-bombs left and right during press conferences, most famously saying he isn't paid "to make those fucking decisions" about his ex singing the National Anthem during Game 5 of the ALCS. He also has shown a love for many of his teammates in his own crazy way such as calling Papelbon a "dumb redneck", hopping on Dustin Pedroia's back, practically adopting Clay Buchholz as his protege and having Buchholz and Lester spend time with him at his ranch during the offseason. Beckett also called Royce Clayton up to hold the trophy first and Royce cried on his shoulder which was strangely sweet. He is also slightly more introspective than given credit for. He has also gotten me to like a Nickelback song(keep in mind, I HAAAAAAAAAATE Nickelback)
Signature Moment: Between Game 1 of the ALDS and Game 5 of the ALCS, it's really tough. While he had a complete game shutout in Game 1, he saved his team's bacon in Game 5 and was clutch like a motherfucker. I'd probably go with Game 5 because of what was at hand for them in that game. But it's a close call.
Curt Schilling
Season: He totally morphed his game this season. He started off as the 2004 version of himself which did not end well. After a stint on the DL, he came back and was a completely different pitcher. He was relying more on pinpoint control and on the quality of his pitches over the speed and overpowering. He also came within one out of a no-hitter before he shook off Tek and gave up a hit to Shannon Stewart.
Postseason: His postseason was the same old warrior Schill. He pitched in Game 3 of the ALDS and kicked ass by throwing 6 shutout innings. His Game 2 of the ALCS was not much to write home about but he came back in Game 6 of the ALCS with a gem and also in Game 2 of the World Series.
Other Observations: He still has not learned to STFU, despite Tito's best efforts. He yammers on and even has his own blog now and claims he doesn't like to talk to the media. That being said, Schill is still a good guy and a philanthropist which is pretty great to see. He also has interesting banter sessions with Doug Mirabelli which endlessly amuse me to no end. He also resembled a Fat George Washington during Spring Training.
Signature Moment: I'd have to say Game 3 of the ALDS was probably his best outing of the season. The 1-hitter was great too, but you gotta give it to the ALDS game because nobody was sure what they were going to get, but all in all it was good. He showed he can beat you even if he isn't the same guy he used to be. And that is awesome.
Daisuke Matsuzaka
Season: To say that his season was a disappointment is rather unfair to say. Sure he wasn’t as great as he can really be, but it was an adjustment year. He showed flashes of brilliance in a few games, but he had some control troubles and really let bad calls get to him. I reckon he’ll be better next season, at least I hope so for his own sake. He did, however, end the year on a positive note with his last two playoff games
Postseason: He had a couple rough starts in Game 2 of the ALDS and Game 3 of the ALCS. Almost inconsolable after Game 3, Josh Beckett insisted that he will pitch again, and he kept his promise. Matsuzaka fared better in Game 7 pitching his ass off for five innings before handing it over to the bullpen. In Game 3 of the World Series, he pitched himself quite a gem and also contributed offensively with a 2-run single which ended up being the game winning RBIs
Other Observations: He has a very sunny personality that nobody really thought he would have. He also was a favorite of Julian Tavarez who made every point he could to maul him. Okay maybe not that big, but still. He made a big effort to try to bond with his teammates and learn the English language and he also took a liking to the knuckleball, wanting Tim Wakefield to teach him how to pitch it. He also fell victim to the bubblegum on the hat trick during Game 4 of the World Series, courtesy of David Ortiz and his mischief. He was also dressed as a Teletubby for Rookie Hazing.
Signature Moment: I’d most likely say the game against Cleveland in the regular season where he outdueled CC Sabathia. That was one of the games where you saw the flashes of brilliance that people talked about over in Japan. Also Game 3 of the World Series where he pitched a pretty damn good game. That would be considered too. I’ll go with the Cleveland game for now because it was against the future Cy Young Award Winner.
Tim Wakefield
Season: While he will be remembered for what he didn’t do, Wakefield actually had himself a pretty good season. He tied his career high for wins with 17 and he had at least two streaks where he was practically unhittable. He owned Tampa Bay big time but was killed by the Yankees. He was basically the same old Wakefield and he thankfully was able to find a catcher other than Mirabelli to catch him well when Doug went down with injury(Kevin Cash) and that’s always good thing. He had a couple injuries down the line and was scratched from a start which made way for Clay Buchholz.
Postseason: Wakefield was left off the ALDS roster but was put on for the ALCS. In the ALCS he only pitched one game and looked good for a while before losing it completely in the 5th inning. After the ALCS, his shoulder hurt and he had a huge decision to make about the World Series. He decided to take himself off the roster which made way for Jon Lester’s chance to shine.
Other Observations: Mike Timlin nearly made him cry on live TV talking about how they won the World Series for him and how he loves him and how much heart he showed taking himself off the roster. He also tried to teach Matsuzaka the knuckleball and golfed with him, Beckett, and Okajima’s translator. Wakefield was the same old Wakey with the same ol’ calming presence which is strange because for a guy with such an inconsistent pitch, he’s become so amazingly consistent.
Signature Moment: Well I got to go with the whole taking himself off the World Series roster so that Jon Lester could shine. I mean seriously…can you imagine anybody else doing that? Honestly, I really can’t. Oh and the whole being scratched and having Clay Buchholz take the ball the next day which was the no-hitter. Honestly, this is quite a weird thing w/ Wake…whenever he sacrifices himself, the beneficiaries always shine.
Julian Tavarez
Season: Batshit, as he’s affectionately called, had a pretty good season. He was the number 5 starter for a long period of time and was surprisingly good. He had a great stretch in May where he was practically unhittable weirdly enough and I think is the only guy on the team who won 2 games against the Yankees. Then again, I could be wrong here. He was huge for them during the regular season and was delightfully insane and amusing and somehow won over Red Sox fans after a shitty 2006(with exception to September).
Postseason: DID NOT PLAY
Other Observations: He took a real liking to both Okajima and Matsuzaka, more the latter than the former. He tried to learn Japanese to communicate with them and also had a strange Pepe LePew fascination with Dice, who I think was a little creeped out by him at first. Tavarez was a quirky fellow who on more than one occasion rolled the ball to first base, causing Youkilis to crack up incessantly. He also got a swinging bunt single and was pet by Manny Ramirez like a kitty. Oh and when he was a kid he wanted to be a porn star when he grew up(true story)
Signature Moment: Pitching wise, you gotta go with the game against the Braves where he pitched 7 shutout innings. The game against the Tigers was pretty good too where he pitched 7 innings giving up only 1 run. Another good moment that is not really pitching-wise is probably the first time he bowled the ball over to Youkilis. There was a lot of weird looks and Youks was trying so hard not to laugh. That play is Tavarez in a nutshell.
Jon Lester
Season: The fact that he even pitched this season in the MLB is huge enough as it is. I mean upon the end of 2006 you figured he’d be in chemo for a while and then probably work his way back up to the minors around August and September. However, Lester blew by all of that. He came back in late July against the Indians and never looked back. He ended up having a pretty good season even if he was bouncing back and forth between Pawtucket and Boston and Portland(but only for a while he was there). Lester was basically what you’d expect from him with a few slight alterations and probably less fear than before. I still don’t think they Rookie Hazed him though.
Postseason: He was on all three rosters. He didn't pitch in teh ALDS and wasn't too good in Game 2 of the ALCS, but he looked a lot better in Game 4, picking up the pieces from Wake adn Manny Del. He'd get a chance to start in Game 4 of the World Series to cap off one of the best stories in baseball for 2007 throwing 6 innings and giving up only 1 run. Amazing, really.
Other Observations: He was pretty serious of a dude, but he seemed pretty cool depending on his surroundings. he wasn't exactly lights out at all during the regular season, but honestly that's fine by me. The fact that he started Game 4 after what he's been through is just nothing short of awesome in my book considering he was undergoing chemo about a year ago at that time.
Signature Moment: It's gotta be Game 4 of the World Series. No question. Though his first start back was pretty awesome too.
Clay Buchholz
Season: Buchholz shot through the system like a madman and ultimately made his way as the Red Sox’ top prospect. He made his major league debut on August 17 against the Angels and picked up the win. He would pitch in 2 more starts and one relief appearance. His biggest game was his second start of his career on September 1st where he pitched a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles. He’d also have a 3 inning stint against the O’s where he fared very well and did well. He’d start one more time against Toronto before being shut down for the rest of the season
Postseason: Did not play due to being shut down.
Other Observations: Buchholz has a very toothy grin and slightly resembles Dwight Schrute from The Office. He also had a shotty past with stealing laptops. However it was a one time thing. He also rooms with Jacoby Ellsbury(something I know and am not sure how) and he also has been somewhat adopted by Josh Beckett
Signature Moment: What the hell do you THINK I’m gonna choose? The no-hitter. DUHH! I still am in disbelief over it though. I mean holy crapezoid!
Jonathan Papelbon
Season: Papelbon was awesome. He may not have had as many saves as Joe Borowski but he was more dominating in as small of the time he played. His innings were watched by Tito which paid off in October. Papelbon came through in a lot of huge situations and ended up getting a spot on the All Star team as well. He became the first player to posts 30 save seasons in back-to-back season for the Red Sox EVER! That is huge. He also only blew 3 saves.
Postseason: Papelbon’s less innings paid off extremely well in the postseason where he was let loose and was dominant. From the icy glare to the strikeouts to the sheer ‘try and hit this shit’ fastball, Papelbon made everybody else around him his collective bitch.
Other Observations: Where do I begin? Let’s see, he’s danced in his underwear, Irish step danced, polled his teammates on the sexiness on the team, confessed to having an alter ego named Cinco Ocho, told everybody he has voices in his head, put a Bud Light box on his head, nearly went out celebrating in only a jockstrap and a kids Red Sox tee before putting on black underpants, claims he invented a new pitch called a ‘slutter’, nearly made Bobby Kielty go crosseyed at his logic, grabbed teammates crotches on three occasions, has likely made out with a teammate or two, nearly had his own head explode on man occasions, been a campaign manager for Okajima for All Star inclusion, has come up with nicknames for his teammates that make no sense like Julian “The Jukin Jackrabbit” Tavarez, been called a dumb redneck from Mississippi, accused Cleveland of intentionally having Josh’s ex sing the National Anthem citing ‘it’s the same city as the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame’, forgotten his cell phone on multiple occasions….and that’s just off the top of my head!
Signature Moment: Between the dancing and the strikeouts, it’s kind of tough but I’ll go with the 2 inning stint in Game 7 of the ALCS. He never pitched 2 innings of saveness before in the season, the closest being a 5 out save. The dancing was fun too, where he basically outed himself to everybody as an extremely crazy motherfucker.
Hideki Okajima
Season: Nobody expected anything from Okajima. He came out of Japan and basically out of nowhere, and had a pretty inauspicious beginning giving up a homerun to John Buck. After that, and thanks to a rain delay against the Angels, he discovered a new pitch ‘The Okie-Dokie’ and DOMINATED from then on. He was the defacto closer during times Papelbon wouldn’t be around and made it onto the All Star Team via the 32nd man vote. He was indispensable and even though he faltered a bit in September, he took a long period of time of rest. That rest would pay off in the postseason.
Postseason: Despite games 3 and 4 of the World Series, Okajima came up HUGE. He induced a HUGE double play in Game 7 of the ALCS, was amazing in Game 2 of the ALDS, and came up huge and basically the Player of the Game in Game 2 of the World Series. Just like the regular season, the Red Sox wouldn’t have won it all had it not been for Okajima, in my opinion. He was practically a godsend.
Other Observations: One thing that struck me about Okajima was his graciousness. He bowed to the fans when they cheered his All Star Game selection from the bullpen. He was very quiet and humble but he was great. There was even a song that he had made about him from Japan called “Okajima Okie Dokie” which his teammates call the greatest song ever and dance around to during a rain delay and other times as well. Okajima also danced with Papelbon and Timlin during the Parade. Okajima also was the first pitcher of Japanese descent to pitch in a World Series game and he dressed up as a pirate for the Rookie Hazing. He also benefited greatly from the stuffed parrot in the bullpen that Timlin’s wife got for them named Parlay. Also, he began and ended his 2007 with serving up homeruns…that is quite fitting in a weird way.
Signature Moment: It’s gotta be his coming out party on 4/20 when he basically finally really arrived onto the scene. Though also you gotta factor in Game 7 of the ALCS as well, which is probably the hugest play of the entire ALCS. Had that play not have happened, the Red Sox would’ve went home. Well okay Joel Skinner played a part too, but still.
Mike Timlin
Season: Mike Timlin began the season on and off the DL and nobody expected much out of him. They thought he was toast and he was living on borrowed time basically, career wise. He ended up proving everybody wrong and kicked all kinds of ass down the stretch. He was huge and was one of the big reasons that the bullpen was as great as it was. He made his 1,000th appearance on August 31, 2007 however sucked pretty hard.
Postseason: In the postseason, Timlin assumed his usual awesomeness and kicked ass yet again. He came through in some tight spots as well. Despite the one hiccup in Game 3 of the World Series, Timlin was still great and came up exceptionally huge in Game 4 of the World Series, striking out Tulowitzki and Spillborghs.
Other Observations: Mike Timlin proved to be also a pretty solid dancer as well during the World Series parade. He also gave endless amusement on live TV clinchings by kissing everybody he saw on the cheek during these live broadcasts. Timlin was the leader of the bullpen, as usual, and was called “The Admiral” by his fellow relievers. He also had a stuffed parrot named Parlay in the bullpen with them that his wife bought. He also nearly made Tim Wakefield cry by telling him that he is proud of him and how much heart he showed for taking himself off the roster after they won the World Series. That was awesome. He also is admired big time by Manny Delcarmen.
Signature Moment: I’d probably say the strikeouts of Tulowitzki and Spillborghs during Game 4 of the World Series. He came into the game after Okajima gave up a homerun to Atkins and took care of business from there.
Manny Delcarmen
Season: Manny Delcarmen began the season in Pawtucket where he was horrible. Just simply horrible. He was chewed out big time after a while by PawSox manager Ron Johnson but after that worked his way back to Boston and showed what he is made off and showed that he belonged in the big leagues. He responded well with a solid ERA and a solid season all around. He came through big, and earned his first big league save against the Cleveland Indians, closing out a win for Jon Lester in Lester’s first start back from his battle with cancer.
Postseason: In the postseason, Manny had a pretty okay postseason. He fared well in Game 2 of the ALDS but faltered in Game 2 of the ALCS and REALLY faltered in Game 4 of the ALCS. He was okay in Game 3, being one of the lone bright spots of the night. He came up big in Game 3 and was just okay in Game 4. He had his moments, but wasn’t entirely great.
Other Observations: Manny Del, as I call him, was one of the first local boys to win a World Series with Boston in ages most likely(Bellhorn doesn’t count because he was only born in Boston and wasn’t raised here). He also was the leader of the Manny Delcarmen Band which was the bullpen band that drummed around for rallies in the regular season and later on in the postseason. He also looks up to Mike Timlin and considered one of the big cogs to the bullpen for years to come. He picked Papelbon and Lowell for his picks as Sexiest Pitcher and Hitter when interviewed by Papelbon and even said that he could pose in Playgirl if he could.
Signature Moment: I’ll probably either go with his first MLB save or the strikeout to Sammy Sosa, both regular season feats. Both of them were huge though. The save helped close out the game started by Jon Lester and the strikeout was in an entirely huge spot. Forget the fact that Sooser strikes out a lot…it was still huge and preserved a 2-1 win for Wakefield.
Javier Lopez
Season: He made the team out of camp but spent most of the season going up and down through AAA and MLB. He would end up mostly with the big club and contributing rather well. A strange thing about Lopez is that he was here to be a lefty killer but fared much better against righties. This would prove to end badly in a few occasions however. However, Lopez came through a lot with double plays in some tight spots.
Postseason: Errr…he had a couple good moments but Game 2 of the ALCS was rough where he gave up the hit to Trot Nixon and just sucked out loud. Granted Eric Gagne didn’t help matters but still. He wasn’t as great after that but he still at least was better than Gagne.
Other Observations: I am still a little upset that he never pitched to Javy Lopez in 2006 but I’m okay with it now. Lopez was stingy on inherited runners in most cases, but it seemed like everytime he was out there in a Wakefield start(and later on, Matsuzaka starts too), he would let them score everytime. A little frustrating, no? He also was known to “instigate” Papelbon into doing stupid shit which makes me love him a little more than I should. Can’t dance that well also. Another intregal member of the bullpen drum band.
Signature Moment: Probably one of the many double plays he has induced…I can’t particularly think of one right now. Though the drumming in the bullpen works too. Yeah we’ll go with the drumming for now. He and Manny Del did a birthday drumming for Belli where they poked his sides.
Kyle Snyder
Season: Snyder had an unappreciated job of being the mop up guy. He did an admirable job with it. Sure he had a few instances where he sucked and gave up walkoff homeruns, but he came through more often than not even if it was just for an inning or so. He picked up two wins that were pretty important. One against Tampa Bay and one against the Yankees(the 4/20 game) and he also came up huge in a game against the Orioles when he was needed.
Postseason: Was on the World Series roster but Did Not Play.
Other Observations: He was interviewed by Papelbon and picked Joel Pineiro and David Ortiz for Sexiest Pitcher and Hitter. He also stated that he goes for charismatic guys. Snyder also stated the day that he made it on the roster from Opening Day on as the best moment of his career…at least until now. I mean, seriously. He also owns a pair of white shoes w/ David Ortiz’ mug on them. For some reason, this is really adorable to me. I was also convinced for about a week that his entrance music was “Late in the Evening”-Paul Simon
Signature Moment: Probably the 2 scoreless innings he pitched against Tampa Bay in extras where he picked up the win. That was huge and well needed since it showed that our bullpen B-Team is pretty damn good.
Eric Gagne
Season: Gagne came here with a lot of hype and a lot of giddiness. However, that did not last long as he showed that he had a tendency to suck when they were ahead runs but did well when they were behind runs. So the key here was to pick his spots so that he could pick up wins. There was even serious consideration about him being paid off by Steinbrenner and his cronies to suck ass.
Postseason: Pitched in meaningless situations where he sucked ass in during the ALDS and ALCS and World Series…however the one time when the game was on the line and he pitched he and Javier Lopez combined to make us all hate life and want to kill things. That is not cool. Not cool all.
Other Observations: He roots for cancer. Okay maybe he doesn’t really but he blew a save for Lester and then blew a save during the Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon so I said that he roots for cancer. And hates kids with cancer. Though on a more serious note, he did at least take his lumps like a man and put the blame on him. No excuses for Gagne, so you gotta give him credit there. But it’s gonna be a while before we can be happy with Canada again…hopefully someone can help that out.
Signature Moment: Well, um…he picked up the win in two games where he pitched where the team was behind runs. So um…those outings work I guess. Still doesn’t forgive the suckness.
Brendan Donnelly
Season: Everybody thought he would end up being the set-up man and this could’ve actually have happened had it not been for his injury. He was injured for the season and finally caved and decided to go for Tommy John Surgery.
Postseason: Did not play due to Tommy John Surgery
Other Observations: For some reason, he reminded me of The Janitor on Scrubs and I really don’t know why. He looks nothing like him but I always imagined him to be kinda like that sort of personality. He also liked to swear a lot and hates on Jose Guillen pretty hard. Funny thing is that after Guillen said that he said something rude towards him or made a gesture he was like “I’d never do that, there’s fucking kids in the stands!”. He also played cheerleader in the postseason where he hung out with the bullpen and in the dugout and cheered on the team with the other guys.
Signature Moment: Probably the near brawl with Jose Guillen. I love a good brawl so that’d probably be it. Though his cheerleading in the postseason was pretty cool.
JC Romero
Season: Romero may have had a good ERA for the Red Sox, but that doesn’t tell the full story. Romero was a heart attack waiting to happen and had extreme control problems sometimes. He would always find a way to make it through, but in the end Javier Lopez proved to be slightly more valuable so they DFA’d JC.
Postseason: Did not play for Red Sox. Was DFA’d in June and then signed by the Phillies where he was a godsend and had a pretty decent postseason.
Other Observations: Romero was pretty short for one thing and was very effective for Philly so that is pretty cool for them. I also think his entrance music may have been “My Sharona” which is pretty bizarrely amusing but then again that could‘ve just been the Fenway DJ. I kind of felt bad for him when he got DFA’d but he found his way back in the MLB and did well which is cool.
Signature Moment: He picked up the save at the game I went to on May 3rd. I’ll go with that one. It was typical JC Romero-ness. He’d allow many baserunners but then effectively strand them and scare the shit out of everybody around them. The heart attack approach. The only reason he was used though was because Papelbon and Okajima had been overworked so the bullpen’s B-Team was used.
Joel Pineiro
Season: He wasn’t really that great in the regular season but he hung in there. He had a few shining moments like bailing out Julian Tavarez after he faltered a bit against the Rangers. He also had a pretty good game on Father’s Day coming through in a pretty big spot. He would eventually be DFA’d and accepting the assignment to Pawtucket to work as a starter before being traded.
Postseason: Did not play - Traded to St. Louis 7/31/07
Other Observations: He had either the worst taste in music ever or a really twisted sense of humor, as evidenced in Spring Training. During then, he tortured/amused/bemused his teammates by playing his workout mix full of the worst 80’s ballads one can think of. It would end up being a cheesy good time apparently with the big song being “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin. I really wished he would’ve used that for his entrance music but I don’t think he did. Pineiro also is known to have an insanely hot wife but I wouldn’t know that for sure. Besides, I don’t think she’s as hot as Manny Ramirez’ wife…nobody can touch that. And I’m saying this as a perfectly straight female. He was also Kyle Snyder’s and Kevin Youkilis’ picks for Sexiest Pitcher on the team
Signature Moment: Probably the bailing out of Tavarez in May against the Rangers. Though I’d also probably consider the horrible music torturing during Spring Training because those kind of things I find hilarious and awesome.
Kason Gabbard
Season: Gabbard came up first on May 20th for a game against the Braves which he pitched well in. He came up for good in a game against the Mariners in late June where he didn’t fare so well but it was all clear sailing from there. He pitched well enough to win in his game against the Tigers, pitched a complete game shutout against the Royals, pitched 8 innings giving up only 1 run against the White Sox, and mildly faltered against Cleveland. However that stretch was enough to be a huge trading chip for the eventual Eric Gagne deal.
Postseason: Did not play. Was traded 7/31/07 to Texas
Other Observations: Gabbard looks exactly like Stifler from American Pie movies. He also seemed to be a lot more quiet and understated than the other guys. He showed a quiet dignity and was extremely quiet to the point that Tito said that he didn’t know who the hell he was when he first met him in a bar in Fort Myers.
Signature Moment: The complete game shutout against Kansas City. That stretch with that game and the Game against the White Sox were what intrigued others to him and ultimately allowed a trade without having to give up Buchholz, Delcarmen, or Ellsbury.
Bryan Corey
Season: He was called up in September after having a solid season in Pawtucket and fared rather well. He would be considered for a spot, but passed over in the end but his solid September may earn him a Spring Training invite.
Postseason: Did not play but was seriously considered for a spot.
Other Observations: He preferred to stay in the bullpen to watch the playoff games with the other relievers than in the dugout with everybody else. He was an important cog in the bullpen band and seemed to fit right into the bullpen and their madness. He played the water bottle drums which had some sort of ish in them, I think it was dirt. So there’s that. Corey was also a former teammate of Okajima’s in Japan when both were on the Youmuri Giants in 2004.
Signature Moment: Probably the drumming along with the other guys in the bullpen. He had some great outings though in September upon his callup and was seriously considered for a spot in the bullpen for the playoffs, but the bullpen drumming will stay with me.
Devern Hansack
Season: He only was in three games, one being a start which he did not fare well in. The other two were good however, but forgettable.
Postseason: Did not play.
Other Observations: He didn’t make a huge impact but he was pretty amusing in the Rookie Hazing video going around and complimenting everybody and then complaining why Hideki Okajima got the cool outfit.
Signature Moment: Too short a stay to really make much of an impact.
Sorry if this part sucks really hard.