Ladies and Gentlemen, the Boston Red Sox

[WilliamPitt]

Playoff jubilation flows at Fenway

Red Sox pound out a 14-3 clincher

By Bob Ryan, Globe Staff, 9/26/2003

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2003/09/26/playoff_jubilation_flows_at_fenway/

"Could this be The Year?"

There may have been no question asked more frequently throughout New England during the summer of 2003. The Red Sox took care of the postseason qualification formality last night with an authoritative 14-3 dispatch of the Baltimore Orioles. They are now the American League's wild-card entry, and will be playing meaningful baseball games in the month of October for the first time since 1999. If everything goes according to plan, the victory celebration in commemoration of the first Red Sox World Championship since 1918 will be held on the Boston Common some time in late October.

Well, that may be getting a bit ahead of the story . . .

From Caribou to Cos Cob, from St. Johnsbury to Seekonk, people wondered all summer whether it was wise to invest their emotional energy in a gritty, spunky, feisty, and charmingly flawed team that hit (splendidly) and pitched (often quite horribly) in classic Red Sox styles.

Most of them took the plunge. If there were fence-sitters remaining, they placed their feet in the affirmative camp Tuesday night when Todd Walker and David Ortiz hit the electrifying home runs that gave the Red Sox a rousing 6-5 comeback victory in 10 innings in one of those games young fans will be recounting to their grandchildren well into the 21st century. And now the full attention of Red Sox Nation can be turned to the future, specifically the American League Division Series that begins Wednesday in Oakland.

The Red Sox distinguished themselves in many ways this season -- mostly with bats in their hands -- but one distinction likely to be theirs for the foreseeable future is this: They have entered the postseason having been shaped, in large measure, by the personnel tinkering of a 29-year-old general manager who not too long ago was devouring his daily dose of Peter Gammons while dreaming of becoming the general manager of, yes, the Boston Red Sox.

...more...

================

Excitement overflowing in all corners
By Gordon Edes, Globe Staff, 9/26/2003

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2003/09/26/excitement_overflowing_in_all_corners/

He shook hands with Mayor Menino, who had made his way down to the front-row box seats now known as Henrytown in the eighth inning, then with his partners, Larry Lucchino and Tom Werner. Then a security guard opened a gate and he walked onto the field to see the Olde Towne Team, his team, celebrate the clinching of the wild-card spot in the American League playoffs.

"Crazy, no?" Sox owner John W. Henry said with a look of pleasure mixed with bemusement, as Manny Ramirez wildly waved a Red Sox flag behind him. "Can you imagine if we actually won something?"

This was Fenway Park Thursday night, Sept. 25, 2003, in the delicious moments after 10:05 p.m., when heretofore forlorn Red Sox reliever Ramiro Mendoza ("Imagine that -- just what we got him for, Ramiro Mendoza closing out the playoff clincher," cracked one Sox official) struck out Brian Roberts of the Baltimore Orioles to extend a sweet New England baseball season into October.

...more...

[meegbear]

1. So the big question is ....

who has an extra ticket?

[phillybri]

2. Congrats, Will....Too bad my Phils shit he bed....

...but the Sox will be my team for the playoffs...


:toast:

[Punkingal]

3. Hope they go all the way....

it's about time the curse of the Bambino goes down!

[THUNDER HANDS]

3 and 2 to Mookie Wilson....

A little grounder along the first base line, GETS BY BUCKNER, KNIGHT ROUNDS THIRD AND THE METS WIN IT!!!!!!!!


sorry, but I'm contractually obligated as a New York sports fan to bring that up in any thread regarding the Red Sox.

:)

[MrBenchley]

20. It's at the wall...home run, Bucky Dent!

Somewhere beyond the vale the Bambino is loosening up and getting ready to swing again....

[Drifter]

4. Celebrate my friend ...

as your dream will be muted in Oakland.

Big A's fan here.

Good luck (but not too much)

Cheers
Drifter

[WilliamPitt]

7. You should meet my friend Matthew

South African rugby player turned deraned A's fan who now lives in Jamaica Plain. He will be your stand-in here. :)

[wryter2000]

21. Go Red Sox

And go, A's. I wish they could both win.

[underpants]

5. SHOCKED I'm truly SHOCKED

That's my Bob Ryan impersonation.

Way yo go Red Sox.

[GOPisEvil]

6. Here's a crazy thought I had in the shower - Pedro for MVP.

I mean, the Cy Young goes to the best pitcher, and I think that's going to end up being Roy Halladay, although Pedro was excellent this season (how many games did the Sox' bullpen blow for him?). But, the MVP goes to the player deemed most valuable to his team. Who is more valuable to the Sox than Pedro (OK - maybe David Ortiz - work with me here!)

I dunno...just my daily crackpot theory. :-)

Congratulations to the Sox and their fans. :party:

[WilliamPitt]

8. David Ortiz = MVP

:)

[CPschem]

9. The Sox are good..

enough for second place every year. I hope they get swept and Pedro takes a comebacker to the nose.

[bunk76]

19. or even better....

how about one right in the eye,end his career.Would that make you feel better?

[CPschem]

24. Yes, a bit.

being that he clearly targets Yankees with his bean balls... look at the numbers if you don't believe me.

[WilliamPitt]

30. Wah wah wah

Pedro pitches inside. Pity the poor Yankees for not getting out of his way.

[Emboldened Chimp]

33. So does Clemens

So pity the Sox if they don't get out his way, right?

Turnaround is fair play!

[WilliamPitt]

34. Exactly!

That's the spirit!

Now if the Yankees can get out of Minnesota alive...

[Emboldened Chimp]

35. I'll give you that

I'm more worried about them than anybody else. The Yanks got beat by the young up-starts last year. If they get past 'em this year, I'm confident they'll win the pennant.

[MaineDem]

51. Welcome to DU, CPschem

However, I'm concerned with you wishing potential life-threatening injury to a player.

I'm hoping I missed the sarcasm in your post.

[meegbear]

10. When I think about Pedro in the shower ..

it's not about the MVP.

[GOPisEvil]

11. *looks at post* *looks at 10-foot pole* *looks back at post*

Not going there. :-)

[StaggerLee]

12. Congrats to all baseball fans

How can you NOT be loving this?

[VelmaD]

13. Congratulations!

You must be ecstatic. Gotta pull for the Sox - love those underdogs.

As a Rangers fan sometimes I feel like a Red Sox/Cubs fan in training. :-) It's sorta like the presidential primaries. My team was mathematically eliminated sometime back in May I think. :-) Gotta have somebody to root for in the playoffs and, well, I hate the Yankees with a passion. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. So, GO SOX!

DV

[PopSixSquish]

14. SF Giants Fan Myself, but...

I'd like to see the Red Sox win it for fans like you and Matcom.

[bunk76]

15. I have a good feeling...

but I will not let myself get overly optimistic.I have over forty years invested in my love for this team,that being said there is always that seed of doubt that lingers because of people like
Bucky (fu**in) Dent and Bill Buckner(although I never could blame him completely).Why was he not closer to the line,or why wasnt Stapleton playing first,a better defensive player at the time)Questions for the ages I guess? So I will be rooting for my boys with all my heart and
soul,and hope for the best.Good luck to all with teams in the race.


PEACE

[PAMod]

16. As a lifetime Yankees fan, I congratulate Bosox fans everywhere

Even Dr. Dean, who became the first person in baseball history to switch from the Yankees to the Red Sox.

I hope the Yanks & Sox meet in the ALCS, and if (c'mon now) Boston wins the pennant, I promise to root for them in the Series.

[Emboldened Chimp]

31. How can you be a lifetime Yanks fan

and be willing to root for the Sox if they win the pennant? I do hope that was said tongue-in-cheek. If not, Sacrilege!

[PAMod]

48. Shhhhh

This is their big moment. I want them to be happy for their glorious season, and to feel the joy of victory and the wonderful burn of champagne in their eyes...

...so that when they are watching the Yanks do it after the last out of the World Series, they can be punished again.

[DEM FAN]

17. It's Time To Cowboy Up.

;-)

[newyorican]

18. Is it 2018 already?

:evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

41. Let's see...what former Red Sock was on the '96 winner?

and helped the pathetically manager challenged Yankees end that long drought of 18 years without a title?

[fishnfla]

22. whatever happened to that fella

Buckner. Is he part of the curse?

hey what do i care, anybody but the Yankees. Go Bosox.

[OneBlueSky]

23. if all goes as it should . . .

THE series of the playoffs will be Yanks v. Sox . . . and we all know how that one will turn out (to quote Yogi: "We've been playing these guys for 80 years; they can't beat us.") . . . congrats to BoSox fans . . . and early condolences . . . :)

[WilliamPitt]

25. Aaaaaaaaaaactually...

If all goes as it should, it'll be Sox v. Cubs on the cusp of The End Of The World.

:)

[VelmaD]

27. Is it time to start...

repenting my sins and "find" God? Or just start digging a shelter in the backyard stockpiling non-perishable food items? :-)

[Emboldened Chimp]

32. More reason to root AGAINST the Sox!

We don't want to encourage Chimpy's ambitions, now do we?

[RetroLounge]

37. Now your talking, Will!

If the Cubs can get through the next 3 games and win out and Houston loses one... But houston is playing the Milwaukee Brewers, the suckiest team around. Maybe a tie-breaker game...

Then the Cubs sweep thru the payoffs and beat the Red Sux in 4 straight games.

Chicago erupts in Pandemonium...

Hey, could happen.

[WilliamPitt]

38. I see the scenario differently

Cubs win through in the NL. Red Sox win through in the AL.

Cubs take game one, Sox take games 2 ands 3. Cubs take games 4 and 5, Sox take game 6.

Sox winning 7-6 in the bottom of the 9th of game 7. Cubs player lifts an easy pop fly to center. Johnny Damon settles under it...

...and a meteor the size of Texas streaks out of the sky and tears the mantle off the earth. Life as we know it ends with no championship for the Sox or the Cubs.

Cubs fans can take this scenario and reverse it. The end result will be the same.

[Susang]

42. You know the curse has been removed, don't you?

The goat is on our side. We will prevail. The spirit of Harry Carey (as embodied by Dutchie, a lovely woman and a BIG TIME DEMOCRAT) will ensure that the Cubs will finally emerge victorious. Chicago is gonna burn bright that night, let me tell you!

A side note, I met Dutchie Carey at a Bill Bradley fundraiser in 2000. Phil Jackson was also there. I was bartending and Dutchie sat at the bar the entire event, dissing Bush, Republicans and right-wing conservatives with me. We had a blast.

[CPschem]

26. I like when sox fans chant

"YANKEES SUCK!"... if only the Bosox could suck like the yankees.. maybe they'd win when it counts.

[WilliamPitt]

28. That chant

is the I.R.A. coming out in Boston fans. :)

[seaglass]

52. Yankees Suck doesn't have anything to do with the

Yankees playing ability. It has to do with the overall suckiness of the Yankees team.

[Missy Vixen]

29. Congratulations, Will

I'm thrilled for the people of Boston, and I hope that this is the year for the Red Sox.

Our team, as most of MLB has noticed, seems to have a serious problem. It'll be interesting if the M's owners finally decide to let the moths out of their wallets on the offseason. Scarily enough, though, Ichiro is a free agent this year :scared:. (The only way we'll be able to retain naming rights to the city is that Ichiro refused to take more cash last time than Kazuhiro Sasaki, stating that it would "dishonor" him.)

We'll be rooting for you from the West Coast, and we'll break out the bubbly when they bring the championship home!

Julie
heartbroken Mariners fan, but happy for you

[Crewleader]

36. William we became friends over the Red Soxes....

just may be this is our year to celebrate like we did the Patriots! ;-)

[Braden]

39. how sweet it is!

This team has captured the wild personalities of the people of New England.

They are really going to give it a go. And I have tickets! You could try and coax them from me. Unless you have a Piper Saratoga IITC you are willing to trade for them, then I am sorry, but no deal.

I have watched the team fanatically since about 1974, when I was four turning five, and this is one of the best three teams since then. I hated this bullpen in April and I dont love the one in September too much but they are 16-7 this month. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Grady showed a war chest full of class in letting the embattled and much maligned Ramiro Mendoza be a small part of Red Sox history.

[populistmom]

40. I live in a Yankee house

My husband is a diehard Yankee fan who grew up in Springfield (Mass that is) and I keep telling him the Red Sox deserve a win and I respect Red Sox fans because they keep hanging in there and supporting their team despite the heartbreaks. Apparently, that's heresy to say to a Yankee fan.

Oh well, I grew up in the midwest, so I'm rather neutral on this whole eastern division rivalry stuff, so I'll still keep secretly rooting for the Red Sox fans just a little.
(Sorry, Jim. I know, I know, now I jinxed the Yanks. :eyes: )

[NewYorkerfromMass]

44. Hey! I grew up in Springfield but I ain't no stinkin' Yankee fan.

what the hell went wrong there? I am very disappointed to hear this.

[populistmom]

45. He was probably the only one there

That was the point. If you can live in Mass and be a Yankees, fan, you're a real diehard.
As for why, it's probably because his dad in Hartford was a Yankee fan, but he was forced to moved with foster parents to Massachusetts. I think it was a way to still feel close to his dad as a kid. So it is a complicated story and unusual circumstances.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

46. I understand. It was a way to be different too. My best friend was one

and to make things complete he was a Knicks, Rangers, Jets fan!
He really enjoyed being the misanthrope!

[SaveElmer]

43. Congratulations...but

They will go down to the Twins in the ALCS !!!

[DS1]

47. so this is like, the first time, in

the history of the Red Sox 4 years ???

:wow:

[JackDragna]

49. ...are going nowhere.

The Red Sox will have a very tough time with Oakland. The A's gave up nearly a hundred fewer runs in the regular season. Before you tell me about the Red Sox's offense, remember that playoff baseball games are extremely tight affairs where the team with the better pitching tends to win. Oakland has that, New York has it..hell, even the Twins have a better team ERA.

[Emboldened Chimp]

50. It's all pitching!

Sox have the worse staff of the four teams. Pedro can't carry the whole bunch. And if he has one bad night, foget it; they're toast.

[WilliamPitt]

53. Tell that to Atlanta

If that 'Pitching wins' rule were accurate, Atlanta would have won every World Series in the 90s.