Going the Distance
Sunday, January 24, 2010 – Freeport, Maine
Red Sox Road Trip
Last year the Red Sox started a Red Sox Road Trip on the weekend preceding ticket sales. They took the 2004 and 2007 World Series trophies across New England giving fans the chance to get their pictures taken and pick up vouchers good for two tickets in a pre-sale this week. This year, most of the locations close to me were scheduled for weekdays, but Sunday brought the road show to L.L. Bean in Freeport, Maine. The friend I go to most of my games with and I both grew up in Maine, so we decided to make the trip up for the day, even though it’s a 2½-hour drive from where I now live.
Some things never get old!
My friend brought a bunch of family members along, and we got there early enough to get in line indoors as it snaked up and down aisles between clothing racks, up the stairs, and out the door well before the event started. The trophies arrived shortly after 4:00. We got our pre-sale vouchers, plus stickers and a “Fenway Park 500th consecutive sellout” commemorative baseball, before getting our chance to pose with the World Series trophies.
A close-up of the trophies' bases.
The 2007 (in the front) and 2004 World Series trophies.
It’s always fun to see the trophies again, and thanks to the vouchers we’ll be getting a head-start on the ticket sale next weekend. But one of the best parts was that coupled with yesterday’s trip to Rhode Island for the PawSox Hot Stove Party, it made for a fun, baseball-filled weekend in the middle of winter, even if it did mean about 380 miles of driving!
Glimpsing the Future
Saturday, January 23, 2010 – McCoy Stadium, Pawtucket
PawSox Hot Stove Party
It’s still over a month before I head to Spring Training, so when I heard about the PawSox Hot Stove Party this weekend I jumped at the chance to go. Although it was my first time in attendance, it was the 33rd year that the Red Sox’ Triple-A team has put on the event. Some of the top prospects in the organization were on hand for autographs and Q & A sessions, and it was all – including parking, food, and drink – free.
There was no traffic, so I made it to Pawtucket in record time and waited in a line outside for the gates to open. The morning was cold, so it was nice that the events took place indoors, in the home clubhouse, the visiting clubhouse, and the batting tunnel.
Top pitching prospect Casey Kelly fields questions.
First I went into the batting tunnel, where the batting cages and workout equipment were stowed out of the way in the back of the room. Pitchers Casey Kelly, Felix Doubront, and Randor Bierd, along with infielder Jeff Natale, fielded questions from the fans. Most of the questions were directed to Kelly, the much-hyped 20-year-old who projects to open the season in Double-A Portland, and centered on his decision to focus on pitching full-time after splitting time between shortstop and the mound last year, and how having a father who played Major League baseball (Pat Kelly) has helped him prepare. After the Q & A, we got in line for autographs. I had them sign a photo I had taken at a PawSox game last summer.
Junichi Tazawa answers a question with help from his interpreter.
In the next room were pitchers Kyle Weiland and Junichi Tazawa, outfielder Ryan Kalish, and new PawSox manager Torey Lovullo. Tazawa used a translator for long answers, but he answered short questions himself – like his favorite Major League player (Daisuke Matsuzaka, to no one’s great surprise) and what other sports he played growing up (swimming).
Outfielder Ryan Kalish is one of the top prospects in the organization.
In between autograph rooms, I grabbed a free hotdog and water bottle. The only problem with the event was that there were so many people that the lines for each room stretched out into the narrow hallways, where it was impossible to tell where one line stopped and another one started. That led to a lot of confusion and (mostly unintentional) cutting in line that made it take longer than it should have to get into each room. It seemed smoother toward the end when they had people to delineate and enforce the lines, and it’s probably because there were so many people, but I was still surprised that it took me 2½ hours to finish with both lines.
One of the displays in the corridors leading to the clubhouse.
On my way out, I took the time to look at a couple of the displays that covered the hallway walls. They had a lot of pictures and memorabilia to commemorate the important players and events since Ben Mondor bought the team in 1977, like no-hitters and perfect games, an International League championship, the longest game ever played, and alumni who have gone on the the Hall of Fame. One display I found interesting commemorated Mondor’s inclusion in the Red Sox Hall of Fame, which involved a pre-game ceremony at Fenway in 2004. I went to that game – it ended with a 12th-inning walk-off home run by Dave McCarty – so I couldn’t resist taking a picture of the framed “I was there – Ben Mondor Day – Fenway Park – May 30, 2004″ t-shirt.
For additional pictures of the players and memorabilia, see my photos on Flickr.
Cold Night, Hot Stove, Cool Music
Saturday, January 9, 2010 – House of Blues, Boston
It was a cold night in Boston, and Fenway was frozen under a layer of ice (actually, an entire hockey rink) but it felt like the middle of the baseball season. It was the tenth anniversary of the annual Hot Stove Cool Music concert, but it was my first time at the event. I had given tickets to some friends and family members for Christmas, and we all met up beforehand at the Bleacher Bar. The restaurant was constructed a couple of years ago in a wedge-shaped space under the bleachers that used to house batting cages, and it has a large window that overlooks center field. I had actually never eaten there before, because I’ve always been during the baseball season when it’s packed and hard to get a table, but we were seated without a wait and we all found a hot sandwich on the menu that we liked. We also got to look out onto the field to see the rink constructed for the NHL’s Winter Classic game in which the Bruins had played on New Year’s Day. There were college hockey games scheduled for this weekend, so the rink was still up.
The hockey rink in Fenway Park, as seen from the Bleacher Bar.
We saw skaters out there while we ate, presumably from high school or college teams or local organizations. A couple of people came into the bar later on carrying skates, and we saw people with hockey sticks walking down the street. When we were done eating, we walked across the street to the House of Blues, and got in line for the concert just in time to go in when the doors opened.
The concert is the brainchild of writer Peter Gammons and is a fundraiser for the Foundation To Be Named Later, an organization founded by Theo Epstein and his brother Paul to support local children’s charities. There were silent auctions and raffles, as well as the chance to have pictures taken with the Red Sox’ World Series trophies for an additional donation.
Bronson Arroyo opened with a 5-song set, including an original song I hadn’t heard before. He’s not doing any individual concerts in the Boston area this winter, so it was good to hear him as part of this event. He was followed by The Low Anthem, then Kay Hanley, who was joined onstage by Ken Casey of the Dropkick Murphys to sing “The Dirty Glass”. In between acts, actor Mike O’Malley acted as emcee and chatted with Gammons about some of the recent Red Sox signings.
The Hot Stove Cool Music All-Stars included Peter Gammons, Bill Janovitz of Buffalo Tom, members of The J. Geils Band and The Gentlemen, and for a couple of songs, Theo Epstein and Lenny DiNardo. I had never heard Theo participate in anything other than “Rockin’ in the Free World” before, and I didn’t realize DiNardo was going to be there, so that was cool.
My only regret was that I didn’t bring my good camera. I had read online about the House of Blues’ camera gestapo, so I figured there was no way I could bring my big camera in. But they must have relaxed their policy for this special charitable event, because they never checked bags and people were taking pictures all night with no problem. That left me trying to snap grainy “Bigfoot sighting” photos on my low-res cellphone camera instead, but now I know for next year.
It's Bronson Arroyo (second from left), Kevin Youkilis (third from left), and Theo Epstein (under the "H") onstage with State Radio, the Loch Ness Monster, a Leprechaun, and the Tooth Fairy. Really it is.
There were other auctions done live between the different acts. Kevin Youkilis was on hand to assist with auctioning off a baseball signed by David Ortiz, one signed by himself, and a box of cigars autographed by Luis Tiant. Then it was time for supergroup Tinted Windows, and finally State Radio. At the end of their set, State Radio invited the other musicians back up on the stage for a final song. Arroyo came out with a tambourine, Epstein joined on guitar, and Youk assisted with backup vocals, as we finally heard Theo’s specialty “Rockin’ in the Free World”. It was a fun night, and I look forward to going again next year.
The Great Fenway Park Dumpster Dive
Sunday, December 13, 2009 – Fenway Park
Every year I register for Christmas at Fenway so I can have a shot at buying 4-game Sox Pax and individual game tickets in person, but so far, I’ve always been rejected. The last two years the Red Sox have held The Great Fenway Park Yard Sale the following day, and I’ve gotten rejected for that, too. Christmas at Fenway is my preference out of the two, because if I lose out on that I get stuck in the dreaded Virtual Waiting Room for hours, which some years has meant that the tickets I wanted were gone by the time I got in. But the Yard Sale sounded cool, too, because they’re selling off Fenway Park bricks and other memorabilia.
Last year, even though I lost out on both opportunities, I got a “second chance” invitation to the Yard Sale for the following Monday for people who had been rejected originally. Unfortunately, by the time I got home from work and saw the email, it was too late. For a whole year, it bugged me that I’d missed out on my chance for a real live (so to speak) Fenway Park brick.
This year I registered again, and got my “un-vitations” telling me I had lost again. Saturday I braved the Virtual Waiting Room, and was fortunate to get through and get the games I wanted, which makes up for the other years when I spent 8 hours staring at the screen only to get shut out. This year I had even prepared for a potential 2nd chance at the Yard Sale by taking Monday off from work just in case.
On Sunday afternoon I was getting ready to go to my friends’ house for my 6-year-old godson’s birthday party, when I got an email saying I could go to the Yard Sale this afternoon. So I naturally jumped in the car and headed straight for Boston, calling my friend to let her know I couldn’t come to the party. (When I do see the kids, they’ll be getting some of the stuff I snagged today.)
It was easy to find a free parking spot on Van Ness St. The Yard Sale was inside Gate E. For $20 we could get a brick, a t-shirt, and all the other stuff we could fit in a basket. I browsed through the brick pile for a while (I don’t think I put that much thought into produce selection at the grocery store) before finally finding the perfect one. The t-shirt says MLB.com on the front and Redsox.com on the back, which isn’t that exciting but isn’t bad either. There were tons of Media Guides from this year and last year, as well as Media Guides for the other teams. I buy the Media Guide myself every year, so I already had one, but I picked up some to share with my parents and friends. I also took a copy of the commemorative Jim Rice issue of Red Sox Magazine from this summer and a 2008 ALCS program.
My very own Fenway Park brick!
They also had squeezy stress balls with the Red Sox logo (that ought to come in handy!) and my second-favorite item after the brick – the commemorative baseballs given out on the night of the 500th consecutive sellout. I had gone to sellouts #499 and 501 last year, but missed out on the night in between where they had all kinds of fan appreciation giveaways. Instead I went the next night, where all I got for my trouble was a 2½-hour rain delay. (Tallying it up now, I realize I went to 177 of those 500 games!) So it was nice to get one of the baseballs, plus a couple extras to share.
That’s all that was there when I went, though I suspect the selection might have been better earlier in the day for the people who won the original drawing. There was also a room where we could purchase other items like game-worn jerseys, bats, and autographed memorabilia, but the prices were too high for my taste. I thought the signage might be cool, but they were all temporary signs that had been used for concerts at Fenway. I didn’t see any decent game-related signs like I hoped to find. But I was happy with my brick, so it was worth the trip in to Boston.
A Very Papi Birthday
November 18, 2009
It’s been over a month since the last Red Sox game, and baseball withdrawal is really starting to set in for me. So when a couple of my co-workers wanted to go out for dinner and my boss suggested Big Papi’s Grille in Framingham, I of course piped in with, “We should go on Wednesday. That’s Papi’s birthday.” Not that I thought he would show up or anything (if you’re a famous athlete with a house in the tropical Dominican Republic, why would you want to spend your winter in Framingham, Mass.?) but eating a good burger at my favorite player’s restaurant on his birthday seemed like it would help me get my fix.
It's Big Papi, the Loch Ness Monster, a Leprechaun, and the Tooth Fairy sitting down to dinner. Really it is.
We sat down at a booth and ordered, when my boss noticed a “Reserved” sign on the table diagonally across from us. “Maybe that’s for Papi,” he said. “Yeah, right,” I answered. But next thing we knew, in walked the birthday boy himself, with his wife and kids. They walked right past our booth to sit in the reserved one. People in the adjacent tables greeted him with “Hi, Big Papi” and the like as he walked past, so I made sure to say “Happy birthday.” I had the perfect seat to watch them as they ate, while making it look like I was chatting with the co-workers. (I tried to sneak a couple of pictures discreetly with my cellphone, but given the dim lighting of the restaurant and the low resolution of the phone, it looks like your standard shot of a UFO or a Bigfoot sighting.) That’s when I remembered I just happened to have an “ORTIZ 34″ baseball cap in my car (for formal occasions, of course) and I carry a Sharpie in my purse at all times, “just in case”. I certainly wouldn’t bother them by approaching the table while they were eating, but the hat was soon fetched from the car in case the moment did arise later.
When the Papi family finished eating, the waitstaff brought out a cake – not just a slice, but a whole huge cake – and sang “Happy Birthday to You.” His wife and kids each had a slice (Papi passed on dessert; after all, he’s in training) and then they got the cake wrapped up in a box to take home. When they stood up to leave, they had to pass my table again. I normally go silent in the presence of players, but my quick-thinking boss reached out and shook Papi’s hand and asked him to sign my hat, even telling him how to spell my name. I finally found words and managed to say, “Thank you so much! And not just for this, but for 2004 and 2007 and everything.” He flashed one of his patented grins before going on his merry way.
My birthday gift from Big Papi.
I spent the rest of the evening grinning ear-to-ear. I definitely got my Red Sox fix, which should get me through until the first wave of ticket sales in December.
A Spring in My Step Again
October 14, 2009
An epilogue of sorts
The first few days after our season came to its premature and inglorious end, I moped around, alternating between shock and denial. I wore black to work all week, and my co-workers were sympathetic and equally despondent.
Then on Wednesday, it was time for that other annual rite – booking my flight to spring training. It took a little effort, but I got a really good deal this time. As soon as it was confirmed, I told my boss what days I’d be taking off, and started telling all my co-workers, “I’m going to spring training!” That’s when I realized I was doing something I hadn’t done in what felt like an eternity – smiling.
This is what I’m already envisioning:
Sunset on beautiful Ft. Myers Beach.
Players stretching out on Field 2 before the morning's workout.
By then, I’ll be better able to appreciate the year that just was. I went to 30 regular-season games, which beat my previous personal best of 29 in 2003. My record was 18-12, but it was really much better until a poor 1-4 September dragged it down. Along the way, I got to experience a lot of dramatic moments. The top two for me were Jacoby Ellsbury’s steal of home against the Yankees in April and the night in May when Big Papi’s first home run of the season was caught by the guy sitting in front of me. I also saw record-setting performances, like when the Red Sox scored 12 runs before the first out of an inning to set an A.L. record, when Ellsbury recorded 12 putouts to tie the M.L. record, and Jacoby’s 70th stolen base of the season which set the new team record. I got to see walk-off home runs by Nick Green and David Ortiz, watched as instant replay was invoked, and got a batting practice baseball from Brad Penny. And in a few short months, I’ll be back in Ft. Myers and ready to go through it all again.
It Ain’t Just a River In Egypt
Sunday, October 11, 2009 – Fenway Park, Section 4
A.L. Division Series Game 3 – Angels 7, Red Sox 6
Thanks to my Tenth Man Plan, I had the chance to get a ticket to a Division Series game. I don’t get to pick which game; it’s randomly assigned each year, and this year I was happy to get Home Game 1, which ended up being Game 3. That way, even if the series ends in a sweep, I still get to go. This year, the Wild Card-winning Red Sox opened in Anaheim on Thursday and Friday nights, but they dropped both games.
Because I work in IT, a lot of our projects have to be done overnight when computer usage is lowest. I had such a project going on the weekend of the Division Series, and I had to be at work from 11 pm Saturday night to 3 am Sunday morning. It was good that they didn’t play Saturday, so I wouldn’t miss anything then, but I was less than thrilled when I heard that Sunday’s game was scheduled for 12:07. (I loved Terry Francona’s quote on the early start: “Have 12 slices of bacon, a Red Bull, and go get ‘em.” With my head-cold still in full force, my personal motto for the day was more like, “Have 12 ounces of coffee, some Robitussin, and go get ‘em.”)
Fenway Park on the morning of Game 3.
I got home from work at 3:30 am, and it was almost 4 by the time I fell asleep. But I wasn’t going to miss out on anything relating to the playoff experience, so I set my alarm for 6:30. My preference would have been to drive straight in to Fenway and park for free at a meter since it was a Sunday. But I heard there was going to be a half-marathon a couple of blocks down the street from the park, plus a Columbus Day parade in town, and a movie filming on the Zakim Bridge. All of this meant a lot of road closures, so I figured it would be easier to just take the T. I left the house at 7:15 and made it to Kenmore Square at 8:45, where I stopped in the McDonald’s to grab a much-needed coffee.
I headed straight to the players’ parking lot, where there were a few other diehards staking out spots. I figured most of the players were inside already, but we did see Jerry Remy drive in. A couple of minutes later, Larry Lucchino arrived. He came over and signed autographs for those of us who were there. At 9:30, I walked over to Gate C, but they weren’t letting Red Sox Nation people in early for batting practice during the postseason. So I went around to Gate A, and was one of the first people in when the gates opened. Batting practice was finishing up, but I got to watch Kevin Youkilis, Jason Bay, David Ortiz, and Mike Lowell take their swings.
Big Papi is dressed in his postseason finest - no doubt borrowed from Bill Belichick - and ready to go.
Despite the 0-2 series deficit, the mood around the ballpark was light and optimistic. We knew the Sox had twice come back to win a Division Series after losing the first two games (1999 and 2003), not to mention the 0-3 comeback in the 2004 ALCS. I had been present for home victories in both those ALDS comebacks, and there was no reason to think they wouldn’t be carried on to victory by the home crowd again this year. I came in with a lifetime 5-0 record in Division Series games, and told everyone, “They’re not going down on my watch.”
The Angels and Red Sox lineups are introduced before the game.
After the starting lineups and National Anthem, a special guest was introduced for the ceremonial first pitch – Dave Henderson. When the Red Sox overcame a 3-games-to-1 deficit against the Angels in the 1986 ALCS, Hendu’s 9th-inning home run gave the Sox the lead and his 11th-inning sac fly proved to be the game-winner in the pivotal Game 5. After throwing the pitch, he hopped up and spun in a circle like he did as he ran down the baseline after hitting his famous home run.
Dave Henderson returns to Red Sox/Angels playoff action as he throws out the first pitch. It turns out Tito should have penciled him into the lineup.
The best thing about the playoffs is the atmosphere. When Clay Buchholz got two strikes against the first batter of the game, the rhythmic clapping started on each pitch until the batter was retired. After a single and an error on a bad pickoff throw, the second out of the inning was a routine fly ball to center, and we all jumped up as if it was the most exciting thing we’d ever seen. And once he had two outs and two strikes, we stood up for the rest of the inning, taking great delight in a groundout to second which ended the top of the first. Our intensity stayed like that for the whole game, and as the afternoon went on, we found ourselves standing more than sitting.
The Red Sox went quickly in the first, and Kevin Youkilis was called out on strikes to open the second. I was sitting in the Section 4 grandstand, where there are monitors that show the TV feed of the game, including replays that aren’t shown to the rest of the park, and we saw how high and outside the so-called strike 3 was. The umpiring had been an issue all series, with first base umpire C.B. Bucknor blowing two obvious calls in Game 1. It came out after the game that Bucknor had twice been voted the worst umpire in the league by the players, and he had been booed lustily in the introductions today. So when home plate umpire Eric Cooper called Youk out, I yelled, “Hey Bucknor, you’re no longer the worst ump ever!” which got a laugh from the others in my section.
View from Section 4 as Victor Martinez prepares to drive in a run.
Buchholz stranded two more Angels baserunners in the second, and Jacoby Ellsbury made an excellent diving catch, Coco Crisp-style, to rob them of a hit in the third. In the bottom of the third, Alex Gonzalez walked with one out, bringing up the top of the order. Ellsbury singled, and Dustin Pedroia came through with the big hit I had been waiting all week for. His double drove in both runners, and Victor Martinez quickly singled him in with the Sox’ third run. It was fun to finally see some offense, after they scored only one run in the first two games combined.
Kendry Morales made it 3-1 with a solo homer in the fourth. It landed in the seats in the Section 43 bleachers, near where my Tenth Man Plan seats are during the regular season. People in the area started chanting, “Throw it back, throw it back.” That always bothers me, because if the person does throw it back onto the field they’d get thrown out of the game, and why would someone wish that on a fellow fan? The guy did throw it back, and from right field, we watched as security located him. The chant changed to, “Let him stay, let him stay,” and to my surprise, they actually did.
In the bottom of the fourth, J.D. Drew cashed in his annual Big Postseason Hit. It was a homer off the support structure around the center field cameras, and it gave the Sox a 5-1 lead. Buchholz continued to put guys on base, but he continued to get out of the threats without any further damage. In the stands, we kept up our intensity with the cheering, chanting, and rising to our feet every time there were two strikes on a batter. It took a bunch of cough drops, but my voice held out despite all the cheering (not to mention the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” “Sweet Caroline,” and “Shippin’ Up to Boston”). I didn’t even feel tired. I decided that I was definitely going to come back tomorrow night for Game 4. I didn’t have a ticket, but I planned on getting in the day-of-game ticket line like I had done in 2007. It was scheduled for an 8:37 start, which would mean another night of only a few hours sleep, but it was all worth it to be a part of the action.
When Buchholz loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth, thanks in part to a controversial balk, Daniel Bard came in. He quickly got a double play, although a run came in the back door, and then a strikeout to get out of the inning with a 5-2 lead. Bard struck out 2 more in the seventh, then Billy Wagner came on for the eighth. He allowed a bloop ground rule double that actually bounced off Youk’s glove and into the stands behind first base. Two outs and a walk later, Jonathan Papelbon was called in to get out of the inning. He had pitched 26 postseason innings over 17 games in his career, and he had never allowed a run. He had saved 38 games during the regular season, and had been his usual lights-out self throughout the second half. But his first pitch to Juan Rivera was lined for a hit, scoring 2 runs (charged to Wagner) and cutting the lead to 5-4. Then a well-timed pickoff caught Rivera off first to end the inning and preserve the lead.
Mike Lowell drove in a key insurance run in the eighth.
With the score closer than we liked, we needed some insurance. So we were on our feet with two outs in the eighth, when Big Papi singled. He was replaced by pich-runner Joey Gathright, who promptly stole second. Mike Lowell came up with a huge hit, driving in Gathright and giving the Red Sox a much-needed 6-4 cushion.
As Papelbon came back out for the top of the ninth, our chants turned to “Beat L.A.,” and we stood for the whole inning. He got Maicer Izturis on a foul popup and pinch-hitter Gary Matthews Jr. on a fly ball for the first two outs. He threw two strikes to #9 hitter Erick Aybar, as we screamed and cheered. Aybar singled, but we kept on cheering and clapping. Paps got two strikes on Chone Figgins, but ended up walking him. He had two strikes on Abreu, but then gave up a run-scoring double that made it 6-5. That led to an intentional walk to the dangerous Torii Hunter, whose 3-run homer had done in the Red Sox in Game 1, to load the bases for Vladimir Guerrero, the once-great slugger and notorious free-swinger whose best days seemed to be behind him. He had appeared overmatched earlier in the series, but this time he delivered a crushing, heart-breaking single into shallow center. Two Angels crossed the plate, taking the lead – not to mention the hopes and dreams of the 38,704 in attendance – with them. We were stunned. I don’t think any of us saw this coming. On paper, the Red Sox’ bullpen was far stronger than the Angels’, and it was supposed to be one of our strengths in the series. It was silent as Hideki Okajima trotted in from the bullpen and we tried to process what just happened. A guy near me started muttering about Calvin Schiraldi, which, unlike seeing Dave Henderson, was a reference to 1986 that I didn’t want to relive. Okie quickly ended the inning with a fly ball to right, but that left it up to the bottom of the ninth.
With Alex Gonzalez due to lead off the ninth, Tito sent Jed Lowrie up to pinch-hit. That seemed strange, but Lowrie did have a walk-off hit in Game 4 against the Angels last year which had clinched that whole series for the Sox. He flied out weakly to center, but that brought the top of the Red Sox order back up. Ellsbury was supposed to reach base and then steal his way around, but instead he popped up foul for out #2. That left it up to Pedroia, who had already done his part with a big hit earlier in the game. He had a 1-2 count, then lofted a lazy fly ball to center, and that was that. We were done. I looked away before I could see the Angels celebrating on our field. It was silent and people were filing out, but I couldn’t really grasp that the season was over. It was just way too soon for that! The ultimate insult was when the scoreboard put up the standard message that they display after every Red Sox loss: “The Red Sox thank you for joining us and we hope to see you back at Fenway again soon.” Soon? I wanted to come back for Game 4 tomorrow, but now I couldn’t return till Opening Day on April 5! Suddenly I felt very tired.
I waited in line for the ladies’ room feeling pretty sorry for myself at having to watch a game like that on only 2½ hours of sleep. But then I overheard two women talking behind me. One said she had had a standing room ticket, and she came in when the gates opened at 10 and hadn’t sat down the whole time. She was jealous of all the “seat people” who were in front of her who kept standing up the whole time to cheer. The other woman said she had actually run the half-marathon in the morning before coming to the game. So I guess we were all hurting as we trudged off into the off-season.
A Final Tune-Up
Sunday, October 4, 2009 – Fenway Park, Section 43
Red Sox 12, Indians 7
After sitting through three straight losses – in the rain, cold, and wind – earlier in the week, I was coming down with a cold. As for the Red Sox, they were faring better now that the Blue Jays had left town and the Indians came in, and they won the first three games of the series. Sunday’s game marked the end of the regular season, but the Red Sox were bound for the postseason, and thanks to my Tenth Man Plan, I knew I’d be back in a week for Game 3 of the Division Series. The starter for my playoff game was likely going to be Clay Buchholz, and today gave him one last start before then. Even though I figured they wouldn’t take batting practice, I went in early so I could get a free parking spot on the street.
Justin Masterson returns to his old haunt, and watches batting practice with Gary Tuck.
When I got in, no one was taking B.P. The pitchers were stretching in the outfield, and there was a girl taking ground balls at second base. I figured she was the daughter of one of the coaches. (I joked that maybe she was auditioning for a roster spot. It looked like Nick Green wasn’t going to be recovered from a disc injury in his back in time to help out in the playoffs. Jed Lowrie’s wrist injury still nagged, so he was no guarantee, either. That left Chris Woodward, who was currently away from the team to be with his wife as she delivered their baby, as the only other option.) When she finished up, Green came out and took grounders at short. Then I spotted Justin Masterson, who had been traded to Cleveland at the trading deadline for Victor Martinez, wearing his Indians uniform and heading toward the outfield. All the relievers gathered round to greet their former teammate with hugs, and he chatted with bullpen coach Gary Tuck while they did their throwing.
Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury during batting practice.
It turned out that the Indians had decided to skip batting practice, so the Red Sox were hitting in the later time slot, which means we got to watch the whole thing. I went down close to the plate and got some good photos of the guys as they waited between rounds.
Kevin Youkilis chats during B.P.
Before the game, several players were honored for their accomplishments during the season. David Ortiz had set the Major League record for home runs by a DH. He was presented a plaque by Hall of Famer Jim Rice. Jonathan Papelbon had overtaken the club lead in career saves, and was given a bullpen phone (!) by Bob Stanley, whose record he had surpassed. Jacoby Ellsbury had broken the Red Sox’ single-season stolen base record, and Tommy Harper, owner of the old mark, was on hand to present him with the base he stole on the night he broke the record. Tim Wakefield had passed the franchise record for games started, and he was given a plaque by Luis Tiant.
Jacoby Ellsbury stole his 70th base of the season, making that the new single-season Red Sox record.
When the game started, Buchholz gave up a home run to the first batter. (This was my fourth game of the week, and the third that had featured a first-inning homer.) But this time Buchholz settled down and got through the rest of the inning, then set the Indians down in order in the second. Meanwhile, the Sox got some early runs of their own. Jacoby Ellsbury singled and stole second. After Victor Martinez walked and Kevin Youkilis singled, Big Papi had a big hit to drive in 2 runs. Jason Bay’s sacrifice fly drove in a third. In the second inning, Alex Gonzalez homered to give the Sox a 4-1 lead.
When the Red Sox re-acquired Alex Gonzalez in August, they knew they were getting an excellent defensive shortstop, but no one realized he'd bring such an offensive spark to the lineup.
Unfortunately, Buchholz struggled in the third. Cleveland batted around, scoring 5 runs in the process, to take a 6-4 lead. As each run crossed the plate, we became more and more convinced that we’d end up seeing Daisuke Matsuzaka instead of Buchholz in Game 3 of the playoffs next week. In the fourth, this final game of the season started to resemble a Spring Training contest. Once the starters each got a couple of at-bats, they were replaced, with Jason Varitek and Jed Lowrie coming in for Martinez and Youkilis. Ramon Ramirez came in to pitch, and the rest of the afternoon would belong to the bullpen.
J.D. Drew hit two home runs, proving he was heating up just in time for the postseason.
J.D. Drew drilled a solo homer in the fourth, getting the Red Sox a little closer. In the fifth, Ellsbury reached on a dropped third strike. He was done for the day, as Joey Gathright came in to pinch-run. (Tito likes to do that on the final day of the season – take people out after they reach base or while they’re in the field, so we can cheer them on their way back to the dugout.) Dustin Pedroia followed with a home run over the Green Monster, giving the Red Sox the lead again. (The next inning, he was removed. Lowrie shifted over to second, and George Kottaras came in to play third, the first time he’s ever played any position other than catcher.)
Drew’s second homer of the day, leading off the sixth, gave them some insurance. Later in the inning, after there were already two outs, Gathright and Kottaras singled. Varitek walked to load the bases, bringing up Jed Lowrie. He blasted a grand slam into the bullpen, giving the Red Sox a 12-6 lead and seeming to put to rest any concerns that he might not be healthy enough for the playoffs.
Jason Varitek takes a few swings before what could end up being his final game at Fenway.
After the first batter of the eighth walked, Tito sent Dusty Brown in to catch. It was a strange time to make a substitution, so it took a second to realize what was going on before we gave the Captain a standing ovation as he walked off the field. It didn’t really hit me until after the game that if his option for next season doesn’t get picked up, this could be his final regular season game at Fenway. (I hope he does return for one more year, even though it’ll have to be in a backup role, because he’s been here so long I can’t imagine a season – or a pitching staff – without him.)
The ninth brought us one last time to sing “Shippin’ Up to Boston” as Jonathan Papelbon entered. It wasn’t a save situation, but with the playoffs not scheduled to start until Thursday, he needed some work. It took him only 12 pitches to retire the side in order and send the Red Sox off into the postseason on a high note.
No Laughing Matter
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 – Fenway Park, Section 43
Blue Jays 12, Red Sox 0
When the Red Sox clinched the Wild Card after a Texas loss well past midnight, one of the first things I thought was, “Now who am I going to see in tomorrow’s game?” I knew that with only five games left in the season, they’d start resting the regulars, so I figured I might see 3 or 4 of the bench guys when I went to my third straight game. But when I saw the lineup online just before I left work, it was worse than I thought: Joey Gathright in center, Josh Reddick in left, Casey Kotchman at first, David Ortiz DH-ing, Rocco Baldelli in right, George Kottaras catching, Alex Gonzalez at short, Jed Lowrie at third, and Chris Woodward at second. That seemed like a joke, and it was even worse since they were facing Toronto ace Roy Halladay.
Casey Kotchman makes a fine first baseman, but when he's the #3 hitter in the lineup, the team is in trouble.
I felt bad for Tim Wakefield, who never seemed to get much run support anyway, and now was hobbling around with a bad back but still trying to go out there and help the team (he even volunteered to go out to the bullpen on Monday night when Josh Beckett was scratched from his start at the last minute), and this was how they were repaying him? And what about all the fans that had gone through the effort and expense of getting to the game that night? Didn’t we deserve better too? Couldn’t they rest a couple of guys at a time over the next five days, and still field a reasonable representation of a Major League team? But being the diehard I am, I remembered how Paul Byrd had outdueled Halladay a month ago, and how the Sox had had a 12-run inning on a night with a lame-looking lineup in May, so I figured they still had a shot tonight.
Rookie Josh Reddick, who made his debut in July, seemed like a veteran compared to a bunch of the guys in tonight's lineup, who had joined the team more recently.
I was wrong, though. Very wrong. While Wakefield didn’t allow any runs in the first – which was a pleasant departure from the two previous nights – he allowed two in the second and three in the third. He was noticeably limping as he walked out to the field for each inning, and had trouble covering first on a bunt play in the second inning. It didn’t seem he’d be ready in time to help in the playoffs, which was really too bad considering all he had done for the team in the first half of the season and throughout his career. Fernando Cabrera came on to pitch the fourth, and Dustin Richardson entered in the fifth, and between the two of them three more runs crossed the plate. At this point, we started scanning for empty seats behind the plate, waiting for people to start bailing so we could grab a better vantage point than our usual bleacher view.
When it was 10-0 at the end of the sixth, we made our move. We started in the grandstand in Section 13, where I had been able to sit for the end of the game yesterday. In between each batter, we moved down a couple of rows at a time, until we wound up in the field box seats behind first base in the seventh inning.
The good news is I was able to get some great close-up photos. The bad news is they're all photos of Chris Woodward.
Despite the great seats, the game got worse. After Manny Delcarmen gave up two runs in the sixth, Hunter Jones pitched the seventh, and Hideki Okajima pitched the eighth. We changed seats several more times, getting closer and closer until we wound up right behind the Red Sox dugout. Because we kept moving and I was taking a lot of pictures, I started to lose track on my scorecard, so after awhile I just stuck to writing in the pitching substitutions and marking the end of the innings.
Hideki Okajima pitched the eighth and gave up a homer.
When “Sweet Caroline” played in the middle of the eighth, I sang along… sort of: “Good times never seemed so bad! So bad, so bad, so bad!”
David Ortiz returns to the dugout after striking out in the ninth.
In the ninth, I looked up and saw the new pitcher who had entered for the Red Sox – Dusty Brown, the rookie backup catcher. He had only played in a handful of games and hadn’t even gotten his first Major League hit yet, and now here he was pitching. The first batter he faced was Kevin Millar, who singled. (We were really close to first base, so a guy behind me yelled out, “Hey, cowboy up, buddy!” when Millar got to first.) The next batter doubled, and the first out of the inning was a grounder that knocked in the 12th run of the game. After that, there was a popup to second. Next up for the Jays was Randy Ruiz, who had already hit two homers that night. Brown got a 1-2 count (he was throwing 75-mph fastballs and a 70-mph change-up, according to the scoreboard) and I thought, “I’d love it if he could strike this guy out.” Sure enough, Ruiz swung and missed for strike 3, prompting a standing ovation for Brown as he left the mound at the end of the inning.
Catcher Dusty Brown makes his pitching debut.
It wasn’t until I got home and watched the replay that I noticed that outfielder Rocco Baldelli had played third base in the ninth. I guess I had missed the announcement because that was when Brown came in, and Rocco didn’t get any fielding chances. But even without that knowledge, the game ended up a total mockery and a brutal 12-0 loss.
No Cinch to Clinch
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 – Fenway Park, Section 38
Blue Jays 8, Red Sox 7
After getting home from Monday’s rainy game completely soaked, and then staying up late to check on the score of the Rangers/Angels game, I woke up Tuesday morning and went to work. I was going back to Fenway on Wednesday night, but now the magic number for clinching the Wild Card was down to 1, meaning that if the Red Sox won (or Rangers lost) on Tuesday, we’d be in. I didn’t want them to lose on Tuesday just so I could see it, but I was still a little bummed that I’d probably end up missing it. That’s when I decided I had to be at the game that night. I know the Red Sox hold some tickets back to be used as day-of-game sales, and I had had good luck waiting in the line before. I’ve also heard that the Red Sox sometimes put extra tickets onsale online a day or two in advance. So at lunch I vowed that if there were still tickets available when I got back to my desk, I was going to go to the game. Sure enough, there were still a handful of singles available in a couple of different seating categories. I grabbed a bleacher seat – face value, of course, through the team’s site – at 1:30 in the afternoon! I told my co-workers, “I have to. I’m a diehard. It’s what we do.”
(Did I worry, though, that once I bought the ticket and went through all the effort of getting in there, that would jinx them and they wouldn’t end up winning? Maybe for a minute, but then I remembered the story of Game 4 of the 1999 ALDS. I lived in Atlanta at the time, but my brother had managed to get tickets. I had no vacation days left, but I was able to cash in my Thanksgiving holidays to get the time off, and find a flight to Boston. The problem was that we had tickets to Game 4, and the Red Sox dropped the first two games to the Indians. If they lost Game 3, the series would be over, and I wouldn’t get a chance to go. My flight to Boston left on the morning of Game 3, so when I stepped on the plane, I had no idea if I’d really get to go to a game or if I was just wasting my time and money. But I kept the faith, and it all worked out. The Red Sox won Game 3, then trounced the Indians 23-7 with me there in Game 4. That’s still my favorite game I’ve ever been to, and it made me mot worry about my spur-of-the-moment decision to go to Fenway and hopefully see them clinch tonight.)
My stuff had finally dried out from the night before, and I jumped in the car with a big grin on my face. When I called my parents to tell them I was going, they told me my aunt was going to be at the game, and what section and row to look for her in. I met up with her and her friend and chatted with them until right before the game started. Then I headed out to my bleacher seat, which was a nice one in row 5 in center field. It was close to the ramp that leads down to the concourse, so if it rained again, at least I wouldn’t get stuck in it this time.
Clay Buchholz pitches to Kevin Millar.
Yes, everything was perfect… and then the game started. Clay Buchholz gave up a home run on the very first pitch of the game. (Ugh, not again! At least Michael Bowden had waited until the second batter of last night’s game before serving one up.) Two batters later, Adam Lind hit a 2-run shot, and by the time the inning was over, the Blue Jays had batted around and taken a 4-0 lead. The Red Sox got solo runs in the first and second, but the Jays hit more homers in the second and third, extending their lead. In the fifth, Lind hit his second homer of the day, and in the seventh, his third home run clanged off Pesky’s Pole. (That’s the first time I’ve witnessed a 3-homer game, but it’s not exactly the way I wanted to see one.)
At the end of the seventh, Toronto led 8-2, but I was still hoping they could come back. A lot of people started to bail, so I figured I’d be able to get a seat close to my aunt over in the grandstand. I headed over to Section 13, and it turns out the guy next to her had just left, so I was able to watch the rest of the game with them. And that’s just when the game started to get good.
In the late innings, I got a good view from Section 13.
In the bottom of the eighth, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia singled. Victor Martinez grounded into a double play, but then Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz doubled, driving in two runs. After Jason Bay walked, J.D. Drew launched a 3-run homer into the Red Sox bullpen, right in front of the section I had been sitting in earlier. That made the score 8-7, and put the Sox on the verge of the epic comeback I had been rooting for over the past two days. Casey Kotchman popped up to end the inning, but I was sure they were going to come all the way back.
It's the night the Red Sox will end up clinching, and Paps still has his pants on.
Jonathan Papelbon came on for the ninth. He got two quick outs but then hit Adam Lind. Lind stayed in the game after getting checked out by the trainers, and Paps got the third out quickly too. In the bottom of the ninth, Ellsbury singled with one out, and promptly stole second. Pedroia lofted one out toward the center field triangle that I thought was going out, but Vernon Wells ended up tracking it down for the second out. Victor walked and was replaced by pinch-runner Joey Gathright. The stage was set, with the two speediest guys on base, and one of the best clutch hitters on the team, Youkilis, at the plate. We chanted “Yooooouuuuuk” and “Let’s go Red Sox” and “You-you-you-you” as he worked a 3-2 count. But then… called strike three. There was a stunned silence for a few seconds as it sunk in, but that was it. No rally; no clinching; no pants-less, goggle-wearing, champagne-soaked players celebrating.
Actually, for me there was still hope. If the Rangers won, the magic number would stay at 1, and I’d have another chance to see them try again tomorrow. But when I got back to my car, I heard that the Angels led 4-2, and after I got home the 5-2 Texas loss went final, giving the Wild Card to the Red Sox. It was after 1 am, and even the NESN cameras weren’t allowed in the clubhouse, so we didn’t get any visuals. Instead, I’ll have to close with a picture I took last October on the night the Red Sox beat the Angels in Game 4 to clinch the Division Series:
We didn't get to see the Red Sox clinch this year, but here's what it might have looked like. This is Tim Wakefield, Mike Lowell, Josh Beckett, and their teammates celebrating their Division Series win over the Angels in 2008.
While we didn’t get to see any pictures, there were some good quotes on the celebration the next morning:
“He’s probably in a thong right now with goggles and drinking Budweiser,” Lowell said, of Papelbon’s condition at that point in the evening.
“I think it was maybe a little more subdued than walking right off the field, but at the same time, when you’ve got Pap on your team, it definitely isn’t boring,” Bay said.
On second thought, I guess there are some things that are best left to the imagination!
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